001and Lord Vasquez and we have a quorum um adoption of the agenda. >> I just have one recommended change if we could move the uh spelling be recognition as our first item. >> Our first item. >> Any any questions from anybody? Any objections? No. Anybody okay? All right. So, >> uh, a motion, uh, to approve the agenda with the changes as presented. >> Second. >> All those in favor say I. >> All those opposed, nay. Eyes have it. Motion passes. Uh, call to the public. >> No call to the public. >> There is no call to the public. And now, Mr. Verduender. I want to congratulate all the spellers on their achievement of being a speller to get to this point and then out today competing in the district spelling. Um so I'm gonna invite
002Miss Kennedy up because she's going to for those students. Good evening board president. Thank you all for being here. I'd like to introduce you to some of the best spellers in the world. You got a very long spelling bee this I think it's the longest one I've ever >> I don't think so >> been uh in attendance for >> and I have some excellent uh spellers I'd like to introduce you to. Paul Fuentes. >> Good job. I'm going to ask you just to stand right here and just hold on. Okay. All right. Sarah speller is Dante Nunes Composant Pia Santiago. Alexis Emily Demer. She was our second place winner of the spelling be. And if I can get unraveled here. Congratulations. Excellent job. Here is Shula mythy about two. >> Excellent. All right. Here you
003are. Good job. >> Would you like to say something? >> Yes. Congratulations to all of you. That was so exciting to watch and I know it was very nerve-wracking for for all of you, but you all deserve a big uh round of applause as well as your parents for supporting you and have congratulations. >> Good job. Um I caught the last few rounds and uh I think I had to check spelling for myself on a few of them. You guys did outstanding. Good job. >> Good job. Good job. Good job. Thank you. Uh, Mr. Ramirez. >> Yeah. Thank you for representing our community and taking the time to go over all those words. I'm sure you studied before you all the prep work and it's not easy to stand there. You know, I'm sure you
004get the butterflies. You know, you're a little nervous and you have to spell those words which makes it only that much more challenging. So, congrats for doing such a great job. >> Thank you. Thank you. Congratulations. I know it takes a lot of courage, especially facing an audience while you're trying to spell the words. Uh, thank you to the parents that worked with your uh your students, your child, uh, to get them to this point. And I believe the winner goes on to the state competition >> to the the county >> county. >> So, those that are moving on to represent uh our district, uh, good luck and, uh, again, congratulations. >> Y, good job. Good job. each and every one of you to the parentsto all of you. Thank you so much for all
005the support that you get from you know that your children get from you that it really shows okay that on everything that they do on you know on how well they did. I'm I mean I've gone to many um you know spelling bees. Never have it has it been 12 rounds. Never. Never. Okay. I mean, and I've been in the district for over 25 26 27 years. So, never never. So, congratulations to all of you guys. You guys did amazing. And uh and thank you very much again for representing our school district. >> Good luck. >> Wish you all good luck. And just so that some of history, we actually had a person that finished third place in our district winning the whole county. >> So, so it doesn't matter where you finish here because
006you still have one more. will go back and practice as much as you can if you're the school champ. You still have an opportunity. >> That's right. Good job. Good job, guys. Congratulations. >> You're finished. >> Picture for the parents if they uh >> they got one over there. >> They got one with with all of the and all that happened here. >> Yeah. >> Something else I did >> tomorrow. Okay. >> Congratulations. Do you miss teasing him about >> to haunt you? >> I was teasing him down. >> Thank you. Thank you very very much. Okay. Uh moving on. We're going into the organiz organization um action uh election. Mr. Verdugal. And so tonight is our um required representation um our new president clerk um as well as the different required items for posting
007types of meetings and so forth. So we start with the board officials. Is there possible motions for >> I would like to motion that we approve uh Miss Lordes Vasquez as president of our board for the uh next school year which is the would be the 26 27 school year. >> Thank you. I accept that. Thank you. Second. >> Oh my god. Okay. Thank you. Motion to motion. >> That was a second. >> We can have a discussion. >> You want to any anyone anybody any discussions? >> Fine with me. >> Well, >> okay. Tell me do it now. I'm here. >> Yeah. You usually how it runs for I know uh Adma and Ben uh you guys are are new. Uh you can self-nominate if you want. You can nominate an individual uh with
008this. >> Uh we tend to rotate the roles eventually. >> Order there, but I don't think we can do that anymore because >> No, no, I know. I'm just uh >> no selfnominating anymore. >> Oh, no. >> No, we changed the rules. >> Okay. I don't remember that. Okay. >> Uh >> but we can't nominate people. somebody can appoint a president or a motion to to appoint a president nominate and usually we rotate the roles. Uh it's not mandatory though. So I'm perfectly fine. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. >> Discussion. >> Any further discussions? >> I'm good. I could get behind anybody here. You know, you guys are awesome. >> Awesome. >> Thank you. Thank you. So now we Okay. All those in favor say I.
009I. >> I. All those opposed? Hey, eyes have it. I'm president for one more year. Thank you so much. >> Election of uh board clerk. >> I'd like to nominate Ben Geredo. >> Second >> any any uh motion. Any discussion? >> I'm good. >> Are you okay with it, Mr. Gero? Are you accepting? Oh, good. Okay. Are you everything okay? Yeah, I think it's great. >> Okay. >> He was my former student. >> Mr. Kramer's now >> you know how old he is. Okay. >> And he's a good guy and he I think he'd do a good job. I >> think Ben's been with the fire board. He knows the rule of rigs or the procedure. So I think he'd be an excellent. >> I totally agree too. All righty. Okay. All those in favor
010say I. I. >> I. All those opposed nay. >> Eyes have it. Mr. is now our >> moving over, baby. >> But that doesn't get you off the hook. Okay. >> Not for right now. All righty. Um Hey, we >> uh uh next uh item uh B uh designation of board meetings uh for the calendar year of 2026 2027. Mr. here. And then the calendar um you each have a hard copy. >> We have a hard just wanted to highlight for the board that we tried to stick with those months that were very busy with other activities that to have one more week um in those months. Um so that uh includes the May we have graduation and all the other full site activities. Um so having one meeting in in May also March uh
011during spring break and also one of the things that that we noted on here was um like the uh the last principal report because I know the board had pushed for not requiring summer principles reports and so we we noted that on the calendar this year as well so that they're aware of that as well. And so very well received by principles. Even though I really like the principal report guys. Okay. But you know the summer is off. Okay. But >> also December again it's only one meeting. >> Yeah. In November and December. >> November. December. >> Okay. Okay. Do I have a motion to approve or are there any questions? >> We can do the motion first and then motion first. Discussion. >> Okay. Motion to approve the board meeting schedule for calendar year
0122026 as presented. >> Second. >> Okay. >> Now we can discuss. >> Any discussions? >> Do you have anything, Mr.? >> Yeah. You guys went over this with a fine tooth comb with >> Oh, yeah. >> We tried to match and adjust dates so that there wasn't backtoback meetings like occasion. So we wanted to make sure that we reviewed all of that especially again during the the holidays and spring breaks >> spring break >> things like that >> and fall break because >> are there no principal reports due because of the cinco de Mayo or is it >> no >> is that taking into account a kuru >> I think it's more for the graduation school year all that different ceremon >> and most people will turn something a lot of photos through our through
013Audra and so I think it's a lot. >> No, I'm happy about it. >> Fewer for them the better. >> Yeah. Uh Mr. Beach. >> Nope. No. All righty. Okay. So, all those in favor say I. >> I. All those opposed, nay. Eyes have it. Motion passes. Okay. Good. Uh next thing, uh locations for posting board meetings. Mr. Verdugo. Thank you. So this is our requirement that exceeds the requirement. We also want to show transparent sometimes why are they posted in certain places but we especially now that it's on our website. So it's not like that anybody can't go and see that. that we get it out as early as we possibly can to make sure that they're able to somebody wants to come to the board meeting and do a call. >> Make a
014motion motion. >> Uh do I have a motion? >> Discuss. >> Motion first. Okay. Motion. Does anybody have a motion? >> Motion to approve the official posting sites for board meeting notices as presented. >> Second. >> Okay. All those in favor say I. No. discussions first. >> Discussions first. Sorry. >> Yeah. In the past, I had mentioned why it was that we didn't post this at the post office and I I can't remember what it was. >> Oh, yeah. I remember you asked. >> Um and then we we had but it's it requires us to have a cost of travel for an individual to go and um we asked and we kind of surveyed there wasn't very many people looking at the post office any longer because of the website. and they just thought it'd
015be easy to see the everything on the website. >> Any other questions? No. >> Also, just I just clarify as well um that many of those that would see at the post office are on our list. So, we talked to those individuals that would go to the post office to look at it. Um and they're actually on our email list. >> What about the what about tubeback? Okay. >> And those are on their email list as well. So, so and also they get the information from the website. >> Okay. >> All those in favor say I. >> I. All those opposed? Nay. Okay. Eyes have it. Motion passes. Next. Board meetings uh via conference call or other technological means. Mr. Verdugo. >> Yes. This allows us to have any board member that is not able
016to make it for any reason um that they will be able to participate as well as have meetings such hiring in the beginning of the school year or for special Zoom. >> All righty. Okay. Do I have a motion? >> Some need a motion. >> You need the motion first. We need to read >> motion to allow board members to attend meetings virtually via telephonic conference call or other technological means. >> Second. >> Okay. Any questions? >> Yeah. Why are we making these motions that we never did before? >> So, we have never made these motions. >> No, before you were making the motion move this move and >> Yeah. Because I would read it, but then they told me that somebody else had to read it. Yeah. Okay. >> So, >> they changed it
017for me. >> Just making it more >> clear. >> Yeah. >> Are you okay? >> Okay. Um, one other thing I was going to say, >> what's in what's what's any different from what we did in the past? Why do we have to present this? >> We have to do it annually. So, every year we it's required by statute for us to >> Okay. All right. >> Thank you. Yeah. I'd love to say we can do it for the next three years and then have >> and then you can change it. >> Just kind of put down for the next five years, >> but it's required by statute to do it again. >> All right. >> Yeah. Okay. So now it's >> because we already motioned and seconded. Okay. All those in favor say I.
