Board of Education Regular Meeting November 11 2025

001Sorry. There we go. Sorry. Say hi. >> Gone. All right, let's call this November meeting of the Archetta School District to order and we'll start with a roll call. >> Mr. Iverson >> here, >> Mr. Lynch here, >> Mr. Mackey here, >> Mrs. Shik here, and Mr. Taylor here. All right, everyone's present and now we'll do the pledge back there to the flag of the United States of America and to the stands one nation indivisibley andice for All right, we have an agenda before us here and we need a motion to approve or amend that we accept for the agenda as >> a motion. Do we have a second? I will second. Any discussion? >> Mr. Iverson. Hi >> Mr. L. >> Hi >> Mr. Mackey. >> Hi >> Mrs. Shik. >> I Mr. >>

002Hi. Hi I. >> Motion carries. So with that the agenda's been approved and now we we get to welcome the three board members who won their election. So there's an attack there. Thankfully speaks well of our board members. There wasn't opposition. That's uh certainly there's a lot of that around the state of the election. So community that I take that as a as an indication that the community's happy with what what we're doing, happy with the individuals. So now we get to square in each one of our new board members. Is there a script? >> Do they have the sit? >> Yeah. Don't I don't I >> want it. >> Okay. So So the procedure is just to read it >> aloud. Would someone read it aloud? Should be pausing and looking. >> Sure. >>

003You look at me. All right. Um, I >> Butch Mackey, >> uh, Tim Taylor who solemnly swear that I will faithfully perform the duties of the office of school director as required by law and will support the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Colorado, and the laws made pursuant there too. Welcome to another term. >> We have to sign it, right? >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Can we start calling you Ray? >> If you want me to answer, >> I just thought I >> All right. Well, very good. Now, at this time when elections happen for board season, that's the time we also go through a agree on our board officer roles and committee assignments. So, you've seen the nice materials got for us here that we we go through

004each each role in order and we've opened the Florida nominations. I think we we know that you can nominate yourself. You don't have to have a second. Anyone can run for anything. And we we have a a wonderful edible working board here. So changing roles is good too. We're all we're all sharing the burden, share the load with responsibility. So with that, I'll open the floor to nominations for the office of president. >> Well, in the spirit of not sharing the nominate you to say as president. Okay, that's that's one nomination. We can have others, right? Nominate one else a name out there. >> Seeing none. >> Yes. Then you will be elected present by acclamation. Work on this. All right. And then the next role is vice president. Currently occupied by Mr. Taylor. Um

005we open the floor to nominations for vice president. >> Look at me. >> I would uh nominate Tim Taylor as our vice president. >> No second necessary. Any other with that by acclamation? >> All right. Next is the board secretary treasurer. And Tim, you currently have both of those, right? Yeah. Secretary and treasure. just as of last year permission to speak then uh there was some discussion that I had with other board members that maybe you should be parsed out but if if discussion is allowed here um anyone I'm happy to give up one or both of those roles or keep both of them as they are and I think most of you know the what's required of them and the treasur will just surprisingly go to a couple banks sign off so you can

006write sign checks if necessary and and we were other officers. So that's it. So there's discussion about the happy >> you know you want I would like director sh secretary I think we should have. >> Thank you, Bob. >> That was that was heartfelt. I should Are there any other nominations? See none for something kind of about being the treasurer since we then we don't have to change things at the bank signatures. >> I'm happy to continue, but if somebody else wants Okay. >> Is it open for conversation at this time? The roles currently are ideally on a two-year rotation. Is that correct? >> That's correct. Do we have the opportunity to look at it annually if need be to come back at this time again next year to just touch base on current um

007office positions? How does anybody feel about it being revisited more frequently than every two years? >> I think it's board's prerogative to do that whatever whatever we want. It's it's required essentially it's kind of mandated that every at every election reestablish the rules but as a board we can say let's take a look at this each November >> yeah good idea >> okay that would be something that I would just kind of put out there so maybe just to keep on just conversation and again just touching points again I consider us extremely lucky the way uh that we professionally interact and treat each other and work within our community. But I just think continuously having open dialogue about that is just healthy. >> Well, certainly the assignments that we give each other if that doesn't

008work out for someone at any time at any meeting if we just put it on the agenda and discuss that. That's >> and so so now we have these committee liaison assignments. There be one more. >> I think I need to make a couple of uh appointments. one uh the assistant secretary which her header as the assistant secretary and then uh I guess Eric the treasure is doing all right the money I guess so that we'll keep it the way we've had it in the past >> so agreed and thank you for that thank you both for your framework. So we are going to do committee assessments right >> now we are >> thanking me on that. >> So with with those somewhere there's a list but we have the early childhood committee that attend

009this committee or the town has something called UR committee that meets once a year that I've been signing for. Not a lot is happy with that but there is the most representative man is the D representative and Amanda had indicated really really the legislative role stretch >> it is for me commitment at this time. Yes. So, let's come out. Let's talk about that. >> We have one other that's just recently started. It's the athletic advisory which is >> starting to do a set schedule for them. >> Is there is there a schedule a set for that? last Wednesday and our next one is January 11th. >> Once every two months >> unless something comes up as of right now. >> So maybe one way to come at this first is okay with you guys. Is

010there anyone in any role that you currently have that you'd like to say? I'd kind of like to shift it down that >> adoretic advisor. That sounds awesome. I would like to do that the Boseies. But I I want to ask more about what it is because I hear you guys needing to travel to Dando. Is that correct? that it's not a virtual meeting. >> It is a virtual meeting. It can be. Sometimes it's beneficial to be in person depending on the topic and sometimes it's very beneficial to be distance. It is always available virtually, but there are times just won't be. It helps to be there. It helps me. How often do you come >> over the course of a They don't meet as often as we do. There's no June July meeting. There's

011no like eight meetings a year. About one month during the school year, right? >> How often are you going to Durango? >> I best not >> Oh, okay. >> to go um unless I'm the designated superintendent who's supposed to attend. So we all rotate >> two have gone together when you've driven. >> Yes, >> that has happened. Um and then I also serve on the superintendent advisory council to both >> which is an advisor to the executive director board. >> Okay. Um, but I don't go to the post board meetings unless I'm invited or I think it's my benefit to >> So is it because like I would be interested in both if virtual meetings are expected and that meets the expectation. >> There's every other meeting. >> Exactly. I need to know why. I

012don't do it. >> So if it's not during I wouldn't even consider driving. >> Okay. So the only meetings I've ever driven to were in Durango. >> Okay. >> And you know it's but every meeting is a virtual meeting and there are some board members on there that only attend virtually 100% time. They've had a occasional word session or they they one year they had a meet and greet for everybody that was at the >> powerhouse building there and that was worth going over for you got to meet people. >> So like I said there's there's some board members that virtually attend every time. Wednesday night, second Wednesday of each month. >> Are we discussing our own board meetings? >> We are and we learn that which puts a wrinkle in. >> Okay, >> we'll

013talk about what our other options are, but it sounds like sounds like Wednesday's out. Well, the second Wednesday anyway just be upfront that the Boseis board has some work in front of them challenging decisions to make as we continue to go through separation Cortez. There won't be a final ruling until December 1st here. And so if that comes through then there is a separation. The board needs to be able to support the executive director through the process of determining um staffing what is the process not but what's the process for staffing and then what's the process for continuing to fund the post site. So yes you can attend virtually. I just want to put on the table you can attend virtually. There's a lift coming for whoever whichever of you joins it. Yeah. I just

014want you to know it's there. >> I'm not just secretary. [Laughter] >> Hey, I would say that the policy board members it's made up of a lot of good people. >> Yeah, absolutely. >> Enjoy being around them. >> It's not anything other than have other things to >> Well, I would I would vote. I would ask or I would throw my hat in the reinforce and discuss getting off of that. >> So let's one at a time. So >> sorry you voiced a willingness which would like to step down and express willingness to take that correct >> and seeing no one else chiming in for that. Then I think I think by the power of me I can say you you got it tomorrow. >> It's tomorrow. Don't you have >> Don't tell her that

