Governing Board Study Session and Regular Board Meeting - January 8th, 2026

001We would like to wish welcome everyone and wish everyone a happy new year. We will begin our study session tonight. Please stand for a moment of silence. Thank you. You may be seated. Call this meeting to order at 501. And we tonight's presentation is a continuation from December's meeting information item on enrollment. That presentation focused on current numbers. And tonight's presentation will look different as it focuses on enrollment and budget projections. And Mr. Moore, we're going to turn the time over to you. >> Yeah. Thanks, President Davis. Members of the governing board, uh, as you stated, tonight uh we'll be presenting on uh budget projections for next year as well as look at uh future budget projections uh 10-year lookout and then tie these budget projections uh to or excuse me, enrollment projections to to

002budget. We can pull the presentation up. So again, our objectives uh continue to inform the board on current enrollment and then look at uh future projections. As uh I just alluded to current we are on current year funding uh in terms of budget and so these enrollment projections play an important factor in what we do for planning for next year. Uh again, this is part two as you alluded to uh in our enrollment projections and then uh we'll align again these enrollment projections now to what our budget implications look like for fiscal year 27. So with that, I'll let Miss Glasmire go through the enrollment and then we'll swing it back to me for budget. Good evening everyone. Um we are looking at October 1st numbers here for school year 2223 23 2425. Those are

003publicly available on the AD website. The 2526 are internally determined because obviously that goes through an official process at the state level before it becomes publicly available. These are our estimations after working with several departments to make sure we clean up those October 1st numbers as best we can. um they are always a little off but really not very off for especially for the means of district projections. For next year we projected again we ran a variety of different models. We had an external party also run models. We fell within a certain range. Um we are looking to decline by about 2400 students for next year. All of the models had a decline. No matter how many which different model meth mathematical calculation you did, they all had a decline. So they're not perfect. It's

004an estimation, but we're looking at 2400 down and that's what we are planning for. Next slide, please. When we look longer term out, it's important um we actually am partnered with applied economics for this. um they have access to a lot more data pieces um that can help with projection models that are forecasting populations further out into the future and it's really important for any strategic planning that we need to do as a district. So, we want to share with you what applied economics came up with. That is for the school year 3031, they estimate that we'll be down to about 4,000 or 43,283 and then in 10 years 39,196. Now, there's a lot of variables that are playing into this. There's economic factors. There's household factors like what buildings are being built, whether they're

005multif family, whether they're their single family, whether they're rented, whether they're owned, and what cohorts, what census age cohorts are becoming more predominant within our community. Okay? prices of houses, all of these things. Birth rates, birth rate has sort of steadied off. But again, you'll see a difference across all of our age brackets that are high school or upper grade levels have higher cohorts, higher number cohorts, and what's coming in is lower. Okay? So, all of these are things that we've spoken about in the past, but those are all pieces that they have access to the data for that they pull into their long-term models in order to get them a little bit closer. And again, remember, they're still projections, they're estimations. Next one. When we go to smaller sample sizes, we have to be

006mindful that again these are estimations and projections. However, we wanted to make sure to share with you for fiscal year 27. So, next year the approximate sizes of our elementary schools and how many of our elementary schools will fall into those size buckets like what you guys saw in your last presentation as well as 5year out as well as tenure out. So we see a trend from some of our middle sections that we're losing those larger size school enrollments and then they're getting smaller. So within our individual elementary schools we are housing fewer students by and large across. Now remember all of our models showed a decrease because of these various characteristics. Next slide please. In junior highs, we also saw very much the similar trend with nine out of our 10 junior highs that

007currently are in existence out of less than 700 for their enrollment size by 10 years out. Now again, obviously there's this is based on current trends that we see, right? And it's the best estimation of what we have. If something happens that we can't forecast out, then obviously there are changes. Next slide. our high schools. Um we will be down to four of our high schools being between 2100 and 2700 and three of them being less than 2100. So all the point of these bubble graphs over those longitudinal times and bringing out to you the five and the 10 year is that it's really important that we're looking at these for strategic planning as we move forward. Next slide, please. Focusing on next year, we wanted to highlight the schools that we project to be

008growing as well as the ones that would be declining. Um, so Hughes Elementary is estimated to projected increase of 42. Um, whereas Lendis Elementary is projected decrease of 65. Um, note that Red Mountain Ranch has that upper elementary and now some secondary grade levels that seventh and eighth that we've added on. So, their growth is primarily in those levels as they've attracted for those grade levels. >> Dr. Glassmire, just one other note, Johnson Elementary School, uh, Johnson, Jefferson, Madison are all part of what concurred at Wilson and the vote on Wilson. So, uh, we had to give the demographer some sort of data set prior to that decision. We didn't know which way the board was going to go on that decision. So, I do not think that Johnson will be down by 58 kids

009next year because of the repurposing of Wilson. Does that make sense to everyone? >> Thank you. >> And if we move on to junior highs, um, we have an increase in Franklin Junior High. Again, modifications that's not accounting for those modifications in there. Um, and our junior highs, many of our junior highs are projected to decrease in that seventh and eighth grade range for varying amounts. Next slide. Our high schools, um, our alternative high schools of East Valley Academy and Superstition are projected to increase. Um, they are expanding their grade band as well as becoming um, Superstition has now become a choice school. So you can get in there through an application process. Um and we're really working to make sure that those pull in those students who wouldn't otherwise receive the sports in a

010comprehensive high school. Um the other high schools that we have, Red Mountain, Skyline, Dobson, Westwood, Mountain View, and Mesa are all set to decline in enrollment over the for next year. And that's not surprising. Once again, remember our as we go down the number of students that we have replacing that graduating class, you're going to see it and you have more students at those larger schools. So, those numbers are going to be higher. Next slide, please. We wanted to make sure to also provide you with those longer term enrollment changes. Um so our elementary schools of Ishiawa which a few years ago was busting at the seams um there are changes um so we have a decline of an estimated decline or projected decline of 184 there Palmoroy negative 171 and remember this is cumulative

011over 5 years so please be aware of that math because the numbers are bigger seem a little bit more large um Taylor is a 157 posted 141 um senior high schools that are projected to decline, Red Mountain by 542 and Mountain View by 395. So we have so the question is we have changes in demographics, we have changes in housing. Um but we wanted to make sure that we address if families are choosing another alternative, what possible alternatives do they have and what are we seeing in those alternative options for those families um or that are offered. So within our district, we have 36 charter schools. Um, we have 15 within one mile of our district boundaries. There have, you'll notice down at the bottom or let's go across first. In 2018 2019, there were

012three charter schools that opened up that particular year, two of them pulled in about 400 to 500 students. So, the increase in enrollment in those charter schools, those three added to an increase in charter schools of 10.7%. they are housed within or nearby Mesa public school boundaries. Okay, that does not mean they took four to 500 students of Mesa students, Mesa residents. Um, if we look at the percentage over time, so if you go on the next click, you'll see that there was that big increase and really charter schools peaked in about 2012 2013 and since then we've seen some growth over the years. they'll open up one school, but it's not like eight schools. Like there was a big influx of charter schools when they first came on the market. Um, so you'll notice

013that the most recent years 22 23 has a negative growth. 2021 was COVID. Um, 23 24 has a negative growth. 2425 has an increase. 2526 has a negative growth as well. So you'll see that ultimately these alternative populations or charter schools are sort of seeing we're seeing a plateau in enrollment for these schools. They only have a certain amount of families that are going to want to go to them. Um so you're seeing but you're seeing that in the numbers. Um the other thing that I want to point out is of the 15,000 students about half of them are not residing within Mesa public schools boundaries. So they are traveling from outside of Mesa public schools boundaries to charter schools that are within or nearby our boundaries. So they are not our residential students. Next

014slide please. Um when we look at top competitors, it's not just charter schools that is obviously in our market. Um but we also have public schools that border our district. Um, and so our top ones are Gilbert Unified, American Leadership Academy, Chandler Unified, Heritage Academy, EduPrise, and Tempe School District. Tempe Union High is also on the list, but it's further down the list. Um, if you look at our top competitors where they where our residential students choose to go to them as well as students from other areas that choose to go to us, it's pretty much a wash. We're pretty close. Um, so while there are choices made by families because of the school choice options that exist within this state, um, we're seeing them go to certain ones, but we're also getting back from

015a variety of different areas as well. So, just to be aware of that, there's sort of some washing back and forth that happens there. Next slide. So, ESAs, um, ESAs became universal in 2223. So you'll notice that there is a sharp incline from 2122 to 22 23 and then it has continued to increase probably similar just like charter schools when they came on the market. You're going to see a sudden increase of families where this is the better option for them or what they choose to do. Um we are seeing an increase in our Eagle Ridge enrollment. It has only been through 8th grade that this year it has extended through 9 through 12. So that that is now an option for those families who are choosing to do ESA. Um the other thing to

016be aware of is for the 2223 a very large portion portion of that growth that happened that year was families who were already in pre-existing privately paid choices for educational entities. They are not students who left and that's statewide. They are not students who left public schools. Over 70% of them were in fact already enrolled in private school or some sort of thing that qualifi would qualify them then for the universal ESAs. Um so just to be aware that that growth is harboring some of those families who have then taken advantage of to utilize that option. Next slide. >> We're turn it over to me. So now that we have finished that enrollment projections, uh we have now have the main multiplier in the budget formula. And so we can now predict and do some

017budget projections for next year. The budget timeline uh with those enrollment projections and now that 2400 student loss that we're projecting for next year, uh we can now finalize some of our M budgets. So um that number is being utilized for our staffing. Uh those those conversations are are finalizing. We're looking at school department budgets um allocating uh budgets based on that new enrollment projected numbers. We'll we'll util we'll um go through that process throughout January and February and we'll bring the board along uh through that process. Um by March we hope to uh switch gears and and finalize M and switch over to capital planning. Uh and there we have a lot of capital initiatives um with regards to potential elections etc. and we'll go through that process. And then in June, we really

018formalize all this into the budget forms, right? All this planning that we're doing gets formalized into those budget forms which are due per in that June timeline. So, um that's is just a visual to kind of bring the board along on on where we're at and how we're planning for next year. Oh, I had one here. So looking at the budget projections, so with that 2400 student enrollment loss, that is again the main multiplier in the revenue control limit, right? We take our base level support that we get from the state the state and in layman's terms, we times it by the enrollment that we're anticipating for next year. So if you take that basic calculation there there's other factors in there but for presentation purposes we are currently sitting at 403 million uh in

019terms of our our current enrollment. And so when we take that projected 27 2400 loss we're going to be looking at a $18 million reduction in our M budget. We're talking just M. Now annually the state does provide an inflation adjustment and we are hovering above 2%. we're hovering about 2.8%. And so minimally um we are anticipating and we are going to be budgeting for the 2% minimum that the state uh has historically uh provided districts. And so that does give us some relief um in the tune of 7.6 million. Our budget balance carry forward at this point in time. We're just anticipating that staying steady and remaining flat uh not levying or touching that utilizing that as a contingency into next year. um with that enrollment factor. It does play into the override calculation

020as well. And so you'll see a small adjustment. Now that calculation's off prior year enrollment. Um so that adjustment won't be as large as the revenue control limit adjustment. Uh but again, we we will anticipate a reduction in our override just because of the student count loss that we are seeing from year to year. State aid supplemental. Um, we are anticipating that is the formerly Prop 123. Those legislative conversations are are ongoing, but we anticipate we're going to be budgeting and anticipating that Prop 123 gets appropriated in some fashion, whether it's through the state budget or if some state trust land um bill gets through the house. Uh, we are going to be budgeting for that. However, we are not going to be budgeting for the free and reduce um supplemental that the state has

021been one-time providing district. So, it's very very early right now. If if we get uh bills make progress through the legislative cycle as we move through March and we get some indication that that [clears throat] is a go, we'll include that back into the budget uh conversation. But at at this point in time, it's really early and there's no indication that the state is going to do another onetime appropriation for that free and reduce supplemental. So with those all taken into consideration, uh we're going to be looking at a 13 million $13.7 million deficit into next year, which is everything that we've been estimating. We've been estimating I believe the numbers we've been saying anywhere from 8 to 14. Dr. Dr. Shuma has been saying we we now have with these enrollment numbers we're able

022to put that dollar amount and calculate that exact dollar amount into next year. And so it's 13.7 to next year. Um that is now what we get to uh utilize as we plan our budgets and and work through that process. So this will be a constant uh we'll bring this back again and we'll [clears throat] highlight where we're going to make some of those reductions. speaking Rita like and and how we're going to plan um fill that gap for next year and those include the solutions that we've been talking about throughout the fall right with the organiz organizational redesign we just finished um with the final board approvals in December just Mr. Wing and and myself are calculating what that final implication is. Um and so we hope to give you the exact numbers for

023each one of these areas. Uh and we anticipate that these three bullet points will address that $13.7 million deficit that is showed on the previous slide. Um and so the stipen audit uh we are wrapping that up. That is still ongoing. And our teacher allocation formula um is based off enrollment projections which we just are now presenting tonight. and we'll be sharing with schools. So, all those things are in place and and working we're working through those right now. Uh and we hope to bring those back. But we just wanted to bring the board along at this process of how we are identifying what our budget deficit is and how we are addressing it uh and through these solutions that we've already discussed throughout the fall. So, with that, well, I'm happy to take any

024questions. Oh, key points. um demographic patterns and trends. Um we're continuing to leverage not only our internal experts with Mr. Glassar's team but independent experts like such as applied economics and we'll we'll be doing this annually. The enrollment trends um are are very hard to predict. We did present some five and 10ear estimates but th those numbers right can change at any sort of high level policy change any any there's a number of things that affect demographic patterns. And so we'll continue to uh monitor that annually. Budgeting, as I've stated, enrollment is a the multiplier, the direct multiplier with how uh current year funding works. And so is imperative that we continue to have a pulse on where we are going with enrollment. Um and leverage that in projecting what we are doing from a

025budget cycle. Uh and we that needs to be forward thinking because of current year enrollment. we can't wait till July and then all of a sudden have a $13.7 million deficit. So, um the the practice that we have in place, we are well ahead of of next year in planning. And so, uh that budgeting cycle will be imperative to continue that emphasis as we address and and navigate through the enrollment decline. And then educational programming, I know Mr. Wing has worked uh through staffing and programming with enrollment trends. And as those enrollment trends continue to decline, uh it'll continue to put pressure on how we uh staff and align educational programs throughout our district. So with that, we'd be happy to take any questions. >> Thank you, Mr. Moore and Dr. Glass Meer. Board members,

