4.16.2025 Regular Board Meeting of the LJSD Board of Trustees

001Okay. So, we're going to go ahead and call this meeting to order. It is 6:44. Thank you for your patience. Um, welcome everyone. Please rise for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance 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. Thank you. Please be seated. Um I do need uh approval of tonight's a motion to approve tonight's agenda. So move second. We have a motion and a second. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Hearing none. The motion carries. Uh moving on to announcements. Um it doesn't look as if we have any announcements at this moment. Um actually those were for me. I forgot. Um we're moving on to accolades. Um, for the Idaho

002Battle of the Books, we had uh Twin Lakes Elementary take first place. Betty Kefir Elementary take second and third place. Um, we have the Idaho Journalist of the Year as a Lakeland High School senior. So, congratulations, Alyssa Kwood. I want I do want to add because since we posted, we have a few more. Um Zia Muner, who is a Lakeland High School student, was the um 5A 6A volleyball player of the year, one of Kelsey's um athletes. And then also um 5A 6A overall female athlete of the year. And then Malia Miller was the 1A through 4A basketball player of the year from Timberlake High School. And Kais Tbby uh also through 4A male athlete, overall male athlete of the year from Timberlake High School. And then I received an email today from one of

003our school nurses, uh the receptionist, not the receptionist, the um admin assistant, Leanne Kelly, up at Athl Elementary. Uh we had a student choking and she did the link maneuver and dislodged what he was choking on save today. So you Mrs. Kelly. Yes. Okay. Um, there was no one that signed up for public input. I just want to extend. Is there anyone that has public input that didn't sign up? Okay. So, we'll move on to the public input. Moving on to the reports. We have the financial report. Um, do any of the trustees have any conversation they'd like to have on the financial reports? No. All right. You jumped up to stand up to Thank you, Jessica. Uh, moving on to the consent agenda. We have the minutes of the previous meeting, minutes of subcommittee

004meetings, HR items, and regular and special bills. Do we have any questions, comments, or conversations to have on the minutes of the previous meetings? How about on the Are we good with accepting the minutes of the subcommittee meetings? Yes. HR items. Do we have any um comments, questions, or conversations we need to have? Nope. No. Uh, how about regular or special bills? Okay. I'll move to approve the consent agenda. Sorry. We have a motion and a second. Um, do we need to have any conversation from anyone on the bills? No. Okay. So, we have a motion and a second. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Hearing none, the motion carries. Moving on to old business, we have the superintendent uh followup. Do we need to have any conversation on the Oh, well actually

005I am curious. I did have one question on the bills. It showed that which kind of ties into your yard signs. Um it showed on the bills that we paid for levy signs. What was that about? Um we have those the those banners that just say um police. Okay. And we only bought five of them. Y Okay. And then we also had to um the ones we had previously, we had printed the date on it. We wanted to reuse those. So, we got a patch to go over the date. So, it has the the current date. So, that was also included in Okay, that was my only There'll be one more charge for that just for the little adjustments on it. So, you'll see that on the next list. just so you know. Thank you.

006Any any conversation questions that we need to have on We have little buttons. All right. [Music] Oh, no. Put it down. Put it down. Not supposed to tell. Well, it just says let me It doesn't It Oh, yeah. Put it down. We're not supposed to tell people how vote. That's illegal. Um, all right. Moving on to the financial followup. Do we have any questions, conversations we want to have? Um, this is just I do have a question. Sorry, I'm off my game. Jessica from CFO. Thank you. Um, the date of April 7th was when you pulled the um, attendance, correct? Yes, Chelsea prepares that report. Okay. We had no pre kindergarten that day. The So, correct. They don't have school on Mondays. PreK does not have school on Mondays. Okay. And also, the attendance doesn't

007count the attendance doesn't count towards It does, but it doesn't. So, it's kind of a funky thing. They don't necessarily count attendance for our prek kids. Okay. Um, so that's why we leave that number off of there as well. Uh, Chelsea can explain it a little bit better. So, I'll have her put a blurb in our next financial followup for you on May 7th just to explain why we're not including that number on that report. Okay. Because I just I know I've seen it before. So that's why I was like, "Oh, wait. We didn't have any kids that day. That's a little interesting." Yes. Our federal programs director is correct. We only do the four days a week per program. So Okay, perfect. That was the only question I had. Does anybody have anything for

008the bills or the financial followup perhaps the bills? Um, I will tell you the state webinar yesterday was nerve-wracking. So, I can't wait to inform you of what the state has decided to do with the salary based aortionment. Okay. Um, with our budget sessions. That sounds exciting. It's done. Fun. Well, thank you. I appreciate that. Yeah. Moving on to the facilities update. Um, do we have any comments, questions, or whatnots? Where are we at um for concrete? Uh, Tim H, facilities director. Uh, it's actually we're having a preview tomorrow morning. Okay. So, the walkthrough is tomorrow morning. It's out to bid right now. Um, Architects West prepared uh specifications for all of the projects for us. Um, I think we shared at the last meeting that we have three that are included in the base

009bid and then we have three that are alternate bids um just to make sure that we can stay within the budget that's been allocated for this project. Uh there was a quite a bit of work that went into the specs that we did with Architect's West. We're making some adjustments. For example, at John Brown Elementary, there's you can drive straight into the doors there. So, we're trying to add a curb. Um, and then add some stansions, the ballards. Ballards. There we go. I knew that he knew the word, but we're trying to add that so that you can't drive into the door. Same thing with uh Lakeland Middle School. Adding a curb so that they're not flush with the concrete there. Um, and adding some ballers balls to the front of the building. So, you

010can't just drive to the front of the building. Um, another exciting thing that's not in here, uh, Tim has been super amazing working with Architects West, uh, working with Idaho Transportation Department. We may be able to change the approach for Lakeland Middle School so that we're not right on top of the crosswalk for each the entrance for parent drop off. we can actually shift everything over and close the existing middle entrance um and make it just a single in-n-out loop instead of what we are currently doing which will be a lot safer for our students and for anybody in that parking lot to be completely honest. So, we're working through that process and the state is completely on board with it which is exciting because in the past they have not. Oh, that's great. So,

011um the the concrete projects I know that there's some frustration over how long it's taken but really the specifications we wanted to get it right. Um, we can't just replace like for like in some of these areas. We really need to make some improvements and be compliant with ADA. So, we really did need the assistance of the architect to get the specs correct so that we're we're whoever is bidding is bidding apples to apples. Right. So, but it is out to bid. Um, work will start in June as soon as school is out. Any other comments or questions on facilities update? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks. Um down to the Veterans Memorial. Um the US is to be brought back and I wasn't quite sure if action needed to be taken, which is

012why it's um bracketed as action. Um it looks like I did go through this. I wish this um was summarized a little differently. Um, but it looks like we did uh vote on where it was to go, but then we asked for a better rendering. Um, and so the ball is kind of left um back in your dad's court. Have they gotten new renderings done or think they did all the architect work? Um, what supposed to look like? Yes. and where it's at in in relation to everything that exists. Right? That's what was the rendering was supposed to be because there was a couple of different um layouts that we looked at that it was kind of hard to see what is this really going to look at or look like. Um so after our

013meeting because we did vote that yes, we would put it in the middle. Um, but uh the layout of what it would actually look like on the rendering is what we were expecting back that we haven't received. So, um, and then I know they were just asking about how how we're going to do the lease or with respect to the land. Yeah. Like a 100year lease or whatever. a dollar a year or something like that. Okay. Little league does with the Lions Club. They lease the fields for a dollar a year. [Music] Did you reach out, Lisa, to Amy White? Um, it says Lisa indicated she would reach out to Amy White for further information and sought board approval for the proposed location, which we did. Um, did you reach out to Amy White uh

