June 17, 2025 DMPS Board Meeting

001Heat up here. We're up for business. Hello everybody. Happy summer. It's really good to see my board colleagues. I don't think I've seen you in a couple of weeks. And that has been a Okay, just kidding. It's really good to see everybody. It's really great to see all of you, too. Uh we are excited that you're here. I am going to call the school board meeting to uh order for Tuesday, June 17th. Miss Rios, please take the role. Yes. Miss Alonso, here. Nicely done. Perfect timing. Well done, Miss Compost present. Mr. Dixs here. Miss Knox here. Miss Martron. Dr. Mayberry Mace here. Miss Norris here. We have quorum. I also want to point out Dr. Roberts I believe is online. Is that correct? Miss Rios? I believe so. and uh board member Marterano and uh

002Matt Smith are in China. Kofu. Kofu. Japan. Kofu Japan. Japan. Yes. So, but we do have two uh delegations of students that are actually in China. That's it. So, uh maybe Dr. Roberts will talk more about that. And hello, Dr. Roberts. I heard your voice. Yes. The first item of business is approval of the agenda. I would like to make a friendly amendment to table item consent E24, the election list, until our July 8th meeting due to a system error. The lists are incorrect. May I have a motion and a second to approve the agenda with the friendly amendment? Dix moved. Campo second. We have a motion by Mr. Dixs and a second by Miss Campos. Any discussion or questions? I actually Okay. Uh I just want to point out if for some reason we

003need to approve this prior to July 8th, if you could let us know and we could do something electronically if we had to. Okay. Thank you. Board members, please cast your votes. The vote is approved. Six to zero. Next on the agenda is the public forum. Dr. Mayberry Mace. We provide speakers at the forum an opportunity to address the board for up to three minutes regarding items that are not on the board agenda and up to five minutes for an agenda item. If anyone wishes to speak during any portion of the business meeting, please email rosa.riosdsmchools.org. 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. Students and minors do not

004need to provide their address. Guests of the board are encouraged to speak to matters relating to the program, 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 will not be tolerated and individuals choosing to do so will be gled out of order and asked to excuse themselves from the premises or escorted out by district security. As a reminder 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 sake of

005transparency 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. Thank you for your participation and we appreciate your feedback and input. Miss Rios, do we have any speakers for the public forum? We do. Uh first up, I'll call Nancy Yamea Henderson. Yes, you can approach the podium. Yeah. Hi. Hello. I came here about oh three years ago, two and a half to talk about Metro and some of the problems that they were facing there. and there were a lot and now we have a lot more things to celebrate. A lot of good things have happened, but still some issues that I hope we could maybe consider and resolve. Um, I'm a parent of a child at Greenwood Elementary, brought one

006of them, and I am a teacher at Ruby Van Meter. Um, I'm a master teacher with over 20 years of experience. Um, and I've dedicated my career to this district. Um, I'm a special education teacher there, Strat, too. And um some of the problems I'm facing is with Metro Care as an employee. Um one of the problems is I've been on a waiting list every year I've had it for months. This year I did not get in until after Thanksgiving break. Um it forced me to miss work. It also forced me to have to leave my at the time 7 and 9year-olds. I taught them how to walk home almost a mile and I'd have to leave them home from 2:30 4:30. I could not find anyone available for months who would fill that position.

007I don't have family in in Iowa. I'm from New York. Um, also PD days. We do not have Metro every day that I have to work. Um, last year at 14 out of 16, this year 10 out of 18 were covered. So that's almost half that I had not full dayare. I was able to arrange care for all, but on one I wasn't. I called HR. I requested a day off, personal leave. I was told it was mandatory. I had to go. So, I was put in a position where I had to choose between leaving my kids, who were at that point 8 and 9, alone from 7:30 to 4:30 or be fired. And so, I left them alone, but wasn't pleased. Um, so as I looking about at Metro and some of the thoughts

008that I have is that our teachers and our families in this district are very important to us. And if we want to continue to have them stay and not lose our parents and not lose our teachers, especially teachers who are on a shortage and hard to find, supporting them through child care in their districts, I would would be great. Um, I have a letter for you guys. I also have the one I wrote last time I came. And if you go down and you look at it, you'll notice that a lot of the things did get get changed. We have a calendar now, which is helpful. Um, this year we did bring the registration up to the beginning. So, it was on the last day almost like that last week of school where before it

009was two weeks before school. So, you would register and then find out you were declined or on a waiting list and have I would already be back at work and I would have two weeks for my kids. This year, we have more. I have not heard back, but that's a plus. Uh the unfortunate thing is the day they did their open enrollment was that mandatory date that I had to go to work and so I was unable to get up there right at noon to register on that first come first serve. So, I don't know where I am in the waiting list, but it's probably not high because I had to wait for my lunch hour to get that going. Um, we've also I have they're redoing the cost on it this year. I don't

010know if that'll be good or bad, but that's another way to maybe help them get some more um staff. They're making it a full-time so you're paying by the week so that they can manage their numbers. Less flexibility for parents, but maybe it'll help them be able to get the program better set. Um, my other thing that I recommended was considering using some of our high school kids. I don't think that's been considered, but there's so many of them so close at Roosevelt or older brothers and sisters. So, I just wanted to let you guys know to maybe think about Metro and think about maybe what we could do to help our staff that have children that both work in district and have kids in schools. Thank you, Nancy. Thank you. And I'll um I'll

011take that. Those are all the speakers I have. The next item on our agenda is our district recognitions. Dr. Roberts, are there any recognitions today? Absolutely, Madam Chair. Good evening, board uh board meeting attendees and committee. I am uh currently in Washington DC with um other DPS district leaders on official business as we continue to move steadily towards uh just uh achieving that district of excellence that we're all working towards. But as we continue to bring forth recognitions at our school board meetings of course where we celebrate the successes and accomplishments of students and staff throughout the M public schools. This evening I'm pleased to share um two recognitions. You know, tonight's recognitions really is an example of our continued commitment around our strategic priority number five and that's cultivating community and collaboration. Um in

012this instance um I want you to understand that one of the most valued resources from the honores tonight um and their peers is their generosity of time care and love for our students and our school communities. Each day in our buildings, there are caring adults who volunteer their time around instructional support, cafeteria duties, uh crossing guard responsibilities in any weather, um maintaining our food pantries, reading to and with our students, and the list goes on. And so tonight, I'm truly honored and excited because we are fortunate to have two of these volunteers with us, and they are certainly worthy of this public recognition. And I'm going to ask that uh our volunteers along with their principles, we have volunteer Anna Cookman of Edmunds Elementary and I think she is there with either principal uh Janette

013Rickman or Associate Principal Kelly 2. And from Perkins Elementary, volunteer Patty Jones with Michael Derek um to be recognized and come to the podium and do so. [Applause] I have a few words to say if that's okay. All right. All right. Good evening. Tonight, I have the honor of telling you about Annette Cookman. Annette has been a volunteer at Edmonds for the past 12 years. She embodies the very best of what it means to give, to guide, and to be there when it matters most. Annette is a valued member and um recruiter for our oneonone one- on-one mentoring program that we have at Edmonds. She religiously shows up every Tuesday to mentor mentor students. She's organized a group of fellow mentors from her community at Aivbo Trails. Annette has mentored students as they travel from

014third to fourth to fifth grades to sixth grade next year. Thank you. She is a consistent, caring, encouraging, and fun adult that the kids can count on seeing every single week. The students she mentors love spending time with her. Mentoring is only one of the things that she does at Edmonds, though. She also organizes her community again at Aivbo Trails to pop popcorn the last Friday of every month for our students, staff, and families. She provides helps um with the Tivo Trail community members helps provide a homemade or handmade tie blanket and book for every single kindergartener at Edmonds every December. she um and her team at a Tibo Trail, but she again is the organizer, the cheerleader, the jack of all trades. She um helped organize and complete a sock drive for our homeless

015community. She also donates school supplies and rallies her community to do the same. Annette is one of those rare people who gives her time, money, and heart without hesitation. She's the kind of person who reminds us that um selflessness, love, and hard work make a huge impact on our students, families, and staff. So, Annette, thank you for making a difference every day. And please join me in thanking Annette and showing her our appreciation. [Applause] Hi, I'm Michael Der, principal at Perkins Elementary. I've got Patty here who is absolutely amazing lest I forget her husband Larry as well uh because he helps out as well. They they they come as a package deal which is amazing for us. Um the one of the big things we focus on at all schools specifically Perkins I can speak

016for Perkins is we want kind students. We we talk about kindness all the time. So all the work that Patty does in terms of volunteering, she does it with compassion, with kindness, with love, and everything that she does, everything she touches. She supports Natasha, who's our success case manager here. She's split between two schools. So if we have deliveries come in for our food pantry, she's always there whether Natasha's there or not. And if you've seen some of those deliveries, you know, you will shake your head like, "How are we going to get all that in there up the stairs?" Um Patty is amazing and so and so is Larry. They do all the projects that need to get fixed. Our little outside little library got damaged. Our outside food pantry, they're fixing it. They're

017replacing it. She's done lunch duty. Um, it's what I want of all paid staff is when something needs to get done, let's get it done. And she doesn't even get paid. And she is there helping out wherever is needed. It's just, it's amazing to have that kind of generosity along with the kindness. Um, one of the things I thought about driving up here was my little personal mission statement for a number of years now has just been to hopefully when I interact with people, they feel a little bit better after spending time with me. That is Patty Jones. You can't interact with her for a minute without feeling better after having talked with her because she's going to make you feel more positive, make you feel cared for and loved and listened to. So, Patty,

018thank you and Larry for all that y'all do for Perkins Elementary. Appreciate it. Thank you. [Applause] Thank you, Annette, Patty, and Larry. Um, and thanks a lot, of course, to Janette, Kelly, and Michael for recognizing and honoring and creating um an inviting space for these volunteers. Uh if you haven't already listened to the latest edition of the podcast that continues to be uh one of the fastest growing education podcast in the land become peer project the DFPS podcast. Be sure to download it. Uh madam chair that concludes this evening's recognitions. Thank you and really just appreciate the u the volunteerism and calling out the wonderful volunteers we have. And for anybody listening or anybody in the room, uh our schools need volunteers and we will welcome you with open arms and hopefully you listen to

019this moment and the impact that you can have on the lives of our young people and the people that work in our buildings and uh and think about if you can volunteer as well. So thank you very much for for volunteering. Okay, we are now going to move to goals and guardrails uh board reports. So uh board colleagues I am um going to facilitate a conversation today uh on both goal one and goal two. Uh goal one uh look we we are having the opportunity to celebrate and talk about some of the great progress made in um in our academic goals and student outcomes. And so uh Dr. Roberts, do you want to frame the conversation or should we just dig in? Yes, Madam Chair. Thank you for the opportunity to do so. Um certainly

020as uh our sort of new protocol that we're getting some additional adbacks around um is implemented. I want us to uh certainly offer an opportunity to teammates who are much closer to the work. And so I will ask that um uh Kelly and Alli for both goals one and two introduce some of our principles um and their teams whether they're teachers or students who will speak a little bit to the work that is happening that aligns to each of these goals. what we will discuss tonight. Good evening. Thank you um for giving us this opportunity. I'm so excited um along with Kelly Scoffield to be able to share um and celebrate some success um with goals one and two. And in honor of that, tonight we have two outstanding elementary principles, Tracy Shipley from Riverwoods

021Elementary School and Jenny Inman, excuse me, from Greenwood Elementary School. And I'm going to let them share um some of their action steps and the progress they've made um to help us um get closer to these board goals. Thank you for the opportunity uh to get up here and share all the progress that Greenwood has made this year. um in celebration of meeting both the main board goal one and the two subriteria. So um with that it was no easy feat. Um behind me are um some members of our um teaching staff, our coach Amanda Gomes, a second grade teacher, Miss Clow, and Miss Cox, our ELELLL and interventionist. While these are only a couple of the faces of the work, I do um also want to honor all the staff that couldn't make it

022tonight as it's been a really big collaborative effort. To start, um I just want to share kind of where we've been. Um over the last four to five years, we've done solid implementations of EL and IM. We routinely have analyzed data. We have intervention systems in place, but prior to this year, we really weren't making the gains that we were hoping to make. So, we wanted to tighten up a few things with that. One of the key pieces was humanizing our student data, meaning that our students were not just percentage points on a scale, but we knew exactly who they were, what they needed, and what we could provide to help them grow. So, one big move the last couple of years has really been to humanize the data, ensuring every single student who is

023high risk or at some risk um are receiving a targeted explicit intervention. Uh we also weekly progress monitor students and then at least once a month look at the data to make adjustments to our instruction. Um another thing that has been really helpful to ensure that our students are accessing high quality core instruction is a cadence this year um that we've done in PLC's where we come together once a week to plan either a math or a literacy lesson. We really dive into the essential standards. we look at and think about what are the deeper level questions and the most important piece that we've really shifted to is monitoring for student evidence of learning toward that target. Um this has been in alignment to the Gleam frame instructional framework that we've been using over the

024last two years. Um but we've also added in Wednesdays going in and observing in classrooms and then meeting on Thursdays to get teacher reflection and feedback and then revisit whether or not students met the goal for the lesson. So this slide you can see is just kind of an example of our of our cadence and also the questions um that we discuss in PLC what we're looking for and then when we're doing reflecting uh teachers reported on their um individual development plans that that was a really impactful process for them so we will continue that next year as well. The other big piece of um the success of our growth was really making sure all of our systems and materials were in alignment. Um, part of that was our K2 classrooms are pretty big. Um,

025and so we, um, leveraged interventionists, um, academic interventionists to mirror the core so that we could lower class sizes and foundational skills. Um, so they mirrored, um, and then support staff who had, um, time in their schedule pushed in to help support fluency efforts and read with kids and practice skills. So, it was really an all hands-on deck approach. Um, we also did some shifting to our master schedule to make sure that everything was very intentionally aligned so that all of our instructional support was maximized. Um, with um the new addition of being a title school last year, we were able to um receive an allocation of an extra interventionist. Um, with that, we then had more manpower and so we um got some support from a community from some community donors to get the

026researchbased intervention materials. that was what was missing in previous years. So, um we were able to purchase some really robust intervention materials and support resources that could go along with the um instructional allocation we had from a professional development side. our teachers engaged in science of reading professional development and then several of our staff members voluntarily joined the letters cohort um to just get a little bit deeper dive into science of reading and figure out how um that work then aligned to the district work of science of reading and then as um Dr. Roberts shared just that importance of volunteer engagement. We leveraged um support staff um and volunteers to just read with kids as much as we could. So, you know, 10 minutes in the morning, right when they came in, they came, they

027read with a staff member who didn't have a classroom at the time. So, anytime we could support fluency, we tried to align those opportunities and then have volunteers support during foundational skills. The other important piece was just that intentional student application. So, we tried to really be intentional in aligning what students were doing when they weren't at small group. Um, with that, we did do a pilot of Lexia Core 5. Um, it's a program I'm really familiar with from having ran it previously when we had it several years ago. Um, that was a missing component that provided differentiated practice to students on literacy skills at the foundational level, but from a kindergarten through fifth grade um, span. So our students were able to engage in the skills practice that they needed at their level, not

028necessarily at the grade level, which then helped them apply those skills to their small groups or to text they were reading. Uh we also did second semester in um incorporate Amamira into Oh, I was just going to ask can you so is there a difference? So Lexia versus Amira, can you just explain to me the difference? Excited to hear about this piece of Yes. So um Lexi is more of a a skill practice. The students take a um differentiated an auto assessment and then it determines which skills they need and then it engages them in kind of like a gamified setting of practicing those skills. It's all standards aligned aligned to science of reading. It also then um when they get stuck on a concept flags for the teacher then to provide some offline instruction.