015now. >> No, she's already taking it. She's done. >> For real though. I can client tomorrow. I didn't know it was tomorrow. >> Tomorrow. >> Thank you. That would be very >> We do have to have an alternate right now. President Lynch is the current official alter. >> Yeah. And I haven't been called on much for that. So that's >> because I've done my job. >> Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. You're you're there all the time. So I'm willing to stay in that unless do you want to be in that? That's the ultimate closely possibly. >> Okay. Okay. I'll say the um So then you were saying that does that mean that you would like a replacement for D? No. Where did I hear that? I didn't hear. I mean, I think DAC is great. I worked

016hard to >> to start some community with there. I think Rick has continued just to steer that committee um with purpose and structure and um it's changing from its current scheduling has been difficult for my work schedule. I can make the accommodation. Again, I I will really have to know what a lot of our goals are for scheduling right now. Um, but I would be 100% open to stepping back from that if anybody is interested in getting into the D world. >> Yes, I think >> he hasn't taken anything on yet. Yeah. >> Currently we meet um the third Tuesday which is a conflict that we were scheduled >> or will be shortly or whatever. So um but that group is rather small and nimble right now and it needs it's it's going to need

017a continued forward support and nurturing. Um, but I think the date and time is open. There's no one on there. I think the only person that has a copy, there's only me that has schedule. I think everyone else is like pretty good. So, >> so okay, we I we have to ask the group, you know, to do that, but I think that'll be a strong possibility. We're in the middle of electing a new president uh direct president of that group as a community member. And so that just happened last meeting. Oh, no. We're waiting for a forum. That's right. We didn't have everyone for >> with the schedules being worked out. It sounds like it's flexible. Will you accept that assignment? >> Okay. All right. Will be the DAC representative. Tim, are you willing to

018childhood counsel someone? >> What's your stay with the athletic binary council not free time? >> Right. The CASBY legislative delegate is open and I'd be glad to do that. I liked it. >> Yeah. You really have to go to the fall conference and vote on the resolution. Kind of miss the whole sausage making part of that. Sorry. >> And who would like to be an alter for that? >> Dave, if you since you're going to be I'm happy for that. >> I've done it before. So very happy unless you want to stay. >> I will. Thanks. >> Did we do an alternative for >> It's all you. >> I got you back. >> I got you. Got a coworker. >> Um, am I missing anything? you areing the town council you are able >> it's

019sort of become a I don't know it's a non thing now >> yeah it's a taxing measure that could have helped development in wided areas but bill did a good job which I agreed with got town voters to put a cap on how much they could ever pledge of of taxes and anything over a million dollars has to go back to the voters And so they haven't come up with any projects to use that you authority. Am I saying that right? >> Yeah, you're saying it right. >> Yeah. >> So, >> but it wasn't just me. I mean, >> well, why you helped um campaign? >> It was a group of people. >> Yeah. But at any rate, it still exists and I still go to one meeting a year. >> Put him down. They're

020going to start a lot of meetings here. Um, we need a motion to approve all of those appointments. Correct. >> All in one motion. >> We read them off. >> Do you want Do you want to read them off? That might >> um Mr. Lynch will serve as town council. Mr. Mr. Iverson will serve as the DAC committee board representative as long as the meetings will not conflict with his coaching duties. Mrs. Shik will serve as Bosey's board representative. Mr. Lynch will serve as the Bosey's alternative alternate. Mr. Lynch will serve as the CASBY delegate representative. And Mr. Taylor will serve as the alternate. Mr. Taylor will be on early childhood council. Mr. Mackey will serve as the athletic advisory committee represent. I don't know if it's important, but just so it's accurate. >> That

021being said, Mr. President, I'll move that we accept the uh board positions as presented by Miss Schultz. >> Motion. Do we have a second? >> Any discussion? Anything? >> Mr. Iverson. >> Hi, >> Mr. Hi, >> Mr. Mackey. >> Hi, >> Mr. Shik. >> Hi, >> and Mr. Taylor. >> Hi, >> Motion carries. All right, so we're set for another year. >> All right, >> have to sign their confidentiality affidavit, but I have them >> just the new the new folks. >> I'll get that to you after new fouryear term just to get the read on it all. Now this this will be your four first four year term. >> It's only two term. >> Oh no you are only. >> Okay. So you'll but what it means is you really still will be able

022to run two more times for four year terms. >> Mr. is this your first official four year term because you did the two year >> splice routine there. your first first term of starting your first stretch. [Music] This is your second. Okay. And so I'm in the last two years of my final term. just for all people. >> And so just to understand it more um is it are voters that voted on Joe more than two terms? And the only reason I ask is just how long it takes to figure out the role and how long it takes to understand the law, the facilities, the finances. Um as you finally get figured out and then you turn around. So, I'm just curious if there's ever I know other board members I've been at these and

023they're like, "This is my 100th year." And I was just curious of how that occurs and and I I don't know exactly. I believe we could we could engineer putting something on the ballot. Voters decided term limits some years ago. We could put a measure on the ballot asking that those term limits be changed or lifted or something. Is that right? We we could go about that say we really think it's a good idea question that said we should have three terms no term for whatever we conjured up would be up to us to initiate a ballot question but it could be changed. I'd support changing not exactly what myself to clarify it wasn't in the amition to just wrangle you in more it is just for the understanding of this position takes time to

024learn >> um and it takes time to be effective and it takes time to really understand what you can do within your role especially especially is the es and flows of what's in front of you, you know. So, I'm just curious of how it came to for archetta that it was a two- term for your limits. >> Yeah, I think you'd say it started with a statewide measure that limited county commissioners statewide and then if you want an exception within your county, your voters can decide that. >> Thank you. >> That's my understanding. I think it just goes to local control. >> So that's great. >> Again, some counties have six year terms, but that's only if they so we could propose something different and put it out there. You know, having spry young board

025members many years ahead of that. We should think about that. I can dead serious in terms of what you just said that learning curve is pretty steep. You kind of learn and get effective. Not bad. Anything else? So, we'll roll on in our agenda. You sign your confidentiality agreements. Um, we have a set of minutes from the October 14 regular meeting. We need to approve those minutes as written or amended. I won't say Heather, I think I appreciate the motion about the pretty significant money we we allocated to build, but some stipulations in there to release. He got that exactly right. So, appreciate that. entertain a motion or any corrections if >> Mr. President uh as the former secretary like read the minutes and one minor correction I've already spoken with Miss Schultz we should

026approve the minutes as they were presented >> second I'll second >> anything else on minutes any corrections >> Mr. Iverson >> hi >> Mr. Lynch. >> Hi, >> Mr. M. >> Hi, >> Mr. Sh. Hi, >> Mr. Taylor. >> Hi. >> Next is the consent agenda with all the new hires, changes, claims, and details presented there. We need a motion to approve the consent agenda or pull out any item if you'd like to talk about. I propose we accept the consent agenda as presented. >> Motion. Do we have a second? >> I'll second discussion. >> Mr. Iverson. >> Hi. >> Mr. Lynch. >> Hi. >> Mr. Mackey. >> Hi. >> Mrs. Shik. >> Hi. >> Mr. Taylor. Hi. >> All right. It took us a little longer to get to the part of the meeting

027where we do public comment. So, sorry for that. If anyone has comments, but that's where we are now. Quite a bit of preliminary business to work our way through. >> We don't have any. >> Oh, we don't have any public comments. Okay. So, we can move on into discussion items. U Casby conventions coming up. So, what do we have on that? Um, in your packets, I put in there your CASBY agendas. It has your confirmation numbers for the rooms. Um, the convention begins on December 11th and in ends on December 13th. Hotel reservations have been secured for the night of December 10th through December 13th, checking out on December 14th. The board will attend at various um workshops on those days and they will be dining together throughout this convention this conference. >> Any questions?

