001controlled funds um and our smaller student activities type funds. So tonight, our reason for the revision. So December is a common time that school districts go out and do their budget revisions. Um they're actually required to do them by December 15th if you were uh noted as required uh for exceeding your general budget limit by more than 1%. Liberty did not receive that designation. But a common reasons that districts still take the opportunity to do the revision is so that you can capture additional budget capacity or reduce your budget capacity if it's time for that. Um you can capture legislative updates that happened throughout the summer or the fall that you weren't able to capture in the adoption. Um and this is also a great time to capture your carry forward money from the prior
002year. So changes that have occurred since July on ADM. Um basically our student count so our ADM numbers have gone down slightly about 21 students. Um the information that we use for the budget comes from our BSA 55 reporting. So this information comes from our November report and that's student data that runs through October 15th. Um, so that's the number that we get there, 4252, um, for our student number. So we basically take that times our $5,11326 per student and that's our base level of our budget. Okay. So some changes that have occurred. So, I've got the adopted column and then revision so that you can see the highlights of any changes. The basic control limit and maintenance and operations did change a little bit as well as our override money. Um, that was basically
003due to even though our overall ADM went down, some of our what we call group B weights changed. So some of the extra funding that we get for um students of different needs like in the sped areas there's um extra funding that we get for K3 reading programs and those other group B weights that we call them. Some of those numbers did change. So that did result in some extra funding for us. Um and then the biggest change I'd say is two other things. So our carry forward from the prior year that came in. We estimated it would be about 500,000. Um, but we actually ended up carrying over $651,274. And then we got three supplementals from the state. So, we got a one-time state aid supplement, a one-time DAA supplement, and a one-time free
004and reduced price lunch supplement. This is something that the state has done for the last couple of years. Um, but it always changes what the amounts are and they have to approve it each time. So, it's something that we hope for, but we never bank on it. Um, so to sum up, M, we did get an increase of about $814,000. Um, and then moving on to capital, we did get just a little bit less money, $377 less in our allocation. Um, and then we captured our carry forward money. Again, we underestimated slightly, so we ended up carrying over a little bit more. Um, so we have an increase in capital of $19,000. And moving from now till the end of this year, the next opportunity to revise the budget will be in May. So that
005will be at our May 11th meeting. the May budget revision that captures our final numbers for ADM. It also helps us align much more closely with the actual expenses that have occurred. We we did that now, but we have still several more months to go. So when we know what areas everything is going to fall in, we try to match the budget to that. And then that's our final chance to revise for FY26. Um monthly budget reports will continue until May. And then um they'll take a pause throughout the summer that allows us to close up our year, open up the new year, and so that way you can see more accurate data instead of getting monthly reports that are all over the place. And then um something to consider for FY27 is budget work
006should begin soon um because our proposed budget would be due at the June 8th board meeting and then the adopted budget would need to happen prior to the July 15th meeting. um that's not currently scheduled, but as long as we have a meeting and adopt a budget prior to that date, then we'll meet the minimum requirements. Uh I did want to make one note before any questions. In the executive summary, there was just one small typo. Um underneath the capital, it does say that the net result was a decrease of 109,000. Um it should say increase. Both items did increase. Thank you. Any questions? I have some questions. Go ahead. >> Thank you. Um, thank you, Miss Moer, um, for doing a revision. I know it's a lot of work. Um, but I I think
007it's important for us to kind of, you know, stay on top of it this year. Um, one of the questions I had, if we could go back to talking about ADM for a second. So, I know that we uh it's hard to compare this number to like our enrollment because we're only getting half a student for kindergarten and then um for preschool for children that qualify with a disability, what are they are they counted in ADM? If they qualify, they are also counted in at a 0.5. Okay. Um, and so when you say that it went down 22 students from like May, help me understand because when I look at like the enrollment, we are down 113 students. So help me understand how we get to 22 for ADM. If you could please. >> Yes.
008So it does take some time for the reporting that we use um to basically be updated with the current trends. So we could see possibly when we do the May revision um that reporting could show a more accurate number uh of any students that have left us um but we have some time from them till now. So, it really is just the difference in timing, but also like you said, um enrollment is not always the same number as uh ADM. ADM is what we get our student funding based on. So, the headcount is a little bit different. So, my concern because when I, you know, times 22 times the 5,000, you know, I'm not going to repeat it all is $112,000. So if we see a significant drop in May, let's say another 50 students
009because right now the trend is that we continue to lose students every month. Um we have not increased uh one month this year. We've only decreased. So my concern is if we get all the way to May, we're going to put ourselves in a position either like we were last year where we had to cut or again we're kind of dipping into that carry forward um or potential carry forward um that we agreed as a board to work towards having you know a 2 million carry forward not till 2028. So, um, is there a way to monitor it, uh, and not wait till May, I guess, you know, so that we're not essentially spending money that we're going to realize we don't have. Does that make sense? >> Yes. So, internally, uh, the report does
010come out once a month on our side. Enrollment can be seen anytime, any day, but the report that we use for the budget comes out once a month. Um, we actually should be getting the December. So, it's the December report any day now, probably in the next week or so, but it will have November's uh student numbers on it. >> Okay. >> So, we should be getting that soon, but we can check it anytime really. We also can do if it was needed. Um, we could do another budget revision or we could just plan knowing what the May budget revision is going to be. >> Okay. And I don't know if it's something that could be added to like the monthly um enrollment um update that the board gets or the budget just for us
011to because it is a different number than enrollment for us to be able to kind of track ADM too. Um, so >> I think we could probably add a column or something um another row to the monthly budget report that you see that might help see the trends >> trends. Yeah. >> For the budget side, that would be awesome. Thank you. >> Um, if we could open up the uh actual revision the Excel document and on uh I'm going to be on page two. uh the other file. Yes. Okay. So if you look at the FTE um so and I like it it was hard because I wrote in in my own column um what it was when we did the adopted budget but so for example in that first number one line for the
012adopted budget it was 200 FTEES and now it's 229.5 FTEES which is a very significant change, but I don't see the salaries and the benefits changing to reflect that. So, um, can you help me understand what happened there? >> Yes. Um, all we did there is we just tried to make our number more accurate to the live payroll system. So, we matched exactly what we actually have where at the beginning of the year it was more of an estimate. >> Okay. So, so then the prior year um because I remember having this conversation. So that's what I was wondering if that's what happened is is the money was kind of always more accurate but not tied to the FTEEs. >> Correct. >> So the prior year then probably it's it's going to be hard to
013compare until we get through this year because that was always kind of an estimate too. >> Yes. >> Okay. But now this is a more accurate representation. >> Yes. These numbers are are right out of the payroll system matching those positions in those categories. >> Okay. Perfect. Um, okay. Could we go to page sorry um page four? It's the classroom site fund. So, this this number is uh I want to say about like $1.3 million less than the adopted budget um uh under salaries number 11. Is that because we had quite a bit of turnover? Um, and so there we're not paying as many teachers out of the classroom site fund because they weren't here to write their 301 goals. Um, not necessarily. It's more that this number is more accurate to what we think
014we're going to use for this year only. Um, where we did kind of have a buffer built in prior to this. Um because we felt that it'd be better to budget more what we're using and that way you could see that carry forward money and then the district as a whole could make better decisions on if they wanted to start spending that a little bit more or how to distribute that out a little bit better. Um, and one thing that we we didn't have this I don't know if you can see it, but the yellow items weren't on prior year budget forms. So, it didn't always say what the intention was to carry over. You also never really want to car you don't want to carry it over too much, but you don't want to
015get too low so that if there was ever a dip in funding in classroom site fund, you want to at least have a full year, maybe even a little more. um to give staff some warning that their their next year bonuses are going to be going down if we were ever to see a dip in that funds. >> Okay, thank you. Um if we could go to page five. So my question is um if we could scroll over to um where it says like the redemption of principal and the interest. So Crystal's like I know where Kelly's going with this. Um I have a hint. >> So before those were zeros. Um and so that is a pretty pretty significant amount of money that now you know we need to account for. So um is
016that a new you know what how what what is you know how did the change come about? >> So the redemption of principal is principal payments on any leases that we have. We have two new leases now. We have the financing for the bus payments. So that's a a financing lease that we hold and then we have our vari payment. The second column is interest on those items. um that is significantly more um because similar to like a mortgage on your house, our first year's payments, a lot of the money is going towards our interest. A lot less is going towards principal until we get further along in the financing. Okay. So, so com, so these two combined are only the the bus payment and the ver payment, >> correct? >> Okay. So, remind me.
017I thought that the bus payment was like $275,000. >> Let me let me double check. >> Okay, because I could be saying that opposite. Okay. So, it's the bus payment for sure and then we have a very small payment that um we're treating uh the website that we have five years of payments on. There's a very small amount of that included in this. >> Okay. >> Um and then the vari payment hasn't actually happened yet. So, it's encumbered. It's budgeted, but it's not an expense that's occurred. >> Can you can you tell us how much the vari payment is because I just don't remember please. >> Sorry. In total, so this would include um the portion that's going to principal and interest together is 59,000. So that's the one that a lot of that is
018the interest because >> we have a big bulk part of that >> being interest. >> Okay. And so you know the point you know the way that we were sold varig is that we're going to recoup that through um energy savings. So, you know, that probably is a different agenda item is how we can verify that that occurred because they also said in that presentation that if it didn't that they would essentially write us a check. Um, so I'll, you know, put that in the back of my brain for a different agenda item. But, um, so right now though, it looks like we made kind of significant changes for what we plan to spend on capital because, you know, we hadn't accounted for these payments. So, um the biggest one that I saw was for
019um furniture, the big change, it was like $500,000 change from the adopted budget. So, are there things that were really missing? Did we know what we wanted to spend that on or typically it's just a placeholder in certain areas? So, we did we could say we did have those lease payments budgeted. they just weren't they weren't in the lease category yet. >> So, we typically kind of build in some extras in the other line items so that if there's an emergency that comes up or in this case, we need to move it to another area, we can. >> Okay. Um Okay. Uh if we could go to the next page. Um this is about bond. Um so under lines 8 and nine it's about 1.1 I want to say and I believe that they were
020zer in um the adopted budget. So it's um it looks like again furniture and equipment. So, do we kind of just move what we thought we were going to spend? I'm just curious. Do we know what we need or are we just kind of placeholding it because we thought we were going to spend it out of capital and now we don't have the money. >> It's more of a placeholder, especially things like vehicles. We don't have anything currently coming up that is an expense in that area. Furniture and equipment, normally bigger items like that start happening closer towards the summer. So there it's mostly a placeholder. >> Okay. Keep looking for something. Okay. I apologize. Can Can we go back to page one for a second because I couldn't figure out where this was? So,
021if we scroll over um Okay. Uh if we could scroll down now, please. Okay. A little bit more over. Oh, yeah. Okay. See where it says M budget carry forward 824,000? >> Yes. >> Okay. Why is that a different number? >> So, at the beginning of the year, I don't remember what we had there specifically, but um we had our best estimate. So, what we've done now is we've budgeted out expenditures that are already encumbered. We've added some of those estimates in and then whatever was left over is still in that category. So, that's just I guess you could call it unbudgeted funds in those two categories. >> Okay. Okay. Okay, because then on page I didn't number my pages. Um page 8, it goes back to the 651,000 that we talked about. So I
022guess I'm just trying to understand, you know, the difference in the way that they're listed. That page there, that's the carry forward from last year into this year. >> And then on page one is an estimate of carry forward from this year into next year. >> Okay, >> that is helpful. Thank you. Okay. So then if we could go to the actual like budget carry forward page which is 14. So then if you scroll down just a tad more. There you go. So then again, this is the this is the number that we think we'll end up with or that's kind of unbudgeted as you say. I think that's a good way of saying it. Okay. >> Yes. And some of the areas um they they have us put it in specific categories uh like
023committed, uncommitted, assigned. So things like M aren't necessarily committed to anything specific. uh where some of our grant funds we may have money available but it's for a very specific use. We can't just use the grant money on anything that we want. So that's kind of what this chart is for. Okay. And then in the bond building um for what we Oh, this is uh it's revenue, right? It's Oh, no. It's it's expenditures. So, under B where it says 13 million, if you go over Oh, it's hard because you can't see the what it's called, but um right there kind of in the middle now where it says like 139 um in the adopted budget it was like 10.5. So, do we know um you know did we go over in uh building Loretta like
024where that extra 3 million of spending of bond came from? >> Most of it did happen throughout the summer uh because we did have that time period. Our fiscal year closes June 30th, but we do have July and August to continue making our payments. So, there was uh quite a few construction invoices that came through in that time period. So, it didn't get captured in the adopted budget, but since we have the better data now, we have all of our expenses through the end the full end of that year. Um, that's the actual number. >> Okay, I think that's all my questions. Thank you so much, Miss Moer. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions? Madam President, >> Miss Moer, thank you for the the brief here. I ask a two-part question. So, in a
025couple other meetings, you talked about some monies you expect to come in. Were any of these increases part of those monies? And are they already allocated or encumbered anywhere? >> So, we were expecting hoping expecting the three supplemental one-time payments. Um, and some of the changes that we saw and what I was referencing to as our group B weights is some money we were expecting. Um, like in the area of K3 reading, we know that money is coming each year, but we never always know exactly what it's going to be when we have to adopt in July. And then encumbrance, some of it, some of it is like the K3 reading, usually those are positions. So, those are teachers that already work in the K3 reading areas. Um, but not all of it. No, some
026of that is is why we do have a little bit larger estimated carry forward now than we did when we had the adopted budget forms. You're welcome. >> Any other questions for Miss Moer? >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um, agenda item 1.4 is a call to the call to the public. Do we have any speakers? >> No, ma'am. >> We have no speakers for the call to the public. So, we will move on to item 2.1, adjourning the public hearing. So, we'll adjourn the public hearing at 5:57 p.m. and Uh we will move on to 3.1 calling the regular board meeting to order at 5:58 p.m. We do have five board members present. Um board member Todd, member Kenyon, member Zimmerman, Vice President Sarinone, and myself, Sarah Schmidt. Um item 3.2, approval of
027regular agenda. Motion to approve the regular agenda form consistent with board policy 1-302 and temporarily suspend governing board policy with which this agenda may be inconsistent. >> We have a motion. Do I have a second? >> I'll second. >> Okay, we have a motion and a second to approve the regular agenda. If there's no discussion, we can take a vote. Board member Todd, >> I. >> Board member Kenyon, >> I. Board members Zimmerman >> I. >> Vice President Serion >> I'm also an I. We'll show that passed five to zero. >> Moving on to agenda item 4.1 administrative and enrollment reports and school newsletters. Um do we have any thing from board members on this topic? I don't know that we have a representative available tonight, but we will try. >> Um I just have
028a couple more comments, >> please. Um so, uh I just wanted to uh looking at the attendance report, I just wanted to highlight um two schools. I always think it's uh when we can celebrate our schools, like I like take the opportunity to do that. Um and so we had two schools uh Rainbow Valley and Westar whose um attendance percentage was higher than it was um from this month last year. And I know with the holidays it can be tricky. So I just appreciate um those schools but all schools. I know all of our principles are working hard to, you know, get our students here. We know the most important thing is to have our students in our in our classrooms. Um but I just appreciate the the work that goes in to do that.
