District 96 Board of Education Committee of the Whole Meeting 12-03-25

001[music] It is 700 p.m. Today is Wednesday, December 3rd. Welcome to December. >> This is the Riverside School Board 96 committee of the whole meeting. Kathy, would you please call the role? >> Okay. Mr. Barcat, >> present. >> Miss Dunn, >> here. >> Miss Kick >> here. >> Mr. Olic >> here. >> Mr. Hunt >> here, >> Miss Claps >> here, >> and Mr. Mayorhead >> here. >> Okay, a motion for a quorum is present. >> All right, thank you. >> Uhhuh. >> Okay, I will welcome up principal Pete Gats for a some opening commentary. [clears throat] >> Good evening everybody. Thanks for coming tonight. Um it's been a busy couple of a few weeks leading up to Thanksgiving break and then we've got a busy three weeks ahead. Um finished one book, one school

002at center. We did mouse and motorcycle this year. Huge thank you to fifth grade teacher Laura Mc McMahon for spearheading that with the students, faculty, and families. Um, she does a wonderful job of putting together not only the content and getting staff to participate with readaloud portions that are recorded for families to use, but also develops a website each year for the content so the parents have easy ones spot access to go to for everything. Um, parent teacher conferences again were a fantastic success. We had huge participation. Um and it's a great opportunity to uh celebrate successes with families but also kind of set tones and expectations for the rest of the year for students and uh it was a very successful couple of of days and central students also uh collaborated with the central

003PTO to collect uh canned food and items for the Riverside food pantry and those donations were made right before Thanksgiving. Um and then this week starts off a very busy week uh a couple weeks here as well. Tomorrow night, we have the fourth and fifth grade choir and fifth and grade band and orchestra concerts at Hower. Next week on December 11th, we have the Central School Science Fair. And right now, we have 105 students who are planning to participate in that. So, we're really excited to see um what their projects are all about and what they've learned through that process. And then December 16th is the kindergarten through third grade Winterfest program of her central. And so, we're looking forward to see what Mr. Ronaldo has prepared with students for that evening. and uh just

004looking forward to a successful couple of weeks leading up to winter break. Busy, but a lot planned and a lot to look forward to. So, thank you and welcome. >> Thank you. >> That uh the food pantry is getting a lot of participation. Didn't I think the library there was an article in the landmark? I think I saw that the library club at Hower participated. >> All I think all the schools have been doing something >> [clears throat] >> um which is great. Wonderful. Really wonderful. >> Yeah, I know the scouts are participating in that as well. and we just delivered a huge car full of food and I think they have more food than they have storage for. But I also understand there's been a lot of uh foot traffic coming through so it's

005very very much needed. So >> cool. Thank you Mr. Gats. [clears throat] >> Okay. Uh with that before Oh no public comment. Um Kathy, do we have any public com Okay. So I'll read this anyway. Uh the board welcomes and encourages community engagement at all board meetings. Therefore time is allocated at the beginning and end of each meeting for audience members to address the board. We kindly ask that you limit your comments to 5 minutes. Please note this is a board meeting in a public and not a public forum or town hall. The board does not directly respond to questions or comments during the meeting, but may ask the superintendent to follow up with you as necessary. Tonight, we do not have any public comment, so I will just move into the agenda. Before we

006get into topics, are there any recommended changes to tonight's agenda? Nope. If not, then I will turn it over to Mr. Olic for a facilities committee update. >> I think the latest news is the village approved the proposal for Ble Park uh with some caveats. I Ryan, are you presenting anything or do you have any changes? >> I'm happy to talk about it. >> So, yeah, I think we have some changes that we have to talk about. So, um but overall plan is approved just without offense. >> Yep. Okay. And because that change happened at the village level, really wanted to bring it back to all of you for that review and information. >> Yeah. Each each committee had their comments in the village and then the village trustees voted on it. Um the they

007wanted something different for the around they didn't want a fence, so they came up with some different ideas and I'm I'm sure the architects have have some ideas on what to do that'll hopefully work. >> Yeah, I'm happy to talk about you. Um so good news we did get [clears throat] uh conditionally approved. Um got a little bit of a presentation. So um as uh Matt said that uh each committee had some comments. Um most all were positive. Uh there was one sort of sticking point was the fence and the curb and working through that detail. Uh ultimately uh the village engineer proposed a different detail. Um say kind of last minute. Um, so we didn't really have a chance to review it. Um, nor have we had a chance to talk through it with

008the village engineer. Um, but again, it was conditionally approved uh without a fence and without a curb. Thank you. Um, and then uh there was a color on a piece of equipment that uh didn't meet uh village ordinances. So that's an easy change. It was really just a rendering. So I'll share with you um so that's the footprint that we're looking at. the expansion of it was approved as well. Um, if you see at the bottom there, that suggested edge detail uh came from Christopher Burke Engineering. Uh, this is something that we're really going to have to work through with them and because of the holiday schedule, we just couldn't get together. Um, what this kind of infers is Oops. Is there a way for me to zoom out? There we go. So, I only

009show this exhibit, we talked about this a long time ago, uh the pink versus the blue. Um so, the what the pink represents is the previous um limits of the excavation. And what that detail sort of suggests is that the footprint of the playground is going to expand, but expand by um using wood chips in a sloped manner. Uh again, the details of this we still need to work out. So, um I think there's a solution in there. Uh as we've talked about throughout this entire process, there were many solutions. Each had pros and cons. Um and some, you know, some benefits and some detractors. So, this this is one I think it's going to expand the footprint of the playground. Um and that edge detail is something we're just going to have to work

010through with the village engineer. Uh but I'm confident we can do that. Uh we'd like to and we're asking for your approval to go out to bid. uh we feel confident we can uh reach that that consensus with them over the next several weeks uh and then come back to the board uh in mid January uh with some some bid numbers. I'm happy to answer any questions. Um but that's uh that's kind of where we are today. >> So would that be an issue with any potential biders if we don't have all the details nailed down? So >> we would have the details nailed down before we bid it. >> Okay. >> Yep. Yep. >> You just need a little bit more time to get the details. You just don't have them tonight, but you'll

011be able couple of weeks. >> Yeah. So, we've reached out to Christopher Burks Engineering. Um, and we're looking to schedule a meeting. So, uh, depending on some of the the will of the village in terms of how they want to maintain that edge detail, um, and some of the the details around the the stone, um, versus the concrete curb, which has, you know, goes down into the ground. um you know there there's we can work through those details. It's just a matter of uh what they're willing to accept and what they're willing to maintain essentially. So I mean there's virtually no impact to the equipment or the playground itself. Uh it would be at the same elevation. Um we would probably add more wood fiber uh engineered wood fiber uh versus stone to bring that

012elevation up so we didn't have such a steep uh grade change um in in wood fiber. Um, but again, these are all details we have to work through. I think if we got too steep of a an incline there, they would tend to wash away. So, I think there is going to be some happy medium of of raising the elevation of the playground. Uh, but doing it with wood fiber, not with soil. Uh, so less compaction on the trees. Um, and then that would make that again that grade change from playground to perimeter less severe. So, and then beyond that, it's just, you know, a maintenance thing that we need to come to an agreement with the village. Not so much an agreement, it's really their understanding. >> Yeah. >> I I do have a

013question. I know the fence was completely eliminated, but what about the safety along the street there? I mean, I know we've look at that. We've looked at that and that was one reason. I mean, one of the renderings, original renderings was like half a fence essentially along the street. Is there any concern, I guess, regarding that? So I I can respond to that. So you know, we haven't had a fence on that playground or we've been using it as a playground for a good number of years. During the school day, we pay supervisors. We pay our own staff to supervise children on the playground to keep them safe. So if balls were to go into the street or something like that, often it's a, you know, we're asking a staff member to go and take

014care of that. I think staff would have preferred a fence, but I think because we have existed for a long time without a fence with the right level of supervision, the right level of adults involved, you know, we we've demonstrated that we can keep kids safe, keep kids out of the street. I think the other thing is I think this new equipment will also be more compelling. So I, you know, again, we have not had a problem with children wanting to run into the street. This, it does drop off there, um, on that what is essentially what the southern side of the playground. Um, but I think just given the strong strong I don't I think it's stronger than preference, right? Requirement of of the village that there not be a fence. I know I

015talked with the village manager about, you know, we really the fence sort of came around this issue of elevation and um safety from that potential trip hazard of that partial wall. Um >> I I'm very confident we can we can handle it during the school day with supervision. >> My own anecdotal experience that there think Life Road is not the busiest of streets. And in fact, the only time it's really busy is when you see parents lining up to pick up their kids from aftercare. Uh, you know, and that's when they're out on the playground in the summer. But it's it's it's not a busy street. There's not a whole lot of traffic other than just local to the houses that are there. >> All right. So, are we I so I've watched you present