029Now, a mira we're still learning. Um, that has been really powerful for teachers because they can actually hear how the students are reading and catch some things that maybe they might not have otherwise. Um, that's a growth area though for us specifically in the data side of things for that. That's a new lift. Our our semester, this semester was just getting it out and getting used to it. Next year, we'll be able to really hopefully dive into the data side of it. Do you mind if I actually ask you to expand just a teeny bit more only because there's been so much um discussion around AI and skills building in schools, right? And I know there's there's a role of AI, you know, in schools and maybe not. And so just dig a little bit

030more like do does that mean do you have enough when you talk about the data side what is if it is a tool that works right this idea of using AI to support skill building? customiz um what does growth look like? Is it more I'm going to say like handhelds? Is it more training for teachers? Is it just talk a little bit more about that? That's okay. From the side, I think so. Yeah. Amir or or Alexia five, whichever. learn for Lexia. The purpose for us this year was just to get them some differentiated practice at their level that we maybe didn't have the materials or the teacher time to get them. Um knowing that then we could provide that intentional instruction in small group. This was practice at their level. Um to be completely

031fair meaning it helps you to scale like when we talk about scaling or scaffolding sorry scaffolding. This is like a tool to help you scaffold. So to help children who need to read more advanced or children who need to more practice at a different level than where the majority are. Yes. Absolutely. So it um for example, we have some fifth graders working in Lexi at a second grade level. That's not necessarily where their teacher can provide explicit instruction in the day. So they get a little bit more practice there. Um it also serves as an extension. So students who need beyond grade level practice um we had second and third graders working on morphology um and a lot of fifth grade content it it provides them extra practice without needing explicit instruction. We did have

032a couple students even finish and then work on the middle school platform. Um as far as air to be completely fair our goal was to get in and and use it and do like the weekly use it as like just to get used to it. I can't speak to the data that it's giving us to it's not guiding our instruction right now. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah. Um a few other additions we did add um more robust decodable readers. Uh we our first grade teachers used EL 2.0. There was just access to some more decodables. And then our support staff just did some more phmic awareness routines with Heggerty. The um other important piece was then student goal setting. Um we wanted our students to see themselves as readers and um taking a screener three times

033a year um is not always easy for them to like monitor how they're doing on a week- toeek um cadence. So uh they in a lot of classrooms track their weekly progress when they were progress monitoring. Uh we set grade level growth goals. I know this is hard to read. Um this is our second grade level data for the end of the year. um they together thought they were going to grow 614 points. That was their goal and they grew um 1,156 points. So we've also leveraged that self-efficacy for students. Um Miss Cloud does a really nice job of anytime her students make growth, she sends them on a little parade throughout the building to show um growth. And so we're just our kids are really excited to celebrate their wins with everybody big or

034small. So just how that has transferred um we were not trying to move our um persistently at risk kids miraculously to proficiency. Our focus has always been we want all of our students to make typical or aggressive growth. It was the only way the achievement gap was going to close. So we really put a focus on that this year and 73% of our K3 students made typical or aggressive growth um on the early reading assessment and the CVMR. So um the majority of our kids who made growth made aggressive growth. So that shows us that these um actions are aligned and we are closing the achievement gap. So that was really exciting for us. Uh these are just our year-over-year B board goals. Um you can kind of see in yellow that is our fourth

035grade cohort last year. So the 23 24 school year um 71% of our second and third graders were meeting CBM benchmark. uh that is usually an indicator on ISASP. So fourth grade ISASP this year, not only did we maintain but we grew 11% in proficiency on the ISAS which is a much more comprehensive measure. So that was really exciting for us. Um and then as far as the board goal uh 1A and 1B, the navy blue is uh the first grade cohort moving to second. Um we did a lot of um reflection last year on what happened and we found that we had kids in different interventions but maybe it wasn't all aligned. They were going to this group for something and this group for something else. So we really made sure that wherever they

036were going everything was in tight alignment that the skills weren't all in isolation. Um and so we then uh came in uh at 52.2% 2% and grew 20% um this year of second and third grade students uh proficient on C or meeting benchmark on CBM. And then our first grade data is the one that we really celebrate um with our efforts to make sure there's not an achievement gap before they even really get started. Um they came in at 40% of students meeting benchmark. Uh we really were very intentional in all of our actions. Our first grade teachers worked really really hard at being making sure everything was aligned from the student experience to what they were teaching to who they were going with um and what extras they were getting and we went from

03740% in the fall to 74.4% in the spring. So uh our work is applause. Thank you. Thank you. So our work is never done. Um we have already made plans for next year to continue with intervention right off the gate out of the gate. Um in August we have our groups ready and everything ready to go so that we can continue and not have six weeks of assessment waiting for assessment data. Um we are going to focus in 35. We did a lot with fluency and morphology and vocab because our auto reading scores were low and now those went really high. So now we're going to work on applying that in complex text and writing to get the A-reading side of it up. So um that and then just one adjustment for foundational skills. We're

038going to add in um pos some UFly material just to get differentiation for our most atrisisk kids to see if that would make a difference um in addition to the EL uh microfase. Can you say that again? the that just that last part, the UFFL. Yeah. What is that? So, it's a it's a foundational skills curriculum. Um, we're just going to add to it. It's based out of Florida, the Florida Center for Reading Research. Um, similar to EL, the EL uh skills block, but a little bit more robust. Um, we've got more decodable readers to come with it. It's really big in manipulating sounds with um and then specific routines. So we are going to test a hypothesis just with our um persistently at risk and at risk students to see if we try that

039will we get different results. So yeah so thank you for your time. Um board colleagues do you have any questions? What are you what are you missing still? What's the what's the thing that could accelerate this that could pour some gasoline on the fire? Uh in full transparency. Yeah. Oh yeah. Um Dr. Roberts isn't here either. So Dr. I I well I uh Greenwood is a small school and there are a lot of small schools. Um we don't have a lot of funding and so for example title money I used for staffing and so we don't have funds to purchase materials and so up until this year we've been using free you know the fastbridge resources from the state. Um we have a generous donor that kind of shifted focus from library books to intervention

040materials. So I think um district I think that is probably the barrier is having highquality material. We have very high quality staff. It's the high quality materials to go along with it. Can you be even more specific? So I don't know what that mean. Right. So when you say high quality materials I think uh yeah what does that mean? I should specify for intervention. Um so buildings who have a lot of title funds are afforded the opportunity to purchase like 95% material. It's different materials that are vetted by our district. Got it. Um and so that has just been a little bit of a barrier. Uh we were able to work around it and get creative with some funding. Um but that would be I I'm not the only building in that position. It's it's

041harder when you're a smaller school and you don't have as much funds to to prioritize where where your dollars go. So that would be if our focus for and you know for the state is on intervention and and catching up our persistently at risk and um at risk students ensuring that there's an equal amount of resources to do that across district would be helpful. Great. Thanks. Other questions? No, I I just I know I just wanted to say uh how much I appreciate your focus on uh having aggressive or growth for all students. Growth or whatever it is. Yeah, for all students. And I think that um I just love the your examples around scaffolding and I think that's just such a wonderful thing for us to hear how that occurs in schools. So, thank

042you for growing all of our students wherever they're at, meeting their needs individually. Thank you. It's a team effort. I just get to lead it. I did have one question. Go ahead. Yes. And this my question was really more for um the overall plan, but I noticed that Greenwood follows some similar trends to the district and there tends to be a summer slide that happens between the fall and the spring seme or uh yeah, semesters. Uh do you have any recommendations or what what is maybe Greenwood doing to address that gap? The instruction's clearly working throughout the school year, but then during that summer something's happening where you're losing a percentage of um proficiency. Yes. So that was one noticing we've seen from year to year. this year um with the help of my instructional

043coach, one of the things we did was sent home all the progress monitoring data and graphs with families and any student who is persistently at risk or at risk. We also sent home decodable readers just to kind of practice at their level. Um we don't have a there just isn't a lot of tutoring options and summer school to kind of keep them going. Those would be great if if those options funding, you know, if if we were in a better funding situation than we are. Um, so we've just sent home some reading opportunities. We're going to open our library also a couple times this summer. Uh, I learned how to be a librarian, so we can open that up just to get our kids access to books. Um, our biggest priority over the summer is

044just to keep them reading. Um, and then to get them in those support groups, those instructional groups right out of the gate once we're back. Thank you so much. Y, thank you. Thank you. Have a nice summer. Thank you. [Applause] You got it. Okay. And then we have Tracy Shipley from Riverwoods Elementary School. Uh, board chair Norris, members of the board, Dr. Roberts and guests. Uh, I'm Aaron Bar, associate principal at Riverwoods Elementary. And I'll let Tracy introduce herself. Tracy Shibi, principal at Riverwoods. um for the last 11 years. I forgot I was supposed to say that part. Six years for me this year. So um thank you for having us tonight. Uh we've come here to share some of the success that we've seen at Riverwoods um and to highlight how investing in our

045teachers uh knowledge and skills has played uh a big role in helping us get there. Um we serve around 500 students and their families at Riverwoods Elementary School. Uh that number's held actually pretty consistent over the last few years. Uh my first year was the year that we went home for COVID and didn't come back. So in that time we've been right around 500 pretty steady um at Riverwoods. About half of our students are multilingual and receive English language learning support in addition to their regular classroom instruction. Uh at home actually 48% of our families primarily speak English and 47 primarily speak Spanish. So we really truly are a bilingual and multicultural community at Riverwoods. Uh, of the 240 multilingual learners that we have at Riverwoods, 59% were proficient this spring and that was an

046increase of 16%. Uh, we were very proud of that. Uh, even more proud of the 35 multilingual learners that we were able to exit from ELLL services. Um, we were excited last year for 27 and so 35 this year we were even more excited for. We know as they get older that becomes more more difficult for them to do. Uh we're also committed to making sure that every student gets what they need to succeed. Uh about 10% of our students are also supported through special education services. And so we're also proud to share that our fast data shows that 58% of our students with IEPs have demonstrated typical and aggressive growth this year on their ELA assessments. Uh Tracy's going to talk a little bit about our efforts this year um and how we're pushing

047that growth forward. Okay, we need to cheer for those. Those are great. Some highlights on our journey. Over the past few years, we've invested in training of the delivery of instructional strategies and pushed our teachers to increase their look at data to guide their instruction much like many schools many schools in De Mo public schools. While this has led to pockets of growth, the overall student outcomes remained inconsistent. Feeling that we hadn't fully satisfied ourselves with our data, staff and administration continued to ask, "What can we do to improve our reading scores, our instructional coaches identified letters, language essentials for teachers of reading and spelling training offered by the state through Lexia as a powerful next step. In January of 2024, 40 of our instructional teachers, led by our instructional coaches, formed a cohort to

048begin a rigorous four semester, 60-hour course grounded in the science of reading. This fall, we will wrap up the last two units of comprehension and writing and complete this in the February of 2026. Although the staff at Riverwoods had already developed a basic understanding of SOR, the letters pretest revealed our average score of 65% showing gaps in our shared knowledge. In response to this opportunity, our staff jumped in willing to grow. Through the partnership with the Department of Education and the support of the district curriculum leads, formerly Kelly Scoffield and now Allison Saleo, we've leveraged every bit of professional development time allotted in the calendar and even personal time to learn, collaborate, implement, and reflect together. We're proud to share that our most recent staff post test scores for completed units averaged 91%. Showing significant

049professional growth in knowledge and a commitment to evidence-based reading instruction. To be clear, letters is not a curriculum. It is a knowledge that equips educators with tools to understand how children learn to read, why some struggle, and how to support them effectively. Through this training, our staff has not just learned new strategies. They are redefining their approach to reading instruction based on the most current proven research. While the learning has been found the foundational piece for our staff, the collaborative discussions, the systematic lesson structures and routines and ongoing coaching for implementation has been paramount to the collective growth and most importantly to the outcomes for our students. We are seeing promising gains in the foundational skills that our students are gaining and becoming stronger readers. Here are some additional pieces of data. Overall, K5 fast

050composite at Riverwoods shows significant growth, moving from 48% proficient in the fall to 61 in the spring, a a percentage of 13% increase. Interim goal 1B shows 69% of first grade students are proficient, 4% higher than the district goal set for 2027. Interim goal 1A shows 58% of our second and third grade students are proficient, 12% higher than our current goal and only six percentage points away from our spring of 2027 goal. To be honest, the trajectory that we're on is exciting and our staff is eager to go. The learning on this journey has not been without cha challenges. We have had to rep prioritize our time, our efforts, being focused on our reading goals because our current professional development calendar and school schedule do not fully allow for the depth of training and followup

051needed. More time for collaborative planning, on the job coaching, and ongoing comprehensive professional development is necessary to support lasting improvements. In closing, our students are experiencing the impact firsthand. They are proud, they are motivated, and they are increasingly more confident in themselves and their reading abilities, laying a foundation for lifelong academic success and the love of learning. As teachers knowledge has grown, so has teacher confidence, leading to more targeted instruction, fewer referrals to the child find evaluation process, and noticeable improvements in feedback and instructional response. Staff have shared greater job satisfaction, which has positively influenced teacher retention and collaboration. Riverwood staff knew that the journey through letters would be challenging. They also firmly believe that it would be worth their efforts. Here's a few of our teacher what a few of our teachers had to

052say about their learning experience. Uh, one of our student or one of our students, one of our teachers, uh, shared with us, "Letters has significantly deepened my understanding of the science of reading, giving me the tools and confidence to better support my students in becoming stronger readers, increasing their comprehension skills, and being able to write about what they've learned. I've learned how to identify and address specific literacy needs in my classroom. Combined with the consistent support of my administration and instructional coaches, I've been able to implement these strategies effectively, and the results speak for themselves. This year, I've achieved the best student data in my seven years of teaching third grade, 70% proficient on fast CBM reading, a testament to how impactful this professional learning has been. uh from our next teacher. As a veteran

053kindergarten teacher with years of experience behind me, I used to believe I had a solid handle on teaching children how to read. I had my go-to routines, favorite readalouds, and strategies that seemed to work well enough. But I sometimes felt unsure about why certain students struggled with reading. Even when I was doing everything I knew to help them, just a brief time out. This is one of our teachers that gets pretty amazing results every year. So coming from her it means quite a lot. Uh letters didn't just give me new strategies, it gave me understanding. It opened my eyes to the science behind how children learn to read and just as importantly what happens when they don't. I began to understand the critical role that phenemic awareness, decoding and language comprehension play in early literacy.

054Concepts that had once felt like buzzwords suddenly became meaningful, actionable, and necessary. My instruction is far more intentional. I know how to build a foundation that truly supports all learners. I'm able to identify gaps early and address them with confidence. I've watched students who used to struggle begin to connect the dots, and that's incredibly rewarding. Perhaps most importantly, letters reminded me that even after years in the classroom, I still can learn and grow. This training has made me a better teacher, and for that, I'm deeply grateful. So, one last thing, uh, given the mic and the podium, we really need to thank the staff that we have at Riverwoods for coming together and making it happen every day for the students and families that we serve. It's a hard job, and people don't always get

055that. And it's an honor and true privilege to work alongside dedicated professional educators like we have, who rise to the occasion every time, and who continually go above and beyond what's expected. Uh, we want to take just a quick moment for the thanks and recognition that they do deserve. And we do have one of our staff members here with us tonight. So, [Applause] all right. So, again, uh, board chair Norris, members of the board, Dr. Roberts and guests, thanks for having us here tonight and thanks for your time and efforts as well. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Does anybody have any questions? I know I have I just have one. Um I I was really excited to hear about the um students that are exiting out of ELLL services to to what do you

056attribute that um success? Is there are there specific tools or strategies or curricular materials that are helping you with that? One of the things I want to highlight about the Riverwood staff is that they're always eager for professional development. And so that has been our mission to really grow our teachers. And so prior to and I think part of the reason why staff 40 staff members were on board with having a letters cohort is because we are begad certified school. So years ago um precoid our entire staff was trained in guided language acquisition and so there are strategies that are in place to expose students to vocabulary in accelerated ways. uh strategies that are utilized to create entry points and access for all students whether they're multilingual or um struggle in other ways to access

057content. And I would say that having your classroom teachers ch trained and not just your multilingual teachers trained has been very beneficial because we're maximizing every opportunity for learning. Great. Thank you so much. Thank you. [Applause] Good evening. Um I'm Kelly Scoffield, the middle school director of teaching and learning. And now we're going to move on to middle school, which is what our board goal two is uh mostly focused on. And I'm here to introduce uh one of our outstanding leaders in middle school. I could have chosen almost any of our middle school leaders to present tonight about what they've done to improve um student outcomes at the middle school because we've had so much growth. But Brody uh I I did ask Amy to come. Brody has shown uh increased student outcomes in every

058student measure from ISAS to Fastbridge in each of the grade levels and also exiting students from Elbow 21. That's something that we're really proud of in middle school. we've worked collectively together to build lang to start building languagerich classrooms um and have dis uh disciplinary literacy happening and so Amy's going to speak a little bit about how she's implemented these things into at Brody to see the outcomes they've had. Thank you. I'm Amy Laauo. This is my well I'm just finished my first school year at Brody Middle School. So let's start with some data Kelly shared a little bit but I do want to lift up a little bit more. So, as part of the ESSA legislation and the state of Iowa's school improvement process, Brody is being monitored in the following demographics. Our Hispanic

