001[music] >> Good evening. I would like to call the school board meeting for Tuesday, May 5th, 2026 for the Des Moines Public Schools to order. Ms. Rios, would you please take the roll? Yes. Ms. Alonzo? Here. >> [clears throat] >> Ms. Campos? Here. Mr. Dix? Here. Ms. Hopkins? Here. Mr. Howell? Present. Ms. Mauro-Cano? Here. Dr. Mayberry-Mayes? Here. We have quorum. Thank you. The first item of business is approval of the agenda. May I have a motion and a second to approve the agenda? Dix, so moved. Mayberry-Mayes, second. We have a motion by Dix and a second by Mayberry-Mayes. Is there any discussion or does anyone have any questions? Board members, please cast your votes. The vote is approved 7 to 0. Ms. Alonzo? We provide speakers at the forum an opportunity to address the board
002for up to 3 minutes regarding items that are not on the board agenda and up to 5 minutes for an agenda item. If anyone wishes to speak during any portion of the business meeting, please email [email protected]. The same speaking protocols apply to all individuals who wish to address the board. Speakers will be called individually and we ask that they state their name and zip code prior to providing comments. Guests of the board are encouraged to speak to matters relating to the programs, services, and operations of DMPS. Please remember that Iowa law prohibits us from discussing specific employees or their job performance. We ask all speakers to avoid references to personalities or character attacks as those types of comments do not contribute to the purpose for which this public forum exists. The use of inappropriate language
003and um will not be tolerated. And individuals choosing to do so will be gavels out of order and asked to excuse themselves from the premises or escorted out by district security. As a reminder to the public to the board and public, the board will not engage in a discussion with public forum speakers as it is our obligation to discuss only matters posted in the public agenda for the sake of transparency and opportunity afforded to all community stakeholders. Matters requiring attention will receive appropriate staff and or board follow-up at a time after the meeting. Thanks for your participation. We appreciate your feedback and input. Ms. Rios, do you have any speakers for the public forum? Yes, we do. First up I'd like to call Caitlin Hanson. Good evening. Caitlin Hanson, 50237 but always [clears throat] 50310.
004I am a case manager for the Focus program. And I am here to again voice my support in the partnership between Focus, Des Moines Public Schools, and the Broadlawns Medical Center um as part of Focus and uh to speak in favor of keeping our partnership, our memorandum of understanding between Des Moines and Broadlawns um as we have been for the last 40 years and into the next 40. Uh this partnership should be celebrated. It was cutting edge 40 years ago and it is still something that is cutting edge and should be celebrated um and not be a Des Moines Public Schools best kept secret. Because where else can Iowan Iowa public school children have weekly group therapy sessions, individual therapy sessions, family therapy sessions at school? Where else do mental health professionals collaborate as closely
005as they do with the educational staff? Where else does a licensed psychiatrist do med checks and med management uh each week at school while kids continue to live at home and in their communities? Therap- Therapists uh similarly to the education world, there is a a shortage. Um other nonprofits, they are also going through financial hardships. Uh you will just not find another mental health expert nonprofit to fill these roles and partner with us in the same way that we have been with Broadlawns pouring in the staff, time, and money that they have. Uh and again uh don't forget to come to our graduation coming up soon. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Next speaker is Amaya Anderson Redondo. You can put it down to her left. Hello. My name is Amaya. Uh hello.