018>> I. >> All those opposed, nay. >> Eyes have it. Motion passes. Okay. Uh this another one was the presentation. We already did that one, but it's uh the presentation for Quatundi Middle School. Uh Mr. Verdu, >> thank you. So, this is our uh next uh school site that is presenting. Um so, I'd like to invite Miss Greta. She has the team here as well. Um but we'll be discussing what the previous letter was for this this school year and then also the integrated action. Thank you. Um good evening madam president, members of the board for the whole Dr. Thank you for having me here tonight. We are going to um talk about um the letter grade that we received um as well as our plan action of what we're going this year um forward.
019Um so you can see here the letter grade um we have 52% of growth we have uh 10% acceleration readiness we have 10% of English learners and then we have 30% of um proficiency I just kind of stated it before but as you're going to see um when I came back to CTMS thank you um um and we saw this this data um we're going to address the data. We're going to look at the data, but we're going to move forward. Um, so there's no reason to continue stressing about what is already there, but we're going to take what we have and move it forward. So, our mantra is just moving forward this year. Um, so you can see here, um, you can see in the purple the points, um, for proficiency and stability. You
020can see that's at 12.73. Last year was at 14.1. The growth um this last year was 40.6 and the prior year was at 49.63. You can see our ELLL proficiency we received four points. The previous year it was eight. Acceleration readiness we had two which there was a possible 10 which was received the year before that. Um total point as if you summarize it we hit um 51.33 with the prior year being at 81.64. Um percentage earned was 59.33. We did get a bonus point of 1.5 which um the previous year was at two points earned 60.83 total. The previous year was 86.62. Um we were able to test 99.3% which is is good. Um the year before was a little higher at 99.45. Um that meant the letter grade that we received was a
021C. Um with years being a B. Um so we did decrease um I did the math um we did decrease a total of 22.31 points. Um but like I said our motto is moving forward. So what are we going to do? It happened. Okay. But now what are we doing now? So I did adjust a little bit of graphs just it's easier on the eye and as I explain it, it's easier for me to explain. Um, so I just I brought this up because I wanted to to point out this letter of a C is not the norm for CTMS. So you can look from 2017 to 2024. Um, we've always maintained a B. you can see a little bit of fluctu fluctuation and the 24 school year was probably the highest that they've ever
022had. Um and that was at half a point um to an A. So there are some unfortunate events, some that were out of the control um and that's just caused this past year. But again, if you look at previous years, it's not something that you would notice that CTMS produces. We are usually at that B. the year before we were almost at an A. So obviously something happened. Um I've looked at the data, my staff has looked at the data, my team has looked at the data. Um but I just wanted to show that that's not CTMS. And so we do know um some of the the errors and we're we're correcting those. We're moving forward with those um for our AASA data. before um we move that what are we doing with what we
023just saw with that data um and so there's some plans of action and data points and I just wanted solely looking at the data what do we have to do in numbers and I I I really do think we can make it um we're going to shoot for everything we can and um that's our goal so um we we will the school will increase the overall proficiency by a minimum of four points u moving from 12.73 toward a stronger performance benchmark. If you really look at that and like you talk about percentage and then you put it to student number like an actual student. Um we can do better than that but we just want to get back to where we were before. Um obviously we want better than that but that's our goal. Just
024get us out of that where we were back up to to be. Um the growth will be strengthened by implementing target targeted instructional strategies to raise the score from 40.6 to at least 47.6. six. And again, I went through the data previous just to kind of see. Um, EL instruction and supports will be refined um to increase proficiency and growth from four to six plus points informed by pri the prior year data. Um, and I'll talk about that in more depth. Acceleration efforts will be prioritized to address gaps and increase this the score of two to a minimum of eight. Again, going back to the previous slide, I just went through everything and and and tried to find some numbers that were attainable, but obviously, sorry, at a at um high expectations. Um, excuse me.
025Uh, instructional focus is really in eighth grade math. Um, we did struggle in that area and we're going to emphasize regular enrichment to raise highly proficient outcomes while reducing minimally proficient. That is an area in our letter grade with eighth grade specifically. If we can move them to highly proficient and get them out of uh minimally, we will get some extra points there and we want our students to be successful. Um attendance systems and family communication will be strengthened to exceed uh the 95 attendance benchmark. Incentive participation will expand to increase the bonus score beyond 1.5. It's actually out of a total of five. So, we really want to increase that. And then special education programming will continue to expand opportunities for mainstreaming students in general education environments. So here you can see before there's
026some line graphs, but numbers speak a little bit more clear to me. Um it's easy to see. My apologies on the fifth grade ELA. I didn't highlight those in orange. My apologies. But we're really looking at two things. I definitely want to look at the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade from the 24 25. But I also need to be impaire uh understand what kids we are having this school year the 25 26. So this is one way we looked at the data to kind of give us a baseline. So you can see um math um for our sixth graders last year we had an overall of um 31% passing last year. sixth grade in um was that 41? I'm sorry. This this well, you can kind of see. I'm going to go over I'm sorry.