059population, black and African-Americans, and students receiving free and reduced lunch, which is our lowincome students. And we have significantly improved in all of these areas on FastBridge. We also have exciting news to share when it comes to our ELLL students at Brody. Almost 62% of our ELELLL students improved on their overall ELPA 21 scores. Almost 10% of our ELELLL students passed the ELPA 21 and exited the program. And growth for our multilingual learners and students learning English on ISASP is also very exciting. The average growth of a seventh grader on our ELA and math ISASP was 20 points for our multilingual learners. and our eighth graders grew almost 30 points in both reading and math. This board has also set goals for Brody for ISASP and we are happy to report that we have exceeded

060that goal in all areas. Statistically, thank you. Statistically speaking, 8 to 10 points is expected growth for general education students on ISAS testing and our preliminary results show that our students have doubled that. This year's academic growth is not the result of a single initiative or individual. It's the result of a united committed staff who believe deeply in their students and their curriculum and most importantly one another. And I think we heard very similar things with Greenwood uh and Riverwoods as they spoke as well. At Brody, we've worked intentionally to build what research tells us has the greatest impact on student outcomes and that's collective efficacy. John Hattie defines collective teacher efficacy as the shared belief among teachers that they can positively impact student learning through their collective efforts. We did that by prioritizing attendance

061on PD days and focusing on creating a culture of learning where we are all agenic learners. I think after winter break, we had 100% of our staff at all of our PDs because the first semester, we were very intentional about following up with anyone that was out to make sure that they didn't miss out on the learning. Uh we made sure of that and I learned that from some other middle school leaders in De Mo public. And during that PD time, we focused on deepening our understanding of the development of middle schoolers. Literacy and every is everyone's responsibility and social emotional learning in all spaces. We engaged with yard sticks, which is a text that focuses on child and adolescent development. And at the beginning of the year, we spent our time learning as a

062staff about what it means to teach and support our 12 through 14y olds in conjunction with a highquality curriculum that De Moines provides. This is work that we referenced all year long. We made a commitment that all classrooms are literacy classrooms. We talked a lot about how we read in different content areas and how we support our students engagement with these kinds of texts. We also developed our understanding of text complexity and how to ensure students are engaging with grade level text. We focused heavily on academic language and when I say that I mean vocabulary. Middle school is a critical time when students transition from learning to read to reading to learn. and mastering academic vocabulary is essential as they begin to read a variety of texts. Through professional development and collaborations, our teachers learn

063the strategies that were already provided in our highquality curriculum, but then also we used our ELLL specialists to support us in our professional developments every time we had PD and during our PLC time. Our ELLL specialists were invaluable partners in this work, helping ensure that all students can access rigorous content, doesn't matter who you are. This shared ownership reflects our belief that language development is everyone's responsibility and that middle school is the right time to close the vocabulary gaps that might otherwise persist. While at the same time, social emotional learning became embedded in our daily routines. L was not an add-on. It became the foundation of building safe, predictable environments where middle school students felt comfortable to take academic risks. Strong relationships and inclusive communities are developmentally critical when we think about students of this

064age. They become more confident and engaged in the work that they're doing with their peers. We did the learning in our professional development and the most important part of the process was bringing it to life with students. And with that comes accountability. So at Brody, we held ourselves accountable through coaching, instructional rounds, and professional learning communities. Our teachers opened their classrooms not only to leaders, but their peers. They spent time unpacking lessons, observing each other, and reflecting. To further support all of these initiatives, we made two big changes at Brody this year, and that was recess for every grade uh after lunch. And also, yes, the kids love it. And then also no cell phones at any time during the day. Uh that means during passing time, at lunch, you can go to the office

065if you need to make a phone call. And teachers have been very pleased with the result of what that means when you think about students being engaged in the classroom. They've noticed a significant change. So looking ahead into next year, we are very excited to launch a new master schedule that increases more time for small groups, more opportunities for all teachers to collaborate and also limits transitions for our students in middle school. We are proud of what's happening at Brody, not just because our scores are improving, but because our approach honors the unique development stage of our kids. We are helping them grow academically, socially, and emotionally in all the ways that we hope that they will move forward. Thank you. Thank you. Um, yeah. May we just ask a couple of quick follow-up questions.

066So, um, one of the things I'm going to ask you to speak on behalf of all of your, uh, fellow middle school principles, what barriers might other principles be having that you would want to highlight in help in in accomplishing these types of results? Well, I think right now it's our schedule. We are still not done with it. Uh we have a program that is great in many ways but also creates barriers for all of us to make sure the system sorts our students into the classes that they need. I think that's a barrier for all of us that we're experiencing right now. Some can do it very quick. I cannot. I'm new. I'm still learning. Uh but when we think about our new schedules that we are implementing for next year and every middle

067school is kind of having their own spin on it uh depending on what we call advisory for example. Um but we're all doing the new sixth grade initiative when it comes to the reimagine and we're very excited about it. I think the barrier for us is tricking the system to create these schedules for our students that Vither needs. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah. Um Patrick had asked the Greenwood team what would sort of put gasoline on the fire to accelerate it a little bit and I think our um friends at Riverwoods had also laid out in their handout some like tools that would help them to accelerate their success. So do you have any things specific to the success that you found at Brody that you think we would help you accelerate it and find even

068more? like what are the resources or needs that you have to be even more successful? I think just really lifting up our professional development time and making sure that we're prioritizing staff being there and making sure that we have time to teach all the things that we are being asked to teach that most recent research lifts up. I think that's a huge barrier. Uh we have our high quality curriculum. I know that there's areas for growth depending on who you talk to. Uh but our staff at Brody have really dug into understanding the big idea of how it all works together. Uh if you go in and teach a curriculum without understanding all the different parts, it's not going to work. So we just need to continue our cadence and continue the work that we're

069doing. So I'd say time for professional development. Can you can I ask follow because that's also listed um as Riverwoods challenge is more time for well they said collaborative planning. Um it can you just add a little more context to what you're saying for those of us that don't work and live and breathe it every day. Is it like optional for PD and you're saying it's challenging to have people attend or Well, I think subbing is a big barrier uh to probably most schools where you want to value that professional learning community where your team gets together, but if you have to sub someone else's classroom, that takes away from that time. So, I think we all of us, all principles and support staff are doing everything we can to get volunteers and subs to

070come into the building so we can prioritize that time. And I think we're still coming back from CO, right? And every year gets a little better with substitutes. And I think I'm hopeful for next year that we will even have more than we did last year cuz I do think hearing teacher voice specifically at Brody about having two building subs this year where in the past they had none was significant to everyone in their work and I heard about that all year and not being there I didn't know. Uh, but I do think it makes the teachers feel valued and that their time is valued and they're able to work with each other during their professional learning communities. And when you're subbing, you're in the whirlwind. You're just surviving. So, if you don't have that

071time to work with your team so you can build that collective effort, it's really hard to do. How can us as parents help uh your staff and your students successfully move on to the next step of this? I know a lot of parents um want to help out and they don't know how to. How can we support? Well, I think supporting our cell phone policy is number one. Uh making sure that your students have those put away. Uh second thing is, you know, looking and lifting up our volunteers is always really helpful. Having that extra person in the lunchroom talking to kids, playing games out at recess, that's super helpful. And we have a volunteer form in De Mo public schools that's pretty easy to fill out. And if parents, more parents did that, they

072could come in the schools quickly and get to know all the kids and their friends. Thank you. Yeah, my question was also around volunteer utilization within the schools, but since Anna already has uh alluded to that, I'll just end my comments by saying thank you and we're glad to have your leadership on the south side. Thank you. I love De Mo. Thank you. [Applause] Thank you, Madam Chair. So that brings us to monitoring and thanks to our leaders and their teams um representing Tracy certainly Jenny and Amy and their associate principles. Now Madam Chair um back to you for monitoring. Great. Thank you. I have a question for Dr. Roberts actually if it's okay kind of just to summarize. Yes. Well, it's not really about the reports necessarily. It's sort of more just about what

073we heard tonight and what we've been hearing before the reports. And I'm just I'm really interested because we the last several reports have had the opportunity to hear from really high-erforming teams about what they're doing to move the needle in their individual schools. And so, you know, I I reflect on the comments tonight which are exciting to hear about schools finding success with highquality materials or schools finding success with investments in professional development. And Dr. Roberts, my question for you and your team is really, how are you taking what we're hearing are working at individual schools and cascading it out across the district so that we can see more success at other buildings. Can you just maybe connect those dots for those of us at the table in the community watching as sort of what

074what's happening behind the scenes to to see greater success in our district? Well, remember, thank you for the question. Dr. Robert, just I'm just going to remind Jonah too, we just we are going to be reviewing the FY26 budget request specifically for goal one and two tonight just so people remember that. So, so maybe we'll see something. No, I No, I think it's fine to answer that, but I just wanted to remind everybody that that is something we're going to do tonight. But Dr. Roberts, go ahead. Thank you, Madam Chair. Board member Knox, thank you for the question. Um it's important to note that uh our principal supervisors could have selected any number of schools to come up and present this evening. And so what you see saw and heard tonight is not happening in

075isolation. They are a robust set of professional learning communities that are happening. Our principles from the schools who presented tonight and their teams um have really strong partnerships with their peers. So this is not happening in isolation and our data um across the district speaks to that. Right. Case in point, um even our preliminary results around our um state assessments really echoes the fact that uh we don't have just one and two schools that are doing really well. Um we've seen increases across the board while acknowledging that there's still a lot of work for us to do. But you're right, some of what the principles highlighted this evening um will certainly um push us to take some additional actions and different uh in terms of seeking additional resources but also continue to improve upon just

076um those areas where we can still grow. Let's uh um let's actually use that as a jumping off point if that's okay maybe for goal one uh monitoring. And so this is really just a facilitated session where we're able to ask questions. I think the good news is we had the opportunity to celebrate and show our appreciation and enthusiasm for the strides made with our literacy efforts. And so and I I I just want to say this says this year-over-year growth that was made was the most made on since 2022 on the ELA ISAS assessment and exceeded the target goal. So, it really is worth um celebrating that. And I think Dr. Roberts um consistent with something Jenna said, you know, not to be a Debbie Downer, but we still know that we're we're you

077know, 50 we're in the 50% aiming for, you know, 65%. So, there's a lot of work to do. Can you give a little bit more insight into um across the board uh the schools, the elementary schools? So, a little bit like they're showing progress, but um if you were to put our schools in some type of tier, tier one, tier two, tier three in terms of how they're doing, can you can you help us understand the bigger picture of how schools are performing to goal? Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. I really appreciate that question and question. So um as I think about our 38 elementary schools uh what comes to mind for me based on the data that um the team is now discussing is the fact that uh we are not only implementing high

078quality curriculum um with a a much improved level of consistency but we are seeing where the our focus is narrowed um and we're going deep instead of wide. So for example, if I had to think about um some of the the practice that we were looking at, we are going to continue to implement Gleam and Gleam is being implemented across the board. Um one sort of point of celebration as we look at the Gleam inventories and the result of those inventories across all of our elementary schools, more than 90% of our teachers are implementing um grade level instruction, right? The GL of Gleam with fidelity. That is huge because when you think about grade level instruction, you're talking about increased rigor, academic rigor, and it's a much more robust um system. Uh, additionally, um this

079this investment by our teachers in um professional development, right? So, again, we heard from one of our leaders early tonight um that that teachers understand that there are um a lot of opportunities them to grow, improve, and get better. even the teachers who are seeing really strong results. And so the the scope and sequence around professional development districtwide that our principal supervisors, instructional coaches, and curriculum coordinators are um utilizing with our teachers and leaders is um certainly anchored in this idea of continuous improvement and getting stronger. Additionally, um the science of reading, you've heard that reference a few times. While we still have not attained 100% of sort of differentiated professional development for our teachers around the science of reading and that transcends any content area. Um we are getting a lot of traction there.

080So for example the science of reading to strengthen like vocabulary and language comprehension to improve reading comprehension and fluency especially in grades 3 through 5. Um those are some of the things that we've started and we'll continue. We started so many of these actions in the last year and we're just going to build on those um and and then finally some enrichment right we recognize to both um board member KN and your point that while we are seeing um significant growth that we can celebrate we also recognize that um and I think this um Dr. Mir has alluded to this question around summer slides. We have some enrichment this summer and we'll continue to um sort of find and create time to have some enrichment. The last point that I want to make and share

081is because 25% of our students are multil- language learners. Um as a district across the board we are making tremendous strides um with regards to students who are exiting um and who are also doing very well just in general under ELA. you're outperforming um not only the state but many of our surrounding districts. Is that an area where we can grow and get better? Yes. We we're not going to stop um tweaking, refining and and and sort of moving the needle and around how we're looking at this work until we get to achieve 100%. It's ambitious, but that's our big goal. Great. And I think my just my follow-up comment would be it'd be great to see the the underneath the hood like of the 30 elementaryaries, how many schools are meeting target just trying

082to understand um the next level down. So that can be you know sent in a in a Sunday update but I just think it would be helpful to see the breakdown of the schools it as it relates to where they are in um hitting the targets. other um questions, comments people want to uh ask of Dr. Roberts for goal one. I I have one question um and I feel like my question is always similar around the summer slide, but at a district level, Dr. Dr. Robert, I saw on page or I see on page seven for goal one that you do reference. I think you just referenced it also out loud. Um the summer enrichment program and going to be expanding some of the summer school options uh this summer which I'm really excited to

083see and hear about. One of the questions I have is around the equity and the access for all students. Um, this is specifically calling out the MLL students, which I I I heard you say is 25% of our of DMPS students. Um, who else has access to this to this summer programming? All of our students will have access, but I I think during this initial year, um, certainly there is, um, a very targeted um, number of students who will, uh, receive this support. But um I think what I'm hearing from you which really um inspires the the team and I to continue to think about just expanding this or making it much broader right and so it's going to require us to look at a sort of the cross functional aspect of planning for summer

084school. So um that will include looking at our transportation team, our food and nutrition team and our curriculum instruction team. So in increasing access is certainly something that's on our radar. So, I appreciate that that that that ask, but of right now, we're being thoughtful about um the equity component, right, in around who we sort of ensuring have access to this. Sure. If I'm just going to follow up, Dr. Roberts, because I know this is something Jen and I brought up a couple times, even prior to you getting here, I think it would be helpful to understand the scope and scale of summer programming because I'm I think it's it's hard to understand what what we're doing this summer. So can you give any context to whether it's an expenditure, it's the number of schools,

085it's the number of kids you're aiming to serve. I think more specificity would be helpful to understand um you know what scope and scale actually looks like to be able to assess equity as well for this summer. I can I think um Ali Davis is in the room and I can have her come to the podium. She's leading. Great. Thank you. Yeah. Our uh summer school initiative Hello. Um, I just pulled up the we have seven schools right now that have summer school programming and actually most of them started June 9th and it goes through the end of this month. And then I've also been working with Jason Allen. I think this is something I shared in the wintertime um or in March when I shared um for board monitoring like next steps. Um, I've

086been planning with Metro Kids Care to use Amira at those sites. There are six Metro sites. Um, I was planning on this summer. Is that right? Yes. Right. Yep. And then, um, part of the snafu with that, I'm just going to be honest because it's new, is technology um, rostering students right now is taking a lot of time. Also syncing with um, one of our technology programs um, Clever and Infinite Campus. Um, so actually I've just been in communication with Josie to try to get that going. Um, but going to train the metro caregivers um, next week and and get started using air so that we're being intentional about going to where the kids are. Um, and um, so that those are some steps right now that are happening. I'm just going to be transparent

087with you and Dr. Roberts shared it. Um, to get a school u a district-wide summer school for elementary would take planning right now for next year. um for me to have started it in March would have been a huge undertaking um just given even understanding funding sources. Um when he said all students, it is all students in those elementary schools that have access to it. In fact, we've had some parents from private schools reaching out um just maybe from watching board meetings, I don't know, um asking questions about if they could also participate. So, a lot of it is understanding funding sources. Um, title one would be all of our students and then title three would be um, our multilingual learners um, who could stay for an extended day. Um, I know Studaker is taking

088advantage of that opportunity. Studaker happens to be one of our comprehensive schools. Um, so it's it's a really good data source for me to be able to look at and analyze and say, was this helpful? My concern and wonder about most of these summer schools happening in June is we still have July and then the beginning of August. So I actually just texted Josie a minute ago and said we better get started planning our districtwide summer school now for next year because it it is it's enormous just the funding. Um also having kids sign up and having um transportation we I've been working with schools on that. Um but Studbaker for example they have an all day program all month 75 students are enrolled their school is much bigger than that. So, um, and how

