Mahomet-Seymour Board of Education Study Session 8-3-20

001Good evening everyone. The feed is live now. So we're out on Bulldog TV and on YouTube and check out WebEx. We know we can talk with our board members that aren't present in the room. And uh so at this time I'd like to call the order of the study session of the Seymour Board of Education. It's 7:01 p.m. on Monday, August 3rd. At this time, I'd like to remind anyone attending in person, please sign in, especially if you're a visitor. I'd like everyone to silence their phones and like to remind our visitors that in order to facilitate an effective meeting, we ask those who wish to make comments to the board to read the visitor guidelines found outside the door, complete the attached public participation form, and tonight we will not be giving them to

002Dawn. We'll be giving them to Nicole, who's filling in for Dawn. So, we appreciate uh Nicole doing that for us tonight. And um if you want to speak um I've already got a form or two um and then we'll go from there. So, could we get a roll call, please? Here. You still here? Yes, I'm present. Can you hear me? Yeah, that was here. Okay, okay. Yes, we can hear you. Can you hear us? Schultz here. Here and let's stand for the pledge, please. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All right, board members, you have seen the agenda for tonight's meeting. I would entertain a motion to approve the agenda

003as it's presented. So got a motion by Jeremy to do that. Is there a second? Second. That's Lori. Is there a discussion on the agenda? I would like to amend the agenda to include a discussion of board policy on the Please. Couldn't hear what she said. A discussion of board policy on Colleen, we lost it. Sorry. I move to amend the agenda to include a section, a discussion section on board policy. Okay. Could you be a little more specific about what the word policy you want to talk about? Just want to make a proposal for board policy in a discussion item. Okay. Discussion item. Yeah. Can there be discussion about that proposal? Uh seconded we can discuss. Okay. Is there a second to the amendment? This is Ken. I'll second. Okay. Discussion on that. My

004discussion would be that there are two of us that are present as members of the policy committee and you didn't even come and talk to the committee about it. So I guess I just am a little thrown off that why we wouldn't have done that. I would like to know what we're so I can be prepared. I'm not proposing that we take any votes on anything at this meeting. Just a discussion does not stop the policy committee from having a meeting and doing further discussion. Okay. Is this something that's come up since the agenda was printed? There was a reason we couldn't get it on the agenda. Yes. I just decided today that to discuss it. Okay. Any other questions on the amendment? I would just like to say that I mean we have committees

005in place for a reason. And it seems to me that you would vent things through a committee before you take it before the board because that's what the committee purpose I thought was. But that's all I was going to say. Okay. So, we're voting on adding that item to the agenda because we've got a vote on the amendment before we can vote on the first motion. So, this is and all the votes will be roll call because we've got people on WebEx. So, is there any other discussion on the amendment? Okay. So, this is this is a vote on whether or not we're adding that item. Okay. Hennessy. Yes. Schultz. Yes. Keith, yes. No. No. But it carries. So, we would amend that. And that would be item uh well, it' be the last item

006on the agenda. It'd be item 12A, I guess. Thank you. Okay. So, now we got a motion on the floor again to approve the agenda. Hey, Matt. Yes. Um, I don't know if we need to make an agenda or a motion to do this, but can we combine the two COVID topics? Uh, I feel like they're pretty related and let's just do it all at once instead of split it up. There was a request specifically by a board member to have number 12 there as a standalone item. I'm sorry. Can you repeat that? A board member requested item number 12 as a standalone item. the the COVID updates. Yes, but I also requested that it would be an action item and you denied that. So, well, the action discussion doesn't really matter, but Okay. Okay.

007I'll just leave it as it then. Thank you. Yeah. Okay. I I would just like to clarify too that you said 12A, but mine is not under CO. No, 12 and a half then. 12.5. Okay. It's the last item prior to communication for business. It's a separate item. Thank you. Yep. We have a any other discussion on the agenda. Roll call on the agenda, please. Yes. Henry, yes. Child, yes. Tennessee, yes. Schultz, yes. Yes. All right. Do we have any other public participation forms? just um one on WebEx and then I've got it. Okay, Nicole, there's actually three people on WebEx, I believe. Okay. Who want to comment publicly? I Okay. Okay. Okay. The top row from what we see right there. So, we've got one person here to speak live. We've got three on

008WebEx. And then we have some comments to read. Let's start with the three on WebEx. Um I guess we'll start. Do you have a list or no? I just have my Go ahead. M is unmuted. Thank you. And I I know I'm I'm unmuted now. Thank you so much um to the board for allowing me to speak tonight. And um there are a couple um I wanted to also thank you for addressing the anti-racism tonight in the board meeting in advance. Um most of my um most of my experience came from the Tequila Mockingbird um unit. And I'd like to first share with you the um the I guess the end game because the last thing that they did was a T for Tom. And if I could share with you what was required of

009the students and um maybe you can understand why the anti-racism agenda is a little bit um is a lot necessary right now because right now my children do not want to come back to Muhammad because of this. So, um the and I'm reading directly from the invitation for the T for Tom. Um you're cordially invited for the T for Tom on and I'm it didn't have a date. Please plan on attending to share your remembrances of Tom and offer support to Helen and her family. Your responsibilities 30 points total from the class novel. Assume the identity of one of the characters for the T. Come dressed as your character 10 points. Characters chosen randomly. Complete a writing assignment at the as that same character. 10 points. Contribute to the T. 10 points. Sign up quickly

010for the first choice. Participation requirements. food. Bring a homemade southern or depression era dish to share with your class. Must be nut-free and able to be stored without school required heat or refrigeration for an extended period of time. If there are severe allergies, please notify us ASAP. If bringing a food is a problem or financial hardship, contact me immediately. attire. You do not need to go out and buy clothes. You have several weeks to look through closets, borrow from friends or family, etc. Your clothing needs to look close to what your character would have worn in the 1930s in to kill a mockingb bird. We will discuss options in class and you'll be finding you'll be finding pictures. Please make an effort. But this does not need to cost any money. However, Goodwill, consignment stores

011are good options to look at. Research southern or depression era foods. Decide on a dish or food that you want to bring for the tea. You will need to link to your resource, the recipe, or where you find found this dish to show that it is a southern or depression era food. It needs to be something you can make, not something straight out of a box or a jar. Attire. Research attire clothing for your character. It is your Is your character a man or a woman? What is their occupation? Are they rich or poor? What do they spend a majority of their day doing? Find a picture of someone from this time era wearing an outfit similar to what you plan to wear to the tea. Include both of these items in the Google doc.

012Writing assignment as your character. You will need to write a three paragraph letter to Helen showing your support or offering condolences. Include in the first paragraph, express sympathy. Acknowledge Helen's loss and refer to the deceased by name. Express true emotion, sympathy, hope, encouragement, or support. Second paragraph. Say something personal about you, your connection to Tom or Helen. Express your true emotion, sympathy, hope, encouragement, support. Include one fact about Tom, such as any special qualities or strength he had or your favorite memory of the deceased. Final paragraph, include one fact about your character and how your role affected the events of this story. Offer sincere sincere specific help. I mean, yeah, specific help. Um, and then it goes on to um a sample letter, and I don't think it's necessary to read that. Um, but I

013said all that to say that if that was the end assignment of this model of this um unit, I'm trying to find out what was actually learned in that unit. Now, I'm not saying ban the book. That's already been done several times. But what I am saying is they are learn what they're learning here is racism. It was said that anti-racism should be taught at home, but we're teaching racism in school. I'm having a hard time understanding why it's so hard to put that on the this agenda in the schools. And that's pretty much all I have to say. All right. Next is uh Maggie Kinnman. Remind everybody there is a five minute time and we will try to cue you when you've got a minute left. Could you go ahead? Okay. Hi. Can you

014hear me? Okay. Um, I would just like to say a few words about the topic of beginning the work of embedding anti-racist education into the curriculum at all grade levels in the Muhammad Seymour school system. I have spoken about this in past schoolboard meetings and since then many other community members have delivered similar messages. I'm very glad to know that this topic is on the agenda for tonight's meeting. I do acknowledge that the global pandemic has put schools into a tail spin. I'm a public school teacher myself and I fully understand every aspect of how this pandemic has turned things upside down for everyone involved in education. I am desperately trying to figure out how I will teach my classes effectively through Zoom in a couple of weeks. But the reality is that we have

015no way of knowing how long we will be dealing with the issues of COVID and we cannot delay addressing the important issues of racial equity and anti-racist education. I realize this will be ongoing work. It will not happen overnight. It will fold gradually, but it can and should at least begin now. In June, a letter was submitted to the school board that was written by a group of Muhammad Seymour alums. And in my opinion, this letter was especially important because it came from a group of people who have discovered after they left Muhammad for college and the workforce that they were not prepared to notice, discern, and engage in discussion about social injustices that have been in place throughout history and that are now being highlighted daily in our current society. The authors of the

016letter stated that they were not prepared to enter a diverse global workforce. In Muhammad, we are very proud of our school system. Many people move to this community mainly because Muhammad has a reputation of great schools. If we truly value the education our children receive, then it is critical that we prepare them for the world ahead of them through an education which pri prioritizes inclusion and social justice. There are a plethora of resources available to help guide our district in this work. Many other school districts all over the country and locally have in this kind of work for some for many years and some are just beginning. We owe it to our students to get on board and join in with what other schools are doing. I believe a crucial beginning point is implementing ongoing

017long-term racial equity training for teachers and all school staff. I have been a part of this kind of teacher education through my school district for a few years and it still continues. I have learned so much. As adults, we have to seek out this kind of education because we were all victims of incomplete, inaccurate, and white- centered education. We owe it to our students to give them the education we did not get. We must give them highquality, justiceoriented curriculum. In summary, let's make our great schools even better. Thank you. Thanks, Maggie. Thank you, Maggie. Um, next up, Susan Jackson. Hello. Um, thank you again for putting um the anti-racism um plan on the agenda for tonight. Um, and I was just going to read the letter that I submitted to the board. Um, I said

018that I am writing today to express my deep concern that meaningful steps towards ending practices that uphold racist beliefs and building an inclusive and equitable school culture have yet to be taken by the Muhammed School Board District or Muhammed Seymour School District. I know these are difficult times and our focus is pulled in many directions. But as leaders in our community, it is essential that you do not continue to sit in silence. This silence is not only a barrier to change. It also sends a message to others that this is not our problem and that we are above the work needed to gain social justice for all. I'm asking you today to take the following steps towards change. I'm asking that the board immediately accept the anti-racism resolution given by the alumni. I'm also asking

019that the board initiate a board level committee including board members, district administration, teachers, social workers, and community members who will address anti-racism action in the schools. And I would ask for a date that this committee will meet prior to the start of the 2021 school year. I would like to request the board direct the superintendent and district to publicly announce specific dates that teachers will receive training around anti-racism. Develop and announce a comprehensive statement that encompasses the anti-racist anti-racism beliefs of our district and our community. I'm asking that you develop and support district and building committees to address issues of diversityity and inclusion in our schools utilizing the guidelines highlighted by the alumni recommendations including things like climate survey, curriculum review, and a development of school groups to support students of color. and also asking

020that you conduct a full review of the code of conduct to ensure that anti-racist expectations are ste clearly stated and enforced and that those expectations are taught to staff and students regularly. I appreciate you making this a priority and I look forward to the change in our school community. Thank you, Susan. Thank you, S. All right. And in the room tonight, we have Dennis Kim. And Dennis, you can go to the stand if you like. Can I drop this while you're speaking up? I understand. That may be a good thing. Okay. Thank you. Good evening to all of you. My wife and I have lived in Muhammad for 32 years. Our three children attended outstanding Mohamd Seymour schools and are now successful adults working in Chicago and Norphick, Virginia. We were frequent school volunteers including

021my vice directorship of Mohamd Seymour Education Foundation. We continue to support all Muhammad Seymour children through our active involvement at Macy. We believe that all people should be treated fairly. However, I'm deeply concerned about the implications of the proposed anti-racism resolution. First, I'm concerned that such a resolution is even being considered. We do not have a racist school district. We should not have to prove this, especially from making the kinds of educationally irrelevant statements demanded the June6 alumni protest letter demands the anonymous author justified by quoting interestingly Angela Davis, a lifelong communist. My second concern is the resolution statement that the board has the unequivocal belief that systemic racism in American society is real. It is inappropriate to make such a charged broad and educationally relevant statement. Plus, it's highly debatable. Consider the specific example

022of criminal justice. While at the university and in private practice, I consulted with more than 250 jurisdictions nationwide. I know the reasons for the systemic racism charge and that it's meant to be a sweeping indictment of the entire American justice system. The charge is used to justify radical and unrealistic calls for defunding the police and abolishing prisons. After 43 years of working with local justice systems, I know that while there are issues on the edges, aligning with the simplistic and wholesale charge of systemic racism is both wrong and harmful. I believe that this conclusion applies equally to the resolution's indiscriminate indictment of American society. My third concern is that the resolution links hiring staff to racial considerations. Ironically, doing so seems racist because it suggest hiring based on skin color rather than merit. Successful merit-based

023hiring has made our school district strong. Martin Luther King Jr. advocated this approach when he rightfully asked that people be judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin. My fourth concern is that the resolution takes a disturbingly deep dive into the ideolog ideological weeds, but it highlights issues like power and privilege. White privilege in the social justice context pushed by the June 6 letter is a racist concept. It lumps all whites together and then stereotypes them as people whose attainments derive from their skin color. I'm afraid this language insults the hardworking families of our community. Families that have prospered because of lifetimes of individual effort. We are diverse in our educational attainments, family backgrounds, circumstances, beliefs, and economic condition. We are not faceless members of a monolithic racial category

024to be demeaned. Fifth, in the June 6th letter that inspired the resolution's language, the authors insist that our kids must be exposed to people unlike them and must receive social justice training. Otherwise, they charge we will gravely disturb them and leave them unprepared for the global workforce. I say poppyc to that. My children went to school here while I attended tough multi-racial, multi-thnic southside Chicago schools. In spite of this supposedly crippling gap in our educational experiences, both my children and I have successfully navigated and embraced a diverse outside world of ease. My son married a young woman of me Mexican heritage. My daughter is marrying a young man who is black. How is this possible if my kids were subject to such blinding educational deficiencies by Muhammad Seymour schools? Easy. We taught our kids the

