Board Meeting 1/12/26

001Welcome to >> the January 12th board of education meeting and happy new year to all of you. >> Could we have a roll call, please? >> Here >> thank you. Okay, the first item on the agenda is comments from the public. Dr. Davis, do we have any comments from the public? Yes, we have uh five comments from the public this evening. Speakers who have signed up for public comments will be invited in the order that they've signed up to address the board for up to three minutes. I will keep time and signal at the end of two minutes as a courtesy. I'll let you know if it is time to stop at the 3minut mark in the event that that becomes necessary. Speakers are asked to come forward and speak at the lectern. Please state

002your name and address. Public comments generally pertain to school district matters, but comments about any individuals are expressly prohibited. Please understand that the school board does not respond to public comments, but will listen carefully and will follow up as the board deems appropriate. Our first speaker this evening is Veronica McKini. Veronica McKini, support staff president. Um, members of the board, I am reaching out on behalf of the support staff union to share our concerns regarding the recent reductions in staffing, the process by which these decisions were made and to call for open transparent communication with all stakeholders going forward. As you know, 20 21 positions were eliminated across the district and 10 of those were from the support staff bargaining unit. It is our understanding that these decisions occurred without consultation and collaboration with any

003of the bargaining units who represent the employees most directly impacted. As a result, many of our members feel excluded from the process that directly affects their livelihood and the services we provide to ETHS students. We recognize the financial challenges the district is facing. However, even during the 2009 recession, the district did not experience reductions of this magnitude. Many employees have shared concerns about a lack of transparency in the current budget process. This suggests a need to strengthen fiscal oversight, especially even given that these financial concerns were not identified earlier, even as new administrative positions were added in recent years. These decisions made without inclusive dialogue have significant implications for student support, school operations, and the trust that is essential for a strong and healthy workplace. Support staff members are dedicated professionals who love working at

004ETHS and want to continue contributing to this community. However, trust has been eroded not only within our union but across other labor groups as well. >> One one minute left. >> If we are to move forward productively, we must commit to rebuilding that trust that requires transparency, open communication, and collaborative approach before decisions are made, not after. Our goal is to work together with administration and the board to ensure that ETHS remains supportive, stable, and thriving environment for students and staff alike. With that in mind, we are calling for transparency, requesting the district to take meaningful steps to engage all labor partners in the future decisions that affect staffing, operation, and student services. We are ready and willing to work as one team to find solutions that protect the integrity of the school, the well-being

005of the students we serve. Thank you for your time and your commitment to the school community. >> Thank you. Our our next speaker is Marian Castleberry. Good evening. My name is Maryanne Castleberry. As a result of the recent decision by administration to reduce members of the support staff, we must remember, we must embrace, and we must acknowledge that does this support our students? We should always remain at the center of every decision that we make. Remember, when we consider renewing or removing or reducing services, we have to ask ourselves whether or not this balances the budget and whether or not it hurts the students, especially those who rely most on consistent specialized support that comes from the support staff union. Before moving forward, we must urge and be thoughtful and pause to fully examine the

006impact that these changes have have and alternatives that can preserve essential support staff positions. Keeping students first. Protecting the services that help them thrive and not diminish them. I believe that in your heart you can find the compassion to do what you've probably never done and that is change the decision that you will be making. Thank you. Our next speaker is Sheri Iverson. Good evening. I'm Sheri Iverson. I serve as the World Languages Lab specialist at ETHS. Recently, I reviewed the ETHS at a glance infographic on our website. These data points stood out to me. ETHS represents 75 countries. 65 languages are spoken by our students and 78% of our students are currently enrolled in world language courses. These numbers reflect who our students are and the learning experiences we prioritize for them. In three

007years, the Illinois State Board of Education will require all students to complete two years of a world language to graduate. ETHS is already positioned to meet this expectation, and the World Languages Lab plays a critical role in that readiness. I sent the board a letter outlining the scope and use of the language lab and my role. The language lab is an essential component of world language instruction at ETHS, led by an outstanding department chair, Rachel Denafhrio, with a successful academic program, and excellent teachers. The lab software allows teachers to provide authentic conversational and presentational speaking practice, high quality listening experiences in a secure testing environment where students cannot access outside sites. This level of rigor and control cannot be replicated in a standard classroom setting. The lab requires a specialist. My role ensures that 63