028>> We had really productive time there last year. Good for us team team building and learning and they always do a pretty pretty darn amazing job as speakers there. So good to good to do that again. Heather, thank you very much for taking care of us again. >> All right. Now, we talk about possibly changing our meeting day. Few wrinkles have happened since, but the initiation of a thought was that Tuesday nights are a lot of sports events during the winter. CO shut our board and our parents want to go to games and all those things. changing from a Tuesday was seemed wide open to everyone here as a reasonable thing. We thought about Wednesday then we realized on Wednesday which throws that out on Thursday doesn't help because that's another game night. So in

029my mind concern was like is Monday the only real other option is that a bad idea good idea discussion >> or if we just throw this out in a Wednesday meeting but just not second Wednesday third Wednesday or third Wednesday something not conflicting with any anything anyone has in their life. That's the third Wednesday that we just brick. You know that is the night that nuggets play. I'm just kidding. >> Anyone? >> He was proposing. >> I'm just throwing it out there. I wouldn't say anything. >> I don't board anymore. >> One thing I just learned with PPUS thing here is that their meeting is on third Wednesday probably about the same time. I I presume and uh just this is discussion off the top of my head seems like maybe reasonable. spoke with President

030Bunch about it that maybe we should have a representative as one of the positions that goes to that meeting on a routine basis and of course if we did that then that would come but that's hypothetical we don't have that position at this time >> what is what are the pros and cons of a first Wednesday miss all the major holidays for the first to the Thanksgiving break. spring break pretty regular >> and then it's not it's not it could be a conflict cas like third or fourth or fifth or something but I work around that toward >> y I don't have anything that consistent my life. >> So since we um we will make a decision tonight since the discussion think hard and look at your calendars there in December. We could put it

031up for a change it to the first Wednesday >> starting in January. um by clinical schedule. I would really like to know as soon as possible what you guys are thinking because I typically book out at least you know two months out. So Wednesdays are in that I I I can make some adjustments. I just need I will not be able to do it December to January for me. That is >> you need more than 10. >> Correct. >> Yeah. >> Is what my ask is. Well, right right now is anyone can think of anything that would make us say that's not something else schoolwise. >> Do we need to change a policy for that? >> We'll find out days. We have to make our calendar and all of that. >> I just remember there

032was a policy that states the second Tuesday seems like something >> if there is one then it's just >> would it be better from a from a a life balance standpoint gets out of the Tuesday night comes with lots of sports schedules. Does it create other difficult I'm all far bringing it up to the sports, you know, the winter sports. It really, you know, there's a lot of conflict there that keeps people >> there's a lot of Tuesday night exclusive, >> right? Tuesday, Tuesday, Thursday. >> Yeah. Sorry. I don't think >> so. Without making it official, as official as we can be tonight, that's the that's the working that was First January though, Christmas break. >> I just saw that be the seventh. I >> think would be the seventh. Yeah, we come back on

033the >> So do that Wednesday. Okay. >> Yeah, because that other Wednesday is Christmas New Year's Eve the 31st. So >> so hypothetically right without >> it >> beginning in January hypothetically the first Wednesday >> I guess it feels like we're going to change we need to do it to have any benefits with sports or else you can't >> pretty soon we run out there would be a times when first Wednesday Christmas break, >> right? >> in another year when first January one was our Wednesday. So we would adjust >> we have one board policy that we just says on second Tuesday. We'll just present that policy to say >> starting January 2026 for >> so that's as far as we can take that's our working idea and this but that's our that's our intent

034on item B members doing field trip We're still sorry about that. Um and I were talking a while back and it was struck me that when we done go planning was August it's really a year delayed talk to let it start in September. So recite is a little out of out of whack. So there's other goals and initiatives, priorities for the coming school year, which looks like you should be talking about the coming school year. You got to back that up and do it in the in the spring when there's time for administration to get organized and geared up for that and then new things that start in the fall. So, we talked about some kind of spring retreat for long-term planning, strategic planning for doing it in spring. Did you have a idea? But

035>> I was thinking if we could do it in April, but it's really your schedule and there is a professional development day in April. Um, and if we were at the end of April on the 24th and if we had a big idea that we were going to launch, I want to give that kind of time with their staff big shifts. Not anticipating something radically new. We were that that would be beneficial to have that day used. So before the 24th would be beneficial in April. >> Before the 24th. Yeah. Yeah, when we were over at the spring this last time we were we were there for the bulk of the day. Maybe it was kind of a out early at three or something, but >> starting over. >> Yes, >> pretty much. >> Not

036that I'd ask. >> Yeah, >> we do have a Hawaii posters. We put up some of the >> we would be meeting on Wednesday the first regular board meeting theoretically. >> Yeah. So then we'd be talking about what did we do before? a Friday or like a Wednesday >> whatever people had available and I'm all of my stuff is I can move stuff around that far out so at your will >> what's the most workable time >> for me hours is the easiest for Thursday >> Thursdays. >> We have a board meeting Wednesday night. >> We would have had a board meeting that night. >> You don't want to just hang out. >> When's your birthday? >> It's my I don't want to do the next Thursday. That's my birthday. Oh, is your birthday 9th?

037>> Don't forget. >> I'm writing down. >> Um, we can do >> I guess right for if there was any large >> we do the 16th. >> Yes, that' be great. >> 16th >> place. 9:00 >> Hawaii. Uh, >> are you thinking like >> you know 8's a little early >> civilized? >> Yeah. >> Get the brain really going about >> 96. >> Yeah. phone about tax. >> Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Well, you'll have your Yeah. You'll know if you're getting a refund. >> I already know that. >> So, 16. >> Yeah, that's really perfect time. Okay, then on to the field trip that two of our board members took. I know Tim's really been good about throwing out ideas. This is our chance to think about clean sheet of paper, what other possibilities

038at some point or other. There's no going back, but there's still time to think now. So um you and Mr. M want to share a little about what your field trip did. >> Yeah, I mean is a field trip but just the idea that the discussion can be completely open about the two sites we've been looking at or again outside the box so that it does someone know any place that might be an alternative yet on this? Uh, and just for information, I have two distinguished realtor friends that I asked to come in tonight just in case someone like me has a off top of my head idea that they say that's ridiculous. So anyway, but Laura Foster and BS just come as being experts local areas. But yeah, so we went to the high

039school and literally just looked around and batted around a few ideas. But I mean it's the location that's going to be presented in back actually for that site again to me that's still wide open where exactly on the the campus I'm going to be maybe they've chosen that for certain reasons and I think that part of the really big discussion but um and I'll let you talk more about that but mostly I just want to see if anybody has an idea of other stakes that all of us might not be aware of that where we could put the school and with the adequate space that is the chance for expansion. That was man I was hoping to generate your other ideas if there are anyway but which summariz well and I have been to all

040the impacts. I think most of all of you have been to some if not all of them and Tim brought up was it the last impact meeting or the one before but you know about had and we considered all the options not just in terms of location but in configuring those locations and so that's that's just what I wanted to throw out that Tim and I went down today just there's a lot of space down there and are we making the best use of the face down by the high school for instance. Uh because I I worked with the little guys football and the high school football and we finally have green fields. Thank you, Jason. And uh we're not going to have that water available if we go up down. So, we need to

041consider that. So, I'm just I don't have an opinion as to which way we should go. I'm just uh you know after Tim made the comment he made at the last impact meeting that I've been thinking about that that let's just make sure we've examined all options that I think the community expects that of us and uh you know everybody has an opinion about where we should put it and how we should figure it and we're going to have to make that decision if we decide to move forward in the next few months. So I was just kind of the purpose of him and my vision today down to the the fields is to just make sure that you know there there's a all options are available to us and we have an opportunity to

042explore various options that would enable us to make a as educated a decision as possible. One thing I felt like you were really asking Doug that was sort of a sense that using the high school site down there we were configuring around the fields as they currently are to me like to what if lots there are no fields there's all this space all we're just not going to turn down the That's the only thing that's sitting there. Everything has just space instead of working. Well, the field's there. So, you got to put building here. So, I don't know if they really, you know, Doug was kind of in the spirit of the moment positive about that, but I don't know if they actually did that homework didn't have to accommodate right here. How would you