025simple yet surpassingly powerful concepts of respecting all people and living by the golden rule. That's it. No need for time consuming, costly and racist diversity training, social justice engineering, or ideological grooming. In closing, I strongly recommend that you pause, let the heat of the moment pass, and then do a more measured assessment of what's needed, including passing nothing at all. That actually works because state law already requires that we provide antibbias and cultural competency training. However, if the board feels it must pass a race resolution, it could simply and strongly reaffirm our commitment to executing current law. This might unify the community rather than divide it with unnecessarily controversial and dogmatic propositions. And as a principle in setting lawful policy, I would respectfully ask that you be min minimally intrusive on the work and time

026of teachers and on the role of families. Please trust that in 2020, our excellent staff already know how to deal with whatever isolated incidents of presence occur. Please trust that our wonderful parents already know how to morally guide their children in the treatment of others. Good timing. Thank you. Okay. Then we have some written comments, I believe. Right. Yes. You want to read out? I think they're all under the five minutes. Okay. Um on July, this is from Danny TS. On July 20th, the district adjusted the 202021 calendar because November 3rd has to be taken off so people can vote. The districts had to find another day when students could be in school. The district chose Indigenous People's Day, formerly Columbus Day, to have school. I'm hoping that the district will approach school on Indigenous

027People's Day the same way they approach Veterans Day. Being in school on Veterans Day is so important to our district because our students get to see and listen to veterans. They hear stories of sacrifice, valor, pain, and triumph. They learn about what a veteran is and why they are important in our society. As a child, I learned about American history. I learned that it began when Columbus sailed the ocean blue and that it means that a Declaration of Independence was fought for and developed and that there were people along the way who fought against our blossoming way of life. I learned that sometimes those people were from England and other times those people who lived here before we arrived. The natives I grew up to know were savages who scaled their settlers and moved west

028and wanted to take progress and freedom away from us. Did you know that in Illinois there is a road called the Indian boundary line road? It I happened upon this this summer when I was taking rural roads from Clinton into Muhammad. I looked it up and it's exactly what it sounds like. It's a line that the natives were not allowed to cross east as settlers moved west. Those lines kept being pushed back and back and back. A few years ago, I was in South Dakota. I know a 27 year old man from Lakota tribe who told me about the land of his ancestors in the most desolate part of the country. His people were were told they had 60 days to move from the land so that the bombs could be tested there during World

029War II. When testing was over, the tribe moved back onto that land. The man I met was just relearning his native language because his son is in elementary school where they are only speaking the native language. After being stopped at school for speaking her native language, his grandmother taught her children to understand the language and never speak it. This led to a whole generation unable to speak or understand their own language. Learning about native history isn't just about learning about the um atrocities that settlers put them through and also learning about their culture and beliefs, their systems and a way of life. Native Americans are rebels that we were taught. We are taking away their land, their language, their entire way of life. We need to remember that they are a peaceful people. Chief Crazy

030Horse said to Sitting Bull, "The Ren nation shall rise again, and it shall be a blessing for sick world, a world filled with broken promises, selfishness, separations, a world longing for light again. I see a time of seven generations when all the colors of mankind will gather under the sacred tree of life and the whole earth will become one circle again. In that day there will be those among Lakota who will carry knowledge and understanding of unity among all living things. The young white ones will come to those in the people and ask for this wisdom. I salute the light within within your eyes and the whole universe dwells. For when you are at the center within you and I am at that place within me, we shall be one. I do not believe that

031the Native American culture shall one shall be a one day thing that we should check off our list. I do not believe that American history or Asian history or LBGTQIA plus history shall be a one-time discussion either. These people are Americans and should be integrated into our curriculum all year at each grade level. With that said, I do believe that setting aside a day where Native Americans can come and speak to the students, where students can learn about native systems and beliefs, where they can get to see them for the beautiful people they are, not what it is that we have made them out to be, is important. I do think too that helping, sorry, what? I do think too that helping our older students see the discrepancies and how natives are currently treated is

032so important. Outside of the current pandemic, the Native American unemployment rate is around 11 to 12%, nearly three times the national averages. Since 2001, 19% of natives have served in the military compared to 14% of all other ethnicities. When I asked about this in South Dakota, I was told that many times it's child's only way out of poverty. Just this summer, I spoke to a Native American in the Upper Peninsula, and she said that her tribe is always the last for public services, and that they have the dirtiest water in the area. Native Americans are our country's forgotten people. We often hear that we are all immigrants, but we aren't. People were living here, living on and with this land far before we arrived. It's important that our children are reminded of that and get

033to know the Native Americans. What a blessing they are. I believe that a concerted effort on Indigenous People Day will leave a lasting impression on our children and hopefully on our society in the future. All right, next one is from Gary Matthews, Captain US Navy retired. Dear Superintendent Hall, I would like to thank you for the rational and effective manner in which you are addressing the Muhammad Seymour alumni petition and proposed anti-racism resolution. And I would like to add a few thoughts of my own to this issue during the time allowed for public comment. To the signers of the Muhammad Seymour petition, first I would like to commend you for caring and for your willingness to address the issue of racism in our society. I agree that racism does exist within our society and our

034community and I share your desire to eliminate it. However, I believe you are attacking the wrong organization and people when you imply that current want to see more teachers and staff aren't doing enough to teach anti-racism. I acknowledge that I do not have firsthand knowledge of what may go on in MS classrooms and extracurricular activities, but I have enjoyed a close relationship with our local school during the past 26 years through involvement with the Muhammad Area Youth Club and its predecessor organization, the Mohamad Area Boys and Girls Club that my wife and I helped found in 1994. Throughout these years, I have been continually impressed and gratified by the quality and dedication of the teachers and staff in our local schools. The same teachers who taught and nurtured you during your own school years. I

035find it hard to imagine that the present staff isn't already supporting anti-racism and doubt very much that they would need to be specially trained in order to explicitly teach what amounts to the golden rule. In other words, I believe you're trying to fix something that isn't broken. As an alternative to focusing on the school system, I would suggest that you redirect your compassion and energy to address the more serious problems that support racism in our society, such as poverty, income inequality, and lack of employment opportunities. You may also volunteer to get involved in the various youth programs offered by our local churches, Muhammad recreation and Macy where you can have a positive influence on the attitudes of current students by the way of peer mentoring. Again, that's Gary Matthews, US captain, US Navy retired. Thank

036you, Gary. You ready? Is that it? No, two more. Two more. Good evening. I'm ready for some clarification on what the protocol is for when a teacher, student, or staff member comes in contact with a person who has CO. What measures are to take place before the student and teachers come back to the room or environment that person was in? I asked this in regard regards to the situation that occurred over this weekend and this morning with the teacher and jumpart program that was in contact with someone who ended up having CO. I was told the normal cleaning was taking place, but no extra was happening. This was a classroom is one of the compass rooms where students immune systems are lower. I understand that the teacher tested negative on Saturday. However, that is very

037soon after being exposed and could still be positive. My main concern is these teachers have to work one-on-one with their children and touch the same surfaces they do on a regular basis. How often are the teachers or students being tested for CO? Will there be any mandated testing for this school year? my son will be doing online except for in-person therapy he has to do for his vision. He can't learn how to walk with a cane or learn Braille online. I want to be reassured when I sent him to this environment. All measures will be taken. I also want to be assured that my son will have a mask and shield on the whole time. I was unaware that the class would be eating during jump start. I realized this is a life skills class,

038but I thought they were working on one-on-one items for their IEP that didn't get addressed while being online. I found out I found this out through a picture posted on Facebook that clearly my son was not wearing a mask. If you could address and explain what the actual protocol will be for these situations going forward, I would appreciate it. Thank you, Linda H. Thank you, Linda. Right. And the last one. Good evening. I just want to express my concern regarding the situation in the Compass Atlas jump start classroom. I wasn't expecting there to be an issue during week one of Jump Start, so it did catch me off guard. My thought process in choosing to participate in Jumpstart and choose Inerson learning for my son was there would be less risk for the student staff

039in the Atlas program because there are less than a handful of students. I'm not upset that there has been a possible exposure because in everything we do now, there is a certain degree of risk involved. It's not really a matter of if so much as when it happens because with reopening, we all know it will happen. I'm upset that no extra disinfection took place in the classroom halls or restrooms. I understand that the staff member tested negative, but it is still early in the exposure and they will likely need to test again. It is also my understanding that the person is following CUPHD guidelines and district guidelines and will not return to the classroom during jump start. However, since the person must be treated like they could have CO 19 and must quarantine, then I

040would expect the district to treat the facility as if someone has tested positive since they are aware of a possible exposure. The lack of taking extra precautions in cleaning and disinfecting the classroom, hall, and restroom used is unacceptable. Our children are more vulnerable and every precaution should be taken to try to mitigate exposure. Staff also must work more closely and sometimes one-on-one with our children. They should be protected as much as possible. I understand that you cannot stop situations from arising. You can however control the responses and mitigate further exposure once it's known. This is not the district's first experience with exposure. So I would have thought there would already be written there were already written protocols stating the measures that need to be taken when situations arise. I appreciate all the thought and work

041that went into developing the district's CO 19 return to school health plan for family policy. I strongly urge the district to develop and share written protocols for when positive exposures, known exposures, and positive cases are known to include facilities are disinfected and cleaned beyond the daily routine COVID 19 cleanings. Thank you for listening. Sincerely, Kim Widge. Thank you. Again, thank you everybody that participated in the comment portion tonight. Does the board have an opportunity to comment? Um, you going to give me a time limit? Sure. Cool. All right. This board is faced with an important decision this evening. It's been presented with an anti-racism resolution. It seems that this would be an easy choice. I think all of us would agree that racism is evil and that all individuals have inherent value regardless of their

042external characteristics. What complicates this matter is an identity crisis. Too many people believe their identity is rooted in these external characteristics. success in school, success in music or sports, one's image on social media, social status, one's occupation, money or power, and I could go on with many more things. None of these things provide any inherent value to an individual. My message to any students who are listening tonight, you are so much more valuable than any of these temporary things. You are a uniquely gifted and talented individual created by God. This is your identity. Ultimately, this is what gives value to your life and no one can take that away. Our Declaration of Independence succinctly describes the inherent value of an individual. It reads, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created

043equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain and alienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. What makes these truths self-evident? What is the basis for equality? Where do these values come from? Are they solely the product of man's intellect or social or cultural evolution? Our founding fathers had it right. These truths are self-evident because they are endowed by our creatives. America is more than a nation. It is an ideal. It is this ideal that has given freedom to many, not only in America, but across the globe. This has been an imperfect process, but the progress of freedom cannot be denied. I believe that America at its core is good when it espouses to follow its founding principles. You might be asking, what does this have to do

044with an anti-racism resolution? The resolution that is being recommended to the board tonight has very little positive to say about America, its people, and especially the people of the school district and community. It uses terms such as implicit bias, systemic racism, power, and privilege. The premise of this resolution is that we all have an illness of which we are un completely unaware while it invades every aspects of our lives. This includes our institutions, our words, our actions, and even our private thoughts. It's an illness that's seen in every conversation and wayward glance. No matter what your intentions may be, in fact, your intentions have no standing. What matters is the perception of someone who has predetermined your intent. based on the group or class you are identified with. The only remedy is to admit to

045this illness and consent to re-education. This re-education is presented by those who apparently do not possess the illness. They hold the truth and you may choose to freely submit to their prescribed remedy or be bludgeoned and humiliated until you conform. I would prefer to pro proceed in a more positive direction using terms such as humility, grace, forgiveness, and love. We are humbled and need forgiveness because we have all fallen short. As a result, we are all in need of grace. This grace has been extended to us so that we might extend it to others. In humility, we can also love unconditionally by seeking to place the needs of others before our own needs. Realizing that we have inherent value because we have been uniquely created in the image of God. Why can't we all ascribe

046to the inclusive statement, love your neighbor as yourself? Wouldn't this be a better way of celebrating our diversity and resolving our differences? Thank you, Jeremy. Did any other board members have comment before we get into the meeting? I do. I my biggest issue is for the general public and people I've been a school social worker for over 20 years and um I grew up in Champagne County. I only moved to Mohammed when I started working out here. So I grew up in Herbana and lived in Champagne. I've worked in various districts and um I take a lot of great pride in um having run for school board for what I felt were the right reasons. And every single person when we got on the board um we took a code of conduct and I bring

047mine every time um I do this in my professional life too. But the very first thing it says is I will represent all school district constituents honestly and equally and refuse to surrender my responsibilities to special interests or partisan political groups. I'm very hurt that someone would write a document and put in it that it is unequivocal belief of the Muhammad Seymour Board of Ed that your system racism in American society is real. I don't want to let other people speak for me. I was elected to speak for the majority of the people and it is hurtful to me that someone would come in and put a document together and say you must adopt it and this is what you need to do. Um, we have anti-bullying policies in our school that we have for

048our kids and we want those to be executed. And I am more than happy and I appreciate the framework and I want people to be treated fairly. I want everyone to be treated fairly. I brought character counts to this district in 1997, which is a national isn't. And we think that starts with being kind and caring and respectful. And we've gotten away from that probably because we have so many other things that we need to cover. But I think that getting together and having dialogue with community members and staff and people that teach these is important rather than having a special interest group come in and tell us what to do. Is there a risk in me saying that? There is. But there's a risk in being on a public board. Being a school board

049member should be the last democratic thing that there is in the world. And it's not what it is now. That's all I have. I made the time movement, right? Wow. Any other board members with anything comments up front? Obviously, we're going to get into several these items. Um, Megan, Tanner, Colleen, anybody. Okay. Um, we're now into the regular agenda for the evening and we've got several items ahead of us. Uh, first is an extracurricular update with Mr. Mr. Hensley and Mr. Fisher, the ever changing land. You better get it quick before it changes. Uh, as Mr. Hinsley can attest, it's been an interesting summer to be an athletic director in the state of Illinois. In particular, the last 10 days for our coaches, our students, and our parents have been really trying. uh 10 days

050ago, the IEA of the Junior High Association came out and said, "We're not going to have any false works." Um, and then they kind of didn't make any comments on anything past what was going to be in the fall. 3 days ago, 2 days after the IHSA made their decision, they came out and said, "We're going to have some modified fall sports." So the things that we would normally participate in in the fall are going to take place but on a much smaller scale and there is not going to be any sort of state series past a regional for baseball and softball or a sectional for cross country. So before I go any further we have extremely dedicated coaches. I mean I've been in contact with them as Mr. Henley has been his coaches and