008computers and the specialized software remain functional, that students receive direct support, that the lab schedule runs efficiently, and that students are tested for placement and the seal of biiteracy. This is not an expendable resource. Investment in the lab and the specialist directly supports student achievement. Last year, 234 ETHS seniors earned a state seal of biiteracy or commendation award. >> One minute. >> Students leave ETHS with confident realworld speaking skills that prepare them for college careers and global citizenship. Maintaining the World Languages Lab and specialist position reflects values-based educational spending, serving the majority of students and aligning with state expectations and our school's mission. Thank you. >> Our next speaker is Katherine Head. Good evening everybody. My name is Katherine Hed. I'm a paraprofessional here at ETHS. I want to thank you for giving me the

009opportunity to speak on behalf of my students. I am also a proud graduate of ETHS from 1982, a homeowner in Evston, and a registered voter. This community is not just where I work. This community is where I live. It is my home. I'm here with a passionate heart, leading with love and advocating for my students. I believe in principles over personalities. For five years, I've worked in special education and this past fall, I moved to world languages where I support Spanish one and French one students. I'm here tonight to urge the board to slow down and carefully consider the following proposed cuts, not just as budget decisions, but as decisions that will have real and lasting consequences for our most vulnerable students. I respectfully ask, how do these proposed cuts align with our valuesdriven studentfocused

010budgeting? ETHS serves approximately 830 multilingual learners. Of those 470 are native Spanish speakers who are still developing academic language skills while navigating new content and new systems. Just two years ago in 2023, this district made an intentional commitment to these students by creating a multilingual department. I am concerned that these proposed cuts and the potential combining of the multilingual department and the world languages department >> one minute >> could weaken this commitment and ultimately harm both students and the school as a whole. Students who already face many barriers. Closing the language lab would have significant impact on both multilanguage learners and students with IEPs who are often taking a world language for the first time because it is often not available to them in middle school. ETHS becomes the first place where they can take

011a foreign language. I work closely with these students every day. To give you an example, in one class, I have 27 students and 12 of them have IEPs. Looking ahead, this concern becomes more urgent. In 2028, two years of world language will become a state requirement. Enrollment will increase significantly, including students with IEPs and multilingual learners. time. Finish your sentence though, Catherine. >> I'll stop. Thank you. Thank you. >> Uh, next up is our next speaker is Sasha Smith. Good evening. My name is Sasha Smith and I seed my time to Katherine Head. At the same time, more students will be working toward the esteemed seal of biiteracy in where they use the language lab. If we close the language lab now, we will be far less prepared to support these growing and diverse needs.

012Language acquisition has four key components and speaking is the component that solidifies learning for many of my students. Multilingual learners and students with IEPs often struggle with reading and writing. But in the language lab when they are speaking they shine. That space allows them to feel confident, capable, and successful. The language lab is not an add-on. It is essential. I understand that the decisions before you are difficult, and I don't take that lightly. But values are not defined when choices are easy. values are defined when choices are hard. I ask you board members to partner with the educators, the support staff, the families, and the students, include all of our stakeholders. Please review the data that is available to you that demonstrates that the tremendous value of the multilingual department and the language lab are

013essential to this school's well-being. Help ensure that this budget reflects the values we say we hold. equity, access, and opportunity for all students. And during this, can we all participate with transparency and without fear >> and with the courage to truly collaborate. A truly values-based budget does not ask our most vulnerable students to carry the greatest burden of cuts. It ensures that those who need the most support continue to receive it. Thank you all for your time and we are greater together. >> Thank you. And that concludes public comment for this evening. >> Thank you. And I want to just say just a couple of things um before before you leave. If you're going to leave, you're always welcome to stay. Um I just want to really tell you how much we appreciate those who

014came tonight to share your thoughts and perspectives and really all of you because I my thought is that those perspectives reflect what many of you are feeling and thinking right now. And so I know the board doesn't usually respond to public comments, but we especially wanted to make sure that you hear that we are appreciative tonight. Um, please know that the decisions around staffing are always taken very seriously by the administration and by the board. We truly value our staff. We recognize the significance of your contributions and we wouldn't be we know that we wouldn't be ETHS without your intelligence without you, your dedication and your passion for educating and supporting our wonderful students. Unfortunately, these difficult times necessitate very difficult actions. Our superintendent, Dr. Campbell and our CFO Miss Williams and our administrative have

015administrators have scrutinized our budget to find costsaving measures and we'll be talking about these later tonight. More specifically, despite these efforts and significant cost savings, we are unfortunately in a position that requires us to look at staff cuts. The administration has approached this area with even more scrutiny and eliminated unfilled positions and move staff to other positions whenever possible. But additional reductions are still required to meet the financial challenges that we are facing. Please know that we care deeply for all ETHS staff and appreciate your incredible contribution to this incredible institution. Changes in our staffing are unfortunately reflective of the very difficult times we face as a nation, as a state, and as a community. Thank you again for coming. Thank you for your time and thank you for your commitment and your dedication. All