027Um but I looked at this and then we have our most recent map data. I know they're not on the same test, but it does give a projected proficiency. Like it'll tell you where the students are and say they took this test and it was the big AASA test. Um we have promising scores. Um so in math we were lower but we're already um having some increases. So, in sixth grade in math, um the 2425 school year was at 26%, but if I look at math right now, it's at 41%. Um in seventh grade math, uh last year, the 2425 was at 14. If math were the ultimate test, we'd be at 31. Um eighth grade for math was at three. Right now, we're at 23. So, I know it's just one indicator, but it
028is a strong indicator and it shows more in depth. um reading. Um last year sixth grade was at 37%. This year so far in math we're at 43%. Um seventh grade was at 34. Right now we're at 45. Um and then 8th grade was uh 31 last year and we're at 37. Um so if I were to combine it at a school, um overall last year we were at 37% from the MAP scores where we're we're showing 45. So we're seeing positive increases. um seven I'm sorry uh seventh grade last year was at 34 map is showing us at 50 proficient and then eighth grade um if I were to combine was at 31 and now we're at at 41. So numbers are looking good. Um obviously we still have this semester to work really
029hard but um the kids are aware of this data, my families are aware of this data. My dad is aware of this data and we all have goals. So, we've really been working really hard on the goals and I'll explain those to you as we go through the AP. Um, oh my um I went over one. So, the here you can see um that was the the goal and I repeated I apologize for I didn't see that one. Um these are goal one. we're going to increase by 10% um in math measured um to delivering rigorous standards and then we're also going we said 10% of proficiency um will increase their proficiency in BLA by 10%. Some say 10% is a lofty goal. Like are you really going to increase? But you put in numbers
030that's 18 kids, 17 kids. We're not satisfied with the number. I would love to have higher um percentage because we don't want to leave any student out. But I'm simply asking if we were to make this improvement needed. It's a very small amount of students we're asking to turn into proficiency. And we our goal is to have everybody proficient. Um so um that that's where where we offer those math and ELA. Um if I move on to Aella um you can see here that and these are just over the years. So um the green font you can see that is proficient and increase indicates growth from the prior year. You can see the orange and then the red. Our scores were um lower than we would have liked. However, um we did change the format
031last year of how we we have those students and we did it by proficiency level as opposed to grade level. Um we've seen data in our other school, our sister school has that and it was working for them. So we tried it. Um we are continuing with it. Um I feel um the teacher um that we have this year is very experienced um and that's how she thinks it's the best way. Um so we're keeping that. Um but I did want to mention I know we have a especially in the secondaries we have a lot of parent withdrawals. Um but just a little side note 70% of our EL eels in the SEI program increased at least one one proficiency level. So that's a higher number. However, for our EELS that opted out or had
032the parent withdrawal, only 30% increased to at least one proficiency level. So, we now know those students who have had parent withdrawal but still need services. Um, in our classrooms, we have the ELP standards. So, the teachers make sure that those are are they're hitting that component as well as their their regular standards. So the English language um ones and then um we have as well um practice right um so we're practicing but something good that that the test can be difficult um so if you know what you know um but you've never seen the format of the assessment is going to trip you up a little bit so we've had our SEI tech um with the parent withdrawals we have been meeting with them and just kind of give them that that comfort comfort
033of understanding what the test is. They have to be tested anyways. So, we'd like for them to, you know, see where that where they're at. Right now, we just um like a practice test, answer the questions, what do you need? And then from that data, we'll use that. What do we need to do in the classrooms to encourage them to be more proficient? This is just um you can see where we are. Um CTMS is the orange on the bottom. You can see it kind of um was high then it dipped. It kind of goes up and down. We did have um the previous year in 24 was high and we we went down quite a bit but I feel once again um I feel that we're intentional with the data that we have and
034what we understand our students and how we can help them. Um I'm hoping with the intentional assistance um that it's going to help our students. We can already see um again we're looking at map data um and Miss Nuno our um SEI teacher she was very happy how far how much the kids have come um on their assessment along going into classrooms you can see more English being spoken I have a student that only speaks Spanish very little English and so he'll want to talk to me in Spanish I'm like no the deal is you speak to me in English I'll try in Spanish so we can learn from each other so he will um he's funny he makes sure He comes to see me every day and he tries in Spanish. I'm like, "I
035don't understand. You need to tell me in English." And he's like, "I miss." But he still it's a good relationship. So, with all of that going on and and piling the new program and um Azella and the TLA support, we have some games. Um we have things just simple what an elementary student would do, but we don't put it as elementary. But you need to blend, you know, what is what are the sounds? and then you you sound them out and you blend them together. And so we have all different levels. We have some that you would never think they were e um but there's something in the in the language or in another area that we've seen through the data and how are we pinpointing what they need so they can become proficient. You
036can see here um same same kind of theme um for the AELA um easy sign only our eighth graders are tested. Um however I I really we put an emphasis um CTMS is in the school at 14. The state average is at 31. We're not where we want to be. Um and we did drop um but with the with the science we are really working together with vertical um content collaboration what's working what's not. We all understand that science test as technical as it is. It's a reading test. So, we're really being intentional with the voc academic vocabulary, understanding it, trying it, having the the um modules and and um what are they called? Come on, help me science people. Um experiments. Thank you. Gosh, I can see it in my head of a volcano
037exploding. So, sorry, my apologies. Um again, we were looking at map and we have for sixth, seventh, and eighth. Um, overall if I were to look at eighth grade, we're showing 41% proficiency in math. We obviously have strengths and weaknesses. Um, but we're really being intentional in science as well, that collaboration. They need to know and understand what the text is asking them to do before they can actually do that. So, we're hitting both ends, the vocabulary and the reading comprehension along with the science um content that they need to know. And sixth grade has a part, seventh grade has a part. It's just that eighth grade is only tested. But we want to make sure what does eighth grade need to be successful? We need to make sixth and seventh grade are are assisting
038as those years develop. The next one for uh goal three and four for our IEP um it's our um intervention. So really with tier two and three and we are really um ensuring um that we have whatever the student needs at that point in the classroom. we're really hitting the grade level, but there's always ways, especially when we're using standard space, you can tell what they're strong in and some weaknesses. So, we have a four-week rotation in cal hour. Um, it's the first period of the day. Um, and we are very very intentional um on how we we rotate those. We started the first round. Well, first we looked at the at cal hour and what do we want? So, we created a procedure exactly what we wanted. We started with a three-week rotation and
039then the teachers are like, "Wait, that's a little fast. Let's do a four-week rotation." So, we did that. Um, we started with our previous scores. The data that we had was our AASA. And so, we we grouped um the students. Then after that, we used our MAP data and then we shuffled them based on, you know, between what AASA plus what they had right now for for MAP and we shuffled them on their needs. um primarily in ELA and math, but we have science and social studies equally important. And then the teachers make that determination um whether they need reading more or math or they need to split it in between and they'll let the kids know. Um after that, we moved into formative and informative assessments. Teachers now understand their students. They can see
040where their strengths and weaknesses and then they made decisions based off of their assessments along with what the student is doing. Maybe they're a bad test taker. Okay, now I know this and I'm going to switch them here and give them some different strategies. Um, so I feel strong that the um, cal hour has really impacted us in a in a good way. Um, the students understand the purpose of it. Um, they know where they need to go. They've even asked, you know, can I go to this class because I feel more comfortable or I need extra assistance here. Um, one way that I'm proud they're advocating for themselves. Um, but they're the biggest thing is they're understanding what they understand and what they need extra help in and that embarrassment isn't really there because
041everybody's at different levels. You rotate all the time and so it's just been the intentionality of it has been really positive and the work the teachers do with the students has been really positive. So, um, I really feel that cab hour has been has been a good addition to our our school day. Um the next one that we have is um our attendance just like everyone and our behaviors. So when looking at the data um if you're not here you can't learn and if you're out of the classroom due to a behavior that's going to make it really difficult to learn as well. So um there were some high numbers of absences um last year and and I do last year to this year and I do the same time frame. And so on synergy
042I can put in, you know, the first day of school to right now. And so that's how I compare it. Um right now our attendance um is at 92%. It's not at 95 yet. Um we still have some time. Um and the previous year was 90%. Um not a huge growth, but it's growth. Um in sixth grade, we're averaging at 7.35, which is improvement of 1.76 from the previous year. Seventh grade is at 8.14, which is an improvement of 2.6 this year. And then eighth grade is um at 8.84 with an improvement of 1.01. We've been really intentional in our attendance. Um C hour, which I mean I'm lying. I'm sorry. CS club. Um we'll talk a little bit of the incentive for that, but it does hit our attendance as well. So there's a
043lot of incentive. I do give the attendance rate every day. Um, our students if they can hit 95, that's the goal. I'm not saying they can't be absent, but just because it's cold outside, they still need to come to school or they didn't prep for a test. And when I have my my quarterly goal setting with my students, I've had it every um I know they're not quarters, but after every break, we return just a refresher to remind us what our goals are and how we're doing. They need to see how they're improving. So, announcements every day, we talk about it. We give by grade level um an incentive. We give them a dress down. If they can make 95%, you get to dress down within the parameters of what we have. They love it.