051they have been with us every step of the way and not giving up hope no matter how dire it was on the 24th. And so I want to commend my all of our coaches but especially our fall sport coaches who have been on this roller coaster of we have a season we don't have a season now we have a season. Coach Martin, coach and coach Major have been wonderful to work with and getting stuff prepared. I met with all of them in Thursday before we knew it was going to be reinstated. met with them all again today to kind of outline what our plans were going to be for getting started again. Uh this afternoon I sent you the ISA plan. Um I'm not going to go through all of it. Just the the real

052big pieces of this is that basically there's this gap in October, midocctober to when we come back from school and after winter break in January to where they've kind of given us this window of time, I guess, just to kind of recover. And then once we come back in January, we're going to hit it really hard hopefully. And we have volleyball, boys basketball, and wrestling, whatever shape or form that will take place. And then after that, girls basketball has moved from the fall to the spring, which is a really big shift. Um, and then that kind of directly coincides with track and field, which is a bummer that our extremely gifted and talented athletic kids will have to choose between one or the other. Um, in talking with all the coaches today, I also went

053through with them what our responsibilities were going to be with the all sports policy that was announced last Wednesday. Um, it's going to be different. We're not going to be utilizing the dugouts. Our kids will have their their space, their stuff spaced out along the fence line, six feet apart. Um, cross country meets are going to be traibly different. We're not going to be able to have our 13 team invite. We're going to be looking at triangularies with a limited amount of kids. So, it's going to be different. I'm very pleased and happy that they have the opportunity to at least compete in something. Um, as it says in here a couple times, the ISA has stated that if the governor places everybody on remote learning, then they are going to cancel or suspend whatever

054activity that they're currently in. So, at this point in time, I would entertain any questions that board members might have about junior high athletics. Questions for everybody? When you when you say suspend, does that include practices and unofficial practices? I would say when they say we're suspending everything, that means we're suspending everything. So if if tomorrow the governor said, you know, we're going back to remote learning, then obviously we wouldn't be able to start anything in person. Can you say one of the things that they they came out with Friday was that today we could have started everything and talking with with Mr. Mills and talking with Mr. Hinsley and Dr. Hall, we kind of felt like the best course of action would be to put a plan together rather than dive in at first

055and try to react. So, we're trying to be proactive and our stuff is not going to start until this weekend or next Monday for cross country. So, we're trying to be proactive instead of reactive in that regard. I appreciate that and thanks for letting us know how the people are adapting to the changes. Thank you. You all thought you had officials scheduled for what you thought were all events, right? Well, and that's the that's the crazy part of this whole thing is if we could schedule this and and they always really recommend that we have two officials. There might be times where guess what? We might only have one and that just it might just have to work. Thank you. So, not entirely different with the high school. Um I do I do uh appreciate

056the time that that Doug has put in. We spent a lot of time on the phone, a lot of time meeting in person trying to figure out where the high school and junior high programs intersect where maybe those intersections aren't occurring. Um, just a couple of different players. The IHSA has went to a four season model where we're going to thankfully start our fall sports cross country golf, tennis, and girls swim. We can start as early as next week. I anticipate uh that for boys and girls cross country. Uh we will be ready to go on Monday. And boys and girls golf, I'm sorry. Um, tennis and swim obviously have some external dynamics because we use other folks as facilities and so we're working with those agencies to get those plans put in place as

057well in the hopes that we can start as early as the 10th but certainly if we can't make that happen we'll start shortly thereafter. So um just a few other uh talking points. One thing that we did find out we've been having weekly calls between the Illinois Athletic Directors Association and the IHSA and those have been very very helpful. Um it really gives an appreciation for the struggle that those folks are having with these decisions as well because they're much like the athletic directors folks in the IHSA office are committed to providing students opportunities to participate. So um we are expecting sports specific guidelines by this Friday and so there will be um a set of rules that were underway that return to activities 1.0 know that the IHSA has already issued based upon the

058guidelines that the governor established. Um so we'll have those four specific guidelines that don't Mr. Fisher address talk about how you run a cross country meet, how you run a tennis match. Um for example, we just learned today that for girls swimming, you can only have one kid in a line at a time. Um so some additional stressors on some facilities there when you're talking about maybe having a swim team with 20 or 20 plus kids on it. Um, so we anticipate that by Friday. Uh, my meeting with all the head coaches, those started last week and continuing through this week so that we could talk about what scheduling may look like. U, what the challenges that we may face coming up could be want to get their set of lenses on things so that

059we can kind of look not only globally but kind of at the micro level in terms of the individual sports. We have an Apollo conference meeting tomorrow. That's another layer we have at the high school level in terms of what that scheduling piece is going to look like. That can be both a positive and a negative. Uh will we continue to play everybody twice in basketball and volleyball? We've got now this one week out there in football. What does that look like? We'll be addressing a lot of those concerns uh tomorrow. Um we have the fall sports. I mentioned those and we'll have a little window as well. That window will be about 3 weeks from the end of October uh till mid November which is kind of the traditional start date for winter sports

060and we'll pick up basketball, wrestling, boys swim and dive and cheer and dance at that point in time. Those will run through February. And then in the spring we'll pick up football, soccer, girls, boys soccer, I'm sorry, girls volleyball, um girls, and then we'll go to our summer schedule, which is baseball, softball, track and field, and girls soccer. We'll be part of um honestly one of the biggest challenges we face related uh challenge. um it wouldn't take too many nights of bad weather to make your football field look really really not too pretty. Um and then a bigger challenge is if we start boys soccer and play starting March 1st, we're going to play through the late spring, uh early spring, late spring, and then the girls come on to the field after that. So,

061we're going to have some could have some tough weather related decisions, but we'll cross those bridges uh when we get to it. Um, overall I think as Mr. Fischer alluded to, our coaches are excited about the opportunity, our kids are excited about the opportunity. Um, we hope that it continues to to pay dividends. Um, and that the decisions we're making every day give our kids an opportunity to participate. I shared this document in advance. Be happy to entertain any questions that the board might have as it relates to this proposal. Questions for Mr. N? I have one question about sports. Um, are we still providing uniforms for students? Yes. And does the district cover the cost of the uniforms? between the districts between the district budget the athletic boosters and occasionally some uh team activity

062funds we cover the costs of sport of uniforms. Now for example if an individual is buying a warm-up or buying some team gear that might be something that is a responsibility of the family. And so is a warm-up or team gear um required in order to participate in the sport? No, it wouldn't be required. And if we have students and families who have difficulties with some of those costs, we have the resources in place uh to help make sure that those kids have the same thing that everybody else has. So there's no student who's told they have to buy a uniform piece or a warm-up piece or a team gear piece outside of what the district provides. I can't I mean there are certainly some pieces of uniform that are personal pieces. So for example,

063a girl swimsuit would be something that would be an individual purchase. There could be some under apparel that would certainly uh be required any so there could be times where students are purchasing items but those are personal items. So we don't get back the golf shirts. If somebody buys a golf shirt they will keep that. Um socks would be another example. I mentioned swim uniforms would be another example. Swim we do provide caps and just let the kids keep those. Swim caps for example. Baseball Cavs would be something that the individual students or families buy because those aren't returned. Okay. I just wanted to check because I've been hearing in the community that there are students who are required to buy say like a warm-up uniform or something that's really expensive. And we I know

064we had this discussion before when we talked about the uniform contract and this you know we discussed it then but I've been hearing things about it in the community since then and so I just wanted to follow up while you guys were here to talk about sports. Thank you. Sure. I feel like there if I can comment there's always an opportunity to be buy more apparel if you want to buy it at any time. I mean the school says hey if you want this you can get it. That's totally up to you. I guess what I don't want is for us to um right basically keep certain kids out of our sports activities by requiring a fee to participate in sports over and above the standard fee. And so we're essentially discriminating against students without

065the financial resources to be able to participate in our sports. And there are some people in the community who seem to believe that that is the case. And so I'm just trying to clarify whether we ever ask parents to pay money for something that we say is required for a child to participate in a sport. I mean my experience when I order stuff for my kid like for soccer it's all optional whether you want that. The school provides the jersey and the shorts. Um we do buy our own swimsuit. Sometimes the district helps with that but I think that's a gross thing to share. Those are the only two I can comment on. Any questions for Mr. Uh yeah. Can you hear me? Yeah. Matt, can you say um and and this is a question

066for junior high, too. If a sport is being pushed back to January, let's say, will they be having um training sessions or practices or anything like that at this time, or are they going to wait until January to start those? That that's actually a good question that I failed to address. Um the IHSA at the high school level has established another contact date period that will begin September 7th and it will run through October 31st. And any sport that is not in season so take out the sports we have this fall will be eligible to have up to 20 contact days between September 7th and October 31st. As far as the junior high goes, all those sports that are starting in January are in the medium risk category right now. So, we're kind of limited

067in what we can and can't do. So, for example, if coach Lanford came to me and said, "Hey, I want to have some 50." We can't do that. Um because that is prohibited on the guidelines that came out last last Wednesday. Um, and I honestly don't know when they'll change. They could change tomorrow, change again next week. Um, so I would say that would probably be a case by case basis. Honestly, as far as wrestling goes, I don't know what we will do there because it's kind of hard to do any type of wrestling without physically maneuvering with another person. So I I mean they do usually do a little bit of a week or two before the season starts of conditioning, but again that'll be a a case by case basis as we get

068closer to to January. Will athletes and coaches be required to test regularly? We do not have No, we do not have a plan in place for that at this point. Can you say what our current mask rules are? Uh when do they need to have masks on? Following established guidelines. Um so unless you're involved in stimulus activity, you're required to have on masks. Uh if you are outside and you can socially distance, you're not required to masks to what are required to mask. Um, and the IHSA put out last week that if you're in a pool, you're not required to wear a mask either. That's good. You really are as someone who taught lessons all summer. Okay, that's all my questions. Thank you very much uh both of you for the hard work. I know

069you guys are dealing with a really everchanging situation. Thank you. Thank you. Other comments or questions for our employee directors? Gentlemen, thank you for being here tonight. We appreciate the update. We appreciate everything you're going through to try to help something good happen for students this year. Thank you. Thank you. Item number seven, budget overview. Heather, hello. Welcome, Dr. Hall. Um, we had a meeting and we meaning Mr. Giles, Mr. Keith, Dr. Hall and myself on July 29th to kind of go over the preliminary budget. And I do want to stress preliminary budget. Um the reason is is that we want to make this the most up-to-date um display of what we think is going to happen this year. Um that way we have good targets when we're looking at POS and we know what

070our goals are. Um, you know, I will be making changes probably. I mean, if there are any um changes up to the date that the board of education approves it, I will let you know what those changes are. For example, just last week before the finance committee meeting found out there's going to be about $500,000 more in residential placements. So, that type of thing I, you know, obviously needs to be put into the budget. Um right now, um I just was going to go over and if I I would try to go quickly so I don't bore all of you completely, but if you have any questions, please let me know. Some of the assumptions that I've made going through the budget. Um property taxes just because sometimes we don't have the full colle we

071don't get the full collection rate. Um 98.5% has always been a good target um in the past. Interest base it off the current interest rates. I have looked in on Isby website um every week. Right now they are just looking at flat funding. That means no tier money. Um but we be getting the same money is that we that we have received last year which obviously that's probably what everybody is getting. Um the corporate replacement taxes I assumed a small decrease 4% decrease. Um tip same as last year. for transportation I'm going to be doing in the next two weeks um after I get some information so that I can do the transportation claim and I'll get more accurate numbers. So right now I just have it as flat. It's kind of the theme of

072the year. Sales tax I estimated a decrease um basically 5% um under what we actually received this last year 9% under what we actually budgeted. Um we have the esser money. With this esser money, we allocated additional um Chromebooks and tablets um to K through one and um that way that the ones that were turned in could be given to um grade two. But then we also um absorb the cost of the new Chromebooks that we do on a yearly basis for replacements um as well as some small siphons for people attending the reopening task force. We so that is included both revenue and expenses of course as they have been budgeted with ISBY um with Dr. Ruml um and special ed title and special education they are they are budgeted exactly like they were

073with um and that is one thing they're going to do a little bit different this year is continue to keep you might see something called um budget transfers in the consent agenda and this is only because I like to keep the budget in the system consistent with what's in Isby Why? Because then when Miss Dr. Rumble is looking at her expenditures, she's approving things, she has the the right number in there so that she'll know what her budget is and what how much money she has left. So, it's a zero effect. It's just basically if somebody um decides they need more supplies and purchase services, it just goes from one to the other. So the amount the overall amount would only change if she was allocated more money from the state but then the they

074would increase basically the same the revenue would equal the expenditures. Um for the bonds and leases there would had been some confusions confusion in the past because there are several different types of um debt. So I broke them out between four different uh categories. Um capital leases will be in fund 30 which capital leases are just things that they make basically make us put through the bond and interest fund. They are leases like um computer leases or our um copers and printers. Um 31 is levy debt. That's what we actually levy for. So the bond and interest that we love levy for. 32 will be debt certificates that is paid out of sales tax revenue. Um and then there's the alternative revenue bonds that are also paid out of sales tax revenue. Um the difference

075is that we actually have to abate the bonds for alternative revenue bonds. Permanent transfers as you probably had seen um at the end of June we had a negative balance in M. You'll also see in my budget right now there's a negative balance in M at the end. I'm hoping that will not that well I hope will not stay negative because uh Steve and I um Mr. Curtis No, we are going to go through and just kind of go through his budget line by line and see if there's anything else we can take out. I've already got some ideas. Um if not, I will increase the uh permanent transfer to on M to make that at least flat so we can start out the new year flat. Um and then also to transportation for 75,000.