016this what like five times now to us and each of the committees and I watched the village meeting and all of that. So, is it [clears throat] >> essentially when we take the fence out, take the curb out, is it just taking us back to the original design? That's what it kind of felt like to me, but I wasn't sure that it was that simple >> in in some ways. I mean, the original design had some differences. We were excavating, you know, to that that pink area. The difference now and and adding some soil. We're not doing that. Instead, and again, all these details aren't worked out, but instead, what I envision this where this is going to end up is that we're going to raise the elevation of the playground, you know, the 5

017in that we originally proposed, uh, but do it with engineered wood fiber. Um, and then that's going to and then we're going to feather it out to meet that grade difference. So instead of uh using a retaining wall and fence like we were, you know, talked about and proposed, um we're going to raise the elevation again, but then feather it out to meet that higher grade. So there is some inherent uh maintenance that that brings to be quite honest with you. You know, I think that uh you know, there's some erosion that happens around there. We've seen it. We've seen the pictures. Everybody's been to Ble Park. Um so that's something that will have to be maintained. Um, and then the compaction of that that wood fiber, it just it just degrades over time. Um,

018and that's a maintenance item for for any playground. So, those are things that just have to be considered. >> Yeah. I don't remember if it was a landscape. I think it might have been a landscape you were talking about, it hadn't really resonated with me, but as that mud kind of washes in there and then it hardens, I mean, you're essentially filling in all of that fluffiness with >> hard dirt soil, which is what we were trying to avoid. Those are some of the things that we the drainage I think that uh we're going to end up with that drainage uh closer into the playground. Um we may add some a couple of drains here and there. Um you know those are some of my concerns about feathering that grade out. How does that drain?

019Does it erode? Um not saying there's no solution in there, but those are those are some of the questions that I have and I haven't had an opportunity to talk through with the village engineer to see, you know, what his thoughts were, you know, if he had looked at other drawings, you know, but I'm sure we can work through a solution >> with the engineered wood fiber that like could potentially be 5 in of engineered wood fiber across a large surface area and that I assume degrades. >> Mhm. like is that cost to replace all of that on a every however many years going to be borne by the district or will that be borne by the town? The >> village will maintain it. >> Yeah. Okay. >> So, I think um as I've continued

020to remind myself through this process over and over again, we are building a playground and then handing it over to the village because it's village property. >> Okay. >> And we're they're as they're not asking, we are partnering with them to build a playground because we want it, but it's their land. And so as soon as it's done, it's now I think technically village property, right? And we get to use it. >> Yeah. And they in that intergovernmental agreement, they name specifically maintenance is their responsibility. >> So once the playground's done and we say playgrounds built, it is no longer our responsibility. And so that's where I keep asking these questions to go, do they like is it truly understood the maintenance on all of this stuff? And that's a lot of wood chips. And

021>> they've been talking about like raking it and refilling it and breaking it down and then like the mud and everything. So, >> as long as everybody's aware of what that's going to put onto the village, I'm great with the whole thing. I just want to make sure that everybody knows what they're getting into and we don't waste a bunch of money on a playground and then it, you know, it's >> hard to maintain, which I think is maybe what you're getting at. >> Yeah. I just I mean like [clears throat] I just know that wood chips can be very expensive and when you have that large of an area and >> it's a lot of cubic feet. Um so yeah, I just wanted to understand the cost and if it was going to be

022something the district would have to bear. >> I think the plan that we put forward the one with the curb and the fence is virtually maintenancefree because there's no mud that's going to go in there. It's just add new wood chips as it deteriorates now. There will naturally be more more mud. Not as signi as significant as now, but it's it will be a different deterioration. >> Yeah, I would agree. I mean, I think the the hope is and I I think what the village engineer was thinking to speak for him, but was that where that mud is eroding, that's where that the engineer wood fiber would be feathered out to meet that higher grade. So hopefully to eliminate some of that. That would be the goal and hopefully the solution that we would reach

023together. Um the maintenance part of it is something that I will reiterate and make clear and I'm sure that they were clear and suggesting this option. Um but it will take some some maintenance you know on a annual bianual basis. >> Yeah. >> I mean I I know the the village has a a large initiative to you know refurbish all the parks. Turtle Park is in process and and this is a big significant um update for them. Uh so I'm sure they're aware. Yeah, I imagine they are, but it's always good to just say >> I will reiterate it. Yeah. [laughter] >> Yeah. Um >> I mean all those are important points going forward uh about the maintenance um and not to get into the IG, but the equipment, all of those things and where

024those warranties lie. Those are things we'll probably want to discuss before construction's completed. >> Yeah. >> I think the only thing I wanted to mention, so the proposed um granite cobblestones around there, I don't know what the cost of that is. They mentioned that it ties into um Harrington Park cobblestones, but granite cobblestones sound expensive to me around the whole thing. So, I don't know where that fits into our budget of the of the park. Yeah, I really need to get an understanding of what are the limits of the because I think that the limits of the playground are going to grow as I said. So, once we have that, we can figure out what that cost is. I I off the top of my head, it's less than a retaining curb and a fence,

025but um you're right, it's not inexpensive either. >> Yeah, I was I was sort of thinking in my head it might be cost neutral. >> Could be >> because you're removing some things and just you might be putting a more expensive stone in, but you're not putting in the iron railings or whatever it is we picked and the larger curb and the deeper >> the curb with the reinforcing. Yeah. >> Yeah. But I had I had the same thought, Matt, when I heard that. I was like, "Oh, that sounds expensive." >> And there may be I'm not convinced that that's necessarily the best solution. So there may be somewhere in the middle where it is an atgrade uh concrete curb that seems a little more sustainable long term. Um if that works within the drip

026edge of the trees, you know, that's something we again we have to look at. Um, again, it's a maintenance thing, but I could see those cobbles washing away given, you know, the erosion that happens around them, >> especially our slope, kind of like how in that sketch. >> Yeah. Well, and I'm sure he was under the gun. >> Yeah. I think it was the day before he got that. >> So, I think if we talk through it, there's a solution that could be found that would be, you know, at least cost neutral, if not less. >> I like the idea. I thought it was a good suggestion if if it if it is reasonable. if it's cost appropriate, right? [clears throat] Like I do think we need to be careful. We do need to be

027careful with the budget. I want to make sure that we're partnering with the village and doing all that interconnectedness, but yeah, we we can't go crazy with the the budget on this thing, too. So, >> Yep. Great. Understood. >> So, you just uh tonight's a committee meeting. We don't have an actual item on here. So are you do you just need some like general guidance now and then we come back in two weeks and final plan and >> I'm just uh reporting back to you know tell you how the the village process went. Um uh it was my understanding I know that there's no action to take here tonight but was my understanding that after this point in time that we would go out to bid um and then we would come back to the

028board in mid January uh with bid numbers. >> It's about where we are with our reality of meeting dates too. Well, I thought we still had to I thought we still had to form So, we've only voted on an a memorandum for them to do the work, but we haven't actually voted that the project would move forward, have we? >> Uh, you the vote would be the approval of the bid. >> That's how we've done other our other facilities projects. Yeah. >> Because really, we couldn't vote on a different design than what the village is already conditionally approved for us. So, >> like that's what I think that's what's very unique about this project is it's the village's property. They're allowing us to build this playground on their property with this intergovernmental agreement that says,

029you know, they'll maintain it, we build it, >> but we couldn't meet, for example, we couldn't meet again and say, I actually think we'd rather have the fence, right? Like because then that's not what the village would approve. So, we're >> Well, but we we we do not have to move forward. just I'm not advocating that we don't, but I'm just saying we do have an option of saying pause. We're not comfortable with this. It is our project. It is our money. It's their land, >> but if we don't feel good about this, let's not just power through it. So, I I wouldn't mind just going around like does anybody have any concerns continuing going forward? The only thing I just would maybe add to that is um agreed if about the design, you know,

030if you have things that you have reservations or hesitations about the design, um when we bring bids back, uh if that's the direction we're going, you still have that right of refusal. >> That's true. >> You accept those bids or do not, you know, we find out that I mean, we can do an estimate, but we find out that the hard numbers are much more expensive given those details, >> you can still, you know, not accept those bids. So you still have that option. >> Okay. I agree with you on like it is like we got to do what they're comfortable with the design and the whole purpose of going forward with the fence is we knew that that the fence piece was going to be contentious. Your suggestion with the curb was the best

