District 96 Board of Education Special Meeting 05-06-26

001[music] >> Okay, it is 7:00 p.m. So, we will get started. This is Wednesday, May 6th, 2026. This is the Riverside School Board Committee of the Whole / Special Meeting. Um Kathy, could you please call the roll? >> Okay, Mr. Barsotti. >> Present. >> Ms. Galek? >> Here. >> Mr. Olick? >> Here. >> Mr. Hunt? >> Here. >> Ms. Klaps? Here. And Mr. Mierhaeghe? >> Here. >> Okay, motion or quorum is present. >> All right, with that I will welcome Principal Pete Gats for some opening comments. >> Good evening everybody. >> [clears throat] >> As you can imagine, May is quite busy in all the schools. We appreciate all the support that we've had from the board and from the administration all year long. That's our show. We have fourth and fifth grade musical tomorrow

002night. We're very much looking forward to that. >> [snorts] >> A lot of field trips, class picnics, field day, and of course the annual fifth grade clap out is on the last day of school. You know, any of the year assessments give the staff an opportunity to see how much students grew and during the course of the school year. And to evaluate our instruction and see what we can do better the next time around. But, so it's been a great year. Looking forward to a well-deserved summer for staff in all the [snorts] buildings. But, thank you again for your continued support throughout the year. It means a lot. >> Thank you. All right. Kathy, do we have any public comment? Where did she go? She disappeared on me. >> [laughter] >> Okay. All right. With

003that, >> [laughter] >> we will move into our two special meeting agenda items that we have on here for two new contracts. First up is the approval for the Director of Teaching and Learning. So, is there a motion for the Board of Education to approve the 2026-2027 contract for Director of Teaching and Learning to Casmira Gorman as presented? >> So moved. >> Second. >> All right. So, uh I'll just quick thank you to Casmira for stepping in interim here between now and and what is will now be your official role. Um but yeah, this is uh Casmira will be moving from Blythe Park principal into a permanent role as our Director of Teaching and Learning. I don't think there's any other comments we probably really need for this. Anybody have anything before we vote? >>

004She will be missed at Blythe Park, but um glad to see her taking the top job. >> hearing, yeah. So. All right. Uh Kathy, will you please call the roll? >> Okay. Ms. Glaps? >> Aye. >> Mr. Ollick? >> Aye. >> Mr. Barsanti? >> Aye. >> Ms. Kalick? >> Aye. >> Mr. Hunt? >> Aye. >> And Mr. Muirhead? >> Aye. >> Motion passes. >> [applause] >> All right. With that decision vote, uh we need to replace Principal Gorman at at Blythe. So, with that, is there a motion for the Board of Education to approve the 2026-2027 contract for Principal of Blythe Park Elementary School to Christopher Reed as presented? >> So moved. >> Second. >> All right. Um I don't know. Martha, do you want to add any comments? >> um so Chris is here

005uh Chris in in hopes that the contract's going to get approved. I should I'm [laughter] kidding. Uh that's just yeah. But >> [clears throat] >> uh no, Chris is here, went through a really robust interview process. Uh we had a lot of uh I think there were I mean nine [clears throat] of us from Blythe Park in the district office. Um and actually Todd Gierman is our outgoing principal to give us that principal perspective. And uh Chris was a great uh leader in the process and a finalist. And we're really excited to >> [clears throat] >> see Chris's contract approved tonight. Chris is coming to us from Hinsdale District 181, where he served in a pupil service administrator role for the past 8 years, right? Um but he's really been in District 181 uh pretty

006much all of his career. So, um very very excited and just Chris brings a lot of talents and um the kinds of qualities we want in our in our next principal. So. >> Great. Well, with that, um Kathy, will you please call the roll? >> Okay. Mr. >> [clears throat] >> Hi. >> Mr. Barsotti? >> Hi. >> Mr. Hunt? >> Hi. >> Ms. Klapman? >> Hi. >> Ms. Kalish? >> Hi. >> And Mr. Muirhead? >> Hi. >> Motion passes. >> Great. >> [applause] >> And it's all for Chris, like many people who work in schools this time of year may have a lot of other things on your schedule and agenda, so you do not need to stay for the whole meeting, but you're welcome to. >> All right. Okay, let's jump into committee reports.

007First up being education committee. I will hand it over to Mr. Hunt. >> All right. So, last Thursday, the education steering committee, consisting of Martha and myself, we met at the Hauser office because it apparently was her day to be here. >> Yeah. >> Uh so, yes, we met at the Hauser office for roughly an hour and a half or so, and we spoke about advanced learning and Hauser math, and I will uh allow those uh subjects to be expounded upon. >> All right. And we're going to introduce Kasmira Gorman to come over and talk with us about advanced learning. I think everyone's aware that this is work that has been in process that we've been working with the Northwestern Center for Talent Development. Kasmira was part of the committee work, um and has jumped

008in to really lead, and uh brought herself up to speed with Northwestern and with the committee, and uh absolutely [clears throat] has been part of the leadership of that team all along. So, I said I have this vision that Kasmira has jumped into the deep end of the swimming pool both feet, and she is swimming really fast and we really appreciate her collecting all the pieces and continue to keep us on track with all of this important work. >> Well, thank you for having me today. Um I have a advanced learning presentation um ready for you. This was actually something that I prepared for our staff um just in the sense that advanced learning is it's a it's a complex beast in in school systems. It's layered, [clears throat] it you know, goes across grade

009levels and like elementary to junior high uh math and reading um placement criteria um evaluation processes. Uh and so there's just a lot of changes and a lot of things that um I hope that you'll find are good changes for our district. Um but I thought that maybe it was easier to share the same presentation with you so that you could hear what the staff heard a couple days ago. >> Hi everyone. The advanced learning team has been hard at work to develop programming that effectively meets the needs of our student population. The plan we have developed is comprehensive with several distinct changes. So I thought it would be best to walk you through the changes that will take place over the next two school years. This slide reviews information presented at the March Committee

010of the Whole meeting. During this meeting, discussions included broadening the identification process as well as service model changes for fourth and fifth grade advanced ELA and fourth grade accelerated mathematics. From March to May, the district partnered with Northwestern's Center for Talent Development through half-day team sessions and administrative planning meetings. This collaborative effort was sustained by ongoing communication across all levels of staff, including leadership, instructional coaches, specialists, and classroom teachers. This slide provides an overview of the changes for the 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 school year. As you can see in the 2026-2027 school year, we will be broadening access for identification by moving beyond single test scores and using plus indicators to better identify student potential. We will pilot cluster grouping in all third grades, one fourth grade, and one fifth grade. And we will implement a

011year-long fourth grade math acceleration program. ELA enrichment for fourth and fifth grade will move to a five-day week schedule, occurring during the 30-minute intervention block. And third grade math enrichment will also be five days a week, occurring either during core instruction or the intervention block. During the 2027-2028 school year, we will have a full integration model. This includes a 90-minute ELA replacement program with dedicated and aligned curriculum for fourth and fifth grade. Enrichment activities, performance tasks, and projects woven into the general education classroom. And cluster grouping adopted across all third, fourth, and fifth grade classrooms district-wide. The next two slides show you the expanded student qualification profile with multiple plus indicators for our elementary schools and Hauser Junior High. The plus indicators will include rubric scored performance tasks, writing samples, and extended math responses designed

012to capture a fuller understanding of a student's thinking and overall capabilities. Another enhancement includes more intentional implementation of the MTSS diamond. Specifically, we will be developing the enrichment end of the diamond with two service levels, enrichment and enrichment plus. Currently, we have about 40% of District 96 students testing in the 8th in the 80th percentile or above. We address the high performance of our students through level classes at the junior high level. However, at the elementary level, we cannot pull 40% of our students out of the classroom for specialized instruction. This is neither feasible nor best practice. There must be consistent enrichment opportunities offered to these students within the general education classroom. All teachers differentiate learning for their students. However, we know this is challenging when there is a large range of abilities within one

013classroom. We also know that creating enriching lessons that develop deeper understanding or teach skills and knowledge beyond grade level is a time-intensive task. Therefore, the new advanced learning model will involve ready-made resources for teachers and a classroom configuration model that allows for more manageable differentiation practices. This summer and throughout the 2026-2027 school year, a cohort of advanced learning teachers, interventionists, and instructional coaches will use the CKLA curriculum to enrich activities and lessons one level and two levels up. The lessons and activities one level up will be provided to high-achieving students who remain in the general education classroom. The lessons and activities two levels up will be utilized by our highest performing students who are pulled out of the classroom. In the MTSS diamond, the enrichment level will be our high-achieving students within the general education

014classroom. Enrichment plus will be those students who are pulled out of the classroom. Total school cluster grouping is a strategic placement model that organizes students into purposeful cohorts based on learning profile levels. By replacing random assignment with intentional clustering, it narrows the range of student abilities in each room, allowing teachers to provide more targeted and effective instruction for every learner. This is an example of cluster grouping across three classrooms. As you can see, high-achieving students are clustered in one classroom with above-average learners, the next highest level of student being split between the other two classrooms. All three classrooms have students performing at the average level. Two classrooms split students who perform at the low-average level, with one classroom having students who perform at the low level. Special education students are placed across classrooms based upon

015their specific learning needs. English learners may be in one classroom based on their similar learning needs or split between two classrooms if the number of students at that grade level is significant. Of course, special consideration for unique circumstances, such as two students who may need to be apart from one another, will still be given. The goal of this delivery model is to reduce the number of learning levels that are in one classroom while still maintaining a diverse classroom makeup. Cluster grouping based on math performance will remain at the third-grade level with the goal of better preparing more students to qualify for accelerated math at the fourth-grade level. At the fourth and fifth-grade level, cluster grouping will occur based on student performance in ELA. This slide provides an overview of how the identification profile and service