044Um sixth grade has been kicking butt this week. Um November was a little iffy. Um but we've had some, very few, but we've had some. The entire school made it. So guess what? We get to wear jeans and something cool. Um, I mean, they still need to wear their lanyards, but it it's just something that doesn't cost us anything and they really like it. The kids will email me and then they'll come up like, "Miss, what is our attendance?" I don't know. The day's not over yet. So, um, it it really is a good incentive for them and just to know where they are and we talk about the reason why you need to be here. If you're absent, we understand for certain reasons. Um, but it's just not all the time. Once it becomes
045an issue, we've been calling home. Miss Levet, our behavioral coach, she uh has had a lot of parent contact, like, "Hey, what what is the issue? How can we help?" Um, and just with the phone calls that we've just had recently when we came back to school, like you had 46 tardies. What's up? They're like, "Oh my gosh, once you get that number there, they're they kind of realize and said it." They don't time goes by, they're not really noticing. Um, so that has been an a help as well. Um, on goal four, it's behaviors. um they tested me being new um to to middle school and you know um I have some different expectations and um but one of them was our current eighth grade was I know they were they were difficult the
046year before and so we I even told them this just last time I you know they had I didn't tell them before but um they had a bad reputation like oh my god these these kids coming in, God bless their soul, eighth grade, because it was horrible. Um, and they have proven us wrong. They have been really, really good. I mean, there was a little like, who's going to win, Miss Ketta or the or not about winning, right? But do I really, are you going to follow up? If I don't wear my lanyard or if I say something, are you really going to call me and call me out on what my behavior was? And I did. Um, and we have actually developed lots of good relationships. So, one student that was kind of a
047misbehavior. He had asked the teacher yesterday to come my office. I'm like, "What's up?" Like, "What do you mean?" I just wanted to tell you, you know, remember I told you my mom's going to have a baby? Well, she had a baby and she's just talking. I'm like, "Hey, we need to work on your your um tardies." He's like, "Miss, I'm really trying." I'm like, "Okay, so let's get your parents to help you and then we can move forward." But it was nice. the kids that we kind of struggled in the beginning are now having these conversations because the relationships have built. Um it wasn't you have a consequence. I'm the first student. It's let's see what happened. Why did this happen? Do you understand why it's not allowed at school? Okay, can we move
048forward? It's okay to make mistakes. Let's not make the same ones over and over again. Um and so um I can say right now our discipline is much lower. Um so we are down from last year from you know whenever whatever was locked in synergy. Um quite a big difference. Um last year total there were 348 logs of discipline. This year we have 127. Um there are consequences and you need to have those sometimes and have to be logged in. Um but again those conversations the kids the kids get it. It's not just your suspended goodbye. It's hey, let's talk. You did this. This is the consequence, but let's talk about how we're going to fix that. And so when they come back, if it's a a suspension, we have a little re-entry like, hey,
049all right, this was what you had. We're not going to do that. We're good. Okay, go ahead and go out. So, that's been good. Um, so far, our sixth graders are at only 27 incidents, seventh grade at 46, and eighth grade at 54. Um, I just want to attest, you know, it's not me and I have my team here. um that's making these changes. It's all of us working together um and really having those conversations. So, you can see that in attendance um the growth that's happening as well as the decrease of of behavior issues. Um the last the last one um we talked well I kind of went over it. I'm sorry I went ahead of myself. Um the negative behaviors. Um yeah, so we we had a behavior decrease. Um it was high
050for the entire year was at 23% last year and our goal is to get it less than 10%. Um if I look at at my last year to this year from the same time um from Janu I'm sorry from August to January in 2425 it was there was 68% discipline locked. Um this year from August to January we have 24.7. So, it was a decrease of 43.3. We haven't met our goal. Right now, we're at 14.7. Um, but we're getting there. And so, I I do feel like you go on the campus and you can feel like we're all good. It's a it's a nice place to be. The kids like it. We're we're happy that they're here. Um, so when you feel comfortable and you know, like I'm just going to follow the rules.
051I'm not going to speed because, you know, I'm going to get caught. Um, it just makes it a better environment for all of us. So, I'm really proud of the students and the staff. We have the yellow binder with the steps and we're going through and the teachers are logging contacting parents and we're putting in the contact log. So there's no break in communication. If a parent says, "I don't know where my child is. They've never done anything." I can go in the contact log and say, "Oh, well, on this day, this day, this day, this day, you had conversations together." Um, on the flip side, if they don't put that, it just puts me out a lot. So, I always tell my teachers, "Document, please put it in there because then I can help
052you." Um so the the one of the last things I just um kind of organized it into the groups that we have um and what we're doing to move forward with that. Um we have our standards for student achievement and growth. We have our standards based data trackers with student ownership of progress. Um we have had pockets of teachers create the standards priority standards data trackers for the students and this year we said we're going to do it this year. So the first semester we didn't have it. We were just kind of understanding. I had some new staff. I was trying to figure out like what is it? How is it? Um and but um some of my teachers worked on their own time and developed exactly what it is. It has, and I'll show
053you a picture, but it has the standard, the first assessment, if they need to take a retake, did they did they learn it, and then they could take a second retake. This is the kids put that in and they color code where they're at. Um, a one, two, three, or four. And it really is powerful. They're like, "Oh, I was really good at this, but I kind of struggled in that." Um, now that they know when they go to CA hour, tutoring, whatever. Um, they know their strengths and weaknesses and they can advocate for themselves. Uh we have our launch team focused on small group instruction and data monitoring. Um we think small group instruction a lot of times in the elementary level it just is like a natural thing you can see but it's
054really important for our um secondary students. Um so we hit you know um I was able to sub a math class and gosh I haven't done equations in a while but I did it right. I looked so we did it correctly. But I had kids like we did some on the board together and these are what my teachers are doing. Um, okay. You guys got it. You're good. All right, you can go where you you need to get some extra help. All right, come up here. Obviously, layout would look a little different. Be, you know, teacher preference. Um, but it's a safer way. Like, if I need help, I need help. I don't get it yet. Um, word problems, the same thing just just in all different areas. Um, some of my we've al already
055had teachers visiting teachers. Um, our eighth grade and some of our other grade levels. Um they went they view Mountain View, they went to Mountain View and spent a day at Mountain View looking at these the centers rotation, the purpose. Um their instructional coach shared with our our teachers the purpose and what do you do and then they saw it in action and then some of their teachers came and shared um how they how they get that done. Um so it's more attainable. So the goal this year for that is you need to try try it. If it doesn't work, okay, make some notes and try something else. You want Miss Beach to come in to model it, Miss Beach can come in. You want to go see something, they're requesting the high school. So,
056we have something scheduled looking at at the high school level. They can kind of adjust as they need. Um, but we have some great teachers everywhere. So, we want to learn from them as well as implement this for our students. Um, we have after school tutoring and cab hour for intervention and extension, our MAP growth celebrations to reinforce academic progress. Um, this is going well. They we had um they have to meet or exceed their projected proficiency, meaning I got to see that growth. Um and they've been really cute. Um they come up all excited. Miss I met Michael or And then one kid, they were in a group and the girls were all excited and the one male student, he's like I was like, "What about you? What did you get?" I met but
057I didn't meet. We said, "Hi, you met like that was the whole movie." Um and then we have something missing. went down one. But obviously they're humans and the teachers once we have all the data which is going to be next Friday their celebration. Um we're going to see like oh I get it. It was kind you know I know the kid. I'm going to give it to them or like rapid guessing was out of control. I'm sorry but you're not going to get to participate unfortunately. Um we have our instructional quality and teacher effectiveness targeted uh staff PD aligned to what the teachers need. um empower evaluation and walkthroughs with only rubric aligned feedback. I did get into um every classroom using the empower is really really good. Um and my goal is to
058get in at least three more times before the end of the year. I have one more round of some formal observations but I let all staff know. Um I will be getting into classroom from approximately 15 to 20 minutes and you I will make your notes in the empowered so then we can have those conversations. Um, I think this is probably the best evaluation or um, postconference meetings I've had with teachers. Um, there's a rubric. It's black and white. This is where you're at. Um, and you can see like if it's a one or a two, it's teacher directed. But on the rubric, if it's a three or four, it's what the students can do. So, I've had to have some tough conversations like, oh my gosh, you're doing all the work. Great job, but
