Salida Schools Board Meeting 5-13-2025

001card if you haven't already and please sign in on the way in or out if you would. Please stand for the pledge. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands nationy and justice for all. Thank you. Ready for attendance. All right. Dr. Becker Pettit here. Dr. Hill here. Mr. Hobs here. Mrs. Lunberg not in attendance tonight. Mrs. Pascal here. Miss Shookman and Mr. Smith here. Board member comments. Opening the floor. Well, I guess I'll go ahead and say something since we're approaching the end of the year. I wanted to thank all the staff and everyone for all their hard work. This will be our last board meeting before school's out. So, I think all in all, it's been a really great year all around. Obviously,

002a little bit of a bumpy start, but um seems like we moved past that and um had a great year and uh yeah, I hope every I hope everyone has a good summer summer break. So, thanks again, Jody. You got nothing. Good job, Matt. stealing all of our thunder. Um, I got a few things here. So, first off, um, big thank you to David and Will and Sean, um, to figure out the Aspen concert series dilemma, we'll call it, that we faced ourselves with a month or so ago. Um, so, thank you for meeting with them and getting that sorted out. And then a big thank you to Sean and custodial crew for making that happen for that group. um it's obviously a big deal um in the arts world. So really happy to be

003able to host and to be able to accommodate them. So thank you all and big shout out to the custodial crew who will have to shift gears a little bit right before school starts to make that happen. So kudos to you guys. Um, a handful of us attended the CMC internship, debrief, whatever you want to call it, where they highlighted four students and kind of what they did in the internship and the good, good and bad and ugly and just community member, schoolboard member, all the things like seeing that internship program where it is and it's three, third year, fourth year, fifth, technically fifth like seeing some really good stuff. I think there was like 60 kids that were taking an internship and multiple for each semester. So, just the CMC component of it is

004uh really awesome to see. So, other than that, nothing. Uh two written messages to the board. Um I think I already saw Jody respond to one of the students, both of them on the phone policy. So, appreciate when students advocate and give a voice. So definitely uh appreciate them sending those in. And I know we have two public comments. And we'll start with you, Jennifer Town. You don't have to stand, but if we could give you a mic so people at home can hear you. Great. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Jennifer Talmage. I'm here tonight as a member of the immigrant protection team. I'm also a former teacher who knows firsthand how a child carries stress and anxiety from home into the classroom. When families are fearful, children feel it. And when children

005are anxious, they cannot learn. Right now, immigrant families in our district are living with uncertainty. We may not be able to control the threats coming from the federal level, the shifting policies, the renewed attention from ICE, but we can control how our schools respond. We can make it absolutely clear that Salida schools are welcoming places where every child, no matter their background or immigration status, has right to a safe education. Families need to know that our schools will never collect information like immigration status or place of birth. That student information will be kept private. and they need to know there are clear procedures in place if immigration enforcement ever shows up or at near our schools. But policies alone aren't enough. This is a fastm moving political landscape and we need to be ready. That's

006why I urge you to establish an advisory committee made up of parents, educators, and community members to help guide your response. review district policies and ensure families receive the information they need in a timely, transparent, and culturally competent way. This is about trust. It's about dignity, and it's about doing everything we can here at the local level to make sure all students in Salida feel safe, seen, and supported. Thank you for your time and consideration. Thank you. Next up, Andre Wilkins. Hi everyone. For those of you that don't know, my name is Andre Wilkins. I'm uh the Slida High School performing arts director. Um I've been a teacher in the district for 13 years and uh been teaching in public schools in Colorado for 16. I'm I'm here. Uh well, first I'll get my performing

007arts director hat off tomorrow night's choir concert 7 pm. We have a couple board members, kids involved in that and um it'll be a really great celebration for the end of the year and the kids sound great and um really proud of what we've done. Um the next thing is uh the other hat I wear is I'm the SEA co-president with Mike and I kind of want to recap how the year went from our perspective and some positive things to highlight. Thursday we have a social at the boat house starting at 4:30 and you can get out make it in time to drift in to go to the high school end of the year party um by 6 and have some wings before you go and I hope you see some people there it's open

008to the public and I really hope people come and discuss what they um you know just be social with teachers uh and then congrats to Trinity uh Berino for getting our SEA scholarship. It's really, really awesome that our organization is able to give a scholarship to a student that's going to be a future teacher. I mean, it's really cool. I said this last night at the scholarship night. Um, it's really cool that we get to teach the people that change the world and then when somebody chooses to follow in our footsteps, it's really empowering and really a cup filler for us to see that somebody else is seeing uh how important what we do is and they want to emulate us. Um to start off, Mike and I um were elected as co-presidents back at

009the end of the summer in 2024 um when our former president uh made a career uh a school change in her career. And we started off by having meetings with Dr. Blackburn monthly. And in those meetings, we were able to establish a common goal that I'm really excited that we share. And that's we want our staff for us, our teachers and everybody to want to work here, feel valued, and encourage others to work here. And I think that is such a great guiding goal for us to look at how we discuss with each other what's important to us. We could always come back to saying, does this meet the common goal? And I really appreciate Dr. Blackburn and Mike. And um those those meetings were very helpful in guiding uh prepping for negotiations, making sure

010that we could unpack some things we may have heard in board meetings and get clarity and make sure that everybody's intentions are heard and our feelings are heard. Uh we also started the year at the board retreat. We got to hear from board members and how they feel about the association and we got to express how things have been going for us. And I really felt that that was such an important meeting where we got to hear intentions. We got to hear justifications. We got to express frustrations and celebrations. And it was just I I hope that next year we get to do that. I'm throwing this out here. I don't know if it works that way, but quarterly. It would be fun to start off the year end at the semester before we go

011into negotiations and at the end of the year because we do represent the majority of the teaching staff and their goals. So, it'd be nice to go back to that goal that we developed with Dr. Blackburn and make sure that our position is clear so when choices are made, there's no surprises and how we're going to react. Um, as a former CBT member, I was happy to hear when we would be in leadership meetings was a much more positive experience than I experienced. Um, kudos to Aaron Dobson. Your name came up quite a bit as somebody that was wonderful to work with. And everybody, I mean, I went to the meeting and it was just a different vibe. And I really appreciate that. I really appreciate the tenative agreement, the long-term goals being approved and

012enacted. And I'm really excited. Uh Jana and Mike are going to talk more about the process, so I'm not going to bore you uh with anything I have to say on that. But I'm really excited for next year's negotiations and salary goals, and I really feel like we're moving in in a in a great direction. Uh one thing that I would ask from board members is suggestions on how the association could support you and your goals and how we can keep communication going. Um, I know a lot of you are only a text message away and I appreciate that and I appreciate your support coming out to the performing arts and seeing the students and all the things that we see our students do around and just ton of gratitude. I know it's I know

013what it's like to volunteer and I know what it's like to not always feel like there's a ton of gratitude for the time you put in. That is your time away from your family. That is your time away from your job. and I'm just expressing my gratitude and um yeah, I'm gonna go I got casted as Sweeney Todd in the local production so I'm going to go to Sweeney Todd rehearsal now. So yeah, got to fill my cup with performing too. Thank you all so much. Hopefully I'll see you tomorrow night and if not I'll see you at graduation. There was a band concert. Tomorrow's choir last week was band. Nope, that's this Thursday. This Thursday, 4:30 Bo House and we got the good wings. [Music] Okay. Uh, no more public comments. So, looking for

014a motion to questions. Dr. Mr. Okay, we will jump right into guest report with the collaborative gardening team. David, I don't know if you're giving an intro or if you're just passing it over, but I'll start. I'll pass. Whoever wants to talk next to make sure they have a Mac be um it was a great experience and so um felt really good to report that. I think we were efficient and I know that was a big goal. The board wanted to see us be more efficient with our time and not spend too much time talking some things, get some stuff done. This was productive and efficient. Many times we met less than four meetings. I would say four meetings we didn't meet or shorten the full day and so met a lot of those goals

015there. I felt like we all worked well together trying to solve problems. We started off with you on some key lead policies that were problematic last year. We found ways to tackle them resolutions to one in the fall and we found resolution I think last meeting in the spring but it was very top. So I appreciate that everyone showed up. We also add some new members um some new staff that I hadn't got a chance to know before and wonderful everybody. You get to go first. Yep. It's me first. Um so I'm Jana Martinez. Most of you know me. Um this is my second year on CBT. And I just want to say that from my perspective, the team worked really collaboratively and thoughtfully across the multiple areas that we discussed this year. Um, members

016showed up, shared their interest, and actively engaged in the conversations we had. And I feel like the team worked very effectively and accomplished all of the tasks that we had set out for the school year. Um, so I just felt overall we were very productive and cohesive as a team this year. Um, as far as the compensation stuff that is coming to the table for you guys to vote on tonight, the classified, we was brought to the table again this year to increase um for them to continue to show increases through step 30. And that was an interest that's been talked about for several years. And it was actually on our tenative agreement last year and it was the final thing like and if and if and if and that was the one thing that

017was not fulfilled from the tenative agreement from last year. So that was one of our priorities to make sure that happened this year. um as certified brought that up again. Um with the 2500 increase to all cells to the certified pay scale that we believe that this is really a first step effort into bringing our certified staff to a level of like Erin talked about competitive pay, market level pay um around the state. So, I did a lot of research prior to CBT and coming into CBT about other schools in the state and where they sit. And currently in Colorado, the average BA step one is $51,17. And with Salida, with this increase, we will sit at 45, which is 6,000 less than the average of the state. The average MA step one is 56,114.