026um I'll start with uh board member Hudson. Any questions? >> Oh, so many. >> Okay. No, that's all right. Um, okay. Um, so I have a I have a couple questions. Um and and then um maybe a a suggestion, I'm not sure, but um when we take a look at um our students um that should be at Mesa public schools going to border public schools um Gilbert, Chandler, um do we know what schools are our students are going to in Gilbert and Chandler? And are they um are they primary schools, secondary schools? Um is what choices are parents making um when they when they do [clears throat] send their kids to Gilbert and or Chandler? I know Dr. Gmmer talked about it being a wash, but we could maybe we can flip that and make

027it a positive. That's that's what that's where I'm going with this. Um I I really don't want to accept this as a fate to complete. Um, so I want I want to understand why parents choose Gilbert and Chandler over Mesa. And I know we've talked about some of those reasons, but I'd like I'd like to hear them again. Secondly, um, this board has made a decision to adopt two new high schools, one Shepard College Prep and the other Franklin High School. Do we believe that those schools could flip these numbers? Those are my first two questions. >> So, first I'm going to have to catch up to Dr. Glass Meer's knowledge. As you know, I'm from the research and evaluation world. And as of the last Arizona Department of Education report, I just want to

028be really clear. We lost about 2,300 students to Gilbert and we got about 900 students back. That's not a wash. So if anyone looks it up, there could be more current numbers this year, but that's the numbers from last year on the report. And so that the questions you're asking are very very relevant. When do you lose kids? How do you lose kids? And the the fact matter is I haven't looked at this year's report, so we could be closer to wash this year. Dr. Glass Meer may be more ahead of the data than than I am on that, but uh we know we lose kids at the seventh grade level. We know we lose kids at the ninth grade level. And that's exactly why Shephard College Prep and Gilbert and uh uh uh Franklin

029High School are two options to help us combat the fact that our biggest loss to Gilbert High uh Highland High School and Desert Ridge High School out in the Skyline region. And so we need to make sure that we learn how to attract students back into our college and career uhmies at Skyline into our traditional high school at Mesa High into our Franklin High School at Franklin High School. We need to market to every parent that what we have here in Mesa is an option for you. Between all the options that we have, there is an option for you. You want a traditional sixth period day, we have it. It's at Mesa High. You want a Franklin learning experience, we have it. An advanced academy learning experience, we have it at Shepard College Prep. You

030want a college and career academy experience, we have it. We have at Skyline Red Mountain. And we need to figure out how to get the the communication out in every one of our learning communities to say we have the best options for families here in in Mesa Public Schools. So >> yes. So follow to also follow up on that um one for one within like Gilbert, we lose more to Gilbert than we bring in from Gilbert. Um that is so on line item they're not washes comprehensively sort of across is where you see some washing. Um so thank you for >> Yeah, let me catch up to you then. Uh the district we draw more from than we lose to is Apache Junction. We draw a lot more kids from Apache Junction than than we

031lose to Apache Junction. Is that what your is my mind catching up to where your mind's at? Exactly. Thank you very much. >> Yep. Yep. Um, however, we can look at I mean, we could dig into, but I think the patterns and trends because I looked at it several years for the open enrollment report. Um, so they've remained relatively consistent um, in line items. Um, but I looked at district level. I didn't look at individual school level. Um, so that open enrollment report does have school level. Um, so we could we could I could have somebody look at what kinds of schools we're losing more to. Um, and possibly then we can get a better understanding not necessarily a spec not by grade level but by specific schools possibly. Yeah, I would I I'm really

032interested in those numbers and and the reason being is is that I've been in the district long enough to have been on the receiving end of kids from particularly Chandler when Dobson High opened up and and the flight to Dobson was was unbelievable. So, um, we know that that on the border >> the border is pretty fluid and and it would be very advantageous to know where parents are choosing their their kids to go and and why. Um, I think we know and as Dr. Stro just mentioned, we we know some of those reasons and that's why we are opening up more options for families. Um marketing it is going to be crucial, but of course our kids experiences and our families experiences in our high schools really is the selling point. And we do

033have incredible opportunities for students and we are now providing more opportunities for next year. Um so I would I'm very interested in knowing where and why. Um if >> we may not be able to get to why, but we can we can certainly provide you with some somewhere. >> Yeah. Thank you. Thank you so much. >> Member Hudson. We are still awaiting the report from Westgroup research on uh the students that were with us last year and 8th and 9th grade that aren't with us this year. We specifically have tasked West Group with uh with going out and surveying those parents from 8th grade last year, 9th grade last year that aren't any longer with us and understanding why they made the choices. That might be some insight into what you're asking for. >> Yeah,

034I I would very much appreciate that because again, I want to be proactive. I just don't want to react and and figure this is a fade to complete. This district is too proud for this to to to just take this laying down. >> Absolutely. >> We are we're we're gonna we're going to make sure that we are engaging our families in and our kids in the best education opportunities possible. >> Yeah. And that study that um Dr. Stum referenced, they finished collecting data at the end of December. Our team has met with them and we're going [clears throat] I apologize. We're going through the data um and working with them to go ahead and get that report. We're looking at about February, March for that report. >> Thank you, board member Benson. So, I want

035to start with uh I don't want to discount I I totally get the declining enrollment based on birth rate, but that is something that we cannot control. Uh so I'm going to continue beating the drum and we need to focus on the things that we can control. Um what is concerning to me is the accelerated rate at which we are declining. Uh when I look at school year 22 23 to projected next year that's loss of 8,000 students. That's on top of the approximately 5,000ish we lost due to COVID and those years just before that. Um that's what I'm concerned about. So when I look at the last uh the last slide um well and and I with uh member Hutchinson I I see some opportunities that I really want us to be focused on.

036Um but let me get to the the uh experts applied economics. They're great demographers >> potentially. Are they the group that we had last year? >> There was a representative from applied economics here. >> Yeah, he's the one that anti or that um basically inferred that white supremacy was why people were leaving. >> So I'd like a different group possibly. >> Member, >> that was his inference. >> Member Benson, we made a purposeful choice uh to do our own presentation this year. I want to honor your comments in saying that. I will tell you that applied economics is widely known from a data perspective and an economic perspective as the premier demographer uh throughout the Maricopa County system. So they have data sets from our boundarying districts which help them and data sets from boundarying

037municipalities like what's going up in Chandler and what's going up in Queen Creek and what's going up in Gilbert. So that's one of the reasons we made a conscious choice to ensure that we did the presentation this year. I just want to make sure you hear that. >> Thank you. >> Yes. Uh so one of the experts that I think that we have not focused in well enough though to gather data from is parents. So we had a steeper decline in our high schools this year um because parents make choices for their students in regards to their education. The students don't. I think the students input is u vastly important as well. So I'm looking forward to seeing the uh data from the uh eth and nth grade. But those are the experts that we

038really need to be focused in on if we want to um be able to utilize the opportunities that I see there. So, uh I it looks to me like there's about 7,500ish students, Dr. Glassmire that travel and that are in hold on let me look um the on slide number 12 um when you were discussing that one I I believe you said there's approximately 7500 nonmps students that commute to charter schools >> within our boundary areas yes of about half of >> opportunities to draw into Mesa >> there, >> right? >> So, [clears throat] one of the things that I um am really excited about I am excited about the learning communities. They're going to be smaller. We can really focus in on how do we how do we utilize and best resource choice. Um

039Dr. Stum, you being willing to think creatively and out of the box and rather than just stick with this is what we've always offered. uh I think is also beneficial those 7,500 kids students we really need to be laser focused on how do we get them how do we how do we uh broadcast hey we we have a college prep course too we have a STEM academy we have an a science academy in fact I think it'd be great if we could as we're looking at enrollment maybe an egg school on the east side closer to Gilbert and AJ would a great thing to look at in the future. That's how we're going to draw people back. I'm just planting the little seeds [laughter] of um well because we do have some phenomenal we have

040some phenomenal people in here that are dedicated to students that want the best for them. Uh but we really do need the expert we need to really really get information from is the parents. Why aren't you choosing us? they're the decision makers. So, I would like I I'm really excited about that survey. Hopefully, they'll all answer. But I'm also interested in the um the the jump uh in ESAs, and I am not going to vilify ESAs because I am 100% a parent choice person. Uh but we have a huge jump now um from 800ish to 4,600ish. uh the first year it was only about a well that's that weren't on ESAs before. So why what motivated those fam those 475 families to say I can finally get out of here. Is that what they were

041thinking? So I think we need to be looking at I love that we're looking at Eagle Ridge and utilizing and capturing back ESA money. That's a great it's a great um economic possibility. Those parents aren't choosing public schools for a reason though, >> right? And now they have an economic maybe they didn't weren't able to do it. Uh whatever. They are the best decision makers for their family. >> So my question I don't have a question and I'm going to get off my soap box. I'll have a question later probably. But we really member Hutchinson and I totally agree with you. Let's leverage this. Let's look at this as an opportunity. Mesa historically has had the reputation of being the best district in the state. Let's get it back to that. >> Thank you, board

042member Benson. Board member Walden. I don't have any questions. I thank my colleagues for their comments and I I agree with that. So, I've got nothing else to add. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mrs. Chaffy. And Dr. Stum, we are seeing districts across the state who are considering closing campuses and looking at that. We know that that is a reality for many public school districts. Um I know that we've been looking at small schools and part participatory staffing as one of the solutions to that problem the districts are facing. How has that gone and how will we know when it is time to start consolidating campuses? >> Yeah. I mean, you know, I'm I'm going to be authentic to where we're at right now, uh, and just tell tell you as we've seen it through

043the experiences we've had in these design teams that we've run. Uh, we've ran special design team committees over the course of the last two years. uh one special design team committee resulted in suggesting that music goes to band and orchestra and that ended in you know a situation where we allocated about $1.3 million for this year to keep everything status quo. Uh understand the community's input and feedback this year. We ran specialist design committee and uh the process is still going on. I need everyone to hear that. Uh but one of the design committee suggestions was going to be centered around media and we heard from media specialists and uh we decided hey we have a little larger carry forward than we anticipated out of last year we don't need to do the immediate work

044right now right um and I I will tell you that let's say next year that the design team comes back and says let's talk about how we allocate in physical education I think we'll probably have the same experience I'm just being real and authentic right now to where we're at in the participatory staffing side of things. Uh I will tell you that we have parents involved with these five or six schools that five thank you Justin five schools that are uh doing this. We've guided it through a process uh that's been vetted by an ASU research professor and a lot of the communication back. The idea on participatory staffing is if a school generates $3.2 $2 million of revenue. How can that school function within their revenue based on staffing models? And let's give the

045principal the f flexibility to choose their staffing. But hey, you have to stay within 3.2 to $3.5 million. Because right now, what's happening from a budgetary point of view is our high schools are getting smaller, right? And as our high schools are getting smaller, those large high schools have such big economies of scale. They were allowing this district to run smaller elementary schools, two, three, 400 size elementary schools. And some of those elementary schools are upside down. When you look at their numbers as a school, kids in, which is the primary money way we get money versus expenses out, which is staffing, that's the primary way we spend money. When you look at those elementary schools, some of them are upside down, 800,000, 1.2 million, 1.5 million in a given year. And there it's that's

046on the backs of these larger comprehensive high schools. So, as these larger comprehensive high schools get smaller, right, it's going to put pressure on the whole system. And as we put pressure on the whole system, we thought participatory staffing would be a good way to say, can a school function within the revenues that they're generating. And what we're hearing from feedback from parents and principles and staff in this process is it's really difficult. It's very, very hard. Uh it's extremely hard to want everything at a school, right? and then provide it when you have a limited budget. And so what I what I'm starting to coin it as is this is the dilemma we're in right now, which is do we want to run specialty schools that don't have everything for kids? Because that's the

047option some school districts have gone with. And that those can be smaller because you can specialize and then you get your economies of scale out of the specialization. Like maybe there's an elementary school that really just wants to hone in on robotics and that's what they do. but then you give up some of the other things that come along and now your staffing model makes sense within your budget or you know traditionally Mesa has been a district that uh with their elementary schools they want all kids to have all things and if that's the case then we're in a position where uh this school optimization school repurposing school boundary thing needs to start taking place pretty soon and uh you know that the fact of the matter is let's go really raw numbers with you

048This district was built on uh schools that are four sections a grade level. That's 100 kids in a grade level. And uh that's that's schools that are about 700 students big. So it really makes sense that when we had cohorts of 5,000 to 6,000 kids, we have 54 elementary schools. Well, that makes sense because 54 uh 5,000 to 6,000 kids, 100 kids uh uh sorry uh 5,6,000 kids at a cohort divided by 100, that's 50 to 60 elementary schools. We have 54. That makes a lot of sense. Right? Now, you just saw that by 2035 36, we'll have 19,000 elementary school kids, right? You start taking that and divide by seven and you start to get down to the 2500 kids at a cohort. Well, 2500 kids at a cohort divided by 100 is 25

049elementary schools. So understand we used to have cohorts of 5 to 6,000 kids. Kindergarten kindergarters 5 to 6,000 first graders 5 to 6,000. That means 50 to 60 elementary schools. When you're building a 100 students in a grade level and with future projections, we're looking at, you know, in between 19 to 25,000. Let's say our market share stays level as as opposed to the trend line that it's currently on. Well, the decline won't be 39,000, but it'll still be 44,000. So that means we'll have maybe 25,000 elementary school kids. And if at 25,000 24,000 23,000 elementary school kids, you're you're talking 25 to 30 elementary schools. And so what what we think is going to happen in the long run, we have several committees running right now is we think there'll be a theme out

050of these committees that it's time to start getting district committees together because we want to do this a little differently. We want to get district committees together by learning community and start having the conversation centered around how do we optimize our school portfolio in the district. And so, uh, that's that's where we're at right now. I'd rather respond authentically and honestly as we head into the future years on this matter. >> I appreciate that. Um, and and I look forward to having more discussions about that. uh one thing you talked about which is that our high schools we've been dependent on that high school ADM especially our juniors and seniors and we know that with block schedule that's going to become a compounding problem. I learned a year ago on the board that that move