059you're at a two. Why? Because the kids need to be doing it. And so we've had that opportunity where Christiey's been able to get in the classrooms to do some some modeling, some team teaching, going around and looking and we have great teachers on our campus to kind of get some different ideas. But it is really powerful, but it's not an I gotcha. It's hey, we can improve. What do you need? I think a timer. All right, we're going to order one. Whatever those those items may be. So I I really feel strongly I think it's it's a good program for us. Um, I already mentioned kind of the instructional coaching. Um, and then ongoing review and refinement of instructional system and procedures. We went over a lot of procedures and systems that we wanted
060to adjust, get rid of and put new. Um, but we always go through them periodically to make sure are they meeting our needs. Um, we know cab hour needs a little bit of tweak. It's way more popular than I ever thought it would be. Um and so so we know there's just some things that we need to add so we can make the adjustments but on the procedures we already know that's a leadership topic and what do we need to do? Um student agency and school culture um we have given um student surveys to strengthen student voice and agency. We've asked them do you feel safe? Are you learning? Do you understand what it means? And so they've been giving us really good feedback. Um, and so we've been able to to implement some of
061those. They have some great ideas of how to improve. Um, and so they see that, you know, we noticed what you've had. Okay, here's what we're doing. This is the change. So, we're really trying to hit that student um agency and them using their voices appropriately. Um, we have the quarterly assemblies to review our goals, progress, and expectations. I think the one that we had um in January on the first day they came back, we um just we reviewed our goals. Welcome back. We had a red carpet. Oh, we're so excited that you're here. Um they actually liked it. Um one kid was like, "Is this really necessary?" Yes, absolutely it is. Um we had music and dancing and new um I wanted them to feel special again and hey, let's check it. We've got
062our goals. Are we there? This is what we need. We have another, you know, this is our semester, but we're huge. It's going to go fast. We need to be prepared. um a lot of encouragement. I I told them, you know, look at where we what we've done so far. Um and that's what I did tell the eighth graders like, "Guys, you were impressing me. I'm so proud of you. You know, you guys were like the class. I'm like, "Yeah, we know." I'm like, "But you proved us all wrong. That's awesome. Please continue proving us wrong." I can I can now say like, "Do I have the best students?" "Yes, I do." And now I can prove it because there's data. Um so they're seeing that. And then we have our our cast club as
063a high impact engagement incentive program. Um this has gone through the roof. What are we gonna do? So we put some criteria, grades, attendance, um tardies, absences, and they can get this green lanyard. And we do it every six weeks during the learning checks. Um they can get it. Maybe they had a bad second learning check. I remove it, but then they went really well, so I give it back. Um so they can earn those. And then each time they get a little pin, it goes from bronze to silver to gold. Um, this allows them to have front of the line at lunch, which they love. Dress downs on Fridays because they're elite. Um, and just some little like I'll do, you know, just things. I'm going to go and get some popsicles. And then
064they'll have, you know, just little things that says, "Wow, you're doing a great job." Um, I think this is probably the thing mostly that we get emails like, "Miss, when are we having the next learning check? Did I make it? Did I not?" I'm like, "Well, look at Synergy. Do you think you did it? I'll call you out." So, we're calling those kids out tomorrow. Um, but the thing I like about this is they take it very seriously. They love it. Um, I wasn't sure how it would work, but it's probably the best thing we've done. And, um, parents, um, Miss Ga, um, just so you know, we have a family emergency. We'll be out, but I really worry my child's still being cent. We made it. So, that that's been really great. Um and
065then we have our student of the month recogni recognition aligned to our portion of a graduate attributes. So even if they can't make all of this criteria, we look at all other things and we try to encourage positively what they are doing because if they didn't make it, they didn't make it yet and and they do work hard and we we put that into account for the effort. Um then we have our attendance, behavior and wellness. Um we really focusing monitoring our attendance parties and behavior. We have support for attendance and counseling needs outside of school. And then we have attendance celebrations and incentives. Again, that goes with this. Not that they can't be absent. We don't want them if they're not feeling well and we do understand things family things happen, but when we
066start to see a trend, that's when we we start calling those kids out. Um, and the last thing, family and community engagement, site council meetings, family communication, focus on attendance, behavior celebrations, um, our newsletters, our social media, and our emails go out, both positive and just informational. We want to make sure um, we send emails to the students and the the parent when they receive it. It's just something they're they're excited and it keeps all of us together for our goals. Um, so these are just some pictures. Pictures are worth a thousand words. Um, so you can see some things that Cavs Club. Um, you can see the data. I don't know what this Oh, I don't know if it works. Um, you can see the data tracker. You can see the different colors and
067they have the stat. You can they can click on that and the proficiency scale comes in so they can see what they have to do. Um, we have a tardy and attendance procedure. Um, we have our cab hour what it looks like. You can see a picture of one of the teachers. She's doing a project and she's showing each week what they need to be doing. It was something new for her. Didn't work out at the first time. She redid it and then it worked out really well. And so the kids know what they need to do and so if they're ready for week two, they can be ready, but if they're still at week one, well, let's let's pay attention and get it get it going. And she does those checks. Um, you can
068see a picture of our cast club. Um, you can see our students collaborating together. I think it's those three boys. Um, they're working they were working on a Google slide for a presentation. and I was sitting at a table next to them and they were like super into it and talking and they didn't know about it and and so that was the computer but on another side they were doing um a a station manipulative why so it wasn't on the computer um you can see the assemblies um you can see our student our um site council um some collaboration thank you we have those um interactive notebook makingings that's one that was one of our PDS that we we had Um, thank you Miss Miss Vasquez and um your daughter. Thank you. Uh, I know
069cuz my kids had Miss Vasquez and I knew Yil from teaching or working at Calabasas and I'm like, you guys, we need to start doing this. Have more interactive. How boring to be on the computer all time all the time. So, um, teachers have been slowly doing that. Next year we'll put it as whole school, but this year there's a lot. So, I want you to try. I want you to practice. um we've been able to Miss Beach has been able to upload into our our um our um resource page. So, you have that and the copies and things are available. Um so, it's just it's just been really really good. Um and I'm just going to close. Um I'm sorry if I overspoke, but um this whole year, I mean, last year, okay, we
070get it. This year, I I I know we're going to be better. Um, but just to keep the the teachers um I don't know if you've heard of a glimmer um but it's the opposite of a trigger. Glimmers are the those moments in your day that make you feel joy, happiness, peace, or gratitude. Once you train your brain to be on the look for glimmers, these moments will appear more and more. And it's my favorite picture. There's this seventh grade boy um doesn't like to socialize so much. We have the privilege of having him preschool. So he goes to the library and gets picture books. Um Kelvin and Hobs and he reads to the preschool kids when they're at his lunch and they're at at we monitor. Nothing inappropriate. We have a relationship with the
071preschool. But it was super cute. Like he was literally there. Um and then you know nice words go a long way. Um we just got got on Saturday um some of my teachers parents sent us a letter. I just want to take a moment to sincerely thank you for all that you do. My student has truly had a great school year so far and it's very evident of how much care, dedication, encouragement you put into your students every day. Despite facing ongoing medical issues, my child remains motivated, is setting personal goals and generally wants to come to school every day. As a parent, that means everything to me. I know it is a reflection of the supportive, positive environment you have created for her. Um, thank you for your patience, understanding, commitment, helping her grow
072both academically and personally. Your impact goes far beyond the classroom. Our family is truly grateful. So, I always remind my staff, yeah, there's a lot of challenges, but look for those glimmers. Um, focus on our data, look at the improvement, don't get caught in the now. Um, see what we have and we're going to make it better. So, in the end, I I I have strong hopes. not hopes. I know we're going to make it. Um that's not going to happen again um this year. Um my team, Miss Buzzel is a representative, but my teachers and my staff are amazing. Thank you to my right-hand mans, Miss uh Levet. Thank you for giving me a behavioral coach full-time. I greatly appreciate it. Um and then Miss Beach as my instructional coach. We're pretty dynamic on