016delivery model will be communicated to all stakeholders throughout the next year. >> So I know that was a lot to take in. It's a lot of information. Um understandably there might be some questions or some feedback. Um so I this time I don't know if there's anything that um needs more explanation or anything that um you want to comment on based on the presentation. >> One one question I had about the new uh new way of grouping students that made me wonder uh I I know sometimes, you know, the benefit of having multiple sections in in a class is that if you're having an issue with one student or another, you know, you may it may be effective that year, but the next year they may be in a different class. So I'm wondering having

017all those similar students grouped together, is that something that might be anticipated in the future? >> Yeah, and it I we do have consideration and as I said in the presentation, when there is a certain situation where students might have to be apart from each other or for other various reasons, we might have to place students um in a different class. I think we would talked about it as like not a perfect science. Um but from the model that you uh you could see that when we have several kids at the average level or several kids at the um above average or low average, all of those students, you know, might be mixed within the classrooms as they go through and progress through the grade levels. So it wouldn't be, you know, the same group

018of kids that will travel with each other every year. Like there would be still that diversity and still that mix. Um yet at the same time just trying to reduce the number of bands that that teacher has within that classroom so that they're not working high high and the low and six or seven ranges in between. We just want them to be able to differentiate and provide um very intentional lessons for those groups in in a way that's that's manageable and very effective for both the teacher and for the student. >> And then also, I guess with the new um not requirements, but I guess what the the indicators I guess. So, we're I think we're anticipating more students to be in let into advanced learning with those indicators changing to what they are, right?

019>> It yes, it should allow it should open up the window for more students to be within either the enrich or enrich plus or the accelerated mathematics. That in combination with the cluster grouping that will hopefully promote students into those classes as well. Uh there is that possibility too with the enrich [snorts] is that we're looking at those students having those opportunities too within the classroom. So, they would still have very intentional um instruction that would be leveled one level up or two levels up. Uh I'm sorry, one level up in the classroom or two levels up outside the classroom. Um their location might be different. So, if a student um possibly did not get into enrich plus and a parent one is concerned about that and says, "Well, I my child needs something more."

020>> Mhm. >> You know, we would be able to show and demonstrate how the student will be able to have enrichment opportunities every day during the intervention block um based on the model that we're proposing now. And those lessons would be very specific, the activities and the performance tasks. So, as they went through the school year, every fourth grade teacher or fifth grade teacher, you know, at every elementary building would have those same enrichment activities and be providing that same type of instruction. And that that consistency is really important across our district, too. >> Mhm. Okay. Do we know, you know, is there a rough idea about how many more, percentage-wise, we're we're talking about the adding in? >> We did look a little bit they when we went uh with uh the Center for

021Talent Development, when they went through our numbers and looked at our students, um it's pretty close to that like 80/20 percent model, um in terms of like how our students would perform. Uh next week we're all doing we're doing our MAP testing and our FastBridge testing, and then the following week the advanced learning team is gathering together and we are going through all the students' data and being able to look and see which students will be qualifying for that. So, I would have better numbers at that time, um but the hope is that it has opened up the window so that more students um are able to access that higher level of learning. >> All right, then one I didn't see it on the slide, but one thing I remember talking with Martha about, and

022hopefully hopefully my memory's correct. I think the idea here is that once you're in the program, you're not testing yourself out at at certain point in the future. >> No, that we're working with students that are at that level, and you know, not just general education teachers, but advanced learning teachers, you know, they they adjust their instruction and modify and provide supports and scaffolds for for students, too. And and we know that as going through through the program, and um what we're also just trying to capture though, especially with that enrich and enrich plus, is we're just trying to capture the just-right model for the student. We want the child to be appropriately challenged and not frustrated, you know, so that we're [clears throat] really trying to be very careful about the type of programming

023they receive so that they thrive and they grow. Um and so that that level and that distinction, hopefully, we'll be able to um with that model be able to get it right more often. >> Mhm. >> I have a question. Um uh the um oh my gosh, what did you call it? I'm so sorry. The school clustering grouping, which I think makes a lot of sense and I feel like might have been the way it was when we were kids in school, but maybe not. Um how are we going to do that at Hollywood though, right? Like cuz if it's only one section, so are the majority of those students in the enriched program going to be assumed to be like the fourth graders will go to Mr. Trimmer's class for math and that's just

024kind of the way it's going to be or how are >> No, the uh the students would end up receiving their if they were in accelerated mathematics, they would still receive their instruction from um the accelerated or the advanced teacher. Um and so we have specialists though, so we do have um math and reading interventionists and we do have the advanced learning teacher. We have a number of people. So if you think about it, all those people that are available, they're always going to go into that classroom because that's the only classroom that's there. So they do get a lot of adults attention and they do get a lot of small group attention with with the specialized teachers just because of that configuration. So in in some ways it's it's in some ways it it

025it it evens itself out a little bit, you know? >> Totally. And then one more question, just the um when the students are doing work enrichment work within the classroom as opposed to being pulled out, is that work in addition to the other work that other students are doing or will it be to take the place of and just kind of enhance whatever's being discussed, but just kind of be like a higher level? >> So it will take place during the intervention block and so what we have talked about, you know, cuz students also uh will enter into like Lexia for like advanced um for ELA and they have to do a certain amount of like minutes. Uh Lexia's predominantly an intervention type of program if they're working in enrichment, they're they might not need

026all of the standards at all that time. So, I has been communicated to teachers that teachers can be flexible with the Lexia minutes that students receive during the week. If they're working in an enrichment group activity or partner activity or independent activity, that that should take priority. Now, the teacher will still be able to monitor the student um when students uh when students advance they're accelerated with math. Math is so linear, right? When you want to get to one step you automatically you you can are prepared for the next step. Whereas ELA different skills develop at different times. So, you could be at the sixth grade level for comparing and contrasting across text, but you could be at a fourth grade level for understanding theme. Um and so, teachers would have to monitor that and

027know this student, yes, is is advanced and ready for something more with this standard, but this standard they should work on Lexia because there might they might be at grade level and needing that refinement or needing that intervention to really secure that standard. So, they have permission to adjust that time for Lexia, but being mindful of like the skills that the student where the student is still performing at grade level. Thank you. >> I have a few questions. >> Sure. >> Um first, thanks for coming in and hitting the ground running with us. I know um you've had a lot on your plate uh pulling this all together over the last couple months and I appreciate um that it's uh we're getting some action behind it. Um Okay, so the first like cluster grouping is

028something that is totally new to me, right? I'm not an educator. If I'm a parent, you know, how do I view this as like what are the pros and cons of this? When you what does the academic research say around why this is a good program? Where Where does it work? Where doesn't it work? >> So, I don't have it too many research about places where it doesn't I can go and look and see if there are things where there are are total cons about it. I haven't from what the Center for Talent Development has shared with us, it's actually a very strong model that that supports specifically our population. What we did notice when we were looking at the data students is that we had students that were performing strongly and they were that

029that next second tier when And so, at the earlier grades, they were performing strongly and then started to teeter off a little bit. And what it was saying is that we weren't necessarily always capturing those students in their best learning. And what total school cluster grouping does, it actually has the most positive effect on that second level of student. So, in the fourth and fifth grade, if you have the enriched plus students that are leaving and having their ELA instruction outside of the classroom, the next level of students are that's that second level and they essentially become the leaders in the classroom. And so, they become the experts, so to say, and we see and they tend through this model tend to see significant growth with that model. That's not to say that the other

030groups don't develop too because once again, you're reducing the number of bands or like learning levels within a classroom so the teacher can more effectively adjust instruction to meet those students' needs. So, I'll look in though. I'll I'll look for articles and dig in a little bit further if there are, you know, articles that say things to be cautious of or to be wary of. I'm just I'm not aware of them right now. >> Okay. >> And then one of the questions mentioned a few districts that we might want to visit that are that are doing this. >> Okay. Um so, in the sample classroom configuration, and I'm not necessarily taking this as finite, but we have all the high-achieving students in one classroom and no above average students in that classroom. And so even

031if those six I would assume are going to be the ones that go off and see the advanced learning teacher, right? There's not that second tier that's going to be you know, the high the highest achievers in the classroom anymore. So, is that accurate? Are those six high-achieving in the cohort that you put together? Like are they actually going off, which leaves the rest of the classroom then with only 18 kids where as all the other classrooms will have 25 kids doing the math and ELA learning? Or am I not reading that correctly? >> So, there is that possibility, but there's also this happening during the intervention block. So, there will also be other students that will leave um for special education services, for EL services, for MTSS services. So, this is that half an

032hour of time where students go into like a small group setting. So, students are moving all over during this time. So, each classroom could possibly have you know, less students than they would during the rest of the course of the day. Does that make sense? >> Um Okay, so this sample classroom configuration though, this is for the entire grade, like all day long these kids are in this classroom configuration, right? It's not just for that enrichment period. Okay. So, like >> So, they're in the So, the other remaining parts of the day they're they're in that classroom. >> They're in that classroom, yeah. But if they're in if they're >> [clears throat] >> one of the top six high-achieving students and they're both in math and ELA now that those programs are completely pulled out,

033they'll spend what, like an hour and a half away from the classroom every day? >> So, we are grouping right now, it's it's a pilot and we're looking at grouping just for ELA in fourth and fifth grade. And so, teachers have done different types of models where during the intervention block maybe for math they'd even switched classes at that point to to um specify the the instruction more um and and I fine-tune it for certain groups of kids. Um but they wouldn't necessarily be cluster grouped for math at that time. Right now, we're just looking at that ELA block and piloting that way. >> Okay. So, next year it will just be for ELA that we're cluster grouping. >> It'll be for third in third grade, we're going to be cluster grouping for math across

