001Call to order this December 15th meeting of the Northwest School Board. Please stand and join us in the Igian to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Looking for motion. >> Second. It's been moved and seconded to approve the agenda. Any questions? All those in favor, please say I. >> Opposing sign. Motion passes. Okay. Are there any comments or suggestions from the citizens today? You get three minutes to address the board if anyone has any questions. >> Okay. Students, you can get any of our signature afterwards. Um, and welcome. Would you mind standing up and introducing yourself and telling us your teacher's name? >> Uh, I'm Mr. the teacher. My name is Sean. >>
002Thank you. >> You're not going to continue the tradition of asking one question. >> What's your favorite Christmas movie? [laughter] >> Okay. Looking for a motion to approve the consent agenda. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Okay. It's been moved and seconded to approve the consent agenda. Any questions or comments about that tonight? All those in favor, please say I. >> Oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. >> Okay. Recognitions. Mrs. Ditmer. >> That's my mother-in-law. >> I know. [laughter] Joy. >> Okay. Okay, this is the Lancer Pride Award by the school board and some individuals have been nominated by folks for outstanding and extraordinary work and help in our district and we're so appreciative of you. So, tonight you're going to get Lancard award for all work, extra work, many things that you do with your
003talent and skills. And let's start with Emily Jess. She's there. She is >> now I'm representing Tracy and That's amazing. Thanks. [clears throat] >> Do we? [laughter] >> No. No. >> So, this lovely lady, Emily, has been with the district for four years. Um she started off employed from Eastern Iowa Community College for one year at a college and career transition counselor and after the first year she moved into the school counselor position which we're so grateful. She's also a head coach for the high school girls tennis team for the past four years. As a school counselor, she's here to support students throughout their four years academically, socially, emotionally, and every way possible. I know we know you do. um you also prepare them for postsecary life. She's enjoys working with high school age students
004during these pivotal four years of their life. You support them as they grow develop into a young adult and making some major decisions of their life. So thank you so much. [applause] >> [laughter] >> All right. >> You don't have to stay. >> No, I'll wait for >> Lori. Lori. Hey Lori, that's Lori Perez. >> She's our concurrent academic advisor helping our kids post. What would you say? >> Um help them with their concurrent classes. >> Concurrent classes. >> So Eastern Iowa Community Colleges. So making sure they have what they need to move on. So she collaborates with the high school counselors, instructors, and administration to provide a comprehensive academic um guide to the concurrent enrolled students. So you really are socially you're helping them be social and emotionally ready too high. Yes, >> exactly.
005and student academic planning and scheduling courses within a guided pathways approach. And she truly enjoys meeting with the students having meaningful conversations about academics and career adisement and retention support and um Eastern Community College and college transfer options. I'm sure you meet with the parents too. >> So nice. >> Thank you for all you do. There's a lot of extra hours and time you put into it to make such great choices. >> Thank you so much. [applause] >> You're the best. Thank you so much. Anybody want to say something to our lovely go? >> I'm very I'm very sure of the team. They they help our students out with all their interesting needs. the the high school obviously the counseling team and with Lori and then Alec back here from EIC too. Um they they
006help navigate some of those tough questions of what they need to do and what they need to get done for all their schedules. So super >> great. [applause] >> Just thank you. Worked extensively with Lori this summer for several hours. >> I would add investor and uh money saver to your title because >> Oh yeah. >> So the district helps out with that. >> It's so different than it was years ago. Yeah, [clears throat] kids can start freshman year and they used to have to take a bunch of extra classes to get their A or enough credits and that's not so anymore because they can start freshman year. So, I mean to me that makes us the premier college and career ready district in our area because I don't think any other district has as
007many offerings current classes than we do. And it's really um as as somebody who just had to graduate with saved a pile of money and one that is, you know, the high school will hopefully save a pile of money. It is it's just an amazing um program opportunity and benefit for our kids and and you guys have a lot of students as the counselors and you do a fantastic job of getting the kids ready for whatever they're going to do after high school. So, thank you so much for those who >> appreciate you. >> Okay. Um the Iowa Festival Andrew help out. >> Yeah, I uh >> I don't see if you want to click on that. We got the next person there. We got a lot of names, a lot of awards. I'll just
008start reading them up. Um, as you know, we have a Lancer Productions that did a great job. Of course, they had a I think it was just a couple weekends ago. Uh, kids went there and they they took home a lot of prizes. Um, so I'll just go through the Michael P, I don't want to say that leadership award. Aiden Cover, Caitlyn Neper, Emma Ros, state testing officer, Grady Kur, I believe that's 105, so very prestigious there. Um, I'll just go down reading names that Adeline Ree won that. Grady Kurden Srano, Jack McCarthy, Natalie, Adeline Ree, Nor Davis, Brooklyn Ladger, Charlotte Madden won group musical. Third place, second place, Charlotte Madden, Braden Srano, two great seniors. Charlotte was a homecoming queen and Braden's a great kid. do great things. Hopefully some acting at the next