016right. So, back to our agenda. Where where am I? >> Yes. Um Dr. Davis, do we have any written communication? Uh I have not received any at this time. >> Okay. All right. So uh we are at items for information. The first item is the AI in the district. >> All right. We're going to have uh uh David Chant, our director of instructional technology, uh come to at the table. He's going to introduce his team with him. And uh Dr. Pete Davis who will just give a cursor review of AI use in the district and um where we may be headed on the use of AI um and all of its benefits uh and challenges. All right, welcome. Uh, tonight we're going to learn about uh, ETHS and AI. Uh, and thanks to uh, David

017Chan and his team. uh we have been as near to um riding that that the crest of that wave as possible. Uh it it's an accelerating uh technology and what you're going to hear is a story around how we started the work uh where it's taken us and how we've really positioned educators uh to be successful in its thoughtful usage and we'll make connections to previous uh work in in tech development uh professional development. So David, why don't you go introduce your team and um of course this links to uh district goal one uh solidly. We'll go over that. We'll weave that throughout. U David. >> All right. Good evening. Uh my name is David Chan. I'm the director of instructional technology. And to my Oh, look at us right there. To my left is

018you can introduce yourself. >> Um my name is Melanie Marsen. Um I'm an instructional technology specialist. >> And I'm Mina Marian, another technology integration specialist. And we also have I believe in the audience Jessica Don enterprise application support specialist trainer and then um in our chrome zone we have Dora Bowlinger and we also have the luxury and fortunes of working with a couple of interns including an IIT intern um and then a couple of interns from Northwestern throughout the year. So we'll be referencing that throughout the presentation. Um our presentation is in three parts. The first part is kind of the journey that Dr. Everybody has mentioned uh the journey that began on or really before but if you remember on November 30th 2022 anybody okay Chad GBT was introduced right so um the kind

019of the moment in AI that kind of changed the world a little bit where it became accessible to the public right so Chad GBT and I looked up our records like when did we start talking really after this about uh AI and uh we used to hold these uh tech on the terrace PD events like live in person you know IRL um and We had it, you know, on big screen. I can remember seeing us, we were sitting at a table and we were inviting people over and like playing that game. Can you spot the bot? You know, which one of these drawings was made by AI? Which one of these um it was a times article, right? It had example student essays or essays in and writing. And the idea was, you know, can

020you spot which ones were written by AI or not. Uh similarly, we ran a newsletter, we still do, we run every month called also tech from the terrace. Uh and as you can see headline our featured article by Miss Marion chat GBPT interview with AI uh and where we asked it our burning questions and so again engaging in dialogue with our educators um from the pretty much very beginning when it was really starting to hit and a lot of questions about how this is going to impact education in the classrooms and our students and ultimately uh ramping up uh we got the pleasure of working with uh nearly 40 teachers. uh when we decided to return to bringing the semester exams back, we took the opportunity to work with those educators and say how do

021we think about uh using AI with regards to semester exams now they're coming back how do we use it perhaps to create multiple versions of exams to create items for exams to differentiate our instruction to build uh assessments formative assessments how do we build activities how do we do all these things that as a former teacher I taught chemistry for that I dreamed of doing but didn't really have the time to dig in and do or wish I had more time to do and we work with teachers designing rubrics and just thinking and and get taking their ideas and saying what how might it look like if we were to take advantage of some of the powers of AI to help build uh uh instruction and rethink uh their their curriculum. So that ramped up

022later in that summer we held what's called a Chrome camp. So, this is a half-day workshop. We're again engaging with educators, thinking about lesson planning, thinking about how they use AI potentially with assessment, designing assessments, uh, and also what might it look like with students using AI. And that led to a group we called AI innovators. >> And that year after that first Chrome camp, we invited many teachers to join us. Uh, there was over 40 that signed up to work with us to explore possible tools. Obviously, there's new AI tools coming out every day. It's hard to keep track of all of them, but there's some, you know, heavy hitters and we had everyone join us to learn more about those, use those in the classroom. We met multiple times with that group, kind

023of coached them through using these tools with the goal of trying to figure out is there something we should be buying, right? Should we be moving around some of our edtech tools so that we can purchase any of these things to provide as resources to teachers? Uh, we had that in the Google classroom as well. We then in that process connected with a company called Playab. It's a nonprofit AI that's focused on AI in education and uh one of their tools was something we had been using in one of the English classrooms. We became aware of them at this time. Um after that growth of sort of the AI exposure last year we actually developed this year a stronger relationship with Playab. Um Google Gemini came out obviously this you know this has been around