029Um and then the enrollment report. Um you know I just think for transparency purposes as you know we continue to talk about the budget that it's just important to note that we are down again across the district um overall five students but we essentially lost 21 students this month. Um and um you know I would love if the principles would share with staff not right now if you know like things that are happening because there are two schools that lost you know a more significant number this month and if there's something happening I feel like it's important for us to know can we make a change can we do something differently um because we certainly don't want to be losing students um so That's all I have for this agenda item. >> Thank you. Any
030other comments from board members? All right. Thank you. We can move on to item 4.2, monthly budget report, November 2025. Uh Dr. Mahorn is not here, but Miss Moer, we're back to you. >> Good evening again. Um I don't have a lot for you this month. Not not a ton has changed on this reporting. I just wanted to make a note that um a lot of our revenue has started coming in. So we did see some increases in revenue. Um and then I added a fund. So there is a new line item. You might have seen fund number 113 added to the list. That simply is the designation between the project momentum grant we had before closed out the 30th of September versus the project momentum grant we have now. So those two fund numbers
031kind of separate the fiscal years. Um so if you have any questions for me I be happy to answer >> questions from board members. >> I just have one. >> Go ahead please. >> Um and it has to do with that uh fund. Um, so if the 112 uh FY25 project momentum closed out, it says we have a balance of $860,000, are we able to use that or did you mean we are not getting new funds as of September 30th? We're not getting any new funds. And that total is not entirely accurate um because it doesn't account for the money we've spent in prior fiscal years. This budget report only shows our spending for the current year. Um, so I probably should have made a note off to the side that we have spent more
032money than that because last year's money was spent as well. That grant was really uh maybe 18 to 20 months. So it went over two different fiscal years. And the spending that you see on this report is only since July. So there there has been more spending. I could if I could pull it up quicky quickly I could give you a >> okay >> good estimate of what we actually spent. >> So then my question though is that balance number is that factored into the bottom balance number is that then not necessarily accurate? >> Um the 9.751 million it would be totaled into that as well. Okay, let's see. I can update it for sure on the next one. Um, so we had the 983,100 and if this report I'm looking at is completely accurate,
033I I would want to check it. It looks like we spent right around 892,000 in total. So we we did not have that much left available. We had less than 100,000. Okay. So again, but that that end balance then would be about >> about around 9 million then, right? >> Yes. The one at the very bottom. >> The very bottom number. Um, are we able to spend the remaining like h 100,000? I'm estimating like just listening to your numbers. Um, or is that completely closed out? It's completely closed. >> Okay. So, uh, for the next one then, will you kind of zero it out, I guess, so that it doesn't >> Yeah, I can take off um correct that balance so it only showed the remaining. I I guess I could zero it out completely
034because even the remaining isn't helpful to us any any longer, >> right? If we can't spend it, then yeah, we don't want to. >> Yeah. Okay, that would make more sense. >> Uh that was all I had. Thank you. >> Any other questions? >> All right. Thank you, Miss Moer. Again, we can move on to agenda item 5.1, governing board updates. Um, board member Todd, would you like to start? >> Sure. I don't have much update. I just hope that everybody had a great Thanksgiving. I wish everybody a merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah. Um, I would like to take a moment to recognize uh we had a a staff member, passed away in a tragic car accident, and uh just like to let their family and campus friends know that we're thinking of them, and we're
035here to help any way we can. Thank you, board member Kenyan. >> Yeah, thank you. Um, I was going to say exactly the same thing that board member Todd said. Um, again, hope that uh everybody had a good Thanksgiving holiday with their family and friends and everybody um enjoyed their time. Uh, and now getting ready for Christmas season and the New Year's coming around the corner. Everything's happening so fast now. Um, but I also wanted to take take a moment and just um share my sympathies with the family that family and staff that are all impacted by what happened at uh with a staff member at Loros. So they're in our thoughts and prayers. >> Board members Zimmerman. >> Yes, thank you. Um I also wanted to offer my sympathy to um the family. Um
036I directly knew that person because they worked in my daughter's classroom last year. Um, so it certainly hit a little bit closer to home to me. Um, and I just am thinking of the preschool staff as well as I know how close uh knit that family is over there. Um, I have been able to attend a lot of basketball games and I just want to highlight how impressed I have been with all of the coaches. Um, their dedication, their passion for their students. It's been really really fun um to be able to see the different schools and um watch them compete and certainly good luck to all of our teams that are in the semifinals tonight. Um I was also able to attend um a meeting um a signature program meeting just as a spectator.
037I did not participate since it will come before the board. Um but uh for both Loretta Zumbro and Estraa Elementaryaries um as they are both looking at um a new signature program um and I was very impressed um at Estraa how many staff members were there, how many parents were there and actively involved in that process. So that was really cool to see. And I was also able to attend Estraa's schoolwide um celebration of their um getting their fourth um A in a row letter grade. Um and I just think it was really cool that they involved the students, you know, because obviously um they are not able to make that achievement without the students. And so I think it was just a cool um way to celebrate with the staff, the students all together.
038So it was um an honor to be able to attend that as well. That's all I have. >> Vice President Seruni, >> I also want to extend my sympathies to the family over at Loretta Zumbro. Losing a a family member because that's what you guys are at that point. You're all family. It's never easy and this time of year, it seems a little harder than normal. Um, so I just let you know you guys are also in our thoughts and prayers and it's it's horrible. >> Thank you. I also am going to be the the fifth one to offer my condolences to everyone who knew the staff member, all of the people impacted. We know that teachers reach so many people um and so many families and um as Vice President Saruni said, it does
039always feel a little bit harder this time of year. Uh so I want to send my condolences to everyone who knew her and um you know, keep them in our thoughts as we move forward. Um and we'll end there tonight. So we can move to 6.1 uh the call to the public. This is a reminder that you'll have three minutes to speak and um as Vice President Sarini will call the names. >> First is Megan Cananan. >> Good evening ladies and gentlemen of the board. My name is Megan Cananan. I reside in district with one current and two former students. I'm here today because our district deserves ethical leadership, transparency, and respect, none of which we are receiving under former board president Michael Todd. The screenshots shared publicly and documented by senior district leadership outline
040a troubling pattern of misconduct. Misconduct that we as parents, staff, and community members have brought to this board previously. These are not minor misunderstandings. They are repeated examples of Mr. Todd's abusing his position, overstepping the legal limits of his role, and creating a hostile and unsafe professional environment for staff. The role of a school board member and especially a president is clearly defined. Board members set policy, oversee the superintendent, and serve the public, not their own political interests. They do not direct staff work, retaliate. They do not direct staff to work, retaliate against employees, interfere with public records, manipulate complaints, or attempt to intimidate the very people hired to serve students. Yet, the documented statements attribute to Mr. Todd show exactly that. Personal attacks on staff and community members. Discrimination in inappropriate and unethical comments.
041Attempts to control internal operations that are not within a board member's authority. Pressure to hide or delay public records. An act that raises serious legal and ethical concerns. Efforts to weaponize complaints, personal personnel discussions, and even committee relationships for political gain. threats to employees, job security, professional reputations, and personal dignity. This is not leadership. This is misconduct. Our district functions only when board members stay in their lane. Policy governs and accountability. Not micromanagement, not political intimidation, and certainly not harassment. When a board member or president uses their role to bully staff, interfere with legal process, and damage trust across the district, they are no longer serving students. They are serving themselves. The result is a loss of public confidence, a destabilized administration, and a climate of fear rather than collaboration. Mr. Todd has already lost
042the trust of his community once at the ballot box. These additional behaviors make it clear he has also lost the moral authority to continue being on this board. For the good of our students, our employees, and the credibility of this district, I am calling for the immediate resignation of Michael Todd as member of this governing board. Our community deserves better. Our staff deserves better. And most importantly, our kids deserve better. Thank you. >> Next is Ashley Wright. >> Good evening, Madame President, members of the board, and community members. My name is Ashley Wright, and I reside within district. I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who has participated in the community meetings to help determine Australia Mountain Elementary School's new signature program. The level of engagement we have witnessed
043from families, staff, and especially our students is truly inspiring. Your voices, your ideas, and your hopes for what EMES can continue to become have shaped this process in meaningful ways. Our community showed up with honesty, enthusiasm, and a shared commitment to ensuring that every decision we make supports the whole child and strengthens our connection to the neighborhood we serve. The students input in particular reminds us why this work matters. They know it makes learning meaningful and they weren't afraid to tell us. Their perspectives helped anchor this process in purpose. And truly, who better to help guide us into this next chapter than Principal Boris. Under her leadership, EMEES has earned its fourth consecutive A rating. Not by accident, but through vision, dedication, and a deep belief in our children. She understands community. She understands our
044strengths, and she has consistently lifted our school to new heights. Having her at the helm as we design and launch the signature program gives all of us confidence that the work will be thoughtful, focused, and done with our students at the center. Thank you to the board for supporting this effort. Thank you to every parent and staff member who contributed and thank you to our community for showing yet again what makes the Stray Mountain Elementary so special. Together we are building something that will carry EMES forward for years to come. Thank you. Next is Maline Perez. Hello and thank you for having me tonight. I just wanted to address I am in the district and I work for the Omix cleaning company that is um paid by you guys to clean all the schools within
045the district. I'm here to let you guys know that we have not been compensated for our pay. We were due on Friday. I'm not sure if that is something that is within the board or the district that we're not receiving our pay or it is through OMX itself, but I wanted to make this aware because we have many employees who are struggling who are m single mothers. This is the holiday season and we need those funds to be available to us and we've been behind three different times now. Um, he's failed to pay us and that is the contractor that I believe his name is Ivan and you guys are contracting him to have all these schools clean. I don't want this to affect the way that school is being cleaned because I love my
046job. I love doing this, but if we're not getting paid, um it seems like we're all kind of just struggling and we're not able to show up for our job. If someone doesn't have gas to pay to get there, yes, it's a part-time job, but we all take this job very seriously. I'm here on behalf of my employees that aren't here as themselves to speak, but I'm glad that I had the opportunity to speak with you guys today. And thank you, Amanda Collins. >> Hello, members of the governing board. My name is Amanda Collins and I'm the parent of three children in the district. Um, I'm very concerned about our ongoing underst staffing. I know you were asking about declining enrollment, Miss Zimmerman. A lot of it has to do with that. Children are in
047split classes. Uh my eighth grader did not have a science teacher until November 4th of this year and I've talked to several parents at um her school that have left because of that. Um I'll be sharing some results from the May 2025 staff teacher climate survey um because I think that does speak to why our teachers are leaving. Uh we do need to make some changes and I'd like you to listen and think about what you can do to create a better culture and environment for them. Um, some of the comments are there's been too much turnover in the leadership positions in the last one to two years. This culture is terrible. It's being led by the male board members and then executed terribly by the district office. This top-down leadership does not empower anyone
048to do their best. Uh, that poor and unprofessional treatment I've received from Dr. Monroe, Dr. Mahorn, and Michael Todd is unacceptable. Certain governing board members have been allowed and empowered to treat administrators both poorly publicly and privately. They run the district and consistently overstep their roles. Uh we are witnessing a troubling trend of teachers and support staff leaving largely due to a negative culture that's been influenced by the conduct and attitudes of certain board members. The role of a board member should not be to or should be to uphold and support the district mission, not to undermine it by advancing personal agendas or prioritizing connections over qualifications. Um, our district management is not good. Taxpayers money is going down the drain. Governing board members are in a power play at all times. It feels very
049us versus them with the schools and the district and board. I'm tired of being micromanaged by people at the district level and on the board. Um, also the goals and actions of the governing board are having a profoundly negative impact on the district. It has also been brought to the public's attention that there was an attempt for these results to be concealed by Mr. Todd um pressuring staff to make the files go away or allow him to take possession of the raw data. While this is currently only an accusation based on his history of dishonesty and intimidation, I find it believable. We demand better and the students and teachers deserve better. Thank you. >> Next is Suzanne Wolf. Walt. Sorry. >> Yes, it's Wald. Hi everybody. I'm Suzanne Wald. I am not nearly as eloquent
050as Ashley Wright. However, I have a few things to say. I'm a resident of and a volunteer in the district. And since there will be a presentation this evening about the letter grades for our Liberty Schools, I want to congratulate Miss Boris, the entire staff, and all of the students and families at Australia. Under the leadership of Miss Boris, EMES was in a school again last year for the fourth year in a row. Over the last several months, there were multiple after-school open meetings of staff, parents, and volunteers to provide ideas and develop consensus around what the EM signature program might include. Thanks to Mrs. Boris, the meetings were about consensus building, collaboration, and consideration for all stakeholders, especially our students. Our signature program will be uniquely tailored to the unique and wonderful Estraa community.