006I am a student from Moore Elementary in second grade and my name is Amaya. I'm here to talk about two teachers from my school, Ms. Small and Mr. Johnson. >> [snorts] >> Because they are leaving our school. Mr. Johnson is a kind teacher to us and he orders the high blue balance beams every year. Now, Ms. Small. She was also a very kind teacher to me and when and we learn new games with her like London Bridge is falling down. She and he were very nice teachers. Thank you, Amaya. >> [applause] >> Next is Ashley Crawford. Ashley? No, Ashley. No, Ashley. Okay. Um Audrey Clements. Audrey Clements 5050211 50211 As you're preparing to decide on the partnership between DMPS and Broadlands Medical Center on May 15th, I want to share what this relationship has meant
007for the students in my classroom. I began my teaching career as a one-on-one teacher supporting a student with significant behavioral needs. Despite strong effort and support, we are not able to keep students and staff consistently safe, and the student and I were referred to the Focus program. At Focus, I found the level of support necessary to ensure physical safety, as well as a team that understands both the challenges and deep commitment this work requires. We show up every day because we believe in what we do. Now, that same student is in fifth grade and I still work with him. Earlier this year, he experienced a severe medical health crisis that lasted for months. Having an on-site psychiatrist through Broadlands was fundamental to his recovery. They would be They were able to connect what we observed
008at school and with what was happening at home. When his condition worsened and hospitalization became necessary, which is not uncommon in a day program like ours, the Broadlands clinical therapist was was critical in guiding and supporting his family through this process. When he returned, he asked to see his therapist daily and sometimes multiple times a day. Because of this partnership, we were able to meet that need. A social worker or counselor does not have enough training to help the student with in an intensive mental health crisis. Once again, he is successful at school. Right now, our program is facing significant changes, as something especially difficult for students who struggle with emotional regulation and trauma. In group therapy, students are reflecting, asking questions, and expressing concerns about the future. They feel safe because they trust their
009therapists. Non-clinical support provided by school counselors and social workers have not been enough since that was is what was offered at their comprehensive buildings and the students proved to be unsuccessful. Broadlawn's has been an exceptional partner even absorbing over $200,000 in uncompensated services to ensure students receive the care they need. There is no other agency providing this level of clinical support under these conditions. I urge you to continue this essential partnership. Our most vulnerable students need intensive integrated support to move from crisis towards stability and success. Alternative programming should not be a dead end but a place of healing and growth. This is the only possible This is only possible because of this partnership. Thank you for your time. Thank you. >> [applause] >> NEXT SPEAKER IS KIMBERLY STONE. HI, MY name's Kimberly Stone. I'm
010from 50301. Um I wanted to take a minute. I was inspired by my friend Amaya for coming here tonight. I want to celebrate the teachers here in our district. It's Teacher Appreciation Week and we are really um privileged to have some really special people um at Moore Elementary. Um and Mr. Johnson and Ms. Mall are here tonight and I want to echo what Amaya said before about their kindness and their excellence. While funding is short these years, the dedication of the teachers uh the dedication that these teachers show is limitless. Ms. Mall has created community and joy at our school in Moore. The spring play program that she put together brought students together celebrating each other. I get to volunteer in the school regularly and the kids were talking about the great performances that grade
011levels did from kindergarten to fifth grade. They're very excited about this program. Mr. Johnson is a treasure in our school as well and and our community. He's brought parents in for people PE year this PE week this year. And he is an exciting part of every child's day. He's a valuable member of our community. These people contribute or the cornerstone of our community and due to staff cuts, we will miss them deeply. The district has decided to cut these positions because of budgets, but we celebrate their service and their love and the effort that they have put into our community and we're going to miss them a lot next year. Thank you. >> [applause] [applause] >> Next speaker is Roxy Wheeler. I'm Roxy Wheeler, 503 17. Um, I'm here on behalf of Focus. Um, my
012son Landon went to Focus in sixth grade when he couldn't succeed in public school. If it wasn't for Broadlands, this kid was horrible. He threw horrible tantrums, couldn't communicate. And no matter how many therapy appointments I've taken him to since he was 2 years old to 19, which in a few weeks going to be 20. This kid has never communicated with anybody. He went to Focus. He has Katie, his therapist, that has showed him how to communicate without violence, without having to have meltdowns and trash classrooms. Um, this kid would go to school and he would just pace like a lion, would not get no education till sixth grade when I fought tooth and nail to get him into a program for kids that were unable to sensory overload from general ed school. Um, weeks