034the across the district because we're trying to prepare as many kids to enter accelerated mathematics in the fourth grade. >> Okay. >> Once that starts, we're also going to take one fourth grade, the fourth grade at Blythe, and we're going to take one fifth grade at Ames and we're like the grade level and we're going to pilot cluster grouping there. We're going to see how it works. So, we're we're testing this out to see if this is an effective strategy for our students. >> Okay. I'm still not sure I totally understand it, but I >> It's I trust >> [laughter] >> It's it's complicated. >> That's why I put a whole presentation four times, so I think I get it. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Um >> There's a lot to it. >> Okay. And then

035the other thing that um I wanted to ask you about is um I love that some of the technology that we use allows students learning to be modified, but what I found with um is is that like they still need to be taught, right? Like even if the mid even if the teachers are teaching to the what do we call it? The tier one students in the classroom, right? Like even having somebody off on enrichment doing i-Ready at an accelerated level, like will there will that student be taught be taught by the teacher at that level or will they miss out because they're we have the core teaching to tier one, the advanced teaching to tier three, and then what happens to tier two? >> So so during the intervention block, um that's small that's

036basically a small group instruction time. So essentially a teacher is rotating among groups. And the enrichment lessons and activities that are being prepared by the advanced learning teachers and the coaches this summer, they're they're actual that they're lessons. They're not online. And not not that you cannot cuz you can put lessons online through i-Ready and that will enrich. Um but there will be lessons like specifically where they will be engaging in partner work, they'll be digging into more complex thinking. Um they will be leveled specifically where the students like interacting with them. That teacher might be working with them one you know for 10 to 15 minutes then move to another group and then there might be another group that might be on for math might be on i-Ready at that point. And then every

037day it might be switching and rotating. So that's a small group instruction during that intervention block, that's what typically it looks like. The teacher is giving small group instruction but it's not the same group every day. He or she is rotating among those groups so they're all getting direct attention from the classroom teacher throughout the week. >> Okay. Um and then like in terms of now we're identifying students in third grade who are ready for accelerated math. >> Mhm. >> Um and now that we're moving fourth grade so that way the fourth grade math curriculum is entirely accelerated by a year, right? To the fifth grade curriculum, is that >> There will be an it yes. So it won't be like testing in by unit by trimester or for the year. >> Okay. And so

038basically if you're not identified in third grade as being ready for accelerated math, you might as well forget it until >> No, absolutely not. I think that's How do you How do you bridge that gap then because the fourth graders that are so far ahead if they're in accelerated? >> And I understand that there's there's been several entry points in which students have you know, moved into the accelerated mathematics, you know, not at the fourth grade level or not at the fifth grade level, but even like sixth, seventh, eighth grade as they've gone along. Um It's all about readiness. It's all about providing them that instruction that is at that adjust right level and not frustrating. With mathematics too, it's really important that they receive some of the foundation those foundational concepts in order to

039move forward. I-Ready has developed um enrichment lessons that are built into the programming. Some of it is like through my path and the learning lessons that you can post online, but there's also center activities and complex problem solving activities, the try, discuss, connect partnerships in which kids, you know, delve into a problem together. So, all of those opportunities are readily available and and and resources that teachers currently use right now. And those types of activities help students push forward and move to the next level and so that they might not qualify at the fourth grade level, but they might qualify at the fifth or when they're ready to go to Hauser. It just It's all about development and just really kind of catching them at their just right level and pushing them forward. >> Yeah.

040Okay, that's good to hear. I just listened to the presentation [clears throat] presentation before this and he [snorts] talks a little bit about just like developmental empathy and making sure that, you know, you're not holding kids to high standard or higher standards than they're capable of um at some points in their development and so I know sometimes especially with with children, uh takes them a little bit longer to, you know, get their reading right or or get certain um uh more numeric at a certain point. And so, it's good to hear that we have adjustments in place for that. >> Yeah. And it really is true. I mean, those foundational concepts, they're so critical. And so, I I've known a number of students who maybe like didn't qualify right away at the first level and

041have entered later and have actually gone on to be incredibly strong students because their foundational concepts are are so strong. And um you know, when you you you don't ever want to risk the uh risk missing a foundational concept and having a big gap in learning cuz then when that circles around at a more complicated level, then they don't have that base knowledge to refer back to and that's when we usually see students struggle. >> Okay, that's it for me. Thank you. >> Other questions? >> Uh I'll just add a comment. >> [clears throat] >> I think the biggest thing I always hear is how does a student qualify? And I think just with these charts, as you say you're preparing to talk with parents and um what you have at the end here, like

042the recording of the presentation, the presentation to families and parents, and you're probably going to get a lot of questions like what Selena just asked plus more would be my guess. The plus indicators for the most part, I think make sense to me um other than the the rubrics. So, are these rubrics rubrics we are creating or are they like standard rubrics or what how does that look when like teacher feedback, writing samples? >> That's a good question. So, when I uh I spoke earlier about the advanced teachers and the coaches and interventionists working together this summer to develop these level one up level two up curric- um curriculum. And then we're starting with the ELA right now. So, what they will also develop is they will develop lessons on an ELA type of performance

043task and a mathematics performance task that is rubric based. This will be given to all the students um at that grade level at approximately the same time. All the teachers will be using will administer that uh performance task, will grade it on the same rubric. And they will also hold on to a copy of like the child's performance. And so at the end of the school year, if we [clears throat] need to go to a plus indicator, we felt that was a better reflection of what a child can do, right? It Are they able to you know, think outside the box? Are they able to um synthesize information and create something new? And so we thought that that would be a better approach than just simply using the snapshot test score. And so the test

044scores are still there and they're still part of it, but we didn't want to make that the only part of it. >> Yeah. So it's not a formal assessment, but there's more of an assessment component to grading the the work that the student is doing. So it's more it's not just like, oh I feel like this student is ready. It's they have checked these boxes in addition to all these other things. So Yeah, okay. Okay. Yeah, I think that'll My guess is just at least from the questions I get, the how does somebody qualify? That that's always the biggest one that I get. >> And there's also the the teacher feedback. And a teacher feedback, you know, can never keep a child out, but they can't keep a child can a child in. And we

045also know like the teacher has worked with that child all year. Like there's probably no one better that can attest to how that student thinks and how that student learns and performs in the classroom than what the teacher sees on a daily basis. >> Yeah. >> So we felt that was a really important indicator as well. >> Well, especially like test anxiety or, you know, maybe you're just tired or maybe you're just not into it or I mean there's so many reasons why you might on that particular test, map, or whatever it is, not do as well as as as you could. So having just these other indicators there to kind of balance it out is is good. >> 100%. Okay, sorry. One more for me. >> Sure. >> Um will parents be receiving a

046>> [clears throat] >> any kind of matrix this summer? And like what what like in terms of communication to parents, what are we expecting? >> That's a good question, too. So, that we were just talking about that today at DLT. So, the my hope and goal is that after we have done this assessment of all the students' scores, um and we know the students who have automatically [clears throat] qualified and we start to look at some of these plus indicators for all the other students. At that same time to develop something on on our website that has very a very clear timeline of how um this process goes through the school year and how we qualify for elementary and how we qualify for Hauser. Um that communication piece and then we talked about ways that

047we can make sure that parents get that communication piece, they're aware of that communication piece before, you know, at the tail end of the school year, you know, and let them know that this this is there, this is on the website, this basically says how students have qualified for it. If a student does qualify, they will get specific notification. Any new student that has qualified for the programming, I should clarify that, will get specific communication sent to their home saying that they've qualified for this communication. If um there is a parent that like questions that or wants, you know, or has an appeal, on that website there will also be that appeal information. And we want to make sure parents have all of those tools just depending on however uh the results of their child's

048assessments go. And so that they they they're either aware of the child receiving accelerated or advanced programming in the fall or if they questioned the process that they have a way to um appeal that decision. >> And so, will they be will [clears throat] it be both a notification of that your student will be pulled out to a separate classroom, and then also like the advance will you be notified advance or and advance plus or will you only be notified advance plus? >> Right now, we thought that we we would be notifying enrich plus that the pull out program. If parents quite, you know, did question and wanted to know more, then I think that's a great time to to start to explain the MTSS diamond to them to to be have those personal conversations

049about how these enrichment opportunities are going to be provided to students in the classroom, um, and the understanding about, you know, just why that [clears throat] would be a good model based on our demographics and based on how many students are high performing in our district. >> Okay. So, you'll basically be for for parents who believe their child may have qualified for enrich plus, there will be no communication to them. Instead, those parents will need to reach out to you, and then you'll you will potentially tell them, well, yes, your child will be in enrich in enriched, sorry. >> Like, did anybody that they would have enrich opportunities in your tier two? >> We're using too many different words here. >> [laughter] >> The enrich plus will have because they >> You're notified. They would

050have they would have notification because they would be being pulled out of the classroom for that. >> But, enrich you won't be notified. So, then it's up to the parent to come to ask you if [snorts] >> like hopefully that communication, um, drafting pieces of it right now that will be on the website and that that push out to like, you know, to check this, to read this, to understand this. That explanation about what will be offered to the student in the classroom, um, will be communicated to them. Um, it's just like we are said I like in in earlier in the presentation, it's we're 40% that are 88% higher or above. That's almost half of our population. So, um, in that sense like we really do have to service one of those kids within

051the classroom. >> Totally. And I I I totally understand that, but it's typically the the the parents who are in the tier two that are like the most uh like interested and like gosh, I it seems like we're so close. You know, and are doing the the outreach, um I think. And so um I didn't know if it would Well, let me >> potentially benefit you. >> Let me bring that back to like our district leadership team for further conversation about that. Cuz that might be a benefit for, you know, in terms of like making parent parents feel and like understand like my children my child is getting exactly what they need, you know, and having these opportunities. Cuz I I understand what you're saying. >> Yeah, we really started on this process this year