018And with this increase, we will sit at 49648. So again, 6,000 below. And the average top salary, this is the huge one that we've kind of seen with our pay scale. Um the average in Colorado is 103,372 and with the increase we will sit at 76,000. So that's something we really um is guiding our future decisions and continuing to make the right steps. And then the new measure survey results um from when we went to that meeting 57 57% of the teaching staff said that they were unsatisfied with being compensated fairly. And so that was something that we really wanted to address and try and take care of with our decisions. Um, I researched a lot of schools across the state and compared to their salary schedules. I've listened into board meetings. I've heard what

019you guys are interested in and what you want those comparisons to look to look at like. So, I focused on schools that had similar pupil counts because that's how we're funded. I looked at schools with similar class sizes, similar cost of living, and similar hours worked per year. And in all of those cases, we are far behind those comparable schools in our state in taking care of our staff financially. So, I believe this is a great step and I fully support us moving forward in it, but I feel like it is a first step. I feel like it's a first step in a long-term plan in correcting these issues that we're seeing. Um, I feel like it's in our best interest of the school district to be able to attract and also retain a quality

020staff to work in our school district. We have to be competitive. We have to invest in this vital part of our business in order to do this. Um, in regards to policies, we really worked effectively and efficiently on working through the remaining blue policies as we call them. Um on the target we clarified a lot of language. We updated policies. Um I feel like the biggest um change that we saw was in the sat sbatical policy and that was because that policy was tabled last year and is currently inactive for our staff and we wanted to try and come up with a policy that could now be active that people can access. And so we listened to what you guys what your reasoning was behind tableabling that and we responded with a policy that we

021feel corrects those issues and is in the best interest of what you guys expressed. So overall I just feel like CBT worked very collaboratively and effectively. We listened to the needs of the constituents that we represent and we work toward making changes in everyone's best interest. And I'm just want to say that I'm grateful for the support of the school board in getting teachers closer to that market level of pay and for working toward compensating our staff in a better way. You don't mind? I'm going to sit. We did the incline today. I'm a little sore, too. So, um I'm Michael Lamond, the English teacher, sixth grade English teacher at Salatada Middle School. And I just want to echo a few things really fast. um knowing how the volunteer time that Andre brought up that

022you all dedicate to the community, to the kids, to the district, to I mean everything. Obviously, that's important. Um looking back at last year's settlement going from 7 to 15 years, I think was huge knowing that on some interview committees this year, they immediately said how many more candidates they had and how many more qualified candidates they had. So I feel like that is a win um for the kids because again my kids going to be having one of those teachers next year. So thinking about then the future and I think Jana brought it up the idea of this is step one. Several years ago the number 50,000 was thrown out and yes it is a very round number but it was also $2,500 less than what the average cost of living was in Salida

023at that time and that was several years ago. So as we look to where we are now, I think that number is about 565 575. So the gap is still growing even though we're trying to catch up to it. And I think that's important to recognize. Part of the survey talked about how there were some community members who were frustrated perhaps with the salaries that teachers were asking for. And I would encourage anyone who says that to come into the classroom. I would encourage anyone who says that to come to the incline with me today and and see what we do, right? Because I think right now there's a tendency to leap before we look or to judge before we think. And I think that's something that we are trying to control. We are trying

024to teach that in our classroom as well. The idea of critical thinking. Um that said, I would invite any board member into my classroom any time. Come listen to the first 10 minutes of class. Listen to sixth graders speak to each other and then compare that to what you see on TV right now. That's what we want for our community. That's what we want for these kids growing up. That's what we want for our town moving forward. And in order to do that, in order to maintain that, we have to have people that are able to live here in a way that is comfortable, not just survival. Right? We've been told, it was mentioned a few board meetings ago, that well, we get to live here. That's true. So does everyone else. Right? that doesn't

025mean I should be paid less just because I get to live here. So looking at how are we moving forward? I think this past four months of CBT was incredible. We walked out that last meeting looking at each other kind of like this is how it could be, right? Is that really how it's supposed to be? I mean, we finished at 11 o'clock that last day, right? And we had everything done on the agenda. A year and a half ago or so, we were on the verge of shutting down CBT. I as a CEA president, I would like to know where that stands now, right? I know we are kind of put on the clock. I would like to know as an update, how do we do, right? Because if there's no metric for success,

026then we will never meet success. So, as we look at the next few months and as we look at the fall, I would love to start looking at again what's next. Not just financially, not just the compensation for all staff, but what's where does the CBT stand? Where are we right now? And again, I mean, kudos to Aaron, kudos to David. It just the process ran as I think it's supposed to run. And as I mean, if anyone had seen that, if anyone sitting in there had seen that compared to where you were sitting three years ago, you'd be walking out saying the same thing. Is that how it's supposed to happen? And I feel like that's kind of what led to the possibility of the CBT being disbanded. And I hope that that what

027has happened these past few months is enough to sort of alleviate and say, you know what, no, the process is working. I'm going to put my trust in the people who know what they're doing because they know what they're doing. And I'm going to empower my staff. I'm going to empower my teachers. I'm going to empower my pairs. I'm going to empower everyone in that table because I trust them. And the group that we had was incredible. The dynamics were amazing. If you haven't reached out to the folks that were on the CBT, please do so. To the new folks in particular, they took a chance and it worked. So, as we look at the vote, as we move into the summer, as we move into next fall, all the pieces that Andre and Jana

028both mentioned, I would echo and I would also start thinking about what is it that we're hoping for? What is that target? What is that metric that we're looking to define success? As we mentioned or David mentioned several times, we are one of the few districts in the state that continues to grow. Why? Because of the people in this room, right? If our reputation is such as it is, why is that? How do we earn a reputation? Who earns the reputation? And I believe firmly. I remember when Will hired me. You sure you want to come here? You realize you're making $30,000 less, right? You realize that, right? I said, yeah. And I said, sure, because it's not going to stay like that. It can't. And I believe in the town. I believe in the

029people. I believed in Will. and we're starting to make that progress, but we got to turn that jog into a little bit more of a sprint if we want to ever catch up. And that's what I would ask you to think about as we move forward. Thanks. Questions, comments, discussion. I think we're going to have discuss Yeah, you can have it now, you can have it later. I just have a I I have more I have more of a process question. Did was there a facilitator used in the process? We started out facilitator and they were uh we did the training and then uh the federal mediation services were cancelled federal level. That's no longer exist as an opportunity and so will kind of stepped in. Um, and Will stepped in. Will has 20 plus

030years of IB experience and so you stepped in and it worked because I think everyone wanted to work. So that's how we handled it. We're able to do that. I think if we would have got ourselves um a situation where we couldn't hear one another which didn't happen then we probably would have gone out and hire somebody third party that's probably there's no um nothing on the horizon said that service is there a need for that service um it wasn't for it this year there's been times when we needed a third There might there will be some time in the future that you just have to assume how I'll answer that right now. I think it's pretty stable. Um, and you need a little new and you need a little old. like you need both

031and people because when you first come in you don't know where your voice is and how to speak or how it works and so um it's just harder to jump into the conversation so you get your feet moving. Um but it is a two-year term but there's no limit of how many terms you can serve. So basically and it worked this year. We had some people who their term was up so they need to go back to their staff and say hey I'm willing to keep doing this and the staff had a chance to you know say yes keep going or somebody else who wanted to run could run and the same thing next year you have some veterans on the team that are going to go back and have to go through that process.

032So I think that right now it's got a good balance between two years seems like a good good time. Two term probably is necessary if you feel comfortable second shaking your heads. Am I speaking pretty well? I do think that's all. had a good balance. I feel like we had a good, you know, all the schools represented at this time and a really good fashion. So, I would agree with the size of the team that question. I want to take a shot. Would you mind I just want to say it's also conflict isn't necessarily the metric by which zero conflict can't be our only measurement of whether we're being successful. There has to be some place where we can have hard conversations without destroying relationships. I think that was the space we probably slipped off.

033I think there was a lot of things going on outside of us that we didn't have control over. Um, and so I think we're I think we have a better design. It's our second design. We'll call it 2.0. Um, it's not our first try at this. And so I think we're in a better spot. I think also being able to talk openly and some metrics. We've been trying to talk about how do we send that evaluation um and make sure that's an effective communication tool that didn't somehow get leverage that somebody else speaks out. We're trying to figure out how to balance that piece. I think the other thing is you'll see next month when we get all the communication perception data. You guys will look at that stuff. Jim's had a chance to look

034at that communications. Um that's another thing we'll do again some more staff surveys too next year. I think that's another place to look and listen to the bigger perspective. So I would add that. I don't know if others would add. I mean I think trust is a big part of that too. And I don't know what the magic sauce was this year about the trust, but I feel like as we have progressed out of the last few years, be it COVID, be it just everything that came as a result of that, be it the political scenario right now, um I feel like that the group was able to, like David said, come together and trust that I can speak my truth and not be judged, be listened to, maybe disagreed with, but listened too. Um,

035and I feel like even words coming from many of the board members, uh, displaying trust. I trust in what you're doing, right? I want what's best for you. Aaron saying that I want more for you. Right? So, I feel like all of these pieces are contributing. You know, we worked with our CEA people and they come back and say, "Yeah, I agree with 100% with what Aaron said." So, that trust right there, right? We're able to double check and Aaron's not taking offense to it. He's like, "Yeah, have them call me if you want." But the idea that we can work collaboratively and actually come up with an answer, come up with a solution that works for everyone involved. It might not be what everyone wants, but it's to the point where everyone say, "Yeah,

036that makes the most sense. That's what we have and that's what's going to be best for everybody, which is what CBT is about." Um, and to your question, Mandy, I wish I had an answer for when do we go back to the other side of the pendulum. Hopefully, we never do, obviously, but I I feel like it was just such uh the the storm just all came together at once. And I mean I don't think we were unique in that side that people struggled with each other, personal relationships struggled and everything else struggled. I think that was kind of the era that we were in at that point. And hopefully cooler heads prevail and we realize that we all have the same goal. that doesn't that doesn't answer your question, but that's kind of my

037philosophy on it. Um, I would just like to add one more word, and that would be transparency. And that that was really um I when I first started with CBT four years ago, I would have to go and ask my husband, who was a former principal, to explain school financing to me, like at the dinner table. But we got here the first day and Aaron explained the entire thing to everyone. So, everyone started at the same level of base knowledge. And so, I think that built trust as well. Um also the information that David you had sent to your lawyers everything came back with red lines and we were able to look at it together collectively you um on the computer on the board and therefore it felt like it wasn't about perception it was

038about reality and that helped everybody kind of come to the playing field in the same way. Thank you. Um yeah I would only add that it wasn't all rainbows. I mean, we did have hard discussions. We did come to the table and we shared ideas and we shared hard discussions and we did have those things come up this year, but we listened and we heard and we discussed and we came to agreements. So, I don't want it to seem like it was, you know, simple. We walked in and everybody's like, "Yes, yes, thumbs up." Like, exactly what I wanted. You know, there were hard discussions that we had. So, that wasn't something that disappeared. people were just more willing to listen and contribute and share their ideas. So I really um I really felt as