013had tons of special ed teachers that just could not reach a certain level. A mother of five kids that have autism and have ADHD, this is the kid from Focus. This kid um, meds. You have meds, you tell your teachers, "Here, fill this paperwork out." Teachers tell the med doctor this and this and this. No, when you go to Focus, they work with the therapist, with the med doctor. You don't have to sit there and try to tell you how your kid is, but they don't understand till they work with the teachers. They go into the schools. The therapy, the group therapy, this kid totally blew everybody out of the water his senior year. Came back from like sleeping every day from ninth grade to his senior year and passed everything and graduated. Even wrote
014a speech, which he's going to get up here and and read it. There's no kid that should be left behind. This program should be for every kid. Then, if I could go back and fight for every student, this would be my desire to make sure that every kid gets a fighting chance in the public school. Because if it wasn't for them, he would be lost in the system like a lot of kids that don't get to graduate because public school doesn't have the outlet that Broadlawn's brings. >> [snorts] >> I didn't write a speech because I thought from the deep in our heart of watching a kid go and suffering communication-wise with with high-function autism to a kid that is working at Perry Meadows and is amazing with the public because of Focus and his
015communication skill blows you out of the water and you're like, "Wow, this kid's on the spectrum?" Yes, but if it wasn't for Katie and the other Katie, >> [snorts] >> Lena would not be where he is or the Katie is today. And I think that if you just spent a glimpse second and just went into that school and just watch these kids from fifth grade all the way up and you're like, "Wow, these kids are horrible." But then you watch and he transitioned from eighth grade to ninth and they're like, "Oh, this kid's a horrible kid. He's going to be a problem child." Landon switched from a therapist from eighth grade. When you're in um ninth grade, you have to go to a different therapist, which is a high school therapist. Landon said, "Nope, I
016have a bond with this one." Katie showed Landon that you can trust people and that kid shined ever since then. Thank you. >> [applause] [applause] >> Next speaker is Landon. >> [applause] >> Hello, I'm Landon. I uh started the Focus Program back in sixth grade when I stayed out and not wanting to stay in any of my classes. I was struggling with a bunch of stuff. It was hard time to make friends and socializing with other people outside of school until I got in the Focus Program. I didn't [snorts] really agree with my mom's decision of going in there to begin with, but I soon did not agree with that. I really like the school. Uh I started when we were in the I call it the Y building. It's across from the the public
017zoo. And then we transferred to the one across the street from uh I I can't say it. I don't know the address. Um but I've met so many kind and thoughtful teachers like the three Katies. Uh Katie Hansen with Echo and Echo and Jake the service dogs. I really can made a good bond with Echo. And I made a bunch of friends and socialized outside that I was able to get a job at Taco John's for and to keep it for 3 years before I went to Hy-Vee and use the math skills I learned from high school and able to like focus and get into that job. And then I got out of that to go to Perry Meadows and I use all the the stuff I thought I would never use that I learned
018in school and I use it now. But when I heard the board was shutting down the program, I couldn't stay quiet. This school and this program changed lives. It changed mine. If I could do it over again, I would 100 times. Please don't take this opportunity away from students like me who just needs someone to believe in them. Thank you. You want to go? >> [applause] >> Thank you. The next speaker is Julie Paull Moore. I am Julie Paull Moore. I live in zip code 50312 and that's a hard act to follow and so for a minute while I recover [laughter] my composure. >> [snorts] >> Um and then I'll just Thank you. Um I am the mom of three kids who all went through the Des Moines schools, but I'm not here to talk
019about those kids. I'm talk here to talk about kids I don't even know really. They show up at Scottish Right in their blues and white uniforms and they work in the healthcare center. And I didn't know that they were there. One day they got off the bus and this group walked up the driveway and I'm thinking, "Huh, wonder who they are." And I had to do some nosing around and I found out. They're in our healthcare center. There are 40 of them that come from the Des Moines schools and they are interns with our CNA um staff. >> [cough] [clears throat] >> And they love them. So, I'm going to tell you just a little bit about not only how I found out about them, but I go over to the healthcare center and do
020watercolors with some of our residents, our non-verbal residents. And one day that I was there, your students were there, too. And several of them joined with our residents to help them do watercolors. And so I had a chance to talk with them afterwards. And they just represent you so well. Um one of the students said, um "I love being here working with the residents. I know we are appreciated And it gives me a great sense of purpose. I am here and I I learn every day what it means to be a part of the healthcare system. And I was so moved by her. So I talked with their supervisor at Scottish Rite. I said I want to know more. I said I want to take it to the school board. She said tell the school
021board that I am so grateful that they have allowed for students to be here. She said it's not only good for us, but she said it's a career path. And they are affirmed in a way that they never would be affirmed in a classroom. And I thought, "Wow. I need to tell you." >> [laughter] [cough and clears throat] >> So um I told her that I was going to come and talk to the school board. She said, "I just want to tell them thank you. And I hope that this is a program that will continue." And this is one of those programs that the public doesn't know about. I mean, I've been in the Des Moines school district forever. I didn't know about it. And there are 40 of these kids who come every day.