089do you pick the schools? Is there really at this point it had been schools that were interested and started reaching out to families, um, early spring? Um, and Studebaker was the one that I've been partnering with because they will have the extension for our multilingual learners and they're also comprehensive. I just felt like that would be a good data set. Um, because I know this has come up often and and wanting to address it. So, and also um working with food and nutrition. I actually have our um one of our curriculum coordinators um is our library coordinator, media specialist for the district. Um getting some books and resources out to the food sites, so our apartment complexes. Um so, we're working to do that as well. It's just uh it's it's great if people have

090ideas and it's it's a big undertaking which requires a lot of our different departments to work together and communicate. Um yeah. So are are the seven schools distributed among distributed regionally very well or are they are they all in one spot? So, this is actually something that I noticed um early on is that most of them um are on the south side. Um yeah, right. Um we don't have very many in other regions of our district, which was concerning for me. I did reach out to some principles and we do have Catel, which is more east side. Um we do have Brody and Harding as well that have summer programming that are middle schools. So, that's just something of note. So, while I was speaking about the elementary, there are some middle schools with summer

091school. requires sorry I didn't mean to write whatever you it requires a um uh licensed teachers right familiar with the science of reading or what is the requirement stand up in addition to financial yep so it would be certified staff teaching staff and then when it comes to our extension so our um using utilizing our title three money which would be our MLL students um we want our um teachers that are certified and have lure when it comes comes to teaching ELLL. So, as well, I really appreciate your transparency. Yeah, absolutely. Can can you talk a little about the cost for students or is is are there any populations of students where this is not an expense and it's waved or covered? This is of no cost to our students. So, it's funded through um

092title title one and title three. um if it's funded through anything else, I may need Josie's support on that. Um but um the schools that I'm speaking about um would be funded through title one and title title three and no cost to our families. Um and then we've been trying to just work through transportation issues and things too to make sure if that's a barrier, what can we do to help? Um communication, all of those pieces. So translation and then those title of funds usually come from those schools that are hosting it or is it Yes. Yes. And it could also be district funds as well. So um I've been make work working alongside Josie and April Murray um to try to to try to make sure we're utilizing our resources in the best way

093we have especially title 3 we had we had plenty of money to do so and that's why I was trying to encourage some of our schools to extend that day. It's a matter of did they have enough students that were showing interest and families and then also staff. Um and so maybe trying to find ways to incentivize um staff because I get it. They've worked all year and then to to recruit would need to start like I said now and not we're not shying away from that. Just it it's a big undertaking but we're excited about it. I'm excited about it as a parent. Yes. Yeah. It's great. I I would love to see it maybe later in the summer. Um, this is pretty early because we still then have, like I said, the whole

094month of July and August and it might be a matter of what staff were available in June to be able to teach. Yeah. So, thank you, Miss Davis. Thank you for sharing all that. I think when you look at a lot of the school districts around the nation that recovered and are coming back from COVID even stronger like more fiercely than going in. A lot of it has to do with their like targeted tutoring opportunities. And I think a lot of summer school for us too when we look at what our goals are 2 years from now to have 65% proficiency which is a huge lift. Like I think things like summer school are going to be absolutely critical. So, thank you for being a champion for for not only this year, but already thinking

095about yours down the line because I think it's just going to help our district hit our numbers and exceed them and thanks for pushing for for it and advocating for it and we'll we're going to keep looking. So, and keep keep working on it. It's a start. So, thank you, Dr. Roberts. Other is there a comment you wanted to make on goal one? Um, no, Madam Chair. I think just this is important just to highlight again that while we are um exceeding the target in terms of where we are right now in in the overall goal and looking at the two interim goals we're developing towards the target um I don't want us to stay in this place of celebration but to acknowledge as the board um several of you highlighted early on tonight that

096we have a lot of work to do but I am really confident about the plans that we're putting in place and the teams that are leading this work. So thank you Dr. Dr. Roberts, that was my question to you is um based off of what you've seen in um progress what we heard tonight about professional development and its impact on teachers um is there any indication through whatever it is research experience of other districts um your intuition that tells you that we might start to see a a little bit more of a hockey stick on some of these uh reports where the numbers will go up faster. It feels as if there is some momentum um year-over-year in the professional development making a difference in the classroom. Uh and while we still need to add

097resources, I'm just interested in your perspective overall as as to what your sense of the the impact of some of the um strategies that you've put in place now that it's had a year and a half, two years to work. um when we might start to see an acceleration of this. Yeah, thank you board member Dixel. we are already sort of seeing that we're getting some traction but that acceleration that you're referencing um I want to anchor my my response in sort of um sort of three different tenants right particularly as I think about one implementation science which tells us that you know once you uh look at implementing a solid set of strategies and initiatives it takes 3 to 5 years well we are going into year three in school year 2526 and so

098um I I believe that we'll start to get some traction secondly is we want to be able to sort of um stay away from just my or anyone else's expertise and but look at the predictive data and the data tells us that we are likely going to see some of that acceleration that you're referencing. And then thirdly, and this is probably of utmost importance, um just the investment of the adults in this district, particularly those who are focused on instruction and who are supporting instruction, our principles, associate principles, right? the layers around principal supervisors, curriculum coordinators, instructional coaches, teachers, um their investment um is beyond inspiring. They're willing to go above and beyond to ensure that they're embracing not only the high quality curriculum that we're offering, but also um having their own mental models

099pushed, for example, to implement Glean to look at how they're pivoting with the implementation of EL, right? And so I really appreciate that question because um next year we we're likely to see u a case where we continue to build on momentum. Dr. Roberts, what is the I think it was uh either Jenny or uh that talked about retention uh and I apologize if I don't remember who who brought up the issue of retention and teachers wanting to stay because of the experience. I don't expect you to know this number, but I think about the um the turnover that DMPS historically has and I'm wondering that seems to be new teachers while incredibly welcomed and we're excited to have you seem to slow down forward movement because they might not have had the training uh

100the letters training or some of the other things that people have talked about. How how what is the district doing to accelerate their onboarding so they can not slow down progress? So there are two things. One I think the work that is happening with the the HR team or the talented personal department around not only onboarding but mentoring and so our new teachers have the benefit of a uh mentoring program. Um and then secondly, you know, I want to reference um the the national research that from the the the new teacher product project that is titled irreplaceables. Uh and and and what the research tells us is that teachers tend to have that turn over and leave districts when they're not feeling as if they're having opportunities for professional development and getting their capacity built.

101And so um we are certainly aligned with that because our team is committed to professional development, ongoing professional development. Okay. Thanks. Let me also add um in addition to just the summer school that is being led by um Miss Davis who just shared with you at our elementary schools, we also have middle schools um programming at three of the middle schools this year. Brody, Harden, and Mcomes. Um for example, Mcomes has partnered with the science center. So that also gets back to our uh priority number five, right? Um cultivating those strong community partnerships. And so not only at elementary but at middle schools as well. And then eventually I think we need to start to think about um is there an opportunity for us to have a really solid plan around extended extension of learning

102and not just federal recovery for summer school at a high school level. So stay tuned. Um we we recognize and acknowledge thanks um board member Knox. Yes, summer school can be and that extension of learning can add so much value to the work we're doing. Yeah, Miss Knox, I meant Miss Alonzo, Dr. Roberts, Maria, um I have just one question about America members and we know that they have a huge um impact right on the growth of a student. I'm wondering, can you talk a little bit about the plan that you have moving forward for next year? And do we still have them? And do we still have them? Yes. Yeah. I think I'll call Miss Davis back up. I know that we've had some um I'm not sure where we are in terms of

103the amount of volunteers that they still have that they'll be able to bring into the buildings. But we want to be able to continue that because again the initial partnership we've seen some growth, we've seen some improvement, we've seen some impact. So we can you just um give us the history too. So we've had them for one seme. Yeah. So they started they would have been trained and we recruited them, interviewed them. They were they started the end of January. So that impact um the the data that's represented here in the sport monitoring report happened just in three and a half short months really um contribute part of it to their capac the capacity that they added. I believe I believe they played a big part. Yes. especially because they were trained in how to

104progress monitor and fast and they had um been trained in 10 different um interventions um that they used and um just the model in which we we really focused on first grade as a priority and then um anything else is kind of icing on the cake. Um it was just another layer of instruction and support for our kids. Um and uh I do have great news. um they did not their federal funding did not get cut yet and so I am meeting next week um to plan um and if the funding is approved in the costing I did cost for one to be at ele one at each elementary school so 38 is what I costed um and actually I was quoted um it was free through the state this year $20 per student and

105they actually said it's going to be more likely between 12 and 15. Um now, can we get 38? Can we recruit them? That'd be great. Um we do have some um my meeting next week is to determine how many um existing members want to come back. Um and we did get feedback from the leaders of those schools too to say, do you want them back? And how was the experience? Um because a lot of it is were they dependable? Were they reliable? We started out with more and we ended up with seven. So, um, we I think we started out with 12 and we ended up with seven reliable people. So, they did make growth and they did impact a lot of students um and put a lot of hours in. And so, it's definitely

106worth it. It's a matter of um and if we're recruiting now, which we're starting next week, um hopefully we can we can get um one in every building is my goal. So, yeah. Thank you. Uh Dr. Dr. Roberts, I have one additional question on Amamira if that's okay. Uh, you know, there's I've been doing a lot of reading about AI and I never want to say out loud that I think AI will replace a teacher. So nobody think that I'm saying that. But but what the research shows is that some of this um skill building that is scaffolded is really helpful to a teacher and and and in much the same way the community building and the SEAL work is all about teacher and face toface and human contact. Um what is the district's philosophy?

107what is our emerging philosophy as it relates to using AI in our classrooms to help skill build? Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. Um we certainly have a healthy appetite to embrace um the sort of technological advancements that can support the work that is happening across the district in general but more specifically so like a mirror and any other AI tool um we're going to take advantage of them as really strong resources that will um not supplant um to your earlier point but supplement right the pedagogical strategies that are happening in our classrooms of teachers. So yeah, we certainly have a healthy appetite um with our curriculum and instruction team, our teaching and learning team and our um uh uh chief of technology. We are having ongoing conversations um around this. As a matter of fact,

108I think as a part of uh his plan for the next school year, uh we are going to focus heavily on providing um teachers and school um staff with professional development opportunities around embracing and utilizing AI. Great. All right, board members, that was goal one. Uh, I will turn to goal two and see if there's any facilitation or any questions unique to goal two um and specifically middle school. I had a question and it was on page bear with me. It was what's going well. So, I think it was, thanks for your patience, paraphrased while I'm looking for it. Here we go. On page six, um, what's not going well? Uh, students on IEPs and I'm actually asking for you to teach me, please. So, um, our decreases for students there. We are seeing small,

109very small decreases in gains, if I'm saying that right, with students. Is that right, Kelly? Um, and so I'm just trying to understand what the expectations are and how we're supporting IEP students and why we might be going backwards rather than forwards. Sorry for Yeah. Yeah, that No, thank you, Madam Chair. I I I thank you for that. I I appreciate I would frame it differently. we we are continuing to evaluate, right? So, we uh our special education student population um one of those marginalized groups that we intend to sort of invest um heavily in terms of not only resources, but we're continuing to refine our service delivery model. Um I I'll be the first to acknowledge that um we have not done well by our students with special needs, particularly those who have IEPs.

110um as it just system systemically we're seeing um a number of schools getting traction uh but we want to make sure that we start to get that positive outcomes across the district as a whole um you know we've made some changes I think one of the biggest changes we've had to think about is in addition to the service delivery model is in terms of um leadership and personnel so we've made some changes and I um expect that we're going to get some movement and some traction right it's it's one of those things that people think of the elephant in the room but we have to call it as it like it is we have to make changes around the folks who are doing that work who are leading that critical work okay thank you other

111questions on goal two I do Dr. Roberts. Um, kind of alongside that, uh, I know you've done the gleam walks in the middle or in the elementary schools and that's been going real well. Um, and then there's a it shows that on what's not going well still on page six, the lack of consistency um, of the lesson unpacking protocols uh, aligned with the gleam emphasis. Uh what what have you heard or what's the what's your um administration in the middle schools are saying? Is that something that is just knowledge based like more PD days for these teachers or what where is that coming from? Yeah. Uh thank you for that uh board member campus. So let me start first with the the the the the celebration and then address right that observation you're making and

112that is when we've looked at the gleam inventory data and of course you know um glean inventory that has been conducted in all of our schools. Um when I think about instructional tasks that are standards align um what we've seen we've seen a 20.05% increase in teachers in our middle schools in classes teachers and classes our middle schools. Um when we've looked at students that are actively engaged in standards aligned task and that means that the teachers are incorporating grade level text and all the tools and strategies or additional resources. We've seen about a 17% increase. Um but in terms of getting to the E the A first of of gleam and that is the affirming. Teachers are truly affirming students and learners and we've seen a 17% increase there as well. Um, but I

113also want to acknowledge that because we are in and we're no longer in the infancy, right? I don't want to use infancy while it's still the first year, but because we're still rather in the the that very early stages of um implementation of this really uh research proven framework. Um we're going to see the changes that we need to see with more impact in the next school year. uh while at the elementary school and you heard me reference this number earlier uh we have a 90% uh sort of observation around how teachers are embracing this at the middle school level that number is just under 80%. It's at about 78%. So acknowledging that there's room for growth um but excited because the leaders and teachers are also acknowledging this and they're planning to do something

114about it. Great. Thank you board members. We are going to now move forward and decide whether we as a board accept the monitoring report. We'll do first goal one. Uh goal one is exceeding target. May have a motion and a second to approve this item. I'll make a motion that we accept this monitoring report. Second by Campos. We have a motion by Mr. Dixs and a second by Miss Campos. Are there any discussion or questions? Um, I just do have a um comment or discussion. Um, I'm excited to see what the progress is going to be with the new cell phone implementation, especially for middle schools. Um, Brody's principal did mention it, how it's working there, and I I bet that's going to succeed more with um the progress of of goal, too. Great. Thank

115you. Uh, all right. With that, board members, please cast your votes. The vote is approved. Did everybody say yes? 6. All right. Board members, let let's move to goal two. So, uh, we will now move forward and decide whether the board will accept goal two. Uh, monitoring report. The evaluation is exceeding target. May I have a motion and a second to approve this item? Knox second. We have a motion by Miss Knox and a second by Miss Alonzo. Any discussion or questions? Board members, please cast your votes. The vote is approved. 620. Next up is a presentation and update on goal three. Uh board members, I am going to make a suggestion that we take a five minute break. Five minutes mean five minutes. It means go to the bathroom, come back, don't talk, Skyler.