043use that space? >> Well, that's what we were talking about today on our little walk. Do do you know if they >> I don't believe they did because of the criteria that we laid out like being physically responsible and the cost of moving things like parking lots that sort of those weren't on the table. Not that they couldn't be on the table but see I did not follow up very well. I didn't um but one thing that I think it really helped us to go down there to just look at as truly as a blank slate and realize there are four to five or baseball type softball type fields. Those take a lot of space. Now you're going to have isolated basketball. You have to have an official space for that. And there so it's

044a big space. Does it have to stay where it is? No. Especially in the ramshackle shape of that dress box or whatever you call it there at least one has issues for example. So then we have all these other fields that are used by the community and Butch and I have thought about that. It's like, well, we we'd like to have the community groups. Our facilities if it works out, but that's not this board's first priority, the first priority, but these kids, these preK through eight kids, we're trying to accommodate in some way. So, there is a lot of space down there for those 300 golf ball fields. Plus, um I know that that part of the design I pulled this up. We'll see this again on Monday is extending up hill just a little

045bit. Essentially impossible to build up there as I understand that would be a non-starter because the last do but it's fairly flat just up from the bus. Looks like parking lot to me. Okay. and you have to go across the road unless you move the road to the back park. There's also that road is it's nice road but that's not set in stone. It's set in asphalt but it's not we don't have to leave that road there. Um, so we I think it extends it look like about 50 ft beyond that road. If I look you have a better idea than >> I think that they're going to bring those diagrams Monday night where they're placing the last discussion we had about traffic flow did you know talk about that roadway it's narrow so involves

046investing money and create you know creating a new traffic flow. Well, that that road wouldn't be sufficient. No matter what we decide to do, >> it's very change. >> Or even moving it because I just don't know how much we have that's beyond the road. So outside the ball, it could be 50, but we own something. Then it goes up the hill. Um where can we put the road on the outside of whatever's required? then you're making more space internally for whatever we want to do. Again, blank slate. We have to have a soccer field. We have that little football field which I think we generally agreed that we're probably not going to move state it. That's fine. It's a parking lot on the east side that we own that make a lot less dust

047and even the park north west of the track and the field. That's a lot of open space. a lot of dust creating space that we can move things around like the shoplift pit for example and it's just I think it's almost uh inviting we can it was not hydraologically possible to do this because of course there's still no coming off that hill how do we deal with that that's one thing I want to pose it to those guys about utilizing as much space in there separating that new school perhaps as much as possible on that bus loop and a multi-tiered school with three stories, you know, is that a good thing or is that a maintenance problem? I don't know. Somebody asked them, the higher you go, the less foot you have, more space you're

048going to have for those K through eight kids to play. And I think there's plenty of room. We look at that regardless of internally there'll be plenty of room for those kids to play and accommodate. So, I was very encouraged by looking at this uh the traffic getting in and out of that that's that's the big deal I think at least in my mind of how are we going to accommodate u prek through 12 into that site but what director Mackey is putting directly with this is the utilities everything's there it'll cost something to manage it but all of it is there so it's maybe more favorable that substance. That's just my opinion of and all those things you just mentioned are in the engineer study. So I don't want to comment like I'm an

049engineer. I think we should wait until we hear that study before we decide. But to your point of have they looked at other locations on the property other than the one they're planning on presenting funding they have not. Um, so that may be something that the board chooses to have them, you know, redirect RTA to explore a new site potentially. >> You're talking about just within the big field campus, the one site they put, which maybe was rational. Uh, well, was rational. Don't know, but any place could be stuck at some point. Again, these are maybe splitting hairs at this time, but again, mostly it was to see if there's any other locations in town that anyone might know anyone might know of that would work. It's not Alamos. It's not Monista doesn't have lots

050of flat land outside your town. strain and I just ignorant that I looked around and there's the property at 160 in the goa boulevard which is some I believe right folks um residential the 160 in South Posa open space that is it's probably got a subdivision name don't know it it's so beautiful I mean it's probably trying to swing to the bleachers back I would imagine that's not a poss If anybody had any other ideas >> I mean no ideas. I think I walked away from that meeting also thinking that what we saw for this use of space by the high school was really rigid and what I didn't know is that was the parameters that we actually done. So it's like it will only fit in this space because and I was like well

051that's there's not a lot of out of box or thinking a lot more space there than what was presented. So it's really good that your your feedback on thinking if it is a blank slate what does it look like in that space? >> But you mentioned it to Doug he he had a positive response that yeah maybe we should look at that. That's not it was a little bit we just chatting and then maybe we could if they can't move encourage them to these are just movable pieces on the board where the building slide around here or there that way I'm their game pieces on the board are locked in. >> What is it? Do >> you know what times will be in town? >> I I'm unsure yet what time go. Typically come in

052like an hour before the meeting. But I I just want to make sure that expectations are set. They they have not done any thinking about this at at all. And the site study we just paid for is for a very specific area, >> right? Um, and so you're going to get a lot of detailed in-depth information about the spaces that they have been looking at, but there'll be no I mean you could direct them to hey now now that we know this much now we want to learn these other things but and u yeah so don't don't get your hopes up that they're going to be able to on the spot >> on the spot do that and it's a large it's a pretty in-depth engineering presentation not really by RTA so much as the

053engineers that did all the studies. And predominantly we were doing the studies well one because at that time we had said oh we think it might be one of these two spots and two now that we figured out that it's really to our benefit for the best grant to know as much as you can about the property. Um and that the best board really likes that because it limits um it doesn't eliminate but it limits that possibility of like hey we're going to build here. We don't know what it's like, but we're going to go for it and then find out we can't afford to build there, which they say happens quite often. So, uh, just saying, you know, if you want to want to look at a new spot, definitely can do that, but

054we won't do the same due diligence. take into account at least from my perspective. We were thinking about a different spot for the building just different spot for the configuration around the building >> that would not impact the engineering for the building location. >> Yeah. and it was probably chosen very logically, but I don't know if he or or Jim or not Jim, Brian Brian would be available this I'd be happy to just have a casual conversation with him and then report back to and to the rest of the board if they can if you would like to call them or I can call them but to just say we really want to be open-minded about this and maybe they are on the same page already. Um, but uh I mean I'd be happy to

055talk with them or video. >> I have a check-in meeting with them and the architects on the 13th at 2 p.m. >> Thursday 11 Thursday two days at 2 p.m. >> If you're availability then I'll ask >> come down. Yeah, just jump in. >> No, that would be great to let them know that we are, you know, very open-minded um to hear what they have to say, what that they should be prepared for a lot of questions from us as to where can the base go relocate, what's that state, you know, where can this be? Uh is there any reason for not considering the open box? >> I just want to say again they are not this is not that they're not prepared to answer those questions like they haven't thought about >> I mean

056first I hear I just want to set expectations they have a very tight agenda with the time that we have. So >> they things that wouldn't change drainage traffic. So that's not as done. It's just given given those things these other >> and what might be associated >> your office. >> Yeah. Just couple things on. >> Yeah, please. Um, so yeah, I think I think people I talk to initial thoughts typically are it'd be nice to have all the schools together, right? So that just off off the cuff without knowing anything else that just seems like people's first reaction. So that if there is a way to do that and mitigate some of the downsides that may come you know because I think that's your initial reaction and then you look at more in the

057details and it starts to be like oh well got traffic and then you got soil and then you got weapons and you got you know sewer and they got you know and those things seem to weigh the other the other way mostly. Um, so we can mitigate some of those fields that you might be eliminating all all those things almost all go the other way. >> So do you mean the other way like point towards this? >> Yeah, >> you got more flexibility up in there. It is a blank slate, right? Um, so >> that's one executive summary that uh Davey's talking about. I sent it out. So but so see if we can overcome that because I think naturally that people people like the idea of having all the schools on one big campus