009level. Third place duet musical, Bella Suarez, Caitlyn Beck. First place, uh, a musical theater, Sophia Nelson. Second place, Nat. Third place, Bellis Suarez. Third place duet, Brady Kor Davis. Second place, lighting design Nelson. Second place stage man, Maya Kelsey. Maya has two brothers, Aiden graduated last year. Then Dylan, a good baseball player for us. A funny story there is I always call her Kelsey just because I called her brother Kelsey and I don't think she knew that I knew her first name was Maya did that the other day. Um second place costume design is Charlie Connor. Third place costume design Ava White Eva White. Um two person scene in Srano Dick from above there in Toronto. Uh three person scene von and Riley fly a mail for that one musical dear dance solo Sophia Nelson
010uh another one there Natalie C for ordinary days Emmy all these are solos Bella Suarez and then good to duets Srano Madden Suarez next one is I don't know Grady first again and then a lot of solos there the last five solos there Reese Madden insert Hayden Latcher and Addison Yankee Yonke. Sorry about that. And then last but not least, the first place event for the prop shift with a time of 477 seconds is Hayden Colberg and Emma Ross. They must have really been moving on that one. Um and then with a time of 1 minute and 14 seconds, Nelson, Hannah Nelson. Great job to uh Emily Hines, uh Stacy Kinsig, Joshu Chip Sword, and all the all the other involved in progress we're getting right now. to do it again. >> Thank you. >>
011Name's right, too. [clears throat] [laughter] >> I do. I have. So, the bill of the highlighted bills is a payment for instruction. It is $24,912. That's for our Canvas software renewal. And then a payment to computer information concepts for $77,576. That's the annual campus renewal. And a payment to Johnson Controls uh for $131,88.91. That's a replacement rooftop units at Neil Armstrong. >> Looking for a motion. >> Make a motion to approve the bills. >> Second. >> It's been moved and seconded to approve the bills today. Does anyone have any questions for Mr. Okay. All those in favor, please say I. Both same sign. Motion passes. Okay. Our admin. So Oh, no committee reports. [clears throat] Our administrative updates start. >> All right. Um Armstrong, probably the highlight was just the other night on Thursday night
012was supper with Santa. Just a great night for the community to come out, support local activities. Uh, also the fact the Lions Club comes out and has dinner for everybody was free this year for everybody. Um, and just seeing the community come out with the kids and the the women's group uh have crafts activities for g for the kids and also took in some food for the food pant local food pantries as well that night. So, just a good community night for people to come out, see Santa, and have some winter activities for kids. at Ed White. Uh the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, we held our recognition assembly. We went in three waves. Uh sixth and first grade were or sixth grade and kindergarten were paired up. Fifth grade and uh first grade and then second
013and fourth. Each teacher nominated two Lancer leaders out of their home room. And then we also had a heart of a Lancer award given to the student who one is just a great kid. worked super hard, something that we would say would embody a Lancer. Um, and our upper classmen did a phenomenal job of being good examples of what it means to act appropriately in an assembly. So, it was a great it was a great day. >> Wait, just I know it was asked earlier about working with families with whooping cough and uh making sure they're not counted. know it's hard to get into a doctor and stuff during this time of year and >> if they have symptoms or if they're pending a test we're excusing them. >> Perfect. Thank you. >> Um on
014Friday we had our first uh DARE graduation ceremony um which really cool. We had not had DARE out at GIS for um number of years and so last year uh here at Johns came to uh Mrs. Claus and myself and you know presented like hey about to get out to Princeton and um start uh doing their education out there and so uh we just wrapped up um and it was awesome. Garrett does a fantastic job with the students and it's really fun to see you know they're excited about it and really took it serious and um had their essays. Uh we had the dear role models come out several times which is really nice to have um the high schoolers come out and speak to the students and just kind of be a part of
015it. So, Friday we have our big uh graduation and we've concluded with a trip over to the fun station and pizza party and just a you know really great job and we appreciate officer John's and high schoolers for helping us out with that. >> Great grandparents day was amazing. Yet again it ran super smoothly. We had about 300 grand that there and we have an enrollment rate of 168 students. So um it was wonderful really great feedback um and the teachers did organ because I looked around when that I think it was the third grade singing about >> Did they make that song up? >> She does that every year. >> There was not one person that crying. >> I know. >> We were like slobbering idiots. [laughter] >> When I was singing that um
016I don't know if you've ever heard that sometimes people say that at a wedding when the bride walks down the what they like to look at is the groom to see that reaction. And where I stand during the presentation that's kind of how I feel. All eyes are on the Except when my eyes are on the sitting facing the kids and just blow up in their opposite there was so my face hurts every grandparent smiling like here we are turkey [laughter] wonderful >> yeah some kind of exciting news it didn't make it in time for our board but on Sunday was yesterday our Alan Shepard sixth grade and John Glenn has just one student on our other team when they two of them. Yeah. So they have a combined Lego League team and they won
017the entire competition yesterday and so they got invited to go to the state and they are invited to a different competition in Webster City for robot component. So they showed out very well yesterday. [clears throat] Um, there's a couple different people. Mark Bowers I know and then from John >> Glenn couple of people also made it to state. >> Mr. Jones is at a choir concert so he's not here to do his presentation. >> Very cool. >> Awesome. I got a couple highlights there. I think the the bottom two kind of what I want to talk about is ser service uh leadership uh some of the names you see in that philanthropy day award uh were ones that were in LP as well there Natalie Serge Brian Pearson Alex Pearson and Nor Davis they u