031maintenance option. Um as long as they're okay not having the maintenance, then like I don't care. I I prefer Dan and I both preferred not having the fence. Actually, I think everybody preferred not having the fence. Um, so as long as they're good with the maintenance on it, then I'm I'm good with it. I just wanted to check everybody here, making sure we're still comfortable moving forward with the cost that we're going to bear getting this done. >> I I also like, if I remember correctly, there was also talk about doing not doing a fence that we're going to possibly have to dig down deeper, which would affect the root structure of those trees. And so the village is okay. I just s I mean I know they said they are but I just want

032to they're okay that we're going to dig down deeper possibly compromise some of those roots because of this design. >> Yeah, they are. >> Okay. >> We reviewed that in detail. Um we talked about the methods and the means that we would do that um and how we would airspade and root prune. Um and so and met with uh the village forester. So yeah, they're they're comfortable with that. Okay. Well, I'm not hearing any other concerns, so >> Thank you for your time. >> Thanks. >> Okay, with that, uh, over to Mr. Versati for personnel. >> Sure. So, um, as you'll see in the packet, we did the recently the we did the morale survey, uh, for all the for the district and for all the schools. Martha and I have met. Uh as you

033can see most of the we there has been actually increased participation which I uh personally think that's a good good sign. Um but I guess the next steps are with this is that we're still sort of digesting information. There's some information there's some stuff in there that seems like low hanging fruit that we can address. But coming out of this, we're going to look at sort of the what the district uh sort of action plans for the district uh for each school can do to help improve morale uh going forward. And so you'll also know I just do want to point out here, you'll also know that there is some historical information in here. Uh but it's a little bit different for this year because we did and I don't know if I'm getting this

034term right Martha but we're essentially selected a different provider to uh uh to give the survey and so their data is just a little bit different. So you'll see that there's some differences but not much. So I don't know Martha if you have anything you want to add but essentially we're looking to figure out what's to go forward and uh and how to improve morale based on this survey. >> Yeah. Thanks. So I I'll just add um the packet that you have. So we went with EAB um with their teacher morale uh tool starting last year. This is actually our second year and prior to that we've been using a company called Vital Network to also administer a teacher or staff morale survey. Um so what you have over here is an overview of the

035data with just the essentially last year and this year historical data. As David said, participation was up. Um you know we don't know exactly why. I mean, one of the reasons we did give it on our teacher institute day where our pair of professionals were present and in the past we've been giving it during our one of our afterchool professional development days where pair professionals weren't there. So that could certainly account for some of the change. Um I also want to thank Molly Marquort who really helped put this all together. Um and in her just invitationalformational email about please participate here's the link to the survey. There's just a lot of explanation and invitation in that language and that communication that I think was really helpful. So, um I think two of both of those

036things are probably contributing factors. Um we have really long now had um the important process of our each school's building leadership team digging into their data as we know data is really most meaningful when those closest to it can make sense of it and plan for action around it. Um but there also this survey EAB is a little bit different from the vital network and that it also has sort of essentially a strand of district office or asking more district level uh questions as well. So that's valuable to us. It was one of the reasons why we felt the change was important to us. Um so the goal three action team as you all know the goal three action team is around high quality staff. Um and I am now the goal champion for that

037one as well as with the goal four and we met actually just yesterday our action team. Um and that action team group of teachers is really uh interested and dedicated to this idea of picking some of these district level areas to grow and change. Um and in particular as you can see in the the summary level information you have that the idea of recognizing and valuing our staff is um our greatest area to grow. Um great discussion around how I feel about recognition and value is maybe different than how you feel around recognition and value. And so that's a sometimes a hard a hard one to crack into how uh 185 200 people feel or want to receive um or um feel feel connected to around recognition and value varies personto person. Um but one

038of the things that they picked out and I think it's something that we can really move around with um action is how our district committees and our district action teams could be um clear around our outcomes could be clear around our communication could be clear around the role that teachers play on the committee. So we talked a lot about sometimes somebody is asked to be on a committee because they're uh key people in being informed. Sometimes they are actually really charged with a decision. sometimes they're charged with making a recommendation that perhaps is ultimately a board decision. So, schools are certainly complex organizations in that way around who decides and I thought that was a really valuable uh conversation and I think something that this goal three action team could really find some important action

039steps particularly as we move forward with the new strategic plan and likely reformulating action teams and committees in different ways. So I think there was a lot of um strong buyin and eagerness to move forward with better addressing that because one of the things they said is when we come forward and work on committees we're going to feel valued when what we're saying doing participating with um is is just received in a in a I'll say positive way but also sometimes when it's not sometimes when the answer is we're not going to be able to move forward in that way. We're not going to be able to have a fence at the Bl Park playground for example, right? like um that that that as long as there's rationale, communication, and understanding around those things that

040that's that's important in our work. Um also just talked about the visibility of our district office team and what more we could do. Um we all make great efforts to visit our school buildings regularly, but um don't necessarily always have an opportunity to connect with all staff in in the most meaningful ways. So looking at that um and again with suggestions from teachers, right? like so we can make you know come up with ideas on how to be more visible or more communicative but really having that dialogue and that collaboration with teachers feels really um important and and valuable. So um felt really good about where our meeting was this week and looking forward to continuing to work with this committee to move that process forward and take action steps. And then each principal is

041also really digging in again as they have over the past couple years with their building leadership teams to talk about action specific to um each each school. So again, we've talked about the importance really is around um creating action with this data. Um we've also talked about probably revising the KPIs that are sitting with goal three, but given that we are headed into a new strategic plan, that that revision would probably come with uh the new the new plan. I anticipate we'll have some kind of high quality staff personnel goal area in the new strategic plan. So the other thing that we added here that I think is sort of interesting to take a look at is there was a question at our last meeting about how five essentials ties into the staff morale survey

042as well as the family engagement survey that we did two years ago and if you recall last meeting decided we weren't going to do it again yet because we were going to link that to the new strategic plan. So um with the support of AI um and with the support of Don White from Educational Leadership Solutions who has helped us um with other data in information um made a a strong effort to try to align the the results from those three different survey tools and you have that information there as well. So any questions? >> I guess one of the key things I took away from this you pointed out is that there seems to be in this survey an indication from teachers that they're not feeling recognized by district leaders. They're not feeling valued

043and not not entirely right, but a larger um number of responses than I would expect here um don't feel like they're being recognized or valued or that their opinions are being heard. And so do you sense like when they're when they're giving these responses and they're talking about the district leaders, are they also talking about the board or are they talking specifically about our administration team? >> I don't get the sense they're talking about the board. I I think that it is about I think the district administration team. You know, there's one question on here and we've all dug into it because I sometimes think when you're looking at a survey, you can't help but say like, well, this is an why do they ask that question that way? So one of the questions they

044ask is in the past week I have received recognition for doing my job well and everyone pauses around this in the last week and um like that's a that's a high bar that's a I'm not saying it's it's wrong at all but I would say like to a person anybody that I have stopped and talked to the survey about they've been like why do you think it says the past week and that's one of the questions we're going to go back and revisit with EAB because my hunch is there's some construct validity to the survey that they're asking people, have you received recognition in the past week? Even though that may not be common for people to be recognized every single week, let's say, and a lot of teachers are saying, I don't need to

045be recognized every week. I need to be recognized. I need to feel that my work is valued. Um, but I didn't mean in in the past week. So I so there you know there's some some measurement questions that are interesting but we do know we see that there's this cluster right of um in the past week I've received recognition teachers are recognized by for excellent work by district leaders my opinions are heard and valued by district leaders I'm treated fairly by my colleagues which also seems to fall in that cluster of recognition and value which is also equally similarly in that area of disagreement right and um so it's It's Yeah, but I'm not I'm not I'm I'm taking that specific question out, right? And I agree that there's some validity to that question >>

046to the week. It's like I've been recognized in the past week. Like yes, it's nice to hear on a weekly basis that you're doing well or that you're valued, but >> like if I take that one out and I just look at all of these other pies, like it still seems to me that there's this larger amount than I would expect of of feedback that's telling us that they're not feeling valued or they're not feeling recognized. And so that's why my question was is that coming from the is there something more we could do as a board to recognize our teachers to make them feel valued to let them know that their opinions are being heard >> or do you think that this survey isn't really so much about at the board level it's more

047so at the district administration level >> and I guess if I can just sort of chime in that's something we're sort of looking at is like what just sort of what are the action plans coming out of this what can we do we have like a concrete this is what we're going to do we're going to do X Y and Z. We don't have that yet, but we're sort of looking. That's what needs Martha and I are discussing what what can we do, especially at the board level, at the district level, at the school level. That's not necessarily like the board's preview, but what can we do to help this the district office and the school uh schools improve that? >> Yeah. And you ask, you know, I think another thing embedded in the question