051to block schedule was actually costing us money and and not saving money. To help mitigate the effect on that budget, this board last fall voted to in the course catalog cat catalog approve juniors requiring requiring juniors to have six credit hours and seniors to have four credit hours. And as I've talked to parents and students, I'm a little concerned that this is not meeting the needs and serving their strengths and needs in the way that we would like to. Um, it's not allowing maybe the flexibility, but I really appreciate that we also have not been pushing the district over a budgetary cliff. So, I want to have discussions as a board, not tonight, but I would love to in a future meeting talk about the impact of this high school ADM and what it means

052for our district. Um, and also talk as a board and have some perspective shared about those requirements that we're insisting for juniors and seniors. >> Thank you, board member Chaffy. Going along with what um Miss Chaffy was talking about as we look at our numbers even junior high numbers options as far as I mean by 2027 we only have one greater than 900 and those campuses were built back when I was going to school 7th through 9th grade. So we were at what are we what do we look at moving forward as far as options there? So, uh, at the seventh and eighth grade level, these campuses are quite frankly built from 1300 to 1600 kids, which, like you said, that's 7th, 8th, and 9th graders back, uh, when only 10th and 11th and 12th

053graders were at the high school campus. Um, some options we've gone with out of the gate is we've gotten to leasing partnerships with, uh, Polaris Academy, who provides autism services to kids, and that's helped out Roads and Smith Junior High. uh they they're leasing about 25,000 square feet of space on each of those campus and that makes those campuses whole uh in terms of being able to survive over the course of the next decade. I will tell you also that one of the ideas we're going to talk to you about in a in a in a retreat soon and one of the ideas we brought up with u our citizens budget committee is it's probably time to look at the aging infrastructure of this district district. Some of these schools were built in the 1950s

054and 1960s and their remodels. To remodel an old building is, you know, including all its mechanical systems is going to be 80 to90 million and to rebuild it's going to be 80 to90 million. And so, how do we take these junior high campuses and find optimum spaces where we can take an old campus, rebuild, fit two or three schools into one? that helps us save in the M bucket because we have less operational overhead when we're running one school as opposed to three and and how do we uh rebuild that facility to fit maybe a K8 as opposed to just a 78. And so those are ideas that we'll be putting in front of you as we plan out for any sort of capital addendum that we're going to be asking for as a district

055in in a future election if the board so chooses to go out for that election. >> Thank you. Appreciate that. Board members, any other questions? I'm getting the timekeeper is giving me zero time left on the time. So with that um do I have a motion to adjurnn the meeting? >> So moved. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? Seeing none, Miss Kirby, will you please take our vote? Yeah, I said I told you. >> I think that might be incorrect. It's a >> There it is. We switched. All right. With a vote of five. Yay. The meeting is adjourned at 5:47. We'll return about 6 p.m. for the regular board meeting. Thank you. >> [music] [music] >> Tell >> [music] [music] >> Here. [music] Hallelujah. [music] [music] >> [music] >>

056Uhoh. [music] >> [applause] [music] >> How are you? How are you? [music] >> [music] [music] [applause] >> We will start momentarily. Our study session went just a few minutes long, so we're just waiting for everyone to come back in. Thank you for your patience. We would like you to welcome everyone tonight to tonight's board meeting and wish everyone a happy new year. We want to first thank Franklin Downtown Orchestra directed by Miss Julia Dixon. Big [applause] round of applause. >> [applause] >> appreciate them being here and those parents that help get them here. So, thank you for being here tonight. Um, they will be playing our national anthem in just a few minutes. I' like to call this meeting to order at 6:03. A quick reminder, any citizen who wishes to speak on an agenda

057item must complete the sign-in sheet in the lobby prior to public comment time in the board agenda. This evening, the pledge of allegiance will be led by Dr. Monica Mesa, Assistant Superintendent, KA East. After the pledge, please remain standing for the national anthem played by the Franklin Downtown Orchestra. Please stand. [laughter] [clears throat] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation is [music] >> [music] >> What are you doing? [music] >> [music] [music] >> Hallelujah. [music] >> [applause] [applause] >> Thank you so much, Franklin Downtown. We appreciate it. And thank you, Miss Dixon. We'll give them a couple minutes. >> [clears throat] [snorts] >> Thank you helpers. We appreciate it. We will begin a video tonight on governing board procedures and

058then I will read a statement. Welcome to the Mesa Public Schools governing board meeting. We appreciate your interest in the district. The five elected governing board members serve without [music] compensation and volunteer countless hours. The president and the clerk of the board are elected in January. Under state law, the governing board may only discuss and vote on matters that are on [music] the agenda for tonight's meeting. Agendas are posted at minimum of 24 hours in [music] advance on the Mesa Public Schools website and in the curriculum services center. Copies of tonight's agenda are located in the lobby at every regular meeting. The public may speak on any item of business on the agenda that the board discusses [music] or requires the board to take action. During the second regular meeting of each month, the agenda

059will include a call to the public. This is an opportunity to speak to [music] the governing board about a school district matter that is not on the agenda. If you wish to comment on an agenda item or participate in the call to the public, please [music] complete a request to address the board form before the designated time as public comment. The form is located in the lobby. The duration of public comment and call to the public is 15 minutes. Members of the public will be given a maximum of three minutes to speak once recognized by the governing board president. The president may set specific time limits for speakers and the duration to maximize the opportunity for individuals to offer their viewpoints. We ask that all speakers show respect and courtesy to others. Comments must pertain

060to the matter that is within the jurisdiction of [music] the governing board. This is not an appropriate forum to complain about an employee, student, or others. State law prohibits board members from commenting on or discussing the matters presented [music] at the end of the call to the public. The board may ask the superintendent to review the issue or place it in a future agenda. A board member may also briefly respond to criticism of a board member or the governing board. If you would like the board [music] to consider adding an item to a future agenda, you may submit your request in writing and the governing board president and superintendent will consider your request. Thank you for your attendance and involvement in tonight's meeting and for allowing this meeting to be conducted in a peaceful and

061productive manner. Everyone is welcome to express ideas or concerns to the board in accordance with the agenda. The poster in the boardroom describes positive behaviors expected and behaviors that cannot be tolerated. Please speak and act respectively and actively listen. Be kind. Verbal harassment, abusive or foul language. Intimidation and disruptive have no place in a classroom or in the boardroom. Please no side conversations or reactive comments. They can be disruptive. It is the governing board president's responsibility to maintain proper order. So the board can conduct its business in an orderly and efficient manner. If you're disruptive or interfere with the conduct of this meeting, you'll be asked to leave so the board can conduct the business of the district. And just as we continue, I know we have a full boardroom tonight. If you have open

062seats next to you, maybe raise your hand if there's someone that wants to take that seat or so we can fill in. So, please fill in and if there's so you can take a seat if there's a couple up here in front. Thank you. Um, this will now go on to our governing board calendar. Dr. Strong, can you take us through that? President Davis, members of the board, Mesa community. January 19th, 2026, we have Martin Luther King Jr. Day. No school district offices will be closed. January 22nd, 2026, we have a study session followed by a regular meeting. January 27th, 2026, we have a board extended session or what we call a board retreat. Starts at 8:00 a.m. February 12th, 2026, we have a 5:00 p.m. study session followed by 6 p.m. regular session. February

06316th is President's Day. No school district offices closed. and February 26, 2026 is a 5:00 pm study session and a 6 p.m. regular meeting. >> Thank you, Dr. Stum. Because this is the first meeting of the year, um, in accordance with ARS 15-321, governing board policy 1-103, we will now address the board's annual organizational items. We'll begin by electing a board president for the 2026 calendar year. Board policy 1-103 states that meeting shall be called to order by the president of the board for the preceding year providing they are still a member of the board. The new president of the board shall take office upon election and direct the remainder of the meeting. I will now open the floor for nominations for a board president. >> Madam President >> Oh ty I don't >> I

064was loudest. >> You were the loudest >> which is not a shock probably. [clears throat] >> Go ahead. Um, Madame President, I would like to nominate Courtney Davis as the president for this coming year. >> I'll second. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, I guess I asked myself if I accept the nomination. >> All right. I do accept this nomination. Um, do I have any other nominations for board president? All right. Seeing none. All right. Let me Sorry, this is all new. I'm Bear with us. Um, okay. I don't see any other nominations, so we'll close this. Um, since I um am the only nomination, I just like to thank my board for this opportunity. It's been a pleasure to serve this last year, and I'm happy to continue to serve our board and work together

065and with um as a district and community and our for our students. So, thank you. >> Davis, may I may I um say why I nominated you, please? So I [clears throat] know last year I had a little I had some concerns and reservations uh about you stepping into the role of president. However, over the course of the year um I have seen that you have acted um with great integrity. You have listened. You have responded. Uh you truly have um I think you've pushed when you needed to push and you haven't when you didn't need to. And so I appreciate that that you have led in a way that I I I certainly feel comfortable emailing you and saying, "Hey, this is" and you've responded. Uh so I appreciate that. I think that shows

066great leadership style and I can only imagine that the first year's a little dicey, right? Because you're new. Uh this next year is a little bit easier, I would assume. Thank you. >> Thank you. I appreciate that. And we do open the board up to the any other board members if they would like to say anything. I I have some comments too. Uh thank you uh member Benson. So uh we did something new this year in putting a clock on each item. Uh you've done a great job with that. There were concerns people had in the community when they saw that. I think in the wrong hands the tool may not be effective, but you've made it very effective in this leadership team. I think you've had really good discernment about when to add time

067and that's really important. So it's it's working and it's keeping us focused. It was a pretty big move to do that. Uh I also really appreciate that uh you do have that discernment on when there's strong discussion. You know when when to add time back and uh allow the discussion to be fostered. Uh the [clears throat] agendas are going very well. I really appreciate that you take the items of high uh interest and the high dollar value items and and you're not placing those on consent which was the tradition that you're putting them on the regular agenda. even you know there may not be a discussion but we know that there there can be and I do feel like you've been uh really responsive to the constituency emails and uh you know we'll all get

068emailed by somebody but only one person can respond and I think you've been really effective at that and really thoughtful in your responses and it represents the board really well. >> Thank you. Thank you for that. I appreciate it. All right, perfect. If anyone All right, I don't see anyone else. We're going to move on. Um take a vote. >> I Yes, we're going to take a vote. Um I will now call for a vote for Courtney Davis to serve as president for the 2026 calendar year. Miss Kirby, please take our vote. With a vote of five, uh, board member Courtney Davis will serve as president for the 2026 calendar year. Moving to our next item. [applause] Thank you. We will now move on electing a clerk for the 2026 school year. Voting will proceed

069the same as it did for the president. I will now accept nominations for the role of board clerk. >> I would like to nominate Lacy Chaffy for the role of board clerk. >> Do I have a second? >> I second it. >> Seconded. Thank you. Board member uh Chaffy, do you accept the nomination? >> I do. >> Thank you. Do I have any other nominations for board clerk? [clears throat] >> All right. Seeing none, we will now close the nominations for board clerk. Um, board member Chappie, as an only nominee, would you like to say a few words? >> I am really grateful for the opportunity to serve my community and I really appreciate how well we've been able to work as a board. I think that it has been uh really good for my

070heart and my belief in democracy and governance that we've been able to work together and to work for the good of the district. And I appreciate your faith in me and I'm grateful to be able to serve with you. Thank you so much for for your service, President Davis. >> Thank you. I'd like to open it up to the rest of the board to share anything regarding the nomination. >> Um I'd just like to comment uh if um member Walden hadn't nominated you, I would have because she mentioned when her com with her comments about President Davis uh it's a team, right? And so um again, I think the team worked well uh the first year. I can imagine that you um enhance that ability during a second year. And I think that I I

071do agree with you um Mrs. Chappie that the board has worked pretty effectively together. Uh surprising since it's I won't make that comment. Never mind. [laughter] >> Thank you board member Benson. Anyone else? >> I just my comments for uh the board president. It it is a team and so I do support keeping the team together. I think a year is you're kind of just getting your feet wet and definitely another year is is warranted and I appreciate your willingness to step up because it is additional meetings and planning that that you have to do. So, thank you for donating more of your time. >> Thank you. I just want to echo it's been um Lacy's Mrs. Chaffy's been wonderful to serve with and it's been a great thing to have a wingman so great.

072So, I appreciate her service and what she brings to the table and helping and, you know, looking at consent and agenda items. I've been so grateful for her eye on that. So, thank you. Any other >> Yes, I'd like to echo my um colleagues remarks. Um I believe that this team as leadership is has been very effective. I'm looking forward to even more challenges um as a board and working together, evaluating ourselves as a board. um educating ourselves even more. Um I think we're off to a great start and I really look forward to this year making sure that um we are working in the best interests of student outcomes and making sure that Mesa Public Schools is the choice of parents and I think this is the leadership team to do it. >> Thank

073you. I'll now call for call for a vote for Lacy Chaffy to serve as board clerk for the 2026 calendar year. Miss Kirby, will you please take our vote? With a vote of five yays, board member Lacy Chaff, who will serve as clerk for the 2026 calendar year. [applause] Sorry, I keep getting kicked out of um Do I have a motion to approve the following? Am I the right delegation? Okay. Following delegation of authority to the president and or clerk of the governing board to sign by hand or faximile, signature, official legal documents, contracts or agreements on behalf of the board for the 2026 calendar year. Two, delegation of authority to the superintendent, chief of staff, chief business officer, chief financial officer, and director of purchasing to make debit or credit purchases of goods and

074services on behalf of the district with a district purchasing card or other credit or debit instrument for the 2026 calendar year. >> So moved. >> Do I have a second? >> I'll second it. >> Thank you. Any discussion? Seeing none, Miss Kirby, will you please take our vote? With a vote of five, you've approved this agenda item. Moving to our next organizational item. Do I have a motion to approve the resolution in which the governing board delegates to the superintendent or designate the authority to enter into legal settlement agreements not to exceed $25,000 pending government governing board approval for payment? >> So moved. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. Any discussion? >> Seeing none, Miss Kirby, please take our vote. With a vote of five yays, you've approved this agenda

075item. Do I have a motion to approve the delegation of authority to and appointment of the superintendent or designate to sign by hand or faximile signature and deliver on behalf of the governing board all reports and funding request required by state or federal law intergovernmental agreements, letters of preliminary notice of inadequacy of classroom performance, notices of dismissal, notices of suspension and non-renewal of contract and all other official legal documents which require the signature of the chief executive officer. of the Mesa Unified School District number four for the 2026 calendar year and through and including the date of the first meeting of the governing board in 2027. >> So moved. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? Seeing none, Miss Kirby, will you please take our vote? With a vote of five

076yays, you've approved this agenda item. Do I have a motion to appoint the chief financial officer as student activities treasurer for the 2026 calendar year? >> So moved. >> Do I have a second? >> I'll second. >> Thank you. Any discussion? Seeing none, Miss Kirby, would we please take our vote? With a vote of five years, you've approved this agenda item. Do I have a motion to appoint the following for the 2026 calendar year hearing officers for employee due process hearings, student due process hearings, and to serve as a title N decision makers, Miss Rebecca Van Dorine, Mr. Eli Inger, Miss Carrie O'Brien, and all person persons designated as hearing officers by the Arizona Department of Education or state or state board of education pursuant to ARS15-541 or AACR7-2-1158. Appointment of Mr. Daniel King, Mr.