052with two clear goals to accomplish this year and one was the identification piece and the other was the communication piece. That we know that the process has felt sometimes very clouded, not transparent enough. Just just not clear. I guess all those words mean the same thing. But um so we'll we'll look at that. We'll certainly use feedback that we get from all of you, but also from our parent community. I mean, we've seen districts do it different ways. It's sort of inform everybody of their child's learning profile in some formal way and roll you know, inform just when there's a more of a pull out situation that's being set up. That happens true with our also with our reading specialist and math interventionist, social work, other things. So certainly take all that into consideration. >>

053Yeah, maybe suggestion [clears throat] you take it for what you want. I'm not the expert here, but maybe having some of the markers of like where the decision points are might help. Cuz I'm just I'm looking at the the plus indicators thing and we got 92% is automatic, but I think kind of going to what Selena is saying is I don't really know what tier two is, like where that starts, where it ends. I I don't know if you want to put hard lines out there, but that something around just what each of these tiers means might be helpful. >> Yeah, I think I think that that's the that's the landing on a real tricky part right there because that's what the plus indicators were trying to like >> Yeah. >> have that with the

054like right, we're not trying to like make it that hard line, you know, because we do know that there are students that can demonstrate like higher levels of thinking and more complicated you know, complex thing um thought and being able to do things and but it's not showing necessarily on a percentage of a test score. So, I think that's where we're trying to be a little bit um open with that criteria. >> Yeah, I was just thinking with cuz >> I know what you're saying though. I understand. >> Yeah, cuz like math and ELA you have 88th well, I guess that needs two plus indicators 88th and 89th percentile. So, is that where like the top of tier two is? Is that why that needs two plus indicators or that's just sort of where I'm

055thinking is if these bands I it's a tricky thing. I'll let you figure it out and you can have it. I think that's where we struggle as parents is we just don't really kind of know the the transition between each of these things within the diamond. So, we just need to reach out to the teachers but like if I think if I don't know if this is what you're trying to say but like if I know that my child's in tier two and then I can work with the teacher on like, okay, what does that mean? Like are they at the bottom of tier two, at the top of tier two? Should we be doing extra curriculars at home or whatever it might be? Um I think that is that kind of what you're trying

056to get at? I know that's where I've kind of struggled myself with folks of just where is where's that line to say you're doing better than average but you're not quite at the top of the you know, into tier three. >> I was I think that like more communication is helpful for parents um especially parents who are willing to help their kids at home or if their if like if you if you have the feeling that your child is not being challenged, but you don't know what it takes for them to get challenged because there's no clear um >> Yeah. >> There's no clear like definition. I think that that can be frustrating for parents. Um but I think, you know, the um I think it's also frustrating. Like if you see if you're if

057you're a parent, and I I get that we have we have the luxury of having 40% of our students are testing into the 80th percentile, but if your child is in the 89th percentile, you think, "Gosh, out of 100 kids in this district, my child is number 11. Like, why aren't they in advanced?" Um and so I I I think that uh in terms of just the numbers, it's it seems like um that we just need to be maybe opening up more resources and um and for for parents to know that their child that their child like if they are in that scenario, that their child is actually being more resourced with with enrichment in the classroom. [clears throat] Like, I think, "Why wouldn't you want to tell them that?" >> So, that will be

058I I will We'll talk about with DLT. I will bring back to the committee and we'll see how we want to, you know, phrase that and like make sure that, you know, parents feel good about that level of learning um so that I hear you. I I told I completely understand what you're saying. You want you know, parents want to feel like reassured that their child is receiving exactly the things that they need to move forward. >> Yeah. I'll repeat what Selita said earlier. I'm still not 100% sure I understand the cluster model, but I don't need to as long as it's communicated to me what that means and what my child's getting and what I can do to support it, I'm good with that. So. >> And just And we we are piloting, right?

059So, we're we're we're testing it out. You know, it was something that was recommended to us from the Center of Talent Development as a as a really good model um for it. Um Grove and other like districts that we're aware of. >> feel this the other way? >> Mhm. And then um Orland, they're also all these schools pilot uh not [clears throat] pilot, but utilize cluster grouping. Um so, we can take field trips there and kind of see what what it looks like in action. >> I trust that it's the right thing to do. All right. As you can tell, this has been a hot topic for some time within the district, as you already knew, I think. Uh so, thank you very much for for jumping in and and taking this over and uh

060getting us to a finish line where we can start putting it in action next year and see what we need to do from there. So, thank you. >> Thank you. >> You stay here with the Hauser math. Is Chris and Katie going to come over or Chris? >> [clears throat] >> Another aspect of our work that has been in process for a while, so thanks for Chris, Katie, and Kismara for gathering up the pieces and where the team um has been working and bringing this to all of you. >> Right. So, this is the the Hauser math curriculum and personnel considerations. I believe we're starting with personnel. Um this slide just looks to add um class size and curriculum considerations. And as you know that we know we keep an eye on our enrollment trends

061since um it's a priority to maintain effective class size and to ensure that every student um has the tools and individual individual attention that they need um to succeed in the classroom. >> Yeah, so I'm part of that um with the help of our tech department, we created this graphic, um which probably looks very confusing to you guys. Um as far as the years, but if you kind of follow across the top, you can see our current eighth graders are graduating class of 2026 in a couple weeks here. Um you can see the yellow indicates years that they entered Hauser. Um so a couple things that we want to point out with this, so you can see their sixth grade years in yellow, their seventh grade year in December 2024 is following next in that

062top row. Um and then December 2025, so this is summer uh their year uh their number of 213 students that they'll graduate in the spring. Um so what we wanted to point out with that trend is that as students get to Hauser, this number has been increasing. So there's a a general increase that we've noticed as kids come from fifth to sixth grade as well as what as they move from sixth to seventh grade. Um there's a few exceptions, but generally we're usually the average that I like to give out is about 200 students, which plus or minus a couple seems to be pretty accurate. Um and then uh that that's growing, too, as we're coming in. So sometimes when you're planning in June, you think you're planning for 190 students and you come back

063by the time classes start and maybe a few days after you have a couple more move-ins, you're at 210, right? So that can be um challenging to plan for with our current model. So that was what um this looked like. Any questions about that? Does that look okay? Make sense? Okay. Um so then in addition to that, the challenges that we have with scheduling for that, um each class is unique, right? So it would be really easy to sit there and say you have eight sections of math per grade level, take about 200 kids, divide it by that, should have 25 kids in every class, right? Um but people, students are much more than just those numbers, right? So they all come in with specific needs, right? Some of them have IEPs, 504s, advanced learners.

064Um and then we don't always have those periods scheduled throughout the day. So, that can create these pathways where a student needs to be in a specific first and second period class, a second a specific seventh and eighth period class, um, and then if you think about it, every number that goes above that, classes get a little bit bigger, right? So, every number of those students that have a specific need and need to be in a specific math class or a different class that could affect that placement. Now, every number that goes above that general average, um, is going to just there's not a place to put all those kids, right? Like so, those those numbers can fluctuate, um, a lot higher, um, plus or minus in either direction, right? So, um, and we can

065we're going to take a look at how that looks on individual classes on the next slide as well. Um, so, having Yeah, perfect. Thank you. >> Yeah, I should have answered like, "No, you're doing great. Thank you." We work very well together. [laughter] >> Um, so, this is just on average, you can kind of see, um, and these sixth grade numbers, we have a little caveat to sixth grade numbers. Uh, we were very lucky that our student support coordinator, uh, Mr. Aducci, um, you know, is uh, teaching a sixth grade math class. Um, so, kind of modified job responsibilities for that. Uh, but that really helped us out with our sixth grade numbers this year cuz that's a a very large class that kind of snuck up on us here. Um, so, that is the

066only section. Hauser has nine sections of math teachers, so, they're a little bit more [snorts] balanced. Um, and then if you start to look down the list, you kind of see kind of what I was talking about, those fluctuations, how seventh grade is an incredibly small math class in general, uh, compared to the other classes. Um, but you can see that some of those class sizes are a little bit higher, right? Which leads to lower unbalanced class sizes. And then you look at eighth grade, which is a very large class, um, for our consideration. Um, and you can see that their numbers get get even bigger as they go along. >> And this is purely just math, just a >> Yep. Yeah, we're focusing on Yeah, specifically on math, right? [clears throat] Um And what's

067unique about math is And over the years things have fluctuated with teachers and their endorsements, right? So, some of our ELA teachers also help out and teach a Spanish class, right? So, even though we technically don't have a ninth like designated teacher for ELA. Um we have nine ELA sections at 6th and 7th grade. So, that helps out. That's why we're kind of focusing on math. But, it was just kind of one of those kind of just attrition of teachers that like kind of left for other professions, right? Um and maybe math is just more specialized unless people have that endorsement. Um but, just over the time with the teachers that have been around, we've been able to have more ELA teachers that kind of branch over into different subjects. Um and just we done

068it up with a little bit of less math teachers in in regards to that, right? Or not less, I should say, but just that's kind of the difference of why we're just focusing on math now. >> So, by endorsement, you're referring to on top of their their undergraduate degree, correct? >> Yeah, so every you know, teachers in middle school, they have to have a certain amount of undergraduate coursework in order to teach math, science, social studies, ELA, whatever that may be. >> Yeah, middle school endorsements follow almost like a very high school, you know, like exactly what Chris said. You might be only endorsed to teach math, social studies, and that means you're not to be assigned to ELA or you're not you know, so middle school, when you're studying to be a middle school

069teacher, you essentially pick the areas that you want to specialize in and those are the areas you can endorsed in. >> Correct. And over the years we've had teachers that have taught science and math and a teacher that taught ELA and science and then just with kind of how the the chips have kind of gotten on the table, right? Um with those teachers leaving, you know, what, we've had to pull a math teacher or teachers now just all science, right? Cuz in the ELA teacher left and then we have a different ELA teacher. So it's just kind of how it's kind of all unfolded. >> I don't know if you want other professions, Chris. I'm thinking that we have a principal and an assistant principal and a student support coordinator that are all math indoors.