076I do want to note in this budget that we have not included the $400,000 grant that we could and should be getting. Um, so I don't want to count on anything until we actually get it when it's revenue. Can I ask a question? Yes. Have we heard anything more about that? I have continued to ask for updates. Okay. Update inquired with um Sean Wiser and he had an upcoming meeting with Jac who's gonna get that to us. So, who's going to require? All right. Of course, the salaries um basically are just on the negotiated salary schedule. Um and anybody that's coming in and we don't know where they'll be put, they were estimated at mid-range. Um insurance based off of the renewals was increased by 3%. And I've tried to keep purchase services and supplies

077as flat as possible this year. There are some one-time things that we know about, you know, like for example, nursing supplies. We're probably going to need more of those. So, you know, we're going to increase those. Um, but trying if so, if we know about it, you know, going to put it in the budget, but if um nothing else is known, then keeping it flat is the the main goal. Um, some we did have some onetime expenditures last year that I took out like for HVAC and for underground tank that we had taken out at the bus farm. Um, and we put a new tank out on. So things like that, just making sure that we didn't have, you know, that money in there again this year, but then also including anything that we might

078know about Chromebooks. Again, like I said, we took that out of our operating budget for this year and absorbed it into the ESR grant. So that helped us quite a bit. We did move for food service back to where we were last year in the budget. And this is something also, you know, that will be ongoing to talking to them about what kind of expenses we'll see in this next year with the circumstances that we have, you know, with um you know, how you know because there's been they have said, you know, some things may cost more, some things may cost less. So just making sure that we're on target with that as well. What would what would cost more? We're thinking staffing or I don't know. Um, basically what it was said in the

079last meeting was that our rate and this is something I'm following up with on with her on our rate um her meal was based on the volume and to cover basically the fixed costs that they have our rate would be more for less meals. So that's just something we need to continue to discuss with them. So, so yes, like I said, we have put in um additional PPE. We uh purchased some tents, but Dr. Hall has been doing her magic and has sold some of those tents. So, some of that may may uh some donations may be on issue. So, yes, but it is in there at the time. Um we had some time. Yes. Yeah. We're all damaged. Yes. Um, our IMRF rate changed. Basically, that is just something that naturally changes from year

080to year based off investments and retirees and without 3%. Um, of course you I know everybody's probably really alarmed when they first looked at this because it says negative 999,000. What if you recall is that we received $965,000 in bond money last year from our death certificates, right? Well, we didn't spend it last year. We're spending it this year. So, you know, basically think of it as this our beginning balance is boosted up and we're spending it down. And it's for all the projects that have been approved by the board. In the capital projects funds, you'll find the fieldhouse and the high school office. most of the high school office. Some of the items can actually be broken down to health safety. Increase the torque fund due to the linkage trail stairs the entry and

081the high school entry and increase the fire and safety due to um the fieldhouse air intake high school main floor dust collection paint booth and high school growth. So that's where you see the big dollars coming out, especially if you look at the my summary under site and construction, it's 885,000, which is the rest of those. So does anybody have any questions or concerns or I did have some um I know you probably got swarmed with my emails today. Um I had some requests during the finance committee meeting just to kind of look at sales tax to see if we need to lower the revenue assumption a little bit. Um you know based off of the fact of what uh you know how much we plan to get what what are the items that when

082are our peaks when are um when are our valleys and what um do we expect to get in this next year with any kind of decrease. I will say the internet sales have been they've already started. So say um Dr. Hall orders something from Mohammed that will go towards our sales tax. And then Mr. Keith also asked me to give him a breakdown by account number um of all of the the items. So I will send that out as soon as I get that completed. So I know with sales tax we're we're thinking it's going to drop a little bit just because of the economic climate in the county and people aren't spending as much money but now that we're getting money off the internet sales. Yes. Do you think that's going to balance most

083of it all of it? More of it? I don't know. Currently as to date we're down 1.4%. So, it just, you know, right now I we're doing as well as we can do, but um you know, I don't I can't foresee I mean I I know my household likes the internet, so but uh Heather, did you I'm sorry. Say purchases off the internet. You did say that the purchase is if it originates in this zip code or the purchase is made from a company that resides in this zip code. If it's if it's actually purchased from someone in this zip code like a business a business in Champagne County that is purchased over the internet. The way that they explained it to me today was if the person wherever it originates. So, if we order

084something from Los Angeles, we would get the sales tax um in Champagne County if it was ordered from Champagne on all goods and services or is there specific goods and services that that covers? It's the same goods and services that um are regulated um that we receive it off of in Champagne County itself because there's certain items we we don't get, you know, sales tax, groceries, that kind of thing. Yes. Increase So, what you're sending out per Ken's request is the line item detail for all of the budget. Is that correct? Yes. Um, and as I told him, it will be diff difficult to decipher because you're going to have to understand function codes, object codes, you know, the uh source codes and the um I mean, so I mean it's not going to be

085easy to know what's in it or out like say something goes down like say um an educational salary went down um in elementary. Well, it could have gone up in middle school because they might have transferred that person from elementary to middle school. Does that make sense? So it's it's going to be hard to decipher line by line, but I'm more than happy to send it out. So we don't keep line by. So for example, we won't see a PPE line item that shows what we budgeted for PPE and what we our increase for cleaning supplies supplies and then so that would start off with um a a certain code 222. Uh I mean so you have you have different codes that will um will tell you what that is. Can you can you send

086the code key as well please? Um what I can do is I will attach the Illinois accounting program manual because it's pretty large if you want to look to see what different things things are. I mean I can explain the basic like function code, object code, you know, source what what they are, but then um if you want to look at actual numbers, you can refer to that if you want to see what something is. So that would serve as a directory. Yeah, it would serve as a directory. It has the code and then it tells you and usually it's it's within a 10 for example um like what I did with 30 like 30 through 39 is um the uh debt service you know so it goes from usually a 10 digit uh grouping

087do we account for every employee individually or are we lumping them together? No, that would be lumped by their location and by what they are um like elementaryaries altogether and um I mean we we don't Yeah, we we don't break down specific salaries by employee in this district. Um, I do that when I do the budget, but not when I got to uh I mean it's not basically what I do is I figure out where they've been before and then I put them with their new salary and the new thing. But no, like if you look at the actual AFR or the budget, it's all broken down by account number and everything is summed together. But I would like to see the line item detail of that budget, please. you would I did that manually.

088I do that manually. There's nothing I can actually like pull back because because of the request to have the budget so early. I I went in and had to manually do that person by person. So, what he's wanting is pre previous year to current year. I mean, I can I I'll give you this and then if you have any direct questions about any certain lines, I can I can help you. Okay. Other questions for I just want to thank Heather and her team putting this all together. I really really appreciate the uh ability to split out the uh bonds in that way. I think we've had confusion over debt ratios for a few years. I also appreciate the approach that you use and and the conservatism and so forth here to try to figure this

089out. Yeah. Been a year that's going to be pretty fluid. Yes. That's why I mean I just want if anybody does have any questions or concerns I mean please just contact me because that's what the whole purpose of the being on display is for so that I can continue to make changes to make it as realistic as possible. Is there anything you wanted to to touch on on the timeline or you just provide that? Oh, yes. I'm sorry. Okay. Um, obviously today's the study session with the preliminary budget. Um, August 14th is when it will go on display for 30 days. By school code, we have to have it on display for 30 days. We'll have it on display in the office. It might even display on the website as well. Um and then uh

090we will have the study session budget hearing as requested on se September 14th before it is approved on September 21st which we have to have it approved before the end of September to be in good standing. Other questions for This is Ken. Can you hear me? Yes. I just wanted to quickly mention to the other board members that uh Heather has been just wonderful to work with. Uh I really appreciate all the detail she's providing and the answer or questions she's answering. Um she's really doing a great job for us and I really really appreciate that a lot. Well, thank you. I appreciate it. More early detail than we are used to. So, thank you. Thank you. They wanted the finances to be like the pandemic. They wanted to change. All right. Next up is

091the anti-racism resolution. I've been asked to be taking just a brief comfort break before we get into that one. So, we'll go ahead and do a fivem minute recess and then come back. Jared, you want to do your magic? All right, everybody. Thank you. We are back from our break and it's good to have everyone back with us and we're to item number eight, anti-racism resolution presented by Dr. Hall. So, this was um brought to the board for discussion on June 22nd and the decision is to um bring it back to this evening for more um discussion and possible uh approval. I did make a few um edits to the document in terms of reporting and um strategic planning. Um I appreciate the comments that have been made tonight. um understand that they are very

092heartfelt, genuine, um kind comments that are all aimed at um the the right purpose here. So, if this is not the document that the board chooses to pass, I I don't know how all board members feel about it. Um I do think it is important that in some way this board makes a statement about um racism or anti-racism activities. Um, so this isn't it. I would encourage this to continue to be explored. Um, the population has become more diverse in Muhammad Seymour schools. I worked here for 11 years um at a time when our community and our school population was not very diverse, almost all white. And while we still are a white majority school district, um we do have um more and more different types of diversity in our school district. um that includes

093different faiths, people of color, people of the LGBTQIA+ uh community and um it's important that the board from the top down create a statement about inclusion um diversity and equity. So, um, the conversation maybe needs to continue after tonight, but I genuinely appreciate what has been said by by everybody this evening and, um, so I'll leave it at that. Those are my thoughts. Okay. Board members, comments on the resolution? Well, I guess first of all, um, the superintendent has moved we approve that. Is there a motion to do that? Or we have discussion. Is there a motion to accept or approve the resolution? Not hearing a motion. I'll open it up to discussion. Anyway, I guess anything they want to say? Yeah, I would move that the board of educ and includes parents and will

094focus on actionable tasks and a more inclusive and accepting culture in Muhammad Seymour. And I would like this board to um this committee would report to the board at each board meeting um and would start its work uh sometime in August. and I would be willing to head up that committee. I second the motion. Megan, can you hear me? Okay. Yep. Can you say what you said again? I I I you kind of broke up a little bit, but I just want to make sure that I heard the order of people that were calling to be involved. Thank you so much. Sure. I move that the board of education create an inclusion and social justice committee that will include parents, teachers, and board members to focus on actionable tasks to promote a more inclusive and

095accepting culture in Muhammad Seymour School District. Okay. So, that's what's on the table and that has been seconded. Can you send that to Don, please? I sure can. Thank you. Yeah. I'll do that after the meeting if that's okay. I see what we're doing. Sorry, I'm just here for comment. Okay. I think the committee and dialogue is a far better approach than a one-time edict of some sort. I I think what we've got to have is is behavior and not just a statement. I think it's important that our staff um have something in that and uh and that it does come to the board. I feel much more comfortable talking about something um as a community engagement with board and the staff than having something be directed to us. I guess one of my thoughts

096is um Dr. home and Dr. Ronald have been laying kind of the foundation here for a couple years now and trying to do something with our staff to get better at equity diversity and anti-racism kind of stuff and u you know that plan is has been put together so far uh includes consulting with some experts at U ofi includes extensive staff development includes curriculum review Um, and it's really not meant to be a band-aid, but it's kind of meant to be an ongoing developing uh program. It's not a oneanddone thing, but it's something that's really committed to impacting the culture of the district and and helping us get better with that diversity and anti-racism. How how would this committee work with what we've got in progress? Because I think what is nice is the things

097that you all have put in place to go for RML and Dr. Hall. Dr. RML and Dr. Hall kind of give us an assessment of where we are and how these people can help us grow and change or make adaptations perhaps. I mean, that's the way I would understand if you're having consultants come in and help like, you know, I guess my question is, is this committee something that's going to help that and support that effort or is this committee something that's are we starting over at scratch? I think that this in my mind would be a board level committee. It would certainly work in combination what the district administration uh has internally for staffing. This would really provide more of a mechanism for communication and discussion with community members um that would include staff,

098but that would be used by the board to more effectively assess and enact policy um in more effective ways that then might translate down into different procedural changes. But until we get into that work, I think it's difficult to know, you know, where that would go. But I don't think these are in conflict and I don't believe that this is a a start over. This is a a different segment of of focus and engagement. I think I would like to see um something written so we might have some more details about what the committee actually will be responsible for, what it'll be charged to, and what its constraints are. I'd like to propose that that's something that is part of the first part of the committee work. I think until we sit down and have

099a conversation with community members and teachers and the board members ourselves, we haven't had a chance to even sit and discuss this amongst ourselves. It's hard to know what the outcomes will be. So I think part of the initial work of that committee would be to outline what we think uh the goals of the committee are, the effective steps that would be made by the committee, the data points that we would be collecting and the feedback loop we would use for assess throughout the work that the committee does. But I think we can do that before we form a committee. I think that's what would be most important is to come up with something that we would have some sort of guidelines or procedures and an understanding of more what we would be voting on

100and approving such a committee. If I'm hearing you right, it sounds like it should be an exploratory committee before it's an official committee. I would agree. We need to know kind of an assessment. I keep saying as needs assessment what what we have in place what we want to see you know be better and that kind of thing and and like they've given the outline of some of the type of things but does everybody know that you know I disagree I I'm approaching this as our community members have come and ask our board for help I would like to form a committee that is solely focused on helping them and listening to them I don't want to pre-prescribe what it is that we expect to get out of this before we actually understand what they're

101asking us for help on. I think what I have heard through the communication that we've received thus far from the communication that I've had in person with people is that people are asking us to hear them and to understand their stories. And I think until we do that to pre-prescribe some kind of outcome limits our ability to effectively listen and be nimble enough to make a cultural change in this district. I don't know that I want to predescribe outcomes. I kind of like some ideas. You know, is this a sixperson committee? Is this a 60 person committee? What what you know what do we envision? I mean not that not that we say it's 12 people and it's got to be exactly 12, but what you know what what are we thinking as far as

102structure? How many people are we thinking of evolving? How are we where where are the people we're involving coming from? Is it something you volunteer for? Is it something you're selected for? Both you know, how does that kind of thing work? And I would like to do it right. I look at this as a real opportunity for us to present information that has some impacts, but for us to be so naive to just kick it along. I mean, there's talk in this big document that I've read multiple times about curriculum procedures and that's why the staff are important to being part of it as well as my my motion included staff. That was just my comment. Um Dr. Hall, Dr. You know, we've done some ground work in this area. What you either have any

103thoughts you want to share? The motion that's on the table is not the motion we thought we were going to have on the table. So I don't know if you've got any ideas or thoughts or not. I would just say I think it's always important to get community voice and that's why we have um we have set up in the spring the three town halls and working now to get new dates for those this spring because or for this fall because I think it's important to hear people's voices. I think it's important when you're doing something like that to have facilitated by an expert and that's why we are working with the U of I and specifically Dr. Jan Carter Black with that to have somebody who's an expert in that area to lead that

104and to um facilitate those discussions. I agree with Dr. Ruml and I I don't disagree with the idea of of forming um a a committee a different committee but I do think it's important to not prescribe the outcomes of the work that that committee would do but more the parameters and the guard rails within which it'll work. Exactly. And I I do want to say that we specifically talked in the spring and again this summer with um Dr. Carter Black about the committee and forming a committee and she felt that and this is just her recommendation that we wait until we have the town halls to form the committee um so that we kind of had a direction and and some some guidance for for the work that that committee would be doing. But I

105again that's just that was just her input at that time. and the town halls would be open to anybody, all those people, so that multiple voices could be heard. We wanted to have those in different locations. Um, and so as opposed, I mean, again, that doesn't displace having a committee, but the goal of the town halls was to be more inclusive and and hear from as many people as possible. Whereas, I think if a committee is selected, you do have a limited number of voices. Those voices are still very important. And again, I'm not saying that those activities are mutually exclusive. I think it's just important to define the direction that we're going. It seems like maybe what um I hear people saying is that they want to hear more about how the committee be

106run. It seems to me that if we would form a committee, the first task could be if Megan was the chair of this board committee, she could come and explain at the next meeting more of the details about how she would think things would specifically run or procedures to choose people to be on the committee or whatever it would be. And then that committee would be a resource for the district. This would be a board committee, right? But it would be a a res a resource for the district to be able to run town halls or other activities they might want to do. But in order to move forward, I feel like we need to start going right. So if we form a committee then the board can hear from the committee and then we

107can give our feedback positive negative we can take recommendations we can not take recommendations. It's a way for us as a board to discuss while the committee gathers all the data and puts forward proposals. I would disagree. I think you need to have something uh planned out before you commit to forming the committee. um planned out in a sense that you do need some parameters and guardrails and how this is going to operate. I don't think you just start a committee and then make plans after you make the committee and you already have a plan to be executed with Dr. Carter Black and just had a bump in the road with CO. So, isn't that already prescribed in our policy in 2150 when it describes how committees operate? I think those guardrails are already there.