051We at Estrella Mountain Elementary are lucky and grateful to play on Miss Boris's team. She values and supports all team members, especially our students. >> There's no more, Madam President. >> All right. Thank you. Moving on to agenda item 7.1, approval of consent agenda. Uh, if we could pull 7.4 and 7.9, please. Any other items to be pulled from the consent agenda? All right. Can I get a motion? >> Uh, I make a motion to approve the consent agenda with the exception of 7.4 and 7.9. Right, we have a motion. Do we have a second? >> A second. >> Right. We have a motion and a second to approve the consent agenda um pulling 7 with the exceptions of 7.4 and 7.9. If there's no discussion, we can take a vote. Okay. Board member Todd
052>> I. >> Board member Kenyon. >> I. >> Board member Zimmerman. >> I. >> And vice president Sarinion. >> Hi. >> I'm also an I. Will show that passed five to zero. Right. So agenda item 7.4. Approval of updated support staff wage schedule reflecting new Arizona minimum wage. Um says Dr. Mahorn who is not present tonight. U Miss Zimmerman. So, um, we will, uh, attempt to defer to Miss Moer. Um, but no pressure because it's not your agenda item. Um, but do we know the budget impact for this? Thank you. Yes, I did print that out because I thought that may be a question. I can't find my document at the moment, but this impacts less than 20 of our staff members and it's three cents per hour. So, what I calculated this afternoon was
053under $1,000. Okay. Thank you so much. >> Found it. >> Any other questions on this agenda item? >> Okay. Thank you. Uh I make a motion to approve 7.4. before. >> Do you have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. We have a motion and a second. If there is no further discussion, we can take a vote. Um, Mr. Todd, >> I >> Mr. Kenyon, >> I, >> Miss Emer, >> I, >> Mr. Serion, >> I'm also an I will show that passed five to zero. Moving on to item 7.9. Approval ratification of payroll vouchers 1621062 163 and 1063 in the amount of 2,622,228.95. Um Miss Moer, >> uh just my question is um because uh I didn't see it in here. I just want to make sure that we did pay the psychologist that
054the board approved on November 13th her extra pay that we approved. >> Yes, that was paid. >> Okay. Um and so I didn't see it in the payroll vouchers and there were there no expense vouchers. So will we see that? >> It will be on the next one. I I don't want to say for certain, but I believe it was payday November 25th. So I don't think that's included in this. >> Okay, perfect. I just wanted to make that clarification. Thank you so much. That was the correct pay date. >> Yes. >> Y. So, >> okay. Any other questions about the payroll vouchers? >> Okay. Can we get a motion? >> I make a motion to approve 7.9 >> and a second. >> Second. >> Okay, we have a motion and a second. If there's
055no other discussion, we'll take a vote. Mr. Todd, >> I. >> Mr. Kenyon >> I >> Miss Zimmerman >> I >> Mr. Sarinion >> I'm also an I we'll show that pass 5. >> All right moving on to general business agenda item 8.1 discussion approval of fiscal year 2025 2026 annual expenditure budget revision. Um Dr. Mahorn but I think we're coming back to you Miss Moer. >> That is okay. Hey, good evening again. Um, as we discussed in the public hearing, there is an update to our budget. So, just to recap, M is increasing $814,357 and capital is increasing $19,928. Um, are there any additional questions for me? >> Any questions from board members other than what we've already discussed? I just want to know it's also uh very clear on this one. >> Oh
056yes, thank you. It should be increase and not decrease to capital. Anything else? All right. Then I think if someone would like to make a motion. Motion to approve the fiscal year 2025 2026 annual expenditure budget revision. We have a motion. Do we have a second? >> I'll second. >> Thank you. We have a motion and a second. There's no other discussion. We can take a vote. Right. Mr. Todd. >> I. >> Mr. Kenyon. >> I. >> Miss Zimmerman. >> I. >> Mr. Serion. >> Hi. >> I'm also an I. We will show that 8.1 passed 50. Okay. Agenda item 8.2 Two, discussion approval regarding the vacant superintendent position for the remainder of the FY2526 school year. Um, this was something that I asked to be put on the agenda. Um, I felt it was
057necessary to bring this up since when Dr. Monroe was removed, we specifically named an interim superintendent. When Mr. McDonald was removed, that process was not done. So, uh, we currently don't have anybody named as our interimm superintendent. So, I feel like we need to discuss this, um, discuss our options, what we want to do for the rest of this school year until we hire our permanent superintendent, which most likely will not start anyways until the next school year. Um, so as a board, we really need to to get together and figure out who we want to have named as the interim so everyone is aware who that person is um and the district has some some leadership and guidance. So I will open it up to anyone else's comments, thoughts. Um I do sorry I
058will say one more thing. Sorry. Um, we do have other people in the district who are interested in potentially being the interimm superintendent for this year knowing that that is what the the it is this school year um who have certification who have done this before and are willing to um do that. Dr. Dr. Aila has said that she would um like to put her name out for that and she does have the certifications required and has worked in this area before. So, I'm putting that out there. >> I guess one question is does any other board member have anybody else that approached them about filling a vacancy? Um I wouldn't say that I was approached but I reached out to a person um and that was Mr. McDonald. Um because um I get asked
059probably daily um you know can he come back? Can he come back? We all loved him. Can he come back? And frankly everything that he was accused of uh proved to be false. Um none of it was true. point of order that this isn't the topic the agenda topic. >> I'm talking about somebody >> a vacancy. >> Yep. Not we're not talking about candidates and their their positions on certain things. We're talking about the vacant superintendent position. >> I am I am on topic. >> Not the candidates. >> Well, we are talking about the candidates because we're talking about the vacant superintendent position. So, um I get asked daily and so I did reach out to Mr. McDonald um to see if he would be willing to come back. Um and he is and um
060frankly I think he is an excellent choice. Um, I think you know that we just had a person talk about a um, you know, change in leadership and by allowing somebody who has already been in leadership um, to come here um, well respected by staff and um, you know, we already paid him. We wouldn't have to pay anybody else because we already paid him. So, um I think personally, um I would also be absolutely and totally fine with Dr. Avula. Um so I didn't mean that I disagree with that, but I wanted to surface that other um option. And you know, is it unusual? Sure. But you know, I think more than anything that what happened with Mr. McDonald was a personality conflict and that person isn't the board president anymore. And so I don't
061think it'll be an issue. And watching the amount of heads nod in this room alone when talking about bringing him back tells me everything I need to know. And I hope that the rest of the board is watching as well. Any other comments? >> President, if I may. >> Yes. >> Just like to comment on these last comments. I would believe if you uh received the number of phone calls from the California news media that I received when the last superintendent left, you would recognize that he's not so great. Um he's not the person for the job in this district. He wasn't the person for the job in the district in California. I would be highly against Mr. McDonald returning to this district under any circumstances. I believe that we've got a few months left
062in this year. We have one person who's been steering this vote and we should continue the course with Dr. from a horn through the end of the year. >> Madam President, if I may. >> Yes, please. >> Um, I agree. Uh, I think that Dr. Mahorn, she's done this twice. Um, and so, you know, I would approach I would like to see all candidates who are interested If this is just being put out there now and we already have a couple people reaching out to staff members or supposedly they're reaching out to us, um I don't know that this was made available for them to reach out to us. So in full transparency, I would like this be open to anybody who is willing to step in and fill in this position. Um I do
063think that Dr. Mohorn has been doing the job without extra compensation, I might add. Uh, which was not given to her when it was given to the previous one when Dr. Schuff left. Um, so I think that uh we need to address that as well, but that's a different agenda topic. This is I agree as a board we need to discuss this. However, I don't know that I'm ready to make an uh motion tonight. This is this is a much bigger thing than just a let's just quickly decide on somebody to fill in. >> President may >> please. >> Uh I agree with board member Kenyan on the fact that I think if we're going to do this, I think we need to get as many applicants and I don't think tonight is the right
064time just to make that vote. I think we need to look at the applicants and discuss everybody, not just try to make a decision tonight on it. Um, Mishmid, go ahead. >> Um, I just want to respond to two comments. I did not receive any calls or emails from California Media and I think, you know, if we are going to have people, you know, kind of submit their interest because um, for Mr. Kenyon and Mr. Todd, I feel like Dr. Mahorn has told us that she, you know, doesn't want the position. So, I'm I don't think we should be giving it to somebody who doesn't want it. Um, just I just think that's an unfair thing to do. And for clarification purposes, we did pay Dr. Mahorn extra for the time in between Dr. Monroe
065and uh, Mr. McDonald. That absolutely was paid in a June or July meeting. If if the board's okay with that, I think maybe we need to set a a date for a deadline um for people to submit interest. And I don't know if Miss Camarada would be the best person to compile those names. So that way there's no conflict of interest. If it's one of the staff members and if they're the one collecting it, I don't think they should have to deal with that. I don't know if you have a problem being the point for collecting names of interest. Okay. Does any board members have a problem with that? >> Madam President? >> Yes. >> We can go back for a second. Thought you were trying to name somebody tonight. Ideally, the best thing to
066do is to do this transparently and advertise the position. When we did hire Mr. McDonald, it was very very well stated from the board and members of the public that we needed to have a profile of what we were looking for, qualifications, recommendations, um, lots of things. I find it very interesting that now that's changed and we're ready to just make a move somewhere. Um, I do believe that we should, if we're going to fill the position, if we're doing a short-term interim, I will stand by where I said and and I believe Dr. Mahorn has been doing that job and and we'll continue it for this time. If we're looking for a permanent for the rest of the year, then by all means, we can advertise the position, interview people, and and go forward
067with it. Um, from that perspective, I think time is against us. By the time we advertise this position, we reconvene sometime most likely in January. We bring somebody on board, we're bringing them on as an interimm for a very short amount of time. I don't know that that provides much for the district to do, but I'm I'm curious if board members are being contacted that the question all the time was if you get requested by the staff to do something, you should let the whole board know. And it's the first I've heard of Dr. Aila being interested in it. Um, there were some people who reached out when I was uh sitting as the president and I put them on standby and said that they would need to wait till the board was able to
068make a decision on the process that they wanted to go. I can go back and find that list um and we can advertise it and they can apply accordingly. >> Madam President, mayor, >> go ahead. >> Correct me if I'm wrong. Um, Mr. on Todd there. But when you were president and we're in this situation, you brought up the fact that the lawyer that we as a district could internally appoint somebody and that we didn't have to. >> We can. >> Okay. >> But what I said, right, we don't we can appoint a permanent president or permanent superintendent at any time. We don't have to do anything particular for that. But the public was very loud and clear in the past, our citizens were that they wanted to have a process in place. um can't
069imagine that that's changed in the in the few months that it's been. We've always done an interview process and I would be very hardressed to um I I don't really know any of the applicants well enough to uh to vote for them except for maybe one currently. Uh and that should be an interview process and and an entire process with the board to select the proper candidate. Mishmmet, >> go ahead. >> I think that I'm not interested in an interimm position for looking outside of the district. So, you know, people that we're talking about are two people that work in the district and one that we just went through the entire process with. So, I feel like we all know that person quite well. Um, because I don't feel like we have the time as
070you stated. Um, and time is of the essence. This district needs a strong leader and we need somebody to direct the staff. And so I think that, you know, we could have a meeting this week because, you know, Dr. Mohorn isn't even here. So, we don't even know if she's interested in the position because from the way that it has come across to me in a meeting is that she's not. And again, I'm not comfortable appointing someone to a position if if they don't want to be in it. I I don't think that's a fair thing for us to do as a board. >> Madam President, if I may. >> Go ahead. >> So, I would agree with uh board member Todd mainly because of the timeline. We we are very in the past it
071has been we have to have everybody in the community have a say in and whoever we appoint. Um there was no talk about whether if it was in the district or outside the district or in the state or outside the state. Uh we had obviously we would like certain things. Um I'm all for growing within and and promoting from within. However, I I don't want to rush this. I mean we've I think every board member on this board has said in the past we've made mistakes when we've rushed things. And so if we're going to do this, it there needs to be a finite process that we come together as a board and create. Uh the other thing to this is as board member Todd said, the timeline of this. There's there, you know, there's
072not a lot of time left in this year to go through this process. Um, and right now for the last couple months, the district has been still going, still moving forward. Um, and so then it brings in the the question of compensation of more pay. We're already very tight on our budget. So now we're looking at possibly adding more. Um, and so this is this is one of those things that we do need to discuss as a board. I'm not ready to make any motion or action tonight on this, but I do think it would behoove us to set another meeting to talk more in depth about this if the board feels we need to appoint somebody right away or um if we are okay just focusing all of our energy on the permanent superintendent