048is um it's our areas of greatest disagreement, our lowest area so to speak, but how does that compare to other districts? That's a question we want to go back to EAB. Like that's been an interesting question. Like do do many educators in their school, which is their primary community, feel more recognized and valued at the school level than they feel by the district level? I still think it's very incumbent on a district level. you know me and and and the rest of the district team to do everything we can so that there are all the opportunities that we have there is recognition and there is value and I think so I think your question about the board of education is also very pertinent in that way like I think what they're saying is somewhere beyond

049my school building I feel less recognized and valued than I do at my school building right um but I but nobody has come to me and said I sure wish the board of education would do this differently or do this more. [clears throat] I do think it's more to the district office team. >> Okay. >> And I like this was given at the institute day at the beginning of the school year. Now we're a trimester in so we've had this for a while and like to just be saying we're we received this information. We're sitting on it. We're coming up with an action plan. We just met last week about it. Like I just want to make sure that we're moving forward. We're get we're collecting these surveys, right? We're getting great participation, which is

050a wonderful sign like you said, but then like we hear about it as a board and then like we probably won't hear about this again until next year. It would be great to hear like look it we we took this back and this is what we're going to do to recognize the teachers or if you think that it is more at a board level that teachers want to feel valued like then I think we as a board should sit around here and talk about hey what are some ideas that we have to bring teachers in so we can recognize them and make them feel valued for the great work they do because >> that like we have to do that in an open meeting, right? And so is this like when do we talk about

051it? No, >> not now. And it's not like we discussed this last week. We've discussed this this but the data was come did I mean was >> yeah this is from the October institute day so not the August just I don't know if that if if that's a misunderstanding so it's not from August it's from mid-occtober and I you know granted it's early December but this was on the board agenda for a month ago and we tabled it um and the committee had met um to start discussing it. It's just, you know, from um again a month ago, shortly after this, they just had it as very fresh survey data. So, it wasn't for the first time yesterday. Um and each building had been talking about it already. But what I also felt really good

052about yesterday is there was more momentum yesterday, right? There's sort of that like first time you look at it, you digest it. Why wonder why we asked that question anyway? You know, like there there's so much to to pause and think about. And I feel like yesterday the group came together and said this is what starts to make sense as an action step. So So it wasn't the first time and it wasn't from August. Just just so that we're all all clear on all those pieces. >> Got it. I'm curious what the breakdown of or if the answers could be um broken down based on pair professional response and teacher response. >> Um because I think it's great that they were included, but I think Um like I wonder is the recognition not coming to

053the pair professionals who do a ton in the classroom and aren't typically as recognized maybe. Um and the other thought I had looking at this is the large chunk of neutral >> response. So does that mean I don't know I don't care? >> Right. >> Um and you know and then those answers really could go either way if there was more clarity. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And actually teachers talked a little bit yesterday about what they might choose neutral and sometimes it is exactly what you just said. It's when they feel a little confused by the question. So there's another question about um the district provides me opportunity for professional advancement and it's another one that people have really paused around and said like >> does that mean I get high quality professional development? Does

054that mean that there's a pathway for me to become a principal here? And guess what? I don't want to be a princ you know I don't want to be a principal. It's not one of my career goals. So like people have also reflected on that one. Um there's a couple and and what we want to go back to and also say to EB like is there a clear intention in that question? C is that question modifiable or are you telling us do not modify it because you have some you know construct validity here and and this survey is built a certain way for certain reasons. >> Right. We got to keep in mind too when we talk it's there's a lot of these things I mean I'm assuming most of us all taken some sort

055of iteration of these type of surveys. There's a lot of sort of at uh non-quantifiable information. It's like what is recognition? I mean >> it's like recognition for me is like somebody comes and like gives me like uh a bonus or to you it's maybe somebody like just said nice job. I mean it all depends on what that is. So that's what we're trying it has what that's what have we have to dig into. Um, and so I guess the thing I guess the what is I know this is this is something that I mean as as a board we've been talking about for a while is like we haven't had this information. We have this information now. I mean it's always we've been doing this but we now like are discussing it right. We're

056talking about >> it's we're taking [snorts] an action step to try to move for to move forward with this. And so how do we recognize teachers better? That's sort of that's the hard part. I mean it's like because what works for one person doesn't work for another >> and so >> do we did so this iteration did not have the openended question but the next two will >> yeah no >> because I wonder if there are just like you know so what would you like to see right what is a form of to your point for some it's monetary for some it's >> you know the the contract other it's like you know >> that's >> impact awards or like you were saying just verbal recognition or some type of you know >> shout shout

057outs, kudos board, you know, again, organizations, companies do a variety of different measures like Selena said, like we could brainstorm, but is there an open-ended question that's like, okay, so >> what are some things that you would like because, right, we might not be able to implement everything to if it's like, yeah, a bonus money, right? Some want recognition that way or don't feel valued because they're not being >> perhaps in their mind adequately compensated for the work, right? That's something right now >> we're That's not going to change too. So what can't what inroads do you have? >> Right. And the way I look at it too is if once the the team comes up, the district team, the school teams come up and figure out this is what we need to do. Do

058we need to do something different? Do we need to maybe throw like a lunch in every month or what have you to like and I mean that's based on just an example, not any facts or anything, but uh what can we do and that might need a board approval. So we'd have to come back then for that. >> Right. And you touch on both just touch on exactly the the challenge in the question or the challenge in the goals and making changes as for >> you know for every person that says I love having D96 spirit wear a t-shirt people are like >> don't waste your money on a t-shirt for me you know so you know education I think yeah organizations deal with this >> they're like great yeah your lunch when I work

059today I think my employees are like I'd rather a random flex day a comp day Give me a call. >> I mean, people do talk about like they want that authentic, real sense of appreciation, value, and recognition. You know, like they even said like we don't want our principal walking by a room and saying, "You're doing a great job. You're doing a great job. You're doing a great job." Right? You know, like that doesn't feel authentic. Um they'd have it rather less frequent, more meaningful. Um so yeah, it's it's it's very challenging to think about all of it. But I I appreciate these thoughts and and these are, you know, kind of reflective of the conversations we've also been having at the leadership level and with with our teacher teams and our principles have been

060having with their teacher team. So I think it's um you know the one that sticks in my head, I know I've shared it before is when we looked at this as an all district leadership team last year, someone said it's not anyone thing, it's a hundred different things. You know, probably more than a hundred, right? >> 385 different things. >> Yeah. >> Or however many,000. Yeah. Right. because you know it's all personal and like I would consider our fall and spring social recognition. I'm not sure anybody else would consider that in the bucket of recognition. >> So I think getting to that is good and I think your points are valid Selena. It's something we've been talking about for a while. You've you and I have talked about that related to this too of just

061>> how do we you know two three times a year >> kind of say like here's the progress moving forward. And you and I have talked too about >> we got to be careful. We want to be careful how [clears throat] we share this data because like you it's a great question. I don't know that I want to bring that to a public forum, >> right? Because like I think with my staff >> if I were to display this out to the general public, I think I'd get a lot less participation or maybe >> Oh, that's fair. >> Um, right. Like so if you get too granular in it now the whole community has an idea of like what you're saying, what you're feeling, what you're thinking and that can feel weird to people. So

062I think it's it's trying to strike that balance of I think the high level of just generally as a district this is fine but then you're working at the building level and the buildings are working within their buildings and all of that it's going to take some time to get through but I think >> you know I don't know February March or what whatever the timeline is here's what we've implemented here's what we've done things like that I think just keeping a pulse on improving it but I would actually say just in my experience of doing this for many many years these are fantastic results um Even I mean recognition is always like one of the things that we can improve on within my organization and and my uh company and it goes back to

063what we're talking about right here is like what do you want? What do you want? What do you want? And it's hard to give everybody exactly what they want. So having only 29 people disagree or strongly disagree I think is actually really really good >> for this that that's your worst one. >> 29% >> correctly. Yeah. So 70% of the people feel like they were they have been recognized by district leaders. I think that's pretty exceptional. Not that I'm not saying we can't work to improve that and we should always work to improve that, but that's a pretty good number from my perspective. >> One question jumped out at me. It wasn't >> um is lower on the list. The one about safety, >> it wasn't zero. So >> what does that mean to somebody