018they were big components of our food drive that uh we put on this year and had a record year there so they went to that national philanthropy um thing was at the Rhythm Casino they won the youth award So, really cool there. And then, uh, Kellen Gamut, I think I got that first name right, Kell or Keelin Gamut, was a 2025, uh, graduate, went on to boot camp, and he just popped in with, uh, his recruiter. Uh, it was like last Wednesday. He's officially a US Marine. So, super cool that we got kids doing awesome things in service. So, [laughter] >> no. So, um I would just highlight that the district this year we're doing um UPUPAR which is universal protocol for accommodations districtwide. We've done it in the past just for students with special
019education. Um and what this does it allows us to see which students we have that would benefit from a text to speech accommodation. So some students that might not read at grade level or comprehend a grade level when they read with this accommodation again. So not necessarily >> it's for any the state of Iowa has purchased it for um all districts >> AEA came over and lifted her data with us Friday and complemented us taking this on because she said in this area no other districts >> okay um yeah we met um Heather and I um [clears throat] did a presentation for the EA pilots November 18th question. Okay. Um, on to our fast again. Okay. Yeah. Okay. So, um I start with a summary of um some district actions that we're doing at the
020district level. Um which you know we have our K12 math um curriculum implementation. This year we're doing our K12 um tier one pilots. our K12 science um teams are meeting our revised science standards. So, we're working through that. Um we'll have our K12 social studies standards. Revised standard should be um approved probably in January. So, we'll start working on those as well. So, um all four of our core areas are are rolling here. Um and then our MTSS district leadership team. Um we have rolling with our admin team here at the district level. So, moving along nicely and our building leadership teams that's something we started last year really getting more and then we'll start looking at ours so just some things that we have going on so looking at our data I have this
021set up um kind of in two chunks I have our fasting which are screening data that's three. Um, and that is kind of really where we're building the foundation of those foundational skills. So, I have it by, this is a summary of all three, but I have it by grade level. And then when we get to Isax, that's more of a summitative assessment. And we're looking more at growth. So, I see cohort data there. So, um, again, this is our screener. It cast a wider net. So we're going to see our proficiencies are not quite as high as they are. You can see that North Scott is in red. The state is in gray and then the AEA is in black. The last couple of windows they've not been providing us. So you can see
022that there. So you can kind of see um we take it in the winter as well, but we really like to look from fall to spring. So you can see how we do from fall to spring um over the last several years having just a little bit of a drop from our fall to our to our spring. You can see um we tend to stay above the state and a um creep up on us here a little bit. So now we'll look at the individual grade levels kindergarten through third grade. Um kindergarten and first grade the assessment is it changes a little bit between fall and spring trying to stay the students um expected skills are so for example in kindergarten they'll start with letter names well that's something we expect to have in the
023spring so they move to things like so that's changes as you go throughout the year so again you can see how we do in the fall we tend to come in and be pretty consistent and then in the spring you'll notice our scores our proficiencies tend to drop a little bit we'd like those to be um higher in the spring but that's correct and you can see we have been above the state and gray in the black and then the last couple of windows um the state has caught up with us a little bit here. similar trend in first grade. You can see in um in the fall we tend to be or I'm sorry it's pretty similar between fall and spring which is like second grade second and third grade assessment is CDM so
024it's fluency so they're reading the data there kind of between fall and spring. So that's nice to see. That similar time getting a little closer to us here in the last couple of third grade again similar scores between trends closer to us. So again K these are our foundational skills. We really to have these strong so that when we move into third and up those reading skills. So let's move into ISAS. So um this is last spring's ISAS scores. Again, we're in the red. The state is in gray. And you can see how we move across the grade levels. Fairly consistent up through a little bit. >> Any thoughts on 16 drop is pretty significant. Any thoughts on that? >> Yeah. growth data. Yes. So when we see this kind of thing a little deeper
025data. So this is our advanced um the percent of students who are in advanced categories not proficient or advanced. So students seem to be where we're at. So have we looked at because if you're high in fifth, six, seven, eight, right, and high proficiency, then what's the difference of expectations? Because if somebody would not drop off 16 points over the course of a year, if they're here, are the expectations or is there mismatch in standards of what they're expected to know ninth grade versus when they leave eighth grade? That's just a it's a significant. So something has to is it the curriculum's not lined up? Is it Is it the standards are different at high school level with the level of rigor? What is it? >> And that's what we're then that's what we're looking
026at with our pilots is what are what do we need what adjustments do we need to make in our curriculum and our instruction to make sure that we don't have >> go to your next slide. >> Oh yeah >> conflicting with the choir concert right now for a minute. So, um, you might wonder, okay, well, is is everyone experiencing this kind of growth issue? What's what's maybe going on? So, this is growth on this site and then this is proficiency. Again, we tend to have pretty good proficiencies and I just hold three different all of them, but North Scott is the star. So, you can see we're pretty our proficiency is pretty high here and so is our growth in um this is in fifth grade. So, this is what we want to be. want