070>> [laughter] >> Oh, I didn't mean like other professions. I meant like other professional opportunities. Some are teaching, some are you know, I didn't mean that. >> I I know. I'm I could have >> [laughter] >> said it looking like this is part of what we did. We're like, [clears throat] yeah, that's true. >> Um so the idea is this would bring our total our total to nine math teachers. It's going to give us three designated math teachers at a grade level. Um currently our advanced math teachers kind of split um amongst the grade levels. So they'll teach like two sections of a sixth grade and an eighth grade, two sections of a seventh and an eighth grade, um which again causes a lot of scheduling um >> [clears throat] >> kind of scheduling conflicts

071uh for them. So by making an even three at each grade level team that that creates those pathways, they're less restricted. So it's it makes scheduling a lot easier. It ensures there's a lot more flexibility. Um In addition, it just facilitates this common grade level planning, right? So that gives them that designated time. They're all off on the same time. They can all collaborate. Um it's going to make differentiation for for people a lot easier. >> I think what was most compelling that Chris had shared with me is the this nine sections of ELA and we have eight of eight of math. And so and and you explained well how how that happened, but people being multiply endorsed and being able to assign people in more flexible ways. And that is the ideal is to

072be able to have middle school teachers that maybe have multiple areas they could teach. So when you have some need to adjust class sizes, you can. But math seems to be a specific need. >> Yeah. I will say the the thing that strikes me is just getting close to 30 kids in a class. That's that is a lot. >> Any questions on that presentation? >> So, one of the things um and we can maybe talk about after we talk about the curriculum piece is that um [clears throat] we do have a math opening because we have uh had a resignation in middle school math, but as Chris is starting to interview Chris and Katie are interviewing it's whether or not they would be looking for two math teachers or one math teacher. So, and we've

073talked about this before with personnel that sometimes we get into the if there's board direction, right? To allow Chris to go ahead and seek that out then the formal board action would come through a personnel report approval of an actual person being hired into the position or we could bring it back for board action around a determination to sort of allow there to be one more slot if that makes sense, one more FTE. So, let's talk about the curriculum and then maybe all those things will come together. >> Okay, so next up is we're looking at middle school mathematics review. And so this was the slide that was shared with you at the March COW meeting. Um and it just shows the timeline of events. Um so while Hauser has stayed current with Carnegie's latest

074releases, um they've also reached a point where it's just necessary to review the resources. Um this year they weighed Carnegie's impact against um other um programming possibilities. And this meant just vetting several mathematics programs and alternatives and successfully then they trialed um a unit of Ed Gems um to see if it better aligned with their students' needs. And so what came of the discussions was that um obviously Carnegie has a very strong theoretical base. We we've known that since we we adopted um Carnegie several years ago. Um what teachers were sharing is that they would um often have to scaffold or bring in supplemental materials to help students access um the instruction and access the learning. And it was just, you know, front-loading a lot to get to the complex math. And some of the

075conversations that that Chris had shared with me is that is that, you know, sometimes text complexity doesn't always yield mathematic rigor. And so, teachers started to question like, is there possibly a better resource out there that, you know, uh better lines with our students' needs and allows them to access um the math more seamlessly. >> Yeah, so as Casmera had mentioned, um this process was kind of ongoing, but really it was the last spring when we kind of decided, right? We're always kind of using this analogy as we were evaluating our current resources, right? Like, is this if we're thinking about like a new car, right? Are we still able to get around in this car? Does it meet our needs? And or do we need Are we just kind of like thinking like there's

076something better out there, right? Do we need a brand new one, right? And that was in the spring of when we kind of decided like, it's time to go shopping for a brand new car, right? Like, it's meeting It's okay. It's not meeting our needs anymore. Let's take a look at some new new materials. Um and we began to line up some presentations and get some instructional samples for us to dig through um from a couple different companies. Uh we reached out to our colleagues in other districts. Our math teachers, all of our Houser math teachers were a part of this committee, uh reached out to their colleagues that they knew from, you know, their different uh mathematical professional development groups, [snorts] um and came up with those that you see on the screen of

077EdGems, Illustrative Mathematics, uh Savvas enVision, Amplify Desmos, and i-Ready Mathematics. So, all those companies sent us a bunch of samples. Teachers were able to dig through the teachers' edition, student workbook, um and then they sent out their reps to to kind of give us a formal presentation about them as well. You know, we had a rubric talking about standards, looking at equity, looking at rigor, looking at everything you could possibly look at, right? And so the math committee showed a strong preference to explore Ed Gems more after that. And then that's when we went on a site visit. So we brought a couple math teachers to Hinzdale Middle School. I was fortunate enough to go along with them and observe Ed Gems in action. And shout out to Hinzdale Middle School. They were so thoughtful

078with their time. Like it was a wonderful experience. We got to sit and we'd see a lesson and then spend 40 minutes talking with that team of teachers after they presented the lesson. Just kind of rapid-fired questions and feel like we got the lowdown on the curriculum. So it was it was a wonderful experience. And then shortly after that, you know, everyone every teacher that went along with it had nothing but more more positive things to say about Ed Gems. Brought that back to their teams and then we tasked them with doing a unit exploration. So trying out a unit at every junior high grade level throughout the throughout the year. So it was a certain time like around I think like February and March we were trying out those those units. So and then

079we talked about next steps, right? So again like all those things came back incredibly positive from our teachers that this they felt like that this is going to resonate with the kids in their classrooms. That this is going to >> [clears throat] >> going to fit really well for them. So then we started pursuing next steps. So Kasmira, Martha and I started to talk about next steps, right? Of just what we're going to do for next school year. So we're going to we're hoping to do a pilot for next school year. Um with the idea that we would be adopting it officially if all things go well in next spring. Again with this this idea, right? We've seen those presentations, we've done a unit, um but we're going to get Target Ring at the full

080experience from EdGems, right? That's when you really know what a curriculum is like to have taught it for a full year. You have such such incredible information to make a great decision. Um so we're going to start with that on May 27th. Uh where EdGems is sending out a trainer to come meet with all of our teachers um and get them up to speed on it and ready to to kind of get started with it in the fall. Um as well. And then we're going to have and it's so District 95 um is also kind of doing a a one-year kind of similar similar process to us. So that's another benefit to to have another feeder school from RB to collaborate with, share ideas with. Um feels like another great great opportunity for us with

081this with this direction. >> And I've been able to reach out to the curriculum director at District 95, too, and she's been wonderful in terms of, you know, just providing resources that um that she's already developed because they're a few steps ahead of us in terms of their adoption um and just, you know, the plan to roll it out and how, you know, to prepare teachers in terms of, you know, looking at the units um and looking through the training modules. Uh you know, Chris just did a really um great job partnering with her this year. So uh I feel like that's it's it's really great just to have somebody to, you know, have as a sounding board and to bounce ideas off and, you know, as you navigate that year together. Um and this

082offer of like being able to really take a good look at it for a year and not have to like commit to like years and years that just to really take a uh curriculum from the start to the finish. I think it's just a [clears throat] really unique opportunity that we have. Any questions for us? >> So is Carnegie out completely then or is one of these I'm not familiar with the the different things that you have here. Is one of these like a Carnegie just under a different brand or these are completely separate? >> Uh these are completely separate. Yeah, we had felt very confident that we had exhausted Carnegie as far as reaching out to the reps like throughout the years. You know, we felt like our teachers had the newest version of

083it, all the training, and they were still were kind of like we want to go with go with look at something else this time. >> So, it'd be a EdGems would be a complete replacement if you have If we go with it. >> It is actually from like a board perspective because we found I found this confusing initially. They will allow us to pilot it free uh for 2/3 of the year, which is a a little tricky, right? Because by the the the third of the year, um we would need to be making a formal decision around um an adoption. But we would have the and I know you Chris has explained in in more from the instructional side that our teachers are really well versed in teaching to the standards, right? So, then they

084use the resources, curriculum materials are just a resource to help teachers teach to the standard, and that's what you're saying is they are supplementing Carnegie so much they sort of feel like the the core resource is no longer sort of the most [clears throat] valuable tool to them. Um but we did really challenge EdGems and like, "So, if at 2/3 of the way we you say you don't want it I know you've expressed like you're confident that your teachers could really pick up and in terms of teaching to the standards, um whether it's go back to your Carnegie materials or something. I mean, it's a It's a funny timing in terms of how they the company has set it up. >> And we would know long before. It wouldn't be a conversation we have a

085week before the deadline, right? Like it's going to be weekly check-ins with our teachers. How's the planning going? What can we do, right? Like so, I think we'll have a very good idea by that point of are you comfortable with it and have a a backup plan in case to finish out the year as well as other curriculums we consider going forward, right? Like so, that would be the game plan for that. >> And we're not entering into thinking that at [clears throat] of the way through the year we would say, "We don't like this at all." You know, I I mean, I think the teachers have already vetted it, they've already piloted it, they've already looked at some units, looked at the materials, talked to other teachers who are implementing. So, we're going into

086this with this idea that this pilot would be effective, it would lead to an adoption. >> Yeah. >> And the of what I've read with the research so far, and you know, in speaking to some other colleagues in districts that have this programming, um what they tout over and over again is teacher clarity. Like around like, you know, how to approach the math in a way that's effective and this this alignment among teachers. And And just knowing and and thinking about like collective teacher efficacy. I mean, that is one of the strongest indicators then connected to student achievement of any other indicator that's out there. And so, that teacher clarity and really feeling really comfortable and being able to place their students into um complex math thought and like rigor and, you know, in in