024for a while but this summer it joined Google Classroom. So a lot of the tools we tried last year with that innovator group ended up not being needed. However, this play lab group um offered some interesting opportunities for us to explore. We actually worked with them and uh wrote a grant got a grant that came from Amazon to invest in AI in schools and we are working with a a professional learning community um and with a sponsor from Playab with a group of about 15 teachers uh and educators actually across the school who are learning how to use AI to create apps that are specifically designed to do certain things for their jobs. Um so we're working with people in the classroom, outside of the classroom to kind of use AI to streamline some of

025those processes. So that's an ongoing project this year that's been very interesting. Along with that, we also have access to 100 student licenses that we are excited to partner with the steam class to learn to help them learn more about it and help students find out how they can be using AI to just go beyond, you know, the search in Gemini and more into customizing it and harnessing it for their own power. So that's an ongoing story um this year that we're excited about. Um, also last year we uh went to a variety of department meetings as well. Uh, we went to the um, arts and innovation uh, department meeting and we kind of did a dual meeting with the emergent multilingual uh, staff and I paired with um, the the multilingual services department um,

026to learn about the best practices to support multilingual learners. Um, and we came up with a whole bunch of um, you know, accommodations and things like that which are listed on the left side of that um, uh, that chart there. Um, which also end up being good accommodations for a large swath of students. Um, especially with IEPs and 504s, there's a lot of accommodations that are actually um, kind of cross over from student to student. Um, and so we figured out ways to use AI to help develop materials and to transform some of the lessons that teachers are already doing to meet those needs um, even better. And a lot of times they might, especially in arts and innovation, there might be a class of, you know, uh, you know, 25 students and maybe two

027or three uh, those students uh, speak two or three different languages. And so um it's really hard to develop materials for them especially if they involve like interlinear translations and you don't really under you don't know the language yourself. Um and so this provides a way to um actually have a practical way time-wise to develop those uh supports for students. Um so we we did that. It was a dual kind of um department meeting again with arts innovation and emergent multilingual staff. Um and then we also went to the world languages department and talked about some of their department specific concerns um which end up being concerns for a variety of part departments but we focused on you know their pedigogy in particular. Um we talked about strategies to reduce the occurrence of plagiarism. Miss

028Marian was a U world languages teacher in the past so she kind of understand that curriculum. Um and so kind of mitigating the occurrence of plagiarism, how to detect plagiarism. There's a variety of ways we can actually do that. And um yeah, I'll talk about that later, but um there's a variety of ways you can do that. Um and then after that, actually introducing some of the let me go back introducing some of the ways that um we can actually leverage um AI both for teacher use and maybe even student use um in the classroom. So kind of getting away from just what's kind of scary about AI to um how can we use it for good? And then over the summer, like uh Miss Marion alluded to um we tal we had another kind

029of Chrome camp AI workshop is what we call it. Um and we talked about AI. Um not not all the tools that we talked about in that innovator group, but again just the um basically Google Gemini suite. Um and then we also leveraged teachers because by that time a lot of teachers were already kind of using AI in the classroom, had a lot of experiences. So we had a panel um a lot of teachers from a variety of different departments um as well as um a variety of different like feelings about AI um and so that we had a great conversation there and then we had breakouts where teachers taught each other a variety of things and then we did some structured work time um at the end. Uh the next thing um that we're

030doing this year is Google Gemini specific trainings talking about how to use the tool effective prompting. Um we're doing another training this Friday where we're actually going to have a little bit more of a workshop um scenario for that. And in addition to that, we have a lot of meetings with teachers one-on-one after these kinds of trainings to delve in a little bit deeper about what it means for them. Um and then we also have our newsletter where we introduce um variety of um AI topics. And lastly on the horizon, Ms. Don um who's also on our team um for three years has held this um support staff training for um technology. Last year was about spreadsheets. This year's focus is on AI. So we're looking forward to some good conversations there. >> All right.

031Um not all unicorns and rainbows. Um so we have some challenges that we'll talk about ahead but here are just two applications we we know the first one on the left a couple teachers behind you might recognize we worked with um these were uh Yale uh grant students or students uh who had developed this app that promised like to be the ultimate AI teaching assistant and you probably read about there's a dime a dozen nowadays of these but you know uh grading papers like handwritten papers typed out papers papers with formulas right and again as a chemistry tri I was like sign me up uh but it turned out it was a little bit more cumbersome. It wasn't quite uh ready for for prime time and again just we were trying it out just piling

032with them um and trying to work with them too. You know they were learning along the way and we tried we engage in dialogue and our teachers were very gracious with their time and efforts um but just didn't work out and I actually tried to go to the website today and it was not up. So uh and then on the right uh similarly you know there can be a lot of these apps are just super flashy and like promise the world uh to this one's a AI powered storytelling right so creating these beautiful graphics um but then ultimately like for for pretty high price to be quite frank um but ultimately like we we got to pause we got to think what are we really using this for and and is this what our teachers