022Not all 40 of them. >> [laughter] >> I think they come in groups of 10. 30 seconds remaining. But um I want you to know that they represent the Des Moines schools in a powerful way. Thank you, Julie. >> [applause] >> Madam Chair, those are the list of all the speakers signed up for the public forum. Thank you. Do we Do we any more there? Just confirming. Okay. Okay. Next one is consent. The next item on our agenda is district recognitions. Superintendent Smith, would you introduce our recognitions for today? Uh with pleasure. Uh last month the world watched as the Artemis rocket was launched sending astronauts more than a quarter of a million miles away to share with us new look at the moon. Tonight we have some special guests with us who have also
023been working hard to defy Earth's gravity. Four students are about to present their creative design capstone project, a weather drone. Their project combines technology with meteorology, data collection, and real-world problem-solving. It is a great example of what career and technical education looks like when students are empowered to design, build, and present solutions to authentic challenges. And this one example of the kind of learning opportunities that we will be expanding through the Des Moines throughout Des Moines thanks to reimagining education. At this time I would like to invite Jackson Berry of Lincoln, Evan Osterhaus of North, Romas Peckrul of North, and Austin Rice of East along with their instructor Steven Burns and share with us more about what sounds like a very interesting and incredibly complex project. Please come on up. >> [snorts] [applause] >> Board
024members, thank you for having us up here. I am very pleased to say that I don't have to do anything. These are boys have got it. >> [laughter] [snorts] >> Hello. Uh my name is Evan Osterhaus. I am a junior. I'm homeschooled and I plan to attend LeTourneau University for aerospace engineering. Hello. My name is Austin Rice. I'm a senior at East High School and I plan to attend Iowa State University for an electrical engineering degree. Hi, I am Jackson Berry. I'm a senior at Lincoln High School and I intend to go to Iowa State for electrical engineering. Hello, I'm Ramas Bakrell. I'm a senior at North High School and I'm attending Vanderbilt University for engineering. We are the creative engineering and design team at Central Campus and we want to thank the board along
025with everyone present for allowing us to share our work. So, we started this project earlier this school year. Um we wanted to create a drone that helped fill the gap in current technology where many commercial drones nowadays are incapable of flying in areas with high wind speed and low temperature. Our future plans for this project is to be able to continue this, continue refining the drone this summer, and then through the upcoming years, like next year, empowering the next team to continue creating the drones so that we can have an effective drone to gather real weather data as soon as next year and continue it for years afterwards to make a better and better drone. Over the last several months, we have all grown beyond the fundamentals and developed new skills um such as coding,
0263D modeling, radio communications, data collection, wiring, [snorts] soldering, and much more. We've begun to use these skills to create and uh team roles which allows us to be more efficient in building and designing of the drone as well as help us with future job opportunities. Our team has been able to apply these skills to accomplish things that once seemed unachievable. Um we learned how to take defeats and mold them into new successes while also developing real-world skills like uh efficient resource usage, uh a productive workspace environment, and maintaining um time management. Next slide, please. Uh our time working on a small team on a project of this scale has not only culminated to our first flight test uh a little bit ago, but also our individual growth. We plan to take these skills to move
027forward in our educational careers to achieve new heights. Here is a video showcasing our first flight test. So, about 3 weeks ago, we performed this test to assess our drone's ability to lift. We had a controller set up in a different room, and using that controller, we were able to gather important data. Though we had success in being able to watch this drone we worked on all year lift itself off the ground under its own power, we had a few challenges that we need to overcome before doing further testing, such as the stability as it flies. We need to maintain stable flight. And over this year, I began I began the year coming in with little to no knowledge about any of this stuff. And as I started downloading uh CAD modeling and learning how