058you know I think another another important item is what are we going to do with these gyms and then what does that mean for the high school because we don't have this gym for high school anymore. to give it to the one gym for all high school sports and we're already short gym short gym communitywide. I think so that's a consideration. I don't know if you can if you had one campus maybe one C high school at middle school right easier than so that possibly could flip anyway that's consideration that I've been trying to take >> on uh On Monday, we set up some time as part of the presentation to kind of tackle two things, David, that I think you're getting at. One is I'm a science person. What do the numbers say? What's

059the data? Um what's that look like? What's the money say? So, we're going to try to go through all that. And then two, talk about what are the other things that we have to think about that are not scientifically, you know, objective that they are more subjective. Um, comments that we received at the joint meeting between the commissioners and the town council about our their desire to uphold a downtown corridor and how our decision could impact that. um those kind of things that are not financially um or you know the workload will take on that tangible but may influence that. I I think I've taken the stance like I'd really like people to make this decision based on science rather than opinion. But the reality is this is going to be both um you know

060adhering to our um deciding principles that we started on more than a year ago and kind of what's it going to feel like um too. And so it those things may go hand in hand. it be a perfect match and be like, "Hey, we did both." Or they might be in opposition, so I have to try to b figure out the difference. >> I appreciate you bringing that up, Rick, that that our measurables um might not all be rooted in just absolute survey data or polling data. Um because I do think the heart of it matters. What is best for the kids? What do they do after school? How are they getting to school? What do they do for athletics? How does our community continue to come together? Um, and so though we want to

061figure out what does the money say, how is our community impacted by the ask of the bond, how would how are we funding all of this responsibly, um what does the end result look like long term that benefits all of us, right? Our kids 40 years into this, right? Like what do you want your experience to still be? And so that I just wanted to say I appreciate that you brought that up and that some of this might not be something that we are taking out strictly from soil samples or traffic surveys. You know that we have to to look at the the human impact and um what that really means and what are our stakeholders saying what are they saying that they want and that they are willing to improve. And so which I

062was going to ask are we doing any further holding between now and whenever as we are kind of getting more concrete information and things are more decided what we do in the other polling. >> I I absolutely say yes. We should continue to along the way as we get to decision making points like hey we've crossed this threshold we're thinking this now. >> Um yeah what do you think about that? um particularly with the result of books which we'll have you say now to say one site is looking like the leading candidate. What do you think of that? >> Yes. And because we'll need that information rather quickly. Yes. >> So we can write the best grant to the best no pun intended of our ability. And so that is not a decision that we

063will want to make the beginning of February. that is the decision that we will want to try to make in December even if we have to call a special meeting. Um really waiting long long in there is just going to kind of start handcuffing us on our ability to produce the very best application um possible. >> So polling are you saying polling early January? >> Well I mean trying to get a feel I hear what you're saying. you want to know like, hey, if we're leading this way, are people kind of supporting that decision. We there's a lot of work to do before I want to do that poll like an information campaign. Um, first we'll need the impact meeting on Monday and then we'll get that group's opinion and then some kind of information

064campaign. This is what we found out and this is some kind of purpose statement. We're choosing this way for these reasons. Does that make sense? Would you support it? Um then you're talking about creating and launching a survey which is not something that we want to do on Monday night and launch on Tuesday and hope we have the results for the board meeting you know so there's there's some time in there but our our timeline which has felt nice and comfortable is quickly accelerated. So is Len available between now and >> Yep. Len and go back to the same polling group. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Well, see Monday would be very interesting and push on that. It's big complicated interdependent project plan. So get that. We also, you know, you get that feeling

065too. You want to make sure you everything you can at this stage before you're locked in and then you don't want to think of something after you're going this Thursday. All right, let's go to Eric and cash flow and audit update. >> Yep. Just a couple of quick updates for you. Uh the cash flow document you have in front of you, no real changes to that other than the October actual. We're still on track to be positive through February good shape. And then wanted to provide just a quick update on the audit. Um Paul Smith Pman our auditing firm was here on site October 23rd by that everything that they had asked for um going through the CBD pipeline. Everything had been clean, no errors. This afternoon we received a draft audit from Jessica and

066her team. So I'm starting to go through that. Uh, one positive on that is the last couple of years we've had a finding on a what they call a significant deficiency that has been cleared. The corrective action we put in place has removed that. So we have a clean zero finding auditing list. Um and just one other point, we should not uh based on state guidance from the office of the state auditor, we should not have to file an extension this year, but the federal government has not released the 2025 compliance information for the single audit. So, the compliance supplement should be available hopefully by December. As she said, fingers crossed. Um, what we would do then is if it's not released by that time, we'll split out the single audit from the rest of

067it, submit the full audit to the state, and then we will once we have that federal guidance on the compliance supplement, we'll be able to submit our single audit, which this year is on food service, not on any of the grants that we've had in the past. So if we can get things by early December, we should be able to submit them both on time. If not, we will get our regular audits submitted by the end of December. She would like to be here at the December board meeting to present the findings and present the audit with what we know at that. Will that be the final audit or Yeah. I'm gonna say restate two things that Eric said very quickly and kind of glossed over like, "Hey, it's no big deal." One, our audit

068will have zero findings. It'll be clear the last two years. We've had stuff to clean up and Eric has been tenacious about getting after those things and making sure that they're not hanging out there. Um, and he has led a great team uh getting that accomplished. And two, uh, we are not asking for an extension. And I believe all other years I've been here, we have asked for an extension. And it's just taken a lot of time to get all that paperwork together. And again, Eric's leadership and working with the other folks in the business department has been exemplary. It's really a huge accomplishment for us as an organization to have shifted that far in a really relatively short amount of time. So I just want to say thank you to Eric. >> Yeah. Well

069done, Eric. You know, I know you had the new system coming a couple years that fully running and you're happy with it. Is it uh not seamless but working really well for yourself? >> Absolutely. What we have? >> Great. >> Well, shall we look at the capital improvements? >> All right. Good evening everybody. You have my written report. Hey, uh just I guess a touch of feedback for me and as as I go about presenting these reports um in interest of all of your time and not wanting to insult anyone's intelligence by going through bullet point by bullet point and because tonight I do not have a massive presentation to drop on you as I did the last two um months. Uh, I guess what I wanted to see is that you all would be

070amenable to me taking my report and kind of hitting a couple of the more important bullet items that I feel like you need to know about and then would be happy to take any additional questions you might have about the rest of the report. My uh previous superintendent accused me being longwinded and everything. >> Yeah, I feel like >> that sounds good. >> Okay, perfect. Thank you. Well, then I will keep this brief. Um, so the biggest item that I wanted to mention this month and and we really a lot of the big things have have kind of been taken care of for a lot of this year. So at this point the maintenance team is really transitioning into winter operations right at the moment. Um, though we are still trying to pick off some

071some smaller little capital projects that have been kind of hanging on for a while. And so a couple of those are included in this month's report. Um, I did want to take a moment to mention a project that came up unexpectedly um that I very much appreciated my team's work on. I want to make sure to give a shout out to them. This was in regards to the emergency sewer line repair that we tackled um this November. Basically had a a bad clog was what it started out to be and then it turned out that was a much larger problem involving our cleanouts going into our main sewer line. Um, of course all on district property so it wasn't something that we could farm out to the town. we had to deal with it or

072pay for someone to deal with it. Um I kind of outlined in the report and provided a number of pictures of what was going on with that project, but basically in a nutshell, it was one that would have cost the district. All told, uh between the work that was done and the work that would have been done approximately $5,600. Um these guys in the pictures were able to knock it out. Cost of materials a little under $300 for that uh project. And then we had brought a jet truck out to uh to help us with the with the problem. But very proud of um Will, Dean, and Dan for their work on that. Saved the district a whole bundle of money and they did a really nice job. So um that particular project opened our