014with respect to what the whole concept of everything? Um, I'd have to go back and I double check, but I do believe that I did. I think I have both and [Music] because Bob was I mean just re some re trying to recap and refresh Bob's concern is you know the the when you're facing the high school that lift you up thing it's called something can't think of it a dirt mound a mound it's a little nicer than a dirt a burm burm okay well the burm with the beautiful sign was put there um just to prevent any direct you know people flying through the signal and going into the school. Interestingly enough, we had somebody hit the fence just beyond that. Right. I'm not sure that that's been fixed yet. We did receive money

015to fix it. Oh, good. The insurance was done. Good. Um and so I know that there was part of the rendering would be how are we going to make that um uh secure? You had mentioned we're looking at or that they are considering the um like a not a chain link but a rod iron. Thank you. Yeah, that would be around it which would be definitely a deterrent for a vehicle. Um, I mean it wouldn't deter the vehicle, but it would stop it before it got any closer to the building. Um, so yeah, because the layout and the design was supposed to be brought back to the board for approval. Okay. All right. So, um, I think with respect to Amy White, the direction was more finding out how do we go about the land

016and this this engagement, what do we need to do? I will uh look for that and I I can't I honestly can't that's fine anymore that we converse on this. Okay. One of questions for legal is assuming it's on school district property any asset added to school district property become school district property. And I think the question, so if we're leasing property, does that become our asset still? That would be a question. I'm attorney, but you can't lease something you don't own. Well, we own the land. We wouldn't be owning the structure, which is what we need clarification on on how to do that. Um, because we do we want I don't think you have a choice. You own the property. I believe it would be considered a permanent improvement and unless they want to

017take it completely down and if the lease ends, which most people don't, then it would become something that would be property in the district. Do you think I asked that question? Okay. I I will follow up and get information about Great. what the lease looks like and then what responsibilities you would have and what ownership looks like. Okay. Um, moving on to the supplemental curricul curriculum. We're going into new business. It's the assistant superintendent. Thanks, [Music] have any conversations we want to have on any of the supplemental curriculum that's being brought forward. Two of the books are right there as well. Yes, we did pass those around. Um I noticed that some of these are audio books. That was just the link. They're none of our audio. It was just that gave a better description,

018so I just link that in. But none of them are audio. They're hard. Yeah. All right. So, no audio. Okay. But sometimes it's hard to find great description. So, I just find the one that gives the best and most comprehensive. Okay. The one was in German. I didn't get a chance to translate it. Gilead. So, that mine didn't do that and somebody else said that to me, so then I redid it and so then it was fine. But I never saw the German, but somebody else told me the same. And I'm like, well, that's weird. That didn't work on my Amazon does not work that way. So, why don't you speak multiple languages, German being? And I think this, not we might have a few more, but this would wrap up all of middle school

019and high school novel sets that uh we have used in the past that we wanted approval on perfect officially we might have a few more outliers but 95% of them are done I move to approve the supplemental curriculum we have a motion and a second is there any other conversation we need to have all in favor say I any opposed four in favor one opposed Motion carries. Um I would like to address the fact um that I think we need to have some direction on uh comments people are making. Um because I don't appreciate that we're calling certain people out. Um this isn't the first time it's happened. It's um it's inappropriate. Would you guys be comfortable if I just when it's that I just take it out or just redact the name? Well, I

020can just take that portion out and if you at some point I can make it so you are aware of that. But I mean we've had it on all fronts, right? And so it's it you can still capture the essence of what the people are trying to say with the derogatory comment. So are you good if I just take it out the comment as a whole or doing the part the reduction? Yeah, I can just redaction would seem appropriate, but I would also encourage more instruction that the concerns need to be focused on the book itself. Um, like I've said that a couple of times, but I think when people get put it in red, I don't know, it's just not appropriate. Um, so I'll just I'm just putting those to myself that when there's

021disparaging comments, I'll just read them across the board on any fronts because you still get the sense of the book like how they feel about the book, but when it's attacks on personal people. Yeah. I think as long as the identifying information is redacted because either way I like to see the whole I mean that whatever that one was that we did with 750 comments actually I think that was a policy but I still like to read to get the feel of what everybody's saying but I don't even know the names of you know but we've had comments that are attacking the teachers we've had comments that have been attacking to various like board members Yeah, it really should be about the book. Exact right. Exactly. Okay. Moving on to the STEM charter. Okay. So,

022we heard back from I crimp and it doesn't sound like they offered much of anything other than um it looks okay. and don't share anything because it goes into spam which is why that's why we didn't get it back from him for a while. He didn't realize he got anything. [Music] So the recommendation from legal is that and I believe your that that our buses be rented from us and that the rentor rentee is fully responsible for driving it and liability for any damages. I don't love that option, but if we were going to do it, I would I obviously think we should align with um our attorney I don't like the option of turning our buses over to somebody else. I don't know how much training they had, right? They are. [Music] And how

023long have we been doing this with STEM charter? Uh since Dr. Reynolds. Um and so that her first year would have been 20134. No, 200. 2008. So sometime between 2008 and the 2013 14 school year sometime in that time frame is when it started. Okay. Um can we rent them our drivers? Companies do do that. We supply rent the bus and the driver. I can ask Megan if that takes the liability because I think what we're trying to avoid is that if they get in an accident that it's our insurance that pays and so I don't that I don't know the answer to. I can ask Megan that question. I know I know commercially it's whoever is renting the driver and the vehicle but um you know in this instance there might be some other

024little thing somewhere but can we I apologize for interrupting Jessica from can we also check with to see what their thoughts are on us leasing our vehicles to somebody else renting instead of leasing renting yes same Well, and if um I mean I know that we got it down here for 406 a mile. Um but if this does go to a renting um perspective, we would need to see what the value is in renting. I mean, are we still doing this for just a mile and you know, a per mile rate and um the cost of the employee? I don't know. It's getting messy. I think it's so messy it just needs to go away. That's my opinion. But you can always make a motion to deny. I make I move to deny thisou and

025to just drop the How many how much time have we already spent on this? And the back and forth and we've checked with attorneys and we've checked with I just I think it's a waste of time and it's okay. Fair enough. So, we have a motion to deny. Do we have a second? I'll second the motion. Um, so we have a motion and a second. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Three names. So motion B. Uh, two in favor, three against. Motion B. So on that note, please. So I will move forward and ask those questions of Megan and Yes. Um, Cornelane rents their buses to them. So, maybe check with Cordelane and see what their their policy is like. So, yeah, that could be a good resource to find out. I wonder

026if they're if they're renting from Why are they warning? We're conven. Yeah, that's true. Well, I believe we were charging them. We didn't know what it was. Not not enough. No, I would just suggest you take the simplest route forward. Don't make it any more complicated than it needs to be. Okay, moving on. I thought it was, but I was going with it. So that the motion failed, I would make a motion to table the stem charter uh pending further legal guidance. Second. We have a motion in a second. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Nay. Four in favor. When opposed, motion [Music] carries. Moving on to the 202425 calendar modification. Um is this 2425 or 2526? 2425. It's this school year. Um, Principal Everlin is here to help uh answer questions. So,

027um, our both high school principles have for several years tried to find a good um, schedule for finals. and um they are requesting that we modify our calendar so that the last three days of the school year for sen for high school students not seniors um would be uh an early early release days um those three days and principal has some just kind of information as far as what we've done in the past what we've tried and what the issu issues are that they're trying to counteract. Um, first off, it would be beneficial if you put that information on this. Um, because the purpose is just to accommodate principal's request, but we don't see what the request is. That information wasn't there. It's in the Well, it just says students return textbooks and Chromebooks when

028done with them. So I don't I I guess what I'm trying to get at is there's no narrative on narrative on why what we're doing. Sorry. Um and then the schedule all we received was Timberlakes. Is this mirrored with Lakeland? Okay. Okay. Or chair Thompson, board of trustees, superintendent Arnold. I'm Ryan Everland, principal Timberlake. And honestly, um, this is my eighth year and all eight years, uh, our final exam schedules for first and second semester have been not very good. Okay. And last year, I made a a push to be here, but it just didn't work out. And so this year, I just asked. Um, so really, I do feel like I'm on I'm be here on behalf of all the students at the high schools and all the staff. Um so with our current