116Um and uh with that, we will be right back. So five minute break, Dr. Roberts. Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm just going to stay here. Won't be five. folded. Oh, what do I look like? Dr. Roberts isn't going to show me up. Times up. We're starting again. Dr. Mayberry Maze is not in his seat. We were talking in the kitchen. Yeah, no talking. Let's go. Telling us what I was doing. Let's see. All right. We are now moving to a presentation on goal three. Is that correct, Miss Rios? Um, Dr. Roberts, are you here? I am. Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes. And uh Josie's here. Josie's at the table. Are we good to go? Yeah. Okay. Uh I'm just going to frame what I think is supposed to happen tonight. We are receiving a brief

117presentation on goal three interim recommendations. Correct. Okay. Um so I'm just a director here in front of you with some interim goal proposals not just um so uh the first part of this presentation you you all saw on May 6th um based on feedback from the board at that meeting um my team went back and identified alternates um for uh interim guardrail uh 3B and 3C. So that's where the majority of the presentation will be tonight. I'm going to run through the first few slides just to to ground us back into into what we're looking at. Um and then I'll present those um new B and C proposed interims. All right. Um so what you'll see here uh diploma plus current state and trend goal line. So this is goal three. Um so the percentage

118of grade 12 students earning a diploma plus during four years of high school. With an interim goal, what we're looking for generally is 1 to three years. You'll notice that um our uh A is set at a 5-year goal to to mirror um the diploma plus B and C are set at that actually uh 2-year goal uh uh time frame. The other things with interims is that they need to be measurable multiple times throughout a year the year. Um we need to have evidence or belief that there will be evidence that there is a relationship to the goal between the interims and the goal. Um and that the purpose is to provide the board information on how the system is moving towards that goal state when we know that we can only measure graduation and

119achievement of a diploma plus one time a year. Um so with goal three you'll see the language there and then the associated targets that uh that you have adopted going out into 2030. Um 3A has stayed the same. So, this is the percent of nth grade students meeting the ninth grade on track metric. Um, which is defined as earning five credits and failing no more than one core class by the end of their freshman year. Um, that number increasing from 48.3% in the spring of 2024 um looking at last year's numbers um as our baseline um to 60% in the spring of 2030. And you can see then the kind of trend line that you'll see with that mirrored five-year length interim goal 3B. Then what we have identified is the percent of 10th grade

120students in geometry meeting benchmark on map geometry will increase from 36.5 in the winter of 2025 to 41% in the winter of 2027. Um a little bit of prefacing here. Um unlike fastbridge which we take three times a year K8 MAP for our high school students we only take twice a year. We take once in uh early September and then we take once in kind of a late January early February time frame. So that's why these are instead of being spring uh targets they'll be winter targets to reflect that second measurement of the year. Um with that then the interim goal 3C we've uh or oh I apologize um there is the targets for winter of 2026. So this would be winter of next year and then winter of 2027. So that's reflecting that 2-year

121time frame. Um there are a few reasons for MAP um using just that 2-year time frame. The first part of it is that uh we actually haven't yet been able to do a correlational study between MAP outcomes and our diploma plus work. Um because we have only taken MAP for the last 2 years, we don't have any students who have graduated that we have this data for yet. Um so we'll be able to do that correlational study over the next two years and then come back to the board at that point with either whether or not to continue with these as our academic um models under goal three um or if we need to identify something different for the interim at that point. So there is our 2 for 3B. And then moving on to

122interim goal 3C is our percentage of 11th grade students meeting benchmark on MAP ELA increasing from 43.3% in the winter of 2025 to 47.8% in the winter of 2027. And then the next slide you will see a similar um marker to that there. So those are the three interims proposed for goal three. Do you have any questions? I do. Um there was a lot made about the um idea of intentional planning around this goal succeeding. And so I wonder why there wouldn't be and somebody educate me why there wouldn't be an interim that shows an increase because as I understand it next year's freshman class will be the first that goes through this um cycle with a plan in place and part of this part of diploma plus will be identifying and stating out loud

123an intention toward a diploma plus outcome and so I wonder why we wouldn't measure the number of kids to have a plan in hand um their freshman year and how that is going their sophomore year. How why we wouldn't measure that progress because part of this in my mind is just saying out loud you actually have a plan when you go through freshman year that you're going to get a diploma and it is going to have uh an additional certification or uh some other recognition to it. Yeah. So, I think what I'm hearing is is asking about looking at something like our IAP data where we're collecting data or my app data where we're collecting information about that. We don't currently have a system fully built out around that process. That's another reason that that

124might be something that we come back to in a year or two to see if we've had enough data collected at this point. What I wouldn't want to do is kind of put a target on paper guessing right now where we are um without having an intentional system in place around that. What what my concern is though is that we're going to get to a year from now and go or two years from now and say, "Well, we just didn't have plans in place for it. The baseline of this is that every student has to have a plan going in." So, two things. I'm going to make a suggestion. Dr. Lumdine, would you mind coming up here too as well? So, I think you can be part of the conversation with Josie. That would be

125great. And let me also Thank you, Madam Chair. Let me also add again um board. May I just just humbly just remind us that um this is a brand new undertaking. Sure. And so while I really appreciate board member Dix's push, um I I can say with utmost confidence that because you all have given us a long enough runway in terms of a single year to build this plane. Um we're not going to come back at the end of year the implementation of year one or two not having a plan in place. I think we'll be much further along. But I appreciate that push. Um I Yeah. Can I just I want to I want to make sure to say one thing. So um and whether I I think this is the right tact or

126not, I do want to remind you that the direction that was given um was about things that um you you tell me the right research were but are connected to student outcomes. Yep. Um students know and are able to do. Correct. I I do want to say though I think and this is something that I I wanted to bring up for Dr. Roberts for you to consider which is um you know I know you talk a lot about data stepback meetings um I think about leading indicators and I'm just I'm wondering there's there's this interesting time where we're both trying to prove student outcomes but there's a lot of inputs and uh and I think there's a um a desire to have more information on the inputs and that are going into this. So for

127instance, if diploma plus if part of the goal is to add certain um offerings that you can obtain as part of diploma plus, are we seeing that number increase? Like I I just I I I just want to make sure that two two things, right? So one is this is about student outcomes and that was the board conversation. Yes. Um, so just remember that and if the board feels like we need more data, right, that are more, again, I need better words. I'm just using what I know, which is leading indicators or things like that to show growth. We we should ask for that. Yeah. Data that just aren't outcomes, but data that could help. Yeah. It it's to me it's about driving behavior and and making sure that everybody is is moving in the

128same direction. I believe that we have laid out a really really good plan here. Uh I don't mean Dr. Roberts that you would come back to us and say that the district hadn't planned enough. What I'm afraid of is that we're going to hear from parents who say, "I had no idea my student was supposed to have a four-year plan." And so what's the communication? What's the will every student go into the fall next year, freshman student? knowing that they are going to need a 4-year plan and that that's the way we need them to look at it. And that to me is um something that students should be able to know and do is make a plan and follow through with it. I just I think I think this is um for me this

129is the start. You got to begin at the beginning. So just a question for and you know Tasha you're welcome to come up as well. I think a question for you Dr. Roberts is all of these things, right? So, to get to where you're trying to go, all of these things, do they have a plan? You know, I mean, there's a a list of things that have to happen to be able to accomplish these outcomes. And so, where where and how do you track those inputs? Yeah. So, I can I can speak to that. So we actually as a part of our strategic planning process with our technical cabinet, one of the things that we've invested in as a team is actually using a a a project planner using actual like a a strategic planner

130model. Um and so next year as we actually implement the strategic plan which all of this is deeply embedded in diploma plus is a huge initiative within that piece. Um the monitoring associated with goal three will be directly related to the monitoring of the strategic plan. Um we have a process that we are building out with our new leader team um consultants that we've been working with on the strategic plan to actually lay out how each of our board monitoring sessions will be preceded by a tactical cabinet meeting that will have a step back related directly to the the the goal that's being monitored. So that we have put together all of that information. I think that is that is what you're looking for is so when we can say from a key results standpoint,

131have we hit how many students have gotten this? Have we hit how many hours of PD? Have we hit how many um classes align to the NGOT framework, right? So once we have those things, that will become part of the board monitoring that you see in those reports. That's what I'm Does that help? That's what I'm looking for. Um, Dr. Mayberry, I'm going to just ask you if you have thoughts on this because I know we've talked briefly about it. I I do I had to brush up on some of my data analysis stuff actually myself. So, I was looking at uh and I know you talked about it earlier trying to better understand um or maybe help me understand again the reason for a two-year data point. Yeah. So, two twofold on that. Um

132so one of the underlying assumptions with an interim goal is that you have evidence of a relationship to the goal. Um because of where we are in the diploma plus process and where we are with MAP implementation, we don't have enough years of cohort data of MAP of students who have taken MAP to know when they graduated whether or not like where the relationship lies between them having met benchmark on that assessment and whether or not they received that diploma. Plus, we do know that MAP benchmarks tell us a lot about whether or not a student will be successful in those classes as they get to the end of it. So, we're using that as a proxy that says we believe that this will have stronger relationship to one another and it gets at the

133academic underpinnings I think as Kim said um in the last meeting of of what it takes to graduate high school. Um and so that's the with that um what we've said is that we want to set this 2-year target. We want to have a stability for a couple of years, but then we want to be able to revisit that once we have that information. Um so we started um assessing using map um for our um for our let me see if I can find I want to make sure I'm quoting the right dates. Um, so for 10th grade geometry, we started in the, um, winter of 2024, um, or 2023. I think we only put through 2024 on here. Um, with, um, MAP ELA for 11th grade. We just started that in 2024. So, none

134of when we were doing this analysis, none of the students who had taken math ELA or um, ELA MAP and taken the MAP assessment had yet graduated. And so we are just now getting to the point where we can do that analysis. So that was part of the reason for for s for recommending a two-year target so that we have the time to come back then and redo that analysis. Okay. That that's helpful. Is there a reason why like a winner of 28, 29, and 30 are not forecasted out? Because it's only a two-year target because we we set that target at that two years to prompt us to come back. Um, again, we also we don't have a ton of background of of historical data. We've only got a few data points. Um, so

135that'll also give us if we do decide to say with MAP at that time, which we absolutely may, um, that'll give us a stronger understanding of how we can set targets more effectively. Okay. Thank you. Are we doing any and again I know that this is um not student outcomes specifically but when we talk about inputs that are helpful to understand if there's forward movement do we do any surveying of students or families like are there any plans to understand how implementation or communication is going as it relates to this goal that that we can look back on and it may just be on an annual basis this, but how do we know that people are picking up what we're putting down? Yeah. So, so I can respond to that. Yeah, Josie, before you jump

136in, one um you know, uh as we look at all of these inputs that are aligned to um and strongly connected to our strategic plan, um we plan to have quarterly updates um for not only the board, but for the entire community around progress that we're making on our 18 strategic uh objectives and those 59 strategic actions. And so, um, you're going to see and receive sort of there's a lot of visibility that that everyone will have into how we're doing, um, around achieving these goals. So, Dr. Roberts, just to put words just to clarify, we're by June 30th, we're going to the board will see those OKRs. That's No, no, that's still a work in progress. We That's still a work in progress. the work we're doing right now with executive and tactical cabinet

137to make sure that we are aligning strategic plans um with goals and guard rails and with board monitoring and OKRs. Okay. Other I would say just supplementary to that we also um we also have a plan in place to take uh the the kind of step back as Dr. Robert Roberts referenced to um our SIAK the school improvement advisory committee which is a team of um community members uh students and parents as well as uh staff uh to do a review with them on that quarterly basis as well um out of this um I will also say in the strategic plan there are uh I think Bridget counted 12 surveys um across the different strategic areas um so I I Just want to acknowledge that that uh parent and family feedback is a major aspect

138of this. What we're working on is how do we align those pieces so that we're not sending out 12 surveys. Yeah, I appreciate that. Yeah, and I think we have not the board is supposed to actually get the reports, the SCIK reports. And so we haven't seen one um I think since I've been on the board and so and I know that's a statutory requirement. So if you could just make sure that that's made available to us in whatever cadence that would be great. Yeah, absolutely. I have the ones from earlier this year. I apologize. We didn't get those filed. Thank you. Other questions? So, at this point, Josie, what do you need from us? Do you need uh uh kind of a thumbs up, move forward? Are we doing a formal? It doesn't have

139to be voted on as long as as long as the board generally agrees that this meets the vision of goal three and will provide the interim information that you need. Yeah, I think that I'm just going to look around. I think there's consensus. Yes. But the again I'll use the OKRs as what I thought somehow we need to see whether it's leading indicators or whatever you want to call it progress to goals. So if it's showing us the project management tool that shows us things that are moving forward if it's showing us numbers but that is I think a secondary expectation so as well. So maybe the, you know, the first time you we monitor it or with Dr. Roberts, you come up with a list of what the board can expect just to show,

140do you feel like you're on track or not? Yep. Absolutely. Part of that is you're working on this all the time. And I I think we'd like to give you some credit for the work uh and this that happens away from this board table. And so I think I'd like to be able to celebrate the work that's happening behind the scenes to make sure that this is a reality in four and eight years for our students. Yep. Yeah. Joy, I just want to thank you. I mean, this has been a long haul. Um, we literally gave you nothing and said, "Here, do something." Um, and I'm really happy about these terms. So, thank you. Thank you. And everybody that helped you out, Dr. Roberts, final comments on this. Yeah, thank you. I think I just

141certainly want to build on um board member campus's um sentiments and yes um but in addition to the board just giving us sort of this charge um I really appreciate just how you've pushed our thinking throughout the process so that we could arrive right at what I believe are three really strong and researchbased um uh interim measures and so looking forward to um the monitoring during the next year and certainly keeping you all posted on the progress that we're making. So excited about it. Um, thanks to uh Josie, Rob, and the entire what they've affectionately called the goal three and Tasha and the goal three team. Thank you folks. Thank you. Thank you. Great. Thank you so much. We are now going to move to consent agenda. As a reminder to the board and public,

142the 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. Miss Rios, do we have any speakers? No speakers for consent. Dr. May, I believe you have the consent motion. Yes. 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 authorized, certified, and approved for payment by the board secretary in the amount of 7,340 300,000 304,496.33. Is there a second? Second by Campos. We have a motion by Dr. Mayberry Maize and a second by Miss Campos. Is there discussion or questions? So I board colleagues, I have to make

143a suggestion and that is point of order. Yes. Sorry, I forgot to add more. And procurement card transactions. Hold on a second. Okay. Um, we haven't approved it yet. Okay, go ahead. Sorry. and procurement and card transactions in the amount of $931,417.14. That's it. Uh okay. Uh any discussion or questions? So, uh, board members, I need to make a, uh, recommendation, a friendly amendment that we, um, support the consent agenda, which is E15. Sorry, we on the consent agenda. Item E15 is a list of FY2526 contract renewals and cooperative procurements. And uh I apologize because I was late in noticing this, but one of the things that the board and superintendent had discussed was regular um going out to market for some of our large uh vendors and uh and Shashank, remind me if I

144got this wrong, but we have recently gone out uh for our accounting and that was how many years ago? Two, three years. Two or three years ago. And then we just went out for our insurance. Um, and that was was this that this year? Yep. And so best practice is 3 to five years. I I think we we defer to Dr. Roberts and um uh Shashank to tell us what the right cadence is, but as a result, Aller's uh the legal services contract needs to be RFPd. And so I think the board is very committed to doing that in a very quick process. um but is an important process that we go out to market. So if it's okay with everybody, I'm asking you to um vote on the consent agenda and vote on E15,

145but we will table ers for the near future uh discussion and it's going back in the plate of Dr. Roberts and Shashank. Uh Dr. Roberts, anything else you want to add to that? No, thank you madam chair and I I just you know again this is the right time so two thoughts one is um we want to and Shashank and I are going to work on ensuring that there's some consistency around the timeline um that is number of years within which we're going to come back with uh an RF process to make sure that um we have a really strong practice in place um and then secondly um as I think about um our legal services uh of course you know we're going to have some um really significant changes around for example our chief

146of HR and some other practice some other uh sort of departments that work closely with our legal team. So I think it's the right time for us to do this. Great. Thank you. And just one moment we have a slight admin issue. Shashank, can you come up here for a second? We're just going to pause for one second. I just noticed something. Time out. No, it's just that one. We are going to pull one other item and that is on page two out of four underneath communications. The line that does not have a vendor name and its purpose is uh RFP 9222 reimagine learning and strategic communication. So think we need more information on that as well and we'll move with all due haste if there is a contract deadline. So with those two uh

147things that we've pulled off we are going to move forward. Will you accept the friendly amendment? Uh Dr. Mayberry Maze will accept the friendly amendment. Yes. Thank you. Board members please cast your votes. I'm going to abstain due to a conflict. The vote is approved 4 to zero with one abstension. Next are a series of public hearings. First item is F1 public hearing for outdoor warning sign siren easement agreement at Merill Middle School. The public hearing will come to order. Is there anyone wishing to speak to this item? Hearing no one, I'll close the public hearing. Dr. Roberts, would you please introduce the matter? Certainly, Madam Chair, I recommended the board approve granting a permanent easement to the city of De Mo at Maryland Middle School following a public hearing. May I have a motion

148and a second to approve this item? Dix so moved. Camp second. We have a motion by Mr. Dixs and a second by Miss uh Miss uh Campos. Any discussion or questions? Just a clarification. We're just we're moving it or we're uh May have a motion and a second. We have a motion. No, no, no. I I'm asking Dr. Roberts. Are we moving the siren or are we Can we get to discussion? So, hold on a second. We have a motion by Mr. Dixs and a second by Miss Campos. Are there any discussion or questions? That's where I thought you were. Oh, was I there? Sorry. I'm just trying to keep this one moving. Let's go. I'm just asking are we moving this or are we um is it relocation or is it stay in the

149same place? I do not. I have a member of the operations team to win. That's fine. We can talk. Yes, we'll we'll get back to you. Okay. Board members, please cast your votes. The vote is approved. 520. Next item is F2, public hearing for electrical easement agreement at Hoover High School. The public hearing will come to order. Is there anyone wishing to speak to this item? Hearing no one, I'll close the public hearing. Dr. Roberts, would you please introduce the matter? Thank you, Madam Chair. I recommend the board approve granting a permanent easement to Mid American Energy Company at Hoover High School following a public hearing. May I have a motion and a second to approve this item? Dick. Second. We have a motion by Miss Knox and a second by Mr. Dicks. Is there