087turn and discourse, uh that was something that was that was echoed um in the research and in the conversations that I had. >> I think there's also certainly something to be pointed out and said that District 95, our partner district, like you said, feeder, you know, all going to RB, that says something. Um and I know RB would appreciate that. I mean, they've appreciated that about Carnegie that that's been a shared tool. Um in the past, you would also point out that District 102 is also uh using Illustrative Mathematics or starting to use Illustrative Mathematics. Um another neighboring district that probably we have a lot of similarities to. >> Have we like communicated with the RB district just to get their take on this curriculum and, you know, because we're handing off our students to

088them for the most part. And so, I think there needs to be uh What did we call it in the strategic plan? Like what the >> Articulation. You said yeah, yeah, yeah. >> What the what the uh >> Yeah. >> the graduating student looks like and whether or not they're well prepared for the high school that they're attending. >> I think we're fortunate in that the conversations that I've been Sorry, the computer's in the way and I can't really see. >> [laughter] >> Um they've always been very pleased with the Hauser student, right? Whether it's math, ELA, whatever it is, right? They're very pleased with with where they're at. Um so they haven't had any concerns about it. Um and I don't think again, like just knowing that this is the resource, right? And our

089teachers teach to the standards. Um and our teachers are telling us that they feel this is going to better help them meet our students' needs. I only think it's going to increase and get get even better, right? So RB has never had a problem with with kind of math student that we've been sending their way before, I think cuz of the job our teachers do. And when our teachers are telling us this is the tool that's going to get our kids there so that they're ready for RB, um I'm very confident that they're going to be happier with the students that they're getting. >> One of the things and like one of the more recent um like parent feedback surveys that the district's done, right? Is like there's some um desire for more rigor around

090academics. Like in any way does this support more rigor around um math? >> I think that's a tough thing to say, right? Every curriculum company will tell you they got the rigor, right? But I think that's what's beautiful about this is you get to try it out for the year to really see what it is, right? So even with Carnegie, when we talk about that it had more rigor when I talked with our teachers, right? They were like, I don't know, right? Like is it that much more rigorous than these other programs, right? So I think that that's something that again um and and I don't I'm not 100% sure, right? But it's one of those that like we're going to really see and that's one of the things that we're going to keep a

091very close eye on, right? Like does you know, clarity mean it's easier, right? Or does you know, confuse students, does that mean it's more rigor, right? Like what does that measure, what does it look like? Um so it's something we're going to be talking at the forefront of our minds, right? So I do know that they have accelerated versions of each grade level text, um which our teachers were talking about that they they to dip into, right? Like that they were excited that that's a possibility, right? Um that they could be pulling from the seventh grade accelerate program when they see a classroom in front of them that needs more challenge. >> Okay. >> One of the things we've talked about is this, you know, one of the measurements we have, it's one of the

092indicators in our strategic plan, is the number of students that place into honors classes at Riverside-Brookfield High School. Um and that's, again, I know we place more students in honors than, let's say, the other feeder districts. Some of that speaks to the district, our size, etc. So, I don't, you know, it's it's a complicated question. What do people mean by more rigor? Is it they wish that their children would do even better going to the high school? Do they wish that just children felt a greater sense of challenge daily and day out? I think that's a hard It's a hard one to Like, what do we mean by that, right? So. >> Yeah, I I get that it's complicated, but I'm not wrong, though, right? Like it has come up in a few of the

093more recent surveys. >> Yeah, yeah, and I'm trying to There's been so much in this in the surveys, [clears throat] so um yeah, I I wouldn't be able I don't have a clear answer for that tonight. >> Okay. >> I I think more articulation with the high school is something we have desired, and having more of that academic articulation opportunity, the to hear more feedback from them is something I think we continue to strive toward. >> And I think with that change of advanced learning and that like philosophical idea at the middle school level that we're casting that wider and that that we're not, you know, the matrix kept kids out before, right? And this learning profile is going to keep is going to include more kids. I wonder if those are the folk Kind

094of what we were talking about a little bit earlier when we were saying those like tier two advanced kids when they get to the middle school, if those are the folks that are looking for more rigor, if they're going to be included within that, if that's going to kind of help with that issue as well. >> I was going to have a joke about that, and then you said the honor I wouldn't even think about high school, but um the honors placement stuff after Hauser and everything, so I could see that. Um So, we got two things here. One is some I'm going to go to cost. So, we've got an add an additional staff add, which is going to cost money. Is this going to be an offset with whatever we're paying for the

095current curriculum, or is it a an increase, or do we know yet? I'm just thinking with all the summer projects we have coming and then future large expenditures that we're going to have on the docket, just kind of staying close on the expenses now versus expenses later and trying to stay within that budget. So, I don't I don't know if we do we know the cost at this point? >> I mean, we really sometimes build our budget or we do know costs. It's a So, there Yeah, so if it's >> [clears throat] >> the the resource, you know, using like the online tools and pulling from there, I believe it's like $9,600 I think for the the year based on student numbers. If it was with the the total package, I think it's like it

096comes out to like like $34 per student. What the Hauser teachers have expressed is the digital version, not because they want to keep students on digital platforms, >> [snorts] >> but because they can use it as a teacher resource to manipulate like the way the page is set up and how much room the student has and then printing out the materials themselves, so the students have adequate work space. I I have learned that Hauser that that middle school teachers are very concerned about work space. So, for me, so so that would be like a a lesser package. So, it did make an when we were talking about this 2/3 of a year, but then we can do this year plan that made it sound very like desirable, you know, in terms of, you know, being

097able to kick the tires, so to speak, with a with a reasonable cost. >> I meant So, I'm going to assume that we're going to pilot it, we're going to like it, we're going to adopt it. And then we're going to come off of Carnegie and we're going to go on to this. So, is that >> I don't know what the the annual cost is of of Carnegie. Um, Um a lot of times it's you pay for something up front and that's part of why we look at 5-year review real honestly is so that we can address our budgetary needs in that way. [clears throat] So, there would be likely more costs for middle school math curriculum resource materials in next year's budget. Um but then that would fall off it in other years. >>

098Mhm. Okay. >> Did you say nine it's $9,600 for the entire year? For three grade levels? >> Yeah. >> That I share with >> Yeah, I don't have it in front >> of the year. >> Okay. Yeah. >> No. >> So, we're talking like >> Well, it's two >> different than like an ELA curriculum, right? Well, right? So, it's like only >> It's only math, right? And that that's what I was thinking is when we did the elementary CKLA, I think that was a pretty massive jump. Like that's fine, but I just I want to be prepared for that with some of the other things coming down, too. So, okay. >> Right, this is what's tricky is we haven't we've started [clears throat] talking about the budget, but we haven't presented to you the budget

099for next year. >> Right. This isn't going to be as big of a jump as CKLA. >> Correct. Correct. I was quite surprised to I was part of the the early conversation about costs and timing, etc., but that it does not strike me as a very expensive program. >> No, it wasn't like we went shopping for, you know, a Cadillac for the Yeah. We we had the budget in mind, so don't worry. >> [clears throat] >> Wait, so what you cuz Martha, you forwarded that to us, right? >> [clears throat] >> The $9,600 >> Is it before >> is for the year for a year or for the whole contract or just for the 2/3 of the year or >> I think they had they had provided us a couple different quotes cuz we really

100weren't sure what was what direction we were going, right? So, I think that 9,600 was for a full year. I think we might be able to get like a modified pricing for it like kind of a you know, sort of if knowing that we're piloting and going with it, so but that was for the year. And then they have discounts if we adopt and keep it longer, right? Like so I know they were so why don't you do a six year? Like well, we're not quite ready for that yet, but so then that's where you'll see like it would be lesser when you make like that commitment to it, too. So this would be the biggest financial commitment and it's not that much to begin with. >> Okay. >> It sounds like maybe we should

101clarify some of the numbers, bring them more clarity to that. That'd be helpful. >> So considering this is a pilot, there's the professional development and training. Is it assuming like if we started with the whole program, it's not just a half training, it's the whole training? >> Mhm. That was something we were very clear with the reps that like we want the full experience. Right? We don't want this half or you know, that's the last thing we want to That was my nightmare we come back to them in December and they would say, well, we we have this other train that we didn't give you, but if you still have give us more time. It's like I want all the cards on the table for it for all of our teachers, so. >> And there's

102a lot of different components to the program, too, that our teachers got to dabble in a little bit when they did that unit. For them to know what and embark on this new entire year with that full training, they'll really be prepared to explore all of those different resources within the program. >> Any other questions on the curriculum? >> So Yeah, I mean it's tricky. It's I guess there's sort of a board question. Do we want to have the May 20th discuss this as sort of a formal approval of an adoption, even though it's not really an adoption until next spring, but I certainly feel like we need to bring you some clarity on the numbers. Um Is that too late for us, Chris? It's not, right? I mean, you have a PD planned on

103May 27th. >> Um I It sounds like they're going to send the person out, so we're I'm Yeah, I'm not sure if >> Well, I guess this is I guess my question is is we're trialing it for like essentially two thirds of the year free, right? And there is there's no cost to us up front. Am I understanding correct? So that that that that we're worried about that last third of the year. So I mean I guess I I guess am I missing something cuz it seems like right now we can sort of move forward with it hypothetically tonight and we're not committing ourselves to anything. >> I think it's there's just a sense that like we would be on the hook in March, let's say, you know? So I don't want to I just