073eyes to a very similar impending situation just up the slope from there. Um so this particular cleanout is down by the softball fields. And if you know what you're looking for, you could see another set of cleanouts which is actually a larger pipe just kind of would be north of there a little bit that was built with the same flaw and potentially has the same potential for the exact same issue to happen there. And so we're already putting in plans to address that on that other cleanout so that we don't have an emergency situation where we've lost sewer to the entire high school. So that will be taking place as soon as we're able to do that. Um wanted to scroll down um talk briefly about the playground uh elementary school. So that project has

074been delivered. Uh they are in process right now of putting it in the ground and getting it erected. Our team did the demolition, saved a bunch of money. I'm not sure how much money we saved on that. Josh could tell us, but I feel like it was like $20,000 that we saved by us doing the demolition ourselves. So, um, I was a little bit frustrated that that project got pushed back by one week. Um, they were supposed to start it on the 3. They did not. They started it yesterday, the 10th, but they are now on track to get that done this week. Um, or membership, you had asked about the portability of this particular platform. Unfortunately, it's not portable. Um, I asked some questions and kind of I talked to Josh a little bit,

075talked to Rick a little bit about it. kind of looking at the the rationale that went into this particular play set, getting it up, and and really what it comes down to is that the previous rendition of what we had was so decrepit and so damaged and so dangerous that we needed to get something in ASAP. And wanted to make sure that we had a really good thing for our kids for however long we might be in that particular location that uh that we wanted to make sure that we were giving them a really good setup. And so um this will be a really really good setup. Um, I hope like crazy we do have the problem in a couple of years of of needing to figure out what we're going to do with that

076when we move to a new location. Uh, but for right now and for the foreseeable future, however long we might be in that particular location, we're going to have really nice playground equipment. Um, last thing, and I on the very last page of my report, I mentioned that I did not have a report on the high school roof project. I did just yesterday receive our last bid um on that. So, I'm going to be reviewing the the three bids that we've received um later this week. Going to touch base with Rick about it later this week and hopefully have a report for you about direction on what we're going to do with that next month. So, with that, I will take any further questions that you might have. >> I just have a comment just

077kind of how you how you open and just curious the attachment here. Is that available to in the public court docs? >> Oh my god. like this right here. Is that coming from the public? >> It's in the board the platform. No. >> Yeah. I didn't know if it was specific to board members logging in. So, I wanted to clarify. And I just want to say that your thoroughess on this is so very appreciated. Um especially think just due to the topics of our conversation. Um the need of this being public information I believe is just very important right now. Not that I need you to continue to like have it be god she needs 10. I'm not saying that. But what I do think is that it is um there's merit to this conversation,

078especially in um how the finances are spent, what we have to continue to look at at repairs. And so I just want to say I think that it is um I know it's a lot of work is highly valued. And so um just, you know, have that be something that keeps at least this bulk of what you do alive for, uh the board meeting is my request. So thank you. >> Yeah, great job. >> Appreciate it. Thank you. Yeah, print it off if you want to send your color copies, right? I can look it up, but um I just think that it is needed conversation and information to have this time. >> Thank you. >> So, and I would I don't know if this sorry I was hoping I might be able to show you

079a picture that uh darn it, it didn't come through. So knowing that there was the potential of having a home football game here in the next week or so, uh we had gone it we had the have the capability now to do more artwork on the field. So things like you know putting pirates in the end zone or the interlocking P and the S um uh at at the 50ard line and I had been disappointed we weren't able to get that in place for homecoming this year. Uh, well, we did get it in place for the playoff game that unfortunately isn't going to happen. Um, maybe what I'll do, I'll pass my phone around for you to take a look at it because poor Dean left to go on a hunting trip, he went ahead

080and painted the field with it. And I'm very excited about what this is going to look like next year because it'll be something that that we can do from the from the get-go. So, I'll pass it around, let you look at it. Um, Amanda, thank you for your comments. I appreciate it. And as far as you know, my comment and trying to abbreviate my comment, um, nothing will change about the reports themselves. I'll make sure that you guys get all of the details and the pictures, but please feel free to ask any questions at any point in time that would be helpful to you. >> Thank you so much. I just dropped my blueberries. I'm so sorry. >> They were delicious. I did. I tried them because you told me to and they were excellent.

081right in front of like center stage. >> One one >> while we're talking blueberries, I'll just say um one thing I pay attention to when someone asks a question and you didn't know the answer. Do you come back next month with the answer? I hope to >> and you did and I was I was watching the the playground thing >> one answer or the other it's it's might be rooting for one but like >> so just another presentation and then yeah I'll see you next connecting the dots following through. >> No problem. Oh man. >> Yeah. Thanks, Jason. Welcome. >> Are we good there? >> Yes. >> Moving on. >> Yep. >> Let's do the district health insurance update. >> Yeah. I'll also try to be brief. Um the last three years, our organization has

082tried really uh do our best to give our employees affordable healthcare and uh we are doing better. Uh Eric and I spent quite a bit of time investing and uh working with a group of of uh of our employees to to review and we started with um we started with these as our kind of our primary goals. Um at least maintain the same level medical coverage. Um try to maintain or decrease our employee premiums. uh provide a no cost premium option for our single employees. Um decrease our overall district insurance costs and our exposure to potential liabilities which we under our previous plan we had about $380,000. So yeah, $385,000 worth of liabilities and then uh help our employees use use dollars and that they're saving for their deductible. So, previously we had a healthcare

083um uh reimbursement account called an HRA. It's an employer sponsored account. Um there's dollars put in there. We basically match those dollars and uh at the beginning of October and I were looking at that account. We found about 75% of our employees at that time were not accessing all of the dollars that they had in there. In fact, uh more than 40% of them were losing money and they're they're contributing money and they're not actually doing that. So, we shared that with the group um and uh wanted to move to an HSA. So, um the the short end of the story is we uh maintain the same level of coverage. All our employee premiums have decreased in all categories. Um our single employees employee only we will cover the entire cost of their premium. Um

084so for our couples that work for us that covers both of them and for our couples with families uh that also is going to cover both of them. Um, we were able to have a a small decrease in our insurance costs, but we saved employees as a group 40% on their insurance. We we saved about seven and a half%. We're quickly doing back out in into the program to make it a real benefit. That was one of our one of our goals. um we we no longer are carrying this potential liability of this uh HRA that was actually never counted in our books and we are going to be depositing money into our employees HSA. Our single employees will get $1,000 to start that helps buy down their deductible and anyone that has employee and

085spouse or family um or children will get $2,000 again to buy down that deductible. It's a one-time investment that, you know, we'll make it's not something we have to do every we won't do it every month. We'll do it right at the start of the year. That's because we feel that most of the programs that are out there, the deductible is just so high it's can be catastrophic if you have to get into that. So, we're trying to um suppress the cost of that. We used um just to really use that selection criteria um and looked at some different different programs say hey does it meet does it not meet and then we are going with an anthem which is a blue cross blue shield program uh with an HSA just because it met all

086the criteria and it saved collectively all of us the greatest amount of funds. Um we are hopeful Say it again. Hopefully we are not doing this next year. We've been willing to invest each year the time and the courting of the insurance companies and the brokers to try and get it because um I've just felt like our insurance hasn't been a benefit. If you have a single employee and you're like, "Hey, we're going to give you money towards your insurance and you have to pay us $260 a month on top of that. You would like this insurance." It's like saying that our salary doesn't count for what it is because now we're going to deduct money from that. So I feel really good now that we've found a way to give people a benefit that

087doesn't impact their total income. So we've been working hard to increase our uh salaries and now we're working hard to decrease the cost of our insurance program. We um and we've exp we've done a lot of research and explored a couple of different models more with the more traditional model, but there are other things out there that could even save us more money in the future. Open enrollment doesn't start for employees until next week or later next week. Yeah. Um we also shifted our ancillary coverage uh to uh American fidelity and so our employees start fidelity to extended care. >> Yeah. There you go. >> Any questions about insurance? I mean again if you are not receiving health insurance through an employer um it is very difficult. So um personally speaking I just it's hard