150any discussion or questions? Board members, please cast your votes. The vote is approved. 520. Next item is F3, public hearing for C1P 3512 Hoover High School secure entry. The public hearing will come to order. Is there anyone wishing to speak to this item? Hearing no one, I'll close the public hearing. Dr. Roberts, please introduce the matter. I recommend the board review the proposed plans and specifications prepared by RH Architects for secure entry at Hoover High School. Hold a public hearing and approve the plans. May I have a motion and a second to approve this item? Dix. So moved. Second. We have a motion by Mr. Dixs and a second by Miss Knox. Is there any discussion or questions? Board members, please cast your votes. The vote is approved. 5 to zero. Next item is F4,

151public hearing for C1P 3513 Mitchell Early Learning Center parking lot upgrade. Is there anyone The public hearing will come to order. Is there anyone wishing to speak to this item? Hearing no one, I'll close the hearing and turn it over to Dr. Roberts. Please introduce the matter. Absolutely, Madam Chair. I recommend the board review the proposed plans and specifications prepared by Bishop Engineering for parking lot upgrades at Mitchell Early Childhood Center. Hold a public hearing and approve the plans. May I have a motion and a second to approve this item? Dick. So moved. Mayberry may second. We have a motion by Mr. Dixs and a second by Dr. Mayberry Maize. Is there any discussion or questions? Board members, please cast your votes. The vote is approved. 520 and we move on now to discussion. So

152we are going to talk about the budget first then we will move to reimagining education. Uh as a reminder to board colleagues we had a healthy discussion about uh the FY26 budget. I think there was some desire to want to review the um sums of money that were being allocated to goals specifically literacy but u all of the goals um more broadly and so we are going to have that conversation and with that I'll turn it over so Dr. Roberts you've got Dr. Landine and Shashank are at the um the deis. Um and so I'll turn it over to the three of you for a call. Thank you, Madam Chair. um looking forward to presenting uh some sort of costing knowing that uh we want to certainly maintain uh sort of some flexibility as well

153to come back during the the school year as needed to reallocate resources to ensure that we are truly um moving the needle around getting the right outcomes for our literacy support. So turn it over to Shashank and Rob. And actually, thank you for actually just starting it that way because I have a question for you, Shashank, about the the budget process and um with the some uncertainties. I think we have a lot of uncertainties around our budget. Can you remind the board what the current process is that that you have with the board or with the superintendent of kind of reviewing on a quarterly basis you know expense to revenue like I'm just we don't have the board doesn't do that anymore that visibility and so I'm wondering um given some of the volatility of

154the budget and the funding streams how you're thinking about approaching this year um from a budget standpoint if if any differently at this point. So the the report which was a similar report that we used to give to the board prior to the change is a report that I'll be sharing with him on a quarterly basis. Okay. So it'll be the same report and if we need to get into more discussion if Dr. Robert wants more details we'll obviously give him more details. Okay. So if as the year progresses with the budget if and maybe this is something we just need to talk to Dr. Robert's about if we wanted to get further engaged in the understanding of the budget on a quarterly basis, meaning really budget any changes to expense or revenue and any

155shifts that need to be made. Mhm. That would be going back to some type of guard rail like the one that we had in place to take to be able to have visibility into those quarterly budget assessments or our budget assess right yes we can we can always do that I just think it's it's worth understanding how with the volatility of revenue how expense and revenue decisions are going to be made throughout the year and that's a first statement Jackie So the plan today is basically what has been the methodology for this costing and the costing has been done in three large categories. Investment in literacy instruction, investment in literacy support and investment in other literacy costs and all all of them are laid down below that whether it's a general ed or curricular materials

156or whatever it is. what is a prioritization for literacy and the next steps. So the methodology has been basically the time which is spent by the teachers at various grade levels. We have m Dr. Lundine and his team sat down and came up with what percentage of time is being spent. My team went through those time spent and allocated and picking up the actual costs from the systems have allocated what is the actual cost that would be spent working on literacy goals. Something that I wanted to highlight that this is not additional cash that will be expended. This cost is already embedded in the budget. So if you go to the next slide investment in early literacy and Dr. Londin please jump in be uh is if you have seen we have tried to decide

157I mean divide literacy in instruction into general edll and special education and we have seen what is the percentage of time spent by the staff in each of these different roles. what is the cost and what is the funding source. So that has been the general methodology and what we are trying to highlight is that investment in early literacy is close to around $82 million. the same thing we have done. So, so what you had seen in the earlier slides was a cost which was around $4.5 million which included some cost of staff the curriculum materials extended learning and professional learning costs over there and Dr. Dr. Lundine, anything that you would want to highlight over here? I think it's important to note uh across the various staff groups how heavy a proportion what they

158do is focused on literacy instruction. And so we wanted to make sure that that was reflected uh in the budget projections, excuse me, in the budget costings. Um, so you'll see there the percent of time spent on literacy instruction in the course of an instructional week and then in turn how that's translating into the specific spending that uh is going on within the district to make that a priority. So you're saying a general education teacher spends their time on literacy instruction. 75% of a lit general ed teacher's time is devoted to literacy. Is that what I said? Okay. Yeah. So they So 25% is everything else other content. Yeah. But that's where we're interweaving what's going on with literacy content into other subject areas as well. Okay. Using the same methodology for middle level literacy

159goals, our total cost was approximately $21 million and what we had shared last time was approximately $3.6 million. The the methodology is the same. And Shashank just I'm I'm sorry. Help me understand. You're saying that's the increase 3 million to You're not saying that's the increase. No, it's not the increase. What's the three versus the 21? So what we had not captured in the previous presentation was the cost of the teacher time which is being spent on this particular goal. Okay. I got you now. I think I'm just a little puzzled because I think the question is what's the staffing we need to accomplish the goals and this is just I'm not I mean this is helpful and important I guess but it's not actually answering the question because we're this staffing structure isn't hitting

160our goals. So I maybe just frame the is this just taking us through the same presentation but helping us look at it a different way. Before the team responds um madam chair point of clarification um what do you mean by the staffing structures not hitting our goals? the I don't want to speak for you, but I I I I the sentiment I would say is I guess what I was looking for this tells us what we have and maybe I maybe we didn't ask the question right. I think the question was how are we refocusing our resources to hit our goals? And so the answer came back and again I if I'm misrepresenting anything please uh educate me but it was about $3 million new spending on toward the goal and I think the board's

161response was is that enough and so we were looking for some context of what was it what is it and I this tells us what we are doing and it is I think it is helpful I think this is very helpful I I guess my where what I'm looking at this and thinking is is this is what I'm looking at more than last year? Is it uh less than last year? Is it um going to help us hit our goals? And is and and what was the thinking that went behind it to say we put x amount of money, we got new money this year. We got more money this year than we had last year. It's not enough, but we got some. And so what are we doing with that to help us hit

162our goals? How are we shifting money around to make sure that it is targeted on this? That that that'd be that was my thought looking at it and I don't know if that was similar to what you were saying. I do just want to remind our colleagues because I feel like Dr. Robert's question is leading to the fact that they did just meet at least where they're supposed to be at the end of the year. So, so some kudos there. I think you know when we were asking a lot of these questions the leading data maybe didn't indicate that they there was going to be that uh mark hit and it was so I think also remembering um that that we should celebrate that and every fire needs more fuel to keep going and that's

163the that's all I'm asking is like we we lit the fire we got to keep it going now and get it going more and so what how do we do that how do we focus that's our job is to help focus on the resources. And I thought just to be clear, Jenna, you're absolutely right. And and yet what I thought we heard was the inconsistency by building of what resources they have available to them, like a building that was able to get two permanent subs, that was great. How did they do that? Or a building that wanted a literacy specialist and didn't have one. And so it was really around the the fine-tuning of each of the buildings needs to help accelerate their growth based on what they felt they needed. So um you know

164Dr. Roberts I don't know if you want to respond all of us just had a chance to speak. So yeah thank you. Thank you madam chair and thank you board. Yeah, this is really a good discussion. But what it also signals to me is that this is an opportunity for the team and I to offer you some more sort of visibility into just the dynamic nature, right, of how we're supporting schools. And so to um Jackie's last point, um we have to you're not going to see consistency with staffing in schools in 64 schools. What you're going to see is a targeted and differentiated approach to the staffing and support. So for example is we we staff schools based on need um based on enrollment um amongst two of the sort of critical areas. And

165so um with more specificity around achieving our literacy goals and achieving our MAD goals. In this case it's literacy. We want to make sure that we are providing we are creating a staffing model and a resource allocation and reallocation model that truly gets the desired outcomes. Let me use one example from tonight sort of to bring this point home. Like Jenny Inman for example shared that um she does not have enough access to enough high quality curriculum right because of the nature of her school. Um so what has to happen now is we need to think about um how do we support her um in a differentiated manner. What you my impression of what you ask of us um to bring to you tonight with this budget presentation around literacy costing is to provide you

166with a clear picture around where we are allocating our finances around things like um our curriculum resources for example. I mean, I I think the question is to to Jenna's point, I don't think anybody wants to hear that there aren't enough resources being allocated to literacy. And that is what we hear often. And so, um, if this is the budget that's going to enable you, Dr. Roberts and the team to accomplish and hit the goal and exceed the target, then I think that's what you should say. It feels like often we don't hear that um when we're getting presentations because there's things that buildings seem to be seeking that they don't have. So, I think that's where the healthy tension is. Yeah, thank you for that. No, I I think it's important to note that

167in the last two years, we have been responsive and will continue to be responsive to buildings when they're seeking resources. Um, if that is not happening, I need to know and hear that. Um you know our our principles again while we have layers of uh supervision and support um once it gets to the desk of anyone in the executive cabinet um they know that it is my expectation that they never start uh a response to an ask from a building leader with no. And so when that is not happening we'll make those adjustments. Um this is a dynamic process. you know, we're likely going to come back in the middle of the year or at quarterly points and say we're making adjustments to reallocate resources. So, yeah, I think that's where we're sitting. Dr. Roberts,

168just out of curiosity, do you think that if we asked a general education teacher, they would believe 75% of their time is on literacy? Is that is that reflective of our culture in our buildings? Just curious. I think you'll get probably different responses from, you know, different individuals when you have 5,000 adults that you in in the buildings and almost 3,000 teachers because their experiences are going to be very very different. But the culture that we're intending to create is yes um literacy is everybody's business. One of the things that we were not able to share tonight, but it's built into the PowerPoint um for board board goals one and two is the fact that literacy is going to be dealt with in a um cross discipline manner and that is every single discipline that

169includes um math, science and social studies. You're going to see literacy literacy skills and strategies being taught. I guess I would like to ask specifically in the budget for middle for elementary and middle school where summer school and support for summer school planning is called out in each of these slides. So, uh, summer school and middle Say that once more, I'm sorry. Um, summer school, we've talked about summer slide a lot and how important it is to be planful for that and put money towards it since it's an effective strategy. So, where is that called out specifically in each of these budgets? I don't see it noted on here. It's summer learning is extended learning on with Yeah. Yep. for elementary. Can you go back to that slide? Whoever has control. Thanks. Yeah. And then

170are we doing do we have it for middle school too? Extended learning. Middle school's not noted on there, but but it's happening. Well, if if it's not in the budget, how would we I just we hear about capacity and resources a lot and this is Jenna and I have been fighting this fight for like three years. And so I feel like it's really important and we need to plan for it. And so if it's something Dr. Roberts you believe is an effective strategy, it would be great to see it called out in middle literacy as well or perhaps I don't know. Said another way, um maybe this is like the opportunity and so if we don't have it planned for in the budget, then let's not talk about it as a potential thing we don't

171have as why we can't meet our goals throughout the year. Right. Okay. Shashank, where do you want to take us next? So, it's the timing of tonight's review is very timely given the conversation that we had with the schools earlier this evening about uh literacy achievement and what the levers have been within the elementary and middle schools that were featured here tonight in terms of professional development, in terms of highquality materials, in terms of prioritization of uh getting literacy support into schools. a couple of examples of uh small to medium-siz steps that we're taking uh in order to ensure that every dollar that can be expended towards uh K through8 literacy is being done. So one is we took about redirecting some of the AEA funds that would have been otherwise used for central office

172positions and instead allocated those funds towards the purchase of K through8 uh EL curriculum materials. Um that was an important investment for us and we wanted to make sure uh that uh those resources were getting into the hands of our schools. Um, just a question on that because I feel like we've spent a lot of money on EL curriculum materials over the past couple of years. Are these more different new um I mean we've invested year-over-year on EL I think. Yeah. I'm gonna ask actually Miss Davis and Miss Scoffield if they can they're replacement texts for um some of our anchor texts that get used and used and loved in our classrooms. Um and we're replacing them now with library bound. So upgrading those a little bit and then also um uh increased needs. So

173there we have a schedule of replacement text over the next 5 years, but it's all part of the same EL curriculum. It's the same EL curriculum. They're just books that uh you know we've taped together and and they need to be replaced. Secondly, we've noticed here the prioritization of replacing EL curriculum materials over new adoptions and other needed subject areas. In the last conversation we had together about um the costing, Mr. Dr. Dix, you asked the question of what it was that we weren't prioritizing at the expense of that. And one of the things that we are undertaking as a teaching and learning division is looking very carefully at knowing that the literacy focus has to be our number one where we can forstall investments in other areas to make sure that uh the literacy

174materials are getting into the hands of teachers. And so that's a consistent process that's going on. uh looking actually we'll talk in a bit about the 5-year um analysis of what's going to be needed uh from a curricular perspective but um we have purposefully gone about prioritizing those EL curriculum materials because the literacy uh goal is prerogative. Third, you can see that the commitment to replacing materials with vendor bound text, which may be a little more expensive on the front end, but which will allow for free replacement of text as wear and tear occurs. We know that having books in hands of students makes a difference in terms of advancing literacy performance. And frankly, one of the things that we know happens across campuses is that there are disperate levels of access to books in

175campuses. So, we want to make sure that we're getting those materials out into schools and that those materials are lasting. Uh, and so that's been a big uh push on the part of the teaching and learning division. And finally, in conjunction uh with uh Neil Schroeder, our chief information officer, we're looking at the reduction of print materials across content areas in favor of digital and more and canvas materials so that we can have a more sustainable strategy with ready access to literacy resources that allows us to get more bang for our buck. Um Neil has been fantastic at working with us uh to ensure that onetoone technology challenges don't get in the way of us being able to uh hook students up directly with the literacy resources they need and deserve. And so we want

176to increasingly migrate uh our dependence on the on print materials towards those that can be digital and that don't require consistent replacement. Are those items um that you're talking about, are those um teacher based items or is it going out to the families? Uh teachers and students. And that takes us to the one of our upcoming projects within the teaching and learning division, which is a projection of curricular needs for the next five years. We are right now mapping out across all content areas in elementary, middle, and high school what the projected adoptions would look like from a curriculum perspective and what those costs would be. not only so that we can be working together with the business and finance division to be able to map out how we're allocating the appropriate resources um but

177also so that we can maintain our steady focus on the allocation of resources towards literacy on a consistent basis. This process just started uh we literally were reviewing the first draft of the documentation this last week and I'll be bringing uh our findings to Shashank, Dr. Roberts in the coming weeks so that we can start a larger conversation about how our budgeting process allows for anticipation of curricular needs and in particular of um highlighting the uh needs in the areas of literacy. That's exciting. Um towards that end two questions. one will Neil uh and the kind of the CIO how how is um technology AI how are those uh researchbased kind of next fiveyear thinking being infused in this planning process that's great or can it be I mean I guess that's just that that's

178all I'm asking so because the the they're potentially cheaper strategies Yeah, I won't go into too much detail. I've asked, excuse me, sorry, um, Dr. Roberts, to bring a presentation to the board actually in July to kind of look back kind of where we're at and where we're going. It won't it will be a team effort. We we've built an instructional technology digital literacy team. Our new director just started Monday. Um, and we are housing them in and amongst the teaching and learning group. So, there's going to be a lot of partnership going forward. Along those lines, my question would be is when we talk about curriculum changing, that has been a common theme of complaint for actually for um some of our staff, for some of our teaching staff is that it's just the