073because what's going to happen is we're going to slow roll that ball while we're trying to get this one going. Um because there's only so much you can do. >> President, >> yeah, go ahead. >> I agree with what you're saying, Mr. Ken. My only concern is right now we don't have an acting superintendent. So, who is responsible right now in the district? Like, so that's my only that's my big concern right now. And so, I agree we do this is a serious topic and we do need to not slow roll it, but we definitely need to make the right decision. And I don't want to rush it tonight, but I think that's something we need to jump on because like right now, who's our employee? We don't have one right now. And and so
074who are we supposed to like direct? Nobody. And so I think we do need to get to that point where we have somebody that needs to answer to us at the district. But I agree. I don't think tonight's the night. Um but I would like to try to get it a little sooner than later. And I uh want to jump in and say that we made this as a discussion approval so that if if there was a motion to make, we could um I didn't necessarily put it there thinking that we would all come to an agreement tonight. Um you know, realistic, but it was something that I thought needed to be addressed and thought about. As uh Vice President Sarion just said, we don't have anyone named as the acting superintendent right now. So
075when when Mr. when Dr. Monroe left, we immediately named Dr. Mahorn as the acting superintendent. There was no discussion. There was no community forums. We didn't go through a application process or an interview. It was Dr. Monroe is gone. Dr. Mahorn is our new su superintendent at the same meeting in the same motion. So, I appreciate that we want to include everyone and go through a process and not just, you know, pick someone out of the crowd, but we didn't go through that process the last time. Um, and so, you know, I do we need to go through it again this this time? I'm not sure because we didn't do it the last time. Um, and as we're all saying, we're time crunched and now we have to focus our attention on hiring our permanent
076superintendent that is going to take us through, you know, hopefully the next 3 to 5 years in the district, not from now until May. So, we there's only so much time and attention that can be given and so that's something that everybody has to consider as well. But we really do need someone who is named the leader of the district that we can check in with as a board because that is our employee. Um, and the rest of the district then checks into that person because they are their employee. Uh, and right now we just are missing that uh, in a big way. I think it's um, very obviously missing. So it's something that we need to think about. So, I'm fine with nothing, you know, no motion tonight, but I really wanted everybody to
077start thinking about this and um we need to bring it back and make a decision probably sooner rather than later. >> President, please. I >> I don't want to keep this going too long, but maybe it's a question for legal, but is there a difference legally between acting superintendent and like intram superintendent? >> That's a good question. I can I can follow if I may. >> Yep. >> So, thank thank you. I I may have misunderstood where where this was going as an agenda item uh that you were looking for. I understand what you were saying um about appointing the acting superintendent, you know, right away. Um and so that was something that happened when Dr. Monroe left. Uh that has not yet technically happened after Mr. McDonald left. Um however, as we all know,
078when somebody when there's a vacant position, the person underneath their job typically requires them to fill those shoes. Um and so, as we know, Dr. Mahorn has been doing her best to fill those shoes. She has been the main point of contact for this board since uh Mr. McDonald's has left. Um I would like us to as a board we could or as our president you could reach out to Dr. Mahorn and ask her if she's willing to do this because she's in that position uh well the position that she's currently filling and so see if she's willing to do it. If that's all we're looking for is to name somebody as the acting superintendent, that's a little bit different than what I understood this agenda item to be as basically filling this vacant superintendent
079position. So that's all I'm saying. Any other comments right now? All right. If there's nothing else I think we can move on to the next topic 8.3 which is discussion approval of revision of parent student handbook regarding volunteers and fingerprints. Um board members Zimmerman you asked for this but yes I did. Thank you. So, um, this has, uh, been brought to my attention and I think the rest of the board's attention that essentially the policy, I shouldn't say the policy, the procedure is changing in the middle of the year in terms of parents being fingerprinted to go on field trips and to volunteer. I just before I start this discussion, I just want to make it very clear that I am certainly in favor of everyone being fingerprinted. I brought this idea up during policy
080and I was told by a majority of the board, no, you know, we're not going to do that. Um, we don't, you know, we don't fingerprint parents. Okay. So, I brought this up six months ago. Um my concern now however is that we are changing the handbook in the middle of the year that all of our parents have already signed and agreed to and we are not giving them adequate notice. So essentially the policy was changed without any notice but no notice to the governing board either because you know parents were being told you cannot go on a field trip now. And if you pull up so if we pull up the parent student handbook field trip um page and if we scroll down the field trips. So, if you look at um this, it
081says for local field trips, written permission must be obtained from parents. Number two, parents must sign up to chaperone and be pre-approved by the teacher and the administrator. Number three, volunteers must have district fingerprint clearance. So, those are being identified as different than parents. they are not being identified as the same because then if you look under the longer overnight field trips it is very clear that parents must have a fingerprint clearance card indicating that for the local ones they are not required to. So, I think the my concern is is with the letter, if you pull up the letter, um it says that it's going to take 8 weeks for this process to happen. And so, we're changing it immediately without giving them the 8 weeks time. And this is the way it's, you
082know, been for years and years and years. This is not like we changed it this year and now we're trying to go back. No, this is the way that it's always been. Um, and so again, I am not against having parents being fingerprinted, but what I have a a concern with is that we're changing it in the middle of the year. We're changing a document that they already agreed to and signed, and we're not giving them the notice. Um and then if you pull up the the visitor policy um again when we discussed policy I said I did not think that this was enough. I didn't think it um covered the volunteers. I I felt like it left kind of too much a gray area. and I went back and looked at my notes and
083time stamps and everything. And so we added the word in um that you know essentially a superintendent would be you know designate the procedures for volunteers. But I really think as I said back then 6 months ago, I think that the the board should create a policy for volunteers so that it's more it's very clear as to what we're doing. So, I think if the board um would like to change the policy or change the procedure, change the handbook one, I'm not sure that we can do that tonight because a revised v um a revised version of the of this page has not been given to us. Um, and so I'm not I would be okay sending out a letter, but with changing the date that it's effective essentially 10 weeks from now so that
084it gives parents the eight weeks to submit their um, you know, to apply for their fingerprint clearance. And I'm I'm counting the two weeks that, you know, the district office is not here um because I just, you know, if we're going to be transparent, we need to do so fully. So that's that's my concern about this kind of being changed essentially without coming to the board because the board approved the parent student handbook and so if we're going to change it I feel like it needs to come before the board and there isn't a revised version here. >> Madam President, if I may >> go ahead. Um, so what I understand I I think there's some miscommunication or misunderstanding of the difference between a parent and a volunteer, a parent attending a field trip. And
085so any parent I I would love it if every parent could attend field trips with their kids. Um, we all have different pasts, different cultures, different lives. We grew up in different situations. There's a lot of parents nowadays who wouldn't be able to get a level print level one clearance card, excuse me. So, what you would essentially like to do is omit them from ever being able to attend a field trip with their kid if we're saying all parents must be fingerprinted. I don't I don't agree with that. I do agree with volunteers because that's a different category. A volunteer is somebody and it states right in one of those one of those uh in our policy. A volunteer is defined as an in individual who serves without pay for over 10 hours a year
086in a designated approved assignment in the district. They can go to field trips and they should be fingerprint clearance card holders for that. They can be volunteers who are parents, but they're still a volunteer. So then they would have their level one fingerprint clearance card. So I guess I'm not understanding the concern with what we currently have in front of us. >> Mishmmet, go ahead, please. >> Okay. So, but do you see the letter that that the district wants to send out? Because it's saying that all parents that go on a field trip have to have the fingerprint clearance >> including parent volunteers. It says parent volunteers. So, they are volunteers. >> No, the way that it's being >> So, this is this is what Okay, so this is what I'm getting at. That's the
087misunderstanding. So, I would agree that this needs to be cut and dry where it needs to say what is a parent, what is a volunteer. So, if we're saying all parents need to have a level fingerprint clearance card to attend a field trip, I'm just not supportive of that because that's going to ve drastically limit the amount of parents that will be able to attend. Now I am very very very strict and um always looking at the safety of our kids. I have many you know all of my kids have come through here are still attending our schools and so I'm very very concerned about who's around my kids. But what a parent going on a field trip should never be left alone with the kids. So there's the difference between if a parent needs
088a level one fingerprint clearance card or if it's a volunteer who possibly can take group of little kindergarters and disappear somewhere in the zoo or wherever they're at. So I understand the difference there. So maybe what I think we probably disagree on who should have the fingerprint clearance cards, but as for the letter, I understand the the misunderstanding that somebody reading this can say, is it a volunteer who's a parent or is it a parent who's just showing up and they're labeled as a volunteer because they're they're wanting to come and help. And so, do you get what I'm saying? >> Yeah. I think I think we honestly probably agree, but I think the way that some of this is worded and being presented to us, to the schools, to the parents has created a
089lot of confusion because >> sorry, please don't Hey, I'm sorry. Please don't yell out. >> Thank you. I think that is the concern is that to my knowledge that even field trips were cancelled like not they weren't allowed to go and I don't want to do that to kids. Um and I hear you about allowing parents to go and that parents come from all different backgrounds and they should be able to attend. that I think the concern that you kind of hit on which is what I was going to say is okay but sometimes we allow parents to take a group of students into the zoo and so how do we differentiate that because then they are responsible for our children essentially so I I think that you know I think this needs more work
090I think I think we need a volunteer policy as I stated six months ago So um I think we need to different you know define you know because in the field trip parent handbook that part it really seems to differentiate between a parent and then a volunteer and could they be the same maybe but it doesn't make it sound like that to me if I'm I'm trying to read it from a parent's perspective not as a board member who has all this other knowledge about policy and things like that. And so I think I think we need to as a board need to be more clear, but I hate that field trips got cancelled for kids um because there was confusion over this. And um yeah, if they're all going, let's say they're all going
091to a play, right? and the classroom teacher is all is uh you know can see all of their students that's very different field trip than you know going to the zoo and parents taking off groups and seeing different animals how we differentiate that in a policy you know I think we're going to have to be creative here but I do think it needs to be addressed because I think there are upcoming field trips um that basically district administration is saying they can't go one. >> Thank you. Other comments? >> Yes, Madam President. Just clarification. This agenda item is about this letter, correct? Not about the policy. >> Well, when I asked for this agenda item, it was just from parents contacting me and saying, "Hey, the it's changing. Here's here's the handbook. It doesn't seem
092what we're being told doesn't align with the handbook. And then this letter I had not seen that I did not see this letter prior to, you know, it getting attached to the agenda. So I didn't ask for this letter. This letter was drafted by district administration in an attempt in my mind to change the handbook. And so that's what I'm trying to have the board discuss. So my my feelings on this is I agree with Mr. Kenyan where if parents are in the eye of like visual of the staff then they're never left alone. They might not need it. Um if we have visitors but they're always with the staff. It's kind of the same thing in my eyes like they're not left alone with the children. So, I think that needs to be to
093me that's the the line right there is if they need it or not, is if they're ever going to be left alone or not. Um, I also think if you know this letter is going to go out, we do need to give the time for parents to meet it because I don't want more field trips canceled either. But I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with the way the letter is currently written because I'm not sure that it's because the way that I read it, all individuals wish wishing to volunteer on field trips must have their fingerprints. And you know, I think if we if we approve this letter to go out, I think it's going to be implemented that all parents who want to attend a field trip are going to have to be fingerprinted.