077John Moore, and Mrs. Christine Chapman as the board of trustees for the employee benefit trust pursuant to the school district procurement code AACR7-2-1001 at ETSSE appointment of the director of purchasing as district representative for the purpose of issuing decisions in response to protest filed pursuant to RS R7-2-1142 in the event that the director of purchasing cannot act the chief business finance the chief business finance officer officer will act as a district representative. >> So moved. >> Do I have a second? >> I'll second it. >> Any discussion? >> Yes, I have a um for the the appointment of the hearing officers. Um just for a point of clarification for our community. Um and I don't know if this would go to you, Mrs. King, or to uh Dr. STM. The can you can you again

078for clarity sake? What is the purpose of our hearing officers and um would there be a situation in which well go ahead actually let me ask wait to ask my second question. >> Okay. Uh so we do um ask the board to designate certain individuals and all of these individuals are um licensed attorneys to be available to serve in hearing officer roles or decision maker roles in um situations where it is uh better for the district to have somebody impartial to sit in a hearing officer role. Typically we would use an independent hearing officer for a student expulsion hearing. um an employee hearing um where uh some nobody in the district um is able to conduct the hearing because maybe they've been involved in an investigation or something of that nature. And then Title N

079um has some very specific requirements for the um independence of the Title N final decision maker. And so in cases that um are really complex uh we would hire an an expert um in Title 9 to handle those final decisions. So for the hearing officer specifically, um would there ever be a situation in which we would have um a hearing officer that represented so to speak the district or that's really not their purpose. Correct. >> That's a good question. No, the the hearing officer is appointed to make a recommendation typically to the governing board. So they are acting in a more of a factf finding role and a recommendation role. They'll typically prepare a report for the board's consideration so that um you can have uh you know a succinct report for for your vote.

080>> Okay. Now final question again just for clarity sake um if an if there is an employee or student situation uh in which we would uh engage an independent hearing officer what would be the student or the employees right so to speak in regards to that would they be able to get their own independent officer or what would they need to do if they were concerned that the district was being impartial or if they thought this hearing officer, oh well, they're just in with the district. They're going to just do what the district wants. What What's their protection in that situation? >> In um all the various situations where we would have an independent hearing officer, the um employee or student, whatever the situation is, would always have the right and opportunity to have a

081representative or their own attorney to represent them. the hearing officer is really sitting in more of a um and I put this in air quotes a judicial role. They're not there to represent the interests of either party. They are just there to make an independent uh recommendation to the board for the board's consideration. >> Okay. Thank you. I I just I think it's really important for our community to know what the purpose of those officers are. So, I thank you for that clarification. >> Thank you for the question. Any other questions? All right. Thank you. Seeing none, Mr. Please take our vote. >> [clears throat] >> With a vote of four yays, one nay, we have approved this agenda item. Thank you for your patience through that. We will now move on to find out

082what's inside. I'm going to turn the time over to Jen Snder, director of communications, and she will show us what's going on. All right. Good evening, uh, members of the board, President Davis. Again, happy new year to you all. I'm excited to share some of the things that have been going around our district. We, it hasn't been that many school days since we last met, but we do have several things to celebrate. Right. First, we're heading over to Sulk Elementary. A huge thank you to J Dun Construction for spreading holiday cheer at Sulk Elementary. Their holiday toy drive delivered over $4,300 in bikes and toys, plus more than 600 in food supplies to support our students through the holidays. Mesa Public Schools is grateful for their generosity and commitment to our students. Next, we're going

083over to Witman. Last month, Whitman was filled with smiles as students enjoyed a special Santa visit and festive celebration on campus. Thanks to the generosity of Positive Network Alliance Central Christian Church and Keller Williams, the students had a chance to meet Santa, create a holiday craft, renew books, and shop for a toy of their choosing. All right, now over at Mountain View Cinema Night hosted by by uh Mace Public Schools athletics was a huge success. Members of the community were invited to watch a special screening of the Polar Express on the Mountain View's giant video board and participate in several holiday activities. Thank you to our high school StuCo groups and Mace Public Schools athletics for coordinating the event and being and Mountain View for being such amazing hosts. Next, we're going over to Dobson

084High School. Congratulations to coach Rick McConnell who on January 1st in his 43rd season at Dobson High School earned the 700th win of his head coaching career with a victory over Yoner. I think that deserves an applause, right? [applause] Thank you, Coach McConnell, for your decades of service to Mace Public Schools. And finally, thank you to our governing board. January is governing board appreciation month, and we just want to thank you for all the volunteer hours. This is unpaid and uh thank you for all your service to our students, our schools, our community, and our staff. So, thank you very much. And that is my report. >> Thank you, Miss Snder. Appreciate [applause] that. Yes. Thank you, M. Mrs. Hutchson. >> I just want everybody to know that I was at Coach McConnell's first win.

085[laughter] >> Well, you won't ask what year. Thank you. We now are into our public comment um time. And before we begin public comment, just a quick reminder that policy 1-302 says a public comment is not an appropriate forum for persons to complain about a specific employee, student, or other person. Mrs. Chaffy, do we have anyone signed up to speak? >> We do. We have 14 individuals signed up to speak tonight. >> Okay, with 14, we will go for >> 90 seconds. Uh, clerk Chaffy, will you lead us through this agenda item, please? >> Yes. You'll each have 90 seconds to speak. I will call up the first three speakers and then I will also announce the next three speakers so that you know that you're on deck. When I've called your name to be

086one of the speakers, you can come and line up over here behind the dis behind the podium. We're going to start with Andres Huerta, Alicia Huerta, and Juan Gonzalez. On deck, we have David Lane, Joe Freriedman, and Jesse Easter. >> Good evening, governing board and Dr. Strom. My name is uh Andres Huerta and I'm currently enrolled at Mesa High School. Frankly, it's been troubling to hear the current controversy surrounding my school, but that does not mean I want it to be resolved with the return of administrative administrative figures that have lost my trust. Um I have been in general through AP classrooms throughout my three years at Mesa and a thought filled the room fiercely. Safety was not a priority for students. During the peaceful protest that was held on November 6th of last year,

087I was profoundly proud of how students from all backgrounds backed a security guard that prioritized their safety first. Publicly, students' concerns were heard, and it gave me the courage to use my voice. Because of those students, I decided to come here today to be the voice for students who had the same perspective as mine on the matter. Sorry, but are afraid to speak up. I'm here to show my appreciation for my spirited school by stating that our voices do matter. Safety at Mesa does matter. If you all believe so as well, then I trust your judgment in regards to renewing contracts for former Mesa administration. [snorts] They were individuals who did care about Mesa, but ultimately made a mistake and did not choose to make an effort to work towards solving it. I do not

088dislike said people. I'm simply disappointed. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Good evening, members of the board and superintendent Dr. Strom. My name is Alicia Werta and I'm a 10th grader at Mesa High School. I'm humbly standing here today to voice my concerns about the safety of everyone in the Mesa public schools. The reason I am mentioning the entire district is that the safety situation at Mesa High School could lead to a reoccurring issue across schools in the Furthermore, I know that our parents are affected by the situation given that their children are at risk of danger every day. Truthfully, [clears throat] I don't feel secure in the educational environment that I am currently enrolled in due to the amount of neglect and safety that was displayed towards the students and staff of Mesa. I'm aware

089that the excitement aspect of going to school isn't always met to its highest standard, but the safety aspects of things should always, without a doubt, be the highest priority. All things considered, I ask that you prove to our students and to schools AC throughout the district that you hear us and you care about our safety. Thank you so much for your time and understanding. Uh, hello guys. Good afternoon. My name is [clears throat] uh Juan Gonzalez and I am a current student at Mesa High and I'm I didn't write nothing. I'm just here to speak how I feel about this situation. Uh I support Sheldon Deer. Uh most of these staff that I see here are very excellent as well. Some of these staff here helped me as well, but there's some staff that really

090don't care. And I've had certain situations at Mesa High. Uh well, I started as a bad kid there, you know, and Sheldon Deer currently helped me and now I'm passing my classes. I failed none this year. So, I'm very happy for that. And I'm I just want um what's it called? Um I'm so sorry, guys. I have nothing to say, but I just support Sheldon. Okay, guys. I'm so sorry. >> [applause] >> Next, we'll hear from David Lane, Joe Freriedman, and Jesse Easter. On deck, we have Jason Smithson, Ray Deer, and Richard Alisio. >> Uh, good evening, uh, president and board members. Uh, my name is David Lane, and I resided in the district here for about 40 years and the last 13 years had taught at Mesa High. Um, I'm here to speak to

091regarding agenda item 8A in the addendum, specifically the non-renewal the contracts for the principal and the [snorts] director of athletics. On Friday, uh, January 2nd, I as well as a number of members of the community received a text to read an important message from the district. Um, I have to assume you've seen that, but there's one sentence in the opening paragraph that causes me a problem. Charges [snorts] were recently filed by Mesa Police Department following the reopening of law enforcement investigation related to an incident that occurred during the spring semester of the 2425 uh, school year. On behalf of the faculty, I have reason to devout the veracity of that sentence. I just read. I would urge you to remove these matters from tonight's agenda. Further, I urge you to find out who why [snorts]

092this uh false narrative was sent into our community. Is my opinion that these good men should be put back to work and issued an apology and [snorts] then hope they do not sue the district for slander and defamation of character. During this election year, it is a poor decision. Good evening, mayor, mayor. Good evening, president and board members. My name is Joe Freriedman. I reside in the town of Cave Creek where I am a sitting councilman. I've known David Clea since 1984 when I was a student at ASU and worked at his family's restaurant, Monty's Lacasa Vieja. David was my personal bus boy. He was 12 and this was his first job. Since then, I have watched and stayed in touch with David and seen his personal growth through his life. He was raised by

093an A+ family, none better. He is taught exceptional values and integrity. Integrity. I'm going to say that twice. His entire life has been centered on giving back. He has mentored countless kids who have become successful. I am not sure of all the details here, but from what I have been told, the investigation is still ongoing. Then to have a vote to potentially fire Mr. Ka and Mr. Thomas tonight is not fair. And need I say, not the American way. I hope you table this until the investigation has concluded. As David's lifelong friend, I request two things. One, that this be made a separate agenda item. And two, I am asking the board to confirm that each board member has received the email sent this morning by David Clea and Kurt Thomas's attorney, Casey King. Thank

094you. [applause] >> [applause] >> Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Jesse Easter. As a teacher at Mesa High School and a parent of two current Jack Rabbits, my family has been notified multiple times of the suspension of two of our administrators less than 6 days ago. The message stated or implied that there was an incident last school year that had been investigated and dealt with, but that new information had come to light and that Kirk Thomas and David Ka had been suspended pending that investigation. What was confusing about this message was that we were also told that you were going to consider a motion for non-renewal less than a week later. This feels like a rush to judgment. If the non-renewal is because of the incident vaguely referred to in the message, then you should

095wait until the investigation into that new investig new information is complete. If the non-renewal is not associated with the referred to event, then it might reasonably be believed that uh to be associated with the non-performance. But nearly all measures of Mesa High has improved consistently under a decade of Mr. Thomas's guidance and is and Mesa High has outperformed many of the other high schools in the district on multiple measures. This would at least offer the appearance of nefarious motives. If you take action on this today, a message that might be received by every educator in this district is that this district can and will fire you now and provide a reason after the fact, if ever. That sort of figurative sort of damicles is not great for morale during this period of nationwide struggles with

096educator retention. The secondary and tertiary effects of rushing this decision are potentially harmful to our students. our number one stakeholders. I urge you to set an example for our students, our staffs, and our community. If there are more facts available, take the time to find those facts. If the situation can be communicated more clearly, take the time to clarify the situation. Make it clear that you're handling every situation in a calm, deliberate, data-driven manner. >> [applause] >> Next we will hear from Jason Smithson, Ray Deer, and Richard Alisio. On deck we have David Kamard, Jeff Thompson, and Bridget Vega. >> My name is Jason Smithson, and first I want to say Dr. Strong, President Davis, I want to thank you sincerely for stepping up uh at the end of December when I contacted you guys

097about the fire department possibly not being able to fulfill Webster's Christmas wish. So, I really appreciate that. Um, and it's absolutely heartbreaking to hear students of this district feel that they are not safe in school. Tonight, I want to talk about optics transparency and trust because right now all eyes are on Mason Public Schools and not for the right reasons. The way the Sheldon Deer, David Ker, and Kirk Thomas situation has unfolded has deeply shaken public confidence. From the outside, it appears the district prioritized optics over student safety. I've been clear on my support of Sheldon Deer and I will continue to call out decisions when safety comes second. The district first told us these allegations couldn't be substantiated. An investigative reporting revealed the district not only knew about the serious incident in question, and

098they also concluded protocols were not followed, yet punishment was minimal. It now feels like meaningful action only happened once this made headlines and law enforcement got involved. That raises a hard question. Why wasn't the district's own investigation this thorough from the start? Trust has been damaged. Educators, parents, and students are afraid to speak up. That is unacceptable. We need clear policies enforced consistently. And we need and I'm going to call again for an independent, unaffiliated investigation to ensure this never happens again. Transparency is the only way to restore trust. One failure can erase years of good and we cannot have that happen. Thank >> [applause] >> Good evening board and Dr. Strong. Um, my name is Ray Dear. I've been a middle school teacher for nearly 13 years. I protected students all my adult career

099with uh middle school students and also um as a boy scout through my church uh boy scout leader and with the young men young women's programs. My highest priority is student safety. Our children are most precious commodity. According to ARS 133620, you have it before you. Mesa detectives did a thorough investigation. They submitted, they investigated, the investigation is done and finished. MPS policy states clearly you have to call immediately. Law enforcement. ADA um Arizona Department of Education states also that policy. ARS is very clear you have to call immediately. Police were not called. Three perpetrators are still out there. It could have been any of our children. My family would be here if it was any of your children to advocate for them. Those three perpetrators are still out there. We still have a victim

100out there who needs justice. Please, we have to close this chapter and move forward and show with their resounding um vote that our students their safety matters. Thank you. Members of the board and Dr. Stum, my name is Richard Elisio. I am a community member more but more importantly a parent to eight children who all attend Mesa public schools and two who have recently graduated from Mesa High at the top of their class. Um, my kids have always been safe and protected at at all of their schools. I wish to speak in regard to agenda item 8 personnel. I would also like to request that this made a be made a separate agenda item and also request that you refer to emails that you received from the attorney of Mr. Kirk Thomas and David Clea.