029bell schedule in the spring the spring presents challenges and the fall the winter time also presents challenges. Uh in January this year we had three days and then we always end a semester with early release. So when we're looking at uh making final exams a consistent amount of time, it's impossible um with also ensuring that students are seeing teachers the same amount of times. Um and so I did talk I talked to staff to get specific examples and then I I talked to students and just over the years I've put down those um their thoughts and so I'm just going to give you a few. They're they're really consistent. So from the staff uh allows ample time for final exams. It evenly distributes the finals. Right now it's not um it's not equitable. Some days

030we have one, some days we have three, some days we have two just to try to make it all the way to 210. Um and a lot of times that's when students have idle hands because they're done. Yeah. And then parents call them out, which is great, but then there's students that can't get called out, so they're there. And I would argue that's not a great scenario for a kid who's finished his exam and still has the rest of the day. Uh so the structure overall structure of it is great. Um the end of each day offer offers office hours. We have uh students that are dual enrolled, students that are NIC, students that are ke students at IDLA, students have jobs, students that take care of their little siblings, students with illness, extracurriculars. And

031so, and with our current bell schedule, there's never a way to really see the teacher um if you have to finish a project or finish an exam or you were sick before Christmas and never had a chance to catch up. So this also allows for a couple hours after the school day where you know it fits into most parents schedules because when our kids go home a lot of times they have responsibilities but this allows them uh within that two 10 two 10 time frame to be able to then work with teachers to finish up everything. So I do think the end result is more kids uh passing courses because right now we're done on a Thursday um in January Friday is a work day. Most kids can't come in for many reasons. And then

032we start the new semester Monday. So this allows each day, first and second period, then you have office hours with teachers if you need them, which I think we would have quite a few kids. And then you just go two periods a day. Uh for the students, they just said it give them a lot more time to study because they are comprehensive finals. Mhm. Um, it is an inconsistent schedule. So, a lot of times we're making deals with students because, well, hey, you did these exams on this day, but you know, I have early work release, so I have to go to my job. I can't get fired. So, I'm like, well, let's take it at this time. And then it kind of throws and that that's a pretty common one. Um, they said the

033test would be easier to manage. I mean, for all students, whether you're a struggler learner or not, tests are difficult. And so if you have three final exams in one day, um that's a challenge. They they said probably the number one reason though is teacher availability because we're that's probably our busiest extracurricular time of the year is January with all the winter sports. And so the teachers are available, but the kids usually have to get to practice, right? Um and then the last thing they said, and they were pretty funny, they're like, "We don't have to guess what the semester's final looks like." you know, the exams scheduled because um it was a mess in January and that was kind of my last straw because we came off of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, came

034to school Tuesday. The only way to make it work equitably is they went to all six classes, then they took a sixth hour exam, then the next day they took three tests, then because it was early release, they took two tests. And so, and then the end of the year isn't much better, right? Um, and I did print the last five years worth of bill schedules if you guys want to look at them, but they are um they're not consistent. They're not structured. So, I would ask that this would be modified for this semester and moving forward for the sake of structure and consistency just to implement a modified schedule for secondary. Yeah. On exams. Final exam. Final exam week. Yeah. So, it would be three days. um every semester where and we two hours

035is more than enough, you know, for our exams, but if we needed to go a little longer, we could, but that's what I set up based off of a 2-hour block. And that typically gives kids 10 or 15 minutes to study and then and then the rest of the time, they can take the exam. And Lakeland is in agreement with this type of modification. Okay. All right. Well, thank you for that input. Thank you, Mr. So, is there a motion to modify the uh bell schedules for secondary final exams? I have a question real quick. Um, so does this have any trickle down effect on the because of the buses with the elementary or the junior high or we Mr. Ever? I talked to um our transportation director and Okay. Instructional time students attendance. We

036exceed what the statuto requirement question still. Yeah. No, we did look at that and it'll be um because the two high school principles feel really strongly that this is best for kids. It will be part of the conversation when we're working with to put the calendar together to bring to the board for next year so we won't have to make a modification. Um, [Music] but as far as attendance goes, um, it's not a full day, obviously. Well, they'll be there four hours. Yeah. And so we'll get the full day of attention. When we have other days like this where we don't finish the six periods, they're marked as present. So it doesn't go against their their attendance. So we're not fudging there. No, there's just that's how Skype works. So the parents aren't getting an

037attendance phone call. State statute dictates four hours is considered a full day. Yes. For attendance purposes. My my philosophy has always been maximize student teacher contact time. Don't minimize it. Yeah, it's been a long time for me. 40 years since high school, but um this is actually the schedule that we had when I was in high school was two two or five weeks and then you were either able to the teacher need additional help for your upcoming finals or go home. I'll move to approve the final schedule as presented. Second. We have a motion and a second. Um all in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Hearing none, the motion carries. Moving on to the assistant superintendent job description. I just ask that this be brought forward to make sure that we are um reviewing

038the job description uh to make sure it meets the qualifications that we're looking for in an assistant superintendent. Um and I noticed that we also have an assistant superintendent for elementary, an assistant superintendent for secondary. Have we um married those two to create a general overall assistant superintendent job description? I thought we actually did that. I thought it I thought that was I'm sorry for Cunningham, director of HR. I thought the one that we provided you was the one that married the two. Am I wrong? No. Well, it is. Um it just on our on under human resources, we have all three of them. Oh, so that's why I was like, we'll remove those links. We'll remove those for the that separate the two on there. Um, and I do believe I went back in

039the minutes. I do believe that this was approved in October of 2022. Um, but when we reformatted it, I think the person, one of my assistants that reformatted it didn't know when it was approved, so it wasn't put on there when it was reformatted, but it was it was approved in October 2022. Okay. Well, respectfully, I I don't see any harm in us reviewing um for just kicks and giggles. I guess I don't um it is an important it is an extremely important I think qualification should have uh being a principal at least running a school with budgets and everything else. Budget experience. Yeah, it just says school administration. That means pretty much anybody could do it. Agree. Yeah, I think we should we could get um some other ones and see that it's been

040a few years. Um we have time to do that. Just make sure it's up. Uh you know, we haven't have a discussion about filling the position given the levy um and where we're at right now and what that looks [Music] like. But I think we should go over it and just look at surrounding areas and you know anything else ask you know if this looks close or right you know make sure we get it dialed in what we what we're actually wanting. Okay, that would be great. I mean, just like we've done with the other ones, right? You know, right? Okay. Can I ask a question real quick? Yeah. So, yeah, we did have the elementary assistant superintendent and the second secondary assistant superintendent, and those are old job descriptions, but do we really want

041to delete those since um you guys haven't voted to delete them, but uh maybe further down the road there could possibly be those positions. I'm not saying they're right now, but I mean, well, I don't know that you have to delete them, but if you pulled them off the website, since it's not a position that we have right now, um that if we ever got to a capacity where we would need that, I mean, we have the resource to revamp it at that time. Okay. Um because it's not a position we have right now, right? So, go ahead. So, can I just ask a question? Um, just based on what Trusty Gome just said, um, there's absolutely no way that one superintendent can take can run this district. So, this position has to be filled.