028to use it, I started out not even being able to make a cube. I'm now being able to design drones faster, more efficient, and make my designs like at a rapid pace with precision. And it's further than I thought like I imagined being able to like grow the skills, and it's been amazing to be able to use this in an actual application. Over these last couple months, we've um had some challenges and some setbacks. Some of this has been uh failure of components and problems with design. Um even with these slowdowns from these problems, we have continued making better designs and had success in making more reliable thing leading up to the first flight of the drone. When I first entered this class, I had no experience in coding, wiring, or embedded systems. I consistently
029faced errors. Though my one of my biggest accomplishments this year was our first long-distance wireless remote control of the motors. And that set the foundation for developing our control that we use today. So I entered this classroom knowing the very basics of coding. But because of this project, I've now learned how to take code on the computer and make it do something meaningful in real life. And as I move forward, I'm excited to continue developing this skill set. Once again, we'd like to thank the board for being able to come and see a presentation on the project we've worked hard on all year. And we invite you guys tomorrow. We're going to do another presentation to more people about the same thing going more in-depth. It'll be a little bit longer than this one. But
030yeah, we're now open to any questions you may have. I do. So you guys are all seniors right now, correct? I'm a junior. Junior, okay. So as incoming freshmen coming into high school, what do you recommend them to focus on or how to get to this class when they are juniors and seniors? So next year I'm going to be coming back and working with potentially freshmen as you're asking about. And one of the huge things I want to show them and really teach them is the love of learning. Cuz if they don't enjoy doing it, it's going to be difficult to teach them. But um, I want to be able to give people and inspire them to learn the things and have a love of doing that. Uh, and I feel like that's really helped
031me cuz I've loved learning. To be able to like grow these different skills. So, teaching them the love of learning will get them to be able to not just do this class, but to be able to learn other things a lot better since they enjoy them. So. May I continue your question? >> Yep. Um, I believe a good start to get into this class and things like this is to continue with the fundamentals as we all did. Um, start with learning the math, start with the physics, and then as you continue through high school, eventually after you have all the fundamentals down, you'll be able to use them in practice, and it really helps you intertwine the textbook to the physical. >> [snorts] >> To build off of that, um, to any incoming freshman, I
032would really urge them to focus on their academics first. So, then when they're at a point where they have enough time that they can allocate to extracurriculars and stuff beyond the classroom, they're they can comfortably do so. For me, a lot of this a lot of this a lot of this project was just a culmination of interests that I've had outside of the classroom, and I've I gave myself the opportunity to have those interests because I focused on my grades first. Any more questions? Can you just briefly explain the gap you're trying to fill? You said a little bit about it, high wind speeds and cold are the two environments that you're trying to Is that just a gap in the in the drone field right now? Yeah, currently in the industry, there are various
033gaps, um, including the before-mentioned high wind speed and low temperatures. And currently, a lot of manufacturers rely on military rely on old military-used technology and essentially what we're trying to solve is creating a drone that can cost-effectively perform the same things. And that's that's and those factors are what we've accounted into our project thus far. Thank you. No question for me but just a comment. Obviously impressed. Love what you're doing. My plea to my ask of the four if you all know one of you is in high school but two of you are going to Iowa State where Ramas I think you mentioned going to Vanderbilt and Nashville is attractive. My my ask of you is that you consider coming back to Des Moines when you're finished. We [snorts] oftentimes have such good talent leave
034our state particularly our region and we'll love to make sure you're back here in Central Iowa after you finish all this and contributing back to this community and Des Moines Public Schools. Congratulations. Thank you. >> [applause] >> And that concludes tonight's recognitions. Thank you. Incredible. We will move to consent agenda. As a reminder to the board and public, the board will not engage in discussion or deliberation with a speaker regarding comments made to agenda items. Discussion and deliberation will remain among board members at the board table with speakers comments informing the board's discussion, deliberation, and determinations as deemed necessary. Ms. Rios, do we have any speakers? Yes, we do. I'd like to call up Caitlyn Hanson. Good evening again. I would like to speak about the updated policy 401.08 employee political activity. And I'm telling