033want um and the answer for at least this one was no it wasn't you know talking to teachers I want to focus on writing, teaching writing. I don't need the AI storytelling app to help me do that. Um, so again, I think a common theme for all at PD we're talk we've talked about and we engage in is collaborating with our staff, collaborating with our teachers and support staff, hearing where they are on their thinking, their concerns and working with them on their journey. Uh, just like as we've gone throughout this first part. So some additional challenges though. Okay. Uh so early challenges included you might remember these articles where you know New York decided to block JGBT and then four months later no unblock it right um obviously for uh equity reasons to to

034know that if we did the same thing here students that get it blocked at school some might be able to just access at home or on the phones or on a different computer and we didn't want to have that we want to work with our students to learn how to use AI uh in the future and so uh today we we primarily promote uh Gemini versus Jav GB because of our our agreements with uh Google and our Google workspace for education agreements where we are given asurances about data and security and privacy uh specifically that the data that students you or students and staff use uh when using their ETHS 202 accounts in Gemini is not used for model training and uh in addition to that they are uh use of Gemini is sappa furpa

035HIPPA and copa compliant so um versus chat GPT we can't quite say the same uh as well so again trying to convey that message with our staff in all of our trainings. That's why you saw a Google Gemini uh specific training and and continuing with that. Um and then again, just the the additional safeguards, the guardrails that come with using Gemini. Um it's built on learning science principles, which we really appreciate. Um again, it's private and secure by design. Uh and again, it's uh built for learning. when our students who use their ETHs accounts the the back end not to get too techy they know they're under 18 so they actually get a kind of maybe don't tell them well sorry um a slightly different experience because you're under 18 you get a little bit

036again additional guard rails you get a little bit more of that guided learning experience we know your brain still run we know you're learning and so when you search for something a certain way in Gemini let's work with you to try to learn that about that topic so they call it guided learning and and um again the model because it's it's for education, it's based on that and it knows the students when they log in that they're a student. It uh works with them in that front. So, we appreciate that as well. >> And so, that kind of comes with the challenge of how do you actually communicate with students uh that they should be using Gemini over chatbt. A lot of them don't know they're not supposed to use it if they're under 18.

037Um I'm assuming some of them still use it because it's kind of that brand name. It was the first name that kind of came out. It's kind of like muscle memory. Oh, chat GBT. I even make that um that mistake sometimes. So, um we developed a series of videos in our FASH programming to kind of talk about AI literacy, kind of address some of these safety concerns, and not only talk about like why you shouldn't use ChatGpt, but but how you can make yourself safe online. Um if you keep going, I made it fancy. Um so, the um so we talked about that. We also talked about considerations for learning. Um, and I try to keep the the language positive for this one. Um, basically talking about um why they should use their brain, why

038they should talk do more paper, pencil, um, all that kind of stuff and kind of talked about some learning science type stuff there. And then, um, lastly, we talked we did talk about and address plagiarism. Um, kind of talked about the pilot and what it currently says. We'll update it if we make updates in the future with the pilot. um but so that everybody kind of starts off on the same page and we have something to refer back to. And right now it's only the freshmen that have this common experience um throughout their class, but over time the messaging will get hopefully to um you know all the students and um a lot of them actually do have environmental concerns and that's something we want to point out and address. Um a lot of students

039um won't use AI, have never used AI, won't touch AI because of their environmental concerns. Um which which are definitely part of the discussion and something we did address in the um AI literacy uh programming for fashion. And that brings us up to you know just last week we had a meeting with uh English and history. We invited them to come in, of course, the day back from break, start thinking about AI. And we had a really great discussion with them about what it's looking like in their classrooms. As you've heard throughout this, there are definitely concerns, right? One of those concerns is plagiarism. Um, and plagiarism comes up as something, you know, for any teacher. I know in my classroom, I handled it in all of our classrooms, we've had to handle it even

040before AI. So, you know, we do have studies coming out that are are examining this and we still don't have the full picture, but it plagiarism exists with or without AI and that's something that teachers have been combating for a while. What that looks like and what that approach is um of course is is the part that we need to learn more about. You know, what it really comes down to for our team and for a lot of the teachers here is really designing practice so that it is less AIable. Same thing where it was less googable, right? We had this problem then. I'm sure at some point someone had a conversation about being less spellch checkable, right? So, we have these technologies we have to handle, but we also realize this is a serious