039a board member that you you believed that we also want what was best for you and and that's the first time I felt that in the last six years and you guys know that in the at least for me I can't speak for anyone else that first day I was on number one thing was humans paying humans and going through a 100,000 line items thank you Aaron Dudson over the last five years to find where we could do those things I felt that that that you trusted that we were on the same page. I have two questions the next time you gather data that I'd love to or you guys may already know this maybe CBT can prioritize this two questions. The first one is um are you do you value the hidden benefits that

040we have? For example, paying 100% of the employees healthcare benefits, absorbing those double-digit increases of health care in health insurance increases. We al dental, optical, life insurance, um helping with your deductible when you have a surgery. those and then you know saving 1,200 bucks a month if you have a kid at the ECC or base pay right that's my first question those hidden benefits that we do or is is it the dollar and you guys know that best and then my second question is and in terms of a philosophy do we increase our staff numbers or do we increase our base pay meaning if you increase your staff numbers you may see a decrease in your workload, right? So, that may be a benefit, but that would decrease um the base pay for everybody else

041over time. Those are the two philosophies that I don't know how to do answer and I need your expertise on that, but we're digging quarters out of cushions, dude. Okay. Yeah. I would only add that I think we all kind of let CBT get away from us whether it was ineffective mediator or just getting both too defensive. I think the leadership changed, structural changes, things like that definitely benefited. David and I talked about kind of having a not 100% sure how to do an evaluative discussion around CBT. Um, but we did say that we would review it and kind of pick the path forward. Um, I can't speak for the rest of everybody, but I have a feeling they'll all nod their heads that nobody really has any desire to get rid of CBT at

042this point. So, um, I think that we'll just continue down that path and try to figure out a way to do I'm sorry, I know which way you guys are all. So, um, and then, uh, figure out a way to do some sort of evaluation. And I don't know how we would measure success versus not, but um I agree like healthy conflict is a good thing. Um so I just I appreciate the leadership changes and the efforts you guys made. Um kind of the trust goes both ways and yes from our perspective, from my perspective, it was a much better overall process that didn't bog things down in the leads that didn't need to be because there was we would say something and it would be believed and vice versa. Yeah. Yeah. I know. I

043said that about social media posts and stuff, right? And I definitely but I've noticed a huge change in that and I feel like it was where we kind of just decided like we're on a mission and it doesn't benefit any of us when people are passionate about social. Um, so just an example of like a very appreciate everybody. I guess a couple of things I might just add. Having done this um, as David said, for decades, it hurts. Um, I think one of the differences this year was the size. Um, I took myself out of it to be a quasi moderator. Uh, and it worked this year. Um, but the thing I noticed the most, and it it's not a anything against previous CBT groups, but with the smaller group, there's more individual accountability to

044be up to speed on what's being discussed. What policy? Oh, we talked about that policy. I better read it versus letting someone else read it and tell me what it's about. So, I think that homework, that preparation, um it's been mentioned a couple times, the background understanding of budgets and process takes a lot of the mystery out of where is money. Um, and I think the last piece I'll just add is I'll reach out to some other folks that are using a similar process to see as well as our CEA folks to see if there is a metric or any type of a tool that's ever been used to look at what's efficient and what's not. No promises that I can find that, but we can certainly ask because I think it's a fair question.

045I would say these philosophical questions are to discredit these nothing. So we pay $5,000 covering $5,000. I don't know if we can source that data to me willing to pay for their partner to do that. We have more salaries notes. We've already started to work. We're trying to get through tonight. We'll start to work on straw groups or committee groups um to start to work on some other structures and say here's what we think our compensation strategy should be. Here's the steps and things. In the absence of that, we kind of said we chase some base pay up team wants to get together and talk about that. And included that is also we have the right compensation strategy for what excellence looks like for somebody who goes learns more becomes better. Do we have the

046right structure in place to to say thank you to people who really go the extra mile better. I think that's that's exciting because preandemic since we kind of sat down as a team here's our strategy that helped that third point down to start now so that questions and some of the other ones that aren't us talking about some of the unintended consequences Okay, when we fix this, what does that do to the rest of the system? What are the otherations? China would throw out that I don't think there is a metric that everybody could agree on whether it's successful. You look at Congress, would anybody look at that over the last whatever 200 years like regular mostly modern times and say, "Man, that's been a successful move." because you know it's been a you you

047can't there's not a there's not one measure but you look at it this country is still here we're still having progress we're still bargaining and fighting and still here that's the measure of success so I don't I don't I don't foresee us on that you know I think that David reads this district in a collaborative way we vote on things that don't aren't required to vote on so that we have we have He has he has meetings um he has meetings with different um circles in different buildings and collaboration styles. You bought CPT here. So I think it matches your leadership. We're in a healthy place. I don't know any other assessment. Okay. just I just always like to tell staff you know board always has to vote sometimes go through that's not how you

048support things different It's teacher appreciation week or I think we're still lost track. I know last week was still last week. I lose track but um it's all of our staff. That's why we have a great reputation. It's why we're doing well is because we have great people. Um and success for our kids is about knowing my name, my need, actually knowing them and growing with them. And you can do that in our town. We are doing it. That's what happens. on a regular basis. Appreciation staff always a hard question tonight's in front of you a good vote. We recommend it. We'll talk about that later. You know, it's never enough. This is a good step. We recommended public inflation alone requires that you're always chasing this and you're also chasing teachers trying to survive.

049Thank you all for joining us tonight. Obviously, um campus reports, questions, comments for any of our campus leaders that are here. I see a finger. [Laughter] Go ask your talk and I heard that. Mandy question. I got one question. I kind of put you on the spot, Jesse. Um, but now that everyone has their schedules, that's all everyone talks about in comparison to other friends. Um, we were just curious about open blocks for freshman software because I know you guys were hoping it would be fixed with the new schedule. I know I've seen some schedules that still have some open blocks. Do you know that? And Jesse Abigail did respond to that. I don't know if you saw her response this afternoon. I'll speak to it and then you add it. But because I asked

050the same question, okay, let's talk about open blocks. Um, not all the schedules are out. Like special education is an example. They're trying to work with those case loads and students. What best fits them? Um, they've got things with kids are taking online those how does that work? And so now they're going through and trying to look at which schedules aren't built which are built and trying to identify the spaces. So the response I got on that question was they're not all built now. They're trying to problem solve blocks. So Jesse, you want to add to that? Yeah. Everything. [Music] Yeah, I mean it was very evident that this is not your final schedule. changes are coming like we think this is I would say it's pretty close though I don't want people to feel

051like it's used to be how we were in the schedule where we made it all back up in August that's not what's on the table it's looking at where are the gaps which of those can we fix and then I think when we come back in August then we can do a comparative piece of data as a board and say let's look at last year let's look at this year let's did the our hopes of the new schedule close that gap or in reality did it not Um and then then there's going to be a financial question that comes after that which we expect is you're going to have to add more sections through electives um to the teachers your dad another teacher to um to close the rest of the gap. I just want

052to add also on that piece. We were um Kim and I were looking at some other districts. So, um St. Brain is a district in our state of all the state. Um they're one of the wealthiest districts in our state. on the front pages. We have one of the most rigorous um graduation requirements in the state because they require 24 credits to graduate. Require [Music] requirements question. expect. Beautiful highlight progress that no one was talking in May a few years ago about schedules at all at all. That happened in August and you guys are ahead of me. So, bingo. They didn't tell me that in the interview process. You said yes and signed the paper. I had to get you on because Michelle was probably wavering so I have one uh for Mr. Hull just

053on your campus report like the goals and achievements I definitely like and I like that uh all expectations are exceeded like from advisory vertical team growth goals like English language fine arts like that section. I just wonder should we increase the expectations because if you have a a metric and you're every time you're home run it's too But that is definitely a question. Good. Because I I would like to see a couple of them fail because the the goal was too high. [Music] Don't construction. [Music] That's worship. Listen [Music] Go that way. [Music] Do you have anything to Very simple. All that stuff. [Music] I didn't know how to do that. Joe, since we were talking about curriculum and TOSA and scope and secrets, um Karen is not here, Lindberg. She's absent, but she had

054a really interesting question. um that the TOSSA the secret and IIOSA TOSAsa is starting at Wanco versus starting where maybe we we have more gaps at CIDA high school and um I figure that's maybe just something that you um you decide or your executives decide everyone but I'll probably set that pace. Um, I want to make sure there's two things. We'll put the curriculum instructor director, um, and really have them, they're already trained and have a lot of experience at the secondary level. And so looking at those vertical teams, that'll be where that person really starts to get their feet under them, learn our district, and and that's their first priorities, what these two principles have said of, I need those teams to be higher functioning and supportive. So, right, that's where they're at. On

055the flip side, Corey, how many new people are you have you hired or changes to teams? I think yes. Yeah. Retired, right? Transfers. It's also these are all wonderful things forward staff Do it. So I'm going to make sure the person has most experience there. make sure that as opening months that that is successful there while we're really focusing on these teams and getting teachers some more support as we try and dial into how can we make professional development more meaningful um multiple levels so that's why we're understand this correctly is going to start at Longfellow and the academic director curriculum director is starting at the high school is that right high school middle school high school I know right that's that's what I'm just making successful. Just be happy that you're alive. I know.