073hitting all our areas and supporting the students and our staff if we need to. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Uh no questions. Just uh want to say that it looks like you're doing everything uh you're going in the right direction to get to where you want to be, where you where you should be. any it looks like you're doing it on all levels academically with attendance with uh the discipline and it looks like those incentives are really working for you. So good luck to you and I'm sure you will get there to where you want to be. >> Thank you Mr. >> Yeah, I just want to echo what Miss Lara said. I mean this is where we're at. This is where we want to be and this is how we're going
074to get there, right? So yeah, I appreciate that. >> Look forward to the next one. Uh, Mr. Ramirez, >> I always feel like calling you. It's definitely >> uh, thank you for the presentation. You're obviously you're very organized like always. >> Appreciate that. Um, one thing that you said tonight is you said that there were things that were out of your control. So like what kinds of things are out of your control? >> I'm going to specifically hit eighth grade math. Unfortunately, teacher shortage. um long-term subs weren't a right fit for teaching the curriculum. We thought we really had a good online program. Um we went with a program that had a live teacher and then an aid. Unfortunately, that did not go well. Um that company had in-n-out rotation teachers. Um and I mean
075that that was such low percentage in math. Um I know Mr. Loves and that team did everything they could. It was just a very unfortunate event. Not that we chose it, but that's what we had. Um, and so this year we're not with that. I do have last minute I had all hires. Um, a teacher never called back once she was hired. Um, or that we recommended her and that was last minute. So, um, I was able to get a long-term sub. Um, but I'm using Edgenuity. That's not the best either, but that's the best we have. Um, and we're very intentional on that assistance and understanding what the program is and having some different resources on the outside such as Khan Academy and things to help those I'm sorry to help those kids um,
076understand the content. That's what I mean about that. >> You hit upon one thing I was going to ask you which was Khan Academy because I'm a big fan of it. >> Yeah, we use it. >> So that's good. Yeah, >> I'm sure. I mean, you push it with all the people that have been there because I remember I mean wasn't pushed so hard. It was just individuals that were really making a difference and pushing it hard. >> So, >> we really hit that during cal hour um and tutoring. Um during the class, we did adopt a new math curriculum this year. So, I have asked them, you know, be fidelity to that and and find what's working and not. It's the first year. Um, but we know when those kids are extra low or
077even if they're higher, they need something and that's a good resource. So, >> how do you know that they're using Khan Academy? Your math teachers. >> I go in the classrooms and I talk to them and I see it. >> You see it? You actually physically see that they're >> Yeah, they're on the computer when they have different groups in cab hour. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And it's not every day. I'm not going to lie. It's not every day that they use it, >> but it is being utilized. >> Okay, fair enough. Um, map testing. >> What's the purpose of us having MAP testing? >> It's an intram assessment. Um, and MAP is very different from Galileo. I use Galileo. >> I know what it is. >> Yeah. >> Can everybody hear why we
078continue to give MAP testing? Because it's not a grade level test. >> You want me to address it? >> So, MAP has actually made a lot of updates. They now give the majority grade level questions and now we can do get like proficiency ratings. That's how she can predict you know the proficiency. So they've made a lot of updates. Why do we do it? It's be it's in order to measure growth and proficiency on those state standards. >> Well, I didn't know that they had this grade level component to it anymore. I'd like to see that actually someday like to maybe go to school and go see that. But that's about because when I was there it was just wasn't a grade level test. It didn't have any sort of thing. And I used to
079always wonder why is it that we're giving this test if we're trying so hard to get our kids to pass these standardized tests and it's not a grade level test. >> To me, it just seemed like okay, it's just showing where the teacher starts and where they end and their growth. Okay. Yeah, they better person that's just within them but not it's not helping toward the testing which is a big goal to get a better score and so forth >> and and just um I've been out of the schools for two years but what I can see in the updates um it does show um in multiple graphs and in different ways it shows where they are. Alo something called the learning continuum. If they're a seventh grader, but they have a hole in a
080certain area um that's at a third grade level, we can see what that weakness is and then during our interventions, we can fill in those gaps um while they're still being tested at the grade level. I mean, learning the grade level, but that's where we have calour that's really helping. Um we just had an individual from Texas come out and she did a PD for us to understand all the updates and the reports and how to utilize them. um on the 5th. Um it was a three-hour training and the teachers really appreciate it. And so this tomorrow during our PD, it's digging into the data of our MAP assessments and I have a slight presentation to help them some guiding questions and then just how to navigate that decision part. >> You can also put
081your map data into KIGO Khan Academy and it gives students tailored support. >> Okay, that's great. I'm a big believer in Khan Academy. That helps out a lot. So I remember when John was running the school when he was running Calabasas, I used to even go there on the weekends and try to help the kids. Get some extra hours in the Khan Academy. It was great. It made a difference. We ended up getting a B I think that year, but I mean wasn't just because of that, but because there's a whole group effort by all of us, >> including Miss Vasquez. We're all there trying our hardest to get that grade up. But um what else? Oh, the behavior. You said that something dropped from 68% to 23%. How specifically was that though? >> I
082did an average. So, when you put it in, it could be disruption, it could be defiance, it has different categories, and I just lumped all of them together. I didn't show you like aggression or anything. Um, and that has decreased. So overall the behaviors that are reported into synergy that we we put in the system, I can run a report to see what is it and I toggle between last year and this year to see if what we're doing is making enough room or not. That's one way to check it. >> Okay. All right. Thank you again for your presentation. Appreciate. Oh, one last thing I wanted to say to superintendent. Uh, I know that you and your team work hard with uh regard to um recruitment. It's not an attack or anything like that.
083I know you guys work hard, but I was just wondering if there's anything else that we could do because God, it seems from what I read in the paper, it just gets worse and worse every year. I I think my gosh, you know, it's we live in a rural district. It's hard to find good people to come down and they keep them. That's the other one. Sometimes they just use our in our district as training grounds to move somewhere else. It's terrible. we have this transient kind of population >> and and that's a you know an issue again the numbers just came out uh recently for an update um and over a thousand people have left the job since Jan or since June um so they updated the January numbers and so it's it's over
084a thousand people left the profession um that were in the teaching positions and then left during the first semester so it's something that we're very cockant of um you know Uh that Karen is is is mapping our recruitment plan looking at how we could continue. We're um working as we mentioned on a lot of um pathway program trying to develop that Miss Clark Randy as part of her new role working with long-term substitutes because I think that's going to help us um is that long-term substitutes before just given the position and then the principal and the assistant principal or instructional coach said okay help them as you can. Um, now there is a focus where we have that individual that actually works with them, provides professional development. Um, so it it does they're tutoed as
085a as a new teacher, as a novice teacher, so that they have that instructional support from the TLA office. And so, so we're doing a lot of things that are hoping to not only recruit but retain our individuals and give pathways to those that are in our community because we know that as you mentioned getting people to move here, can we grow our own? And I think that's going to be probably the bigger effect for us is to continue to grow our own versus continue. Even though we're going to recruit, we're going to continue to recruit, but growing our own is going to be essential. Um, and then the other issue is that in the future, um, foreign teachers is going to be very difficult with the $100,000 requirement for H1 visas now. Um, so
086we we can't pay that. We there's no way that we can pay $100,000 to have a foreign teacher come in. So, that's something that we're going to have to continue to address. But I I've said it before, one of the possible benefits of uh school districts downsizing is that there's probably going to be in the next three to five years more teachers um because they're losing positions. So for instance, uh Chandler just uh which is the largest district in Arizona, one of the largest two districts um just are letting go of 120 teachers this this semester. They just announced that because of their million dollar deficit that they're facing. Um so >> we have all their names, right? >> We talked about is is sending, you know, recruitment in those areas where um they're downsizing.