027to be over here in this top right quadrant. Go to the next one. So this one is eighth grade. So again, my proficiency is pretty high. We want to be on this end, but our growth now is kind of here more in the average range. So we don't we want to be, you know, far above this line. The next is our 11th graders. Um so again, proficiency is fairly high. We want to be on this right end, but now we're down below that line for growth. So that's really what we're focusing on is why is our growth It's not something we've really been looking at and now we're starting to grow. >> But you also notice the whole state has dropped when you go from elementary to junior high especially high school that whole everybody
028has dropped. We dropped way too much. So going back to what said we need to take a look at our curriculum. That's why we had the committee last year to look at the the new standards, but where are we at with our rigor and do we need to pilot and look at putting actual curriculum in? We've also over the last couple years, I think every building has multiple teachers doing the letter training and bringing in those foundational skills at a much higher level, especially at our lower level. So, we'll start seeing those impacts. But there's also a trend just nationally in the state when they get to high school. It's drop off. It could be a variety of reasons. How serious they take tests? Is it aligned? Is the test line aligned to what we're
029teaching at the time we're teaching it? And a lot of different things. >> Where are you saying that the growth is all dropped off? >> Well, go back to the very first one. So, look at where your dots are at. >> Completely different. >> Here, go back one. >> Your scale is an eighth point scale figure, right? >> Uh, I go back to the first one. This is the first. So, go to the second one. scale and an eight there, which means if you look at the the distribution across zero, it's pretty much the same. But if you go to the next slide, it's 16. >> Now, I look at the the how many how close are the dots to the line. Go to the first one, you'll see many more dots above the line.
030And then as you get to the next level, they get closer to the line. And then you get to the they now get closer, they start falling below the line >> because that represents all the school districts. So, >> right. But it's between six and six. The majority of dots are still between six and six. You're just elongating the index on the left hand side, which makes it look like they're closer to the to the zero. So if you look at the actual dots, so I would say here the majority of the dots are six from six to six, right? If you go to the next one or the other ones, the majority are six to six, right? They're not they're you don't have you don't have above the line. It looks like because your
031scale is smaller. >> And I think what we really want to look at is this is not we know that we need to look at our >> but again most of the dots are six between six and six. >> So to me it looks like they're all staying around this plus 6 minus 6 but you can see our dot going from five or six down to one down to five. >> Right. Right. This is all the districts >> the represent school district >> in the state individual schools district which is exactly why we're looking at our instruction I notic noted this last time they have 84 minutes English a day the junior high two 42 minute blocks we have high school they do 80 minutes every other day so 40 minutes a day so they
032go from 84 minutes of ELA and junior high to 40 at high school that could be one factor because they don't have a regular schedule for the year if that makes sense. So half half as much time for English. >> And how much safe do the kids put in this test? >> 11th grade. >> It is. But that's why I brought up this chart so we can see where the rest of the >> Yeah. All of our juniors, excuse me, a little bit more, but this is this is a relatively new data. China that's >> [clears throat] >> So math. Okay. So this is math that um rests are all set up the same way. So again you can see um our math is fairly you know kind of goes up and down [clears throat]
033start. So a little bit of a downward trend um in our map. Again, this is our advanced. You see a little higher percentage of our students in the advanced category in that cohort data. [clears throat] And this is our growth. So again, we want to be in the green on this side of this line. So, we've got a few more um in this red and yellow category that we'd like to see. So, again, this is what our team metricul >> Nicole, can you go back to that? >> Yes. So if I'm reading this right on 2024 sixth grade they're above. So they would be seventh grade in 2025 and they're well below make a heck of a lot of sense to me. That's that's a huge discrepancy. >> Right. Right. >> So I don't know
034if the test is doing what we needed to do. How it's being scored. I mean I'm just And it doesn't make any sense to me. >> I'm just one of those. I haven't seen all the other ones. So, >> and then I know that you said that it's complicated how the formula works, but can you speak a little bit to the fact that you have growth that's well above one year of the next year it's harder to end up in that category? >> Well, so they use um they take each individual individual student in the district and they all of the data that they have for you. for know the five times and right you've only lived in I for a couple of years maybe you've only taken it three times they use all >>
035there you go they use all the available data they have per student and they use that to calculate your expected growth so your is going to be different based on how you performed over history of that you've taken assess yours will be different will be different um and then they put them to give us a district score, but it's based on multiple multiple years. Um, and it's based on your performance in kids like you. So, if you're a really high performing student, they know other how other kids are really high performing performance based on that kind of grow. Um, typically you know, there's not yet room. Um, that's in a nutshell how it's figured. Again, lots of statistics, but that's how this is together as a district, not so I mean this is a good