056I'm just making sure that we that I understand it. It's starting to it's starting to gel and take shape and I'm not I'm not that comfortable with it, but that's not my job. [Music] So, that's where we'll start in the opening months and we'll see how the cards start to fall together. The children will all be lovely next year. All be fully compliant. No dumb choices will be made at any time in any of our buildings next year. And all of the parents will feel grace and peace. Can't wait for that message to graduation. starting right now. It'll happen in your homes, I'm sure, because human development and 1500 humans all interacting all day long. It's going to do what human beings do, right? David, anything to add on district reports? No, I think we

057that's what's important, right? One of our big goals is how do we shift from just getting ourselves stable to shift back to pedigogy? And I think you just heard it happen, right? This is what we were hoping to get our conversation to about how can we take care of kids learning needs and the teachers who are trying to make those things happen. How can we provide new structures? That's what matters. There's lots of other details around facilities and we can talk about that on all the other updates, but what matters is it just happened. We're getting along. We're being productive, being efficient. people are getting their voices heard as we're turning more and more of our attention every day towards better pedigogy whether that's open schedules um and making sure we close those gaps for

058our youngest learners at the secondary whether that's vertical teams down to MTSS down to kindergarten all those different spaces that's all I would add unless people you guys got plenty of reports from Will and I and Aaron Aaron's got a lot of time later on for finances so I assume you can get past from Will and I be glad to answer questions Okay, as usual, you are all welcome to stay. This is usually the time we have a mass exodus. As Matt said earlier, thank you so much for another successful year. We good. We want to keep pounding ahead. Hey, hello [Music] All right, I'm back on the mic. We're live. We're live. Where the heck are we? Consent agenda. All right. Looking for a motion to approve the consent agenda. We have a second

059questions, clarifiers. Dr. M. I Dr. Hill. Mr. HS messed up. Okay. Uh discussion. Mr. Doson, proposed 2526 budget. Take it away. Jeez, that came up fast. I didn't realize how long the consent aged was. Yeah, I know. I wish I had some intro music. I I mean, honestly, we didn't do as big of a as big of a production this year as we did kind of last year with my first one. We had kind of felt like you had had a lot of information along the way and so we wanted to kind of keep it as a discussion and answer questions more than anything about the budget. I think I had a couple notes of things that I think are, you know, we've talked about or I've mentioned in the video or talked about in

060last board meetings, but a couple of the things that I think are worth noting. I do think we're underbudgeted on a couple of our revenues in that big budget. Um, I do think we can look at that specific ownership tax, like I said, and I think also with the increase, the new formula that came out, it looks like they're anticipating our taxes to go up locally, which doesn't change our total funding from the state, but it does change our MLO percentage one. And so, if it goes up, what they're kind of guessing, we're looking at like 10%, which is like $250,000 potentially with MLO money. Um, so we'll see how that actually goes. I know I just got my assessed value and it was up something like 16%. So I don't know if you're all

061starting to get those as well but um mine definitely went up so that kind of tracked with my one data point to go with what the state is showing. So it's not I wouldn't hold that yet but something to consider. Um, so those are two things that I think aren't really We tried to keep the revenue still um, conservative, I would say, and try to make sure we weren't overbudging those pieces. But the specific ownership one is one I feel pretty confident that we need to look at more in depth. It's just hard to budget because it really depends on that's one that's more market based than anything else because specific ownership taxes are based upon the toys that people buy rather than property that they buy in terms of houses. Um, so boats, RVs,

062things like that. and that doesn't happen as well if we go into a recession. So, it's hard to know for sure what that would look like. Um, but we're over what the state budgets us for and yet we've been over that by about $100,000 the past three or four years. And I think that's consistent. And this year it looks like we're be up by about 100,000 again. So, trying to figure out how to do that, but I think there's a conservative estimate there that helps close that million dollar gap. And I think there's definitely going to be some increase to the MLO that's going to close that gap as well. Um, a couple of the expenditure pieces, too. Everybody's budgeted on insurance. I know you've heard this a bunch of times, but this year I

063have a really good estimate at this point because we're making everybody go through and change insurance. So, everybody had to go through and do it and so we know exactly how many people are waving. Um, we don't want to change the budget yet because those some people could leave and then the new person elects a coverage and that may change things. But I mean right now we have about 15 people who've um elected to completely um wave insurance next year which it ends up being a big chunk of money. So it's still in the budget but and we'll see an amended budget how we can kind of address that but that's like $150,000 worth of expenditures that again closes that million dollar gap. Um so something to think about there. And then the two I

064think the three big questions are food and Karen had had reached out about a good question about the food service and David you can help me with this but we basically took the strategy of change nothing. Sorry your mic just went back but we kind of took the strategy on food of change nothing so far. Um, we're we're part of C at this point, which means we're we qualified for a program where uh the federal government is taking on a bigger chunk of that free food for all than the state is. And we're qualified for four years. We'll see where it goes, but currently they've adjusted all that to the Department of Agriculture. So, I don't see that funding going away currently. Um, so, but we don't really know what to do. I think uh

065Karen asked the question or director Longberg asked the question um were we thinking about going away from free food for all and I just don't know that that's the right strategy currently when the whole rest of the state is doing it. I think at this point we're kind of playing wait and see until somebody else makes a bigger decision than that. So I think we're a little bit overbudgeted potentially. We kept the exact same budget this year. We're looking like we're going to allocate about 250,000 instead of 300,000. That number is not finalized yet. So that's just a really close estimate. So there's a little bit of money there. I don't think it's enough that we need to be concerned about changing food yet, but that's something that I know everybody's looking at the federal

066government right now and how that's going to play out. So monitoring that closely. Head Start. Chip in that one. Yeah, please. So that's just a strategic thing I think we can um continue to do with all the recommendations you have in front of you and if there's a major change in state or federal funding that's an area where we can say okay we can change our strategy there and be able to shrink our budget collapse the size of our budget without having to hit the classroom. We can do it over a 12 month. That's one strategy is it gives you a space for if we got too aggressive there's a space that you can correct make a correction where you're writing and two this is about state versus federal power and I do not think

067that's big enough to try that will let states and federal governments figure out who wants to pay for education at whatever proportion whatever way as that becomes clear then we can make good strategy we have enough ability to collapse our system. We will absorb however that conversation is. No, your state's going to have to because that's the relationship between state and federal power that you're really talking about there. piece of paper that the federal government is for their accountability systems before they pass out tax dollars is there. And that's why again why I don't think we're it's the right time to try and kind of sift through that. It's a better strategy to sit. Let this conversation play out and see how it goes. Right now, I don't see any risk to us, but if

068you know, if we're a little too aggressive, we have the ability to trim our sales just make thoughtful decisions over the next week. Oh, go ahead. Still on pre um not a single school district in our state can make a meal for what the state gives us for that meal. Um yes and no. like uh and particularly not little on us. Yeah. And particularly on ours who like who we have enriched programs and partnerships with ranchers and gardeners and farmers. Are they going to increase that per meal funding? I mean they increased it by like eight cents a meal last year. So I would expect something, but I wouldn't say that that's like an increase. I think you you're expecting to see something like that, especially with budget cuts at both the state and national

069level. I don't see him making like a huge change. I'd love to To your point though, and it was another piece I was going to bring up is we did some research this week on a couple other districts. We did find a couple districts that don't subsidize their lunch fund in um and that includes using the free food for all. And um to the CBT point why the bulk of the money didn't go to classify this year, both of them when we talked to them said, "Well, we actually need to look at raising our our food service rates um as the minimum mortgage laws." So they're currently basically paying minimum wage to all their food service people and that's the way that that's the way that we have a living wage and so that's why

070we have that oh yeah the b almost all of that subsidi the subsidy is basically going towards salaries that's the biggest yep and then in addition that's also why um this is administrative recommendation coming to you you'll see and again like we have more hours we should be paid at the post for that relationship that's going to increase your Absolutely. I think if we really did have to increase hours that would be to say maybe that relationship there has to be investigated the federal state and you know it was we originally budgeted we thought we have 300 and then it changed to 150 now we're back at 250 that's I just feel like I might have missed a piece of that too, J C J C J C J C J C J C J

071C J C J C J Cody, when you say we went back to 150 just in terms of the estimate this year at some point, right? Last year the budget was 15. Okay. Yeah. And now we're back to So yeah, the budget being Okay. Okay, so we're back to I mean at 250 I think is again a little bit on the high side, but I I don't want to have any surprises there um in terms of what we actually do. And I'll have to look back at I think we were closer to 200. Oh, sorry, Mandy. Yeah, still it's definitely something that we need to continue to look at. And I think to to Karen's point, it's something that we need to be processing. I just don't know the best strategy yet to say we're

072going to completely go against what other people are doing here and and we don't have the perfect solution. I do think some people could pay but we were also subsidizing it when we had private pay. Um and so right but to not that extent and and that's when we gave our class rights the living wage, right? and it and it became and and it and I believe in it and we were able to keep our schools open because our cafeterias were able to do that. So there is a value. I'm not asking to change the rule the living wage. I'm I'm wondering if that's a place where we can find quite a bit of recurring problems that when there may or may not be a need and to credit to every single building that we

073have here, we're very discreet lunch. So there's not a stigma for a kid who is right. So So there's it's not that. Yeah. Yeah. I think it's all good points that David and I are really processing how to manage that, especially as David kind of steps into the um the role that he's stepping into next year in terms of managing all the operations as well. So, I think that we're going to have we're going to hopefully be able to come back with some thoughts on that as well. The other the other two big pieces that I think everybody's questioning and Joe kind of asked a question today when Tracy Rainey put out that the new uh bill passed for school funding and Matt I know that you said said something as well about how school

074cuts are minimal at this point is what it's looking like and it did pass. Um and yeah we're getting in total in the in Salida area we're getting like a million dollars more. Some of that's going to Monasuri. Um, so it ends up being about 800,000 for our school district next year with basically no close. Um, and so but that's that's 17th of the formula being rolled out. And so the formula is continuing to be rolled out at higher percentages every year for the next seven years is the current agreement. And so we should be expecting as long as we don't see a decrease in enrollment, that type of increase every year for the next seven years until the state can which could happen. That's so is that we still have seven more years of

075our 1 mil increase. Um so that's so that wouldn't change. That's a different topic. Different topic. That's what this is the this is the actual program funding bill that the state passed and so there's they're putting more into every per pupil and so we will be seeing more money every year until they can't afford it which they seem to always magically be able to afford it. So I don't know where that comes from but um it's just a side note. So, but to you know, I mentioned to Joe in an email today that like that's one of the reasons I have a lot of confidence in building a budget the way we are because I I'm projecting more money every year at this point unless we see a system collapse or something along those lines

076to the tune of 800,000 potentially every year. And with that kind of numbers, the other like big fear is Head Start. And that means if you completely lost Head Start within a year or two, you could completely absorb that into the district. I mean, it would require not getting raises or whatever, but that's the type of money. And I'm not even saying I would advocate for that. I think you'd be looking at another solution, but that's the type of magnitude of money that we should be looking at over the next couple years. And so, we're in a really positive place. And that's one of the reasons I have a lot of confidence building a budget, recommending raises that are put the budget at a deficit. Like, I just think that the that bill passing and