108Not specifically for a diversity committee, right? It sets it for every committee. it it you know it says things like it cannot take any final actions on behalf of the board and it makes recommendations to the board. So I don't know what other guardrails you're wanting aside from what's in that policy. So I just want to clarify that we're talking about setting up a board committee that would be subject to the open meetings act. Is that the direction board committee is what I heard? That's a good question. That is correct. I said a board level creates an inclusion and social justice committee. Board level committee. And I guess I want to know how does this improve our outcomes related to our mission and uh educating our our students? What's this? You know, I think that

109we can do a lot of things, but our primary goal is to give the finest education we can give to our students. And how does this contribute to that? And number two is, you know, are we we already have trouble getting through board meetings? Um, and are we adding more things to an already crowded agenda that we have trouble giving time to? So I I just would need to know some more details before I could agree to it. What what are our what would be the objectives with this committee focus on actionable tasks more inclusive and accepting culture in more I think until the committee meets and sets some goals for itself and gets some input from people who have come to us with ideas and asked us to make changes to put a framework

110around that is hard to do. Gotcha. So under the plan Dr. R has in place right now, that's part of that plan, right? Yes. I believe that we've been asked to take board level action. I think this is important enough that it deserves board level focus. I know that the administration has its own focus which is also important but those are two different funnels and two different sets of eyes, two different sets of thought processes and I think doing both of those can really only provide us a more strengthened and robust approach to this problem. Yeah, honestly I like the idea of both of them to run along. Uh, I wouldn't I wouldn't be in favor of shutting Dr. Ruml's work down. Uh, I but I do like the idea of a board level committee

111and and unless someone else is stepping up, I would say we should just let Megan run with it as the chair of the committee. Um, I do have one quick question though, Megan. Uh, in our policy there's a distinction between a special board committee and a standing board committee. Do you know which one you were you were intending? I was suggesting a standing board committee. Okay. I just wanted to clarify. Thank you. Thank you for clarifying that for me. I meant to add that to my motion and I had left that. I think it be fair to to suggest the exploration of such a committee and have uh more input at networking. I agree with that. Okay. So, it's been suggested that maybe you come back at the next board meeting with a little more

112detail. Certainly not necessarily an operation. I'd like to move ahead with the vote on my motion if we could do that, please. And I I just want to encourage the board to take some sort of action in response to the pleas that we heard tonight and in previous meetings and in petitions and in emails. Um, I think to punt again on something as simple as forming a committee would not be a good idea. I'm I will take exception to the words that were punting anything. You know, when folks came to us a couple months ago, there there was an assumption that we had nothing going on with this. And in fact, we had a lot going on with this. And it's our first discussion on it. Also, this is this is also the first time

113we've been able to discuss them. And I'm not ready in my mind just to walk away from what I think is a pretty good plan that that hits on that addresses what needs to be addressed here. So, I mean, that's kind of where I'm at. If you want if you want me to vote up another committee tonight, I'm probably not going to vote to do that. If if you want to come back to a little more idea with some more thoughts on how a structure for this would work and the number and kind the number of people that would be involved and those kinds of things so we can make a little better decision about it. I' I'd entertain that. We'll also say that even though we're in summer and we don't have our staff

114to be able to work with them and continue some of the work we started in the fall, we did add a under our staff learning opportunities. We did add a tab and some resources that are focused specifically on diversity for our teachers. So, there's a website put up specifically on diversity for teachers. They can begin looking at that. You know, there's just there's just a mindset by some folks that we're not doing anything positive to address these concerns. And I take exception to that. We are in my opinion. So, I I understand there's folks that think we need to take some kind of monumental action this evening, but what I really want to do is make sure what we do helps address the situation to make things better. And I I don't want if we

115can come up with something that dubtales into what we're doing and helps make that better. I I get that. But I don't want to create like parallel trains going down different tracks that could conflict with each other either. I think it'd be helpful to have something written and and have the exploration take place before the next board meeting. I don't consider that a punt and I think of board level attention to this is appropriate. Any other comments before we vote on the motion? Hey, Max. Uh, I forgot to ask you, can you remember or can you make time for public comment and the agenda items like we've been doing? Oh, yeah. Thank you. We will. I need you to talk about what where we are again because we're at we amended a motion again and

116I don't know what where we're at. Is it No, there's been no amendment to this. Commission amend it. Megan amended it to have it go for No. There was no motion. Okay. All right. Sorry. Just trying to keep up. The the resolution that was brought before us, there was no motion on that. Then Ma brought forward an alternate motion, but that motion has not. And that motion was create this board standing committee. I'd like to amend the motion to not be a standing committee today, but to be an exploratory committee. I didn't hear your motion, Merl. I was just I would just change the word standing to exploratory and and we could move it up at a future board meeting with some written uh background. We got a motion to make an exploratory. Is there

117a second to that? Okay. So that dies for fail second. Any other comments on the agenda that I'm sorry on the u the motion that was presented. Okay. Before we vote on this, um we typically will allow five minutes if there's anybody that's got questions or comments in the room. wants to add anything. Yes, I think we have Go ahead. Okay. I think that that it it's really showing it's really showing a lack of consideration to um to a board member. When she makes a motion and then without even voting or voting it down, you you automatically make it. you don't, we already know that you don't want to um address racism. It's clear that you don't want to address racism, but this is just it's that's this I got to say ridiculous. That's that's

118I mean don't get me wrong I respect you as board members but it seems that um when Megan did make the motion that was just she was very disrespectful and I don't know I think that's that's just showing that you I don't know what do you not believe that racism exists do you not believe that racism exists in Muhammad do you not believe that racism exist in Mohamad school system. Do you not believe that my children are affected by this school system? This is terrible. Do you think this is going to end? Muhammad is the best place to to start this. Get the conversation going. Let's get it moving. Do something. just something. That was a great suggestion to start a committee. You want to know when it's going to end. That's not okay. You're

119trying to end it before you get it started. I'm done. Are there any other public comments? We'll let board members respond. Looks like Maggie would like to speak. She's on the WebEx. Maggie, you want to know when it's going to end? Yes. Um, first I'd like to I I want to thank Dr. Hall for her comments at the beginning of this. Um, and at this point are you able to hear me? I'm sorry. Comments at the beginning of this um YouTube video in the background. I'm so sorry. I have this and we're getting that. I just figured that. I'm really sorry. Go ahead. Okay. Sorry about that. Um, yes, I would like to thank Dr. Hall for her comments in the beginning. Also, um I I just I guess I cannot understand what would be

120the objective or be be objectionable about forming a committee. I I I just I guess I cannot understand what could possibly be wrong about that. Um it is absolutely a legitimate next step. So I I just I I I would hate for for you to just this just signifies that you're yet wanting to stall more. Why can you not just say yes, we are willing to form a committee to discuss and look into this further? Okay. Thank you. All right. I think we've done five minutes unless anyone else has something they want to interject. Board members, any further comments from board members? I'm going to say this. When we met on June 22nd, and I have read this a lot of times, and I've read it with multiple people, my understanding that was we were

121going to have dialogue and discussion of it tonight to everyone that's listening. And I don't want to be forced to make a decision after everything just comes out because I don't just serve myself, I serve the people of this community. It it is clear what your expectations are through this supplemental material. One of the concerns I have is you're asking me to make a decision without seeing how the plan that we had in place would be executed. Again, it was presumed that we were doing nothing when we were doing something. And I'm not comfortable with that. And with all due respect, I have committed my life to working with people of different cultures within Champagne County when I live there and being an instructor at the university and working in the schools throughout this county,

122not this one because I can't work here. So, I mean, it is hurtful to have that said because it is heavy on my heart that we do the right thing the right way. And people call me all the time. They put it out there and I want to show people that I am listening to what they say. That's all I'll say. I don't think anybody disagrees uh that we wouldn't be willing to consider a committee. We just want more information. So, I don't think what's wrong with asking for more information. We're not saying no to anything tonight. I agree. Any other comments? I think Mrs. Glover would like to say something. Okay, we've had the five minutes of public input, but we'll go ahead and make one exception and do one more. I appreciate um

123I appreciate that. I just I was just I just want to say that they're asking to form a committee the to who knows what will come out of it. Forming a committee is not asking you to commit to anything except letting Megan be head of committee which I'm sure she's very capable of and to speak hear what people have to say and give her a chance. She's still on the committee. the committee will report to you and you will still have the chance to make the decisions. You that's all I Okay. And just to be clear, I would not have a problem with a committee. What I have a concern is about conflicting committees because we've got a committee as part of our plan that's going to unfold under Dr. R's plan. And if we've

124got a structure where we are sure the committee is going to work together, that's one thing. But I I want some thought into how this is going to work before we just throw a committee up there. That's where I'm supposed. So that committee I I just want to be clear we had a lot of discussions when when we were meeting when I was meeting with um the faculty at U of I from the school of social work and and Dr. Carter Black um as an expert on diversity on when and how we wanted to form that committee. And it was recommended that we formed the committee after the town hall meetings so that we really knew what we would be working towards and we could get the community members not only those that wanted to

125be on the committee, but really recruit some others um who may be more reluctant to be a part of that committee because of their past experiences within the district. And the feeling was if you start this committee before you have that town hall and before you listen that there may be certain members on the committee that have a certain direction that they want that committee to to go before they've heard from all of the people in the community. And and the the recommendation was then to wait and start after you heard from everybody so that everybody would be coming onto that committee at the same time and would be on equal footing instead of some people coming on after and feeling like um they were coming on board to something that had already been predetermined

126the route that it was going. That was her recommendation. That was how we had set this up. Our our ideally we would have had a committee together by summer, but we haven't have we've had to cancel the town halls and that's why we don't have a committee right now. I think that makes a lot of sense. I don't know what's wrong with that plan. It's a great plan. who who is determining what is going to happen at the town halls and how those are going to run. So, I will say that um we've been working with Dr. Tan uh for almost three years now and he and Dr. Carter Black were going to facilitate those town halls. They are the experts. They are social workers. They are experienced in in in doing that and would

127be much better at leaving that out than I would. It's not honestly my area of expertise. I wasn't suggesting that you would lead them. I was just asking how that was set up. So, thank you for answering. I feel like we read all the time about neighboring districts partnering with the university and this is a super opportunity for us to partner with the university school of social work experts to help us get the ground running and in fact I think that the it's an opportunity instead of the back fold and I'm sorry that it's looked at that way by some of you. So, what steps have we taken as a district over the past three years besides these scheduling town halls? We did present this extensively on June 22nd. Dr. R made a whole presentation

128about this. We can go over it again, but it has been brought forth and explained in detail. Dr. Could you just hit hit the highlights of what you presented before? Um, yes. I honestly don't have the timeline or the information right now, but it's fine. We don't go over it again. I just I guess I guess I feel like we need to move forward and if we've been working on it for three years and we still don't even have the committee form to talk about it that I just want us to move forward so that we can address the things we've heard. When I heard what people said, it broke my heart. There are so many people who have come and talked about how they've been hurt. It doesn't feel like in my opinion we've

129been having a loving response to people who are expressing to us their hurt and I want to be able to create a mechanism that we could address that. A committee doesn't tell anyone what to do. It doesn't make any decisions. It says we want to listen and think about what some of the possibilities are for solutions. That's just exactly what Nicole is saying forward. that Nicole just said that and it seems like we have a plan in place. We have been limited by restrictions related to the pandemic. Otherwise, there probably would be a committee in place already. And they've been thinking about this and had put a lot of thought into it over a period of years. And instead of making a reactionary uh suggestion that we're doing it with some thought, I don't I

130don't see anything. What's wrong with that? I I can't understand why we're putting so much weight behind this decision. We're not allocating funds. We're not allocating staff. We're not changing the school year. We're not doing anything consequential yet. We're just saying you can create a group of people to get together and talk about things that the board can make can do to make a difference. I I I think that we're making this too big of a deal. I beg to differ. A board committee officially does allocate budget and staff because it's a public meeting. So, let's have a plan and and and bring it here. I I don't see what's wrong with that either. Work with the others. But yes, and don't fool yourself that we're not allocating funds and staff. Megan, do you feel

131like you can put together the agendas and notifications necessary to line up with? I do. So, I don't know what other funds and staff were we are allocating there. If if it's if it's a board committee, it's going to be run through Dawn in the office. That's just how it has to be done. It doesn't have to be done that way. It doesn't say that in our policy. It doesn't have to be done that way. It's a public meeting. Why can't uh Megan sit down with Nicole and Lindsay and have a conversation about what this might look like. U have an understanding of what the thought process has been already. I think Nicole's already given us some thoughts of what has gone into this, some uh recommendations from experts in the field. Um, it's not

132a hunt. I mean, we want to put some thought into these things and I think it's completely appropriate to follow the path that we've been on. Um I I just don't understand what kind of committee did they call this. Any other comments? Our practice for board committees has been that there two members on committee and we don't even know who the second would be. So, I I think bringing a plan is a wise choice for the next board game. Susie Jackson had her hand up. We've already had five minutes. We We've already spent the five minutes of of input. I I apologize, but I made one exception and I said that would be the only exception. All right. Any other board members with comment? Okay. So, this is a roll call vote on the motion