041concern for for teachers in this building. Um, so we had a great conversation with English and history. Um, talked about some ways that we could combat plagiarism. Tips include, you know, doing the writing in the Google doc, using the version history, which you know, many teachers already do. Uh, we do have access to a revision history extension. We have now um site licensed so all the teachers can use that to examine in a little bit deeper the revision history so that we can actually have conversations about process not just trying to catch kids right I'm just not trying to catch them cheating we're trying to explain why we want them to be thinking and writing in in a full process and where AI could detract from that learning component. We also have access to our

042Delideo teacher which is our um filter that allows teachers to monitor students screens and limit tabs um during class hours. And then we also recommend Google locked forms when they're using their EHS Chromebooks and using the Google classroom originality reports. Of course, we also have the blue book up there. Uh there are teachers that have gone back to just I'm going to write this in a blue book, right? And and there's nothing wrong with that. You know, we want to support people where they are. Um the implementation of AI can look different for everyone. It could be anything from no implementation to extreme implementation. Um, and our goal as a team has been to kind of support teachers in that in that process. Oh, I can take it. We all love this graphic, so we

043will fight over it. Um, so this is exactly what I was just talking about. We we've shared this graphic. We'll continue to share this graphic um about the types of AI assistance that you might find in the classroom. One thing that's coming up is really a need to have kind of a common language about this with our students in a big building like this. That's challenging and of course we're working of with the freshman through FASH and as you the staff, but we'd really like to kind of center that it is okay to use no AI, but there's also levels of AI that can help support students development. Um, and so this is something we continue to share and talk about with staff. Um and we we're looking with our other uh groups and and

044with our team on ways we can continue to get that message out there so people feel supported and can always reach out to us as well. >> All right. So that's the final chapter of the road ahead. Um first just again a crosswalk with our four priorities uh for equity providing opportunities for all teachers and students to learn and teach with AI uh for SEAL teaching students the core human- centered soft skills such as collaborating collaboration. uh we're always talking about this human keeping the human in loop right and talking about uh when we if we choose to use AI using it as a support using it as a um something to augment and support uh the human the brain um that you're working with in literacy explicit teaching explicitly teaching AI literacy to students

045to prepare them to use AI safely ethically and productively later in life and then in post high school planning uh providing our students enough guidance and exposure to AI in preparation for the AI skills they will need post high school and in the workforce. So again, it pretty much aligns with all four of our priorities. Um when we look at for guidance, um we are still waiting for Illinois uh one of 18 states uh that that that doesn't quite have it yet, but uh we're promised uh by July, but we're not waiting for that. Uh we do have our board policy where we kind of uh include it in our bullets or item about academic dishonesty where it includes um using a writing service and or generative artificial intelligence technology in place of original work

046unless specifically authorized by staff and again that's going to be the common theme you know have that conversation with your teachers or educators make it clear what your policy is about uh AI use in your classes. So with that, we added in our course expectations this year that board policy uh statement, but not enough. We we're hearing from educators, we want more. We want more guidance. We want uh to all be on the same page. We want that communicated with our families, with our students. So we hear that uh we're working with again our Northwestern interns who are doing that deep dive this semester. They're going to be observing classes. They'll be doing research. They'll be working with us on crafting this what we're calling a playbook. Uh we just met on Friday with our

047counterparts at district 65. So we can see how are they preparing middle school students right and elementary school students uh before they enter ETHS and conversely how are we working with our ETHS students so that they can better prepare. So we had a great conversation dialogue the first of many and not even the first but we've been in dialogue but uh they came over and we had great conversations about our current initiatives uh in tandem. Uh and then yeah lastly this idea these are um documents I've we've seen at conferences and other schools have them similar to kind of like our bell-to-bell north cell infographic that's in every class might we have something like that for uh usage in our policy on and stance on AI similarly like a classroom use agreement that's something that's

048gets created um and and maybe like a one-pager uh again for staff students and families right we we can build the policy our our playbook will be long it'll have all this information and I also want that simple right accessible document that everyone can point to and quickly see what are our beliefs what are what is our philosophy what are some things that we can do um with regards to AI so coming soon uh and that's all we have for now but thank you are there any questions uh thank you for that presentation I've been really looking forward to this and um recognizing that AI is here and and trying to think about how it impacts students, how we can continue to teach students how to um write. They need they need to know how

049to they need to know how to write. Um, so I really appreciate um what you said and and um and I just look forward to that playbook and that one pager, >> right? >> Yep. >> Yeah. Our goal, sorry I forgot, is by the end of this year, right? We're working on the semester and the year in conjunction with state guidance in July and then roll it out. You you will see it from us and all families. >> Yeah. Well, thank you. >> All right, Leah. Well, first of all, I'm glad that um uh you're you we are being proactive in terms of um you know, not reacting but you know um looking I think looking at AI in terms of how can we maximize its benefits but minimize the possible dangers. Um and so