064to answer this? Is it physical safety? Is it acceptance? Is it are they asked to do unsafe things? >> It's hard to know because it's only a handful of people. You don't want people sing out >> zero. So in some way they feel unsafe. >> I feel like that should be expanded or >> hopefully those people are saying that to their leaders >> hopefully. >> Right. Hopefully. >> Yeah. >> Some surveys will do like if you strongly disagree you need to share >> information as to why. Safety is the other one that has been talked about as that question of interpretation. Is it the physical safety? Is it updated security measures or is it more of a psychological social emotional sense of safety? [snorts] >> Yeah, feels like in the next survey that maybe three

065questions like >> you physically feel safe, is the building safe, are people welcoming? >> Yeah, >> there's always a lot to unpack with these because >> everybody could interpret these questions slightly differently. And I go through this exact same exercise twice a year. We do a spring and we do a fall. It's a set of questions in the spring and a set of questions in the fall. And I have a small group of people that report to me that I have this exact conversation with every single month. And it's even more intense when the semiannual surveys come out. Um, and it's it's hard to get at, but I I feel like in my experience of doing this for I don't know 15 plus years now, it seems like you have the right structure in place

066and just you just got to have people engaged and willing to be transparent and open with it. And as long as that happens, we can make progress. These will never go to zero. Somebody's always going to be unhappy about something because it's just the way it it works. But, um, we can keep, you know, trying to figure that out and improving it and getting the numbers down as much as possible. But, it feels like you're on the right track from from my perspective. >> And from just the board perspective, just to reiterate too, we are giving the survey three times a year. Um and David and I have agreed like from the personnel lens and also just my now taking over goal three just with the change with Don Tfano retiring and Molly is wonderful

067but we said just need to take on goal three as a new director of technology right now um but she is on the committee which I appreciate and she's been a huge help with the just the the logistics of getting the survey out and then also now as we move her around interpretation. But I think if we say survey is administered three times a year we find a way to bring it to the board three times a year. Um that's definitely our our goal and our commitment there. So >> So thank you. >> Sort of communicating. I think it's important too. It goes a little to Wesley's point and Selena communicating a little bit about what we're doing because it's hard to do these and then you just think it goes into a vacuum. You

068have good participation then you're like okay I do these but like what comes of it and some stuff might come of it and the teachers might not realize that that is so it's like hey we heard you as a result of this. Here's the things we're going to do. Then everybody knows the recognition dinner is part of that. It might not be the way you want it to be perhaps recognized, but there were actionable steps that came out of >> you sharing this. And I know in our organization that's always helpful to say as a result, here's what we're going to do. >> Because otherwise you you might not realize that's what it was. We think like, oh yeah, they must know that this is what that was for. >> That's why we serve lunch

069at the zoo and have the social in October. But you're right. And then yeah, people will just become more jaded to want to respond to these because they'll think >> what of it, right? >> Yeah. >> Goes into the ether and nothing happens. >> Yeah. >> So I think that sort of follow through at the end um is important that transparency for the community and and certainly for you know the >> teachers and staff. >> Yeah. No, thanks. It helps to to just have your feedback on all of this. I appreciate it >> and I agree with Selena. I'm glad we have this kind of like back on our radar talking about it kind of have some sort of consistency and tied in because if there's anything that we can do to help support this

070then we would like to do that. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> There are perhaps we can get from the vendor how we compare against districts or other averages. >> Yeah. >> To get a better idea because it's sounding like you're saying our numbers are fantastic. >> Well, I mean I don't know. I don't know. Yes. Exactly. Um, but compared to just me doing these things and talking to other people about these things, I mean, you recognition is always just hard because it's so personal. >> So, I wasn't surprised to see that as kind of the top thing here. Um, but I don't think the numbers are awful. They could get better for sure. Um, but they weren't they didn't stand out to me as like, oh god, that's a bad number type thing. So, but

071it but other district comparisons, if we could figure that out, that would be helpful. >> Yeah. and and we we went through that with vital network and they're like oh it's you have to look at your own data internally and figure out where you want to grow and improve which which is true but there is sort of um like there was a question you know my workload is something about the workload is challenging and um it's like >> do teachers in general feel like the workload is challenging or is that some are we doing something with workload here that is different than what other teachers are encountering in other districts so I think we all feel that sense of we would love that district outside of our district comparison. So, we'll see what we can

072bring back in that area, too. >> And if you have districts that have particularly good results, what are they doing? Yeah. Yeah. Like one of the things we talked about, maybe it'll be a good segue to our next one, is um a staff spotlight even through social media. And sometimes spotlights are, again, some people think that's great and some people think that that shouldn't be. And we did talk to the union leadership about that. They said, you know, maybe we should just try it, right? like why don't we why don't we start it and if we get more negative than positive feedback about that kind of thing >> then maybe you know it's not a good direction to go but it's back to that the many many different things that that we can do and

073we we keep looking to make those >> areas of growth and change >> so I I like this I like this format David thank you for taking a look at it with me it helps to look at it sort of one-on-one first and then to bring it forward and to think about what is the um the piece around the the board lens that That's valuable. So, thank you. >> So, I will just speak for myself on this. I hope any of the staff that is listening to any of this conversation recognizes this is an important topic. Culture has been something we've talked about for years. It's in our plan. It will I assume it will continue to be in our plan going forward and now having a more open dialogue about it. I think just

074you can see it. You can hear it now. [clears throat] Um, I think this has been happening in in more individual meetings and you know when you and I meet, when you and Dave meet, things like that. But, um, I just I would like anybody that works for this district to understand we take this very seriously and whatever we can do to help improve it. Uh, we can't always do everything that everybody wants, but uh, the things that are that are we are able to do and and make sense for us to do, we we want to try to implement those. So, all ideas are welcome. we'll figure out which ones we can implement, but >> um we very much appreciate the staff and we want to make sure that they feel recognized and valued

075and they belong here and they want to continue growing and and uh advancing their career here. So, >> this is an important topic for us. >> So, thank you for kicking it forward. Thank you, Dave, for kind of getting us to where we're at and we'll look forward to the next one. >> I I made I made that sound pretty final. Does anybody have anything else that they would they would want to state before we move on? what you said. >> All right. If no other comments, I will kick this over to Miss Kick for Fam. Am I? Yep. For family engagement. Cody, >> sure. So, um, we actually have Maliccaster here tonight who's going to give us an update on her communications efforts. Am I? >> Yeah. >> Um, you want to share my

076mic? >> Yeah, I'll share mine. >> He's a pretty good uh sound pickup, so Hi everyone. Thank you for having me. It's good to see you all. Uh Molly Caster, I just want to share a couple updates about um district communication and the work I've been doing for the [clears throat] past year, what I see coming up. Um some of our work is visible. So, thank you to those of you who are following along on our social media pages. We have increased the district Instagram followers by 50% over the last year. And this means people really were looking to engage with us there. Um, this is strengthening our visibility and helping families find another way to or get another way to find information. I'd say that uptick really began in March when we started posting

077on a more consistent basis. And I'd love to continue with a more comprehensive um content calendar, kind of refining what um I'm finding a lot of what I find to post is kind of by osmosis. Martha's headed over to central to be a guest reader. I was like, "That's great. I'm going to come with you and I'm going to take a picture and I'm going to post that." Um, I saw a couple emails from two different principles yesterday about district students participating in the holiday stroll on Friday and I thought that was a nice opportunity that we could also help promote that. And so I'd like to find a way to kind of centralize some of those messages, unify those messages and make sure they're also coming from the district level and not just at

078the school level. And again, centralizing those messages just to ensure that it's on brand and it's with the district voice. Um, yeah, there's other opportunities to expand content type like that staff recognition. Should we pursue a staff spotlight? There are other districts who do something like that. I think we can start broadly. I mean, there is a day, a week, an appreciation month for pretty much every type of staff member that we have. We can lean into that and start, you know, by group or by department. So, we're not focusing so specifically on individuals like one teacher did this one thing at this one time, but opening it up to um u more uh group recognition. Again, understanding if that's what the staff is interested in, if that's the kind of recognition they're craving. Um

079I also met with the school social media champions at the beginning of the year to help share some best practices for the content that they post on the school pages. um just some best practices for effective storytelling and guidelines for captions and photo quality. You know, we say zoom with your feet. Don't stand on the periphery when you're taking a picture of a classroom. Like really get in there on the student level so we can see what they're working on. Um and helping them map out some content planning and make sure make sure that they have balanced content on their own school pages. Um, and I'm also the point of contact for any troubleshooting when there's any issues with uh, platforms. Molly M and I launched a district LinkedIn page um, last month and this