104want to be as as >> But but to your point, you said like the last third of the year, if we decide this isn't the right path, we'll like be looking for a new one, but the teachers then could teach to the standard that remained through the year. >> Yeah, that's correct. >> Correct. >> If you did decide not to go with it, what would the game plan be for the following fall? >> That would you know would be developed in the fall, right? As we start to kind of revamping looking at those a deeper dive into you know the curriculums that were in second place, as well as a couple other ones, you know, going back to the drawing board, like what did we miss, right? >> Okay, so we wouldn't just like pick

105up with Carnegie or something like that. We would go back to one of the other resources and just get deeper into that one. Okay. >> And I think you'd have a sense by which by [clears throat] like late fall winter that you're this isn't the resource we thought it was going to be. We're going to look start looking at some of those others that were on the list. I mean I think as you we go into the new school year right away in the fall, like having some type of like, you know, matrix or rating and assessing and and coming back and discussing and reviewing the curriculum to make sure that it's meeting what the teachers, you know, truly need for their students. And you know, and you can be like those aha moments of

106like, oh, you know, now digging into it, we discovered this, you know, and either that's great or it's not so great. And so if we already like felt like in the fall, like, you know, that things weren't aligning the way they should, then I think that would be a good time to even start pivoting and start like looking and starting to go back and dabble with with those other curriculums, too, and look into them. >> I don't know that we need to rush it by May 20th, but I mean, if we feel like this is a great program, we've vetted it through all these other resources, people that are using it, all of that, we liked it in the what the one section or something that you said that we did, I I don't I

107don't think it hurts to bring more solid numbers sooner than later, but I don't know that we need to rush it by the 20th. >> So, I guess the thing is the decision's been made. [clears throat] Carnegie is not we're not sticking with Carnegie. Right? We're going to be going something else. >> Yeah, whether it's this or whatever it is. >> with Wesley. We don't need to rush rush it. We need to make a decision. I mean, it sounds like there's nothing there's no risk for us to try this right now. And so, >> Right. >> if we can make that make that decision, I mean, just move forward with it, and then we can adjust I mean, we can vote on it on the costs like when we finally make that decision that we

108want to go with them or not. >> Well, I mean, I mean, >> I would I would say that like there is a risk to doing this. The risk is it's could be a hugely disruptive to teachers if it doesn't work. And so, I where what I'm hearing you say is like just by the fact that we're trying it across all three grade levels, and we're not just actually doing like a small pilot, like we're actually doing this. >> It feels pretty solid, right? >> It feels like it's pretty solid. But the feedback from the other districts was really solid. Like it we're go It sounds like we're going for it. >> Yeah, [laughter] we're not precariously intrigued into this. >> [clears throat] >> So, like do we want to hear this again? Do we

109want an update on it? >> And all teachers piloted a unit. It wasn't just a select group of teachers. So, all of our math teachers had that experience with the program. >> Yeah, I think just the way that the company presents it is like, "Oh, if it doesn't go well in 6 months, it's free." Which they're trying to you know, do as like a sales tactic, like this is how much we believe in it, but it gives us pause. Like, wait a second. Why is this Like, it's a great opportunity, but it's kind of just it makes you rethink. I don't know why, but it just >> So, so I guess my >> shouldn't. >> So, here's my question is is the is the question more do are we going with this or is the

110question more do we want to change the curriculum? I guess is that the I guess I'm trying to figure out what the question really is because if we don't go if we say no, don't do Edgem, stick with Carnegie. I mean, I guess that's the >> Well, that was what I was asking. It's not a stick with Carnegie. It's a give Edgem so >> doesn't work. It's one of these other ones, two, three, four. >> But, I guess I was just So, it sounds like we're going with this curriculum, but we haven't seen numbers and I just I remember CKLA was a huge added expense. And we went with it and that's fine and whatever, but I just that's why I was asking cuz if this is going to cost us an additional 100,000 on

111whatever we're paying now, like we need to know that. >> Right. And think of it, that was like a K-5 curriculum across four schools. This is a middle school math department. >> much yeah. >> Um but just with, you know, Mark kind of warning us in addition to what we've already seen with a lot of the large capital projects in the the boilers that were not really anticipated for this summer and we know we have other work and there's, you know, I saw some of the feedback from the strategic plan of other things that people want. Like, we've only got what, one to two million dollars assuming we stay within budget to like sock away for large projects. So, I'm just trying to think of just being just being making sure that we're staying on

112top of the budget, not getting too carried away with it. So, it doesn't seem like this is going to be an like a large add to the to the budget, but what I was thinking, Dave, is like even June or July or August, I mean, if we just put some basic numbers together just to put it in front of us to make sure like we're looking at it from a budgetary perspective. I trust that you guys are picking the right curriculum. I think we just got to make sure it fits within budget and other things that we got going on, right? So. >> I I that's where the challenge with our school district [clears throat] work is we're talking about this in the spring, we want to train our teachers, we want to be ready

113to sort of introduce this in the fall, and the budget doesn't get approved until >> Really July or August. So, we're just always a little bit you know, cart before the horse. But, time is of the essence if we can afford afford it. >> Right. And I guess the Mike is like what is what is Carnegie costing us now compared to what Edgenuity is going to cost us? So, what's the Is it a like are they equal? Are they both the same price? Or is one more, one less? So, we know the difference. Are we looking at an increase, decrease, or neutral? >> Right. And I honestly don't >> I don't think we know what Carnegie is like. >> All right. No, that's I guess that's what I'm asking. >> I would know I would

114have to think we would assume that initially there's going to be a a large upfront fee for the new program, whereas Carnegie is just going to be annual maintenance. >> Well, that's that's a correct assumption, but I think we need to know. >> We do. We do. It's good It would be good to know. >> And I just don't have that information. >> Yeah, and that's right. And maybe you and I can just talk about what that looks like at a future board meeting or something. I just I don't think we need to rush it to May 20th because I I trust that you're making the right decision with everything that you've already vetted. I think just for us as a board, just making sure that it stays in alignment with all the other projects

115and resources and everything else that we we need to do. Um just so that we're ahead of that. I would hate for them to be like, "Oh, this is great." and in I don't know, 2/3 of the year, and then we're like, "Wow, that costs a lot more than we thought." right? So, just to be prepared for it. And to your point about it being convoluted on how things get approved and everything, I mean, I think we we talk about budget more than anything else. So, I think we're we're always good about the budget approval process. Okay. So, you and I can iron that out later. Thank you. Any other questions on the curriculum piece? And then I want to go back to the add to staff for some guidance. But, is there any more

116curriculum questions before we go back? No? All right. So, just kind of a quick go around. Um anyone Am I just saying anyone opposed to the ask for an added staff for math? >> No. >> I philosophically know, but again it goes back to budget. Where did we plan Did we plan for this? >> Oh, right. I was going to make that comment. So, my understanding is this is an offset. >> There is an offset to it. You [clears throat] know, Dan and I I know I talked about >> But it's a bit of an imperfect offset because one of the things we are going to do away with is our permanent sub position at Hauser only. Uh we are keeping the permanent sub at the elementaries. Um we will still obviously need coverage when

117teachers are not available to teach, but one of the things that um really is very consistently used and works really well is internal subbing at Hauser, right? So, everybody understands that Hauser teachers have two essentially planning periods and they are um able through the contract to pick [clears throat] up time during a plan period to teach a class. It tends to work really well at Hauser. They know the kids. They often know the same curriculum, etc. And so, it becomes I'll say this, more effective than the permanent sub model. And so, Chris had talked to me a couple months ago saying like I I don't think we need to keep our permanent sub. Internal subbing works really well. So, there's a cost to internal subbing. So, I'm not saying but we're already paying that cost

118for internal subbing. So, um we just So, we would go down one permanent sub. That is an FTE sort of on our on our budget on our books. And then um we would add one math teacher. >> Yeah. And I would say we've been kind of discussing it since like the permanent staff like right after COVID. Like we've been discuss like you me and April have been discussing it. Ken and I have been discussing it. And just those needs, right? Like so. >> Nothing to do with the person in the position. You know, a great person. Just uh Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But then for another for a full-time teacher to sub in in a classroom, then like that becomes a variable cost for us, right? Because they're getting paid when they're subbing. Is that correct?

119>> get paid a little bit when they're subbing, yes. >> They They It's in the contract, and that's what we're saying is we're already doing that. We tend to go to the internal subbing model maybe more than we were going to the permanent sub coverage. So, we don't think there's going to be a significant sub cost that we'll see in the budget. And we would have the reduction of the permanent sub, which is a That's a That's a hired person. That's a bachelor zero full pay, full benefits position. >> Okay. >> That would be >> But like if we're having somebody sub who has a doctorate degree, is the variable cost of having them sub in that period actually going to be higher than what the fixed cost of having that full-time employee as a

120permanent sub would have been? >> Um if So, when a >> they're saying they're not using that person to that same degree anyway. They'd probably be going to that doctorate person regardless. >> And I don't >> There's a There's a detail in our contract and our collective bargaining agreement that says how much we pay for one of our own employees to be the internal sub. Does that make sense? >> Regardless of their degree, regardless of the flat rate. It doesn't matter if you have a master's degree or bachelor's degree or two master's degrees, you get paid the same amount for internal subbing. You are a District 96 staff person who works at Hauser who accepts the "Hey, we have somebody who's out. Could somebody cover these two periods these two periods these two periods, right?"