036question. Why do we move from well above to well below in each looking at your seventh grade like we know the transition he can be part [clears throat] of the transition for kids. We looked at that when we were looking at our growth. are all the factors that impact growth in the district. Attendance relationships that us [laughter] anyway. Uh let's go. Let's go seven eight uh 23. So when when you have like fourth grade or 24 you're going low and you're slowly your your growth is going up. You're not you would expect your percentage to be going up and probably peaking at either um sixth grade or well not sixth grade that your growth high. So either seventh or eighth grade you would start to see those numbers the fruits of that growth the numbers
037right. And then if you're well below well below well below you're closing the gap on those percentages. you're decreasing the percentages then, right? Which is why in 10th grade, if you have really you're well above for, you know, three row three years in a row, you may exceed what the percentages are the state average, right? But if your growth then is well below below, you're eventually going to come down to So, so is the well above bring you high enough in seventh grade to sustain that. But if you don't if you don't have that growth there, then you're going to see those results in 9 10 11 you don't have the growth, right? So you're not going to sustain that. If you're not if the growth is well below, you're not going to sustain you
038have to have average growth, >> right? To keep your percentages the same across every year, >> right, to maintain these proficiencies. Yes. Right. Okay. So you're not so so anything below the well low or the anything above or anything below normal is eventually depending how fast that dips seven you see dips. So is grade considerably lower because the the growth much lower that would that's what we thought we saw this like okay why our proficiencies are dropping off maybe it's our growth let's look at our growth which is so that's what we did we able to get access to growth data and so this is what we found oh this is maybe why because our kids are growing what way we'd like them to grow change that program >> right >> but what about the
039ELA pilot >> one way or another there will be a major change to our ELA program whether they choose one of the pilots or we choose to rebuild our own because our own obviously wasn't giving us the data that wanted. You know, one of the things when I look at it popped in my head is if because you're right point out if you go sixth grade. I mean, you go that fourth grade well below to [clears throat] average to well above to well below. Everyone does that. It could be our curriculum was not aligned. When the kids took the seventh grade test, it was we had not enough background information that that tested doing it. So, but I' I'd have to go back and dig in. There might be multiple reasons. In the end, this
040is what holds us back on the report card. This is what gets a school or a subgroup targeted is the growth data. So it is the data that we're focused on. What why is this and how do we impact this so it doesn't continue this direction and it's really tear apart our curriculum going how how to match jobs and uh and looking at and that's what the MGS at the building level and the district level >> and the new math started this year >> correct. >> Okay. >> And Just a word of warning. It could get worse before it gets better because that first year you don't know what you don't know. >> The second year is always easier than the first year and then then that spiral starts to impact for us >> and
041better test will be different this spring. Um we have new standards and they're aligning the new standards but we'll still be able to see both like nope we've got it. I'm like okay. Um I have the same charts for math I did for ELA. This is fifth grade. So again, hyper efficiency. Um we're below that line where we'd like to be in our growth. This is eighth grade. Again, hyper efficiency, but growth not where we would like it to be. And 11th grade um are we're a little bit more in the middle of the pack, but our growth is higher. So just some things for us as we move forward. And then we have science. is taken the fifth, eighth, and tth grade. Um, our proficiencies are below 80%. We'd like to see them above
04280%. Um, science teams are meeting right now. So, we're looking at science as well. Teams are really busy. So, again, this is the percent of students who are in the advanced category. And then this is our growth data preparing better. So again, our scientific through third grade on those fast assessments, we'd like to see 90% of our students out of the benchmark by the end of the year. and third to 11th grade. We'd like to see 90% of our students get proficient on issa and science. So um I talked about this a little bit your question was what do we do with this data? We really dug in we've done similar cause analysis and that's what led us to do these things. recognized our wasn't where we wanted to be. So, we've implemented a new
043math curriculum. We're looking at our tier one ELA curriculum as our core. Um, we're preparing for science and social studies revisions for the new standards and as Joe mentioned and talked about ours. So, really trying to get our systems strong, our systems prod questions. >> Do you have the coordinator for science too or is there >> I don't eth grade and we haven't the test hasn't been out. It would just be like two years. It's not out long enough to produce it. Any questions for Thank you for all of that information. >> Thank you. >> Okay, now old business on to new business. Um enrollment. >> Oh, childare. >> Sorry threw me off. So we have Tesy here tonight. She has a presentation. This is much earlier. Uh um as I have been meeting since
044the start of school part of our problem is is is just our pure numbers at verisome right now we have are you three three kids all day just we don't have numbers if we can't continue and so I said we need to establish that what we're in charge next year and start advertising we'll need to make a decision you know going into the summer what are we doing about having daycare and preschool at purple grisome if don't have the numbers, but just by having it. So, that's why you're seeing this sooner than you typically would if you're back in order to uh set out stuff earlier. Of course, you have to address your ahead of time. So, we started out earlier just because we wanted just declining now for it just keeps dropping and when