088right now but I am so appreciative to what you guys are able to do for the staff here. Um so great job. It's a lot of hard work and >> yeah, is this obviously full-time employees? Who is who is eligible? You have to be at least a half-time employee. >> More than 60% >> 60% or more >> 30 hours a week. >> 75 hours a week. >> Okay. So, if you're hourly and you work to 30 hours sleep, then you're eligible for we're actually exploring an option through a local um provider who's a primary care provider through membership service and we're entertaining the idea. We're looking right now at the finance to see if we can afford it or they're anticipating more people are going to sign up for insurance because it is so much

089better than it's been in the past. Um but right now we're exploring what options do we have to support our um people in the kitchen and bus drivers who are really hourly don't tech have full time. So we have a few ideas I'm not ready to present them yet because we have to run the first I want to check in with department but we are exploring that. I think um those are hard to hire positions and we can find a way of benefit. >> I want to talk just a little bit about our attendance and just our student attendance update. We have been uh focused on reducing chronic absenteeism and then also looking at just our regular attendance. This is not pretty or fancy, but I'm just showing the last few years of our attendance

090rates pretty much hovering right around 90%. In that time, the state has also been from 90 to 91 and a half. So, we're pretty close to state average. We're lagging a little bit. Currently this year though, we're sitting at 92.3% across district. So we have seen uh a slight increase to start out. We're going to continue to monitor that. This is also a similar kind of trend that we've seen with electronic absenteeism is showing up um slightly below where we've been in the past. And I I know I've spoken to you. I just want to say it out loud again. It's not pretty, but you know the state's chronic absenteeism rate is right around 29%. And our chronic absenteeism rate is about 39%. And so we're working hard one-on-one with students and families to try

091to reduce that amount. And remember, chronic absenteeism, it's missing 10% of the days regardless of the reason. Um and so some of our students can be chronically absent uh one day into the first week of school 20% of the days and then they're never that way again as they you know three weeks into school that's erased. So it is kind of in flux. Keep working on it. But the way we're doing right now is we're tracking it by building, by grade level, and giving individualized attention to student families because we believe your best opportunity to learn is to to be with us. So >> in your pursuit of this kind, you know, connection and intervention, are you pulling out any leverage points that would be able to be assisted by this group or no? like

092patterns. What are we seeing that are continually >> that we have control over that we would have ability to affect? >> I don't I can't think of anything off the top of my head, but that doesn't mean that we won't see something eventually here. There are things that are outside of our control. People have car trouble and they are time the adults in their lives have difficulty maintaining schedules. So, we're trying to give them the wrap around services they need um to to support them pattern. >> I love cell phones. >> Um there's another article coming out in the community newsletter this month about cell phones. We track uh incidents, behaviors, and consequence with incredible detail. And I've showed you in the past. Um like this is our trends year after year. And I'll just

093say this year is red. And you can see that right out of the gate, we have a lot more incidents in September than we've ever had in the past. And some people become very alarmed by that, but they can say, "Oh, obviously you're enforcing a new cell phone." And that's what's happening. And so we've been enforcing the new cell phone rule. We've had uh as to end of the day today, there's been 153 of those incidents. We know when we roll over there that that really involve just 122 different students. Um and so we know that some kids are struggling more than others. And you know there's in any given week across the district less than 1% of the kids if you look across all are breaking a cell phone policy. Very minor infraction. If

094you go to the high school their large sweep was 3% of the kids tested uh out the cell phone policy. say our high school kids really causing skewing the data said that somewhere where like you look down the grades and there's like almost none in >> Yeah. >> and then there's a bunch which is not surprising. >> It's not surprising. In fact, when you look at high school um 133 of 153 of the incidents have have been there. It involves about 105 kids. So overall maybe 20% now 18 19% of the students have bumped into this but what's interesting is um it seems like you know finding out once that it's not a good idea you would you would learn and so when we do look at individual students you can see if they've had

095one or more incidents. So, some of the students, you know, you can see most of them are one. We've had a few people with two. Uh, occasionally you see a three, there's even a four on here. Um, some people have a harder time than others uh learning about learning. Yeah. Um but the reality we are keeping keeping track of it and that's one thing I sent out in the last newsletter that we the administrative team have decided is if we do have some requires and not really we're going to switch from like you had a cell phone violation to like now you're just define yeah it's just defiance you're just refusing the fall had plenty of time to so defiance comes with a few more uh consequences than just hey have mom or from when

096God parents have by and large been great partners. They've been great partners. We occasionally have less than great partners and we're working with them. We to be better partners with us. Um we, you know, there's people feel like this is kind of archaic. Why would we stop it? But overwhelmingly, this has had a positive impact. Um, I didn't ask apologize to Sally later, but Sally Riggs wrote in and said, "In her all of her years of teaching in her senior speech and writing class, typically a third of the class never turns in the assignment. This is the first year that every kid has turned in that assignment." She was astonished. She attributed to the lack of distractions because kids are not using their phones in class. they don't have that. They're taking the time to

097do work and that's a common sentiment that we've been hearing. Um I also talked to Sean at the high school and he said everyone is participating. I think I'd alluded to the group like worst case scenario is we make this rule that like half the teachers are on board half are not and that team has come together like it has in the middle school like it has school say we're going to hold this and so everyone is engaging the processes been really positive that's really encouraging yeah big change especially big change for kids hang on to that phone for 10 years So Rick is is they asking for anecdotal I guess because we have a high school teacher but is is your perception that the overall burden of discipline in general has gone down substantially

098because they have we have violations but overall they're probably happy they're they're less burdened >> than they used to be. That's Yeah. So, >> yeah, I think that like a few people are carrying the bulk of the weight primarily our, you know, administrative team and our front office staff could pull this off front office staff. >> Um, but I think that in the classroom, um, we're not hearing like, oh, this is I have to talk to kids all the time. This is distract me from the actual teaching. That has >> So, it's better. Yeah. >> Yeah. Less than their person. >> Yeah. And the focus on learning. I just recently was listening to a podcast by Jonathan H anxious generation and he was saying that early adopters of the nail the supplement policy are seeing

099two and 3% academic gains for not changing other things anything other than just taking distraction away from kids. So, um I'm hopeful that um our kids will be more engaged and do more learning and I imagine that result in successful not saying you won't run into a parent that's really disappointed we keep calling it back to the high school. All right. I asked Heather to report back on something for us that we've all been talking about, which is um teacher turnover. All right, tell me what to do. What's your favorite part of the day? Right. So I'll be raising for my notes because like my table they are so tonight I'll be sharing a three overview of the teacher turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn turn

100turnover across school district all right so here's a summary of what we'll cover tonight we'll explore how our district's turnover compares to state averages analyze the types of teaching likely held by the new staff and discuss how our HR improvements like the roll out of title 9 training has contributed to a more supportive workforce. The goal is to connect these data points to real improvements in teacher experience. So this chart shows our teacher turnover trends over the past three school years. You can see where we experienced a higher turnover during the 24 25 school year and how that has gradually stabilized. It's worth noting that the Colorado statewide turnover has remained higher than ours would suggest that our targeted retention efforts are off. Questions 13. Yeah. So we're less than the state. >> Correct. Heather,

101are these numbers based on like from 25 26 we've had 13% of the teachers we lost for last year and for the garden for this year. Correct. Okay. >> And then I wanted to show you the lensure breakdown and this slide highlights the type of teaching licenses held by our new teachers each year. Professional, initial, alternative and emergency. The trends we're most encouraged by is the steady increase of the professional and the initial licenses. This means that we're hiring more fully licensed teacher and teachers and supporting these build completing their path. So that's a strong indicator of a long-term retention potential. And then the next slide just kind of explains because when I came from Texas I was like what are all these lenses and they're all different? So just kind of explains the different