080is just the most professional social media channel out there. So, we really wanted to make sure we were out there. Current staff can connect with us. um it's a nice recruitment platform and you know we'll help with job search visibility and then we have the opportunity to share external links without being penalized on LinkedIn where Facebook um they want to keep you so central to their platform that if you try to pop people off to look at an external link you you know get suppressed in the algorithm. Uh, as far as the website, Molly M and I started tracking website analytics in about September. That was our first full month. And the homepage is receiving about 90,000 views a month. Um, that's a lot of eyeballs. So, I'm working to regularly update the district homepage

081and school pages to make sure there's new pictures and the rotating banner. I'd like to connect with the principles if they want to update their letters on their homepages. Martha's on the district homepage is um updated on a quarterly basis. It follows along with her family communication that she emails out. And we know with websites, if someone doesn't find what they're looking for within 5 seconds of being on it, they pop off. So, we need to make sure people are finding the information that they're coming for. That's just instilling trust that they know that they can come to a district resource and find the information that they need. So, I'd like to continue supporting staff, principles, developing that high quality content, um, and again collaborating with principles on that message development, maybe in a more

082timely manner. Um, as a parent, I received the parent teacher conference email. That was an email that came out from all of the principles. I made it a little bit more digestible, made it a news article on the website and then sent that link to the principal. So then they could share the link in their future email so they don't have to regurgitate that whole long here's how you log it to Power PTC, here's what Power PTC is. Um, and so again, working with them in a more timely manner to make sure we can get that done. We've monitored those website analytics to understand visitor behavior. And so for the month of November, top hits, you know, outside of the homepage is lunch menu, staff directory, and then for November, it was that news article

083to the parent teacher conference announcement. When the website migrated last year, um it took every single page with it. So it's it's like a repository instead of a resource. And so Molly M and I are trying to reduce some of those pages, eliminate some redundant content, um, and really make sure it's a user- centered resource where people can find the information they're looking for. Um, also with the website, I'd like to promote the community connections page a little bit more, not only to build a bigger audience for it, but also to connect with community organizations to make sure they're utilizing it. And then along those other communication initiatives, um, building a communications hub. And this is again going back to making sure we have a central message that we're share or a centralized place for

084messages that are being shared at the school level and then also at the district level. And that's again to just make sure we're you know more proactively planning that communication starting with a more strategic approach as opposed to working behind. Um I'd also like to explore a monthly or quarterly opt-in community e newswsletter. That wouldn't change how we're emailing current families, but this would just be an opportunity for community members who maybe don't have students in the district to receive positive news and updates without, you know, seeking out our website or our social media. That's that information would then come to them. And lastly, um I want to continue exploring strengthening community partnerships, whether that's cross-promoting related events with the library, hosting a coffee with the superintendent at a local business, or um exploring a

085communitywide volunteer initiative with the village. I reached out to the village's new communication and marketing manager, and she and I are going to connect over the next couple of weeks just to introduce ourselves and start that conversation. And in the spirit of all the unified messaging I keep harping about talking about the Black Park playground, making sure we have a message that's, you know, on the same page with each other as we continue that um project. I'm happy to answer any questions. >> Awesome. I love the social media posts. I And actually, it's funny that you say so there's a social media champion at each school and I kind of forgotten that and I'm literally thinking to myself like, "God, Molly is everywhere. She's [laughter] like she must be going from school to school like

086every day. Um because there's always something and I love and I think it's like encouraging the teachers and the schools to post more things about the kids and um it's just kind of nice especially if you're not like your working parent, you're not around all the time to hear about what's going on. It's kind of nice to see that um during the day and I I love the idea of um having some kind of e- newswsletter that goes out to the community because I was thinking about like my older son is in band and in jazz band and um I at the last concert there was a couple there that and some they were kind of everybody was kind of talking around um during the in between it was for Hower Jazz night where RB

087comes too and they were saying that they just come because their kids like used to be in the district and they you know knew about it and their neighbors told them that this was the night and they so they have no kids in the district but they came to see it anyway. So I'm like you know what folks probably wouldn't mind that you know like to come for like a holiday concert or for choir or something like that. So I think that'd be really cool to to get that information out to the community. It'd be a great way for us to connect. >> Oh thanks. >> Thank you. Thanks Molly. >> I actually question hearing the 90,000 views is is a lot. Do we know what it was before? >> No, I don't think we

088have any. They didn't have they didn't have it turned on before. So when I when Molly and I part Molly and Molly partnered together um we turned it on. So this is probably two two months probably two months of data. >> And do we know what the breakdown is by school or is it the at the district page or is the >> I mean yeah we can see who's going to or how many people are going to the school pages. They are definitely not as heavily traffked as the district page. And yeah, and I am curious, you know, what people are going to the website to find, you know, outside of the lunch menu or a staff email. Um, and so I would just like to utilize it more if people are if you know,

089and 90,000 isn't unique people. That's 90,000 visits. Um, >> you know, it's far less as as the number of people, but >> like what are they, >> right? [laughter] And the you David you had asked me before like the Instagram up by 50 thou about 50%. >> Up from what do we know? >> So we So it you know it's kind of funny because the district Instagram page had no posts from 2016 to 2024. There were just eight years of nothing. Like I'm surprised the the account stayed active. And then there were a few posts in 2024 where schools were posting what they were posting on their school pages also to the district page. But there was a little uh loss of context. You know, people are saying like this is our fourth grade music

090students are who you know because it's coming out to the district page. >> So, and I'm sure we've lost a few people along the way and that number accounts for it. So, I know the starting number was 435 followers and I think we're up to whatever plus 50% of that is, you know, close to 600. Yeah. >> So, kind of I was just sorry I was you were about to go away and then she thought [laughter] in my head. Um, so because I was also thinking you were just everywhere because I see you everywhere. >> Sure. I know. [laughter] This is what I do. I infiltrate. Um, so do we have these social media champions or whatever? Is that like the does everything funnel through that person for like content control? Is that the purpose

091of it? >> Right. So they, you know, reach out to their respective school staff and say, you know, if you're doing anything in your classroom or if you're at the assembly and you have a better shot, you know, take these pictures, send them to me. And then the social media champion is in charge of writing the caption, like figuring out when to get it posted. >> And that's a staff member at the schools really because >> before and it was before Molly was working her 10 hours a week. Okay. But it was this idea that at least right now we think that it Molly can't be everywhere and it's almost more valuable to come from a staff person at that building. Yeah. >> Um what they have found real honestly is that it's it's it's

092a bit of work for them to do, you know, like it's it's not all just seamless. So it's something we've kind of wondered like >> should we >> maybe >> elevate it all to the district, you know, like some districts Molly has discovered right only have district accounts. They don't have school by school accounts. But we had started with school accounts before we had a district account. So we think people are following >> their school and there seems to be value in you following your child's school as opposed to the district. The the you know the content would follow over on the district page. It would just >> stop diluting the audience. You know if someone's an Ames parent, they're like, "Well, I'm only going to follow the Ames page." But if we could take

093all of their followers over to the district, it's just, you know, more people to see what we're purs we're pushing out at the district level. >> And it would still be school level content. It would just be through one account so that everybody can see everything that's going on and not just the isolated view of what's going on at their school. >> So that's a possibility. Not >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Not committing. You're not [laughter] >> because the PTO's and PTAs also have good Instagram. There's a school, then there's a district, and you get different information from each one. Yeah. >> Or like Flash has been all over the central PTO page. >> And as you that's interesting because as I was kind of looking at other districts and what they do on the social

094media level, um, a lot of other school districts use our our API platform. So, it's a very similar homepage and each the district homepage and each school homepage has their own links for Facebook and Instagram. And so I was curious as to what those were pointing to for the districts that only have district accounts and they point to the PTO and PTA pages which is kind of a nice way to incorporate you know that. >> Yeah. I think like what you set me off on is just our constant like how do we communicate better? just we have a lot of fragmented stuff and I think we're concerned about arbitrarily trying to centralize that and take away the individualistness of it but also it's very fragmented and so it makes it very difficult to get those

095community I didn't even think about PTO's that's a whole another PTO was going to they're going to promote an event that they're sponsoring >> not a district event necessarily or a school event so somebody's just following the PTO or the PTA they may miss out on a whole the district is doing this thing >> and I don't even know where the overlap is or could be or can't be or like >> can we cross post and stuff. I don't >> concert >> but you could say something or the school could say something about the PTO event. >> Yeah. They can amplify the school message >> if it's you know especially if it's related to the school or the district. >> Yeah. >> Communication is always an opportunity for improvement. >> Always [laughter] have it regular