179next new idea. Can you Dr. Roberts, maybe you can um Dr. Dr. Lundine, I don't know if you want to provide some thoughts as to when you talk about a 5-year plan, are we talking about changing curriculum because we believe the curriculum we have right now can be improved or are we anticipating that about every 3 to 5 years a new idea comes out, AI might impact uh how we teach and learn in the next 5 years? Can you give me some thinking just sort of high level as as of how you're going about that? What is it for? It's a great question and there's some of these curricular materials that are built to be lasting uh long-term investments, EL, IM, Odell. The intent behind that investment is that those are not 3 to 5year

180investment, but those go in a decade and beyond and that any replacement of materials for that is designed to replenish what resources are needed there. There's other courses where, for example, it's been 10 years or so since we've updated the curriculum content and we know we need items that are more current. Some of our more specialized AP courses, for example, where we want to spread those out more in our uh traditional high schools, we know we need to have the curricular content that's current for that as standards have changed. And so those are the ones where we have to balance the prioritization between maintaining the resources that are needed for literacy that will remain constant uh for hopefully as long as I'm here and beyond. Um with some of those other courses where we've been

181needing an update for a while and it's just been a question of finding the right time and then the right opportunity to introduce those materials to teachers. Okay. Thank you. And will that also include any signature school planning as well? So as you think about bringing those online, whatever curricular needs they may be, it will uh the signature school planning process is going to be one that is going to require us to think from the ground up around things like what course and graduation plans are required, what curricular materials are going to be needed, what teacher training is going to be required there. And so that will play a critical role in the um projection process that we've got here as we develop out those signature school models. Great. Uh Dr. Roberts, well, let me

182turn to my board colleagues. Any comments, questions? Dr. Roberts, any closing comments or Shashank? No, thank you. I think for me, thank you. Um thank you the board Robin Shashank and Bo thank you for um just really um providing even more clarity to us to the team and I around what it is you're looking for and I would um certainly respectfully ask that we just continue to have this conversation. Yeah, I forgot one question. Sorry. Um is there has there been any conversation around the role philanthropy can play in these goals? And I bring that up because the um Greenwood team specifically referenced having a private donor who was able to purchase those high-quality materials for them, which is what they attribute a significant amount of their success to. So has there been any cross

183conversation or consideration on what it's definitely a consideration on our part and it's it's a question often of finding the right philanthropic match with the specific ask. So for example, when you look at the Monasuri school that we'll be launching at Jackson Elementary in the coming years, we happen to have a donor who is passionate about Monasuri on the south side and they will be donating curricular materials for the launch of that school. I know that as we launch Signature Schools as well as look at curricular needs across our campuses, we are going to be um eager to work with the board, with the foundation, with Kaye uh to identify who those prospective matches might be um because we know that donors are eager to see something tangible in the hands of students when they're

184making those contributions. Thank you. Great. With that uh we are going thank you very much. We really appreciate your time tonight and we are going to turn to the next part of our discussion which is an update on reimagining education. Dr. Roberts I believe you are going to present in partnership with Amanda Miller. That is correct. Thank you Madam Chair. And Amanda is at the Yes. Can have Kyle just project for us as well. Thank you. So, um, board and community at the the meeting on June 3rd, um, Matt Smith presented an update around reimagining education and certainly we committed to coming back to you all um, because time is of the essence to provide a deeper dive into where we are in progress we've made thus far. And so in the next slide, um,

185I just want to just remind us that, um, see if Kyle is projecting. Yeah, perfect. Thank you. that when we sort of had the sort of challenge and the charge from the board if you may around reimagine education um we took it and just ran with it and and we are reminding our community um and partners that our commitment is from preschool through graduation. We want to ensure that there's excellence in education experiences for every single student who knocks on de Mo public schools doors um not only for now um but for the next 10 years but for an entire generation. And so on the next slide um what we're highlighting is the fact that oftent times when people hear about the mo public schools reimagining education work um you know I'm here in DC

186for example on today and and and there are lots of questions from leaders across the country about it and many folks are also thinking about what are we doing in terms of our capital projects what are the building changes changes we're making to our buildings and while we are committed to ensuring that our buildings um 72 buildings 64 of them instructional buildings are averaging between 72 and 80 years old. Um what is of utmost importance to us um is the fact that our programmatic changes or reimagining our instructional programs will continue to be a priority. And so we've started some of this work already, right? And some of the work that's already underway is our commitment to increasing access to preschool. You know, we've continued to champion this with legislators and in communities that includes

187our philanthropic community because we realize that given the data we've looked at that highlights the difference between students who were able to actually have access to preschool and how their academic and social emotional learning performance um far exceeds those students who were not able to attend preschool between grades 1 through six. And so, uh, we want to make sure that we are expanding and increasing access to preschool in every geographic region in in the mo. Additionally, um, we've we've invested in terms of transportation, uh, to ensure that we're improving, um, access by removing that barrier for some of our preschool students and parents. And we are going to go into the second year of that pilot because we've seen the return on that investment. Secondly, um, piloting uh, AKs elementary schools. So we we piloted

188with Finley Elementary and we heard from many of our principles tonight earlier tonight who talked about the fact that um you know they have a lot of positive outcomes thus far with their instructional programs. And what we've noticed is that because of the movement that happens between grades five and six, elementary to middle schools, we tend to have students either losing some traction academically or uh we've seen over the last several years um a sort of erosion of confidence in some of our middle school programs by parents. And so we've seen uh some exit right from the MO public schools to other neighboring districts for sixth grade. Um the pilot at Finley Elementary um the evaluation that was done by our data assessment and evaluation team bodess well for what is to come. Additionally, uh

189we know that, you know, our elementary schools are in many instances are knocking it out of the park and so parents um are invested in wanting to make sure that they're supporting this model. So in addition to Finley Elementary, next year we are piloting again second year of a pilot extending our grade six in four additional elementary schools. And I have to tell you almost 100% of our students and their parents have opted to keep their students in the elementary school in grade six except for one single student out of four schools and so out of five now Finley plus four. So that's exciting. This work is already underway and we're getting some positive outcomes. changing our middle school configuration. It's closely aligned to the K6 model because we looking at what will it mean

190for us to have our middle schools configured as a grade seven and 8. What will it mean for us to look at sort of instructional program changes that includes our how we're looking at schedules? You've heard some of that tonight as well as a barrier. So, some of that work is underway expanding access to Montasuri. Again, you've heard me and other members of the team continue to highlight the fact that one, we have the highest performing middle school in the state of Iowa, and that's our Kohl's Montasauri school. It's clearly a model that is having a tremendous impact on um student outcomes, but also on um families confidence in the M public schools. And so this is an instance where, and please indulge my oversimplification, if it's not broken, why try to fix it? Or

191if it's doing well, why not replicate it? And so we have started this replication to ensure that we're improving access to Montasuri education in every geographic region in De Moine. And some of the work that's underway is we've piloted an elementary at Finley. We've also piloted elementary at Pleasant Hill in a prek format and beginning the school year um 2627 sorry we will have an additional Montasuri pilot at Jackson again increase in access. Finally, in terms of work that is already underway is our developing our diploma plus program. This is tightly aligned to goal three and where we have this desire and an ambitious goal of ensuring that by 2030 100% of the students who graduate from the M public schools high school will not only have a diploma but on their diploma they'll have

192a diploma plus an industry recognized certification. They also have an possibly a diploma plus a um seal of biiteracy to make sure that we are truly preparing our students for success under the opaces of what we're calling our three Essenters are prepared to be enrolled in a college or university of their choice to enlist in a branch of the military if they so choose or to be gainfully employed not in a job but in a career. So this is work on the way in the next slide. Um you you are going to hear from Amanda Miller about some of the review around our estimated project costs for this 10-year bold plan that we came up with. All right, Dr. Roberts, thank you for kicking us off. So the slide you see in front of you

193is the district cost summary. You've seen this before. There is a key difference in the two columns. The column on your left side is estimated construction costs which include additions, renovations, and new buildings. The slide on the right side shows estimated construction cost costs which are just additions and new buildings. So an addition would be an upgrade to the current existing structure. So it was previously misstated not all buildings are going to receive something like a Jesse Franklin Taylor is a brand new school. They're set where they are but so they would not need a re renovation per se. But we would be looking at adding a 12 classroom addition to a Lincoln High School, which would be the addition. Um, there are some schools that would just receive renovations, which would be door knobs,

194um, paint, all of those carpentry items, I think. So, that is always a key distinction. It's split up between the northeast, the northwest, and the southside region. So you can see where the um budgeted dollars lie within those three different regions and there is a distinction between the costs whether it be the additions of renovations or not. We also know that there is also facility work happening in regards to save and pebble which will continue to happen with the dollars that come in as part of the fed facility condition assessment and the superintendence advisory council for facilities. So they meet and and construct different plans. Um so the costs are escalated. Um, this is as close as a cost structure that we could get right now knowing that it's a bold plan 10 years um

195estimated construction cost with a 5% uh escalated cost over year. So to bring it on home, why a reimagine education? So this is a legacy project for us. Uh this is something that we can look at and feel good about that we are building the future of our students. And we were tasked to come and show you the impact of home ownership of what the public would see if they were to come and vote on a bond. So my next few slides have to do with doing math in front of people. And I actually went to summer school, 9th grade, 10th grade, and junior year for math. So, I'm going to walk through it as best I can. So, remember Skyler forgot like I know a few at least, right? Like Skyler forgot recently. So,

196and I majored in finance. That's that's good. That's good. Thank you for making me feel better. The first step is to look at home ownership. And this is by zip code. So it's anywhere there's a range in home ownership. So averages about $135,000 per average home value and 50312 is about $300,000. There are some zip codes that you won't see in here and that would be a 50318 because it is a code with no residential addresses. It's completely urban and it's only businesses and PO boxes. So, I went through and had to figure out where some of them were missing and what that meant. So, there's no 50318. The average home value in De Moines is 207 to $211,000. And that is based on all of the home sales and the different zip codes. So,

197it's 207 to 211. If I can show then clarify. Is this using Poke County Assessor data? When you say that, I just want to make sure. Yeah. So, it's just going through bunches and bunches of data, but P County Assessor's data is part of it. Correct. So, let's look at the summary here of what this means. So, 50317 is a pretty average home ownership. The average home cost in 50317 is $214,000. So, if the voters approve a $500 million general obligation bond, the average homeowner would pay an additional $381 in taxes. And that's an annual uh tax. So, it would be split in two. So, uh the first tax bill is 160, the second tax bill is 160. Um, and so the additional cost would be used to repay the bond over the timeline. So

198bonds are a 20-year timeline for a 10-year general obligation bond. So that's something to note as well where it's not just um 10 years and you're done. It extends longer. And this is addition to your current property taxes. So, whatever your taxes are, you're going to then see an additional levy on top of those taxes. And um there are in the next slide then this is what an impact summary looks like. So over on the top columns you see the different amounts of bond. So anywhere from 100 million to 500 million. Then the debt service tax rate. So that's the levy rate of what people will pay for the general obligation bond. So it's a chart where the left hand side is the amount of assessed value for homes. So it's not the market value,

199it's the assessed value. And we know that assessments go up and down and all sorts of things. So, that's something to keep in mind when looking at this. Um, so they will take if you have a $200,000 home, they will take your assessed value then at 150,000 or whatever it is, even though I think I can maybe sell it for half a million. So, that's a big distinction to know. They're going to take your home's assessed value and use the taxable roll back, which is up there, the 47.4316%, 4316% and that is what you will be taxed at. So that number then is what you will pay for times the levy rate for your additional property taxes. So, if we look at a $500 million bond in our previous example, $500 million bond in homeowner

20050317 at a $214,000 home, it's going to fall right in between uh 381. So, it's between 35646 and $4457. So, that's right where that falls in for that for that home owner. And just to clarify something you said, so this is h how many years are people paying that sum of money? 20 years. Oh, is or is it or the duration of the bond when the bond the bond is still active? Here comes Mr. Shashank. Pause. So the life of the bond normally that we issue is for 20 years. Even though the project which Amanda is sharing is spread over 10 years. The life of the bond is 20 years. Okay. So thank you Shashan. So board, I also want to um sort of serve as a reminder um the the the highest amount to

201the right, which is the $500 million um proposal um is exactly where we landed after again more than 16 months with the rematch education committee. We created um uh the 10-year rematch education plan that again includes what we've shared on a couple of different occasions and that is to make sure that we are updating all of our um buildings that will be impacted uh by this major capital project. Um wanted to make sure that we were really being thoughtful about operational versus functional capacity, which means that the buildings needed some upgrades. Um, and also thinking about how can we upgrade some of our buildings to accommodate some of the changes in programs such as uh keeping our sixth grades in elementary schools. That is the 10-year plan um at a proposed cost for the scope

202of work that we've looked at at $500 million. But I know having been a part of some listening sessions recently um and I know you all while you were invested in championing this project alongside us, you've also been very thoughtful about impact on the community and as a board you've made that very very clear to us that while you are supporting us with this ambitious goal and plan, you also want to be thoughtful about impact on taxpayers and community. They're invested and so um I the team and I just wanted to bring this to you all today. Um I know we'll talk a little bit about the timeline in terms of what happens next and so I would want let's jump to the final slide if you may. You bet sir. Is that helpful Amanda?

203Yep. It is up. So yeah. Go on Dr. Robert. Go ahead. Yeah. No you got it. Um so here is the bond referendum. So we know that we're looking at a shortened timeline as we continue here. So, our next board meeting is July 8th, and that's when we'd like to have everything wrapped up for you. And so, then we can start to get, not we, not meaning me, but the the campaign could start to get signatures for the campaign for the filing of the resolution on September 19th. So, I know that we're going to hit the ground running on July 9th knowing um that everything will be wrapped up and we want it to be perfect because again this is legacy work that we're going to feel real proud of when we're done. So, let

204me thank you. Let me build in that board. My ask the team and I are ask of you tonight is given the timeline that we have knowing that at the July 8 meeting we want to be able to finalize our bond language um what is your reaction to our continued movement towards going after and requesting um a $500 million bond for this 10year scope of work. I know you you've also seen um a couple of other options that we've proposed to you all in terms of changing the scope of work. So what is your desire? What is your reaction? So I just I want to take one step back before we take two steps forward. So um because I I do think it is really important that you get a sense of the board and

205where the board is and and how we're feeling about a $500 million number. So I'm clear, it's also helpful to understand what you're getting for that amount of money. And so can you refresh my memory? The board has seen a plan that was outlined over 10 years. Mhm. And costed at 500 or 683. So there are different um the one the estimated construction costs, additions, renovations, and new buildings. This is the estimated cost shown in the work elements to be funded by the GEO bond. We know that if we get a $500 million bond, there will be that gap between the 683 and the $500 million bond that we will be able then to help try to redistribute SE save and PPE because some of the projects coincide. Okay. and we haven't yet seen a

206plan that shows how save and pebble is part of this and I only bring that up because that's a significant question that taxpayers are also asking absolutely which is that is something that they've supported so understanding it so just I I think I know you want a decision on a number and I think for me I still um think it's helpful to understand like we're deciding on not just a big concept concept, but the elements of the concept. And so, um, you're asking us to, um, to basically say, remember the 10-year plan that we showed you. Uh, that's about $500 million. Then we've got some Pebble and Save thrown in there. That helps us get closer to the 683. Yes, that will help us get closer to the 683 number. Um and and just and

207the bond language that you're going to want us to approve the first week in July. I think there's a desire I know on the part of my part, I don't know others to have some specificity in it in terms of the bond language. So I just want to make sure that's the the where we're going. So the bond language that we're going to be approving will be with some specificity. It will be. Okay. So, ma'am, if I could just for a minute, I think because it is a 10-year bond, many things happen within the 10 years that I think we all um can't anticipate. So we want to be specific enough that we can still get the things but not as so specific that if a pandemic happens and the whole world turns upside down

208that we're still in this place with this same bond language. So, it's walking that fine line between absolutely, we want to be specific enough and we want to tell everyone Roosevelt's getting a 12 classroom edition, Lincoln's getting a 12 classroom edition, and here are the years that are going around through it. But I also know that if we were to enter, you know, some unforeseen circumstance that there is some small wiggle room. And I might get in trouble for saying this because I know that we can't plan for the future in all of the things that we've seen over the last 10 years. So yes, ma'am, we want to be specific enough. So let's Okay, if it's okay with everybody, why don't we take this in two parts, right? So, I think the first thing

209is we are all super excited about this and want this to move forward and I'm assuming that our board continues to remain committed and wanting to go into our community and seek a bond because we're all ready to go. So, I think the real question is how much do we think our community can handle in terms of uh expense? And so, um let's just do tactical questions first. Do people have any questions specifically about the information that was presented? So, how much a taxpayer would be asked to pay? Because I do think that is really important at the end of the day. This is what can our community bear. Um the the one question and I might have to ask Shashank to join if you don't know this. Is there any for forecasting of how