094>> Madam President, >> and go ahead. As we've heard many times um in meetings, board's job is to establish policy. It's the administration's job to carry that out with their procedures. I think uh we're treading into a slippery slope to um start approving every letter that administration sends out to carry out to execute the policies that we've adopted. Um, secondly, I recognize the difference in a handbook and policy, but policy will always trump handbook no matter what. Policy always trumps handbook. Um, in speaking to some parents about this, well, a few things. One, there are many parents as as board member Kenyan said who have had a past and they may not get a level one fingerprint clearance card. However, we cannot keep them from coming to the schools if they're allowed to through the
095legal system. We cannot keep them from parenting. So, in this case, having the fingerprints done by all and requiring it protects the students who are potentially left alone. I I don't know of a single field trip that has enough staff that goes along with it that every parent volunteer uh or volunteer, either one, parent volunteer, parent volunteer, whatever you want to call them, is not out with students on their own uh supervised. Sometimes that's a simple as a as a bathroom break. Some go to the bathroom and some don't. And if you have a parent and a a teacher or a staff member, they they may divide at that time. I think the intent of this policy was to ensure that we knew um just as in in talking to some principles in the past
096in in previous districts or even here they've had a parent who didn't was not able to pass a background, they made sure that they never left them alone. By requiring parents to do this, it puts them into a position where now the staff will know if this person can or cannot be left alone. Um but but again I think our policy is is speaking to the fingerprinting of parents and volunteers. That's how staff has opted to carry out this policy which is their job. Again I think we're getting into a slippery slope to start coming back and questioning a letter that's being sent because staff is is interpreting our policy in this manner. Um, this is not the same fingerprint clearance that staff has to get. This one can be done here at the district
097and then it's sent in. But they do a rolled fingerprint here kind of the old school way on paper and then send those to DPS. Yes, there is a delay and a time in this. Um, however, I think uh to Miss Zimmerman's point, that is what best protects the kids. And I would hate to think that you have a situation that um comes about in the next 10 weeks because we chose to violate a policy or or or do something different or give an exception that that could be a bad situation for the district as well. >> Miss Schmidt. >> Yes. Go ahead, please. >> Okay. So I just it is the board's job to establish policy and right now we don't have a volunteer policy. So I think that is problem number one is
098that we don't even have a policy a visitor. It doesn't talk about anything about volunteers fingerprinting none of that. So it is the board's job to to establish policy and we don't have a policy on volunteers. and I didn't ask to see the letter. The reason that it became an agenda item is because parents came to me concerned that the letter contradicts the handbook. So, I'm not necessarily approving a letter because I just got an email that said uh the letter's already been sent out and they're already telling parents this. And it again my concern as a board member who is is the oversight is that the letter contradicts the handbook and we approve the handbook. So if we approve the handbook and there's a change in the handbook then we should be approving that
099change. All right. Is there a motion to be made? Does anyone have a motion to make on this agenda item? I guess I have a question. I don't know if we can ask it to the principles, but like I'm curious how many if we prove this how it is with this letter, how many field trips are going to get cancelled? Because there's no way like it'll take effect January 1st. like nothing's getting done before January 1st. Nobody can answer that. >> Well, I think it's up up to February. February 16th. I calculated 10 weeks. I took away, you know, I added two for the break. So 10 weeks from today is February 16th. So how many field trips between now and February 16th? >> Yeah, please. Madame President, board members and Liberty community. Uh I'm
100principal Valdez for Blue Horizon. So from the understanding that we talked about as principles as a group for right now, it would be a soft check. Parents going through the Raptor system. So that's going to be an immediate red flag if there's something that came up. So a soft check for right now. And then it gives parents the ability, the time to process to get the the soft check with the uh rolled fingerprints so they can get cleared by DPS. So from the agreement that we were talking about was field trips will not be cancelled as long as those parents that are volunteering do a soft check, they put their ID in the Raptor system and then that's how we can get a red flag or not and which allows the parents to have the
101time. did for this soft check. Did they say how long you could use this soft check for before you had to have the fingerprint clearance cards? >> So, that was the point of the letter was they're using the soft checks going to allow that 10 weeks for parents to get that get that done if they want to go to a field trip in the future. They're allowed they will be able to they will be they will have the opportunity to have their fingerprints rolled. So, that soft check is just it's immediate. It's just whenever you come onto a campus, you put your ID right there, raptor check, and then If anybody has a red flag, it tells us. >> So, that's a great idea. But on the way I'm reading this is you can only
102do soft checks until January 1st. >> Yeah, that's the way that's what this letter is saying. >> After January 1st. >> Can you pull the letter up for people to see, please? Sorry. Thank you, >> Madam President. >> Yes. Go ahead. >> While they're pulling that up, I'm looking at the district uh master schedule. I don't see a single field trip scheduled through the end of February on the master schedule. It's not going to affect any field trips for the rest of this year. And then if you're seeing that till February, that's going to allow more time. >> So this is more than just field trips. So this is visitors also correct or volunteers if anybody's coming in for Christmas parties or any of that stuff they're affected by this also it's after January 1st
103>> because right now like as a parent volunteer I'm just going to take myself for an example okay so before I was on the school board and I got my fingerprint one clearance card I just submitted I didn't roll my fingerprints at the at the district office but I had a volunteer badge because I'm a parent. So, if we're changing that policy, and I'm not saying you, I'm just looking at you because you're standing up there. Um, I don't want you to feel like this is directed at you. I I just think that this is a a bigger conversation for the board. >> No, 100% I agree. And then I'm just going to state that there. Unfortunately, the reason why we have to review things like this is because adult behaviors led us to this
104point. And I'm not saying anybody in this room, but it's adult behaviors. And at the end of the day, we're looking out for the best interest of the students. So, me as a parent, I have four kids. I want to know who's in that classroom and just because someone is a parent doesn't necessarily mean they have the greatest background and so when I think about any student on my campus I'm thinking about my child as well. So it's just a safety precaution whatever it is and it's because adult behaviors in the past around the world in the country in this state that have happened and that that's the reason where it's just best interest of our students. >> So did all the principles have input on this letter? on this letter we have we spoke
105together uh with the cabinet. We spoke together with the cabinet and then this is because it wasn't consistent. We have one school doing it and another school not doing it was not consistent. So being Liberty, we all wanted to be on one page is this is what we're going to do. So before the letter went out, hey, soft checks are going to happen right now and just so we can identify if there's a red flag right there which is going to allow the parents to have the opportunity to have their fingerprints rolled. >> President Schmidt. >> Yes, please. Miss Camaretta, >> Mr. Valdez, can you verify who cabinet was in that meeting? >> It was myself, the other principles, and Dr. Mohorn. And I don't remember the last person that was in there. >> Okay.
106When I when I mentioned cabinet, I'm just meaning like district representatives. >> Oh, I'm Dr. Mohorn, the assistant superintendent of human resources, was right there. >> Thank you. Thank you for the additional information, ma'am. >> Thank you. Um uh I uh can attempt a motion and then the board can discuss. Okay. So I make a motion to direct staff to send a letter to parent to send the letter to parents tomorrow, December 9th, 2025. half uh altering the um change in date for the effect of the policy to February 16th. I'm going to try again. >> Yes, please. >> Okay. I make a motion to direct staff to send the letter to parents tomorrow, December 9th, 2025. >> Okay. with >> altering >> the change >> the date that the it will take effect >>
107okay >> to February 16th 2026 >> altering the change in date okay so altering the date >> yep the effective date effective >> from January 1st >> date from January 1 >> to February 16th Thank you. So, we have a motion. Do we have a second? >> A second. >> Okay, we have a motion and a second. Is there any discussion? Can I like make I don't think the people are here to ask the question but you know my question is is the district staff prepared and have the manpower to to accomplish this because >> yeah you know we're going so we have 262 people that are in the queue right now that have not been fingerprinted. you can't. >> So, I mean to me that is very concerning that we can't keep up with
108it as it is. I hear your concerns. Um, unfortunately, Dr. Mahorn is not here to be able to address our questions about the letter or the uh staffing availability for this. >> President Schmidt. >> Yes, Miss Cameron. >> I do know that President Schmidt and following board members, I do know that there have been one or two other employees that have stepped up to the plate to offer help to human resources. So, I can't give you a definite yes or no that it could be accomplished, but I'm sure they'll try their best. >> Thank you for that. I >> I just want to say like student safety is big. I want to make sure the parents can get in there. >> I support the principles. If they're saying they had input on this, this is
109their schools. So, I'm going to support what they came together and agreed upon. I do feel like we need to move the date a little bit just to make sure nothing does get have to get cancelled. Um just I feel like there's a huge backlog and it's just say after in two weeks nothing's getting done until after the first anyway. Everybody's going to be on vacation. >> Thank you. >> May >> go ahead Mr. Kenny. >> So I I'm going to kind of stand by what I said earlier. I I'm glad that administration has spoken about this and they think that this is the right way to go. However, I don't know how many parents they had feedback from on this. Um, and what the community as a whole thinks about this. Um, again, I'm
110for the safety of the kids. If if we do a rapid check on on everybody because we're in that time frame of of 2025 and everything that's going on around the world and in our nation, I'm okay with that finding red flags on somebody that we may need to keep eyes on. But I don't want to be limiting or have something in place where if somebody can't achieve getting a fingerprint clearance card for the entire time up to nine years of their children's lives in our district, they will never be able to attend a field trip. Um so that that concerns me. has to be something there that can assure that they can attend field trips even if they can't get a clearance card. Madam President, if >> go ahead, please. >> I I understand
111what you're saying. I don't know if we need to alter this and say they just can't go on un field trips where they'll be unsupervised with students because if they're supervised then I I don't have an issue with them not having the card. I think to me it comes down to them not being them being with children unsupervised is what it comes down to me. So, I don't know if it's a wording. >> That's what this letter says is participating in any field trip or unsupervised volunteer activity. I think they're thinking field trips have a high potential to be unsupervised because kids go off in groups everywhere. >> It doesn't say they can't come into their classroom and volunteer. Now, it doesn't say they can't do any of that. specifically says in this letter to
112continue ensuring student safety and to comply with district policy and state guidelines, which is also another thing I think this board needs to pay close attention to, all volunteers, including parent volunteers, are required to complete a fingerprint-based background check before participating in any field trip or unsupervised volunteer activity. That That's what this says. It doesn't say they can't come volunteer in the classroom. Yeah, it says >> says or >> field trip or >> or so any field trip >> any field trip, right? >> That's what that says, >> right? Because typically those in every field trip I've ever been a part of the there's two or three grade two or three classrooms, they all separate out and parents take kids and there's not enough staff to do that. That's why they bring parent volunteers along.
113>> That's been happening for centuries, right? That's been happening forever. So, so, so that's that's the idea is when you're on a field trip, there's a high propensity that you could be unsupervised. So, therefore, you need to have a fingerprint clearance card or any unsupervised volunteer activity. It's not keeping anybody from coming into the classrooms and volunteering. It's not keeping anybody from being on the copy copy brigade or copy committee, whatever that is. It's not preventing any of that from happening. the standard Raptor preliminary check that they do every time they come in, type in their information, their driver's license is covering that. >> Okay. I I do think Sorry, Mr. Kenyon. I I I hear what you're saying. I I just think we need to create a policy so that we are more specific
114because the way that this letter is written, it does say any field trip. And so I think if we create a policy that because really we should create the policy first and then this should come after. And so we're really doing this backwards in my opinion. But I think we've kind of been forced into this situation because decisions are being made again that contradict the handbook. So I think we're trying to fix a problem but really we should be starting at the top with a policy. So, okay. So, we have a motion and a second currently. Um, the motion is to approve the letter changing the effective date from January 1st to February 16th. Um, but leave everything else as it is. The letter that was written and is coming from Dr. from a horn
115and had input by the principles. Um, so we have that motion and second that we can vote on. Um, I guess we are ready to take a vote on that. So, we're voting on the motion to send the letter with the date change. So, Mr. Todd, >> can I ask for clarification? What what clarify again? Where are we changing the date to? >> Oh, sorry. The date. >> Okay, Miss Camaretta will read the motion. >> Thank you. The motion will read to direct staff to send the letter to parents tomorrow, December 9th, 2025, altering the effective date from January 1 to February 16th of 2025 >> or 26. >> 26. Yes. >> And we've confirmed that this is currently not going to interfere with any field trips. If if the letter stays as is, there's
116no field trip. Correct. Field trips will not have to be cancelled. That was what was confirmed. Not after the soft check in. >> So, okay. So, but my question is, so I'm looking at the calendar. We don't even have any field trips scheduled on the calendar on the district calendar. >> There's one on Thursday apparently. >> Okay. Regardless, there's nothing on the calendar. That's my question. There's nothing. >> Yes, Miss Camarada. I did send an email to the office managers making sure that they are keeping that calendar up to date. So, which school site has a field trip? Okay. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. Yes. So going back, we are currently voting on sending the letter with the change in the effective date to give 10 weeks time in order to give people time
117to get their fingerprint clearance done before that is the hard cut off um to be able to volunteer and go on field trips. So we we're now again voting. Mr. Todd, >> nay. >> Mr. Kenyon, >> nay. And I'd like to explain after. >> Okay. Miss Zimmerman. >> I And I'd like to explain my vote as well. >> Okay. Uh, Vice President Serion. Almost. I'm gonna say nay. And I'd like to explain why. >> All right. I'm going to say I. Um so that failed with two I and three nay. Um Mr. Kennon, would you like to explain your vote? >> Yes. Thank you. I voted nay just because um I'm a very strong supporter of parental rights and and I've seen government agencies and institutions take so much from parents and I don't want
118us as a district to become that. Um I definitely am happy that administration is looking at the after the safety of our kids and and if that's the true priority that's a great thing. I just haven't seen any parental or community input into this. Um, and I would really like to see that if this is going to be the way it goes. So, that's why I voted A. >> Thank you, Miss Zimmerman. >> Um, I voted I and I would have asked had it passed that we update the handbook quickly because when we have new students enroll, if we're giving them the old handbook, that would have been inaccurate. Um, I would have also asked for the district to um, you know, come back to us if they didn't feel like they had the manpower