096and you know you were saying we didn't post for eight years on Instagram. [laughter] have the communication, you know, and consistent. You have a message where people are realizing, okay, wait, if I'm want find this information, I should go to this page or I should go to the district page >> because yeah, if you post it once and then eight years later, you post a second message, [laughter] >> people aren't going to be around to hear the second one. >> Yeah. >> Well, just the amount of communication that or how communication has changed in the last eight years. I mean, people don't want less of it, >> they want more of it. >> And social media seems to be a really valid channel for [clears throat] it. I think even eight 10 years ago it

097was like just send me an email and now it's like let me see it on social media. >> So yeah. >> So maybe we could do a better job. I'm thinking like from the [snorts] PTA side to make sure that like we we already have people following our PTA stuff for Hollywood. Then we need to make sure that >> they're also following school and district. >> Um so we can do a better job of advertising that. I do remember going through because we had links on our on the newsletter. It was like a an image that I had on the newsletter every week and I was like, I should probably check these and make sure [laughter] I look at the Instagram. I was like, well, I'm taking that off because that hasn't been updated in

098a while. Um, but then I kind of changed format and use some more now. But I don't know that I have the district stuff on there. So, I'll put that on there for sure. And then maybe we could hang stuff in like the um like the uh what do you call it? The vestibules where people come in or if they're like waiting for their kids and just have follow us on Instagram. We can we can put that in the schools >> because I think those principles Yeah. put it in their email as well. >> Yeah. >> Are there examples of schools just like if I wanted to poke around that you think are doing this really >> WKA is really >> really wellka >> like either websites or their social >> website and social. Okay.

099>> And the reason I started following them is because when we had that Chicago magazine article about the top 50 schools and we kind of wondered should we post it because not all of our schools were included on the list. Wana was number one, but not all of their schools were included either. So, I popped over to their Instagram and yeah, of course, they had posted it and then I was like, "Oh, I'm going to get some really good ideas from what you guys are using >> that's good." >> Well, the other thing like West 40 has started having like a communications network, right? So, other school district people from the West 40 schools gathering and you've been I've gone to some of those and Molly's gone to even more of those. So I mean

100school as a really important hub for communication. I mean yes the lunch menu's always been important [laughter] and snow days and and you know principal newsletters etc. But I think there's just even more expectations around you know how do we pull the curtain back and show families you know what's going on in the schools and >> um making sure we're telling that good news story too because >> There's a lot of good news. Yeah. >> Well it seems like a lot of progress in a relatively short amount of time. So, thank you for your efforts. Appreciate it. >> And uh I guess I don't know maybe the PLT agenda is a good segue from what you just said. >> Yeah. So, um the last PLT med meeting, um Matt actually attended um because we switch

101off. Um but there was some um other than the board updates, um there was some discussion around the half-day professional development um days that will be coming into the next calendar. Um and actually that also came up at our um parent PTA parent meeting last night at Hollywood. um just kind of the timing of when they would be um but that we're going to be determining those by the January board meeting and also that the school year might shift a little bit um in August, right? Like starting August 26, 27. >> So the board will hear that probably January cow you'll see a draft or two draft calendars and then um we've been in the process of looking at what the first days of school are for RBE has already has theirs. I don't know

102if it's board approved, but they have a strong draft, a clear draft. Kar is following suit with theirs, and we're probably going to inch a little bit more toward what's more typical for us. >> Okay. >> That's always a good conversation because the PTO's and PTAs start planning events next year out. So, first day of school is important. Like, it starts that day. We're already booking the place for next week. >> Yep. Absolutely. Yeah. And that was a way it came up because we were like, "Oh, we're going to have to start working on next year's calendar." Um, and then there was some updates from the family and community partnerships last meeting, which actually I think I already reported on here. I can't remember because I feel like I've talked about it. When I was

103looking through the notes, I was like, I feel like I already talked about this. Um, and then PTAs and PTO's are really busy. Um, there's book fairs. There's some culture nights at a couple of schools. Um, as is having a a science fair. We heard Central's having a science fair. Um, everybody was involved in food drives of some way. Um I know at at Hollywood we were supporting the Brookfield Food Pantry um as well. So um and then we've got upcoming concerts, holiday shops. Um everybody was supporting the staff dinners with um uh sorry pair teacher conferences. Um yeah, and then um there was a Google doc that went out. I need to add Hollywood stuff to it. I'm sorry. Um there was a Google doc that went out that actually now we have like

104kind of a central location for all of the PCA and PTO. um events through the year so we can kind of see at a glance for every school except Hollywood because I haven't added it yet. I'll get there. >> The food drive conversation was impressive the way this whole community it's like everybody wanted to do as much as they can. So conversation of are we all doing as much as we can? Can we where should we go? Which food pantry? How do we collect it? How do we get it to the >> Yeah. >> where it needs to go. >> Yeah. It was great to see the community kind of come together because there was a bunch of emails. I was getting texts from other parents at other schools in the district and we were

105talking about it at Hollywood. Parents were really concerned about how we were going to be handling this and we have because Hollywood houses Ladsy um Ladsy was started a food drive um that they were doing for Brookfield I believe and then um and then yeah and it just kind of grew from there. So it was it's really nice to see every school. I think Lazy does Lazy has a foundation where they support their own Lazy families. >> Oh, okay. >> So, yeah, I think >> so that was pretty much it. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> All right. >> Thank you for those updates. I will now pass it over to Mr. Hunt for education committee update. >> All right. Well, the education committee uh met I think it was on Monday for a brief phone

106call. It was a light agenda uh for the education committee this month. Uh the number one topic was the chronic absenteeism report that came out. Uh it's, you know, I think we're kind of trending towards a median as it were of, you know, we're um roughly we're we're off the post-pandemic highs and from pre previous uh experience, I think we are lower than state averages in terms of chronic absenteeism, but higher than where things were prior to the pandemic. And it's just kind of hitting a certain certain range or small range thankfully which is actually surprising g considering the numbers are fairly small that uh it wouldn't take much to move these numbers in a great fashion but they you know yeartoear they're hitting around you know 200 I think for 2023 2024 was the

107number of chronic absent absenteeism or absences excuse me. Uh the next year was 181. This year is 154. We're not quite all the way through the year yet, obviously. So perhaps things are I'm I'm not sure if we have more in uh the first trimester versus the others, but it it's it's a fairly fairly consistent number again below state averages. And um that that was the that was the discussion on that. I don't know, Martha, was there anything more to add there? No, I think um I appreciate the board keeping a close eye on this, doing this trimester by trimester reporting. So that's why we're reporting it now because trimester 1 just ended um in [snorts] November. And um why we see the variability school to school is is an interesting question. Um but you

108know again there there's some some clustering and and some like moving toward that average and that 9% was our number before the pandemic and um as a district totals go 9.01 01 right now. So, um hoping that's all good news, but it's also another opportunity to thank our staff, thank our social workers, thank our principles that you know what we know about chronic absenteeism is this is not just children who decide they don't want to come to school. This is often um families that are encountering challenges, children that are encountering challenges, social emotional uh challenges, etc. Families just in need in need of resources. So, um all the things really that we've talked about tonight um play into all of it. And um I I do think there's a concerted effort not to take a

109punitive approach, but to really take a supportive approach with with families and children that are struggling with school attendance. >> I'm clicking over to the graph. It's reminding me that we're see and this has been pretty consistent over time that we see a higher number of chronic absences at Hower as opposed to the other schools. And I think it was mentioned as well Hollywood again when we're talking about small numbers creating wide swings. Hollywood is is probably the best school in terms of performance. uh in terms of the minimal number of chronic absence ab absences. So got a few Hollywood parents here tonight. Maybe you guys can share >> what's the secret is but uh yeah that that's uh definitely Hollywood is the leading uh in the fewest uh fewest number of absences. Yeah, I

110guess that that did sort of strike me because I guess one thing that sort of I found interesting is that the larger the school got the higher the chronic absenteeisms were because if you start you sort of start off at Hollywood has the lowest it goes to uh it goes to Ble Park and then it goes to Ames and then it goes to Central. I don't know quite the the enrollments off of the two but then it goes to Hower. Um so I just found that was interesting. But that's the count, right? Not the relative percent. >> No, that's >> But the relative percent is actually much lower at Hollywood also, >> right? Um >> I'm looking at the percentages. >> The average daily percent absent >> just the chronic abnism percent. >> I surpris

111you include >> and it was true last year too. >> I found it interesting. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> But I mean, I think with Hollywood, it's um I because it's small, everybody kind of knows everybody. Everybody kind of lifts people up when they know stuff's going on. I don't know. >> You're not allowed to miss school at Hollywood cuz that like walking school bus is coming by your house. [laughter] >> Yeah. Knocking on your door. Coming out. >> Yeah. >> The how how should I think about average daily percent absent versus chronic absenteeism? The way I was interpreting this is on any given day less than 5% of our students are absent in total in aggregate and it varies but they're all kind of within a group. >> Those numbers are about half of what