077showing the the same support it has, I can I see that continuing to go at this point. So, um, so that's a big one. And then the Head Start one, we're monitoring it super closely and we, the bill has been at this point there, we have a lot of confidence at least through um, definitely through October until the federal government passes their budget. We are technically approved on our grant through February. So, the bulk of our funding is approved through next year as long as they continue to pay us through February. Um, but we know we're good through at least October at this point. So pretty encouraged by that's half of our Head Start funding roughly throughout the course of the year. Um so even if we saw a massive loss, we could always find

078ways we can collapse the system as Davis says. We could collapse transfers, we could collapse positions in certain areas if we had to to absorb that for a year while we build a strategy for the next year. So I just don't have huge concerns with any of our risks going the next year. Um so I don't know. It's a much more boring presentation and I don't know how I feel about that. I would rather have InSync playing in the background the whole time originally. Um, but those are kind of the big in talking to David, it was like what what do we really want to talk about? And I think those were kind of the big topics that we wanted to hit. Um, and then just to kind of open it up for questions and

079discussion and I know we're building um kind of a negative budget, but at the same time I think I tried to present reasons for that as we have in our financial plans. I have a question. Yeah, please. And I uh so I do appreciate your confidence and uh the basis for being able to justify why it's okay to be over 5%. So and and I probably agree with the vast majority. Is there a way to build the next budget? So that's already taken into account. So it's not over 5%. Because right now my only issue is that well we projected X amount and it came in X plus a little bit. Can we can we project it without having to come out? Yeah. So So on that question, just to be sure I'm I'm understanding,

080are you saying projecting the revenues higher, the expenditures lower, etc.? Yeah. Yeah. I I think there is. The problem is that when you're talking about expenditures in state budget, if you if you're off on the revenues, it's not nearly as big of a deal. If you overexpend, it becomes a massive problem with the state. That's when you get into big trouble where the state starts to come in and say, "Why are you overspending? and you have to send explanations for every single thing. Why didn't you budget appropriately for this? So, we should always budget our expenditures above what we're going to expect. We can be tight, which is what we did this year, and we cut our expenditures as much as we can. Um, but things like if we completely remove all the insurance and

081then there's something that goes above that, that's where we do get into trouble at the state level. So, yes and no. I still think there's some room that we could trim. um there's going to be a question of comfort level of how much we're willing to trim out of that, but I think you're always going to expect to see some increase in that fund balance if we in terms of the not necessarily an increase in the fund balance, but an increase in the projected fund balance from the budget. That should be expected. But you can't predict it. I mean, you can't rightfully predict it in the budget. Yeah. So, again, I think I think you get really close. I think you can get within a couple percentage points like we're trying to do. And so

082this year I I shared I think we're going to be within three-ish percent by the end of the year. Uh which is about 600,000. And so I think you can get close. I I think the question is do you want to predict it in the budget or do you want to be having transparent honest conversations about it throughout the course of the time and maybe that's a strategy the board says no I want you to make every cut you can budget and go that route. Traditionally that hasn't been what we've done. I would say we've got closer to that and that we cut a lot of things out of the budget last year and I could continue to cut a few things, but that's going to put you in a position where you're you're riding

083a fine line on on the revenues. Yeah, I think that's a strategy. I I'm comfortable budgeting a couple of those things above now, but also in the amended budget, you can get really close. And I think that's where we have that second moment where we get to say like, hey, that's really the budget that we're we're graded on at the end of the year. And that's where I'm going to be able to say, look, we know 15 people didn't take insurance and they're still hired. So, and it's December, so we can take all of that money out of the budget if we needed to. So, that's where I think we could get really tight if you wanted to go that route. And that's where I probably advocate to get really tight budget, but I I

084mean, I think you could. I just risk tolerance on how much you want to push it. I'm comfortable pushing it, so it's up to you. Well, I just I just look at the the state. There's a lot of people in pickle right now because they overbudgeted or they they ran over 1.2 or 1.3 billion which is 3% of the budget of the state budget last year. So to them it made a difference right to be over and obviously they'll pick it up somewhere somehow. But we had to have a you know there were a little bit of a a little worry with the department of education the state funding schools because there there was risk associated with that and but there are other people they're absolutely realizing that risk somebody's going to get that's why

085and we want to identify here's the areas we build tighter budget I think our financial plan really says here's my tolerance all the endeavor board. It's determined it's going to flux as you go through, but right now it's got about 4%. He'll hold himself more accountable than that from the board level there. So 10% off relationship that's just not acceptable. explaining why it's kind of why I like the financial plan and then also if we are too conservative and that fund balance grows already have a mechanism now say back into system people or whoever the power of that set out a roadap if we get too conservative here's how we % more than there is a little bit of nuance there that's really hard to tie out, but I agree. budget so that it's over

086100%. Yeah. And I I think that's my goal. My goal will be to get down to 100% and and be as clear as possible with all of those things. Right now, I would say we're shorting the revenues maybe slightly, but but we're not I wouldn't say we're shorting it that much compared to what we've been talking about, right? Like we've been talking a lot about we're going up 800,000 roughly on the formula. There's a few areas where we're seeing that. And so I don't think that we're like we're still seeing those increases and we're not like taking those out. I just think as I'm looking at the budget from previous years, it's like I think we could do a lot better with specific ownership taxes now that I'm analyzing five years of that line. Um

087and so what you know, can we put that up? Yeah, I think we can. The risk to that is it's not if you do hit a recession that's a line that you go, "Oh, that quickly slipped." And so it's just a tolerance on how you want to do with that. But I mean, the other thing I don't want to do is completely flood a budget and be like, "Oh, I got to 100% because I added another million in revenues or, you know what I mean? I don't want to do that either. I want to have as honest and have you be able to see like if everything goes bad, this is where we'll be at." So I think by the admitted budget, you're going to see this much closer to like 100%. And I I'd

088like to see it even less if we can. How did the state get rid of the 1.2 billion dollar deficit and still have this rosie of a this rosy of a for people funded? Um, right. How are we? I can give you I can give you multiple answers. And one of the answers I won't give you because you I don't want to be the conspiracy theorist um that knows that there's some things that are going on behind the scenes that I think are are out there. But um I think that the $350 million for law enforcement, for example, um was weaponized pretty quickly in terms of a big uh deficit because we had voted it in. Um it was decided that it could be used um out of fund balance. that was already a law.

089So, we had voted it in that way. It was already put in that way. And yet, suddenly it was part of that $1.2 million. This is what I was sharing throughout the course of the time. Um, it was forgotten about when they did the first budget, even though the budget came out in December and we voted it in in November. And then two months later, suddenly it's a it's a big deal the next month, the next month it's taken care of. So, that's the conspiracy. There's part of it. um they're always going to find some ways to to do some of those things. They did short some things like transportation. Um they like some of the road building projects etc. They closed they did short some of those budget lines. So they case advocated heavily.

090um case is the Colorado Associates of uh school executives and they advocated heavily and they pushed heavily and also the House Speaker and the and the House is really really most of them won their elections based upon school funding and so when they shorted anything it didn't tend to be the schools at the end of the day. Yeah. And so, but there there is language in there too of like it's going for the next seven years, but there's a smoothing factor if the state education fund ever dips below a certain amount. And there's no real language that says what is that smoothing factor. Um, so yeah, I'm not playing conspiracy theorist, but also um I don't know that they were in as big a crisis as they maybe have put on. I would also add

091that they the thing they should watch um I'm not as concerned around the federal state funding conversations. Those are not most closely. Um the size of the pie by how many students go to school in Colorado with the declining overall declining across the state. Um that's the really important thing they're tracking. That's what they just decided not to address. So it's going to boomerang back next year. of their paying school districts or students that don't exist, right? Which makes sense when you look at averaging and you can see the logic. But at some point in the state of Colorado, they're going to have to come to reality, but there are less students here. We have to spend our students the money on the kids who are actually teachers who are actually teaching. Um that one

092our relationship based on reputation and house building that that conversation is the most important one for all to be tracking concerned with the other ones flash. We also saw the state credit um all of our grants the previous five years they moved the revenue over grants. So of course we got behind we were there right they realized that they had a lot of pennies laying on the table so they started to sweep up and they really got high all those little grants to make sure all those pennies were being put into just so they really address that issue. So they're just trying to host the bottom. I would say too I don't think I don't think conspiracy theorist is the right word. But Ben, you said it really well. They had a 3% shortfall at

093the end of the day and $1.2 billion in a $40 billion budget is 3%. Turns out you can cut 3%. If you really sit down and say how you're going to do it. Hard to do in an election year when you're all running elections and trying to figure out what you're going to do and then you just got elected and now you're dealing with turnover within the legislature and the budget committee, etc. But it turns out you that's not I mean it's it's doable, right? Like 3% is manageable. We have that. The difference between the state or the federal government and here and the reason I think we could run a tighter budget is because here we have a bureaucracy of one. I manage the budget and you all support it and you all keep

094me accountable to that budget. But when you have a budget committee that is represented by a bunch of people that have different intentions and different goals and different etc etc etc it's really really challenging to make some of those cuts until you actually have to make some of those cuts. So they they did that. I don't think it's it's not like a conspiracy theory. I just don't the quick the quickness with which it was addressed after the level of panic that happened in a two-month period um to me gives me a lot of confidence going forward. I guess I just think it it can't be done and I think they're doing a great job for what it's Yeah. No, I am not. That is a hard no. I see there's election updates next. I am

095not ready for public just to be uh any other questions, comments budget. I would probably add parking lot retreat might be sent out some stuff how to provide reporting to the boarding what makes the most sense that it's internally should be doing various things but I don't necessarily need to see your sales It's easy for us to read. Look forward to having those conversations. Yeah. Thanks. That was something else that you know, you take a look at the board report. Just trying to think of new ways to build systems that support you in holding accountability. And to your words, it's Joe, it's that the monitoring the budget is one of your biggest priorities as the board. um how do I give you the tools that you can be successful and are you reading the tools

096or are the tools not helping you be successful and how do we get the right tools and maybe they are the right tools in which case I'm happy to carry on but if there's something you need more or less I just want to figure that out so whatever that looks like that tree is a good place to talk about that moving into the next one 2025 election update Kim are you leading this conversation Just a quick She's honestly At the June meeting, we'll have a work session open house for potential interested new candidates. Hopefully, I don't know. We'll see. We met today. I mean, I guess You're running for district. District five. Not moving. After a lot of reflection and considerations, I will be running again. I don't know if I'm running in my district

097or at large based on this table representation of district 4 usually. It's very strange. Dr. Hill for him to be at large and have the district member represent the vast district probably allow us to redo the cut into I was planning to get to large I will be encouraging my wife to I know who I would vote for that one. I would actually clear any drama with any other race. The Hills You would lose because you would vote for her and she would vote for her. Okay, very good. Um, thank you all. Jumping into action items, and forgive me if I get lost in here. I'm looking like we need a motion to approve the second reading policies. There's a lot in here. Lot of details that spans into ends at down here. B 31.