101I find it unreasonable to be voting for the non-renewal contracts for Mesa district principal and assistant principal without without ample context. The lack of transparency by the district is troubling. There is much speculation running rampant but no clear rationale that would justify this type of position. I understand there there is privacy involved with personal matter personnel matters. However, in the case of a well- decorated administrator who has been serving the district for 30 plus years there is just co [clears throat] in the community. The community deserves to know if there is just cause and what that is. The alternative is that we have a community that feels disconnected and unsupported by the district officials. It will create a large systemic distrust in future actions taken by the district. Families will not want to have their

102students remain in a district with such distrust. Thank you. [applause] [applause] Good evening. I stand here tonight as a community advocate. We are here because something went wrong and someone chose to do the right thing anyway. That employee deserves our respect and commitment. Speaking up in situations like this takes courage and integrity. Once the failure in me in mandatory reporting was discovered, action was taken swiftly. But why did it take so long? Student safety must always come first. The law exists to protect students, not comfort, hierarchy, or image. SP 1437 is clear. Mandatory reporting is not optional. It only works if it's responsible supports the or those responsible support the students not employees who not just employees who do the right thing. But remember students first. Who is the real victim here? Not administrators. They

103chose silence over safety, power over protection, reputation over responsibility. The real victim is every student whose safety was compromised. Leaders and school resource officers must prioritize student safety all around. Leadership is not a privilege. It's a responsibility. Sheldon did everything right. Followed the law. Acted for acted to protect students. That is standard. Every child deserves that. It's not an exception. We must support those who speak up. Silence can be deadly. Our children deserve leaders who choose action over image, safety over reputation, and responsibility over privilege. To every student in the youth and the victims, we see you. We hear you. We stand by you. Your voice. I'm David Kamard, longtime community supporter of Mesa High School. Uh, I'm going to read the email that was sent to legal counsel Casey King and that all of

104you board members should have received. if you will, in response to our comments, confirm that with the attachments. Uh, the email goes, "Please find, thank you for speaking with me this afternoon." In our follow-up to our conversation, both of my clients are long-term employees of the district with no prior disciplinary history. They received notice on January 2nd, 2026, that they were being placed on administrative leave along with recommendation for non-renewal their contracts. The only thing that has changed is alleged new information related to incident that occurred on February 12th, 2025 between a group of students. Perry Mullen's February 13th email related to this incident confirms that he was notified of the incident that same night. He did not call 911. However, the police report that he later authored claimed that he was not made aware

105of the incident until the following day. This is a lie. Mr. Mullins is a city of Mesa employee. He authored the police report and presumably submitted it for charging to the prosecutor's office. My clients are aware of are aware that a long form was submitted for charging December 2025. They were shortly thereafter, January 2nd, 2025, informed of their administrative leave and recommendations for non-renewal. This timeline proves that there is a casual relationship between the two. The contention that the school has simply decided to go in a different direction is contradicted by the fact that they were placed on immediate administrative leave. Further, the addendum for tomorrow's board meeting that shows that my clients are the only employees on the block agenda who are up for a non-renewal. It strains credibility to believe that a board

106vote for non-renewal this early in the semester for two people involved >> [applause] [applause] >> I'm Jeff Thompson. I've been a taxpayer in the community for 31 years. I want to congratulate the orchestra here. They'd only been at that a year and they sounded great. And I want Miss Jaffy and President, I want to congratulate you. I wasn't too sure about you in the beginning, but you proved to be an inclusive person. All inclusive just from what I can see out here and I really appreciate that. And Dr. Strong, you're a stellar leader. You've did a great job for these two people. When I read this article, I've got articles that came through and I didn't know I'd have a chance to speak out, but these two people are despicable. I've heard how good people

107go bad. these guys did. I watched the segment on the whistleblower. And it's just totally despicable. These people don't have any business being around children. [laughter] I don't know what where the lawsuit is, but this is child endangerment if it's true. And they're on paid leave. Maybe that's in the contract or what, but I think they ought to be on unpaid leave until and if they're found if they're found um not guilty, then we could give them their payback. But this is just this is just sick and sad that I'm glad I don't have a grandkid going to that school. Mr. Strong, continue to thin the herd. There's a Next we will hear from Trent Monte and Steve Spali community. Uh last board meeting we had some comments that pushed our level of comfortability with

108the message we send at the beginning. With that last comment, I just want you all to be reminded I know this board values public input, but I want our speakers and our board rules of decorum to prohibit personal attacks in any way. It's not what we're about in Mesa public schools. Uh disparaging comments about individuals or employees. Please keep your comments focused on our policies and the issues uh at hand without disparaging people. Thank you. >> My name is Trent Monte. Members of the board, grateful to take a few minutes and to share uh perspective to you. I'm the father of five children. Uh the youngest of which will graduate at Mesa High this coming May. All five have graduated while Kirk Thomas has been the principal. Uh we're in a difficult situation or position

109advocating without full details and transparency. By no means should my actions be viewed as trying to cover up or shield anyone from the truth. I can only speak to what I've personally observed and what we've what has been communicated. The if your vote tonight is based on new information, then I respectfully ask that you allow time for these accusations to be fully vetted. The current course gives the appearance of reaching conclusions before due process has been completed. However, I have heard tonight's agenda item for non-renewal is unrelated to the February 2025th event. Uh if that is accurate, then the community has been presented with an incorrect narrative and I believe the board has the responsibility to correct the record and provide transparency. I'm concerned our administrators are being targeted uh for not towing the company

110line. It's no secret that Mr. Thomas's approach has not aligned with district initiatives. While the school superintendency certainly has the authority to make leadership changes, doing so in this manner implies wrongdoing and causes unnecessary harm for lifelong educators and eliminates their ability to be rehired in other school districts. Because you're largely given information and updates as board members from district leadership, I want you to know how pleased I am with the results we have seen for our Hi, my name is Steve Spilly and I'm a retired teacher from Stapley. Imagine that. I also was an SRO at Scottsdale for six years and I just want to vouch that I know David Klein. I know him well. known him for 45 years and the things that we used to do coaching wise when I started he

111was like 12 years old and I was a rec coordinator in Tempe we grew up in Tempe and the things that we did were amazing and things we worked with kids were amazing and I know him from Tempe Union I've known him all my life the things he done has done and I know David wouldn't do anything negatively and do something to cover something up the man his integrity is perfect and the things that we've accomplished together. And like I said, I've been in Scottsdale the last six years working and I kept in touch with him. I had cancer the last three years. Who was first to call me or there to meet me? David Klein. That's the kind of guy he is. Those are the kind of things he's accomplished. And I had some

112bad serious cancer. And David was right there to meet me. And uh I just want to vouch for him. Okay, I don't know the principle, but I'm just saying is before you do something hastily when you are we're trying to find good solid educators in this business, don't get run one of them. Want to get rid of one that you have because you got a good one. And I'm telling you that right now. You don't get rid of the ones that are good. Chew out the ones that aren't very good and don't do things. Especially a spe special education teacher. I didn't think I'd be this nervous. cuz I'm used to talking. But anyways, sped teacher. [applause] >> Madame President, that concludes our public comment for tonight. >> Thank you for your comments. We'll now

113move to the review of the consent agenda. All items on the consent agenda are approved with one vote with no discussion. If a board member would like to pull a consent agenda item, please do so now. Thank you. Seeing none, we'll move on um to our personnel request. And before we begin, um I'm going to ask Miss Kirby to please pull the two non-renewal of contract items from the board addendum to administrative personnel request and place them each as a separate action items B and C under section 8. Personnel action item. I know this will take a minute, so let me know when you're ready. Thank you. >> [clears throat] >> Board members, if you'd please refresh your computers and make sure it's showing before we move forward. Thank you for your patience. Thank you.

114Okay. Appreciate your patience. Um, do I have a motion to approve the personnel items including the addendum with the two non-renewals removed and two stipened requests? >> So moved. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. Any discussion? Seeing none, Miss Kirby, will you please take our vote? With a vote of five years, we have approved the personnel items, including the addendum with the two non-renewals removed and two stipen request. Moving on to item 8B. Do I have a motion to non-renew the employment contract of Kirk Thomas for the 2026 2027 school year pursuant to ARS 15-503? >> So moved. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Yes, Madame President. Um, I would like to move that we postpone this vote until we have the ability to

115have an executive session and discuss the matter at hand. >> It's in motion. Miss King, how do I help me out? I know I got a year under my belt, but that doesn't mean much. >> I think you can withdraw the motion. Are we >> So, do we have a >> We would need a second >> second to that. >> Okay, let me reword this. I'd like to amend the motion. Is that what I need to do? >> Uh to amend it, it would have to be the person that moved. So, if the motion otherwise we would vote on the nonrenewal and then >> Okay. Well, then in discussion I would >> Can you withdraw a motion though to do a new motion? Can the person who made the motion withdraw it or is that

116not in our Robert's roles? >> No. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> It's another option. >> Can we stand? >> Can we hear from Mrs. Benson? Yes. Before we decide. >> Go ahead. So, um the the concern I have is that as was made in public comment and we also we did receive the email from um I don't know I don't think we got it directly from the their lawyer. However, um these two employees have sought legal counsel and I think that we need to be really judicious in how we approach this so that the district all interests are are fairly met. So my concern is that uh if we because because it's open meeting we we have not as as [clears throat] a board been able to discuss this. So I would like to see

117us have the opportunity in an executive session to discuss um what to discuss the non-renewal of both um Kurt Thomas and David Klea. So I would I would respectfully request that you withdraw your motion to move forward with that so that the board would have an opportunity to discuss. >> I will withdraw my motion so that we can have an opportunity to vote on whether to postpone. >> Thank you. So now do I make a motion to postpone? Okay. So, do you love how we don't really know what we're doing? >> That's democracy. >> No, [laughter] we don't. It's It's Robert's rules. >> That's right. >> Robert's rules is very particular. >> Madam President, I would like to move that we postpone the um action item 8B, the non-renewal of employment contract for the 2627

118school year of Kurt Thomas until we have had the opportunity to meet in executive session. >> Do I have a second? Well, no, but that's the only item we're on. >> Can I do them both at the same time? >> No, separate. So, do I have a second? >> I I'll second that for discussion. >> Okay. So, we can discuss it. Order in the court. Order in the court. So, do I have any dis discussion on that? So, I think Mrs. Benson brought up something that we could consider for executive session in reviewing the paperwork that the letters that we've received from legal counsel. So, I know that executive session is an appropriate arena and the arena for legal advice. So, it could be something I think where we would want to meet with Mrs.

119King and make sure that we're not making any decisions that creates a liability for the district. I feel like we want to uh if there's something that's a legal issue that that we would want advice on, that may be a time to to review that. Uh, and I I don't think that Mrs. King wants to discuss legal advice here or um you know we want to make sure that the district's protected. So I could I could consider I think having having an executive session just to review what more of flesh out more of what we received today. I think people asked us to confirm if we received uh the emails which which we did. Um, but it's kind of additional information that maybe we might want more time on. So, I I seconded it so

120that we could kind of have that discussion and decide if we feel um comfortable with this recommendation or not. But I understand if you I mean we have had uh individually talked to um Mrs. King. I think at this time it's appropriate um for the public to know that and we would usually explain our vote and we would have just full discussion but because there are lawyers now involved on both sides. The board has been advised by legal com counsel not to comment on the matter. So, executive session would be a means by which we could get legal advice and we could then review the materials that we got this morning. Um it is it is um frustrating as an elected official not to be able to discuss matters and to be transparent, but this

121is what we have been advised by legal counsel. And as my experience on the board tells me, you always do what the lawyers tell you to do. And so, um, I I want to make sure that you understand that it is not, um, our nature to be this way. And I think if any of you that have watched meetings know that of us >> and and I do want to clarify because Mrs. Benson had talked about, you know, with open meeting law that we five don't ever meet together. Three people's a quorum and so we wouldn't meet together to discuss things without it being noticed. But and when we vote, we're not voting for each other. We are voting as individuals and as individual board members. We have the opportunity to to meet with legal

122to meet with our superintendency uh to make decisions about how we can vote when we come to the table here as individuals uh in an executive session. It's just would be for all of us to receive the same legal advice at the same time. So that's why wanted to just kind of clarify. I don't want people to think that we haven't discussed it. just all five of us have not been able to meet together to publicly discuss it and of course what Mrs. Hutchinson said with with lawyers involved we have been advised uh to not comment on on the [clears throat] matter. >> So can I clarify? We would be having executive c executive session to clarify just legal ramification. I mean what are our what's our purpose as far as legal counsel in that

123executive session? Well, I think that that um again with lawyers involved, I think that the ability to discuss uh the implications of a non-renewal um with getting advice from lawyers from our council or whomever that um I think that that is I think that that's a wise thing to do based on the email that we got from u Mr. Thomas and Mr. Cluck's lawyer and the comments that were made in there. >> Okay. Thank you. Any other questions, comments? >> Okay. >> If if uh just a clarifying comment. So, if this motion um depending on if it passes or fails, then would we then need because it if it let's say it doesn't pass, then would we then have a motion to still vote on the renewal afterwards or >> Yeah. >> Okay. Just wanted