087You know, um school districts again across the state are not only seeing teacher shortage but also seeing student shortage because the the birth rates and everything aren't really hitting school districts. And so it's um an opportunity we see for us to then recruit those of hey we're a stable district and here is an opportunity for you to to grow and be supported with instructional support. So but it's it's a great question. Those uh foreign uh foreign teachers the ones that we have now are they grandfathered in or they got to reapply? >> Yes they are. But if their if their visa um expires then there's a possibility that we would have to allow them to go back and not be able to keep it. But we have uh been working with our attorney to make
088sure that we're on top of that, asking for waiverss. Um and we think because there is a teacher shortage that we might be able to um keep some, but at the same time, we're not sure. I mean, it's it's unknown. >> Yeah. I would like to see is somehow another track the people the kids from our community that go out and get into public education so that maybe we could convince them to come back instead of them just kind of wandering off into other districts because we all know that we can get people who have lived here before to to work here. They tend to stay a lot longer than individuals that come say from Michigan or some other part of the country. >> Yeah. And and that's one of the things that that we're
089working on. um is with Miss Clark and and the pathways program is having the ability for our students that um hopefully get an associates degree that they can go into the pathways program with our district and start um that profession. So that's one of the things that we're looking at is is how can we um keep students incentivized that they're going into education already given the opportunity to be here um and go through a program with us. >> Thank you Kim. >> Anything else? >> Thank you. You're welcome. >> You're probably getting tired up there. So, make my shirt. >> Uh, yeah. During our walkthroughs, I was talking to students, you know, as they're walking by and I say, "How's Miss Ker?" She's tough, mister. She's tough. >> Another one, how's your new principal? Oh,
090she's all over campus, mister. It's like, you know, and I wouldn't classify it as tough. I I would say you're very firm but fair. >> Thank you. Yep. And I think uh you're holding the students accountable and uh you know and that sort of helps maintain that that discipline, the attendance, etc. Uh as we walk through your classrooms, talk to your teachers, long-term subs, uh and they say, "No, you're in the classroom checking on them, seeing how they're doing outside the the formal observation." And I think uh when you talk about teacher retention, you know, that that building that family, building that communication with your teachers, showing them that you care uh will help keep teachers at your site. So So kudos to you of what we heard at through our walkthroughs. >> Okay. Uh
091let's see what else. What else? What else? Looking at the data, it seems like it's driving your decisions. You know, you got your action plan you're putting in place and you're moving forward. So looking to see what next year's results are, you know. >> So good job and thank you for your presentation. >> Yeah. Same thing with like everybody said, just kind of piggyback on everything. You know, it it it's very um for us when we do go into the, you know, into the classrooms and into the, you know, the different schools and all of this stuff, we get to, you know, one-on-one with the kids, you know, without any, you know, and even with the teachers and stuff like that. And and again, you know, like he said, you know, you're you're you're there,
092you're visible, you're you're always, you know, around and the kids know, you know, what that they can count on you and on your and on your people, you know, and that was, you know, really really interesting, you know, and stuff. So, and again, you know, the kids are like all they want to please you guys. Okay. So that makes you know that makes it for a you know for a well-rounded one of the things that I don't understand is that why were the changes what happened that made it you know go down so much you know >> I I looked at the data um change what happened >> no definitely not but we need to not do that >> and we I mean I looked and and had some like my leadership team a little
093bit deeper my team leads um and the way that we make decisions is collectively I mean, ultimately it's me, but um I don't ever want to do something that others are like, "Wait, that's not going to work." So, we really listen to each other. We have strong communication. Um they're not afraid to say, "Hey, this is I don't think this is working." All right, let's meet. Let's let's fix it. And if we can fix it right now, we will. And if it's something I have to put on my my sheet of things that we need to adjust for next year, we will. Or that conversation, this is why we do what we do. Oh, I didn't see it that way. Okay, then we'll keep it that way for now. Um, but I do feel um
094my three C's, uh, collaboration, communication, and consistency are >> um, and I hold myself accountable for that as well. >> Yeah. And I would say just some of the question, you know, Mr. S here, but the, uh, staffing changes, we had a large retirement, right from that site. Yeah. Um, and you know, that's historically been one of our sites that had continuous people. And we know that when you have a stable staff that that generally produces, um, good results as long as they continue to grow and improve. And so there was a lot of turnover that site had not seen before. Um, so they went from the highest rate they ever had to lowest rate they've ever had. Great. So, so it's it's something that, you know, that they'll be >> back. And one of
095the things that we always >> No, I have I have faith that I I know that it's gonna bounce back. >> I'll talk about is is the the system in Arizona is set up for is very it's not easy, but it's easier to get a higher grade, but then that next year it's very difficult to maintain it. I know >> it's going to because it there's such an emphasis on growth and so if you have that large growth that you're you're going to have to get to proficiency or have those students even grow more. So it's it's the system is set up for a little bit of a bounce back and so um hopefully we see that big bounce back this year. I know >> then m maintain and that's one of the the graphs
096that you saw and historically has been you know probably our most stable um school site even through co um because we saw all the other sites during COVID drop drastically um they stay stable so I know they'll bounce back. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Thank you very much for the presentation. Appreciate it. Thank you and thank you for all your hard work people. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. All righty. Next thing. >> Moving on. Superintendent report. Mr. Verdugo. >> Thank you. I just have a a few items I'd like to share. Um and that Andra shared with measure Rotary Club's 11th annual bikes for tikes uh was on December 20th and were there um and I think they gave out 60 bicycles to our students. Um and thanks to the uh Rigo Fire District
097um also was involved with giving out helmets. Um so appreciate that. Um, so that that was a great thing that our brother continues to do, you know, support our uh community, our students. We appreciate every but some photos of that kids so excited with their and their helmet and so forth which are great. Also, the the last time we had the white elephant checks um so which was a grand total of 89,000 compared to 87,000 last year. So that was a significant um amount of dollars that go into our uh classrooms for support and so we thank the White Elephant and also want to thank all of the staff that goes and volunteers throughout the summer. I think that's why we continue to see them support us is because our team goes and does volunteer
098work with the White Elephant. So they they continue to to do that. So they continue to support us. Um also want to congratulate all the the sports teams as they they finish out uh their seasons coming up the stretch run. The first rankings were out and I haven't seen the rankings today with all the sports, but today was the first rankings. So, I don't know where we're going with that. Um, but I never to fight for the playoffs and then also welcome back everybody from the new year and congratulations on president and new. >> Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Uh, governing board uh member report, Miss Dear. >> Um, yes. Although I have not seen it in person, I was able to see it on social media.
099The painting that mural. >> Yes, we want to Our class dish is beautiful. It's just beautiful. So, I wanted to congratulate Mr. Griha and the students. It was two ladies and I think the young man is his son if I'm not mistaken, but I did see him on social media and it's just a beautiful it's amazing. So, very proud, very very very impressed. And then I was also uh very excited to have been part of the ASBA conference where I got to see uh Mr. Veru and Miss Vasquez uh received their award. So congratulations on that. And that's just that that's basically it for me. >> Thank you very much. Uh Mr. >> Apologize for one last thing. I want to congratulate Miss Vasquez that uh she had won the board award from she also
100won a copious circle of excellence award for her lifetime achievement. I know. I know. It was Yeah, it was great. It was great. Thank you, uh, Mr. Guerrero. >> Yeah, thank you. Um, I also got to be a part of the conference. It was a great conference. Um, I love going at a conference. You learn a lot. spend time with you guys, get to know everybody a little bit better, and uh definitely learn a lot about my role as a board member as well. >> Um, and it was great to see you guys recognized. It was it was pretty special. >> So, that's all I have. Congratulations. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. Ramirez. >> Yes, I want to congratulate you for being the the president again. I was only teasing
101you, of course, you know that just good nature ribbing, you know, nothing else. And I wanted to congratulate both of you for all the hardware you guys got this year. Maybe maybe you guys have a hard work. >> So good job and good job representing not only you know community everybody just just the schools in general. You guys have done a good job >> and uh and it's you know that's a big thing. It's no that's not small potatoes. It's big. >> Yeah. Not every day have people get recognized in your community like that in your district. Um, yeah, I thought the ASBA conference was pretty cool. I enjoyed hearing John Hajj. >> Oh, yeah. >> He was very moving. the way he talked about crazy Ernie. And uh one of the things that really
102I think I took away that meant something was how he said that our greatest asset our caring adults because as we all know I mean you can have all the workshops and do all the stuff and hand everything from down from up above down to everybody but some people are just really love their subjects and they are very caring and they make a difference. You know, one I've always been one to say what a person can make a difference, you know, >> if they put their mind to it, because a lot of people feel like they just get lost in the fold, you know, an individual. They feel like, oh, I'm getting up, but I'm not, you know, just the run-of-the-mill thing in my job. So, for anybody out there that's working for our district,
103don't give up. principles, many teachers are hearing or maybe you'd like to take that message back. I'd appreciate it if you would as principles and assistant principles if you just tell them that hey don't you know the governing board feels like I hope I could say this safely for everybody but we feel like you're not you're not sometimes they feel like they're not appreciated or they're not coming up here to our governing board meetings and being recognized and stuff like that but yet you know they're those quiet heroes in the classroom that are always just plugging away and getting things done and making a difference. So, I'd appreciate if you would tell them that, hey, you do make a difference. Sometimes we don't talk about you, but you make a huge difference and and a
104big impact. So, I appreciate that. And then it was really funny because just on a side note, the guy was talking about his uncle and that his uncle used to make Tang and his his name was Moses because every time you drank his Tang, it would set you free. He was a funny guy. Was very spirited speaker. I enjoyed him a lot and I learned a lot at that conference. So, thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you, Mr. >> Yeah, same. Superintendent Verdugal, you're recognized for uh the Arizona ASA National Superintendent of the Year. Big schools. >> So, you know, kudos. I know they all said it, but I'm going to say it again. >> We got them sitting right here. And Miss Vasquez, also your Cognia Excellent and Education Award. How many years teaching?