035on myself a little bit that I was perusing the board agenda over the weekend and I came across a change in this policy that I have to believe was a mistake or um something to that effect. Previously, there was a you know, lengthy list of obviously not wanting um those in uh uh charge of our youth to unduly influence them one way or another on political matters um or improperly speaking about personal um beliefs. Uh however, one of the bullet points that has been changed reads as uh it's prohibited to provide general information regarding elections or ballot issues. Uh and to me uh specifically working with uh transitioning our youth into the adult worlds um and thinking about our civics courses, our US history courses, we absolutely want our students to know general information about
036elections and uh uh items on ballots. We want them to know how to register to vote. We want them to register to vote. Our own uh Secretary of State, uh Republican Paul Pate, has several um uh programs that encourage our schools to register their seniors who will be eligible to vote in the fall. Um one of which, aside from the famous Iowa's youth straw poll, uh and their um education information uh that is available for all Iowa educators, the Elections 101, um is the Carrie Chapman Catt Award, which awards Iowa high schools that have achieved a voter registration rate of at least 90% among their eligible senior class. Uh and they also name schools who have reached 70% and 50% of their seniors um who would be eligible to vote. And um looking through the
037list of the schools that are represented in the 25-26 school year, there is not any uh Des Moines school listed. And I think that as the biggest and most diverse school uh in the the state, we absolutely need to uh make sure that our students know how to register, uh what elections they're eligible to vote in, what issues are on the ballot, um and just be well-rounded and informed citizens in their democracy. Thank you. >> [applause] [applause] >> Those are all the speakers. Thank you. Ms. Alonzo, I believe you have the consent agenda. Motion. I move that the I'll unlock it for you or There we go. Go Thank you. I move that the board approve the consent items in accordance with the recommended action for each item on the consent agenda, including bills previously
038authorized, certified, and approved for payment by the board secretary in the amount of $3,418,921.11 in procurement card transactions in the amount of 638,700 dollars and 97 cents. Is there a second? I will second. We have a motion by Alonso and a second by Howell. Is there any discussion or does anyone have any questions? Mhm. John? Yeah. Mhm. Um I'd like to amend the motion and move item D5, uh which is a personnel recommendations, to other for discussion. And we can table it um in a separate vote. There's a motion on the floor to move item D5 to other. Is there a second? Hopkins second. There's a motion by Alonso and a second by Hopkins. Board members, please cast your votes to on the amendment um mend this agenda item. Uh Madam Chair, point of order.
039Is this being moved for a vote today or at a later meeting? It's being moved to other just for right now. So, we will bring it up um in the next section of our agenda to discuss further. Got it. Any other questions or discussion? Board members, please cast your votes. The motion carries seven to zero. Um so, the amendment passes seven to zero. Um Um now for um a vote on the consented agenda items sans D5. Board members, are there any questions or discussion? Okay, the consent um please Am I doing this right? Yes, please cast your votes for the consent agenda items. The consent items are approved 7 to 0. Now we will move on to our other items. Um pulled from the consent agenda is item D5. May I have a motion and
040a second to discuss this item? Hopkins motion. May I have a second? I don't second. We have a motion and a second. Does anyone have any questions or discussion regarding item D5? I move to amend the personnel recommendation list removing the director of communications, marketing, and public affairs position and approve the remaining personnel recommendation list. So, we're making a motion to amend the item D5 to remove one of the personnel recommendations. Is there a second? On the amendment. On the amendment. Yes, I don't really know what the Does it go into discussion or for vote? Discussion and vote on the amendment. >> Yeah, can you explain the what is going to happen if this is removed? >> we're breaking we're breaking the agenda items. The request is to break the agenda item into two items.