119to accomplish this. And, um, and I think we need a volunteer policy. >> Vice President, >> the the reason I said nay is cuz I think we're doing it out of order. Like Miss Zarman said a little bit ago, I think this needs to be a policy first and then the letter reinforcing it. I understand the intent and I do agree with it, but I think we're going backwards out of order and that's the only reason I said nay. >> All right. Thank you. All right. Moving on to agenda item 8.4 discussion approval for Rainbow Valley to implement Love and Logic. Um, Miss Lysia, Rainbow Valley Elementary Principal. All right. Good evening, Madame President, governing board members and community. Um, thank you for giving me time this evening to present for you for the approval
120of a love and logic presentation. First, we have to see if the song is on. So, hold on. Yes. Um, so before we get into what Love and Logic is, there needs to be a why. Why am I bringing this to you today? Why do we need this at Rainbow? Um, so let's look at our goals first. Our goals for this current school year is to increase our AASA proficiency by 5% both in math and ELA. As you can see, last year we are at 8% proficient and our goal is to be at 13%. And then the same for um ELA 19% to 24%. We also know as everyone in this room is that learning can't occur if you don't have a safe learning environment. And that can't occur unless the educators have all the
121tools that they need. With that, also before we get into the why and what is love and logic for those that don't know in this room, I want to go over our behavior data. So last school year 484 office referrals for Rainbow Valley, 484. 82% came from the classroom and it was 24% almost a quarter of the entire school district. The top behaviors were disorderly conduct, verbal provocation and minor aggression. Fast forward to this year and we are when I wrote this it was this uh November 12th. So at that point we had 72 office referrals. Today we have 82. I pulled new data before I came and 56% of those came from the classroom. It did go up to 57%. Um and then we have 18% already of the overall district referrals. And so
122our top behaviors right now in the classroom are disruption, defiance, and minor aggression is is also still there. So what is love and logic? In the essential nine nine essential skills for love and logic classroom, the workshop, teachers will learn practical strategies for creating a positive, respectful classroom environment while promoting student responsibility and decision-making. The training will focus on building strong relationships, using effective communication techniques, and implementing proven disciplinary strategies that encourage cooperation and problem solving. Teachers will also explore ways to manage challenging behaviors and foster a supportive atmosphere where students thrive emotionally and academically. I had the amazing opportunity precoid um to attend a training in Colorado, the full 3-day summit of this and I brought it back to my old school which was um in Mville. And once we got um over the
123first hurdle of of teaching classroom management techniques, my teachers were then able to start teaching because the classroom management was under control and our students were able to learn again. At my previous principal position, I inherited a C school in Mville. And this past school year, the one we just left, um we earned an A together. So with the use of strong classroom management and love and logic, we can get rainbow there too. I know letter grades are coming soon. So um using love and logic will keep the students in the classroom learning instead of being sent up to the office because the teacher is not able to handle the behavior and it's taking away from the other 30 kids in the classroom. So, now that you know the the why and the what, here's
124a little bit more of the what. Um, le love and logic is an approach to working with students. It puts adults in control. It teaches kids to think for themselves, raises the level of child's responsibility and prepares the kids to function effectively in a society filled with temptation, decisions, and consequences. Not only do they have a seminar for the teachers, but they also have one for the parents that goes right along with it. And so the parents are more than able to do this at home. So it's the same. There's five basic principles that it the framework is based off of and it's maintain the dignity of the child and the adult. Share the control, share the thinking, use an equal dose of empathy and consequences and that positive relationship. Positive relationships are so important
125from anywhere in life. If we don't have that positive relationship in your classroom, the educators in this room, I mean, think about it. Do your kids come to school if they don't like the teacher? If they don't feel comfortable? No. And so that positive relationship piece is very important. There's nine essential skills that the uh framework does go over. Uh my favorite one is the first one, neutralizing arguing. I have two teenage boys at home, 14 and 15, at 15 and a half tomorrow. He keeps reminding me. Um but neutralizing arguing, you know, they're arguing non-stop. They want this, they want that. But the moment we start arguing back and forth, you start to lose that power and that control. And so you can neutralize it by just leaving a a oneliner and walk away,
126which for junior highs, I can argue on Friday at 8 a.m. if you'd like. And they all What? Friday? 8 a.m.? We don't have school on Fridays. Well, I'm not arguing right now. We're learning. It's time to move on. Um, delayed consequences. It's not that they're not going to get a consequence, but it just might not happen right in the moment. Empathy, short-term recovery, positive adult child relationships. again is there uh setting limits with enforcable statements, sharing control with limits, quick and easy preventative interventions, and guiding kids to own and solve their own problems. Um so what we what I'm requesting for Rainbow is a full day of training for all of Rainbow staff, not just the certified staff, but the hourly everybody. because once everyone is trained, it can be implemented schoolwide. Um the
127quote is $3,000 for the professional development that includes a full day of training and then it should say four days of coaching, not four hours, I'm sorry. Um four days of coaching with the um consultant and the coaching days are built in for those that we know need a little bit extra help with classroom management. Um, and then once the expert per se is gone after the full day PD, the leadership team, myself and uh, Miss Capria, my AP, will continue to support and the implementation of Love and Logic uh, long after the the person is gone. So, I'm here to request that approval tonight from you. I'm sure you have questions. >> Thank you for your presentation. Uh, questions from board members, >> Madam President. Yes, please. >> Thank you so much for the
128presentation. Um, I have two questions. >> We're almost the halfway mark of school, right? For days wise. So, if you go back to your first slide, >> this one. >> Yeah. I'm sorry. Go. I'm the next one. >> Sorry. >> One more. >> The >> one. Right. >> So, you've cut your referrals down a lot. That's amazing. So, I just want to bring that to attention. So, I know 72 looks like a lot. It is, but you guys are doing something cuz you brought way down. It should It should be around 200 if we're on track from last year. So, I want to point that out. And then another thing I want to do is we have the behavior matrix which is part of our policy. How are you going to ensure that anything you
129implement here doesn't go against the behavior matrix? >> Yes, we will not go against the behavior matrix. Um, there'll continue to be consequences as deemed appropriate on the behavior matrix. Um, I have that bookmarked on my Safari and Miss Caprico and I use it very often. So, we will still ensure that those office managed type behaviors still keep coming to us and that we're supporting teachers through that as well as the students and and the parents. >> Thank you, >> Madam President. >> Go ahead, please. Thank you for the presentation. Um I have a couple questions. One is how would how would the parents access this at home? You said that there's a a place for them. >> Yeah, absolutely. So um I almost he he's a good colleague. Um Mr. Kirby, he is the
130one that I met in Colorado. He's come he actually lives in Gilbert. Um and he is the one that would do the training for my teachers. And then I might have most misspoke. I'm sorry. we can bring him back to do parent workshops both in um Spanish and English. We do have a high population of um Hispanics. Um but parents can also there's tons of it on YouTube um that they can access as well. Um and then I do have the workbook that I could, you know, send home. Not the whole workbook, just the important pages. And where I previously came from in Mville, I did do a lot of coffee talks where I had the parents come in and we would do one essential skill each time where the parents would also get the
131same not the same training because it's not from the expert per se, it's from me. Um, but they would still get the skills. >> All right. Thank you. Um, so this next question is going to kind of be well I'll just ask it because I know I've done a little digging in this and it is very strongly tied into what we'll consider as seal right. So if that is going well okay but this ties us to federal funding. It does and so if we say go ahead and teach the staff this >> Mhm. That goes against what we had signed in the past to the federal government saying that we don't have any seal DEI practices in our in our district which then could cause the federal government to cut some funding from us. So
132I don't necessarily disagree with the idea. I like some of the principles here that you have. Obviously you're making an impact. We can see it on the screen, right? Um, and so I would be more of the idea of if you could since you already know a lot of this, um, kind of take what we can from the program but not implement it, if you know what I'm saying. Uh, I do not want to risk our federal funds, right? Um, I know this is, uh, we basically it's $6,000 and and there would be some money put in there, right? That was kind of part of the >> 3,000, but yeah. >> Well, yeah, the the district would be on for but there's a discount. >> Oh, yes, it was 6,000, but he gave us a
133discount of 50% off. >> So, um, but with that being said, again, do we as a governing board want to gamble with this? I'm not saying it's a bad program. I'm saying that this is going to put us in a sticky situation. >> So, I knew you'd have someone would have that question. Um, just because my very first board meeting, um, you asked me about, uh, what is it called? Thank you. Uh, leader and me and I was like, I don't know. I'm new, right? >> Um, I don't have that excuse much longer. But um I did some research cuz I wanted to make sure I crossed our tees and dotted our eyes. Um so it's not SEAL. SEAL programs explicitly teach skills such as self-awareness, emotional regulation, social awareness, and decision-m love and logic
134does not provide a curriculum or lessons for students to learn social emotional skills. Instead, it focuses on adult behavior and responses, assuming that um modeling calm, empathetic, limit setting indirectly benefits students social emotional development, but that's that is not a byproduct and it's not anal curriculum. And then um DEI is equity equity focus system and cultural competency. Um and then one more point, sorry. uh love and logic can support a calm respective classroom but is not categorized as DEI or SEAL because its purpose content and methods are fundamentally different. >> Okay, thank you for that. Um it's not quite what I found but um again like you said this is for the parents or this is this is for the staff. This is for the staff. >> It's not directed at the kids. Now the
135kids will feel the effects of >> oh absolutely they will >> teaching of understanding and and and staff who are able to >> um identify certain needs fast and deal with it appropriately. Um and so I do agree that any kind of professional development we can give our staff to you know any any extra tools to help them be successful ultimately helps our kids. And so again I'm not against the program. I'm just being want to be very careful with what we're doing. >> Understand. >> Thank you, >> Mishmid. >> Go ahead. >> Um, thank you for the presentation. I really appreciate that you were prepared and anticipated a lot of these questions because I think that's important. Um, my question, uh, is how do you feel like this would integrate with the signature program?
136because to me it feels kind of like almost like another signature program. And so when I listen to you describe it, I I hear that it's it's mainly for the staff. So I mean I guess that's a difference, but how would you try to integrate it or have you thought about that? I guess >> that's a great question. Um and something that myself and my assistant principal, Miss Capristo, have talked a little bit about um about how how can we do that? How do we continue with the leader and me and the the seven essential habits and also implementing the love and logic? I think they're going to complement each other well. I don't have a written out process right now. Um but I think they're going to complement each other very well. >> Okay.
137Um, you mentioned, you know, it obviously has a very like uh specific name, you know, so are we paying for a license for, you know, kind of implementing the program or it's really just the PD? >> It's just the PD. You're paying for Mr. Kirby to come out and and do the presentation, do the the 8 hour training and then the 4 days of um coaching, which he can add more if we wanted, but anyways, um we're not buying a license or anything like that. >> Okay. Um and then you mentioned a workbook. Is that something that's just for you as the principal or is is every teacher getting a workbook that they would work through during that PD? every teacher would get a a workbook that they could use during the PD and then
138refer to it. Um when I was unpacking my boxes, I found my original one from Colorado and then I found the other several from when I had him come back. So um they're there for the the teachers to use and to um use as as they need. >> Okay. And then in terms of the you know budget considerations, um it says that it will come out of your site fund. So your auxiliary Yes. Uh fund. >> Um and you know, do you do you have enough to cover other things that you normally use auxiliary for? Um I know I don't have the right answer for you right now and I am a very transparent person. Um, I know that there's money in the budget for professional developments. And so, this is so hypothetical right now,
139but let's say they typically do a a Kagan training in April and they send the teachers to the 3-day training in Vegas. We might not be able to do that this year because we're going to do this instead sort of thing. Um, I'm still learning the budget. >> Okay. Um, Miss >> I do reach out to Miss Moer quite often. Miss Moer, do you have an idea of where they're at in their auxiliary funds? >> Uh, auxiliary, they do have a trip coming up that that has some expenses, but as long as they're collecting the funds for that, they would be fine. They also do have gifts and donations money, too. >> Oh, okay. >> Okay. Thank you. >> You're welcome. Thank you, Miss Moer. >> Um, I have a question. Yes, >> you implemented
140this in your last at your last school and what was the um >> the thoughts of the teachers there like how did it go over? Was this well received by the staff? Um and then once it was implemented, you said you went from a they went from a C to an A school. So there was definitely some improvement there, but how did the staff feel about going through the training and um and and then having to implement it with their students? Um, I think any training is all about how you present it to the staff and the why behind it. So, I always make sure to have a strong reason with my team as to why we're doing this. So, I was very clear with my staff of behaviors not where it needs to be
141right now and you're not getting any teaching, you're not getting enough teaching done and so we're going to implement this. I told them about how exciting it was to hear from the experts while we were in Colorado. Um, and they were on board. They I mean, you have your one or two, right? You can't make them all happy. Um, you can't. It's reality. So, they they were very appreciative of it. Um, one of the Larry Kirby does a lot of jokes while he's doing his presentation to keep you engaged. And one thing he does say is, "Don't try this on your spouse or your significant other at home." Um, and so some of my teachers went home and they're like, "Yeah, you really shouldn't use it on your spouses." Um, but they would try it
142on their own kids and they were seeing success. And so I my kids were much younger then and my youngest, he's he's a pistol and he it worked with him. And so I would come back and share success stories with my team. And I think that helped with the buyin, too. We rolled it out a little bit slower than I would do it here because we didn't have once a month PDS. I had every Wednesday, so I was doing like 90 minute chunks each time for a really long time. Um, so but there was a lot of buy in. >> Thank you. Any other questions from board members? >> Okay. Okay. Thank you for your presentation. >> Thank you. >> Would anybody like to make a motion >> or is there further discussion? >> Uh