045we initially get there it was it was a question we knew it was going to be the test to see how it go for a while we continue that way yes but unless we have a community that's supporting it is impossible anyway this is our at this point and this is back actually not this month previous months but um right now we are fairly close as far as revenue and expenses kind of back and forth right now we our summer wasn't as strong as we would have liked it been but we are catching up with our school year um making really good progress there as far as that goes part of that being that uh this school year we Uh, I took over an on-site position as well up at Ed White and I was
046covering that after we had a staff member who left and I covered that all last year. Finding a person that the state um has to also agree with and they have to meet requirements is a challenge in my situation. Um, for most places they you know they have a a larger establishment so they have several people these age levels. So they have the staff to pull from to find somebody qualified who has time and experience put in into child care plus has enough uh either education or has been taking just contact hours and training. But uh that is my challenge. So with that going into the school year um I was basically told that you cannot continue to cover that. You have to find I couldn't find somebody in time and I had been looking
047all last year as well. So what we ended up doing is we combined in Hawaii for this year and granted yes it's a big group they actually are doing very well with being that group and the staffing of course is easier because I only s my u supervisor then and all my staff are together which makes it even better. So you have less staff money that you're putting out because you are all in one location that way. So that has been a blessing for us with our situation. So in that way it's helped us but uh I mean it it it's helped us in the long run as far as we would have offered at Allen Shepard. We would probably be losing money because we have two sites more people working and really not gain
048that many more students uh based off of how program So you have all the students like Yes. Y you find that too though with a bigger group. Um they tend to they have new pals you know not just the ones from their school they have ones from the other schools too and they they tend to find their little niche people that they do it with. So um it's very that way. So, you know, we'll continue on and have a have a great year that way. So, so this just shows you the hard the hard numbers here as to what it is right now. And even you know, we discussed when we offered the program for just the early varieties and right now I only have three people who take advantage of that in all of
049this three. And that's one family. >> That is one family of three kids that take that took it. Otherwise, um I mean you can see we have 62. >> Remember a few years ago they have to pay the whole week. >> I think for early rides they have to do it by semester, >> right? We did we did early outside this semester. >> By the semester, >> but yes, they pay their whole week regardless what they're coming because there a huge change out [clears throat] that everybody was kind of really looking at their own budgets and they were trying to you know, basically say where it couldn't their family budget. I get it. But unfortunately, that hurt us. So, we basically started enforcing that it's pay your fee and exit. >> The drop in wasn't
050helping us. We were losing money doing drop in. And we have people on a waiting list who would have come five days a week, but they're on a waiting list for somebody who might have used it once a month. >> And so, we just had to go back to what everybody else does. >> Well, and they kept changing They kept changing it because they start out at one lane way and then they they back well I only want to go three days now. Well now more like of course trying to juggle that alternate schedules with somebody days and somebody wants to do they ever match up. >> When did we stop offering that? We've been on full week charge for at least two years right or three years. How many? >> Two. >> Okay. So
051we should be beyond this >> discussion about the part time what >> we're good we're good now >> these the only two sites we have now >> yes >> this is it right now >> all right and so then this also I just want to give you the breakdown of what it does look at white where those kids are coming from that are at your percentages so you know core of them are from white but we still have a good chunk from sheepard and we have a sprink basically from [clears throat] >> [snorts] >> just that nice little. So this right now um this is calling up to our neighboring this as well and it tells you where we are currently as well as what I'm looking at just putting up there. We took, if
052you remember last year, we took a huge jump as hard as it was for our full time and I did that primarily our um going into summer especially summer cost. We do not charge any type of the field trip fee that is included in our our weekly cost. So where you have other people who will go and charge them that activity fee or they will require the parents to pay that as they go along. So, it's kind of one of those it's if you do it that way, then you're always, you know, trying to go, hey, we're going to this field trip. Uh, you know, so um this is the idea on here is just we're in a little more field trips have gone up. I mean, last couple years it's been ridiculous to use
053a field trip. Now, it's getting upwards of a $10 ahead, which is crazy because it used to be you could find some stuff for for around $5, $6 maybe, but now everything's gone up so much. It's really starting to, you know, spend it way out your budget because of it. So, you want to have that fun experience over the summer. You're doing crafts and activities, but you know, they live with those field trips. They do. So we want to continue to offer those and make them still something fun and you know down until the summer. So with this as well right now we are planning summer. Um we can't plan out the field trip we know where we want to go but we can't actually schedule it because most people don't schedule out that part.