133that we form the board level committee uh that you can um put in motion. Go ahead. Schultz. Yes. No. Yes. Tennessee. Yes. No. Okay. Anything else on racism? The resolution. I think Merl left the door open. If you want to come back with a more specific proposal with a little more detail. We can look at that. All right. Item nine, CO 19 resolution. Right. Um, this was actually contained in the board packet on the 20th and that meeting ran a tad bit long. So, um, didn't actually discuss it, but did mention um I would be bringing it back and recommending um approval of the resolution. Um, our attorneys at Friends actually um drafted this as well as uh including the the checklist that goes with it. Um, it's meant to provide in passing the resolution

134um allows for changes to be made to the plan um our school reopening plan if necessary. Um we are obviously responding as we can see by the changes with the IVSA and the IHSA are just some of the examples of the the changes and um different um I guess flexibilities that we need in the current environment regarding um school reopening plans right now. The resolution allows um for us to carry out the plan administratively. Um utilizes the protections that are already afforded under the elements for immunity act. And it also eliminates the need to amend policies should a reopening plan be necessary to implement that um if there's some part of the plan that um contradicts any foreign policies. So, it's a reflection of the times that um we're living in and um that's that's

135what um that's what the resolution covers. Super hot recommends the board approve the attached resolution from our attorneys as presented. Is there a motion to do that? move that in order to exhibit flexibility during this global pandemic and to acknowledge the changing nature of individual family and community circumstances, parents will be permitted to switch their child between any currently offered learning plan any time they deem a switch to be beneficial to their child and or family. Second. Okay, that's not what was on the table. Okay. So, can we repeat that, please? Sure. Don and then email it to Don. Sure. I move that in order to exhibit flexibility during this global pandemic and to acknowledge the changing nature of individual family and community circumstances. Parents will be permitted to switch their child between any currently

136offered learning plan any time they deem a switch to be beneficial to their child and or family. I I believe that we need to offer to our community the same flexibility that we are asking for as a district. And so I believe that we should permit those changes. Lindsay, do we already allow for people to switch from in person to um online only or remote learning at any point? Yeah, we asked them to commit for a semester and that's so that we can allow our our teachers to know who they're teaching and not have kids switching back and forth between teachers and classes. We understand that um it was a hard decision to make. Um but we have teachers at the K5 level who are going to be exclusively teaching just the remote kids. Um

137and so we're talking about kids popping in and out of different teachers classes throughout the semester. And I think I think that it will be difficult, but I'm going to quote Mark Kabbouti when I say flexibility is critical and flexibility is hard because flexibility requires give and take. And I think as we get older as adults, that give and take becomes a little more challenging for us. But being flexible allows us to work together for the benefit of our children and our students. And if we really want to do what's best for students, we will acknowledge that sometimes students are in a position and families are in a position that requires a change of their circumstance. Mark Kabooty goes on to say, "What we have to remember too is that this situation is going to

138change daily and when the rules change constantly, it causes more challenges as far as being flexible. But we can do this. I've seen it. I know we can do it. So, let's be flexible and I think we'll get to a happier chapter. We need to be just as flexible as we're asking community to be with us. And I would think we need to ask the community to be flexible with us. But if if a kid is in a situation that's individual and it's the situ the plan they're in good for them, I think we need to be able to allow kids to change to to do what's best for them even if it makes a little bit more work for us. So does that flexibility include u my kids going to school every day because

139I think that's best for them? I Jeremy actually I believe that that is true. So I I can send my kids to school every day. We we change this. My motion says that you can choose any plan that the district is offering at the time. But you're asking for flexibility. So why can't we be flexible to have kids in school every day? We need to be flexible. It is it is my belief that while we're if we're putting kids in school in a way that is not safe, which is what we've chosen to do right now, not in line with CUPD, I'm really confused as to why we would not just let them go full-time. I'm confused as to why this wasn't brought to us earlier so we could put it on the agenda and

140have some time to think about it, prepare for it, and and why we're blindsiding board members and the staff with it at the last minute. And it would be a nightmare to schedule without some kind of commitment. I I can't imagine I'm going to show up for your class this day and then I'm not going to show up. I mean it's and and if you're wanting to follow precedent of of everybody that you're talking about guidelines, most of the neighboring districts have said the same thing. You know, you have to commit for a certain amount of time. But most of our neighboring school districts have also committed to the parents for a semester. This is our plan and this is how it's going to be the whole entire semester. Now pick, they didn't say pick

141a plan and then we might change the plan, but when we change the plan, you can't change your community is pretty uh up in arms about this. So I think it's only fair that we discuss this. And the reason I feel like we need to discuss it now is because we're talking about a proposal to let the district change the plan on a whim. And I think there's something here to warn me about what we want to put on the agenda to talk about and to warn staff what we're going to put on the agenda to talk. Right. Because when I came and spoke, well, I didn't come when I was in online last time. I was speaking for everybody that I heard from and I wasn't the same thing. I think what's best is

142is to start a certain way. So, and I don't think criticized you for saying that. I think you were changed the reopening plan um be made by any of the board members. Um I like what Colleen is suggesting. I have to be honest. I've been very concerned and about this families that are making a decision, for example, to go virtual because they're they're able to work a shift at night or work a shift where daycare works. I'm very worried that there are going to be circumstances where people's shifts are going to change. um you know they're going to be staff members quarantine and then people are going to have to shift and they're not going to have an option because employer their option is going to be lose my job do what I'm told and

143then what'll happen is the kids will be left home alone um that's really concerning to me so I think we need to have the same kind of flexibility that we would want any employer of the people in our community to we're asking the the people in our community to have for the district. I I don't understand what this motion has to do with the resolution in front of us and and and I don't understand the comment about a whim. What I'm looking at in paragraph three says the superintendent's authorized to do the things that the public bodies say we ought to do and bring it to the board if we need to. None of that is a whim. And I don't know why. Why are you seeking to replace this resolution or have it be

144in addition to? I'm seeking to understand the board's position on whether or not we believe there should be flexibility. And that's a value that we have as a board and a priority that we would want to choose what's best for kids at all times and allow kids to be in a position that their parents deem best when we are offering different options. And I need to understand the answer to that question before we move on. And the only way to make a decision, but I don't understand what it has to do with the resolution in front of us. Why? Why derail us discussing this resolution? That could still be something that would be discussed if it was put on the agenda. It is something that I feel as a board member that I need to

145understand before we move forward. And the is not given to us to put on the agenda because we received an email saying that you didn't want to put things on the agenda. No, you did not. You received an email saying I did not want to put undefined action items on the agenda. If we're going to be transparent, we have to tell people what we're going to talk about. Okay, this is what I would like. This is what I need to know and we have a history on this board of having a conversation and when there's not a vote taken, then everyone is confused later as to what happened in the conversation. And so I'm trying to have a conversation about this, but actually make a motion so that we all understand what the conversation was

146when the conversation was over. So this is part of my conversing about why isn't it 14? I'm sorry. Why didn't you bring this up in the when we approved the agenda? We have a resolution in front of us, but this is part of the discussion of that resolution. It's not a resolution gives the power to the superintendent to change the plan at any point in time and enact um the authority granted to the superintendent and the design in the resolution that will supersede any other policy or rule of the board. So I think it's kind of important to understand what plan we're talking about and then the rules associated with changes to that plan in order to discuss this resolution in an informed manner. This resolution part launched gives the superintendent the ability to change

147plans and supersede board policy. And if that is part of what we are going to discuss, understanding what we will allow these parents to do when that happens is part of this resolution. Can we try to focus on the action that's on the floor and the resolution I think is going to come next? Not so sure. What what section of the resolution were you just quoting? Section four. This resolution turns over all of the board's decision makingaking authority and essentially turns over all policies to a single person's decision point which if we're going to talk about resolution I think is extraordinarily dangerous and undemocratic but you know I think in order to understand and talk about that we have to understand the framework that we're talking about and I think Colleen's trying to understand If

148changes are made in this manner, do parents have flexibility to change as well or is this a one-sided uh set of decisions. [Music] The the section four starts out all in pursuant to number three above which is still subject to board approval. No. The changes shall however remain in full force and effect until such time as the board acts unless otherwise required by law. So changes go into effect immediately after consultation with the board president with full authority on the board to change anything. Well, you know, I guess I'm just going to be real frank. I guess with that comes down to a trust issue. There's times we're going to have to make probably some pretty quick decisions on what we're going to do this year. And we either trust our superintendent to make the

149call or we don't. We already have policies in place that allow the superintendent to act and in case of an emergency or changing situation. She can close school at any point in time for weather or any reason. In spring, we closed school without this resolution. I'm not sure why exist ask about this resolution, but I think we need to finish with the motion on the table on the floor. Now, now we're blending things together. Are we discussing the resolution now? We're discussing Colleen's motion. I think we need There's a motion on the floor. We have to close that out. All right. So, let's Is everybody ready to vote on Colleen's motion? Roll call, please. Larson, no. Henry, no. J, no. Yes. Steve, yes. Schultz, yes. No. Okay. Is there a motion on the resolution? So

150move. Second. We got a motion and a second to approve the attached resolution and checklist as presented by Dr. Hall as recommended by legal counsel. Is there further discussion on that? I have some questions on forensics resolution. It talks about contacting the attorney to u make specific decisions based on the district's needs. Can you tell us who had that discussion with the attorney, the specific decision points were and and how they were reflected in this document? I spoke with Brian Crowley briefly um about the resolution, asked him some questions um beyond that talked about the benefits of of and the need for passing this. What risk are we put at if we don't pass this? I don't know the answer to that question. Are there current policies that we don't feel are sufficient for starting

151this season that are in conflict with the plans that we put forth? I don't know we know whether any offh hand but it's possible as things unfold there may be and I think the resolution accounts for those things right I think this resolution what would the reason be that we we have the ability as a board to call meetings in emergency situations within 24 notice um I guess I'm wondering what situation would warrant um this big a policy see decision change that the board wouldn't be able to meet in in an emergency situation and discuss that in specifics. That's hard to define right out of the gate. I will know I will comment that in the past there's been situations that I kind of felt emergency and it would be good to have a meeting

152in 24 hours. I told my legal counsel my definition of emergency wasn't their definition of emergency and it would work. So I I I will say that the def the legal definition of emergency is much more narrow than I ever thought it was. So So the um resolution describes um protection from the tort fund. Do we have protection from the tort fund if we don't adopt this resolution? Yes. from the Illinois Tor Immunity Act. Yes. So, we do not have protection from that without this resolution. Oh, we do. I said we do. We do. We do. Okay. So, what I I'm still trying to understand the need for this resolution if we already have that coverage. That's that's just one component of the resolution. The other components are outlined there. And I I I don't

153really have anything more to say about it. I mean, I I don't I think it speaks for itself and the board has the opportunity to vote it up or down. I really like the sentence here that says that the resolution eliminates in most cases the immediate need to identify and amend existing policies which conflict with the reopening plans. So this puts the reopening plan resolution on top of our other policies as we need to handle the kids safety at least temporarily at least. Exactly. And and and the the board is absolutely involved in that with the ability to say yay nay or or or either way. What's the mechanism for informing the board, the staff, the parents of changes to policies in the plan that are in conflict with our existing policies so that they

154are informed? The policies are a contract that we have with our staff and our students and our parents. So, just having a resolution that says we can change it doesn't actually conflict what I think we need to do to fulfill that contract with those folks. So what's the mechanism for changing something this urgently and then rolling that out in a way that we are sure is going to be effective in communicating that with the necessary parties. We would use our our typical mechanisms to communicate. So what would preclude us from using that mechanism without this resolution? We do use that mechanism already. This gives us legal authority to have more local control for safety of the students because of the pandemic without having to pour over every other policy we have and fix those before

155we can make a decision. But what policies have we already this kind of assumes that we have policies that are in conflict with the existing plan that we have to go back to school. So I'm wondering what those policies are that we've identified that are in conflict with the plan. No one has gone through all those yet in the comprehensive review. Well, I also think that one of the underlying tenants of the resolution is the fact that there's so much that's unknown in the future. I mean there there's we're rewriting public education every day as we move forward. So frankly it's it's hard to say and predict how this might play out. I don't know. I've never done this. Isn't that kind of hypocritical though to say tell tell the parents they don't have that

156same choice that it's changing for you but not for them? Well, I think the understanding is is that there's going to be change. So, and and we have to be able to make changes quickly. Um, and there's going to be people upset. I can guarantee that. There's can't stop that. But we also have to continue to be able to move forward um without calling a board meeting every time we want to make decision. But we have policies in place that give a superintendent very broad authority to make changes to policy and and make decisions about school already. I have concerns about a policy that temporarily suspends any policy or rule and we're willing to to do that without actually looking at what the implications of that are for our staff and students. If if there

157is a situation that I'm not thinking of, I can't think of an e situation or example where we could not get together a quorum to discuss and make appropriate choices. If I'm if you can give me that example, I'd be willing to entertain that. But this is a broad sweeping change to the democratic process of this board. And I have real concerns with that. It's it's very similar to to the Patriot Act and 911. We we have these broad sweeping statements about public safety and we take out the democratic and check and balance process. It's required for us to do our due diligence to think about things and we allow decisions to be made in highly emotionally charged and critical times that don't force the pause of taking a breath and understanding what those changes

158will mean when they are rolled out. Okay. I'll I'll just say this. Transit is probably the leading school attorneys in the state. They're recommending we adopt this during this time of the pandemic. And if you disagree with that, then vote against it. I haven't had the opportunity to ask them the questions. This document was based on their website tailored for this district and I haven't been it hasn't been shared with me what we tailored and what decision points there were that gave us this specific document for Muhammad. policy. Which board members worked on developing This resolution was written and came from Franza. They they drafted it. They are the legal experts. They're recommending we approve it. What was inserted here was Seymour Schools reopening plan dated July 20th, 2020. And at the very bottom in

159section uh four board policy 22 240. This was included in the board packet two weeks ago and I got no questions about it. Been ample time to call ask discuss I it was stated in the July 20th board packet that this would be on the agenda tonight. But this is supposed to be a board discussion and the only way for the board to have a discussion about its resolution is to do it in a public meeting. These sidebar conversations are not the way that we are supposed to conduct business. And so I think it's important that we have board level discussion about board level resolutions openly in accordance with the open superintendent and ask questions. When's the last time you actually talked to Lindsay outside of a board meeting and asked a question? We're taking