143a motion to approve implementation of Love and Logic at Rainbow Valley Elementary. >> I'll second. >> All right. We have a motion to approve and a second. There's no further discussion. We can take a vote. Madam President. >> Oh, yes, please. >> I um do mirror exactly what board member Kenyon has said um previously about this. Um I want to go back a minute and say I have full faith in the principal at Rainbow Valley. Um it's it's evident that we have somebody very good down there and there's very good positive change coming to that campus. first time in a very long time um that that's happened, but it's it's working. My concern is right now exactly as board member at Kenyon that this borders very closely to more than DEI. Um and if you
144just quick Google search, it comes up love and logic is closely related to social emotional learning. Um the program is generally considered separate from DEI although the two topics are often discussed in the same educational context. I I agree that we have to look at discipline all over. Um but I would hate to introduce a program that then cuts funding. We've spent a vast majority of tonight talking about funding and The budget situation in this district is no different than most districts. You just have to turn on the news any night and you can see districts all over are are struggling. We have more competition now um than we've ever had. I think we've created a complete monster with with this uh open enrollment stuff that's going on and and all these programs where parents
145can just take their kids wherever and take the money. Um, and so we have to be very careful and I would like to at least implement um, a procedure and and I know uh, Poria has done this a couple times where the organization drafts a letter that clarifies that their program is not DEI or related. Um, I think we could reach out to Pory and ask them for a copy of it. They were they were I was seen one of their board meetings they did with a internship program for their high school program, but they had a rather lengthy discussion about it. I thought it was a good discussion. It was based on the same thing. It's not that they didn't like the program. It's that they didn't want to lose funding. And uh we
146certainly don't want to be here in two weeks, 3 weeks, six months, a year and find out that we're losing funding or always the worst case is they gave it to us and now they want us to pay it back. So, I I do think we should require that to at least be a part of this or perhaps have staff reach out to uh the federal department of education who's kind of making the sole decision on if something is or DEI related and get their get their uh approval on that first. Excuse me. Um so that we don't have to pay money back or lose money and that would protect us. But uh I I do have faith in in our principal to make good recommendations. It's just the political climate of what's going on
147at the federal level with programs and funding. So I I suppose we could maybe even offer an amendment to amend the motion to have this company draft a letter that says it will not be um you know seal DEI related. We could get some language from Pure instead of trying to do it ourselves. I'm pretty sure they did that. >> Madame President, if I may. >> Yes. Go ahead. >> I think that's a good compromise. I I think that that would probably be sufficient and then we could move forward with this. If we can get them to have some kind of a letter like that, then it then then it protects us as a district. So, >> okay. Um, so we currently have a motion. Um, but if we're amending it, does Miss Zimmerman need
148to be the one to amend it? >> No, I don't. >> Oh, sorry. Vice President Sarinion is the one who made the uh the original motion. I apologize. Um, so would you like to amend it or would you like to leave it as it is? >> Can you make a motion contingent on something? >> You can. Yeah. Let me ask you if we did say we need we want a letter which does protect us. How long do you think it would take >> your non-friend friend? >> My colleague. >> Yes. >> Um I don't want to hold him to a time frame, but he's very quick. I got the invoice within hours, so I'd say 24 or 48 hours. I do want to make just I don't know if I'm allowed to talk right now,
149but uh one thing clear that it's not a program. It's just a framework. Um, so I don't know if that makes a difference and the federal funding seal DEI concern. Um, >> I mean, I think that it probably does, but um, could we still get something that explains that maybe that >> um, you know, we're teachers are going to have a training in love and logic. It's a framework for helping classroom management. It's not a program. students are not having any sort of training or teaching. It's it's for the staff and it helps interactions with students um just so that it's very clear to anyone who's interested that that's what it is. It's really professional development and not not a curriculum. It's it's not a program. Um I think that's what they're asking for. just
150something that's very clear on what it is for anybody who might not know. Um I think I think that's what we want. >> So m president, I'd like to amend my motion. >> Okay. Go ahead, please. >> Uh motion. Where'd it go? Motion to approve implementation of love and logic elementary contingent on a letter stating that it's a framework and not a seal curriculum. Thank you. So, we have an amended motion >> and I'll seconding it again. And now we can take a vote. >> President, yes. Let me just make sure I got >> Yes. >> to approve implementation of love logic at Rainbow Valley Elementary contingent on letter that it is a framework and not an SEAL >> curriculum. Curriculum. Thank you. Okay. Thank you, Miss Camarada. Okay. Are we ready to take a
151vote, Mr. Todd? >> Madame President, procedurally, the uh amendment is incorrect. >> Okay. Would you like to help clarify then? >> Well, you would have to go through the rules of order to approve the amendment. That would be your spot as the president to do that. I would not be able to do that from here. >> Okay. We're voting to approve the amendment. >> You You had a second. You had You're voting to approve the amendment or you're voting to approve what you asked for was vote to approve the motion in the second. >> We are voting to approve the amended motion which was also seconded. >> Mr. Ken, can you give us a hand here? >> Thank you. >> I'm sorry. Can you give us a hand here? Procedurally, what would the the right
152way to do this? >> You, >> President Schmidt. >> Yes. >> The first motion was motion to approve implementation of love and logic at Rainbow Valley Elementary. It was a motion by Miss uh Vice President Sirinion, second by Kelly Zimmerman. The board needs to follow through that motion. >> Thank you. Okay. So, we will vote on the original. >> Correct. Miss Camardo, >> I'm ready. >> Okay. Okay. Then we will vote on the original motion, >> Mr. Todd. Okay. You now have two motions on the floor. So, you can't do that either. You You've created a a little bit of a mess. You have a motion in a second, then you had another motion in a second, which which is a problem. So, we have to you're you're going to have to take a motion.
153You're going to have to take a vote to approve the amendment and then you're going to have to come back and take a vote to approve to approve again. It takes two. It's a two-step process. >> And thank you. That's what I was trying to do. So, we are voting. Originally, I had said we were going to vote to approve the amended motion. The amendment. >> Oh, you said the amended motion. >> I'm sorry. The amendment. I just corrected myself. We're voting to approve the amendment which I was trying to take the vote for. Okay, that is where we are. We are voting to approve the amendment. Mr. Todd, >> yes. >> Thank you, Mr. Kenyon. >> Miss Zimmerman, >> I. >> Vice Presidention. >> Hi. >> I'm also in I that passed five to
154zero. >> And now we are coming back to take a vote on the original motion. Correct. >> Thank you. The amended motion. Jesus Christ. Thank you. All right. >> Would you like for me to repeat the motion? >> You got it. >> Yeah, I think we've got it. >> Okay. >> All right. Mr. Todd. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Mr. Kenyon. >> I. >> Miss Zimmerman. >> I. >> Mr. Brian. Sorry. Vice President's here in I'm there. I'm also an I. Well, pass 5. Thank you. >> Thank you. Yeah. Okay. >> All right. We are moving on to 8.5 update on Australia Mountain Elementary Signature Program. Miss Boris, Elementary Mountain, uh, ele mountain elementary principal. I am so sorry. Just take a breath. It's all okay. Uh, thank you, board president, board members, district leadership.
155We appreciate the opportunity to provide a glimpse into what we've been doing as we study a new signature program. Uh, behind me, you'll see my team. Some of them are formal committee members and then other members of my staff that have been participating when they could. Um so our official committee members are listed here and they have participated in um three or more of those meetings that we have held. The committee work that we have done. You can see here in this photo, uh this is from our very first meeting where we did a consensus activity where we um put up six different questions about what we have here at Estrella currently, what is important to us, what is important for us to move our school forward, what is important for our kids, the community,
156all of those stakeholders. So, they went through and they listed um as many things as they possibly could on each of those chart papers. we came back and had a conversation and then they went back through and they put dots um on the things that they wanted to make sure that we captured for the M meetings moving forward. So in those subsequent meetings they were again very collaborative discussions that were centered on what matters most which is our students, the community and our staff. We sent a survey out to three sets of stakeholders. the community, the staff, and our students. Our students, you'll see I'll go over the data in each of them. Um, but our community survey here, you can see where they all mostly um we only have 92 responses to date. We
157will resend this out to get more, but you can see that there is a large consensus in the project-based learning and having those hands-on authentic learning experiences for students. making sure that we have the kindness and character which is embedding the kindness and empathy within our students that is very strong currently on our campus. And then also ensuring that we have student interest and voice and opportunities for choice when they're doing their projects within our student survey. We gave this to fifth through 8th grade and um this actually left me feeling really proud as a principal and we had a really good discussion uh when we went over this data as a team that how many kids in fifth through 8th grade and I can speak for myself in fifth through 8th grade. I would
158not have answered this when I was asked what was most important to me to go to school. It was to be with my friends and probably read a book. Not necessarily preparing for my future. um doing my best and learning a lot and then being creative and trying new things. So for us as a team and a staff, we felt that uh we're doing something right here at Australia. So how do we again capture those core values and continue to move our campus forward in whatever direction that we go? And then our staff survey again that kindness and character embedding kindness came up really high along with the growth mindset and encouraging that perseverance and resilience. So if you combine all three of those surveys, you can see that the core values are still centered
159around a lot of the same things and everyone that has participated in the survey and then those conversations that we've had um are very driven for those and they're not veering off of that. Our next steps that we have as a committee will be that we will reconvene our committee in January because we didn't feel we were in a place to come today and say this is our signature program. This is how we want to move our campus forward. We felt that it was important for us to reconvene and make sure that we resume those collaborative conversations and refine our options and be sure that we align them to the components within our priorities as a campus. We want to make sure that we're making an informed recommendation. Again, we want to be sure that
160it's for all learners and all stakeholders. We want to be sure that we're embedding those core values that we just discussed. And then ensuring um that we are weaving in Australia's collaborative culture, which is how we've built um our study for moving forward. Um, I stand ready for questions along with my team that is here, even though they're scooting farther back a little bit. Um, but I just want to assure you that we are ready to most likely build. I think you would all agree with that. Um, a program that fits Estraa. We did look at some such as um, a lot of things that came up were steam, uh, fine arts, things like that. But we already have those signature programs within our district. And so we wanted something unique to Estraa. So uh
161something that I think that really came out in our meetings was innovation and leadership. And so trying to embody that and create something that again is unique to Estraa. Not something that is taking away from what we already have and what we're already loyal to, but continue to build and grow our campus. >> Thank you, Miss Boris. uh questions. >> Yeah, Madam President, if I may, >> please. >> Thank you, Miss Boris, for the presentation. Um, and I I guess my my question is just kind of clarification for the community survey. Who who is the community? Is it did it go just >> We sent it out to all of our families via messenger. Okay. >> Um, and the goal is for our next push out to even put it on the link on our
162Facebook page. Hopefully capture. >> Thank you. And then my second question is is right now are you guys looking more towards building your own or bringing something else in? >> I think we are leaning towards building our own. One thing that it's circled around quite a bit in all the meetings is something such as leaders and innovation uh because that already captured what we're already doing. So instead of starting from the ground and moving up, start at the level that we're at and continue to build upon what we have. Thank you, >> Mishmitt. >> Please go ahead. >> Um, I just want to say thank you for the presentation and thank you to your staff and your parents who have been so involved in this process. I think you know um looking at all those
163different responses to have almost a hundred responses from parents I think is pretty incredible and shows that they are also invested in in you know the signature program that you're looking to create. Um I um you know kind of had a similar question to Mr. Kenyon is if you were looking to kind of uh essentially create your own program. So, do you have a timeline in mind that you hope to kind of flush out what that program might look like since you're building it? >> So, we started to flush out a few things. Um, so we want to reconvene in January. We'll meet every week because we found meeting in those tighter snippets one hour or more each week was helpful because we weren't losing time um and loss of what we talked about the
164week before. So, we are hopeful to bring it back in February or March. Um, but it'll just depend on those future meetings as far as how many stakeholders have opinions because we've been very um loyal. I think Miss Rosenberger said it best earlier today that when someone brings an idea to the table in our meetings, we don't say we've already talked about that. So, we're moving on to this topic that we have. We're listening and we're holding that and we're continuing to dive into that because we want every voice to be heard. >> Thank you so much and thank you for your investment to this process. Any other questions or comments for Morris? Um, >> go ahead. >> It was a while ago since the last presentation. Uh, Miss Cameron, can you pull up the
165minutes? I I thought we were supposed to have a recommendation by December um for two to three to three uh proposals. Is that >> you are correct? We were hopeful to do that, but when we had a lack of leadership at the beginning getting this off the running, um because Mr. McDonald had started the process with us, uh it fell short. And so that's why I came with an update. I talked with Dr. Mohorn last week to ensure that I brought an update. Um her and I decided that bringing an update was better than to push off until January to bring those recommendations to you. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you for that. Any other questions? All right. Thank you so much for your presentation and I think we are all looking forward
166to seeing what you all design together. >> Thank you. Right. >> Moving on to 8.6 the AD school letter grades. Uh Miss Michelle May, director of school improvement. Good evening, Madame President, members of the board and community. Uh tonight you will hear an overview of Arizona's A throughF letter grade accountability system for the K8 schools. You'll hear an explanation of the 2025 A throughF school accountability framework. We'll review the 2025 A throughF component points and we'll showcase the letter grades for each school. So this is the framework that is currently being used um by AD. So they use the model the pie chart. Again the pie chart is 100%. Um so since it's be 100% each percentage could actually be considered points. So in the table to the right you'll see that as points and
167then that's why in the pie chart it's percentages they equate to each other. And at the bottom you see the cut scores or the thresholds for the different letter grades. So 50% of the letter grades comes from student growth. Proficiency or the outcomes is 30%. EL weighted percentage points is 10 and then the accelerated readiness is also 10. So points percentages kind of the same thing in this framework. So what is accelerated readiness? There's a maximum of 10 points that can be earned in various ways. So on the right you'll see the parenthesis with the the number that's a possible points for that component that indicator but again the maximum points possible to be earned is 10. So how can you get to 10 points? Uh the first indicator is the grade 8 math performance.