054But um we're already doing our games and everything for all of our activities and crafts and we will have a list basically of places that we will be going. We just won't have the heart set calendar of what this will be. So that's our plan going into it is to be able to put that all out there with um with your approval with the new grades and just saying hey look at this. this what we have going, you know, come on this, you know, we plan on having a good time. So, >> are the rates this year's children's choice elic or did they give you an estimate of what they will be raising theirs? >> This is given the people this is what right now they are at right now. I hear the they're not
055entirely sure destroyed was raised this fall. will hold basically until then I'll just school like a couple dollars if they do um YMCA is that's what I was told um with a couple of the changes in uh how how you can uh I don't want to say house kids but your room configuration needs to be able to have like twos threes and fours you class in our situation. That's, you know, because we don't have classrooms, that was beneficial, but we had to drop off the twos because then they changed the rules that a 2-year-old can't be with a four-year-old, but a four-year-old can be with a schooler up to 12 years old. And now you still have a three-year-old who cannot be with a school. So, it's the wife felt this as well. They had
056that problem as well where it it really how they had to the way that they also were uh housing their different establishments. It's like they had combined a couple facility because there was no way around that otherwise you have to staff it but you know a ridiculous amount of staff really hurt doing that to us. What my guess would be is those families that are finding daycare someplace else would never come back. They they already they found somebody that will do both their age of kids. Yeah. >> And it's convenient for them. They're already doing it. They're going to come back to us. >> That rule change us that >> it did that really >> I only basically but so that um and I'm you know I'm not the only person that saw that but
057some most facilities can handle it a little bit better and double around like that. I'm not capable of that. >> What's the Y split? >> The number >> the um member non-member >> member non-member. Okay. So yeah, sorry. Yes, it's member not. Um, >> do they charge for the field trips or is that part of that cost? >> So on top of that when they do a field trip that's on top unless they're doing a Y facility that be part of the membership, >> right? >> The Y starter program and they [clears throat] have we have in ours. >> We were supposed to have uh we were supposed to have what is it 30 I wanted to say I think 40 ended up it was downwards >> and the Y probably had 40 plus to
05860 kids but over 40 kids a day at the Y and half the gym over there and so and then I have a meeting set with them after break to talk about the the Y make sure we're all the same day department is that cost your Y member you're pay 149 or you come to us for 185 Not probably not a tough decision. So anyway, for our field trips and stuff, transportation, does that go just against our transportation budget or does that go against >> Do we have the same discounts available like the Y does? Like she was saying, they they do have like scholarships and they can reduce their membership fees sometimes down to almost nothing. Do we have that same option or we don't? >> We don't have that. What we do is
059um for my lower income families if they are eligible um with child care assistance, we accept any client that comes in with childare assistance from health and human services. But no, we do not have anything where we have um you know a subsidy otherwise. >> Yeah. But they can still get assistance from there's still a program out there >> for them to use at our program. >> I get that all the time. Did you expect Yes, we accept it. So they know that they can join. >> Surprised the Y has enough room and or enough staff. >> When I was I heard a couple people who knew of people and it was a throne together, you know, that they threw together and they were at a playground every single day. So, it was like, okay,
060>> that's why we're meeting the Y. Remember when we built the Y was never intended to have daycare in there >> or youth programs and so there is a Y, youth basketball practices in there and they shut them down for and then this summer and I worked out there most days that they were there. to watch the program. It was well run and and uh it just I thought this doesn't you know >> and we have gym space available. We would have partnered with them and had those conversations. Uh and then now as we've been meeting why did they shoot the Y of them are probably Y members. So they're getting, you know, pay for the use of facility. They're getting that discount. They probably go to the water park. They go, obviously they use
061the wide pool. >> You know, they probably do other things that they pay for, but I'll bet a lot of stuff is built right into what they do. >> Yeah. >> Sometimes you transport them or they we've done that in the past. I don't know if we have they pay for that. They have synchronization cost. She does. >> They either have their own or they pay our our drivers transport. But they they're not the only ones. [laughter] >> The children's choice walks over and use our >> playground like let's go ahead our time. Yeah, we don't need that whole. >> So that'll be a conversation too is what does this look like in the future and and that because again can you continue to be in some programs that money, >> you know. >> Right.