105>> Oh, yeah. 44 in the school system. >> 44 in the school system. If you add these, these are 47. >> The congratulations award was well. These are 44 years. >> Yeah. Uh probably touched a lot of students hearts. I know. >> You know, it made a difference. Uh let's see. At the conference, one of the speakers were talking about data is uh was talking about getting the students involved in looking at state assessment data, asking them what they see, having them come up with solutions and and how to succeed or how to uh uh look at the data and what they can do to to improve it. So, I I think that goes back to that ownership. You know, sometimes as teachers, you're going to do it this way because that's what Mr. Beach
106says. Okay. But that uh this speaker actually said you know let the students see the data let them decide let them you know participate in that process. Uh another motivational speaker that uh Mr. Ridus was talking about this guy came from like the hood. >> Yeah. >> And he said that one or two teachers that made a difference in his life and he showed a chart that students are that teachers that actually went to the house. Why aren't you attending school? teachers that actually uh went above and beyond. And it showed these are the people that got the education, doctor, lawyer, motivational speaker, etc. And these are the ones that took the alternative path. 18 years incarcerated, deceased, deceased, >> 10 years incarcerated. And it just took one or two teachers to believe in those
107hard knock kids coming off the the block or coming off the hood. So, uh, if you have a teacher that made a difference in your life, make sure you tell them and, uh, I'm sure they'd appreciate that. >> But about all righty. Okay. Well, same that every everybody said, also, congratulations, Mr. Verdugo. It was it was great to be at the at the at the um at both of them. There was two places that we went. So, um, the ASPA and the other one was a ais. Okay, that one. Okay, that those were it was very educational. Okay, I always like to go to those things because you learn so much, you know, from these motivational speakers and and you find out a lot of things that, you know, it's not easy what we do,
108you know, because it's not, you know, and and um and we are a lot of us are very very much invested yet it doesn't it seems like nobody notices but then something happens and you're like, "Oh, wow." You know, they did notice, you know, and and stuff. So, you know, um, you know, I think that everybody's doing, you know, a fantastic job, you know, with what we're doing, with what we're trying to do, and and we're trying to really pinpoint, you know, what how can we help our students more. What else can we do, you know, to make our our students, you know, succeed and and, you know, go above and beyond. So, um, you know, it's just I I really appreciate everything that everybody does and and again, everybody said a lot of things
109that I was going to say, but, um, but thank you very much to all of you, you know, to all of the principles and all the assistants and everybody that, you know, the teachers and everybody that even the people that do the grounds because those sometimes talk to the kids and and they make a difference, you know, I know that, you know, they do make a difference. So, congratulations to everybody and just, you know, let's let's end this with, you know, with a bang, you know, and let's keep us uh on top and make our kids, you know, even better than what they can what they are. So, it's mine. Thank you. >> All righty, Mr. Let me see. Next, moving on. Information, discussion, action, release of contract of Mr. Robert Nicholas, Mr. Venovo. >>
110Thank you. received a letter from Mobus that stated that this is going back into law enforcement officer but due to all the need for him to serve again he's going back into law enforcement. So I Mr. Flo's recommendation was to wave to accept his his resignation um and release from contract but also wave uh the $1,000 because it is a life-changing event that is occur at this So they need any questions. >> Okay. Any questions about this any questions, Mr. Ramirez? >> No. So we're not going into exact session to discuss. I recommend not it's up to you. We >> No, I have none. >> No, Mr. I have none either. I I also um agree with the you know with the with what they were saying because he is going to be staying you
111know in in law enforcement and so it's you know I think that we should wait. serving our community. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> All righty. Do I have a motion? >> Motion to release Mr. Robert Nicholas from his 2025 2026 contract and assess >> I mean wave liquidated damages in the amount of $1,000. >> Second. >> Okay. All righty. Uh any questions? Anybody? >> No. >> Okay. All those in favor say I. I >> I all those opposed? Nay. >> Okay. Eyes have it. Motion passes. He is next. Okay. Um let me see the policies. Uh possible motion to approve the policies. >> There's no no nothing. >> Nothing that we're going to move. >> I just will notify the board thaties that we'll be reviewing this um semester and the board um
112regarding leave. for updating some of our leave uh policies in it as well as ESAs for athletics. I know we have discussed a little bit about that, but um we don't change policies generally midyear. Um attorneys recommend that we don't do that unless something that um reasons um and so we will again just bring those towards the end of the school year so that that will be in place for next school year. >> All righty. So we move on uh propos and prioritize topics which this one C. >> Yes. and uh possible dates and times uh for future board meetings. Mr. Verdu, >> so you you approved the calendar tonight. >> Yes. And so we already have that one. >> And then some of the the updates I know shade structures, solar farm, I will
113give update meeting who is going to be doing some solar work for the district. Um so I will give the board an update once we get closer to that because I know Mr. has been asking for that. So we're looking at also she structure for the pool all of those things but I want to make sure and then south 32 that we're working on most of us on some type of committee with south 32 so we're getting close to approving an agreement u with a group that will be workforce development so I'll be given that as Also the solar forum certainly there's one that maybe that will be given FYI the next >> are there any other topics that you want to include? >> Well, we discussed the calendar. we improved the calendar, but I'd
114like for us to talk about what how we go about ending the semesters. Uh especially at Rio Rico High School where we give final exams because from what I understand things have changed since the day that Beach and I were there and we used to give final exams. You know, we would have the last three days and have a certain schedule where we had first, second, you know, three, four, five, six, >> and so forth. And so it just kind of I'm not sure whether this is the case or not, but I heard that there were we have all periods on every single day towards the end. So that's kind of that baffles me because I just remember that schedule and I'm wondering, you know, why we're not giving going back to that schedule that
115we used to have. I mean, have it in my school and it works. Yep. >> Do we need to put that on here or >> Yeah, we'll just add it as a a topic for the future. >> Thank you, sir. >> Thank you, Madam President. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you. All right. So, we don't have anything here. The consent agenda. >> Okay. Um, does anybody have any questions about the consent agenda? >> Any Oh, I'm sorry. I have to Okay, hold on. I got to read this. I know. >> Hi. Okay. Consent agenda. Any matter on the consent agenda will be removed from the consent agenda and discussed as regular agenda item or items upon the request of any board member. Anybody have anything to move? >> Mr. >> Just a comment that I'm
116I'm grateful to all the people that donate >> to our community. We're very grateful for any kind of thing that you donate. Appreciate it. was that it was we had a refrigerator one time somebody donated from California. >> Oh yeah, Mr. Veru donated all of his clothes. Just kidding. >> No, but remember that it wasn't supposed to come here or something. >> Oh, no. That's the only one. We came from California or something like that. Yeah, it was a stove, wasn't it? A stove. It was a huge stove. >> Yeah, from Santa Cruz, California. >> Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz. >> Yeah. Mr. Beach. I have nothing either. Okay. So, uh do we have a motion >> to approve and ratify the consent agenda as presented? >> Second. Okay. All those in favor say I. >>
117I. All those opposed nay. Eyes have it. Motion passes and we are adjourned at 6:54 p.m.