098Okay. Questions, comments, further clarifications? ter. Did we accomplish our full policy audit? We did. CBT also completed the ones that were negotiating 100%. which means next year we can go back and dial in I hope to never do that again. I as long as I'm around I won't allow any kudos and thank you to it was this board that went through that endeavor and I think I took the easy bonus so I don't take too much credit so for those of you know ready Okay. Looking for a motion to approve ratified recommendations from CDC. asked for the sabbatical to modify the agenda. We can vote on that individually process by somebody that Yeah. Discuss any other questions, comments on the CBT piece? Any statements for the CBT folks that have stuck around with us? I

099just want to say there was some in here. You look at GCK, GCK. This one's around teacher discussion. Those could have been places where we really got sideways. Those tend to be really dynamic conversations and I thought everyone looked at significant changes to one policy. So I appreciated how they showed up conversation. Jana is here. Jana has been my partner in doing policies more than anything else. I deeply appreciate her personally and help because there's just so many details and it's a bit overwhelming. So just want to name those aren't small side and they weren't. So is there Anything? So, without being able to like really compare side to side, is there anything super significant? I think about is there anything very significant that you guys think we should point out to us so we're

100aware of it? I don't think so. Like we want there just following our lawyers recommendations for red lights. Um, so and I feel like that's what we looked at. There was a few concessions that from a kind of association side which I thought reasonable. Um the only one that was discussion was if we get into a reduction in force, you can have a hearing where you say here's the cut list. Someone gets on the wrong side of that cut list. They also want to be able to have the ability to grieve policies. There's nothing else in here that was really interesting. The sabbatical pulling out. So extended already. The only other thing that is overtime that was something that added to the list. We needed that cleaned up to address our hourly workers and how

101stuff works. So, and then PTO bank's the other one you can look at. Um, and as we discussed, it doesn't matter how you do that one. If you make it so tight to take advantage of it, you give up your ability to take care of the person in realis trying to make a really tight policy you can't take advantage of. I am really thinking of somebody's horrific situation cancer and so I think they made a better also in the second round always you're just going to have to accept that one or two people may may think that's necessary so that you take care of employees situations. They improved it. It's never going to solve it. GCK R number 11. questions. Yeah, I would say kind of back to the conversation earlier with CBT and like

102being able to work through these policies. Really appreciate the team's effort sometimes into it and then the approach we started this conversation two years ago. It was like our policies have some gaps. We need some clean up. We had a strong policy board and there was a lot of resistance from the CDC group with feeling like we were trying to just change everything shift the narrative. It was more just a overall clean up and make sure it made sense for us and for staff. So yeah, appreciate you guys efforts and time and the same go through. picked up pretty quickly and just so the PT or changes working. So that was that was a lot of the hard conversations better situation was pleased with how it has actually worked out. I'm sure 20 years from

103now those solutions won't work for us. Can I make a comment on that too, dude? And I meant to bring this to you, but we were in a meeting today, but literally just today in case that topic came up, check the substitute lines. And then another area I'll be looking at the amended budget is our substitute line was over budgeted. Um, which is going through it. It's a sign of the fact that PTO is working because every year previous to this year has been over. It's we've been spending more than we budgeted in almost all of our substitute lines. We had multiple substitute lines this year that we actually spent less than we budgeted. So just a line that I'm going to be looking at deeply. Is that a one-off? Is that a PTO working?

104But I think it's a celebration that the PTO work. So I meant to bring that to you earlier today. It's ready for a vote on the amended motion. This is recommendation. All the policies Dr. Hill. Okay. So, we'll jump straight into that spatical one. So, looking for a motion to approve policy GCCF-NAT. comments. Actually, just for me, I'm guessing I wanted to pull this out because I am going to vote vote no and I want to let my peers know why. Um, I have four reasons. Um, one is that, um, let's do them in order of significance. Um, I was disappointed in the service obligation of the people who had taken it while I've been on this board. You know what they promised and what they gave is not did not match. Number two, um

105my I'm all about money into to humans and that was CBT's priority and David indicated that CBT it wasn't necessarily a top priority for them. So I I want to really listen when it is a top priority and this year that's sbatical is and so that gives me a little breathing room. Number three, we are still have a learning gap from sbaticals that were taken and those those are in impacting our students today. If you want to be student centered, the sobatical impacts negative. However, the most important reason number four why I am voting no is I need to give power to the principles. I would like the best teachers to be in those classrooms and sbatical ties the hands principles. Frankly, we're in a it's a teachers economy. We go up. you can, you

106know, you can get up to, you can return to where you were. I do not feel it is my responsibility as a board member to manage that risk. That's an individual's risk and there's opportunities that there's opportunities to do that. I did not caucus on this, meaning go to my try to persuade my peers. This is the first time they've heard about why I am. Thank you, Jody. Would your solution be to just have it to the discretion of the principal? What what what is your solution? You can work at university. It's not necessarily a K12 issue. It hasn't worked out well for us. We have learning gaps. I want to give those principles the power to put to put the best people in. And that may or may not be as somebody who requested.

107And I guess my question with the policy as written now, which obviously is is not the way I would um when a teacher goes out on a public approved under current policy, what happens at the end? Specifically, what is their service agreement? Um in each of the situations that we handled with depends on what their training is. work with them and set up an for them to come back and teach what they want. Oh, I mean is their classroom guaranteed to them because that's not the norm that I'm seeing in the state or you know what I mean? It doesn't say that's their assignment. Yeah, the contract is guaranteed on their assignment. So job assignment could change job. You just might not come back to the state class job in their area. Would it be

108better if that was in there? Because I my concern would be that someone goes and they are surprised or disagree and they feel like so you have two options. You could you could make an amendment to the policy right now and say I would make a motion to approve this change right now to do that. Um and you don't want it that way. There's one approach from processing or you could say vote for that and I want this to come back to CBT next year. Yeah, I just worry people get into trouble when it remind me all about last year. Um, and one of the big concerns was this piece coming back. So that is currently in our Yes. So currently as it is if we did not have a sobatical policy a teacher could

109decide that they just wanted to take a six month two year they district come back apply for a new job with the district. So that would be the difference they would have to come back and apply for a new job. They can still come back. So the only risk there would be to go through a hiring process. So that would be the risk. So I suppose for teachers that feel like transfer from like Denver public schools. So that was a big that was a big piece of inter if you left he'd still come back years of experience identify all the risks for us and the teacher. So that's the risk for the teacher if they don't do their job. Correct. The risk for us is that the principal has hired candidates that they like better.

110We don't need that fit this person but we still need to stuck with like a substitute scenario where they can't just move forward as Regardless of the assignment, they've got 20 people on the team. One person's outstation that person is. So assuming doing what's best for kids, is it fair to assume that if the teacher leaves and comes back in the process and they're a great teacher who's great for kids that we almost always have that's the current situation that is a probable scenario you just described. which is not the same thing. The key thing we said was going to cost us money. So those two things will go about to try and respond to the board you have in front of you maintains that it's privilege but it's also a lot of different problem

111situations I think everyone sees all the perspectives it's not like a failure to understand perspectives What's important to me is that when they come back they don't there's been two and neither have fulfilled their oblig neither fulfilled their obligation you have a time insert you have to come back certain time you have other things depending on what the memorandum is and we didn't enforce that yeah and I guess does anyone else have an issue I mean I am worried that someone would come back with a different expectation And I think like a letter J could solve it. But does share that concern? No, I share that concern because as we went through it, I I just sat here and read three times looking for what happens. So I do feel that confusing and there should

112be a job because I it is That's that's the piece that's where it gets for the process if that's really an important factor itemized to clarify come back for a contract but we are not guaranteed your sign that's the important aspect we can right now and say we'll bring it back in June spirit bring back to you in June saying that it's going to solve some of your guys's concerns. It's not solve all of your concerns. Well, it just I guess it would be nice to know because I don't feel like I'm aware what someone on CBT thinks will happen when someone comes back. I'm just not sense maybe table. And does that at least clear up your one point that That gave the principal ran the opportunity to say this is too big of

113a risk for me to have a longterm position for six months. So I'm actually just going to go ahead and hire a new teacher into this position and then I will hire this person else. Does that concern? No, I think for me that does alleviate concern gaps in the classroom when the teacher left that we're still recovering and if the option to hold that position to be able to hire teacher that position that that is better for students it is available it's moving towards but I'm I'm president it's moving I'm more comfortable and I'm really thankful that you guys are thinking about it. But you're not going to participate. Well, and if you're a hard note, that's fine. I just if if it's going to pass, I'd rather it be better. Absolutely. That Yeah, you're

114moving towards better. I agree. Okay. since we have all the other things and if you wanted to take some time away take your time away and then come back because seems like time away got decide maybe I shouldn't go back and teach like what's my next move I just you know I'm fine with improving it I'm aware very well with class I do think that I don't think it's policy needs table that small piece and the board can also say I want you to bring us back to CBT next year and I want you come back again these things don't aren't good conversations and you guys also have privilege and responsibility you don't have to vote for it I mean I mean I'm kind as well. So, um simply for that already brought up about

115one classroom. So that's and then secondly I do feel like what we got coming back so I so I don't know everyone else but I where we need to take it or we should just take a vote. Maybe there was some because I'm close to a yes vote but I'm not a yes vote. And how important is this to our staff, right? like I also don't want to just like throw it out and it's very damaging to our relationship that we just improved with CBT. So I would say with that table and they would go back and for we can also just leave it inactive right now as is and say we want to work on again next year just say we had lots of lens but this one needs to sit for another year