042Um, I'd like to be able to open sooner rather than later so that we are looking at quality candidates. So, when you're saying look at other um kind of what We're already into April. I'm I am I'd like to get holding on it. So, what what are you asking? Um well you you had just said maybe we should look at some other surrounding job descriptions to make sure that there well like it was just brought up that there's no prior principal ship um experience on here and I think it just I mean due diligence I think it only behooves us to look at make sure that we're getting what we actually want. I mean it looks fairly generic when I look at it. It looks pretty cookie cutter like there's nothing really about in it,

043you know, like what what what are we having our assistant superintendent do kind of thing. So I mean we have another meeting option in what two weeks or whatever it is do it by then you know so to facilitate to facilitate that are are you do you need something from us? No. Okay. I mean, I don't know if anybody else does, but I just think that we need to look at it and see. I've looked at it. Looks fine to me. Yeah, I think it needs changes. I think it needs the uh the principal ship on there. And there was something else when I looked at a couple of other ones and they're they're on my other machine. Um being that this was first go over and the first time we're discussing the position um

044of assistant superintendent. I just thought that we like everything else we always just revamp and then go forward with I mean we've done it with everything else. I don't know why we would do this differently, right? Okay. On that note, um we can revisit the job description at our next board meeting um and take action at that time if there needs if we want to have improvements or changes or not. Yeah, that sounds okay. So, we'll move on to architectural services contract. I get I sorry I have no I'm very that this this frustrates me the assistant superintendent job description so I apologize that you guys have already come up here but it was on our agenda to discuss tonight so if there was problems with it or if there was discussion to be had.

045Why weren't they brought for tonight to be discussed? But you said they're on the things that you want to change are on another machine. What? You know, I that is my discussion. I brought it for discussion that I think that was my whole point was that I think we should take the care of this one the same as we've done the other ones being that it's the the first revamping and, you know, put our touches on it and then do it. That was That is what I guess I guess I don't understand why not bring those items to this discussion. Well, I Dave brought up one that actually was on my mind and I figured we would treat it like the other ones where it's the first time we've talked about it in it's just

046on the action items rather than being new business or discussion items or so maybe it's just in the wrong spot on the agenda but and that would be on me. So I apologize if that's um a point of contention. I I I would remind the board that some time ago I asked for a two reading calendar for all policies. Job descriptions are part of policy. Now we passed time and again policy after policy after policy in one meeting. Yeah. And yet we can't do it with this. No. I will I there's some I think that we need to uh make sure that we give it the same go over that we have every other one and this is part of the revamping of the last job descriptions when we went over this is only the

047second time we've ever looked at this job description. We've only touched it one time before. So what what is the go over you're talking about? I just told you I think we need to add that they need principal ship and I would like to compare it to the other ones and make sure that we have everything that we want in there. Everything's in there that I want. Okay. It's only two weeks. I mean, two weeks isn't going to make or break. [Music] With respect to the qualifications um the at least 10 years successful experience in teaching and school administration, I think it would be pro appropriate um to have at least 10 years uh successful experience in education which should include a minimum of five years teaching experience and a minimum of five years uh

048building principal experience. Um so that that person has, you know, they've experienced the budget, they've experienced having to do cutbacks, they've experienced all of that. Um master's degree or higher, a valid certification as a superintendent, uh demonstrate leadership ability in working with student, staff, parents, and the general public. So I think that specific change for me um is beneficial for this position and that's all knowledge enough but it can certainly be sorted out when you go through the application process and screening except we don't do that. So no we're brought this is who we want to hire. So that's why I'm saying if the job description if the job description isn't what we want to see brought forward in a candidate, what is the point of them bringing forward a candidate and then saying, "Well,

049they don't have the qualifications we think this district needs in that person and then we've just wasted everybody's time." That's why you should have the job description narrowed down to what you want so that they're looking for that. But um excuse me, board chair Thompson, can I address the board? Sure. Okay. Cunningham, director of HR. Um I I do have a recommendation just because of the current state of our district of where we are and um time of trying to find an assistant superintendent. Would it be possible that um we post the position pending changes of the job description and that way we can accumulate a pool and then we do our pre-screening process once that is uh job description is approved. But at least we can So you're going to publish a job description

050and then make changes afterwards. We can we can say pending changes of the job description. Post the current job description. I can say this job description is under review by the board. um that type of thing. We just would like to be able I just feel like the recruitment process can be kind of tricky with the current state of our district. I don't know how that's going to change in two weeks. Is it I think we could start accumulating at least get it out there like put it out, you know, casting it far and wide and and get it out there and get some an How about we just make some changes right now and put them on there and then put it out? Yeah. I don't want to get in the same position we've

051been prior legally because our job descriptions were wrong and people were given erroneous job descriptions and you could you could definitely post it that like you said it's under review you know so I'm I'm trying to not get there again right I don't know I think it if we're looking for an assistant superintendent that's a fairly comprehensive application process and I I would hate for us to change the qualifications after somebody has spent the time and energy to put together their application materials. Yeah. So, I don't I don't like that idea. So, but thank you for sure throwing an idea out there, Madam Chairman. Call for orders of the day. Call for orders of the day. Yes. Okay. I don't know what that means. Yes. Back to agenda. All right. So we will move on

052to the back to the architectural service [Music] contract. Okay. Um so you received uh [Music] Statements of qualifications for architects west design west and resolute proposal. Correct. Okay. And you are recommending that we stay with architects west. So I want to be clear that this is a separate contract from anything else we're doing. But our recommendation based on the materials that we received and the recommendation at the committee for this RFQ is that we move forward with architects less and that's solely based on the documents you received. Is that what you're saying? We have to be fair across the board. Um, so based on the information that they provided in their art group, um, their project team, the references that they had, their locality, those are all things that we looked at when we were

053um, ranking the proposals that were received. Um, and so that's they came out on top. Well, the only thing that causes me caution, I guess, is when I looked through the proposals with Architect West, every single one of their projects came in over bid. um Design West um did not they they had some that came in under um so did we even consider looking at that to see how far off the mark um the companies are historically um and was that can talk to this a little bit more I I don't want to say you could budge the numbers but if you have an agreement in there for a guaranteed maximum price and you don't go over that then didn't go over, but there might still be change orders. So, you might have agreed to

054a project for X amount, but you have a guaranteed maximum price and as long as you don't go over that, you don't have a change order. So, it's hard to say based on the way we asked the question if the over looking at the information they provided us, which gave the percentage of change orders, which gave the bid amount and then what the actual was. And it's just concerning because um I know that with um the I believe it was the middle school we ended up being over budget because of change orders. Um I go ahead. That was an Emerick thing and a board decision to accept those change orders. So while Architects West was our uh construction administrator, the change orders were through the company Emer Architects West. Okay. The my concern though is

055if we can be more diligent [Music] in verifying with these companies, how often are they, you know, over on what they're quoting as opposed to, you know, so a lot of the construction under con. Yeah. Um to pay the facilities director. Thank you. Um, so a lot of that information that comes from the architect is the bid documents and then the contractor's bid on that. So the architects themselves aren't really affecting the cost of the project other than putting the material out for bid. So if a change order does come back, say open up the wall and there's pipes blown up inside the wall, it creates a change order. Well, the architect may not have seen that going into the project. So, I can't really hold the architect responsible for change orders unless it was

056pure incompetence where they didn't add something in that we requested. But that's where we come in where we would be presenting. Here's what we want. Say for the concrete, here's what we're looking at. We got all the specs in place. We review it. We do a pre-con, we're walking on the site. We're going over everything. So if there is something we pop the concrete up and we hit a water mane that nobody knew about, it's a change. I can't really blame the architect on that. Well, this isn't about blame. It's about simply looking at numbers and given our financial situation. No, I absolutely agree, but the bids coming in are not from the architect. They're going to be from the contractor. I I do understand that. Thank you. The other thing that I looked at

057with these three is one's based in Utah, one's based in Spokane, one's based at Court Lane. I like having a local one. I like having one projects. Uh somebody that knows our area and our environment as well. How many projects has architects done for us in the past and which ones have they done? Uh since I have been here, they were the construction administrator for the um Emmerick project which was started before I came on board. Um they donated their services for the 10-year plan. Um and they're currently, we contracted with them currently to do the bid docks for um the concrete projects. Um and they are donating services towards the Timberlake Field House project. They're also the design architects for Twin Lakes Elementary School. How do you do you is that assessment okay with

058you architects West or do you have well a preference? You know they've been around doing schools for a long long time but they're not without their occasional errors as well. pointed out one of passing there and if there's an architectural oversight that's their responsibility and that does happen on occasion right when they aren't current on code and something happens and the inspector takes a look and says no you got to do it a different way right and the architect laid it out that's their responsibility you know those kind of things right right I was just thinking of Twin Lakes and the issue we're dealing with up there Um I I don't know how you prevent that unless you have eyeballs on it and making sure that it's done properly. But that's their job, you know.