102types of lensures that we have in. >> So so the alternative indicates recruitment need >> outpacing the license. So these are people in the pathway of getting their lensure. Okay. >> Yeah. This is typically when we scour the hiring pool and we have a really interested candidate who's like I will do that job but I do not currently hold a license. So we hook them up program and then they start a college term to do a place. It's kind of a testing round. We're both getting something out of it. They're getting the opportunity. We're getting we're filling our teachers. >> Both of you guys use that oris. Okay. So here's a one year >> and then both those agencies and we get to decide after each other say hey do we want to keep doing

103this work together or is this not match >> for that alternative you have to have fourear degree correct you are just taking your four-year degree that maybe was not in education you are now streamlining a quick route to education by just that everybody knows that you are already having they require for that. >> Um, since assuming the HR responsibilities in 2023, I've worked closely with principles to reshape how we welcome and support new staff. Um, I've moved from a group on boarding model to more one-on-one support, clarify that the division diverse responsibility, and I've added personal touches like swag bags. Um, we've expanded tech on boarding. We start that this year so the new staff have what they need to know on day one and they'll ongoing check-ins throughout the year and our responsibility responsibilities

104have also included title 9 training and compliance. So that's another critical improvement that has been streamlined mandatory title 9 and discrimination and harassment training. All of our employees now have access to these modules through it called vector solutions which is part of the system and we're tracking the completion closely with administrators. This not only ensures legal compliance but also builds a culture of safety and respect across all of schools. Um, so our next steps is looking ahead will continue to refine the onboarding and retention practices based on staff feedback. We're strengthening relationships with early career teachers using our competitive salary schedule and our benefits to help attract top talent. We'll also keep investing in mentorship, recognition, and professional growth opportunities because every improvement we make in supporting teachers directly impacts the success of every student

105class. Are we doing any kind of exit interviews when people are leaving as to why they're leaving? If they're retiring, that's one thing for leaving because they can't stand superintendent. That's a whole other issue. >> And we do have an exit interview. I send out a a letter, an email that has a you know link for them to do that. And now that I've got into this job for I'm starting to realize how important that knowledge is. So now the database that I varies wildly people leave for family people leave because we think they should leave. >> Um and we have people leave sad. they don't like what we paid or they don't like who their pure was or their teammates was. I mean, it's we haven't had like one of those buckets fill up

106with a lot of folks. Um, people leave for uh the economy just recently of that 13% though some of that gosh some of those were retired. >> Correct. So in a way to me I would peel that out. >> Yeah. >> Because I thought about I'm trying to reduce it. So person we might be glad about that. So generally if you want that number low stay some of that that number actually. >> Yeah. Heather, how is this going to shape just the overall hiring from interviewing perspective? Like if we are saying this is not a good fit for you and that potentially is several percentages of that, how is this actually going to improve how we are like really narrowing down who their fit is here? >> That's really I I'm just going to take

107it because Heather doesn't do any of these. That's all principles. These are only teaching positions. we need to expand this into other parts department is it really principal decision making so I work with principles on hiring practice and um talk about what are the particular traits that we're looking for and what are the right kind of questions or I've been trying to encourage some uh have teachers video teaching um but really I um I think they're getting more experience and understanding who the best people are fit on the teams that they're developing. >> And when you say teachers, does that include our special education teachers? Okay. Just it's all in there. >> Teachers, counselors, and I would say they're the certified employees at the school. >> Yeah. Do you feel like there's a scarcity mindset

108among hiring like that we are attempting to bring in the first person because it's going to be so hard to fill? Is there >> I do what I worry about that in the special ed world because we do have like it's a very shallow pool of individuals. It's not a ton of folks but I can think of multiple times when teachers have said no to applicants said you're not the right fit for us look for somebody else. So and for most of our teaching positions we're getting multiple applications. Um, so it's good. It's better. Like I said, I really want the word to get out like that. We're a caring family oriented organization that wants people to live and work here, make a life. >> Thank you. >> Very good. >> One more quick question.

109just the star jobs are advertised on the AS jobs site which I just happen to bring up which looks like we've got things covered pretty well but that is that electronically funneled through CD or something to reach the front range uh is that disseminated in any way or is it just someone would have to go to the site >> well it the CD the link no longer goes to us I'm working on that it used to go through the front lines so now they're trying to get through Skyward link, but we do post it on rural alliance as well. >> I'm sorry, >> the rural alliance and that's statewide goes to >> statewide. How does that actually go? Does that just go to district offices like yours? >> It's post on their website and also

110put together a website for us. So, if you're looking at Southwest Colorado, it captures everybody >> for individual page. Um, it's it's interesting. We've had not great blog hire casting a really wide net like how to sell a company New York like oh we're going to live and work in Mosa that you know it gets right up to it and then they're like you know what I changed my mind it's such a big move and I can't afford it. We're having much better luck uh getting folks that are Yeah. picked up a great t-shirt from Bayfield and all purple. So, but I'm trying to >> and they throw her purple away. >> That's their business. I didn't also didn't tell Heather that she made a mistake in creating the presentation purple. >> Um I write

111in purple. I love purple. My daughter has Charleston from >> I will give you >> I was curious about that just because a month ago I or so I went to the elementary school and just had a chance to peek into the prek room. It was after a prek meeting and I hope I didn't say this last time but there was a seemingly fabulous young woman who's been hired as a prek teacher who came from the front range. So that was why I was wondering how this was disseminated. Um, we were very lucky to pick her up. I believe her husband or boyfriend, her fiance, uh, her partner got transferred to her. >> Oh, hey, I hear you guys have this job and I'm highly qualified for that job. >> She was a great great

112partner. All right. So, we're closing out with um the board updating us on any are involved in any committees or assignments. >> I can give my last time. >> Yeah. I'll give it to you as long. >> Uh can I I'll share one little I was in Longmont last week and St. Rain school district is the district there and a good old friend of mine is a a friend of mine is an assistant principal assistant there and he he wanted to take me on a tour of the innovation center they have their kind of it's more than CT because it's on the high end I guess I call it CT so it's aeronautics and robotics and biology they do things like with robotics they have a contract the city of Mona to inspect the integrity

113of the dams on the and you paid for a robot down underneath to take pictures of the just as an example like this pretty amazing place makes you know we're on the right track we do we are those you're not sure everything that'll go on in all those spaces but there's so much that can go on bases pretty pretty amazing We have 50,000 square feet on three floors in this one building and under construction right next door is a new 50,000 expansion for that. So the kids there are getting opportunity to have marketable skills and professions trades etc. We're on the road to do that. just feels like it got home for me. A little glimpse of what future can look like. visiting family donations fortunate to have a lot of big corporate sponsors around

114but they're getting kids that can do cyber security that right out right out of high school maybe we should solicit But yeah, it's it's inspiring to know things along those lines and building a facility that could accommodate lots of >> anything from Rich. Uh just in that vein uh Matt first meeting with the new architect or not with the architect selected by Billsa for the U regional workforce center building whatever name it finally ends up with. We just begun the preliminary work of gathering some documents about the site and uh they're going through the sh that was done last year a year and a half ago to start to establish that. I may uh if there's a interested board member who wants to sit in on those like design consideration meetings we have room like

115that use another set of eyes and ears go and um uh so that'd be great I'll I'll coordinate you then um and then I just want to just leave it out there something we want to consider I think Bill has done a great Um they're bringing uh $6 million here. That's their goal. They're very close to bringing $6 million. We may have the opportunity to build the other half of that facility as we are, you know, talking about capacity as a community and if that's something um we do. One thing that I've been uh asking for bills and they're very willing to do is uh we are not just going to have whatever building we can afford. It's continuing on highest quality innovation um that has the flexibility that we're going to need going forward.

116And what will said that I think is really appropriate is we want kids to feel a sense of pride that they're going there. Uh a sense of pride that I think we're having a more challenging time getting out of our existing CT. So really nice entryway right onto that campus. >> I mean I think that everything right so you want your attendance to have sense of pride as where you're going. So I guess the direction >> anything else for the good of the organization. All right, we'll November meeting. Excuse me.