062>> I think you guys are great. My son with the program, he always had so much fun. And >> we we came during co the summer of so it was critical for him to have that and he got to meet friends and know the building. So when we went first day of school, he's like, "Oh, no. I'm fine. Goodbye." [laughter] >> So But I mean, you have a great program is what I'm trying to say. >> You do. >> Can you tell us a little about what you guys have done this past year in advertising or how you're recruiting people? >> Yeah. >> Other than >> Yeah. Um, basically I have not had a a full on advertising campaign. I will put out flyers. I will um we also have a referral program for my
063current that actually biggest target of it in those that reaches everybody versus me putting whatever, but I am looking at other opportunities where maybe we have people in the building and we can have a little something going on so that they're in the building during conference or whatever they can stop by and join us just a drop off point while we're there and see what we do. >> So newsletter and what else? >> And then I email I guess the current stat that you have. What is the capacity of the program as a whole? all together. Well, we we can be upwards of uh 31. That's a combination of ages there at that rate. Right now, the capacity is to 70. Not that we're doing that, we go to six really 70 because in case
064of that whether we have children who only attend just to come to us, we would still have to be within our ratio but not necessarily have um all the staff there at that time. staff in that spend a little time with us. >> What's the daily attendance at? I know we have 62 registered, but that's before >> upwards around 55. >> 55. So, >> yeah, most nights it's it's right around 55. They go quickly. There's we have transition there where um the the buses aren't all the way in and we already have some out. >> So, but yeah, when you look at the hard number, how many questions? >> You just need a pool and you right. Thank you for your information. Looking for a motion to approve increase. >> So move second. >> It's
065been moved and seconded to increase the childare tuition. Um are there any other comments or questions before we vote? My concern is that we asked the last couple years for plans the public advertise how we're going to track students and I just don't think that we've seen that. So, [clears throat] you know, while newsletters are good, it doesn't really attract new new families. So, I think we're just trying to kick the can down the road and we need some plan of how we're going to attract students and how we're going to attract parents. I don't think necessarily raising the tuition in the last couple years. We need action seconded. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Oppose. Same sign. Passes. >> Thank you, sir. um school bus bins. Derek, >> so we
066set out our bids. Um we've got one back or two buses this year totaling 37,000 up a bit from last year. Um but that seems to be the trend at the moment. We didn't change any specs on the buses from last year to this year. >> Same company we had last time. >> Yep. So our entire is all >> right. I think there's only one >> propane fuel. >> Okay. >> Really? There's only one company that can meet the spec. Do you think that's going to change any other companies or go propane or do you think there's a career with >> that has said they have one coming out but they said that's I mean we I think we won the first year maybe we had two bids two companies but ever since that >>
067how long you been there Derek >> so I mean I would say five six years we've never seems state >> that's almost though. >> That's a national story. >> Some have gone to trying to produce the electric buses which still haven't proven in our winners that they can they can do it. So yeah really expensive >> to me. The real story here is we used to buy three buses for less than that. >> I know >> now it isn't just inflation. The [clears throat] state of Iowa has required seat belts, required more insulation around the engine, more stop sign. There's been more requirements that have added the cost. We're putting more into buses, but you know, we're have a conversation about Pebble. We should be buying three buses a year. Uh, and so at some
068point, we'd like to get back to that, but you can see you're add 450,000 to eventually buy three buses. >> Did the specifications changed. You're saying >> yes, correct. A diesel bus wouldn't be much cheaper than this. Any bus that we would buy is going to they're all over $100,000 now, >> you know, and so but we like, you know, since I've been here, I think well before I got here, we're on three bus rotation. So our buses we knew were always in good shape. We're rotating them out uh and doing that. We used to have grants that allowed us to old diesels. We were able to get money from the federal government to put a bolt in the block or whatever so then they would pass to get it off the road and those
069those don't exist really. >> So would you say that more stringent specifications could increase the longevity of a bus increase longevity? It's more safety related. I believe >> the seat belts and things like that when they add his seat belts at 10 or 12,000 bus [laughter] >> and we don't know the life of propane yet. So just by going to the propane it may last longer. Generally it hasn't been the engine that's wore out. It's when they start rusting. so bad the body is wearing out long before even a diesel wears out. So, you know, [clears throat] I go by some districts, I look at buses, wow, you still have it on the road, you know, and it's just an appearance of it. >> We use our buses. >> We do. >> Any questions for
070Derek? >> Motion to approve this. >> Second. It's been moved and seconded to approve the school bused results. Any questions or comments? All those in favor, please say I. >> Same sign. Thank you, Derek. This have videos, right? >> Yes. >> How many video cameras? >> There are six cameras. Wow. [laughter] >> Okay. On to high school concurrent courses. Andrew, >> uh, yeah, there's just that list there. Uh we uh offer 109 um current uh classes that are uh CCIR. So um kind of some fun things with that. We have 20 27 I believe 25 classes are part of our um careermies at the regional elevation center. 27 courses within those four but two of them overlap two differenties the healthcare and the ent are taught by our teachers in our building so just under
071a third so pretty cool that our kids have that many options to take the courses >> the reason that on the board agenda is one is to make sure the board's informed these are the current courses we're offering it also allows us not to let us just take a one of these courses through the college that they want to take, you know, at the time they want to take it. So, it does let us control uh a potential of students just deciding I'm going to go Scott and take the same course that we offer. They can't do it once we approve them, >> right? >> And so, we already offer them here. We've already invested enough to be within our curriculum. So it helps us control that a