059So the the architect's job is to put forth the plans, the specifications for what we want in a building and then we have to hold the contractor. If there's a design defect, if there's a design defect, we can definitely go against go back to them for a defect. But if it's the contractor that had an overridge or oversaw, then that's not so much the architect. But if the architect is a big piece of what you pay for the architect is his inspection of the contractor's work, the contractor keeps the job and the architect doesn't pick up on it. Who's responsible? So there's different models to that architect. What we're looking here is architect services. If we want them to be the construction administrator, that's different, but we do have Tim that's available to fill that

060role. Um, which is what they were. Um, Architects West was the construction administrator on the Emerald project. So, they were the ones that were walking around and signing it off on whether or not the work was substantially complete, if it made sense to pay the pay orders, that kind of thing. Um, we have Tim who has that capability as our director to be able to be the construction administrator. So, we're we're looking at them to be just the true architect in a sense to provide the specs and the plans and the architectural piece of it and not necessarily be the ones that are administering the contract with the subcontractor that bids. Yeah. To to a point to a point. I mean, all due respect, Tam, you and I both know that you have your limitations

061too. Absolutely. Particularly when it comes to subcontractor specialties, you know, electrical, plumbing, uh, HVAC, and then to that point and several others. Yeah, absolutely. I'm not an electrician. I'm not an HVAC guy, but when I do those types of projects, I rely heavily on the inspectors there on the project as well. And then the inspector signs off on it, then I can hold them accountable as well. Part of the architectural team is going to be who they bring in as consultants for all the specialties. And those team members have to review the project in progress and sign off on progress as well. Correct. So you had what I'm think I'm hearing you had three firms who submitted only one of which is local so to speak. Spokane is almost Spokane's almost local. Um Architects West

062has an office in court a rather large office. They do have a presence in Spokane. The third one, I looked at their jobs that they did. They're mostly Utah. Yeah. The uh the other thing I heard you mentioned in passing was the committee who reviewed it. And who was the committee? Uh Tim, myself, and Chelsea Pley reviewed the RFQ. Um and that's scored based on the rating table that was in the RFQ. So, is that the architectural services committee that's named here? Is that okay? And I I listed the be happy to send an invitation to the board in the future if anybody wants to participate in reviews of ours or RFPs. I've sat through the riveting. Can't wait for the next one. Right. Starting tomorrow. What was the dollar difference there? So, that's the

063funky thing with this. We're agreeing to contract with them, but It's based on the project. So we when you do an RFQ, you're not asking for a dollar amount because the projects may fluctuate. You may ask for percentages. Yes, I could we can definitely go back and ask for that because some will charge 6%, some charge seven, some charge 10, right? Yeah, I can definitely ask. You need to know where you are. Okay. Good point. And it's always negotiable, right? Very true. For purposes of moving forward, I would make a motion that we approve west for architectural services. Second it. We have a motion and a second. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Hearing none, the motion carries. Thank you. Thank you. Moving on to the independent financial audit services contract, chair Thompson,

064we went out to bid for um independent financial audit services. This is our third party independent audit that's done every year. I like to call it the Super Bowl of the finance team because it is basically our report card on how well we did our job every year. We only had one respondent to our RFP which is Hayden Ross, our existing um audit firm. Uh their rates are I think fair. Um in fact based on the bids that Post Falls and Cordelane received. Uh they are still fairly below the other firms that are either with those districts now or um the proposals they they received. Didn't get a response from Magnus. interest. How does the pricing compare with what we've been paying? Um, it's a slight increase. It does make sense. Define slight. You're going

065to ask this question. Give me one second. I can tell you. Well, it could be a dollar. It's It's a little bit more than a dollar. their tasks have gotten cheaper as a result of some legislative action. Um they now it's in in addition to auditing our finances. They also have to audit our evaluations because our evaluations are tied to dollars with the evaluations going to the state our teacher evaluations. Teacher evaluations. Yes. They have to auditing our teacher evaluations. How can Yeah. CPA Yeah. How can CPA state determine that they would do that? Yes. And so that that is part of the reason that costs have gone up because they're spending more time with us to get that part done. They're gonna have to get trained first. Uh they they did a fantastic job

066this year. I will say they were able to help us um catch a couple things that we are working with the state to correct um as far as credits and uh getting some additional funding for some teachers. Um so that was great. Uh we can go back No, no, three. No, no, not anymore. The current year. Okay. So, uh this year we paid $23,600 for audit services. Um their proposed audit services for 2024 2025 is $30,000. [Music] That's more than slight less than inflation. I know and additional literally additional days that require additional work that has to be so yeah just 30%. So this says for 256 29 also 5 years. So what is that? So, we wrote the RFPA Trusty Gryom to be a one-year commitment with an option to renew for every four

067years, but we did ask for the rates for every four years if we did exercise our option to continue. So, at any point in time, we could go back out to RFP for this after we we basically just approve it every year. So, I would bring it back to the board for approval every year for that additional year. This is pretty standard and they're only increasing $900 every year, right? It had nothing to do with my question. Okay. I did ask for one year with a option for a yearly extension up to four years. Yeah. So 327 per year based on their Yeah. based on their 1635. So 163,500 for I'll move to approve. Second. We have a motion and a second. All in favor say I. Any opposed? Hearing none. The motion carries. Thank

068you very much. Moving on to discussion items. We have the levy update. Is there any conversation we want to have on the update? [Music] No. Thank you to everybody that is working so hard on this. It is a labor of love. Moving on to the class size updates. Okay. So, is this this seems to be the same thing you said the last time you brought it to us. Is that correct? Yeah. There really haven't been any changes. So just making sure that you're that I want you to know that we recognize that we have pockets of class sizes that are larger than we would like them to be. Do we need to have any discussion on class sizes? Pretty much is what it is. The summer food program. Yeah, especially the second. All righty. So

069the go ahead uh chair Thompson Jessica Grantham CFO Char nutrition services director um we propose to run the summer food service program um for the duration of the summer school program. we have quite a drop off after summer school's out um in participation which makes it hard to break even at the end of the summer due to the lack of participation. Um we plan to run it the same as we did last year congregate meal service at Lakeland the middle school for breakfast and lunch and then um a rural mom congregate service at Timberlake and Apple where they receive a breakfast and lunch in one bag during a a 30 minute window drop off kind of similar to what the meals that were done during CO where they drive up and pick up the meal.

070Um the only change that we would like to make this year due to the low participation at Athe Elementary is to do a bulk distribution at A elementary one day a week. Um there would be a Mindoka uh school district had a great Minadoka school district had a great program that the state shared out. Um Char was able to go and reach out to them and get the information. So essentially a family would sign up in advance and we would provide them a box of meal a week's worth of meals at one time. Um, so we're still serving that community, but the participation was so low last year. I'm hoping this will increase the participation. We were maybe seeing two kids a day for a good chunk of it. Um, so if we could do

071an advertise it before school that gets out that this is an option that they could fill out the request, we'll have a box for them to pick up during a window. Um, that would get them depending on the how they did it, they would get like a whole gallon of milk at once and things like that. So the the parent is present to pick it up. Um, so that would be the only change to the meal service just because it wasn't break even for us at Athl at all last year. We lost a lot of money um providing that for the small amount of participation we have. So would that be a one-time sign up and then they just show up every week or every week you have? It would be a weekly sign up.