121>> Because you're taking their time away that they would have like a break or something. I think is how I understand it, right? So, you're Yeah. So, you would have planning time for, I don't know, 30 minutes, 50 minutes, whatever it is, but instead you get a flat rate to sub instead of your personal planning time. >> if you're taking away a full-time employee who does who fills that role all the time, you're going to be placing more of this variable cost into all of those periods where they used to be in >> not paying the benefits, so you drop all the benefits. >> saying what? That sometimes a sub did not get called in because they went with the internal sub first. So we're paying this person. >> So that person was just sitting

122in an office? >> I don't want to say that they're not working. >> no, no. Yeah, so they're definitely not sitting, right? But there's there's >> They're standing. >> They they also There's some There's you know, there's some days, there's weeks when they're working, but then there's other days when they weren't subbing, right? And they would help out You know what I mean? Like so they didn't have a Again, it's no fault of that person. It's not like we're You know, we were definitely It was our priority to fill out that schedule, right? Like it was always like if she if she is free, she's subbing first. Um but there were also days when she wasn't subbing at all, when we didn't have any subs in the building. And we were still paying benefits, full

123first-year teacher set You know what I mean? Like so that's That's kind of where it's not as fixed, right? Um and that it's definitely an imperfect science, but >> And and just to reiterate, because we are talking about this in a very public environment, it is not about the person we had in the role. It's just the utilization of what we needed versus what we need in the future. >> Whereas the elementary principal [clears throat] was absolutely clear, we need a permanent sub. Um so but middle school you kind of said like Is there some modifications? >> allows for more of internal subbing than it does the elementary. >> So it's not a full offset, but it will be mostly offset. Partial offset. All right. I'm not hearing any dissent. I'm going to look at

124Selena since she was asking questions. You good? >> No, I don't I'm all for hiring more teachers. >> Just checking. All right. So um why don't you go ahead and post and we'll just take care of the approval process when you bring two people to the table and we'll approve it. I don't think we need to go through a formal approval to put a posting out there. We can just do that with the hiring. All right. Thank you. Appreciate your time. >> All right. thanks very much. [clears throat] >> Thank you. All right. >> I think the others are a little less needy. The other committee >> I [clears throat] hope so cuz I'm looking at the time and I was like, I knew these were going to take a while. Um Well, we're going

125to do a lot of work this last go around. For instance, me. >> I've had the time. >> [laughter] >> Uh all right, with that I'll hand it over to Ms. Kalik for Family Engagement Committee. >> Yeah, so um our last family committee [clears throat] partnership meeting was March 12th and our next one is next Thursday. I don't know my days. May 12th. Um and we talked about um on March 12th we talked about the family learning night that had been at Hauser. Um they had about 100 kids come. It was a really great event. [clears throat] Um there's a lot of help from Hauser leadership, uh students, Cougar Connections folks, and a lot of families came to the individual presentations. Um we were advertising the Doug Bolton Parent Night, which then happened has already

126happened. Um we did talk about the strategic plan and kind of um some of the I just kind of gave like a brief overview of what we had been working on up to that point and I think we were most of the we're three-quarters of the way there or something like that. Um we were talking about um potentially uh what's the word? Like unifying our social media and district school pages. Um and we kind of kicked around the idea of having maybe just one district page instead of having individual school pages and then we kind of decided that that maybe wasn't the best approach. It had a lot to do with um the title two accessibility for like digital things. Um and how it it's going to be a lot of it's going to be

127a lot of extra work to to make everything compliant with title two, but now that's first off another year, so never mind. Uh yeah. And then um in Let's see. Oh, yeah, so May 12th is our next meeting. I think is that the last meeting of the year then? Yeah. Um, and then at PLT um in April, that was the meeting where I came and I I got stuck by a train and then we were done 5 minutes later. It was really funny. >> It was a short one. It was really >> very short. That was kind of unusual. Yeah. Um, but I think we just kind of talked about um, the people that will be kind of changing into the into their new roles and I think the goal is to have like the

128new presidents come with old presidents for the next one. Um and then we did talk about the Doug Bolton session and just kind of feedback and you know, >> [clears throat] >> what for people who were there, what was great about it and why people maybe didn't attend, but everybody really appreciates the fact that it's available on the website um, to watch. I've advertised that to our second grade chat group at Hollywood. Um, and then we talked about shared calendars. I think um, just to kind of make sure that we were all kind of planning things with other places in mind and um, I don't know if that was going to end up being like a big Excel document or >> What it is is now all the PTAs and PTOs are going through the

129principal. So, it's really the five school principals that will then um, ultimately pull together a calendar. I mean, it is always our goal to eliminate these overlapping events. Um, I always think of all of you that you should not have to, you know, skip a board meeting to go to your child's band concert or vice versa. So, um, we work really hard to not have those overlaps and um, that does take some doing. And also the PTAs and PTOs have expressed also like maybe they don't want to overlap on their fundraising events and that kind of thing just because >> Right. >> they might do better to be able to sort of have like, "Hey, this is going on." Like it's a little bit more complicated for the district. Can't really manage it, but we

130can certainly try to >> Mhm. >> try to build the communication and the logistics around it. And I know our the PTAs and PTOs are probably right now preparing their or like will be in the next few weeks their calendars for next year. And so probably at that last meeting we'll be having more discussion around that and how to kind of harmonize it a little bit better, but >> Good. I uh, I was unable to come to the last meeting, so I wasn't able to say that at a board comment, but I heard you say at the Doug Bolton thing. I did go to that. That's the third time I've heard him speak. He's just he knows his stuff and it's always very insightful. And I'm almost done with his book. Uh, it is also

131on I found it on Spotify as an audio book as well, but um, goes a little bit deeper into some of the stuff that he was talking about and it's I find it pretty intriguing, so um, I would highly recommend it. >> Yeah. >> It's a great book, [clears throat] though. >> And I'm really glad that he agreed to let us uh, record it and post it, too, so. Thank you to him for that. All right. That it for you? >> Yes. Okay. >> Um, Mr. Gunn is not here tonight, so nothing on policy, so I'll hand it over to Mr. Pasati for personal business. What? Did I miss that one? Oh, did I skip right over it? Sorry. Mr. Rowland, facilities. >> Yeah, so >> Too many acronyms here. I just >> [laughter] >>

132I think this will be a short one cuz the the boiler discussion that went on, so that was already discussed. Um, the one very nice thing was a five-year facility plan that we we looked over um, across all the schools. I think that's going to really help us going forward looking at all the major projects, kind of laying them out. Tuck pointing is constant, it seems like, but um, they're going to give us a better better idea um, how we're how we're addressing these projects. That was about it that was on the agenda that day. >> All right. With that, this guy is not here, so no policy committee updates. >> Right. I will say that there is a new press 121 is out, but we've already looked at our calendar and likely to would

133do it all in June, June cow, and then June board for approval. >> All right. So, it's given everything we have between now and the end of the year. >> cancel your vacations, please. >> Yeah. >> [laughter] >> Um Mr. Presiding, personnel. >> Sure. So, uh as [clears throat] as you all know, we signed an agreement with BWP. I did speak with uh BWP, and so the next step right now is essentially we're going to we need to kind of develop a calendar. So, you and I >> [snorts] >> I'll talk to you, and we can come up with a calendar, but what that calendar is essentially going to do is it's going to outline sort of like a essentially a project plan using my vernacular. Um where we will essen- like when we will

134have like stakeholders identified, when we will do the uh surveys, when we do the interviews, um and so we're just sort of laying out the whole process leading us up to like the eventual hire. And just sort of just high-level right now, um we're really not for us we're we're going to be they're going to be interviewing up each board member, like various community stakeholders, uh board stake- I mean, administrator stakeholders, teacher stakeholders, etc. But, the interview process isn't going to start until like November, December. So, Dan, cancel all your vacation hours right now. Um but and and the goal then would be to like make an offer and approve it prove that contract in the December, January time frame. >> All right. >> Any questions or >> Uh I might just call out two

135things. One, we we did get a a con- um a an email from a community member just around concerns of the cost. So, just to kind of reiterate on that point for others that might be thinking the same thing but not reaching out, BWP is really going to save us a lot of time and energy going through the the intense process that this is going to take with all the vetting, all of the stakeholder engagements, etc., vetting the candidates, all that kind of stuff. And [snorts] just the expertise that they have, having an outside vendor, just if we, you know, we as a board felt it prudent to have that resource to help us get through this. This is a very I mean superintendent is a critical role, and then with all the change and

136everything that we have going on last year, this year, next year, um finding a really good candidate there that can bring that that very new team together and and continue with the new strategic plan and just all of that. That was how that decision to go with an outside consultant really kind of spun up. Um and then a question was asked as well on who's interviewing. So, it'll just be us as a board doing the interviews, but as you just mentioned, we will get the stakeholder feedback on what they would like to see, what the key characteristics, whatever, all that is. So, we will have all that information to help develop interview questions, but it will just be the seven of us >> Correct. >> uh doing the interviews and picking a candidate. >> And

137just sort of elaborate like sort of those interviews [clears throat] with those key stakeholders. We need to develop a a like a candidate profile. What are we looking for? >> Profile, thank you. That's what I was looking for, yeah. >> I mean what are we looking [clears throat] for in a superintendent? I mean there's obviously there's like the everyone does like the same I don't want to say don't want to minimize your job, but there's like certain things like everyone does, but what what type of we want somebody that's going to essentially live to the strategic plan. Like bring our district forward based on the values of the communities student for the community. So, that's what the those interviews are going to be for. >> Yeah. Just to kind of clarify and stay transparent so

138we have updates on all these things for those that are following along. >> Mhm. >> Okay, thank you, Dave. Um Ms. Klapste, anything on finance? We don't have anything, but any comments? >> I do not have anything. >> No. Okay. With that, no additional public comment, I don't think. Nope. All right, thank you, Cathy. Future meeting dates are May 20th, regular business meeting at 7:00 p.m. in the Hauser Auditorium. >> [clears throat] >> June 3rd will be a Committee of the Whole meeting at the Hollywood Elementary Multi-Purpose Room. And June 17th will be a regular business meeting at 7:00 p.m. in the Hauser Learning Resource Center. With that, this meeting is adjourned. >> Do that. >> [music]