124to make sure I understand what would happen. >> Say that. Say that one more time. >> Say that one more time. >> Well, so if the if the motion passes, then the renewals postpone if Mrs. Benson motion [clears throat] does not pass, then there would still be another motion to vote on the non-renewal. >> Thank you. Little slow. Got it. Okay. No other discussion. Okay. So, we are voting now to executive session. Postpone this. It's up here. Sorry. Recommend postponing the vote until the board can receive legal counsel, legal advice in executive session. And we have that's been moved and seconded. So, Miss Kirby, please take our vote. [cough] with a vote of four yays, one nay. [laughter] We'll postpone. We'll now move on to item 8B. Do I have a motion to non-renew the

125employment contract? I'm sorry. 8 C. On to 8C. Do I have a motion to non-renew the employment contract of David Klea for the 20126 2027 school year pursuant to ARS15-503. >> Madam President, I would like with the um action item 8C to do the request the same thing that we move to postpone the non-renewal until the board has the opportunity to meet in executive sessions. Do I have to move that? >> Yes. Sorry. Did I move that? >> Did you? Okay. >> I move to [laughter] >> Do I have a second? >> I'll second. >> Any discussion? Seeing none, Miss Kirby will please take our vote. Is this for the postponement of the non-renewal? >> It just says the non-renewal. recommend postponing the vote until the board can receive legal advice and executive. >> Oh,

126why doesn't mine say that? [clears throat] >> Mine doesn't say that. >> There it is. >> Mine said it. >> Oh, I see it. Okay. Sorry, I'm old with a four y and one nay. We recommend postponing the vote until the board can receive legal advice in executive session. We will now take a five-minute recess and when we return, we'll be recognizing some of our incoming principles. Thank you. All right, we'll resume the meeting. Thank you. Um, we're excited. We have three principles who will be en rolls for the 202627 school year. One is approved at the last board meeting and we're glad she can be here tonight and the other two were approved their vote with personnel items. So I'm going to turn the time over to Dr. Mesa and she'll take it from

127there. Thank you madam president, members of the governing board. We do have two incoming principles to recognize um and one principal that you approved at the December meeting. Uh we have adjusted our procedures a little bit. Um everyone will remain on the dis as I introduce principles. Then at the end um we will take another quick break for photos with the board. So we're going to start with Megan Hulah. Can you please come up uh to the podium? [applause] It is um it is my pleasure to introduce Megan as the incoming principal at Franklin Accelerated Academy Wilson. Megan started with MPS in 2005, teaching second and fourth grades at Franklin Brimhall and is currently serving as principal at Franklin Accelerated Academy at Jordan. Megan holds a bachelor of arts in early childhood education from Arizona

128State University and a master's degree in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University. Megan, can you please say a few words? >> Yes. Good evening, President Davis, members of the board, Dr. Stum and district leadership. I do need to state that I know it was promised at the last board meeting that I might sing for you this evening. Thanks, Mr. Wing. Um, I'm so sorry to disappoint, but that happens once a year on stage with my favorite five and six-year-olds, and that's all you get, so you missed out this year. Um, I do want to thank begin by expressing my sincere gratitude for your belief in me, for your mentorship and deep support I've received during my first three years of being a principal at Mesa Public Schools and for the awesome responsibility that you have

129entrusted me with. Um, moving forward, as a proud parent of two Red Mountain High School students and a current Franklin Jordan Firebird, I would also like to take a moment to thank my family for their support and their encouragement as we prepare for this next shift. Um, to my Frank my Franklin Jordan community, my current community, you warmly embraced me as your school leader from my very first visit to Alma almost three years ago. The school staff, students, and families have been incredibly special to me. Thank you for the trust you've placed in me, the resilience you've demonstrated, and the memories we have created. I am so proud of all that we have accomplished at the Franklin Jordan campus. This community is very strong, capable, and ready for its next chapter. To our future Franklin

130Wilson community, I am excited to embrace my new role. My previous 18 years with the Brimhall community shaped who I am today as an educator. That history combined with the leadership experience with school relocation these past three years in my current position will allow me to honor the legacy of Franklin Brimhall while supporting its next chapter. I look forward to working with Mrs. Marilyn Wilson and ensuring that her namesake continues to represent a school that's grounded in community partnerships that is um grounded in kindness and has a love of learning. Franklin Wilson will be a place focused on strong relationships, high expectations, and positive learning experiences for all students and families who choose to be a part of this community. I'm excited to reconnect with familiar faces and to build new partnerships as we all

131move forward together. I intend to continue our Franklin mission of educating students in a positive learning environment with high expectations and accelerated curriculum by continuing on the tradition of excellence in student outcomes through the following. Number one, focus on tier one instruction. Being consistently present in classrooms will allow me to celebrate effective strategies, highlight instructional strengths, and support a culture where our teachers can learn from one another. With a fantastic staff, when we share and build upon one another's expertise, we elevate the entire learning experience for all of our students. Number two, create a data culture using data cycles. By using our district benchmarks regularly and purposefully, staff can make targeted instructional adjustments that support not just proficiency, but student growth for all learners, allowing each or each student to reach his or her potential.

132Finally, family partnerships. One of our greatest strengths at Franklin is our deeply invested families. I will continue the strong systems of communication as well as to continue to support encourage opportunities for our families to be present in our learning environment. When our students see school and home working together as true partners, consistency, accuracy, and strong work habits follow. Once again, thank you for this opportunity. I look forward to a very strong finish this year and the work that's to come for the 2627 school year. Thank you. Thank you. If you're here to support Megan, if you're here to support Megan, if you would please stand and let's give you all a round of applause as we congratulate Megan. Anybody? Yes, her family's here. Thank you. Thank you so much. Okay, next I'd like to invite

133Jessica Moya to the podium. Jessica is the incoming interim principal at Franklin Accelerated Academy at Jordan. She also started with MPS in 2005 teaching kindergarten at Patterson Elementary and is currently serving as the assistant principal at Franklin Junior High School and Franklin Accelerated Academy at Brim Hall. She has a MA bachelor's of science degree in elementary education from the University of New Mexico New Mexico and masters of education educational leadership from Northern Arizona University. Uh Jessica, we're excited to hear from you. >> Thank you. Good evening, Madame President and members of the board. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the governing board as well as Dr. Strom, Dr. Eastless, Mr. Wing, and Dr. Mesa. I am grateful to all of you for the opportunity to serve as principal at Franklin Accelerated Academy

134Jordan campus. I have been fortunate throughout my career to have been mentored by many people who have believed in me, inspired me, and guided me during my role as a classroom teacher, as a curriculum and instruction specialist, as a school instructional coach, and most recently serving in my third year as an elementary and junior high assistant principal. For over 15 years, Principal Abrams has been that mentor for me, instrumental in my career since my early days in the classroom. I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for his influence and shared wisdom. I have also been blessed to have steady district leadership from Mrs. Man and Mrs. Montes over my past few years as an administrator. I look forward to working closely with Mrs. Montes in the Dobson Regional Learning Community. >> The

135Brim Hall community, both elementary and Franklin Jr. has been home to me in some capacity since we opened our doors in 2012. I will certainly miss the amazing students, families, and staff. I value those relationships that we forged over the many years, all in an effort to make a positive impact in the lives of our students. As I set my sights in next year, I am thrilled to join the Franklin Jordan community and build on its positive momentum. My priority will be to build relationships with the students and their families as well as the Jordan staff. I will work to understand Franklin Jordan's unique culture and vision and diligently apply myself to understand all facets of Jordan, from school data to afterchool events, from daily procedures to Mrs. Watson's beloved 7:30 Club. Lastly, I will

136work creatively to attract new students to this gem of a school along the 101, helping to grow Mesa Public Schools and serve as a community center for even more families. Again, I appreciate the incredible opportunity and I'm excited to serve the Franklin Jordan community. Thank you. Thank you. If you're here to support Jessica, if you can please rise and we will give her another round of applause. Congratulations. [applause] All right. Um, and tonight, last but not least, we'd like to ask Noni um, Garcia. Noni is the incoming principal at Holmes Elementary. She is currently serving as a principal at Patterson Elementary. Noni joined MPS in 2001, teaching first grade at Porter Elementary. She holds a bachelor of arts in early childhood education from ASU and a master of arts in educational leadership from Northern Arizona

137University. Non. Good evening. Thank you members of the governing board for this opportunity to speak with you tonight and thank you for the honor to continue to serve Mesa Public Schools as incoming principal at Holmes Elementary. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Stum, Dr. Eastless, Dr. Wing, and Dr. Mesa for this opportunity and for your continued confidence in my leadership. Your support is incredibly appreciated. Finally, I want to recognize the incredible Patterson community. Serving as their principal for the past 10 years has been the honor of a lifetime. [clears throat] The dedication and spirit of the staff, students, and families make it a truly remarkable place, and I am proud to have been a part of their journey. As a new principal of home homes elementary, I'll focus on three

138key areas. Creating strong relationships and getting to know the homes community, building on the many great things and that are already happening, and to ensure academic success for all students, establishing and continuing effective structures and systems that provide learning support and sustainability for the home, staff, and community. Thank you again for this incredible opportunity. I'm excited for this new experience. Thank you. [applause] If you're here to support Noni, please rise and let's give her a round of applause. And thank you all for your support. [applause] Okay. Um thank you. At this time, we will now take a quick break for photos. Board members and Dr. Strom, if you can please join our principles in front of the DAS. first little bit. All right. You ready? All right. Smile. One, two. >> Hold it. You guys

139ready? One, two, congratulations. And we totally understand if you want to go celebrate somewhere else. I mean, you're welcome to join us, but I understand if there's ice cream or something calling your name. So, thank you. And we're so grateful for your service. Thank you. We will continue on to consent agenda items. All items will be considered as a group and will be approved with one motion. If a board member would like to spotlight or comment on a consent agenda item, please do so after the vote. Do I have a motion to approve the consent agenda according to the recommended action for each item? >> So moved. >> Second. >> So Mrs. Chappie, thank you. And do uh Miss Kirby, would we please take our vote? >> But who's counting? With a vote of five

140yays, we have approved the consent agenda items according to the recommended action for each item. Mrs. Hudson, turn the time to you. >> Yeah, I'd like to uh thank the many um service organizations that have that supported our schools in this past month. um particularly many foundations um couldn't help but notice the tens of thousands of dollars that they had donated to our schools. Um the Mesa Public Schools Foundation um donated money so that Adams Elementary and Longfellow Elementary could secure computers. Um the Mesa Ho Cams um donated much money to Red Mountain, Keller and Kerr and Mesa High School. Um Friendship Village Kuanas Club donating monies to Roosevelt Elementary. Um the American Association of University Women donating monies to Sulk Elementary for their literacy programs. um the Thunderbirds donating to Skyline High School. Um

141and then a grandpa who donated in honor of his grandson to Summit. Um the the support that we get from our community is much appreciated. And I I I would be remiss if I didn't mention these outstanding organizations that are supporting our schools, no matter if they're elementary, junior high, or high school. So, thank you very much to the community. >> Thank you, Mrs. Hutchinson. Any other comments? I echo Mrs. Hutchinson's comments and appreciate all those that do continue and to give and not just monetarily but also of their time. We appreciate all those many hands. Um, moving now into our action items. Do I have a motion to approve the agreement with Chyros and employee benefits pool for employee health insurance and benefits? >> So moved. Do I have a second? >> Second. >>

142Thank you. Board members, we will have a discussion. I'll start with um Mrs. Hutchinson and move. >> So, we excuse me. So, we had a um um a grand presentation from the folks at Chyros and um I have I have a a couple of burning questions um that I'd like to pose at this time. And Dr. I don't know if it would be more appropriate for you or for Mr. Moore or members of of the of the team from Chyros. >> So I'm certainly knowledgeable about healthcare insurance. Uh but uh Mr. Moore was and Mr. Wing were more intimately involved with the RFP. So I think if you direct there and I'll fill in where necessary. >> Okay. Thank you very much. So gentlemen, um I'm going to ask you to field these questions then.

143Um, one of the burning questions that always seems to come up whenever we are talking insurance, our employees want to make sure um, will our authority or our independence as a self-insured district be undermined by the agreement? That's one question. In other words, will we be able to maintain our sovereignty as a as a self-insured um, district? Um, basically what are the benefits of this agreement for our employees? And um, and I think really the the burning question is will this agreement have an impact on our employees benefits? Um, will you know anytime we have to have a change in providers of services or pharmaceuticals that's very disruptive. So I I actually have the three questions. Um our independence as a self-insured district, is that going to be maintained? Um secondly, what are the benefits

144of this type of an agreement for our employees? And and three, is it going to involve um plan adjustments in the future? >> Member Hing, I'll take the first one. uh just with the understanding and my background with self-insured pools um we will still maintain that self-insured status and so uh we have complete independence with our plan design the the coverages that we that we choose to offer to our employees. Um the Chyros is the administrator that we would be functioning through and uh working through with plan design. Um but that would be directed from Mesa Public Schools. Uh so we would maintain our independence in that fashion because we will still continue to be self-insured. >> The second question is what are the benefits of this agreement? >> You want to take that one?

145No. >> Either way. Go ahead. One voice. Um the benefits of this agreement um Mesa right now is a um is out uh um insured by theelves with a network by joining a consortium or a pool, right? We uh great we expand our uh potential to uh great get better uh plan designs or basically better pricing um by joining a a poolled consortium. we uh are able to leverage the resources of that pool. Uh Chyros has several districts uh in that pool currently uh and us joining that will just expand that uh the resources available to Mesa public schools and not only help our benefits team. Um there's several ancillary coverages that they just do better um because of their expertise and their administrative um expertise in the insurance market that we just as public

146school district employees uh do not have the expertise in. And so it gives us that uh professional um expert that is looking out for us uh in this administrative uh move to Chyros. Do you want to elaborate? >> I was just going to mention specific to our employees uh by going to Chyros will remain we'll still remain in Sigma network which is our current network. Uh so there'll be little disruption. [sighs] Um, you know, unfortunately I can't commit to everything because Sigma and their own network, their own providers have contracts and that es and flows regardless. That's just the part of the business. I can't guarantee everything 100% even if we remain status quo. Uh, I think one area that HR and benefits department has uh continuously improved on is communicating and educating our staff.