072Is that something that we will have online for them to be able form that they can do? It's super simple. Um there's a QR code that they can sign to scan up. Madoka shared all of their materials with us so we can duplicate it really easily. Um the reason why we're only doing that there again was that low participation with Timberlake High School hosting summer school. We have a lot of kids in in the school and then we do have quite a few families that walk over to the school because it's fairly easy to walk from anywhere in Spirit Lake and get to the the high school for pickup times. So we did have great participation there. Um we would still offer bulk distribution to our families at or participants at Timberlake High School where

073um they would receive they're doing summer school Monday through Thursday. So on Thursday they would receive meals for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to take home with them. We've already addressed food storage while they're at school so that they're able to store it and then take it home with them. So very very similar to what we did last year with the only change being that bulk distribution. um on apple tree. Yeah, I don't like that. And that QR code that is wrong community. I mean and we don't have to do a QR code, right? This is we're talking paper talk to people face to face and make phone calls. So that is our goal for Athl is to to get this out. A lot of the families at a elementary do use class dojo. So getting

074that out through the class dojo link. It's just we can even link it in there. We can talk to families. I I definitely think our food service staff there could could provide a slip that goes home in the backpack that just explains what the program is so that we can get the word out to those families in that community that this is what the methodology is. We really really had super low participation. I didn't want to remove the site completely. So this was kind of a compromise to continue to provide the meals but in a way that it wasn't a complete loss to the program. Yeah. So, did you bring that information to us so that we could see it was because I remember a year or so ago we did that with the football

075and all that up at Spirit Lake and we fixed that issue, but I don't remember seeing numbers. I don't remember seeing uh summer program numbers to Yeah. I don't remember somewhere along Iowa for current though last year before we did the year before we did. Oh, yeah. because that was when we did the uh the football. I forget what it was. They were meeting. I thought last year was the first year. Last year was the first year for rural congregate. It was a brand new state of Idaho. Okay. So maybe that was it. But I I can I would be happy to share that data with the board. I apologize for not including it in this. But I will tell you that the Apple utilization was extremely low. But what I am curious about is

076because the decision was made so late in the year is if that had an effect on who participated because it was brand new program. We still can we still advertise through the school um we advertise through a school website. We had um blasts that went out from food service to families in those areas. Okay. So I I do think the word was out there. Okay. Um we the one thing that we are competing against too uh there's another local nonprofit that provides meals in the park and so there was a lot of util from my understanding from a friend that lives in the community there was a lot of util utilization of that program versus the school program. Um one other thing I do want to throw out there and we're getting additional clarification from

077the state and I believe this will be our last year to be able to provide free summer meals. um we've hit the economic point with our free and reduced that we no longer qualify um to provide free and reduced meals. We could potentially look at being a closed site where only our students that we have um their data would be able to participate and it would be on that free reduced paid platform instead of being a completely free meal. So I this will potentially be our last year offering free summer food serving program. Pretty sure we get that on that. I will bring additional information on that once we re I once it's finalized. Yeah. Once it's but based on everything we've received. Um if we did not currently have a 5-year eligibility, this is

078our fifth year of that eligibility. We would not be authorized to offer this program this summer. So this is our last year we are authorized to offer this program based on the date the census data from five years ago. Okay. Thank you. Any other conversation on the summer program? No I don't I don't I'll make sure to bring the additional information and my financial followup for the May 7. Perfect. Thank you. Thank you. Moving on to the classes serve and staffing. That was the uh when we did the agenda planning, you had mentioned that uh Trusty Bane had asked when we were doing future agenda items, she had asked about this and based on your email, you said we were going to wait and Randy was okay with that. And this is a great big

079spreadsheet, right? What I said was we will we'll we would provide what we have right now, which is what our current staffing is, and then we'll we'll be able to add information to the FM community. So, that's that's what that is. Yes. So, we have on the agenda going back a few years, summer food program. So, we did talk to maybe it was called something else now, but I knew we talked about it a few years ago, too. So, we did, but and we've always cut the summer food program up, but it's only been at Lakeland Middle School. Yeah. Well, we talked about Spirit Lake because I remember there was an issue and we figured it out. It was like a dollar something per lunch, blah blah blah. But I knew who talked about it.

080So, I that's been that's fine. I just want to see the numbers how far over we were because I know during COVID um they utilized the heck out of it, including the nonprofit and the restaurant was feeding everybody. So, right. And it could be they're just, you know, out doing their thing at the lake or something without paying attention. Could be. Okay. So, is this what you wanted, Randy? Okay. So, I what she mentioned that she um this is what our current staffing is and then what but it's really not because it's got people that are have not even been here this school year. It says that it's as of 1825 and it has Right. [Music] Trusty Bean B Cunningham director of HR. So um yeah, I I didn't even think it was necessary to

081uh supply this spreadsheet because I know it wasn't what you were looking for. We are currently in the midst um CFO uh Jessica Grantham and I have met with each administrator and director. We've gone over their staffing independently. We've gone over what um cuts that the board has asked us to do and um to see what that looks like and also I believe in your vote that was with some flexibility as well. And so um we've met with them individually but then we have other stakeholders that are a part of this like we have technology that it has to be a part of that discussion. We have a special education director federal programs that has to be a part of that discussion. um we have to have the assistant superintendent, the superintendent, we have to

082have um Mr. Hay from facilities because we have custodial stuff. So we organized some meetings where all of us are going to come together as a team with each individual building. We have back-to-back meetings coming um next Thursday and Friday uh to get this all hammered out and so we can have this for the next board meeting agenda. And based on what I think you asked for, uh the plan is Here's what staffing looks like with the levy in place. And here's what it here's bare bones what what it h what it what it needs to look like if we have to cut. What I had asked Maria for was the staffing we have now, the staffing we've currently reduced, the staff we currently won't be replacing, and the staff that will be eliminated in

083the event the levy fails. Right. And that's what we're working on. It takes a little bit of Sorry. CFO grant them. It takes a little bit of time for us to identify those positions because we're trying to make sure um one it's easy with resignations and retirements to to identify that, but we're trying to determine what needs to be replaced um and all of that. The other thing that we're doing is right sizing, whatever you want to call that. Um it's not right sizing. What am I trying to say? So if a building has 30 custodial hours and another building has 10, I want to make sure that we're equitable on how we're balancing it. Same thing with noon duties, things like that. So that's part of what we're looking at and that's why there's

084so many stakeholders involved in the second meeting is so that we're we're making sure that we're equitable across the board based on the building versus um you need so many custodians based on square footage. It's not necessarily based Yeah. So, we're looking at that so that we're operating appropriately. We have some bigger buildings that have less custodial hours than some smaller buildings. So, we need to fix that. Um, and so that's part of this process as well that we're going through. So, there has been a lot of work that has been done on this already. Um, the fun the fund is trying to make sure all the pieces of pie go together and that everything's covered that needs to be covered. So we're we're that's what the additional meetings at the end of next week

085after next week next week Thursday will allow us to finalize and that will then in turn allow me to finish my position control and then budget projections based on the positions that are in there. So of course that's all tenative because the board hasn't discussed if it didn't pass who would go who would stay blah blah blah. And I mean, yeah, we just don't know where we would be. I mean, we haven't had that discussion. So, we did, and I'm operating off of currently what was discussed as part of the levy. So, as far as right, total positions, we know that it roughly equates to 25 teacher positions. So, we know that we've got to somehow identify what buildings can give up those 25 teacher positions if the levy doesn't pass. So, that's part of

086this work. So, some of that has been identified. people may not have been identified. We have to go through a whole process with that if that's the case. But I'm building two budgets based on the scenarios based on what information is out to the community on what we're cutting regardless because of the $2 million in cuts and then what that 7.5 million looks like as well. If so, I I will have the two for you um in the event that the levy passes or doesn't pass. Yeah. And then based on what the state did to me yesterday, I will have four budgets for consideration. It's ridiculous. Oh, education. [Music] Okay. Um, can we move on from the staff wages spreadsheet or Yeah. Can we can we just make sure that when we do these schedules