168So increasing your highly proficient um students and decreasing the minimum proficiencies. The second way is your grade three ELA minimally proficient students go down. So reducing the minimum proficient students or the percentage uh to less than 12%. Is how you could earn those five points. The other way is chronic absenteeism. So you can earn a possible two points there reducing that from one year to the next or reducing your chronic absenteeism. that's at CA uh to less than 4%. Um you can also earn six possible points through your subgroup improvements. Um that is uh either ethnicity, ELLL, special education or free and reduced lunch to your economically disadvantaged students. And the last way is through your special education inclusion, reducing the enrollment in your special education classes, increasing their time in the gened setting. The
169is determined through the OELA assessments through equal weights, five points each of your proficiency and your growth for a total of maximum of 10 points. And then you can also earn bonus points. Up to five bonus points can be earned through your special education enrollment. Um so you can earn two points by um comparing the students uh at uh a school. So whichever school to the state percentage of sped enrollment and you can earn those different 01 one and a half to two. And then your science proficiency on the AZ SAI, you can earn a max of three points there. Um, again, increasing your science proficiency compared to the state average. So, let's look at the trends, the historical trends from 2018 to 2025 for the district and school. So, here we have uh Blue
170Horizons. Um, they started receiving their letter grade in 2023. And on this table, each time the grade increased, that's where you get the green cell. If it went down, that's where you get the red cell. So for Blue Horizons 2023, it was labeled as a C. In 2024, it increased its label to a B. That's why you got the green cell there. And it maintained a B. That's why it is transparent. Hopefully that makes sense. Uh, Australia Mountain uh had B label until 2022. Well, it earned its first A and has maintained that A letter grade um as Miss Boris stated and great job there. Freedom Elementary was a C until 2024 increased to a B and it is maintained. Lasus Academy was a B. In 2023, it increased to an A. 2024 it declined
171to a B and last year increased back to an A. Liberty Elementary School is a C. in 2019 increased to a B. 2022 dropped to a C, increased again to a B, and then to an A and has maintain that. Rainbow Valley Elementary School was a B, declined to a C, held at a C until 2024, but increased to a B, and last year declined to a C. West Ele Elementary was an A in 2018, decreased to a B in 2019. 2022 it went up to an A, went back down to a B in 23, up to an A in 24, and has maintained that A label. And then you can see the district um letter grade there uh showing consistent B ranking. So here is uh each school and their total points. Um focusing
172more on 2025. I don't know if I have a laser light on this. I wish I did. Um, but there's two schools, LBA and ALES, who increase their total overall points. Um, so again, kudos to them. Great job. Here's the breakdown. Remember the framework that we just looked at here. Okay, so the components of the pie chart. So the proficiency, the max is 30 points. The growth the max is 50. EL the max is 10 points. Acceleration readiness the max is 10. So in the cells that have the green highlights they earned the maximum points for that component. And the light blue means I got really close. And then you've got the subtotal with the bon bonus points and you can see that every school earned bonus points which is great. Then the total points
173and then the letter grade. So again, just coming back to the framework where we're working off of. So the AD accountability system determines the A throughF letter grades for K8 schools based on student academic outcomes, growth, and acceleration readiness. Now the highlights, two schools increased point totals. Um, one school almost got to five, one was greater than five. That's LBA and LE that I highlighted. Two schools have exited targeted school improvement status through AD. So, a huge win. I did include that in the board updates. It's been fantastic. So, Blue Horizons and Liberty Elementary, really great job. We are so happy about that. We added one school to the aid label. So, LBA is now an A. Two schools earn the maximum EL proficiency and growth points, the total of 10 points, and that is
174Estraya Mountain and Liberty L. Two schools earned the maximum points and the nearly max for growth. got really close at Freedom and Liberty and five schools earned the maximum accelerated readiness points. Total of 10 points. That's Freedom, Estraa Mountain, Lasus Academy, Liberty Elementary, and Rainbow Valley. So, great job. Any comments or questions? >> Yeah, >> go ahead. Yeah. Um, I really just a comment and thank you so much for this presentation. Out of the the years I've been doing this, this is probably the simplest, easiest to understand. So, thank you for that. Um, because letter grades are not just an easy formula and I think you did a fantastic job of putting this together. Um, congratulations to all the schools. There's there's so much good happening from our administrators down. You know, the staff, they're
175working their butts off. You guys administrators are doing such a good job. the kids. I mean, obviously, they make a huge impact in this these. And so, the kids, it's showing that there's a lot going on. The parents driving the kids to learning. There's just so much good in this. And uh I there's always room for improvement, but we got to celebrate where we can. There's a lot to celebrate on this. So, definitely >> I'm very proud of this, >> Miss Schmidt. >> Yes. Go ahead. >> Um thank you so much for the presentation. And I do think it's really important that we have these and that we share with the public um you know how we came to be to the letter grades and also give us the opportunity to celebrate our schools because
176I do think there is a lot to celebrate um as I've indicated in board updates before. Um and so I think it's important to do that. I just had a couple questions if we can go to the acceleration and readiness slide. Oops. Did I skip that? No. Sorry. >> Yes. Okay. So, um, you know, the kind of the indicators are more than 10 points. So, do you kind of get to pick and choose what you take and then you can use any of those to get to 10 points? That is a great question. And so no, it is basically as your school is demonstrating these different indicators, it could end up to what is the total up there? 10, 18, 20, 20 possible there. So the the most that the school can earn is 10
177points. So maybe the school gets all of those indicators. So they don't pick and choose. All are on the table. >> So maybe one school meets all the criteria and gets a total of 20 points. They aren't getting 20. The max is 10. So maybe one school gets six at a subgroup improvement and maybe two for the special ed and maybe five for grade three ELA. That's more than 10 points, but they met all those criteria. They only get a maximum of 10 points. >> Okay. >> But they're not selecting like which ones they're going after. All are on the table at all times. >> That's helpful. Thank you. And then for the subgroup improvement, how who is choosing what subgroup they're looking at for each school? Was it different for each school? >> No,
178they're all on the table. So, all those subgroups are always being looked at. Okay. In fact, uh, two of our schools ended up in targeted school improvement because of a subgroup population that didn't meet proficiency standards. And so, they are always all on the table. Okay. And then in terms of, you know, the work that you've you're doing with staff, with principles, are you taking this information and looking at our goals and our KPIs and evaluating kind of where we are in our strategic plan? Most definitely. In fact, that's what I'm passionate about as a director of school improvement is looking at the data. Dr. Ed Sllo, director of research and I work closely, in fact, he is the mastermind behind this. Just want to give him the the kudos for that. Um, but in
179the July leadership meeting, uh, administrators looked at their data, the specifics. We break it down all the way to the grade levels, ELA, math, um, even look at science. We look at the subgroup population and Dr. Slo uploads that into the DAP. So, at any time we have all that at our fingertips to dive more into it. So, we did it in July under um, Mr. McDonald. Um and then I meet with the principles at as often as possible but at least monthly for specific conversations usually involved in data instructional effectiveness performance all of those things. So we are constantly having those conversations. In addition, was it November that we met together as admin team and we went through um this presentation but a little more in depth um and we actually went back to
180our goals that we set in July and we looked to make sure that those are the right goals for us to be setting at this time. So each school looked at that and we are actually meeting as an admin team here coming up in a couple weeks. each month we meet meet and they had a transfer task that they're bringing back their updated goals in reflection of what they just gleaned from the letter grades and that data. >> Okay, thank you so much. >> I also want to thank you for putting this together and explaining all of it so clearly. Um, and for, you know, shouting out our schools and celebrating the wins that we have. Um, as as was previously stated, there's always room for improvement. I think, you know, that's the nature of
181of everything that we're always trying to improve ourselves and and everything that we do. But we have had a lot of wins and I think they need to be recognized. Um, and the hard work that the students and the teachers and the principles have all put in to get our schools to where they are, you know, 4A schools this year is fantastic. Um, and we we've seen growth in the schools that even may have not reached that A level this year. So, we're working towards it for all of them. And, you know, maybe next year we'll have we'll have eight um goals goals. But thank you so much for putting this together and bringing it to us tonight. >> Appreciate it. Thank you. >> President, sorry. >> Yes, please. >> Also, I just want to
182give kudos to all the principles out there. Obviously, this is all because of the administration. Uh, I know these are like last year's scores, correct? Um, even last year, there's a lot of turmoil going on at the district. As long as there's this year, it can show that you guys are true professionals and you're able to kind of block some of the nonsense that's going out and focus on your schools. I'm sure these grades come out next year for this year is going to be >> probably better and I appreciate your hard work. >> Thank you. >> Anything else? All right. Thank you so much. All right. Uh moving on to agenda topic 9.1, board comments or agenda topic requests. >> Madam President, for me >> Yep. Uh, I'd like to add um I'd like
183to revisit who's required to attend the regular board meetings and then I would like us to look at and update the policy on the the visitors volunteers chaperones. I think that's where we need to start. >> Miss Schmidt. >> Yes, please. >> Okay. Um, I just want to clarify that I want to add a volunteer policy. So, I want it to be its own policy. Um, I would like, um, this can just be in an update. I'd like a link to the standard operating procedure for the sped class ratios and the case load numbers. Um, and this is a request to include the target class ratios on the home room um, report. So when we're looking at the like blue, green, red, it would it would just be nice to have the target ratios right
184in front of us so that we like are know what we're looking at. Um and um kind of what we had talked about before if we could add the current ADM for the month either on the budget sheet or the uh enrollment report. um if we could just get an update about when we will approve the expense vouchers for November since they weren't on the agenda tonight. Um, and if we could get an update on the Loretta Zumbro signature program and um more of just a a comment, I guess that I hope that the budget process um, you know, will begin soon and that we will have a budget committee this year and involve our stakeholders um, in that process before it gets to the board. Thank you, >> Madam President. >> Yes, go ahead.
185>> Um, earlier this evening, we heard from somebody who works, I believe it's OMX cleaning. Um, and I wanted just to just in a board update if the district can look into that, see if that, um, lack of payment or late payment, whatever it is, is on the district's end or if it's on the vendor's end. and and and just so we can get an update on the board. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Madam President. >> Go ahead. >> I have a few things. Uh touching on the OMX issue, I'd like if staff can give us an update tomorrow. I got a pretty good idea. the answer to that, but if you can send the board an update and then um I think we need to also look at this as a board. If
186we're hiring, um contractors that aren't paying their employees, we need to make some changes pretty quickly. I'd ask for that to be urgent. Um I would like us uh I agree also on the request from the other board members for a policy on the volunteer. Um, I'd like to uh create a policy on stipens um to include how we calculate those stipens, create some sort of a form so we know that HR and finance has signed off on them um and and have a full policy on how we calculate stipens because I'm hearing that it's being done differently for different folks. So, um also would like to get uh an update on the website where that's coming. We've been hearing about it for a while, but I think it's time for another good update and
187and some timelines of when it's going to be completed. Um I would request that uh when the agendas are done and created that the staff leaison is present or we name somebody else that can be here to speak for that. Just to have nobody available to speak for a topic is a little rough. Um everybody's entitled to vacation time and and that but we need to make sure we have the proper staff leazison present. Um I still would like to furthermore look at the have the board look at a policy of of getting true information on why students are withdrawing. um an exit survey. I don't I don't know that we ever really chase that down as much as we should. So, we have an understanding of of where they're going right now. We just
188know numbers leave. There's so many variables that cause that and we need to understand it. I would like the board to create a directive to staff for job fairs and start those no later than the middle of February uh with multiples. So, if we can get that agenda pretty quickly, uh we won't be meeting again until January. So, that'll be neat. Um, and uh, then I think we need to make some revisions to the handbook, but I guess I'm confused. We have a handbook and we have a policy. Policy always trumps the handbook. So, probably need to add some language to our handbook that always directs people back that the policy is the final say. Um, we in the past have had presentations from each campus on their goals um, of performance for each year.
189We got those last year, but I'd like to have a presentation from Miss May on how the campuses did uh based off their goals from last year, how they how they did this year. And then we're going to need new goals set for the following year. So, um that should be coming up soon. And u that's all I have at this time. >> Miss Camda, did you get all of that? >> Impressive. >> Sounds good. Just checking. But can I just remind the board members that you will enter it in the log. Thank you. >> Yes. Thank you for that reminder. Um all right, moving on to agenda item 10.1 I'm coming board meetings and there is one that is missing from the sheet. So just as a reminder on this Thursday, December 11th at
1905:30 we are having a work study session here. Uh and then upcoming meetings, Monday, January 12th, 2026, we have a special board meeting and a regular board meeting. Um Monday, January 26th is potentially a special board meeting if necessary, which based on the fact that we're looking for a new superintendent. I would make sure to mark it on your calendars uh and have it have be ready. Um Monday, February 9th is a special board meeting and a regular meeting. And then Monday, February 23rd. Again, another special board meeting, but same uh because we're really hoping to get superintendent stuff done um by the end of February at the latest. >> Madam President, if I may. >> Yes. Go ahead, please. So, I just would like the board to know I this Thursday's meeting. It's unfortunate,
191but uh it was placed on a date that there's a lot of events uh holiday events, Christmas events going on during around the district and my kids will be in one and so I probably will not be attending in attendance during that meeting. >> Thank you. >> That'll be the same for me. >> Okay. I I will comment on that that I spent the good majority of my weekend trying to arrange this meeting. Um and I did the best that I could. This was a day that we could get the gentleman to come from Nebraska um and be here. And so I truly hope that everyone can make it. But I also understand if you feel other things take priority and you know that is choices in life. So, um, I apologize to anybody who
192can't make it, but I truly did the best that I could, uh, and tried to get it in before Christmas break, otherwise we were going to get pushed to mid January, uh, just to get started. So, I didn't think that was a good choice either. All right. And with that, we're at 11.1 and the adjournment of the meeting at 8:26 p.m.