112the chronic absentee is in it. So is our >> average [snorts] daily absences. So I'll just say central has 16 which is 4.47 but it's 36 total chronic absentees. So is that small group of daily average usually those that are chronic or do those not go together that cleanly? >> I don't think they go together that cleanly. So the average daily percent abs just the child who has the flu, has a sore throat, not coming to school. Chronic absenteeism is really the kids that are missing >> 10 or more days. So um it really is like they have repeat the same child has the repeated absences. That makes sense. Am I saying that right? >> Yeah. I just um Okay. So, I know that there is a myriad of factors that can go into chronic

113absentee percentages, but I would just like to recognize I know that um it is it has a lot to do with teachers >> and so I would like to recognize the teachers at Hollywood and Ble that have encouraged those schools to have such low chronic absentee percentages. We know this according to the state report card that that metric is very important and it seems like something is being done right at those schools and I would just like to recognize and support those schools and say you're doing a great job and keep it up. >> It's definitely good good to note although I I'm interested in David's point about and he noticed that I I not uh teased that out that the bigger the schools go the more absences they get. That is an interesting point

114>> and it's anecdotal. I I think middle schoolers um yeah they have a little more independence although I don't think it's just kids that say to their parents I'm not going today but there's um there can be a little bit of that. I think sometimes also middle schoolers that may encounter more social emotional impact that may keep them out of school. Um some of that may go with sort of that pre-adolescent early adolescent >> time in life. So, but but I think the school size I mean because Hollywood is striking and it has been for for two years now or three years now that we've been looking at the numbers. >> Yeah, I think so. Mhm. >> So I I do have a question sort of just what is considered chronic acism and this might

115sound like very basic but I I know it's like they miss 10% um I mean of the school days within >> 10 days not 10% >> I mean yeah I'm sorry 10 10 days excuse me% >> yeah no% >> says 10% right% okay I guess I'm wrong >> or more of school days >> is that is that >> 10% or more of the school days in a year so then with the trimester reporting they take 10% of the trimester one. Yeah, >> I was going to ask that. Okay. >> Right. I think Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. Cuz um >> Okay. So, this number could conceivably go down. So like or I mean it could obviously >> say a child who had seriously had a health issue or a social mo or something that went on

116in the first trimester that's now been resolved and hope and hopefully right they are no longer chronically absent as the extended number of day as the days extend in the school year >> that sense of percentage shifts. >> I mean I think right now too there's just so many factors. I mean, we're seeing in, you know, CPS schools. I recognize our demographics look different, but the number of children who are not going to school given, you know, kind of ICE activities in the area, I think they recently changed their policy to allow for uh kind of an unlimited amount based off like um you know, safety concerns, etc. So, >> it's a lot of impact outside of what we have control of in our buildings as well. >> Yeah. that could be affecting some some

117of our families very well could be. >> You look at a memo Dave we we have the one one and two and then year end and you can kind of see the trends at the district level but like >> two years ago it was 11.7 11.5 11 by the end of the year 10.9 11.3 9.3 by the end of last year and then nine this year. So yeah, I mean it's going to >> right >> as the totals continue to aggregate it'll modify throughout the year, but >> feels good to be back to kind of where we were now. I mean it it seems like from a state perspective that's a pretty good number, but >> we always want them to improve, right? Um, but at least we're kind of back to where we were

118and with the focus that we have on it just continuing that hopefully we can just keep getting you know shave a half a percent or a percent off because to your point Dan it doesn't take much to move the percentages with numbers this small in particular. So >> but the trend I think I mean >> the trend is good. I mean >> the trend is definitely good. Yes. >> Also coming off the echo of the pandemic though I think as well. >> Yeah. >> Great. Is there an amount of time you need to be gone from the school day to be considered absent? Like if you pull your kid for an ortho appointment? I I know there's >> I don't know what that percentage I'm looking to Angela and Molly. Do you Is it um

119>> Sorry, it's a half day or more. >> Okay. So like pulling for an appointment, bringing them back should not count towards a >> the chronic absentes. Okay. So bring your children back from their orthodontist appointment if [snorts] [laughter] >> I do my best to schedule those outside of school, but it doesn't always >> are. It's just something about >> a doctor was just right down on I think my daughters always went to >> after school they would go down there. >> Oh well. Oh well. Yes. So, uh, then the other point that we discussed was the school citizens of the year award. That's a program through West 40 that the district had not been participating much as of late. Uh, and it sounds like that uh the staff had brought it up as an

120idea for starting to re-engage and have a have a school citizen of the year for each of the schools. There's a banquet I think that uh West 40 holds for all those uh students that are picked. So, it's definitely a very positive thing. It's just not something that we've as a district have uh have participated much in as of late. And I think the I don't know Martha was there a discussion or is this definite that we're going forward on this? >> Yeah. So um you know it is interesting. It came from our own teachers and I think at at different times there's been just sort of different flavor or feeling about um participating in in different awards. I certainly I know we feel are many many many of our students are you know deserving

121of of these kinds of awards. But I think when the teachers want it and and feel like there's an opportunity to really recognize students that are doing exceptionally well in that area, um we'd like to we'd like to say yes to that. So um so that's the way the memo was written from Angela is to that they would like to and plan to participate. It doesn't really require board action, but I know sometimes when we are honoring students with different awards, all of you have had questions. So I certainly wanted to make sure that it was it was clear to you. Um any questions? Any questions for Angela about it? My only question is it says each school is encouraged to establish their own selection criteria. Are we working on that or do we is

122that something that we could publicly state? >> That's the Scotty Award stipulation, but uh I'd like to work with the principles that we have a district criteria so that we're consistent among the four elementary schools. >> Oh, honestly, when I read that, that's what I assumed it was, but not the individual school. >> We'll work together that we'll as a district come up with the criteria. It'll be more probably the teachers coming up with criteria and >> having the principles discuss it, leadership team and then that will consistently drive how we'll pick those fifth grade students at each school. >> Can we bring that back when we get it so that we can talk about it because I think that I think that'd be good. Just here's the criteria so people can so that Molly

123can still here so she can post something. She ran out perfect for Yeah. Yeah. All right. Cool. Thank you. Anybody else? >> No. All right, >> that is it for the education committee. >> Okay, we don't have any items here, but I always call them out anyway just in case there's anything. Miss Claps, anything on finance? >> No. >> Taking a break this month? >> Wanted to make >> What's that? >> Taking a break this month. >> Feel like we always talk about finance. >> Well, we we uh Yeah, we we um have a slow month here. Um Mark and I and Martha have had just some preliminary discussions on um what's provided to the board and the board package um related to finance. And so, you know, we always want to make sure that

124we're providing the board with um a lot of transparency around the finances and adequate information for you all to make decisions and observe what's going on with the district finances. Um, but we're also mindful that like, you know, if it gets to be hundreds and hundreds of pages, we might lose careful review um, by the board. And so if you all ever have feedback on what's provided or if you'd like to see more provided or less provided or you think that we need to talk about it here at the board table, um, just shoot me a note and we will make sure that we talk about it at committee and then bring it to you all. Mark, do you have anything to add? >> I would know when I went to the the schoolboard conference,

125one of the sessions I sat in on was interpreting the uh board balance sheets and all the different accounts. And I guess it made me very appreciative of relative to all the number of possibilities that are out there that exist, the ones that were pretty were pretty focused and pretty pretty uh pretty honed in in terms of the number of different uh things we could focus in on. I think that is helpful to the board. It keeps it a lot more manageable than all the different accounts that exist that are out there for probably use for larger districts. >> That's helpful feedback. >> Yeah. All right. With that, Miss Gun, anything on policy? >> I don't have anything on policy tonight. Um with us having a January cow meeting this year, uh we will likely

126bring uh press 120 uh for first read um plus um perhaps just some oneoff uh type policy review um for discussion. Um but I think that's that's it. The um oh my gosh, what's it called? webinar took place while I was uh traveling mid November. So it's now recorded and available to watch. It's always something I like to to do to accompany my my reading of the policies. So, we'll be doing that before the committee meets and before our January cow. >> All right, that is the end of the committee items. Um, guessing no other public comment. >> There is not. >> All right. Thank you. So, future meeting dates are December 17th. We'll have a regular business meeting at 7 p.m. in the Hower Learning Resource Center. January 7th, committee the whole meeting at

1277 p.m. in the library at BL Park School. And January 21st, we will have a regular meet business meeting at 7 p.m. in the Hower Learning Resource Center. And with that, this meeting is adjourned.