160sure that Excuse me. We're taking kids rights away to education. We started it by going from five to two and now we're picking whether we're going to let them come and change their mind. I mean, we have an obligation to educate kids and we can't even get going to make it safe place for them. I'm just I'm dumbfounded. I was not suggesting that discussion should be shut down. I was suggesting that I'm available at all times to answer questions. Okay. But I just asked the question and I didn't get an answer. Normally the precedent is that you asked if we ran it through legal and we did. So my goodness, I would have thought since it came out in the packet that that not only covered our all of us, but it made you feel

161satisfied. I just am asking on the forensic website. It says contact us if you would like this document to be put together for your organization. Who in our organization did that? Asked that request of I did. She did. And then who tailored this? Transit did. It's it's tailored by saying the Mohamad Seymour schools reopening plan dated July 20th, 2020. That's the tailoring. And at the top of the and the very top of the resolution where our school district's name is in there, that's it. The rest of it is drafted by Forensic. They're the experts in section three. It says that um anyative changes to the plan shall be made in consultation with the president of the board and then promptly reported to the board which may affirm, modify or disapprove of the changes. How what

162is the mechanism for how we do that? I would communicate with the board if you and then if if I there's always the opportunity per board policy for the board president or three board members to call a special meeting or an emergency meeting. If that were the the sentiment then that could happen. It would probably be communicated by email in most cases. Can you remind me what's the time frame for calling a special board meeting? How how how quickly can we call a special board meeting? 24 hours for an emergency meeting. Um 48 hours for a special. Yeah. 48 for special, 24 for emergency. So, can you give us an example of a kind of decision that would need to be made so quickly that and it wouldn't be it wouldn't fall under the existing

163policy for you to make emergency decisions that we couldn't just meet in 3 days time and make the decision? No. So, in my opinion, looking at this resolution, I think that's hard to do, but again, we're unprecedented times. We can't, you know, we do our best to anticipate everything we can, but there's certainly things that are going to arise that we've not anticipated despite everyone's best efforts. I can imagine a list that's 40 pages long that comes from press for us to change policies, you know, written large on a number of things that we do here and and and the state has made those things and the state has proven to change their mind inside of seven days every given week. This resolution in my mind gives us more control than what we would have

164from the standard order of business from the state. No, I have to disagree. This resolution is just a blatant abdication of our responsibilities. I mean, you really can't. Come on, guys. Let's be honest with each other. This this resolution is delegating the decision making to our superintendent and she needs to be able to make some decisions. Ken, what's wrong with that? she is able to make those decisions. This delegates all decision-m to her. Oh, I disagree with you, Ken. Actually, I'm sorry. It delegates it to her and Max as the president, which I also have a problem with since we are supposed to be seven equal members of this board. Right. I think it comes down to a trust issue which you already stated. I think we just need to vote. I mean they want

165things new to add to the discussion. I don't understand um I don't think we need any more discussion. I mean let's go. I think Colleen gets to ask her question. She can. That's fine. Ask your question. I need to understand the exact reopening plan that is uh stated as the Muhammad Seymour reopening plan dated July 20th. What parameters of that plan even just the broad parameters and is that in line with what we voted on in the last meeting? So exactly what we voted on last meeting is I believe I think it's that's been the plan has been emailed. You can read it. Uh I mean this is this is getting ridiculous. It really is. I just we're in a pandemic. We don't know what we're doing. We're trying to do the very best that

166we can and make decisions. Um, we went along with what the reopening task force wanted, which was a a sh a sign of of collaborating and communicating. And we can't get past this with an attorney's recommendation. Um, I do ask regularly about the legal fees. we need to think about every time that we need to ask an attorney that I mean, we did it. We covered oursel. Not everybody's going to be happy all the time. You know, my favorite color is red and Jeremy likes blue, but you know what? I'm going to sit next to him anyway and I'm going to still like red and he's still going to like blue. Okay. I still don't understand why this resolution is necessary. We have mechanisms in place. This directly supers. We are asking us to supersede

167any policy or other rule of the board and temporarily suspend any such policy or rule to the extent that any policy or rule is inconsistent with the plan. We don't even have the entire plan outlined. I have parents asking me, why are my kids only going to school two days a week? People don't understand the plan. I think it is fair to say that the plan needs to be outlined in specifics and we can't be superseding what is the mechanism for informing when a plan change is made and if in a board you know by the board I don't understand the need for this resolution and approve it anyway then we should just do the work of the board. This resolution is not providing us anything. Megan, I think what this resolution is providing is

168the ability to not have to make unpopular decisions, uncomfortable decisions by the board. I disagree. That's that's not what it is. Is there anything else before we vote? [Music] roll. Yes. No. Yes. No. Yes. Tennessee. No. Yes. I'm Kimber. Dr. Rumble. just a second here. Jot down a couple things. And she's pulling double duty. So, um we with the shift in the school day for K5 students needed to adjust our kids club uh rates to um accommodate the half day when kids are either in AM or PM with their teacher. Um that additional time before the after school time. Um, in doing so, we've tried really hard to keep um, child care costs to a minimum for parents. Um, there is one correction and that is the half day and after school would be $22,

169not 21. Um, it's $11 if you do the by day payment for a half day only and it's $11 by day for after school only. Making that 22 instead of $21. Maximum payment for parent for student would be $100 a week. So there's multiple discounts in there so that we try to keep it at $100 for the week um if um parents need to take advantage of both breakfast the half day after school time if they need to take advantage of all of it. So my recommendation would be to approve the change in rates. These are not necessarily increases in rates just additional costs and then there's a break in there for staff as there always has been. Additionally, we talked about going um October 1st was the um my understanding that the board was

170hoping that students would all be in school five days a week or um 5.5 hours. So, I have put in two payment schedules in here. One if that is a Tuesday through Thursday 5.5 hours. another if that is a Monday through Friday for 5.5 hours so that they don't have to bring to you kids club uh rates again um Dr. Hall and Dr. will recommend the board approve the rate schedule has been presented. Is there a motion to do that? Is that moved? Is there a second? Second discussion. I noticed some staff specific rates. Do we have an idea how many staff actually have kids and kids? Um staff, we always put staff kids in first and then work off the parents. I don't know exactly. Thank you. Thanks, Bridget. Where is kids? Where is

171club held? They have one at Lincoln Trail and one at Middletown Prairie. Yes, but where specifically in the building is kids club held? So this year we'll be keeping groups of less than 30. So they will be in three separate locations at each of three buildings. I'm sorry I didn't hear you. Where in the building? They are in groups of 30 or less. So they will be in three separate locations in each of the buildings. Those are different locations in each building. And what location is it going to be? So, at Linka Trail, it will be in the I don't know what you call that link, but it'll be in the band music cafeteria area and at Middletown Prairie. It will likely be in We're finalizing the location here. So, it could change, but it

172will be in the um cafeteria, uh gym, and library are the areas we're looking at right now. But again, those are not set. Okay. Are the questions correct or wrong? So, I'm sorry. Did you are any of these rates an increase from last year? So, yes, they are. If you go down to the bottom where it says um rates when students were are attending a 5.5 hour rate, it'll tell you that rates were previously $11 a day and now they're going to be 1250 a day, but the kids will also be there for more time than they were this past school year. So the rates are scaled up slightly but our time that we're running this club and therefore the staffing needs are greater also and I will say staffing needs are greater anyway because

173of having to put the kids in smaller groups and being able to rely less on student workers and having to rely more on adult workers. So there is an increased cost. So, does this increase cover the running that program? It will cover the cost. We're we probably will not make as much money this year, but my goal is to keep the rates down for parents. This is an expense that a lot of parents were not expecting. I mean, I guess my question is if we're still profitable, we need to increase it all. Can't we afford where where does that money go? Why increase it if we are not if we're already covering the cost of the program? Money goes into our general budget. I mean, it's part of our it's part of the money that

174we budget for. If kids are going to be there longer, it costs more money to have them there. I don't know that we know we're going to make any money this year really because we're not raising you're not raising costs proportional to the extra time. So we know where you can have added students throughout the year too, right? Um so we're being very careful with the number of students that we have because um if I want to adjust the group, I need to be able to do that. So keep the numbers under 50. So will these numbers allow us to socially distance these kids during these times? Yes. That's why we had to limit the number of kids in the number of spaces that we use. So, they'll be six feet socially distanced or what?

175How far apart will they be? Six feet as best we can, keeping in mind that these are children we just Sorry, you broke up. I didn't hear the last part of that. It says social distancing the best that we can keeping in mind that these are children ages 5 to 10 5 to 11. So we have enough space but kids don't stay in one space. They tend to move. But how will that be structured? Will we be structuring it the same way that we do the buses and the classrooms and assigning them spots? Yes. But we also have built in I mean they're gonna have time to play. They're gonna have their encore time. They're gonna have if they're here for the half day, they've got time where they have to work. They have to

176do their remote work just like everybody else. So they'll have a time for that. And then in the after school time, they'll have a time they need to have they need to play. They need to move their children. So we'll have outdoor time built in. We'll have other we're working on getting equipment so that they can do some other movement things while they're in the building and other games, but it's really hard because a lot of playing is is closer than six feet. So, we we are taking precautions for that. Absolutely. Can I guarantee that a kid will stay six feet apart from everybody else for the entire time that they're at kids club? I cannot. And so I'm sorry, can you talk a little bit more about the um the learning that will go

177on in kids club? I I I did not understand that there was going to be that component of it. So all kids are required for five hours of instruction a day. And when we did the half day for elementary, the other half of the day was remote or off-campus learning. Our kids club students have to do that remote portion as well. So they will be doing their encore time. They'll be doing their independent learning, their writing, all of that. Just like a kid would be doing it at home, they'll be doing it during that portion of kids club. And who who is going to oversee that? And will they have access to help for that? The kids club staff will. This should be work that kids should be able to do independently. during the second

178half of the day. Kids club staff are adults should be able to supervise it. I'm sorry, but aren't aren't we talking about the kids club rate increase? This is like way off topic. I'm sorry to put that upon you, but the we're talking about a kids club rate increase. I'm just trying to understand. I just asked a question that snowballed into more questions. I have a question about the rate. I'm a little concerned about our discussion where we're talking about h making money on this. The school code states when it talking about before and after school programs, the school board may charge parents of participating students a fee not to exceed the actual cost of such before and after school program. but seems to indicate that we can't make money. This kids club is not

179programming, it's child care. I I thought we just said that they were going to do school work. It says time for homework, physical activity, afternoon, snack, snack. It is the equivalent of a child going to a child care provider, a second grader going to a sitter or a child care provider in the afternoon and doing that remote work there. We're just providing the child care and supervision. I I I don't understand the difference when I when I read the law and it it defines it to develop and maintain before and after school programs for students in kindergarten through sixth grade. The programs may include time for homework, physical activity, afternoon snacks, and educational offerings which are addition to those in the regular school day. Typically kids club doesn't include additional education. It does now because

180of our half day schedule. It doesn't providing child. It provides an opportunity for them to do the remote work now because they're going to have to have that opportunity and these kids need a place to go. Could we run this program if we don't raise these rates? So, you're asking me to to have kids come for for the entire day minus the two hours or two and a half hours that they are with their classroom teacher to child care for the same rate that they were paying to go after school for two and a half hours last year. No, I have no I can I can see that you're irritated by my question. I'm just asking if this program would pay for itself if we did not raise the rates. No. No. Because we're we're

181extending the length of time and we're adding to add more staff. So we not raising the rate proportionally. So we could not pay for this program without raising these rates. Not no not under the current plan. Not unless we cut the amount of time back which you know that doesn't work for parents. The the there is no rate for the time that we haven't provided any for this amount of time. Are there any other questions please? Tennessee. No. Schultz. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Item 11, additional staff and Dr. Hall. Um, I had uh alerted the board to this need. Um, in an email about a week ago and um just bringing this forward for approval. Thank you, Mr. So the um elementary team which would be a new position um just for this year right

182now. Um we would reevaluate and see if we want to continue it. Um but it provides um just a layer of support and leadership and communication for our principles right now. um that would be extremely helpful in the in the building leadership structure and carrying out our different plans. Um there's a lot of collaboration decision making that is going on and to have a great level representative um would be very helpful. Okay. So the super recommendation board approved the stipen positions team leaders for the 2021 school year at a cost to $12,000. Is there a motion to do that? So move. Is there a second? Second discussion. Yes. Schultz. No. Larson. Yes. Giles. Yes. No. Yes. Item 12, CO update. Is there anything about CO we want to discuss that we've not discussed? Has there

183been any decisions made about how transportation is going to work? We're putting together bus routes now. Um I think uh the goal from Mr. York is to have that information out by two weeks before school starts. I think that'd be next week. This week this week. Yes. We just got we just finalized um finally AB days and half days. So I I don't know that he would be able to have it done in two days. That was the final piece that he needed was um to know who was going to be on the A and the B day is to know how to schedule um the routes. And what kind of social distancing are we going to maintain on the buses? 50 students. Have 50 students on a bus. So how far apart? Two kids

184to a seat. They'll be wearing masks. So the kids will be shouldertoshoulder basically. Not size of the kid in the seat. The the guideline of 50 comes from the Illinois Department of Public Health. I know. I'm just asking how far apart the kids will actually be on the bus. Well, I think it depends on the size of the kid and the bus route and how many I mean the maximum is 50. There could very well be buses that have less than that, which is likely given the number of kids who are actually coming to school at any given time. And in the mornings, are we going to be screening the kids before they get on the bus? No. They'll be screened when they get to school. Is there are we worried about that? There there's

185some bus routes that are about an hour long. Well, part of the problem we have is just supervision at bus stops is often an issue. parents are not off some I mean they sometimes leave their kids there. Um also the issue of who on the bus would be responsible for the screening process. Is there going to be any staff on the bus to make sure that they are keeping their masks on and not touching each other and stuff like that? We have monitors on some of our buses. Got monitors on some of the buses and we've got cameras on the buses. We are relying on I had to use the restroom excuse me, but we are relying on the community to parent, you know, and make sure that if their kids are sick, they're staying