050I appreciate that. Um, one thing I think it was interesting, um, uh, Mina, that you said, you know, plagiarism has always been here. It that's not new, but this looks different with AI. One of the things that though I've lately been kind of thinking about, and I'm wondering what you would say about this, is um, another thing that I think we're, you know, in in here at ETHS and in general and education are looking at is critical thinking skills. And um we live in a world of so much misinformation and disinformation. So what comments would you have on how um within AI as we are in other aspects of a student's education here? We're teaching that literacy of how do you question information? If you're using AI to create a draft, how can you trust

051what's in that draft? How do you look at it critically? if you're using AI for research etc. I I don't know if you can comment on that in general. >> Yeah. Um thank you Leah. I uh I mean I didn't mean to downplay the fact that plagiarism is a serious situation. Um I think we focus it on many areas. We have the fash curriculum that we've kind of outlined and and in Melany's portion of that she goes kind of deep into like this is what your mind needs to be doing, right? This is why we're at school. this is why we need to be thinking. Um I do also think lots of the conversations we're having with teachers are about how can I still get to the thinking right and and it looks different now

052>> but it's still that conversation is still there. I mean for an example um I met with one teacher recently where we were actually encouraging the students to use AI three different drafts keep track of them get feedback document how you use the feedback use some metacognition to examine why did I take this suggestion and not this suggestion you know do a peer consult ask questions of each other and kind of look at the process where the thinking is not just about the writing but it's also about the decision making about feedback and you know I think if your teacher were to give you some feedback, you usually say, "Oh, great. The teacher gave me feedback. I should take it." But we have a new situation where if I'm asking an AI tutor for some

053help on something, I still need to evaluate whether I want to use that. And that's being built into some lessons and some teachers that are are interested in embracing that. And I do think that's one way that we might continue to build that in and also prepare them to use AI in their lives after ETHS in a way that is probably going to be expected of them in some way. Um, one thing I've noticed too is just that AI has just given us so many more opportunities to have those conversations. You know, I mean, I think back and I work with librarian staff. Uh, you know, media literacy has been just a, right? Whether it's anything from is this blog post a real, you know, website, right? that that famous article about the monster and

054it's still probably being taught like to to middle school uh students and and you know can how do you judge you know uh the website credibility to to things like when you go on a search are you just looking at the first two results or you digging deeper right so having those conversations and then the more opportunities we have and the more our students expose in the news and and you hear about uh things like deep fakes and all the stuff that AI can do I I have to believe that they are having more of those conversations I know the teachers are having more conversations ations with students and I know that the students are thinking about that even more so. So, uh it's giving more opportunity still very important and um again lots of

055new opportunities that that we're taking advantage of. >> Um and lastly uh we have had these conversations with teachers in our professional development. they've gone through some exercises if they came to um our uh what do you call chrome camp and uh so we've gotten the opportunity to have some deep dive de lessons that are modeling uh bias and stuff like that. Um we also touched on it in our uh fash programming and we'll probably include some more tangible type lessons in our playbook is what we'll call it uh for teachers as well. Can I add that this is all very much on the frontier and it continues to be on the frontier because the horizon keeps moving. >> Yeah. >> Uh but I do believe that our students are far more critical consumers of

056media than we are. I actually believe that they are are better at discerning a deep fake than we are. And by we, I mean folks of my generation, >> uh the parents out there essentially. So you know developing that criticality a lot of it's already there uh but really diving into that because we are at a point where the horizon continuous to move on these on the effectiveness of these uh of these of these products and preparing a student for that world requires us to be nimble and have a gifted staff and a gifted team here to keep pushing the thinking so that our students do become critical consumers uh and creators. and not passive uh dependent folks. And I feel like that's a critical distinction is is being passive users of AI or manipulated

057by AI versus being critical creators and critical consumers of it because that's really what in when I frame it, that's that's the way I see it and that that's what we do every day. >> That is an excellent point. I'm I'm wondering and I know that we have a couple other questions. I'm I'm wondering if there are opportunities for you to hear from students because you're right. They they they got this while we as adults were going, "Oh my god, I wish it wasn't here." I can't tell you how many times I've heard adults say, "I wish it didn't exist." Um but of course it does. And while we're holding our heads, the kids are growing and moving forward and learning from it. >> Um, just two comments about that. Um, I, you know, because