210state um changes to property tax, municipal, any of the changes that we potentially anticipate in the legislative landscape that might change this number in any way or impact our taxpayers in a way that we we aren't thinking about. Right? So we're looking at a number, but is there anything that might change that number over the next 5, 10, 15 years? So we saw the discussion that happened on property taxes this season and the loss that I have seen is that the governor and the legislators are pretty serious about making some changes. So they have tabled it to discuss it over the summer and they'll bring it back next year. I have not seen what kind of changes they are thinking of, but based on what was being discussed, getting it approved this year would probably

211be beneficial because there was also a time when they said they may not allow you to improve I mean increase your property tax rates. Mhm. So the amount I'm not certain what we want to go out for the bond with and we will look for board for guidance on that but I think it it'll be good that we get some kind of bond approved. Thank you. Absolutely. Well, let's just let's see where people people's heads are. Uh and and again this is kind of in the abstract, right? So but let's just kind of get a sense of I can start speak glass. Yeah, thank you for this information. I I in the most simple terms, I say let's go for it. Um I think this was the one piece of information that was missing for

212me was translating this big vision, this big idea to everyday people and how it's going to impact them directly. So now that we have the information, um I I am excited. I I know I don't sound excited because it's hot, but I am very excited about this and um I say let's go for it and move forward. I want to follow up. Um are you saying go for and move forward? And if we can put the the um this slide that actually has the tax projections on it, are we looking are you recommending that we move forward at the 500? Okay. Other comments? You know, I've been excited for this for a very long time. So, I am on board. And once again, thanks for everybody that has worked really hard on this. Um, and

213yeah, I'm ready to move forward. What number are you thinking, Miss Anna? There you go. Uh, agree with Skyler. Okay. So, I guess I'll be a little I mean, I definitely have followed bonds uh throughout our state. I've been watching Cedar Rapids try this many times. Um, you know, what is it a 50% or less chance of a bond even passing like in general? And so I think that my recommendation would be that we do our homework. Um, I think Dr. Roberts, we sat in a room when we first started talking about this idea and I was sort of like, I don't like to lose and you were like, I don't either, right? I'm an Olympic athlete. I will win. So, um I would rather see us go out if if this if we're going

214out with confidence. Um, great. But this is this is a lot of money. I mean, I'm not going to sugarcoat it. And, uh, this is a tough economic environment. And, uh, I think that we should just I it's hard for me to look at this spreadsheet and be like, of course, everyone should be happy to spend an extra thousand dollars a year or whatever it is on the students, which I believe in as well, but I definitely I mean, we should be smart about it so we're successful and we get something versus absolutely nothing, which is what the other option is. Just my two cents. Mr. I'm I I guess I'm mindful of where we are right now um in terms of uncertainty and where um the bond markets are and and how people are

215thinking about their future financially. Um and and so I I I think a 500 uh $500 million bond is um it is a bold vision. I think it's a big ask. You can look at it and you can say it's a dollar extra a day. It's essentially a dollar a day on average if you use the example that um that we did sort of in the median. But I think about that $500 million ask and and I'm trying to play the tape to the end. And I know that there will be groups who no matter what, it doesn't matter what the ask is, it doesn't matter how good it is, they will be against it. And um and so I I'm trying to think ahead to that conversation. um and being transparent about the fact

216that we don't know what it's going to look like 10 years from now. Correct. And how that will impact public sentiment. There is a really good group of people who has paid a lot of attention to this um over the last 6 or eight months in particular as we've discussed it. There will be a broader electorate that will see this for the first time this summer and they will not even know what reimagining education is. And I worry that an argument will be made by a group of people who just do not want to see taxes raised. That's a legitimate uh point of view for sure. Um but that will be their stance. Uh and I worry that in shooting for 500 million, we will um we will miss our opportunity to move this district

217forward in a significant way with a $300 million bond. Um and and so I that's that's my caution to my colleagues and um I want a $500 million bond. I think it's you I think it would be useful. I am worried about what the conversation would be in the community just in the climate that we're in right now. So I I I think I share Miss Knox's um apprehension about going for the $500 million here. seeing this table, it feels reasonable to ask taxpayers once every 70 years uh to spend a dollar a day for 10 years to or for 20 years to to rebuild their schools cuz that investment will will come back to us. Um I think that's a reasonable thing. I think that um there not everyone will share my opinion. So

218I'm I'm cautious about this. what I love about this conversation. Yeah. Yeah, you are. Now you're not. Hello. Hello. Just give it a second. Press it and then wait. Hello. Now you're on. What I really like about this conversation is it's actually it's more complex than just a number, right? because I I've heard um there's both the cost to our taxpayers, there's the um we have to get 60% of our voters to support this to get it done. Mhm. Um, and I think there's also an undercurrent of we deserve every dollar to help our kids. And maybe we need to take this big bold vision and take a big first step and prove to our community that we can nail it. Mhm. to set us up to take maybe the second big step. And and

219so I think both things are really important, right? Uh where our community is in terms of sentiment to vote it to vote on this. Uh and that's real. I mean, I think the economic um conditions are real. I will say I I did speak with our other board colleagues who weren't here and I think we all have one thing in common. We we want to ask for the 500 million. I think the reality is that I think there's uh probably board consensus to go for 250 million. Okay. Uh and uh and I should say 250. I guess the question is 250 versus 300 million. What I feel like I'm hearing is a lower number than 500. I shouldn't assume that it's just half of that. Um maybe it would be helpful to better understand if

220you go back to the first slide. Um what exactly, you know, if we kind of said to you, um could you come back to us and tell us what a $250 million bond uh versus a $275 million bond? Skyler, I recall we had a conversation and there was some discussion about um you know, ideally um how does it feel for the average uh taxpayer if they're at $199 or less in terms of tax, right? Um and so I think um my recommendation and I I kind of this is where I'm supposed to build consensus. I'm looking around at the board table. I'm thinking about the conversations that I've had with the board and I think that there is high energy to move forward uh but a desire to be incredibly respectful of our taxpayers uh

221and ask them for a number that is closer to 250 million to uh 300 million. How does that feel to I think the concern is when you get out to year eight of this plan and you only have a set amount of money and everything from year 1 to 5 costs a third more than you thought it did. Mhm. That impacts year eight. Yeah. And so that's that's my that's my issue with the let's get some feedback from Dr. Roberts. Uh because Dr. In essence, we are actually asking you and the team to go back to the drawing board and come back to us with a plan that might look a little different. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, board um for the discussion. Certainly encouraging. Um I have three reactions, right? Cuz I think

222I'm I'm hearing these three things. The first is the board clearly is um even more excited today than you were two weeks ago about this plan that is going to change um the face of public education for generations for students who are knocking on our doors. And so glad that that excitement and enthusiasm is still there. The second thing that I'm hearing really loud and clear is um just your empathy and consideration of our community members and taxpayers. And that's important, right? while the team and I in the M public schools uh it's not that we um were devoid of thinking about the impact on taxpayers but you you're highlighting that even more for us right now uh and I value that. So you're saying to us, look, we're on board. We want to support

223this plan, but we want to be thoughtful about how it impacts taxpay taxpayers in this sort of economically volatile environment. And then the third thing that I'm hearing which is and the charts show us is go back to the drawing board and come to you all by July 8 by the July 8 board meeting with probably one or two models that shows what will we get for a $250 million or a $300 million bond because $500 million right now while it's great doesn't seem like the right strategic approach as we're considering the energy that we already we've already gotten from taxpayers around we want to support you all but now how will this affect us financially so that's what I'm hearing I think you captured it accurately I think the other additional information that would

224be helpful is if this is the direction that the board chooses to go with a plan that is smaller how are we thinking about the rest of the work uh because a big bold plan for 10 years um our our public, our community is going to be wondering, okay, well, you're not going to get all of it done just yet. How do we think about other things that were identified in the 10-year plan and what is the status of those? And I think that's going to be really important as well to understand that piece of the puzzle uh and how we're considering absolutely that outstanding body of work as well. Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. So, if I could just get some clarity, you would like to see 250 275. Miss Norris, you said once I threw

225out those two numbers. I I think part of it was trying to find some middle ground. Uh and um I'm I'm open. Right. So, if somebody wants to do the math real quick, like what is 275? Uh what would be the burden on the taxpayer? Uh I think it's I don't have that number handy which is why I suggested 250 or 275. I think madam chair board go ahead. Sorry um Anna. Yes that's okay. I think a previous conversation I had with Matt he was putting at the three range. Um just look at the slide. Can we look at the slide? Yeah. Which slide? the tax the one that would tell us a $250 million bond versus a $300 million bond and tax implications. There you go. May May I offer will it be helpful

226if we come back to the board again by the July 8th meeting with two models that also includes the tax burden. One at 250 million and one at 300 million. Yeah. Yeah. I think that's good if that feels comfortable to you, Dr. Roberts. It does. Yeah. What? Wonderful. What other I I I I do feel the need to relitigate just one more thing around bond language specificity. Absolutely. And um Amanda, you you you and Dr. Roberts may decide that this is something we want to have on July 8th. I still think I'm um trying to understand this being nimble versus being specific. Yeah. Because we are selling a vision to our community and our community is going to have expectations. So you they they want to understand what they're getting for $250 million or $300

227million. And so there's some um uh I clearly like the term healthy tension tonight, but but if I'm a taxpayer, I want to know what I'm getting for that. And there's us saying, "Oh my gosh, trying to predict five years from now. So many things are changing so quickly." And I'm looking for just a little bit more clarity on what it is the district is going to be providing to the board to take a look at that finds that balance between specificity and adaptability. Yes, ma'am. I think um we would rely on our partners to at allers um to help craft that language and guide us in that because you you're hitting the the nail on the head of what we need the specificity of building and setting a vision but also knowing that we

228can never predict the future. Yeah. I'm going to suggest then that I know that u Mr. Dex, myself and Dr. Dr. Mayberry Mays have been part of the smaller reimagining um planning that you engage the board and get some feedback so we can do our best to reflect the sentiment of the board so we don't slow ourselves down and only have this conversation on July 8th because it's just going to take longer. That is so okay with you both of you. Yeah. Okay. Wonderful. We'll re get some time set up. Madam Chair, if just I think it's important in this discussion to also remind everyone who's watching this and everyone who's here that there is a um the if this bond doesn't pass scenario. And I think looking at that and being honest with ourselves

229about what that means for the district is also should be part of everybody's calculus. And I and I think we're going to say this a thousand times between now and November because it looks like we're headed for a bond no matter what. But if you are a voter in uh the De Mo public schools, if you are a homeowner, um if you are eligible to vote and you're not coming out for this one, this is about the next 40 years of our community and how well we train our our citizens. And so I don't think there could be anything more important, but this is one where we need everybody who doesn't normally vote to educate themselves about this, form an opinion, and then come out and vote for it because um it it's just nothing

230could be more critical. And so I I think we all have to think about what will happen if we don't pass this bond at whatever level we decide as well. Um because I think that's something that should be a real part of everybody's calculus in this. I I really appreciate that and I I guess I I do feel the need to say out loud, we made a prudent decision. Yeah, we made a prudent decision, but that also means that we are going to at the same time that we're coming to our community to ask for money, we're also going to be making some hard financial choices in FY for the next set of fiscal years. And so there is going to be an interesting trajectory because we are trying to bring in new and at

231the same time we are going to have to be making some tough cuts. And so this doesn't solve the problem. It does not solve the problem. And so um we'll we'll leave that to Dr. Roberts and others maybe to better explain what the stakes are in choosing to support or not support that because I think that's the message that you're trying to make, Mr. Dixs. Board colleagues, anything else you would like to say on this? Dr. Roberts, are we good? We are good. Thank you, board. Um, we have the charts ready to go. Very good. Look forward to see you on July 8th. Thank you so much. We are now moving to items of privilege. Uh, board members, is there anything you would like to share? I have one recognition. Um, I know we often

232recognize educators uh in and schools that are doing great things and I was sad to see that this person was not in the audience today. I think they've been to more board meetings than maybe myself. Um, but Miss Deborah Carr um there was recently a press release out acknowledging uh Miss Deborah Carr um for her contributions to social work, community advancement, and professional excellence and being inducted into the FI Alpha Honor Society. Um, but in addition to many of our teachers, they do their jobs and our educators in the schools every day within De Mo public schools, but then they also are doing many other things. And I think it's important sometimes to recognize those things as well. A few of the things that they listed within that press release were that uh Miss Carr's

233achievements include not only working in the school district, not only being uh spending 40 years of impactful leadership within social work, but also included founding Miss Black Iowa USA pageant. those types of things you just don't know by watching people watch us. So, wanted to give a shout out to her and like I said, sad that she's not in the audience today, but I know she's probably watching. Thank you. Um, as we embark on this summer, I was wanted to encourage my schoolboard colleagues and everyone watching to mark October 18th on their calendar for our 6th annual one run. The DMPS Foundation uh has hosted this event for 6 years. It's raised over $150,000 and everything that is raised at one Run goes directly back into our schools. We are very excited to expand registration

234this year to include our preschools. So, uh dollars raised will support uh preschool through middle school. And again, your participation determines how much money goes back to your school uh or a school you want to support. or you can say, "Pick a school for me." And we will select the school that has the least number of participants to have your dollars go there. Also, new this year, um we are going to invite our community to help us in fundraising. So, when you sign up, you also have the opportunity to make a donation yourself and become a fundraiser. So, we've all seen them on social media. You can say you're raising money um and help us just increase that pot of money that's going to go back into our schools. We are also seeking sponsorships. and

235Kaylee, I had the ones up that we've gotten, but then I clicked out of them. So, we'll be recognizing our wonderful sponsors. We already have four uh on the board and many more that are coming. And so, we are seeking sponsorships. We are going to have tons of fun activation stations and community engagement opportunities that um your company or family or heart can help to sponsor and make possible for this wonderful day. So October 18th, you can go to the um foundation's beautiful new website that I just lost. Also, dmpsfoundation.org to learn more. Thank you. I have two very brief things. One is a shout out to Capitol View. Uh I am really excited. The Iowa After School Alliance in partnership with Capitol View is uh working on a family engagement uh project where they're

236bringing family members to with their kids. It's this summer and um working with parents to encourage them to uh bring literacy strategies home. And so they are um it's it's a compensated pilot and there's food and it's really an opportunity to give uh parents who may not have the ability to come um easily to to learn about how to work with their kids and how to read and I think attendance is really good and I just want to shout out um trying different things like that is how we're going to get more parents to help grow literacy in our kids. Um the second thing is I I want to this is actually um Susie Telman's last official uh meeting. Uh and I'm uh just want to acknowledge uh all of her hard work uh to

237DNPS. We're very lucky. At the same time, um Josie Lewis is here um who will be taking over that role. And so just want to introduce Josie and welcome you uh when the time comes. So, um, thanks to to both you for joining DMPS and, um, thanks to Susie for all of her years of of hard work. And with that, I'm going to turn it over to, uh, Dr. Roberts, uh, for his final comments. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um certainly I I wish that was in person because I want to build on what you just shared and that is I want to have uh Susie uh Tomman who has uh spent I think almost 40 years in the district. Um she started when she uh was 3 years old she tells me and

238so I want to thank her for her service. More importantly want to thank her for being just an incredible remarkable teammate um to me as a new superintendent. and I know that um she's handing over the reigns to a dynamic hire in uh Mrs. Josie Lewis and so happy to welcome her on board as well. Um and as we get ready to um go into the next fiscal year right on July 1 um knowing that the board is continuously push us around making sure that we are making the right decisions around our fiduciary responsibility to get to this place of fiscal soundness and fiscal health and so um that is on top of mind for the team and I the CFO business of finance team and I and then finally um we're coming back with

239much excitement on July 8th to bring you two models around what will reimagine education look like? Because we're going to continue to build on this momentum. And so to hear from you, board member Dixs around the charge to our community to invest not only in a 5year or a 10-year plan, but this is a reimagining of education and reinvigorating of our schools that will last for a generation. So, thank you all for your continued support. All right, with that we are going to uh adj We are going to um end this meeting. I'm looking for a word adjourn this meeting. Thank you. We are going to adjourn this meeting at 8:58 8:59 p.m. Um the board is going to take a brief break and we are going to move into a close session on the

240topic of personnel. So board members, five minutes. Yep. You got it. I'm going to set my timer. Okay.