186home. Uh, you know, to tell your kids to stay apart, but their kids, they're going to move. You know, they might not stay at the window. They might move over. So, yeah. The trouble is, the trouble is a bad decision by one parent doesn't just affect their child, it affects everyone's children. I I get that. The board has set some constraints uh on this. So, I'm going to make a motion that we maintain a minimum three-foot distance on school buses and we screen children before they enter the bus. It's impossible. Were you coming up with the people who screening them? I'll second that so we can have discussion. Okay. So, who's uh I think those details are best left to Dr. Hall. You can make the best choice there. So, even under the best of

187conditions, we struggle with finding transportation employees. I mean, we we've got to be realistic and practical, and I understand the risk, and I understand the concern. We can't eliminate risk. Every day you walk out the door, there's risk. So even without a pandemic, a poor decision by a parent can affect others as well. It it's just there's not guaranteed. I understand that. The the thing is in my opinion, given the all the planning that we've done, there is no riskier spot in our situation, there's no riskier position than the busing situation. Um because you're going to have kids essentially shoulder-to-shoulder. You're going to have kids relatively unsupervised because the bus drivers are doing the important job of driving the bus. Um and we all know what children are like. They're going to want to take

188their masks off. They're going to want to be poking their neighbor. So, I think we've got to set some kind of constraints as a board. If we're not going to do that, can you explain to me what might happen if we, for instance, have one of the little kids on the bus, ride the bus, get to school, go through the screening process, be these pulled out because they have symptoms of COVID. Um, now that bus is still out there picking up more kids. Is there cleaning going on between drop offs? We're cleaning routes. Yes. Now, I have to I want to clarify that I do not know the I I do do not know the exact routes, but we're going to clean buses as much as we possibly can. So, what happens to the kids

189on the subsequent routes who sit in that same spot that kid that we've pulled out that morning sat in? is that what's the process for assessing their risk of an exposure, whether or not they have to quarantine, uh what the communication will be with that second and third round of people sitting on the bus. Well, Bartman just happens to be here. Can you share anything on that for us? Well, for a couple things. Um first of all, it's airborne and not contact. So a child sitting on the bus is not necessarily going to spread it to the next to the next to the next. The other thing is is that we are we are going to continue to talk to our parents about the importance of keeping their children home if they're sick. The other

190thing is is that if you have if we're cleaning those buses between every route, then if a child comes off or you know a teenager or whatever, if they come off of the bus, we pull them because we don't think that you know they have a fever or whatever, for whatever reason we pull them off, then that bus is going to be clean before the next group of kids gets on the bus. So there we're loading the buses back to front and then we're unloading them front to back. So kids are going to be passing each other on the way. The other thing is is if if a kid gets on the bus and we have this all the time. If a bus driver says, "You know what? This kid doesn't look like it feels

191good to me." They're going to sit them in the front seat in an isolated spot and they're going to hand them the checklist to hand to the adult as soon as they get off. So that's going to mitigate a lot of that as well. So, as a lot of people have said, part of the challenge is is that it's going to happen that people in general are asymptomatic. So, there are varying degrees of veracity right now or validity to even doing symptom screenings at all. And so, ISBY and IDPH are still saying yes, we're going to do that. CDC is now starting to say maybe not. So, we're we're going to do the very best we can to screen as many kids as we can. A lot of times the temperature is not going to

192come up for four or five days. Kids may not be symptomatic. They may come to school and go through a week and nobody's going to know that they have any issues unless a family member gets sick. So there are so many variables and all of this that we can't possibly we can't possibly create a scenario for every single solitary thing that may happen. We'll do the very best we can to catch as many kids as we can. And if somebody is sent home, we will request that they that they're tested. We will request that they that they contact public health, they contact their physician, they be tested, and then we will be tracking that very closely for anybody who's exposed or anybody who tests positive. Nita or Dr. or Dr. Hall, we have kids in

193school right now in Jumpstart. Can you tell a little bit about what that looks like? I spoke at the last meeting. I had seen a classroom, but as I came in the meeting tonight to come into the meeting live, there's markings on the floor. Just maybe people would find that helpful. as far as spacing just just to tell people kind of you know because I feel kind we have a dry run you know so yeah um well thank you we have I was speaking then Dr. R probably has a little bit more Dr. Hall we have we've been working constantly with Mr. Curtis and and with Heather to put things in place. The teachers are amazingly creative. We have some teachers who are using hula hoops to to help kids know what their space is.

194We we have inexpensive ways and visuals to help kids stay in their space but also give them some movement. Um we have a teacher who's putting sensory dots outside that kids can take walks, they can take sensory breaks. Um we're we're doing we had an administrator had a wonderful idea to put two desks together. So a child or a table you split it in half with a visual and a kid sits on one side in the morning. The afternoon kids on the opposite side and so they're never they're never crossing paths in that. So we're doing a lot of things districtwide to try to do as much as we can to to minimize the risk. There's always going to be risk. We can't get rid of all that. But we're doing the very best we

195can to minimize that and to keep our students and our staff as safe as possible. Thank you, Nita. And thank you. I just think people if you if you're not out and you're not looking to see the good things that are going on, you're going to miss them. And I want people to know that. Thank you. So, and Nina actually brings up a perfect point with the asymptomatic carriers. That's exactly why we have to exercise social distancing. Um the motion that's on the floor specifies three feet required. That's what we've been talking about doing at the other schools given our reopening plan. Personally, I'd like to see six feet, but I figure three feet at is something we could all get on board with. We're following the SV guidelines guidelines for the buses. I don't

196know how we can guarantee anything on a bus. I mean, I just really don't I understand it. I want to, but it doesn't make practical sense. We've not we've not run any of that by Nick. Um, but 3 ft does that mean you only use every other seat because the seats are closer than 3 ft together. We we don't even have specific enrollments, let alone by I I I get I get the sound here, but I I just don't see where it's working. Anything else? We have the motion on the table. Is there any discussion on the motion? And I apologize. I ran out. Could the motion be repeated? I had to use the restroom. Sure. The motion on the floor, sorry, you want me to repeat it, The motion on the floor says that

197we will maintain 3 ft separation among students on buses at all times and that buses will or and students will be screened for COVID symptoms before entering the bus. Okay. Any other discussion on the motion? Can you email that's fine, please? And and for that we have no estimated budget. No. Yes. I will email that. Okay. Can we have a vote on that motion, please? Schultz, yes. No. Larson, no. Yes. No. No. Anything else under co? I I actually have a question. I feel like we've asked this a million times, but we keep asking in different ways. What is this social distancing that we're saying is going to happen with the plan we have on the table just for the regular classroom spaces? Because I I feel like I heard that we're not going to

198be able to maintain social distancing with the two day plan. We're following the guidelines from the state board of education and the Illinois Department of Public Health which were issued on June 23rd. I will pull those up and read what those say. Give me a minute here. I'm just asking what we're actually going to be able to do in the room. I understand it says social distancing as possible. I'm just asking how much will we able to have? size of the room and the number of kids. I guess the reason I'm asking is because I'm I'm really struggling with figuring out if we can't maintain the social distancing that's recommended. I I feel like we should keep kids safe and I think we should reduce the risk of liability for the district. But if we're

199going to choose not to the recommended spacing, then why are we paying the cost of doing all the partial schooling? It seems like if we're not going to maintain social distancing and we're just going to interpret that to mean, if possible, means we're not going to be able to do it. Why we would not go back? We should inspect a classroom with Lindsay and see how it might be set up. What's do you pull up the recommendation? No, I didn't. Okay, that's fine. I think one of the reasons Colleen is asking though is we need to make a firm statement to the public about what our minimum spacing is. My understanding was that we were committing to three foot spacing. Am I wrong? I think we were committing to six foot spacing. Right. social distancing

200as much as possible and as much can as can be expected is what the EP guidance and IDPH say. Social distancing in that definition is ft. But we've been very honest and upfront and transparent and candid and have said that especially in in this building. We have little kids here who will need modeling and teaching and direction and as as much as we possibly can, there's going to be times when they're not six feet apart. That's the reality of a school. We can't escape that. That's why the ISIS and IDPH guidance is worded in the manner in which it is and that's why we provided choices for people choose to come or not. And I think Nicole said in the last meeting that she the goal was to do three feet as best we can

201and then I think that's the goal and we're always going to end it with as best we can. If we can do 60 in some of the rooms in some circumstances, some kids, we'll do more as best we can. But unless unless we're going to glue kids to the floor, which I don't recommend we try, you know, we can't guarantee this thing. Any other questions on code? You know, we talked a little bit about um I don't know, it was in a memo a couple weeks ago about teachers being concerned about sick leave and I wanted to suggest that we might um provide unlimited sick days to teachers after they use their FFC and their um 2021 allocated days. We're going to talk about that a little later tonight if we get that far. Is

202that on the agenda? It's on the agenda. Yes. Okay. I just I just want us not to encourage employees to come to work sick. So, absolutely. Thanks. All right. the item we added to the agenda policy discussion. Colleen, that is me. I wanted to um suggest a policy that um I would ask to be on the next agenda, but I just wanted to um suggest it here. And so this will be policy 6330. And this policy came up because I heard a few things from students today and over the weekend that made me feel like this was um needed to be done sooner rather than later. And um I will read you part of it and then I'll email it to you the the relative or the part that changes things. And it says, "The

203superintendent shall maintain a uniform process at the high school to calculate on at least a yearly basis each student's grade point average as well as a system of Latin honors, sumakumi, magnaumi, and cumi for each class. Students will not be ranked and criteria for Latin honors will be absolute and not comparative. Um there's a section about honors and awards too. Um, and I have spoken about this policy with people before, fellow board members, Lindsay, both in person and over the phone and with Chad. I know there's a lot of support for this policy, but there was a about timing, and I understand that, but I think that the pandemic creates a need for this policy to be implemented now rather than down the road. And um, I think it's because policy is what the board

204does. I want to be very clear that I'm proposing that the policy is the what, which is Latin honors instead of class rank, but it does not attempt to micromanage or delve into how things are determined. Lindsay and Chad would have the authority to determine all of the specifics. How will the GPA be weighted? Will it be the AP and honors be different? Is there dual credit? Um what's the GPA to have Latin honors? um they can determine all of those things at their discretion and nothing in this policy takes away their ability or authority to administrate grades. Um we need to have a detailed discussion benefits of the policy at a future meeting. But I wanted to um state a few brief reasons that I think we need to have this policy. The first

205one is that Lynn has clearly communicated the goals to the district over the past few months and we continue to think those are our goals for next year and at the top of the list is the physical and emotional health of our students. Um and CO is creating so much uncertainty and stress in our world that I think relieving some stress for students will certainly improve their emotional health and emotional health is a reason even before the pandemic. In addition, there are so many difficult decisions to make with all the challenges of COVID. And I think our administrators did a great job of handling these challenges, but one decision that made was to not have any grades for the spring term. Eliminating ranking will permit the district to um follow the ISB and do no

206harm to students by that decision. students missed out on a semester of grades and AP honors points and that's going to harm certain students and benefits others which wouldn't keep us in line with do no harm and that's not a subjective statement that's just math. Um there's other reasons in addition to the pandemic that we would benefit from having Latin honors rather than class rank. Um, one is that good schools with a lot of high achieving students can actually harm students by having a ranking system. Um, there are college programs, for example, there's some at the U of I that don't admit students who don't have a class rank in the top 10%. And so, at Muhammad Seymour, that means that I've heard of students with 4.6 GPA that can't be admitted to a program

207because they're not in the top 10%. Um, without a ranking, they would be evaluated in other ways. We have the same for other students. There's students that have come to us and said they wanted to apply for a scholarship for a trade school and their 3.4 GPA gave them a rank that was unacceptable because 3.4 is not in the top 50% of the class. In addition, class rank also discourages students from taking courses based on interest rather than their value towards class rank. the differentiation between students can come down to thousands of a and this will encourage students to take classes they may not have interest in just to earn the GPA points to achieve a higher class rank. We also want students to benefit from working together with their fellow students rather than having

208maybe even a subconscious incentive to not collaborate because someone else doing better means they will do worse. I want to make sure to note that this is not a let's give everybody a participation trophy proposal. We certainly should recognize and celebrate students who demonstrate the highest academic achievement. This policy would allow us to have high achieving students who are honor cords at graduation, sit in a special place, get their diplomas first, whatever and Chad decide. This change simply sets forth the standard for celebrating students in an absolute way where they're competing to meet a standard rather than against a fellow classmate. I would appreciate it if we could put that on the agenda for action next month. Thank you. I can I can tell you this as just as a person. I don't like without

209seeing everything in advance. I I I hope that I mean I'm gonna be sure you're gonna have that. So that's in the packet, right? Because like what you said, I didn't get all of it at all. So I'm going to write the entire statement I will provide to you. I I just wanted to have the opportunity to express myself because it has turned out when I ask to do something that sometimes people decide to speak for me and speak for my motives and what I intend to say and I wanted to say it myself. I will certainly provide it in writing to everyone on the board. Thank you. Thank you. I just I had a hard time following along and I don't want you to think I'm disregarding it, but there was a lot of

210information that you obviously put time into and I couldn't follow all of it. I believe Dr. Hall has something to add. Yeah. So, um Chad's been working on this with his division leaders for um months now and was going to do a presentation at our August meeting. Um I didn't realize you had plans for this policy coming, which I think it's it's timely. I don't know if it aligns with what he's recommending and that's for the board to figure out. But this has been on Mr. Benedict's radar for for some time. He's been working on it and um he's will be here on August 17th with the presentation. Pretty good. Great. All right. Um communication from visitors. Is there any communication at this point? Mary Duffing, this time of closed session is needed to discuss

211collecting collective bargaining negotiation matters between the public audience employees and representatives or deliberations concerning salary schedules for one or more class of employees. Basically item or reason number two are reasons for closed deedenc. Is there a motion to go into close session for that reason? Could you add personnel to that list, Max? We will add personnel to that list. Thank you. I just have a quick statement. Nothing is item one. So, I'm um Ken, Megan, and Colleen. I'm forwarding you the link right now. That was my question. Thank you. Thanks. We got a motion second to go into close session reasons number one and two. Is there a motion to be there? So move. Is there a second? Discussion. Roll call, please. Yes. Yes. Henry, yes. Yes. Yes. If you're listening on the on the

212live feed over Bulldog TV, we appreciate you being with us tonight. uh when we come back from close session, we are not anticipating any further business. So, thank you for being with us tonight and have a great night. Board members, you can log off and then log back in on the email on the link that Dr. Hall just sent. Thanks everyone and uh if you're part of the public, signing off. Thanks for being with us tonight.