041All of the personnel except one. Is the motion on the table right now? >> That last recommendation will go on another agenda or does it have to be moved to another agenda, or can it be dealt with individually tonight? Will it be dealt with individually tonight? Um we would have to we would have to take a motion to table that item if that was the desire, but it will come up. We will first address the split of the items and then we decide. So, we have a motion on the table by Ms. Alonzo to break up item D5 into two separate items. Is there a second? And then it's tabled to speak about >> Not yet, no. Is Yeah. You're just second just brings it for you guys to discuss. >> Right now it's item
042D5. It's all personnel recommendations, and the motion on the floor is to take D5 and split it into two agenda items. Okay. Hawkins will second. I have a motion and a second. Board members, please cast your votes. On the amendment. On the amendment. The motion the amendment passes um five to two. Um so um we have a motion on the floor by Hawkins and a second by Alonzo to approve D5. Is that still an accurate statement? To approve items D5 sans the one personnel recommendation that was just approved 5-0 to remove. So, board members, please cast your votes for approving personnel recommendations D5. The motion passes seven to zero. Um we now have I don't know what the item is, but the additional other item um for a personnel recommendation um for approval. I will
043entertain a motion for the removed item. >> [clears throat] >> Can you clarify? What are we What are you seeking a motion for? There was a personnel recommendation on the table. Um Ms. Alonzo requested that we take that personnel recommendation and approve all recommendations but one. We just approved that seven to zero. Um so now there is one personnel recommendation on that we need to address. So I would entertain a motion and a second to approve the personnel recommendation that was removed from the original D5. And just to clarify, you can motion and second and then discuss it or amend it to table it or make any other amendment. A motion needs to be made before discussion happens. >> Correct. >> I move to approve. Dix second. We have a motion by Skyler Mayberry Maze
044to approve this personnel recommendation and a second by Dix. Is there any discussion or questions? Or amendments to table. I think it should be amended just to table. I don't think that we should have to vote on it tonight. Are you making that motion, Ms. Hopkins? To amend? I thought it was discussion. It is discussion, [laughter] yep. So you just said you thought Yes. that we should table it so we are I will make a motion to table this item. Alonzo second. We have a motion by Hopkins and a second by Alonzo to table this item. Board members, please cast your votes. Do we need to specify when the tabling will take place? I mean, we're we're ta- tabling indefinitely or when are we tabling this for? I assume for the next meeting. Okay. Subsequent
045meeting? Next meeting. >> Yes. Okay. >> Just to give adequate time since it was not put on the agenda until very close to the board meeting today. So, I think that gives the board an opportunity to just take a look at a very important piece of information that none of us really had had the time to truly look at from the agenda. The motion passes 5 to 0. I'm sorry, 5 to 2. Um to table this personnel recommendation until the May 19th board meeting. Next item on the agenda um is first review for future action. Um there are board policy updates that um board members will need to review for future action. Next item is information only items. F1 is a list of new hires. And finally, items of privilege. Um I would ask if
046any of our board members would like to share anything. I'll go first. I just uh a thought as we went through the week um this week, there was a lot of discussion in the community about reimagining education. And as we get to the rubber meeting the road for the programs that we're putting together and the um trying to realize the vision that we have talked about for the last 2 years. Um I think it we should all sort of pause and reflect on the fact that this is where the rough part starts. This is the hard part. The easy part was passing the bond. The hard part comes in making this a reality for our students. And I worry sometimes that in pursuit of perfection, we talk ourselves out of improving or even giving our
047students a much better opportunity than they have today. And so I guess I I just wanted to use this time to ask our community to pause for a second before uh deciding that they know what has happened or what is going to happen uh in reimagining education. Those plans are being built. And if you want to be a part of it, if you want to comment on it, we welcome it. We want you to be a part of it. We want you to be a part of making it better and putting resources toward making it better. But deciding that it isn't going to work without all of the information, I think is um is a way to talk ourselves out of improving our school district. Um and so the hyperbole, the um the disappointment of
048the past, I think as Ann Cross told us as this plan was being uh introduced, we need to let go of some of that and focus on what is going to happen, not what has happened in the past. And so I would just encourage our community to to engage, to think about it, uh to be a passionate advocate for our kids, um but what are we going to do? Not what isn't going to happen. How are we going to make this happen? I I'd love to see people come with that mindset uh for reimagining education. Thank you, Mr. Dix. Anyone else? I just wanted to give a shout out to the wanted to give a shout out to the Roosevelt Sharks. I think that is so cool that our district has something unique like this