087that we have any stipened information is in a separate it'll be separate separate schedule. I want to see like teachers and classrooms and so my plan um will be very similar to the information that Corine did. I I was planning on doing position control anyway this year. I don't think I was at the board meeting that you requested this, but that was my plan all along. So, my plan is to bring you um position control by the positions and where they fall and then how that carries over to the building. So, you can see total hours by building by if they're certificate, pupil services, administration, and classified the the state categories essentially. So I'll be it'll be very very clear what percent FTE you're approving for those how many people are in that. It'll it'll

088it's very clear. Cool. Thank you. All that doesn't have much to do with individuals. Correct. You can you can you can attach names to them but the schedule should actually not have so the schedule will not have names attached to it but it'll be based off of a pivot table that has the names in there. I am planning on potentially adding a couple vacancies um that we know we may need to fill. The one of the things that I'm thinking about is a par pool because we never know how many pairs we need and I would like to build in a little buffer based on what we currently have and what our cuts will be because if we have a student that comes in that requires a one-on-one, I I need to be able to

089hire we need to not I I guess the collective I um but we need to be able to hire them. Um, and how we've been explaining this to our district administrators is what's approved by the board with this position control is what we're held to. So, if you're holding me to 30 hours of custodial at Apple Elementary, for example, if they need more custodial hours because they had an enrollment increase, we come to the board and say, "We need more custodial hours." You approve it and then we post for that. Um, so that is the goal of this is to make sure that we're not obligating fund balance without board approval and that we're not going above and beyond the positions that were approved for that fiscal year without board approval. So it's just a

090mechanism to provide that one transparency to the public of how many positions we truly have, what FTE they are, and then you automatically know this is a position I approved and that's why it's on here for your approval as part of the monthly HR stuff that you're approving. So that is the goal of it. Um that's what we're working towards. That's what we will enact for next year. Um, but we do want to build in, like I said, a little bit of vacancy again with approval, but we will have to act quickly on some of those positions if we have a placement. So, that's that's the goal and I will be able to highlight that for you where that is. The only place that I really intend to do that is with the Paris just

091because that's a an unknown quantity until we have official enrollment. It changes all it does. So, is there anything else I can provide on that other than the items that you asked for, Trustee or Chair Thompson, Trusty D? This is good. [Music] Anything else from anybody else? Next, we have the quarterly heritage health data you were provided with. [Music] any conversation or whatnot on that data. Um, last is the Ron Clark Academy. Um, I just asked for this to be put on the board the agenda so that the board could be brought up to speed about what the Ron Clark Academy is and what we're doing within our buildings. Over Easter break, I started getting emails because um the Ron Clark Academy program um apparently is being implemented and parents were concerned because of its

092association with SEAL and um DEI and not knowing anything about what's going on can't really answer intelligably. So um I brought it to Lisa and I appreciated what she shared and I think it's beneficial for us all to have that information. So, I didn't even think to bring this to the board because it's not a program and it's not a curriculum. Um uh Jen Ryder um Kelsey and I attended the um annual administrators conference in Boyisey last August and the person who run Clark himself was the keynote speaker and he talked about his experiences in education and he started in rural North Carolina in a very poor county in a school that had historically had the lowest test scores. in his first year of teaching there, he had the highest test scores in fifth grade

093in the county. Um, and one of his third grade teaching colleagues came to him and said, "What what are you doing?" So, he taught her. And then the next year, he still had the highest test scores in fifth grade, and she now had the highest test scores in third grade in in this county. And so, he he thought to himself, "It works here in a rural setting. I wonder if this works in a an urban setting. So he went from rural North Carolina to Harlem. And um right away realized that before he could really teach anything to the kids, he had to teach them how to respect one another and how to respect himself or him. And so he came up with his essential 55, which is the book he um eventually wrote. And um

094in his first year in Harlem, he had the highest test scores again. So, we're constantly striving to increase student achievement and I wanted to know what is it that you're doing that is getting these test score these results. So, I went to u Mr. McDougall um because uh he's worked with that staff um in the last two years they've been laser focused on student achievement and and everything that he has done has been about that and so I felt like they were if there was anything to gain from this they were the group that was most ready to benefit. So this was a professional development opportunity. Um when Ron Clark wrote the book The Essential 55, um he used the proceeds from the book to buy an abandoned warehouse in Atlanta and built his school.

095Um it is a private school, but most of the kids who attend there are attending on scholarship because he is in inner city Atlanta. Um and he built it to be a lab school. So teachers from all over the world come and watch the teachers teach. So the two things that Chris's team brought back were they they teach to the highest functioning student in the classroom. Instead of teaching to the middle or even dropping the bar and teaching to the kids who are struggling, they teach up here and then they provide the supports um to get everybody up there. And that's that's one of the things they do. So they got to watch that in action. Um, and the other piece of that is kids learn best when kids are in school. And so, um,

096they they came back with, um, they were very excited about some of the things that they're doing around just incentivizing kids coming to school. And so, one of the things um that they do is that is the house system, which I love because I'm a huge Harry Potter fan and I I wish that I would have gotten a letter to Hogwarts when I was 11, but I didn't. Um, and so they have a house system and uh, so the kids were sorted at Timberlake Middle School right before spring break. They were so excited. I was there. I got to participate and um, they're already seeing an increase in attendance. Um, because there's this this uh, connectivity. Um, so it's sixth, seventh, and eighth graders in the same houses. And so there's built-in peer mentoring um,

097and has the ability to build friendships with people that you wouldn't normally even associate with because you're you're not on the same schedule in your day. Um and so the houses meet periodically and we do have people from Timber Lake Middle School here to kind of answer questions at the board meet. Um they get to kind of together decide what um activities they're going to do. So um each of the four houses at Timberlake Middle School will be doing community service projects and um so Shannon that was why Shannon went with us to the chamber meeting that we went to um asking if Bay View had any um need of uh service from kids who were sixth through 8th grade age. She kind of reminded them, remember these are like 12 to 14 year olds.

098Um and right away somebody said, "Well, we have a community garden and we need a lot of help just raking and meeting and getting it ready." And so, um Shannon, they gave her business card. Shannon is working with them to to So, one of the houses will do that. Um, I ran into um Jennifer Emory, one of our teachers there um last week, and asked her how it was going, and she told me that um they have an eighth grade young lady who has really struggled all year to be in school regularly, and she's not missed school since she was put into her house. And um the the first week back she brought 88 cupcakes with red frosting for all of her red house friends um to share. And um so there's a lot of

099energy and excitement. the staff um is it loves the energy and actually um some of the instructional strategies that they learned when they were in Atlanta, they came back and implemented and it was those instructional strategies that helped them get that $10,000 grant from the state of Idaho to um support uh our ISAT scores. So, um, one of the first things that, um, Chris did with his staff was they did a book study on the essential 12 at 55 and then together they came up with the essential 12. So, this is Mr. McDougall. Um, this and so the essential 12, just so you know, make eye contact during discussions, respect other students comments, opinions, and ideas. Always say thank you when given something. Answer all written questions with complete sentences. Be as organized as possible

100protocols. After dining in the cafeteria, be responsible for your trash. If anyone is bullying you, tell someone and don't bully others. Be positive and enjoy life. Learn from your mist your mistakes. Be the best person you can be. And no matter the circumstances, always be honest. So um we had done as a admin team book study on one of his books called Move Your Bus. And that one asked us to really think about the people we work with and and talk about are is are they runners? Like are they Johnny on the spot? Anytime something needs to be done, they're there and ready to go. Are they joggers? Um are they walkers or are they riders? Are do we have people that were dragging along that are kind of keeping us from being the best