116and come back to it is another option wrap it up I think so one of the one of the sentiments was you know up relationships well I mean those relationships come when they go they were pretty gone not too long ago and now they're good so I don't think we're going to ruin it but that isn't our goal our goal was what you said first, right? Is what is best that it gets and uh I think that's a I would be worried about and I don't I don't want to take it. I don't want to modify it and I don't want to bring it back and eat. I think you guys have lots of options. I think at this point I I need to be I need to defer to you guys, right? Yeah. I

117mean I would prefer to get some more input from CBT and you know I I do think it's a you know they sort of had a discussion based upon some representations that the board made and they sort of morphed to this point again. So I think they need to have another discussion based upon what the discussion was. You know, I do think there's there's certainly no harm to tableing it and not letting that discussion play a little further before we vote. I'm probably vote, but um you know, I just uh I hear the concerns over certainly student gap. I think that the service issue I would probably put more on the admin. They're not holding the you know, teachers to the fire. Maybe you said you do this, right? I would say that's probably um

118that'll be something next year we have to we have to but I feel like this policy in particular It would be really great to get, you know, all of our consultants like we really don't want to deal with this big kids. if they're all like this for our staff and we don't think we can that I'm pretty sure I can represent pretty cultural issues. Um and they would none of them think that it's great. None of them would say this is a great idea. Um and this also is the most important thing for I would recommend breaks of the relationship frankly. Yes, I agree. Just from a year end, checking out and everything else, but if you think you can get it done, bring it back in June, great. If you guys feel like you

119want to start summer early and bring it back in August, I'm just like, yeah, I'd love to have it in June. Let's do it. Do we have the motion to table or we just You have to amend the motion. You have to have a vote until it m Thank you for the clarity. just showers us on her way out the door. Here's the line for the glitter. You'd have to be on the stairs. All right, moving into action item whatever it is. J I CJ, student use of cell phones. Yes. I was gonna uh pause and really celebrate that honestly. I know. Well, that's kind of what I'm thinking. Like I feel like we didn't even talk about that because I don't know if some board members want to make some comments on how important

120that is for the pay. I think we've come a long ways and I think that there's more work to do be done and done some coming out of co being around for a while all of us been around for a while and we're kind of seeing different things like the money's never really come it's just such a yeah it's always just a toss but getting better clarity from era that period of time the two business dive to present things back to CDC. I know that makes sense and makes sense to us like we'll be able to well in the state of affairs like the state has this huge deficit district probably talking about cutting programs rebuild and things like that be on the other side that they'll be able to do the steps and the

121increases and all the I just had a question. What were the 17? Well, 16 and then 17, but it came before. I mean, just, you know, it came through solving a different problem. It's only at 10 cents a year. So, we work 10 years to a dollar uh raise. And so, we said, let's get that money to him sooner. Then it was 25 cents, then it went to 35 cents. So this is just slowly ratcheting up solution and getting a nice piece in place. And it doesn't impact some of our most important staff who have been supporting us for decades. Thanks to David and Aaron for all the clarity on the percentage of the budget, knowing that on some level the money is the money, right? and knowing that we can try to get that

122percentage as far as the district. Yeah, I just wanted to say one thing too. I know it's not as for business manager comment, but um I'm like super uncomfortable tonight. Thank you for the compliments from all of you, but I hate being compliment so don't do that again. Um no, just no board member comments. No, but like um but no, I appreciate it. But I did want to say too to what you just said like I'm only here because of David's vision and my belief in that vision and his vision to increase teacher pay and also increase performance and increase just the district goals in general. And that's a large part of it. And so, um, I think lots of times it's like, oh, thank you, Erin, but I I wanted to say and really

123highlight that as well and make you uncomfortable, David, because we have a lot of meetings behind doors where we disagree on things and we and we disagree in language that my son's not allowed to use. But when it comes to like staff and teacher pay and things like that, that goal is set and driven largely by David and said, "Hey, I want you to push this and I want you to find this and I want you to figure this out and then we go figure it out together." I think that's just an important thing for me that that's a big part of why I'm doing it. And so kudos to you. And I I think last year was the biggest pay raise in school district history and I think this one is the second biggest

124pay school district. I did my math right. So we were we were working. Yeah, there have been some bumps but we're not there but we're getting Sorry. You spend a lot of money and a lot of people. It's important you say something. Yeah, we should separate that. That's okay. Go to go to We did it. We did it. It's there. It's in there. kind of technically approve the budget. [Laughter] Yes, based upon my comments last week, that is true. You have to technically approve the budget next month to approve all of it. That is accurate, but yes, the process is super fun. Okay, we're going back to Robert's rules. Here we go. Uh, looking for a motion to approve JICJ student music effective next week. Any further comments? Uh, we talked about this one in

125depth, but time for the votes. I really appreciate the data from the pilot program that the light did. It was fascinating and useful. Thank you to that team. Yeah, I appreciate it too. There's some few things I I noticed from one is um I talked with teacher from district 11 they have similar policy that use the yonder pouches they said they don't work one thing he he said is that they all have assigned computers [Music] a lot of kids can bring, you know, their own computers here and if for [Laughter] Apple so that's one point just something to think about towards implementing it. Um, the other point was there was a phone that was taken during sort of an educational piece. I think that needs to be worked through a little bit more. Um, one

126of the kids times was working on something where they recorded an interview on their phone. So they need to have their phone out. just in case I think yeah let's try and find how it works. The other point is I think it's important to get the teachers to buy. Yeah. And it would be good to know not necessarily for us but Again, as I've said every month, I don't want this to become a policy like it already is a policy, which is that there is no real observed policy. And I worry if things like that aren't sorted out beforehand, it's a slippery slope to well, I mean, I need it for school, right? Totally or there I mean there's an educational exception in the policy that just needs to go through administration and say figure

127out how to put boundaries. We're usually pretty open. So let's talk general. So your policy is districtwide solid space. That's the first one. Your next one is the regulation policy which is normally voted on but we want to make sure it's clear. The regulation policy what really is what says this year we're going to make sure this is how we're going to implement it. This is the consistency. It specifically calls out cell phones, right? It allows the principal to say here's how you get a watches or earbuds or Google glasses and they're just kind this doesn't stop. Yeah. And so it allows that principal to sit down with that family and say your child's use of their watch isn't acceptable. Putting it on the list with your family where there's a clear communication with the

128family of your kid needs support here. We're calling this out and so they have the capacity to deal with those other pieces. Um it's also important on the watches thing. I'll take more of the country kids where you have kids biking on. It's really important to parents to be able to use that GPS tracker. There's still enough, I think, of our community that from their perspective, the ability to stay connected, particularly in after school activities. Um, we'll put it in the bucket of safety. That that's where we're at. I think that's going to continue to change and I think that's why we put it under regulation policy so we can be more fluid as technology changes. we can get more aggressive on the thing that's causing the distraction, the bullying or the whatever it might

129be because it's not a stagnant thing. It's going to keep moving faster and faster. That's where it sits today. And then you have the third policy is an action item get all this package which says teachers may not be during student addresses establishes a good baseline and establishes a really good foundation because this isn't really the conversation you know it's a conversation a conversation is how we raise students who keep their humanity that's the boundary we set the boundary here or reset. But there is no job available to any of our students does not include technology. That's the conversation we have at next class. How are we going to live in this juosition of technology is bad for you, technology is necessary for life. Right? These two conversations are competitive and compliment complex. This I

130think is a really good spot. board who says vision and policy is to say we're going to start with our humanity the boundary there around human development I think that's the right place to start the conversation you know that we don't get to escape the second which is what are the right devices right that's what you'll see in the next fiveyear tech somebody into June to say middle school that's why they're moving out in the pandemic, we just had to flip and go mobile. So, we gave everyone a device. Well, that wasn't a thought through deliberate thing. That was a necessity. It's how we tackled every possible situation and did it overnight, literally. Um, now the middle school is bringing that back and saying, "No, we'll have Chromebooks on a cart. We're not doing a

131onetoone assignment. We're not having sixth graders taking their Chromebooks home." that is not the right human development industry. So we're seeing that boundary as the high school sense we got to figure out because they Chromebooks may not be the right device. They may need full-blown um laptops for that. You know what are those things that they four years because they're setting the expectations of learning technology. Those are the conversations that are now say that AI is not using that's the next hard if you have that question we have to assume other parents have a similar bring obviously that's how she has all day and The key thing is the regulation policy app will approve next. Once the principal go with that kid, it's they just can't handle it or whatever their situation is. They can

132sit down with the family and say, "This isn't working." It really isn't that new, right? We do that with all kids. This isn't, right? We're going to sit down with your mom and your dad. We're going to talk about how we're going through this stretch. Um I was just going to bring up something that kind of was saying some findings. Yeah. Um I think one of the biggest things is the high schools worked really hard and I know student council has worked really hard to have a really great Instagram page. But I think that's gonna be sort of a problem next year and all this and all that. And already with our community there's kind of a push towards like no social media 16 until 16. So I do feel like at the high school

133there's quite a few of those freshman sophomore kids that are left out of a lot of this like social planning and what's going on at the high school. So I think that would be a good project probably for student council since it's their Instagram page of like are you going to switch to student email like how are you going to start marketing information so that the entire student body is getting it and you're not asking the school. So I think that's a big concern and then this is just based what I've heard from girls which I mentioned to you before is we need to start the bathroom tampons because the girls constantly Okay, thank you. That's great feedback. It's great feedback. Thank you. Yeah, I didn't. Okay, so we do do that, but it doesn't

134mean it's always the stocks always kept up for someone else. It's something to look into. Okay, so Director Lumbberg had asked for clarity on this. To be clear, the cell phone ban that we would be voting on does not ban smart watches or AirPods. Correct. Thank you. Just making sure that's Appreciate it. Obvious. I had I did hear of a student losing their AirPods at the high school this week while not using them with a cell phone, but now I reading this I could see where there could be some confusion. Yeah. And I think this one's going to be talked about and reviewed, but formal review semester. I think this I think our community is going to provide you that opportunity to review that in August and September whether we want to or not. I