049that's been around for 100 years. So, um shout out to a really cool program and a really cool community who supports that program. And a shout out for teacher appreciation work. Thank you for all you do for all our kids. So, recognition and several board members were there and able to be at North to celebrate the 529 announcement and celebrating that every student at North has access to a 529 account through the By Degrees Foundation. Tremendous excitement and opportunity for our students. Program that I think is showing great success and I want to make sure that is lifted up and people know about one of the very positive things that's happening in our school district shout out to Polar Bear Nation. Oh, I guess I'm already unmuted. Everything that Ryan said. Thank you for all
050the work that North and By Degrees Foundation It's amazing to see students so happy, so involved, so excited. And I know that that comes with a lot of dedication. So, thank you for all that you're doing. I would just like to share my gratitude with teachers. One week is not long enough to celebrate you on Teacher Appreciation Week, but certainly a good reminder of all that you do to advance um our students [snorts] towards their futures. So, thank you for for showing up every day. Thank you for the love that you show our students. Thank you for all of the hours outside of the classroom and the dedication that you give on behalf of the students that you serve. So, my sincere gratitude. And you've got this. You're in the last stretch and I know
051it's tough, but you got it. I'll offer my annual, although this is only my second year announcement and encouragement to students particularly those who are in their senior year that this can be a very exciting time for many of them but it can also be a very scary time and as a reminder to the adults asking a student what are your next plans is not always come off the way that you may think it comes off. All students don't have plans for what's next and keeping that in mind and being supportive in how we can whether that's through post secondary education through technical education through workforce employment but just being supportive and mindful of the way in which we interact with students particularly those who are figuring out what's next for them. Thank you. Superintendent
052Smith. >> I was going to >> Oh, I'm sorry. I >> [laughter] >> I apologize miss I was going to go. Okay, so a couple things. First thing tomorrow Wednesday Hoyt Sherman Place Foundation has a presentation um Project Stage Festival. So this is going to have a couple of our schools present. Moulton Elementary School, Cattell, Oak Park, Harding Middle School, Madison and Findley. So students from those schools are going to be performing on stage and it is open to the public so check it out tomorrow at Hoyt Sherman Place. Um and then also last I think it was last week or this week. I can't remember what day it is. Last week. Last week I was able to participate with a couple of our other school boards around our community at a event that is
053thrown by the Iowa School Board Association and it was an awesome time to go and chat with other school boards around our district and getting to know them and getting to know what their struggles are and we all struggle the same way. So, I just want to say thanks to the Iowa School Boards Association for setting that up for us. I got Thank you. I apologize. Now, Superintendent Smith. I may be able to echo a few things here. One is just want to celebrate and thank our teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week. Particularly the Steven Burns that was just here and the three KDs that were here tonight. Thanks for that representing the rest of the teaching population. So, thank you. Also for our seniors coming up. Graduation is just around the corner. I have been
054working on my speech. You're going to love it. And it's going to be unique for each and every one of these high schools programs. So, I'm excited about that. And then um also just want to say again how much um we're grateful for um our school board. It is the school board appreciation month. It is not just a week, folks. It is a month. And so, I just want to thank you. Um This is These are not paid jobs, ladies and gentlemen. These are volunteer hours. And so, thank you for the the tireless time and energy that you put into serving our children and serving our community. So, thanks again for all you do. >> [applause] >> Thank you. The next item on our agenda is H1 recommendation to terminate the contract of a probationary
055administrator. I will now [snorts] entertain a motion for us to go into closed session. Skyler, could you read that motion? I move that the board go into closed session for Iowa Code Section 21.51A which states a governmental body may hold a closed session only by affirmative public vote of either 2/3 of the members of the body or all members present at the meeting to evaluate the professional competency of an individual whose appointment, hiring, performance, or discharge is being considered when necessary to prevent needless or irreparable injury to that individual's reputation and that individual requests a closed session. May I have a second? I will second. We have a motion by Mayberry Maze and a second by Howell. Ms. Rios, can you please take the vote? Yes. Ms. Alonso? Yes. Ms. Campos? Yes. Mr. Dix? Yes.
056Ms. Hopkins? Yes. Mr. Howell? Yes. Ms. Martrona? Yes. Dr. Mayberry Maze? >> Yes. The motion passes 7 to 0. At this moment, I'd like to ask for the doors to be closed so that we may begin our closed session. We do have to clear the room for anyone that's not participating in this closed session. >> [clears throat]