101that we can be? Um and that sparked a lot of really good conversation in several of our buildings. Um so we have elementary schools that would like to um get the training get get the training on the instructional side of it and then implement um the same things that typically middle schools implementing. So it's not a program. There is no curriculum. There is curriculum but we're not using it but there is curriculum and it is a program. So please do not say that it's that's misleading. It is a program and there is curriculum. So, and it is seven mindsets of learning solutions. I I read it. I looked at the scope and sequence, everything about it. And one of their big things is to tie in community trust. And I wondered how much this influenced

102the ads were running because you said it was a trust building relationship. And that's what what he's big on is making sure that the community buys into it also. You can't just get the students to buy into it. So there is there is curriculum you we might not be implementing it in the classroom but there is curriculum and is a program I mean the parents already know that you know so but we're not I guess we're not imp we're not implementing we are not implementing a program all we're doing is looking at some of the instructional strategies that teachers went and learned about which we do all the time through professional development and then um and then the h the house system and we don't have to use his house system. We can we can

103make our own. And actually Dane James did that so that we're not using his system and he um just because that's who DNE is and that's what he does. Um so uh Mike Minty and Shannon Ryder are is there a cost to implementing um the Ron Clark uh suggested suggestions? Um the the the only cost if you're running the house system and you're using Ron Clark the Ron Clark um method method there well their their house names and stuff there is an app that you can use that and it's you don't have to um but uh Chris is one to two and the app just um it's like it's the house point so there's there's Timberlake Middle School has a TV in their commons and you can just uh show that oh the red house

104has this many points and the blue house has this many um and students earn points and you can use the points to incentivize the things that you're looking for. So, if we're having a kind of a a slide in kids bringing their homework back, then you the teachers can say, "Okay, we're giving house points this week for um every student who brings her homework back on time." Or, um, uh, if they're if we're really working on um, uh, kindness toward each other, then it's whatever it is they're working on. Um, but the allows you to give the points and put them on the screen. So, that's the part that Dne has kind of um built on his own. What's the cost of the app? $1,800. Is that per year? Per year. Okay. So, if we

105um because Dne did it, but Chris had already um sorted his houses um uh any new schools would go to Dne's version of this. So, not the same. we can't obviously we can't use the same names. Um and so Dne came up with uh Latin names that he felt like our community members would embrace. So um one is virtue, the Latin word for virtue and the other one was the Latin word for liberty. And I can't remember what the other two are, but um he did an awesome job. So why did you keep the same house names? Yeah, you've already sorted. for Timberlake Middle School. Do you do you mind if I No, just piggy back. So, Shannon Ryder, principal assistant at Timberlake Middle School. Um, I wanted to just kind of piggy back on

106everything that Lisa said. She outlined it so well. um and just say this really has helped us bridging the gap with trying to implement PBIS um at the middle school level where at the elementary I know they have um different systems like class dojo the app where you know if my fifth grader gets a point in class I I get notified right away that's trickier for us to do at the middle school so um that's where the app we just started trying to figure that out but we're hopeful um because it just allows us when I walk through a classroom if I notice has three or four kids doing something exceptional, I can give them a point. So then they'll know about it, but then it automatically tells their parents. So right now when I

107do that, I go into a classroom, I see four exceptional students, then I come back, I write them a tiger ticket, then I find, okay, what class are they in now? Then I go find them, give it to them. Um, and then I come back, look up their parents emails, and email them. So it just helps us to streamline that process. Um, and then we we just have noticed so much engagement with our students, with their families, with the teachers. They're really excited. Um, and it just gives every student a way to belong in a smaller way than a whole school and gives intentional relationship opportunities between staff and students. Um, because some kids, you know, some kids play football, some play basketball, some are in the band, but not all. So, we miss some

108of those kids. and we all we have systems in place for making sure that a teacher has had an intentional conversation with a with a student but this has really helped helped with that. My vice principal at the middle school I know for me even as the assistant principal um my behaviors are way down um attendance is way up and one of the things that we come back from this was engagement. We wanted our teachers with really with that engagement, but the the way that kids are now engaged and again like Mr. Mayor said, we're we're reaching now, it feels like 100% of our student body, whereas before those wallflower kids, those kids that might not have been involved in in things are feeling like they belong to something and they're really coming out of

109their shell. And it's so nice to see those kids really getting involved in what we have up there because again, we just we love our school and we we think we're doing really well up there. So for those kids to really come out of their shells and be part of the environment and grades are going to go up, attendance is up, all that kind of stuff. And again, that's what we want. What's best for kids, this is it. Thank you. Thank you both. Thank you. Any other conversation on the wrong academy? Um, I do have to say something because so what I the feedback I got the parents felt very blindsided that an SEL this is how it came to me. what were we doing incorporating seal? We thought we got rid of seal. Didn't

110you guys say no in the district? Blah blah blah. The community felt very blindsided once again like something was implemented that they didn't know anything about or understand what it was, you know? So, that was one of the reasons I looked into it and brought it up because I was I didn't know anything. I didn't even know what the heck they were talking about. It took me forever to even find the guy, you know. Um, so that's why that's why I brought it up. They just felt like, you know, so we can change the name so they're more acceptable to the community and we can build a house outside of their own house and a family at school outside of their own family. You know, that's that's feedback I got. So it wasn't they weren't

111they just felt like they were out of the loop once again. you know, they they feel really um getting to the point where their voice doesn't matter anymore, you know, and we just I mean, I can only combat it so much. So, I'm just letting you know what the feedback is I'm getting and they they weren't happy about it. So, I don't know. Please principal at Twix Elementary. We are also following along with that um house system so that if a kindergarter gets selected at twin and goes to Timberlake, then they stay in that same house from kindergarten through 8ighth grade. And before I went ahead and started doing this, I started serving my parents and asking them, hey, do you have any concerns? What when this is this is where we're going? Because in

112elementary, what we're going to do is have two monthly meetings for an hour during lunch. One will be a celebration of students and one is team building activities. For instance, um working in a group to build the biggest tower with um pasta and marshmallows. So that they did and it gives our fifth, third, fourth and fifth graders ambassadorship opportunities to work with our kinder, first and second. But I I recognize that those are concerns. But I just want you to know there are many community members from my school who are super excited about it. So glad to have and I'm sure that's true. But I feel I feel I have an obligation to the people and a lot of times they won't come say anything to you or to the superintendent, but they'll tell me.

113And these are parents have positively told me. So I wanted you to have that information, too. That in both my last two um PTA meetings, um I've had several parents who are super excited and they want to they can't wait because the kids don't know yet. The staffs have been sorted, the kids are going to be sorted and so they're really excited. So thank you. system water bottles and everything. House of revert. All right. Um, anything else? Um, the wrong clerk. Okay. Uh, there's no action items. We have our dates to remember. Policy committee is tomorrow. We have town hall next Wednesday. Uh policy committee Thursday, town hall Wednesday the 30th. Um policy committee the 1st. The legislative road show is coming up on May 2nd at the Cordelane Casino. Okie do. um after 12.

114Uh and then we have uh the optional board meeting on the 7th of May. Do we have any input for future agenda items? No. On that I need a motion to enter into executive session pursuent to Idaho code 742061B. So moved. Second. We have a motion and a second. We need a roll call vote. Trusty Jones. Trusty Bane. Yes. Chair Thompson, yes. Trusty Quimpy, yes. Vice Chair Gris, yes. It is 8:29 and we will recess for 5 minutes and then come back to the table. All right. So, we've come out of executive session. It is now 9:40. Um, and we will uh take motions. I would like um a motion to approve the superintendent's recommendation for personnel A um pending uh legal counsel's uh direction. Second. We have a motion and a second. All in

115favor say I. I. Any opposed? Hearing none, motion carries. With regards to personnel B, I move that we accept the resignation and release that personal person from their contract. With a heavy heart, I second. We have a motion and a second. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Hearing none, the motion carries. Uh moving on to personnel C. I move that we accept the recommendation. Second. We have a motion and a second. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Hearing none. The motion carries. And on that note, we can go ahead and end uh executive session. It's 9:41.