147But in health insurance is very complex and we still have opportunities to improve and with Chyros we have a team committed to uh uh that communication that education particularly during open enrollment se 81 schools it's tough for uh a small department who unfortunately had some position adjustments last year to communicate uh thoroughly as much as possible. So they're they help with that. We're going to have a dedicated nurse navigator supporting our employees and their their advocates for our employees. Um we're going to expand on our we've made some pass on improving employee wellness programs. Uh but we'll be able to expand those open and well wellness programs. I'm sure I'm missing a few more benefits, but those are to name a few valuable ones. >> Was there one more question? And can you repeat that?

148>> The the um the third question was um uh is this going to involve um uh a change in providers or or pharmaceuticals that I'm hearing not because we'd still be with Sigma. Is that correct? I >> I do want to make a caveat though like so that is the the medical provider. So there are several ancillary benefits such as vision, dental, um in that ancillary coverage that we are still comparing whether Chairos offers a better plan or whether um MPS, we have our own RFPs, whether that that is currently better. So we're currently going through that exercise, but obviously we didn't want to get too far down that >> path if the board doesn't want to go to this route. So um the ancillary coverages, we can't say for certain that they will all

149stay the same. Uh but what we can say is that the options that we choose will be for the benefit of our employees. >> Okay? >> Because we will be choosing um between now two options. Previously we were just stuck with our RFP. So uh now we can put these against each other and and pick the best ancillary coverages for our employees >> to expand. Most of the ancillary benefits are voluntary, meaning you're paying for it if you wish. And so it's going to be a lot of it's going to be yes the benefit also the pricing. So if this one's more if our current ancillary benefit of vision is more favorable to remain status quo, we're going to do that because um it's a lower cost or or or a combination of better benefit

150for the employees or we'll move to that ancillary benefit with Ky Ross because it's a better benefit to the employees. >> Okay. I I I I I like what I'm hearing because we we have to take care of our people that take care of our kids and whatever um is of benefit to our employees particularly their health is extremely important to this board. So um I appreciate those those answers and um and it's it's super important that our employees know that we are seeking the best for them. Appreciate that. Thank you, Mrs. Benson. >> So, I don't really have a a question necessarily other than um one of the, you know, based on the um presentation that Kyros did in December. One of the major benefits is that this has the potential of saving the

151district $6 million. Correct. which uh with the rising price of price of health care chyros I'm this is my assumption is that if we join the chyros consortium it basically is a larger group plan which has the potential for reducing um premiums or cost of insurance because we have more people within the consortium is that am I understanding that correctly it's like a larger group because the benefit of group plan is that you spread liability across uh like we have some super healthy people that don't ever access their benefits and then we have somebody like me who accessed them a lot last year >> but you spread out the liability. >> Yeah. Member Vince I'll do my best to answer but I may ask uh members from Kyros to come to the podium but yes

152and no. We will still retain our self-insured um status. So which means we are responsible for our claims >> right? >> So that facet of joining a consortium does not benefit us. What benefits us when we join the consortium is now we have the better purchasing power, >> right? Because we have a larger pool of people. >> But I want is that right? >> Yeah. Yes. >> So I mean is that am I understanding it correctly? >> I just wanted to clarify the claims are still our responsibility as a self-insured district. So it's a >> right right but the the possibility of not having to significantly increase uh premiums and employee or employee or portions of pre of of the premiums. I mean if we can save the if we can save um a substantial

153amount of money then we're not going to have to increase [clears throat] potentially how much the district pays and the employee pays for their insurance. Correct. Because we're with a larger am I understanding that correctly or not? to to some degree. Good evening, by the way, uh board members and district leaders. Um thank you again for the opportunity. So, as as Tyler explained, uh you are a self-funded entity and so you are responsible for your own claims, your own risk. The advantage of joining the consortium or the pool as we call it gives you greater purchasing power across all of the administrative expenses, all of the uh different innovative strategies that we're deploying to your point that are going to help manage those cost trends that we're seeing within healthcare. So, it's kind of a

154two-pronged answer if that makes sense. Yes, there's some benefit to it. other entities uh claims specifically will not impact your experience because you are self-funded but there is benefit with joint purchasing of stop-loss arrangements um as well as min administrative expenses pharmacy contracts and things of that nature. >> Okay. All right. And and um I I think I'm understanding that correctly. It's kind of like we're um a smaller group inside a larger group. >> Correct. >> Which so yeah. So administratively is where we're going to save money which therefore potentially allows us to not have to raise because we have isn't the projection like 23% healthcare increase this coming up year. >> That was the latest that was the latest projection. Yes. >> Yeah. So we our goal is to be able to offset and

155not have to pass on that 23%. >> Correct. >> Uh to our employees, right? I mean, that's the whole we've got to find a more cost-effective way to manage healthcare. >> Yeah. I think I shared last time there's no elixir in health insurance. I'm uh uh an example of this. There's two things that go up every year. Health insurance and age. And >> um we can have a total discussion. So, we can't really So, we really can't say we won't expect increased costs in in the future, but it puts us in a different setting uh going into next year. Uh Mrs. is Tanya Edwards by the way for Kyros. Chyros, >> thank you again. And I believe you're a Red Mountain graduate, correct? >> I am. Yes. Nice to be back here. >> The slide

156that we we shared or Kyros shared in our last governing board meeting about the $6 million at least a couple million over $2 million would be savings from the district side, but they see opportunity to save for the employees as well. So that $6 million may not be district savings. $6 million may be because they're advocating for the employee in this uh very complex business. >> Member Benson, there's three three interesting pieces that I want to measure data on uh and understand how we perform year-over-year. And I've been upfront with the governing board that I don't think any current solution in the healthcare industry is the right solution for public education. Um, we're currently still working with uh some of our partners throughout other districts in Maricopa County to explore solution sets at the state

157level and we will continue to do that because this is just be quite frank with you. There are two things that really hurt employees take-home pay. I taught for 13 years and the two things were the public school pension uh were were and the rate of increase. My dad had to pay 2% into the public school pension to get his pension. I'm paying 12.8% when I was teaching, right? Because the rates into the pension one went up. And the other one is healthcare and they hurt the bottom line take-home pay of teachers. So, the two three things I'm interested in are one, can we find billables that should not have been build? And that is the work of Chyros and their team to find billables that should not have been built. This happens way more

158frequently than any one of us expect. two, can we use their nursing services in order to help our employees get higher quality care for less expensive costs? We are not great consumers of the public health care system. I go to the same doctor I've gone to for 20 years. I don't know if he's good or bad or indifferent. I don't know what his high quality indicators outcomes is. I just got comfortable with the doctor. He's a nice person, right? So, I go there. I don't know if he's the rates he's charging is are are are good or not good. I just go to him because I'm comfortable. And that means that I'm a poor consumer of my health care needs, right? And so there's a program they have with their nursing uh options at Chyros.

159Well, they help people walk through here's highquality care at the lowest cost, better care at lower dollars. And so those two programs are really uh some things that we think we can take advantage of. Uh also in conjunction with the the the third item which is we think that data is very very important in this industry and with data being extremely important are there ways to optimize data to understand our trends and then try to take our high-cost claims uh down as much as we possibly can. uh data is king or queen uh depending on how you want to view it in health care and so Chyros is on the cutting edge of that data element and we think those are three ways that we can save money. Uh but I do want to concur

160with Justin if if anyone in this room thinks that a system can get away with 0% increases to their district contribution and to their and or to their employees. We're going to try not to, but the systems that give zero cost passroughs onto themselves andor their employee end up in big binds five and six and seven years from now. And there are districts that make that mistake throughout uh the East Valley, throughout the West Valley, and all a sudden they have to take rates up by 30% because they've avoided doing the work they've had to do annually. And so I just don't want you shocked if there's an increase next year. um because we went to the system. The fact of the matter is as healthc care is increasing throughout the United States, there's likely

161to be an increase next year and we're hoping to absorb as much of it as we can on the district side of things. Uh but what we can't do is pass zero cost and and a lot of people got fooled in the COVID pandemic. I want to be really clear on that. There were the claim claims didn't come in for quite a few months and then you ran well in your in your self-insured pool and people are like, "Oh, healthcare is not going up." No, you just ran well. If you run well in your pool, you run well in your pool. It doesn't mean the cost isn't going up. You ran well in your pool. And guess what? If you run well in your pool, you're going to get caught at some point not running

162well in your pool. That's the way this thing works. There'll be a year where you don't run well, where you don't run well, and you don't run well. And then that is the ultimate bind where you pass along zero increase on the district's perspective and or the employees perspective and then you get caught above what you contributed in premiums and then you're really in a bind at that point. So, uh, we're going to, this is one of the areas that we emphasize on the business and operations side of the house, and we're going to completely monitor Chyros over the course of the first year to make sure we're getting the outcomes we want to we want to get. And we're going to continue to I mean, I'm be blunt, we're going to continue to work

163with other districts to see if there's optimal solutions that are are are, you know, better for us in the long run. We would love the Arizona State Land Trust uh uh excess premiums to help school districts throughout public school districts throughout the state of Arizona to help us uh find a solution set for health care costs for district employees. So >> yeah, it's a whole political quagmire healthcare is because we really have a sick care model. We don't have a healthcare model. Um, but the I I I um I I don't have any other questions or comments, I don't think. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mrs. Walden. Any questions? >> So, no questions. I was supportive of the RFP from the get-go. I I think it's always a good idea. I know RFPs are a

164lot of work, but it's always a good idea to go out and shop shop your vendors, and it's my understanding that this hadn't been done for a while. So, I really appreciate the work that went into it. I think uh the district is going to have to be very proactive in in shopping insurance and I think that's what we're we're seeing here and Chyros is really the best option that that we can find right now to keep cost down. So, uh, I appreciate the work that's that's gone into it, but yeah, in insurance is going to keep going up, unfortunately, and I think without major reform, like it's going to be impossible to not have costs go up for employees, and we're just we've got to minimize it as as much as we can. So,

165um, thanks for, um, for starting the process because I think the RFP process started a long time ago earlier last year. It's been a good year. So, thank you. >> Thank you, Mrs. Chaffy. >> Yeah, I I second member Walden's remarks that I appreciate that we're being flexible and creative and looking for solutions that meet the needs of our staff. And I appreciate the partnership with Ky Ross. I think it's the right move right now. And I would just urge the district to continue to be flexible and looking at it maybe year after year because I think that that's what it's going to require is that we look for solutions that work for us and kind of force insurance companies to start working for us. >> Thank you. Um just a quick question as we

166look at going to this um do we have any information on impacts on claims approval and access to care as far as do we see an increase in claims being denied going to Chyros? Do we know anything on that? I apologize. I >> I can take that. >> Yes, if you'd like. >> Thank you. >> Um so right now in the current structure that you have with Sigma, there's kind of a medical management program that does prior authorizations and pres-certifications, case management, and those types of things. So everything that you're experiencing today would roll over essentially to what you're doing um under our model. Um I I would say the one thing the one advantage is we actually have the ability to um help support employees through that process should they experience a denial. And

167we can actually, our nurses oftentimes reach out to providers to work with them to get additional information, medical records or things like that that will help support, you know, whatever treatment is appropriate and covered by the plan, which is still designated by Mesa Public Schools. >> Thank you for that. I think I just want to make sure that we communicate. I know that it gets tricky with healthcare and making sure that our employees have the best um information out there that they know how to navigate it. So, thank you for that. Um, board members, any other questions? All right, Miss Kirby, I believe we're ready for a vote. With a vote of five yays, we've approved the agreement with Chyros and an employee benefits pool for employee health insurance and benefits. >> We're honored. Thank

168you. >> Thank you. Thank you so much for being here. I appreciate your help. Do I have a motion to do I have a motion to the alternative schools mission statements for East Valley Academy, Mesa Center for Success, Sharp, and Superstition High School to reflect the newly specified requirements from the AD? >> So moved. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you board members. Any discussion? I I just have one in the um in the superstition um statement. I'm wondering if if it was a a a a word of choice where um let's see it if if the in the first sentence it says Superstition High School is a place where every student has the chance to begin again. um the the word place instead of say like school. Um was that

169is that a is that was that a particular choice of the school to use the word place rather than school? >> All of the alternative mission statements they were given the rubric that has been approved by the state board of education for the alternative schools. um there's a rubric that they have to specifically cut or address their student body population as well as what they provide and what they do as an alternative school because there are certain criteria based in legislation. Um and so they took that rubric, they came up with their mission statement, they went to their students, they went to their families, they went to their SCAKs. So these have all been generated and then we took them to the AD and said does this meet all of your criteria to be highly

170distinguished mission statement for an alternative school per the specifications that they're moving in the direction of going to and so that was yes a determination made by them. >> I I very much appreciate that explanation because that that means they fit the protocol but then but then it's genuinely theirs. >> Oh absolutely absolutely >> thank you. That's what I wanted to know. Thank you. >> They're very long now. >> [laughter] >> They are very long. Madam President, so I want to >> Did you want to say something? >> Well, I I just there's one thing I want uh Dr. Glassmire to clarify. That's why I called her up. Why do we have to have these governing board approved? And you might wonder why Dr. Glassmire's involved in this. She's data and accountability and these schools

171all are in a different A3F letter grade modeling system and she's our expert on the A3F lettergrade modeling system. So could you just briefly take us through why they need separate mission statements because I did have community members reach out on some of the wording regarding social emotional and that gets into why it's an alt school and oftentimes alt schools are behavioral schools. So can you help us understand a little bit about the AD's process and why these are coming to the board before we get to member Benson. >> Absolutely. So they serve a different student population. Um with ARS 15796 they are specifically put in place as a alternative education means modification of the school course of study and adoption of teaching methods materials and techniques including using any instructional time models pursuant to

172a section to provide education educationally for students in grades 6 through 12 who are unable to profit from the regular school course of study and environment. So furthermore, the state has listed off criteria whereby 70% of the population of any alternative school that's been approved by the state has to meet one of several criteria. So these include students who are adjudicated. These are students who have dropped out and returned multiple times, lots of mobility. They may have dependence. Um they may be wards of the state. They may have behavior problems and need additional interventions in order to appropriately go through and meet academic requirements. They are still head held to graduating from high school, but they need alternative means, processes, supports, what have you, depending upon their situations. And again, it's 70% of the population