135appreciate our community wanting to, but I want our teachers and administrators to I hear you. And we do this now because I know that my student has had their watch taken away like two years ago. So we do that as needed already, right? I appreciate that. So we'll all be looking out of this meeting. If you would approve these three things, you'll see over the next few days press releases and communications going out over all of our sound waves. Um then you'll see it again in the fall to try and communicate out clearly. And just another thing that happened today on social media as we're all encouraging our kids not to be on social media as much is there is someone in the community who actually started a drive to collect games, puzzles, whatever. An

136adult. Yeah. So she so she put that up there for for people in the community to start donating things for teachers to have in their classrooms when now it's like free time. Be on your phone instead. Now be like, "Oh, I have all these games in my classroom. had all this stuff for community donated. So, I thought that was nice to see that community support and that initiative from a mom in the community who just I think did that on. I appreciate that. To be clear, our teachers teach about so much. It sounds like the ping pong table is great. Yeah. Okay. Ready for a vote? Dr. Hi Dr. Hi Mr. Hi. Hi Mr. Sherman. Hi Mr. Hi. Okay. Looking forward a motion to approve the JICG CJ national TV. Second. Take your pick. Thank

137you Mandy and Jody. Any further discussion? Hi, Dr. Hill. Hi, Mr. Hi, Mission to approve GB staff use of the internet and electronic communications. Can I make a comment on that policy? Did we just pass GB? No. Second. [Music] Right. I'm not suggesting there necessarily has to be a change, but where it says like interacting with kids on social media or texting directly strongly discouraged, it might be cool to consider just saying no. But what I also want you to see is um when we bring the communications plan next month, I want you guys to look through those things. We're trying to bring some boundaries and that's the planning document. I'd like to be able to say here's how we communicate to the stakeholder and draw some more boundaries and structures that support teachers to

138navigate. It also says you'll use this communication tool platform. You don't all get to make your own choice and how you do that. That allows us then to make sure that platform has the kind of transparent communication we expect. This will be a platform that's used by and it would be nice to get feedback because we do have some young cool teachers who sometimes do outdoor recreating in the vicinity of students and may have some communication around that. So I could be, you know, wrong. Would be great to hear. Is this a first reading, second, third reading? Third reading. Okay. This is the one that we brought this back up to be clear. It's not just kids, but it's also staff. allows us to address that across the office trying to get better at managing

139the devices that we're all ready for. All right, Dr. P. Hi, Dr. Hill. Hi, Mr. House. Hi, Mr. Hi. Good job, team. What a year. I'm really proud of that. A lot of big things we got through. So, uh, let's get out of here. Board communications committees. We did also finish our [Music] I've gotten double D just so you know that I've been really doing a lot of policy stuff. I will trade you for the next update. Um have the paper left. Um there's a lot there is a lot in facilities. Um I think David may have shared maybe he didn't with everybody I can't remember. uh the old admin was a building on the current current HA property. Uh CMC did connect back with us. We expect them to go to their meeting here

140in a couple weeks uh to kind of formally vote to proceed with a contract and offer if that's the right terminology. So based on the formal appraisal. Yep. So they got an updated appraisal and we expect to see kind of the contract and offer from them. appraisal. Well, we never got well for Okay. Yeah. So, it's it's I wouldn't say negotiations. It's the same. So, that is going to the board of trustees hopefully in a week and we'll hear back from them and start moving that one forward. um on the Spartan Heights conversation. That one is also kind of in that contract negotiation phase. Uh but we partnered with the JP Housing Trust and they were very interested in moving that forward. Um so there's some funding timelines with grants and different things that they

141have to look into. So it's a call it an extended closing. We're trying to nail down the parameters of what that looks like. um so that we could just kind of get some clarity and understand where we're going. So hopefully have that done here the next month or two as well. Um and then we did meet a week ago, two weeks ago at the county as a week ago, we were invited to the county for their work session uh to discuss the poncha land again. um was in a work session setting so it felt a little bit more informal and ability to talk and have an open conversation. Um there was definitely some discussion of wanting to have more action and less uh talk about this and move this matter forward and get it off

142of everybody's agenda. So that was appreciative. Um we're still optimistic. We'll see how it goes and how long the optimism lasts. Uh but I am optimistic that from that conversation we will move that needle forward. Um and see where that comes out. shifting different part of the property. And David and I also met with uh Mayor Skanga and uh the town of Conra administrator just to kind of have that beginning discussion of you guys have 30 acres plus or minus nearby where we're talking with the county. What are your long-term plans? Is there space for the schools? So on and so forth and everything's kind of a longterm plan thing. expect to have recreation spaces and hope that we can collaborate in the future and a few other things of that nature. So, it's a

143lot of conversations happening and some are moving slower than others, but we'll see what I get for the next update. It's a lot. That's awesome. I have two questions regarding the land. One is, do we just have to let go of 20 acres? more than likely the conversation was an acquisition of plus or minus 10 with a plus or minus 10 depending on I guess as a future okay so right right now for us to create yes um but we're we're still helping future okay and then the second question is does want us there you know like the leadership yes they do they do it's their duty to They like the idea secure and fun purchasing like you that's okay but they like the idea of having a campus there. Everyone agrees that that was

144a very good spot suggesting a secondary spot that is the best option pretty strongly that the needs to maintain hay capacity to generate. So that is the discussed but we don't get what we want and we have to pick I'm just making sure just making sure I understand that's where it's at the current offer is the I will I said it publicly at the work session I got to twice thank you for asking for clarity that this board feels very strongly that we should not be paying for any land we are going forward right that is not our another tax district for the school district that serves our kids in the community should be given this land for those future considerations. But do do they understand what we could ask for like a lot for

145development? Do they understand what we're not asking or our fees and are just so generous to everyone but us? I think they are aware of that and are comfortable if this board will want to change all of that. Um I don't believe that they have articulated publicly the connection between if you increase your fees counterintuitive to affordable housing which is a strong interest of theirs. If you increase fees that just gets passed on to housing costs. So that relationship there I think full. It's an update. They showed up. They said, "Let's make this happen. That's what we need for motherboard." And I think we can make this happen. Right. It's not there's no we say we left the meeting with send back to Correct. And so how line and south is a sugar in the

146middle of a downtown. Thanks, Aaron. Kind of feel like it's more on Chinatown Howard. Okay. Uh, communications. Jen, Matt, I think there's going to be a lot from you next month. You're going to get a lot. I don't want to leave it there. This is where you're going to see a lot. You're going to get a lot of data. You're going to get plans. You're going to get assessments. I would expect some a lot of reading coming your way, which I think you're going to all kind of geek out and looking at the data. Jim's had a chance to look at the perception data from three different artifacts. You're going to get an audit of communication as well. You're some fun like jazzy videos artifacts and things to look at, but you're going to geek

147out if you're like me and like really dive in. I'll give you access to some of the data sets you can look at cross reference. Wait a minute. two things can't be true. Yeah. So, I'm really excited to share this. Um, and I've got all that stuff ready for you and hopefully communications plan. Um, which is more than just a communication plan. It starts to lay out guard rails that we can have as an organization a little less loosey goosey from how do you communicate with kids as a a coach as a teacher like trying to put some guard rails and not drown people options. I think when we first put that out, I will tell you there'll be push back because go from ultimate freedom to a more structured situation push back because somebody's

148going to get their wings clipped in that motion. I think it's really important that structure support is Where are we in like the board docks or whatever? It's not the recommendation I thought towards the office. searching for docu so much. It's so cumbersome like back and forth. We've got we've been going through the sales meetings and everything else. So I guess you know on that plan you be surprised Sal is hosting the regional CASBY gathering which I think means kind of a big deal to Casby whatever I think [Music] If we don't, no one should come. Um, and legislator, I believe that's decided to support the court. Jen for we've been called for proposals to present just happened. Is anybody interested in presenting? I did that email immediately. Okay. Anybody else? Because I'm interested I'll

149go a little something something if they want to like enjoy your casting conference. I'm your I'm your hustleberry. So probably someone Some of us might not be there. That is a real risk, isn't it? If you have an idea, if you're if you're not up for there's only three of us, so it's just Matt, Ben, and me. No, Ben, you're up. Karen, Matt. Okay. Matt, Karen, and Tony will feel I feel like I was in the audience last year and I was presenting [Music] too because I had I had to leave. Yeah, I couldn't go because I would present. Are you presenting anything yet? Dak, Ben, anything? We almost had a meeting. Pretty good. That's awesome. I did catch. Okay. Uh future business. I think there's a few things back here. Agenda review. Who's running

150in this time? Matt is in. I have a few days out that week. figure it out. Um, do we need to formally let Jesse know about graduation? service graduation is this Saturday at steam [Music] We will be sure to send out another invit invitation about those graduations. Please encourage you to come to vote. Yeah, I'm just I'm not that side of high because of my mom's family. No, but I feel guilty. We're going to eat. I'll go to you. Got it. Um I think the other piece that would probably be good to try to nail down is the August look to even put in quotes tree um date. usually tried to kind of target the Saturday after the school start. Um, would that be the Yes, full school starts the 18th. So that could be

151I mean Friday would be the 22nd. Saturday will be the 23rd for everybody. August 23rd. You prefer Friday or Saturday? I think the key question is if you're looking at more big picture stuff, then I don't have to have the principles there. If you're looking at I want to really dive into middle school's planning this and that's what the conversation is that well actually give me an ideal time in August because I want them focused on starting school. It is. Yes, it is. I would recommend a Friday because I don't believe at this time. I don't see anything. [Laughter] Friday, August 22nd. The 22nd is acceptable. Okay, we'll book the whole day. I hope we don't use and then June meeting you know I'll give the end of the year here's all our priorities here's

152we did set you up then think about your summer priorities always be thinking about if I know going into the summer things that you would like me to see get better in our districts move the needle a lot better for me to have some operationalize that dream or that aspiration be thinking in June board meeting things like hey I'd really like to see this because if you just start in August in August it's an year out realistically before it happens just takes a while to get those aspirations into the systems yeah I would say uh topics for that retreat date. Sorry start funneling that to David Kim and myself. Um we already talked a little bit about the budget and presentation and then I know from the retirement party yesterday there was a conversation about

153testing testing culture I'll say and uh so we can bring those two as the first ones but uh so yeah looking for a motion to adjourn. Beautiful. [Music]