173within these schools. They can also have normal students who want a different time model as well. So therefore, the academic standards still need to be in place at all of these alternative schools. Okay. I just have one. Um I liked um I thought the mission statement statements were all very thorough. Uh I want to address one word in sup superstitions as well and it's down um at the at the bottom and I'll read the sentence. Through small classes, personalized learning and real world experiences that build confidence, purpose, and essential life skills. We help students overcome challenges, earn their high school diploma on time, and step boldly into college career or independence. I think they mean and independence. >> Okay, we can certainly bring that back to >> because it's or indicates to me like you

174can either. But don't we want them ultimately to be independent as adults, right? So rather than or I think it's an and that's my only Okay, >> we can certainly bring that back to the school. Thank you. this morning. >> Is it Is there someone Is there someone in the crowd that's got their phone going? We can hear pretty much the whole conversation. So, >> thank you. >> No comments or questions for me either. >> Okay. Thank you. All right. Seeing no other questions. Oh, yes. Can >> Miss Benson's questioning >> still moving to approve them all. >> I think that I I would be fine with that. I mean, because if if if um uh Mr. um Brassette doesn't agree with me, uh I just when I read it, I went, "Well, wait a

175minute. Don't we want them to be >> I don't want them at my house as adults? Can they just make edits? simple like is isn't that like a simple edit where we could vote and they could just make the edit later on without our vote? >> Yeah, I don't think it changes I don't think it changes the essential nature of the I it's to me it's just a word and he may he may not agree with me. >> I can certainly bring that back to the school but if the board is willing to go ahead and >> move on that that would be great. >> That allows us to proceed. These all mission statements are part of the entity. So each one of these requires a separate ticket that goes into school finance that allows

176us to go ahead and change that and our up upcoming uh application process for next school year is coming up. So I appreciate the opportunity that we can circle back and follow up on that change and pending your vote. Thank you. >> Thank you. So yes, continue as Thank you. Ready for a vote. With a vote of 5 days, we've approved the alternative schools mission statements for East Valley Academy, Mesa Center for Success, Sharp, and Superstition High School to reflect the newly specified requirements from the AD. Ad Moving on. Do I have a motion to approve the questions in the parent and staff climate surveys pertaining to satisfaction? >> So moved. >> Do I have a second? >> Seconded. >> Thank you. Any discussion? >> Miss Hutchinson. None. Mrs. Benson. >> Um these are the

177same questions that we've asked year over year. Correct. And I believe last year was the rationale. we need to stick stick to this language so that you have because I got to tell you I'm not totally in love with these questions and I don't I I I'm very superficial and maybe that's our goal. I mean maybe we just want um but with our declining enrollment I'd love to see surveys that actually provide us with um information [clears throat] in a timely basis that that um we actually can act on. So, how long um cuz you're the data guy also. How many years do you need to have a survey uh and the same survey in order to be able to see some degree of validity? At what point would we be able to revisit these

178questions? >> Me, we can we can revisit anytime the board desires that we revisit. We just want you to live in in the reality that we won't have any baseline comparable data. Whenever you change the anchors and the stems and it can be as matter So it can be a matter of just changing one word can change how people respond to the item. Survey design. So Hunter Gellbach is a was a mentor of mine about 20 years ago. He's one of the survey researchers out of Harvard. And survey design is an intricate science. It is very scientific. You can you can get in uh to items that are that that that uh are bifurcated and triurcated and then you lack inference out of them. So short stems are really important. Words you choose are really

179important in order to get something that's of value. Like you'll you'll read a stem sometime that says, you know, I feel this and this and this and then you get the item back from your community and that's a poorly worded item because you don't know what inference to make out of it because it's trifircated into three different inferences. So we could certainly go redesign anytime uh that the board desires. I just want you to know at that point in time we're going to lose any sort of historical data to make comparisons off of. Um, and I will tell you that most of the time most school districts and that includes this one have selected these items off of pretty nationally normed surveys. Uh, Panorama Group survey research that's been around at Hunter Galveck is one

180of the founders of Panorama research. Um and so uh they are usually items chosen from the US DOE NCES about parent satisfaction and community satisfaction surveys and or chosen from something like Panorama the company Panorama. So but if you guys direct us to develop new items we can develop new items. I my personal advice to you would be let us if you're going to do that do that for next year and let us spend a whole year to devise a new service. >> No I would not recommend a change this year. Um, is there a reason from a survey standpoint that we're starting with the negative and moving to the positive? Though >> all that science matters. So if it was designed that way in the pri so I I'll get into this. When you

181administer the survey matters. If you administer one year right prior to spring break and the next year right after spring break, you're going to get different survey results and it's going to have nothing to do with an inference. Perception data in general is very dicey data. Uh in other words, uh it's it's based on a point in time in a given day when the person chooses to pick that survey and respond. And sometimes you meet that person with that's why in counts or sample sizes are so important, right? And perception data. You want to get your sample size up so you can make solid differences because hopefully what you're doing is trying to take the variability across humans at the point in time they see that item and reduce it by increasing the sample size.

182And so I will tell you those if this survey was designed that way in the past, it's going to be designed that way in the future because you're not going to alter positive to negative the next year after giving it negative to positive in the in the prior year. But we can look at once again if you direct us to uh design a new survey, we can look at that and do it differently in the next year. >> I I'm wondering I'm sorry. I should go ahead. Uh, I'm I'm wondering if maybe what um member Benson is is asking for. Uh, I know it wouldn't be scientific, but it might get some information that I think we're looking for is maybe a question of the month um and and a topic and perhaps some questions

183related to that topic so that um so that the board has a feel. I mean, that was the whole um purpose of the question of the month was to get some information from the public that that that we wouldn't necessarily get in a meeting or from emails. Um, and it we maybe the board could suggest one of the issues and and help with the development of questions so that we're getting some information from the public that is essential to our understanding about issues confronting us as a board. So maybe that's a way we could we could do that. >> Good idea. Thank you, Miss Vincent. Any else? >> No, because but Dr. Glassmire, you wouldn't mind adding another thing on your plate, right? [laughter] >> I think we already have the structure for what member

184Hutcherson's suggesting because we did last year. So, I mean, if that's where we want to head, then that's where we'll head. >> Thank you, Mrs. Balden. >> Any questions? Um, I understand the parameters and the repercussions of changing the survey. So, I do think it'd be good leaving it as as it is because I don't want to increase the work and data analysis that you have to do to change it. So, thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Chvy. >> Yeah, I I want to quote back to my fellow board members a couple things that they said earlier in our study session. Marcy, you said, "Our kids experiences in the high schools are selling points." And Sharon, you said our best research is engaging with the families we have now. And I deeply respect Dr. Stumm

185your perspective on mathematics and survey research. And I think as board members, we don't have the information that we need to meet the needs and the strengths of our students. Um, we are spending money to pull students who have and families who have left Mesa public schools. And there is really an opportunity to pull the people who are here and understand why they are choosing Mesa public schools. We do this survey every year in alignment with procedure 1.41A which is then supposed to be used by our SCAKs and those are our school improvement advisory councils so that those parents and staff members can gather together and use this data and say okay how are we really meeting the needs and the strengths of our students and what are we doing that works and what are

186we doing that doesn't work. Um, and I really appreciate questions one, two, and three. I think that they are strong questions. I don't love four and five as much because it talks about being easy, having easy access to communicate with site and district personnel. And I think that there's a significant difference between making it easy to communicate with someone and really feeling heard and like your needs are met. And what I'm hearing often from our our students and our families are, I can talk with someone, but I'm really not getting the change that I need. not really feeling heard and I keep coming to to the staff. I'm speaking with a high school counselor and they're telling me too bad we can't change that or you have to take six classes your junior year and

187I I just worry that we have made so many changes especially in our secondary level and really not received parent input and we've been telling parents for quite some time. Yes, we will hear from you. We have a survey coming and then we see the survey and there's really not an opportunity to talk about how is your student doing after we made significant changes. Um we we are struggling at our elementary school levels also. We know with helping our students uh proficiency and getting it where it needs to be. And we've had conversations up here about how do we make parent teacher conferences more effective? How do we help parents know how to help their students? And so I think again like this week we had parent teacher conferences. I had easy access to communicate

188with staff. But if I receive a paper that says like your student has met all of their goals for the year, like, okay, well, what are we working on for the rest of the year? Or your student is not passing math. Great. Help me understand how they learn fractions. And I think we're missing that piece of are we meeting the needs and strengths of our students? And I think our our parents get a lot of information. They get a lot of emails. And I love the idea of a question of a month. And I worry we won't capture everyone because parents get inundated. And if we say like, "Hey, we really want to hear from you. We value you students who are there. We want to keep you in Mesa public schools." I think I

189think this is a great opportunity to do that. And I think our parents are asking for it. And I think I think we would be remiss as board members if we say, "Yeah, let's just keep it the same year after year because we'll miss out on data." I think we really need to take advantage of these opportunities and make it important to our community and let them know it's not just that we're communicating with you. It's not just that we're hearing you. We're actually listening and we're making changes because you matter. >> Thank you. Are you looking at a sitebased survey or like general survey? Just curious. >> I think that's a good question. I don't know if we've really administered sitebased survey sitebased surveys. I'd love to know if we do that. I think

190that might be an opportunity for for our schools to do that and I know that we're moving to regional learning communities and so maybe there's an opportunity to do it that way. But I do so often we say we'll do it next year and I know that that's the reality in education, right? At ASU we do that in the same way like we need to do that next year because we can't do it now. >> But I I worry that we keep pushing things down the road and we're we're losing families and we're missing students. >> Can I jump in real quick? Um, member Traffy, I know that there is a plan. It you mentioned specifically the high schools and the changes that have been um made at the high school and that this survey

191is not going to capture that, but it is my understanding we're constructing a survey specifically for the high schools and block. Correct. >> Yes. Yes, member Benson. >> Okay. >> Two two things. one I I want to have an we may be structured better next year to administer sitebased service uh surveys because Dr. Glass Meyer and the executive directors and the chief academ schools will have a team across every learning community that's got a a research and data expert. That's the goal in this. But we can't start encouraging sites to give sitebased surveys because there's ARS 15117. Sorry, don't quote me on that statute. I think I'm right. It's 15117. And 15117 has stringent measures on what we can survey and not survey. And sometimes what we find when sites go off and start surveying

192their own is they don't follow parental notification. They don't follow elements that we can and cannot survey for according to 15117. So, we're moving towards a a system where we vet all surveys because we don't want to a over surervey and we don't want to b violate ARS 15117. So, I just there's my brain's turning. You can see there might be a possibility to get home on more tailored sitebased uh surveys in this structure next year. I don't want to lose that idea, but I I don't want anyone watching this meeting to leave with like we'll give our own sitebased surveys. No, surveys need to go to R& team because 15117 has stringent uh accountability things that we just cannot violate as a district there. I think I said it. >> Thank you. Is there

193um a way or is and maybe going site based will help with this but also or in our regional learning but ensuring our saks are using the data that comes from these surveys. Yes, that's really easy to answer. [laughter] That that will be something that our executive directors of the learning communities that are sitting right before you will be able to make sure that every school site in their region's using data to make informed decisions with their SCAK. They know they are tasked with that. >> Thank you. Any other questions board members? >> Yeah, I just want to say I think Okay, first I have a question. Do we know when the high school survey will go out? Do we have a date on that? We actually have a plan for what I don't want

194to do with that survey is Mr. Wing and I have deliberated on this and we know that the board uh and you know I have my areas of expertise and I have things that I'm just not aware of. I want to be really clear. I'm not good at everything. I need people to hear that, right? I need experts around me to also be good at stuff. Uh, so I the reason I say all that is I'm humble enough to know that a and b I'm going to say something like we know the board's not survey experts, but what I don't want to do on this survey is give a survey with the anchors and the stems without you seeing them and then you after the fact coming back and go why' we ask that and

195why did we ask that? So we actually have planned in the January board retreat. Thank you. That about an hour of that time is going to be Dr. Gibbs coming in and going through items with you on that block scheduling/colg and career academy/h high school experience survey that we're going to give to three constituents. Parents, staff, and students. Does that right? and have you guys talk through what you want out of the survey, talk through the items, talk through the anchors, and get kind of not give the board control of what we're asking because once again, we're all not survey research experts even to the degree Dr. Gibbs is. He's way bigger expert than I am, but at least get feedback loops from you. And then we'll have another feedback loop that Dr. Gibbs is

196going to do as well with the parent council we have designed. So, the parent council can get their eyes on the items. And then after those couple feedback loops, we'll have something ready to go. And we think we'll be ready to give the survey uh in March, hopefully before spring break, but at least after spring break in March. >> Yeah, that's helpful. I'm comfortable today voting on this knowing that we're working on something and then just keeping in mind that next year looking at those regional learning communities, if there's a way to tailor this better, then I'm comfortable with this this year knowing that that's the direction that we're going and that we've kind of met some of those concerns that way. Thank you. Any other? Good. All right. Seeing no other questions, Miss Kirby,

197would we please take our vote? With a vote of five yays, we have approved the questions in the parent and staff climate surveys pertaining to satisfaction. Dr. Glassmire, thanks for being on call to to answer questions. Um, do I [clears throat] have a motion to approve the reduction of square footage at Irving Elementary? >> So moved. >> I'll second. Miss Hutchinson moved. Miss Chaffia seconded. Uh board members, any discussion? >> I just have a quick question about uh is the district still evaluating whether or not the portables can be auctioned off. Is that still under evaluation? >> Yeah, member Walden, we're prioritizing our non-school occupied sites for that concept. So, we're still evaluating that. We're specifically looking at the Mckelps location in Riverview. Um but these school locations were continuing with our plan um and

198utilizing general contractors who have experience removing portables from a occupied campus. >> Yeah. All right. Thank you. >> Any other questions? >> Seeing none, Miss Kirby, will you please take our vote? With a vote of five days, we've approved the reduction of square footage at Irving Elementary. Do I have a motion to adjourn the meeting? >> So moved. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. Wow, that was a little slow. [laughter] Any discussion? Well, I'm sorry, but we are 15 minutes ahead of schedule and therefore [laughter] >> All right. No other discussion. Miss Kirby, will you please take our vote? With a vote of five years, the meeting is adjourned at 8:27. Thank you. Have a wonderful night.