058Eva is here, we have to mention in girls who code, we often do a lot of work with them and playing with that. It's a small subset of students, but uh we do get to show them things and she'll, you know, attest to how excited we get showing them different things that we're looking at and and new developments and apps that come up. Um but we also did work with a group of the ETHs ambassadors um with Alli Hart. uh she and I with that same PlayLab company worked with the ambassadors to actually train our own little bot that we're working on um where we had the students answer or give all the questions that they get asked or many of their frequent questions in as ambassadors and then give us the right answers and

059then train our bot to help answer questions like a student ambassador and then give them the ability to play with it and tell us what's wrong with it. Where's the what's the problem here? What other information do we need to make this more accurate? Right? And then they get to see as ambassadors like they know the answer. Why doesn't AI know the answer and how can we continue to think about developing those answers? So I think there's three or 4 hundred of them that did that activity and then the handful of girls who code. So >> nice. >> That's the coolest thing I've ever heard. That's awesome. >> It's so it's so nice to see that um the real world practicality put into it. So I really want to commend you on on what you

060just presented with what you're doing with AI because you know I think to David's point like this is an inevitability you know like that this is the direction the world is going. So embracing it I think is absolutely the right decision. And I loved the way it was broken down into those like five levels of you know how it can be used like should okay we'll let you use it but it's only for brainstorming or it's only for this and it's only for that because at the end of the day it is a tool. It's not an answer box. And you know, like like Liz was saying, you know, at this front end, there's still a lot of misinformation that comes back. And so, like, but but yeah, Pete, to your point, I think the

061kids are better at discerning those deep fakes than us a a lot of the times. >> Um, >> but yeah, I I just want to say like overall, I was very impressed. I think this looks fantastic and and uh I'm also excited to see as the the one pager comes along and what that looks like. But but well done, >> Pat. >> Um well, I think you covered everything I I had questions about, but no, I thank you. This was a great um presentation, and I think I'm I'm really glad and not surprised from our terrific team at ETHS that you're thinking of it more as a tool and a way to get to critical thinking as opposed to skipping critical thinking. So, thank you for that. This is really, really helpful. >> Hi. Um,

062so when you said the 2022 date, I realized I started high school in 2022, so I've Yeah. I've never done high school without AI. >> Um, and I really appreciate ETHS's approach to AI. I feel like I I have a very healthy relationship with AI. I know how to use it to research and how to develop arguments instead of just like asking it to generate an essay. Like I feel like I know how to do that because of ETHS, which I think is really great. Um, I wanted to ask when the AI playbook comes out, do you think it will have any significant different policies or will it be pretty much the same as what we have right now? Yeah, I mean again in conjunction with what the state kind of gives us, but I

063I'd say it's more of a like having dialogues, having conversations. You know, one thing that came up, you know, in our meeting with the English and history teachers is again if a teacher suspects that something has gone down on a paper that a student has used AI without permission, right? H how do we have that conversation? How do we approach it in a in a constructive sort of way? So one example in the playbook would be that to to have that. Another example would be some of the tools that again we uh have access to. So we make sure that all teachers are aware. Um so no I don't think the policy is going to change in the sense that like no use of AI details anymore. I I think it's just establishing the clarity

064and the communications make sure everyone's on the same page and making that information accessible for all parts of our community. And again that's students, staff and families. and and I'm a parent and here now and I I want to make sure that I understand what the school's stance and and philosophy is around it and and I want to make sure my fellow neighbors do too. >> Thank you for all your good work. >> Yeah, my pleasure. >> Great. Can I add one comment? >> Absolutely. Um, it just made me think because I'm definitely somebody who um loves to collaborate with my um chatty um and I was thinking about how one of the things I love is it democratizes help um in so many ways and um there's that level of as you were saying

065David just the um kind of standards and and making sure staff communicate to kids what is permissible and what isn't. And so then I was just thinking about how maybe as we work on that we it could be interesting to also incorporate when tutors are allowed when outside help because so many times that's what creates that divide between um what kids can buy and what they can't. Um so maybe we could just think about that analog aspect and that's what some of the digital thinking will help us to do. So just a thought I just have to share. I mean, I I love that. And this idea didn't really take off, but I was wondering, you know, what would it look like if we did site for our work the help that we got and

066and not make it stigmatized in a bad way like I had my father help me read this paper for me or I worked with the tutor or I used AI to proofread this, right? And you just clearly state like the support you got and it's okay to get support, right? So, you know, I I've seen some things like that, but we can maybe can >> That's great. >> Yeah. Oh, yeah. Please. >> Well, and that's where this idea of focusing on process comes in, right? That that if we look at what the students are doing with the tools, it's not only giving them that support, but also helping them understand how it's okay for an adult to use it. >> Yeah. >> Because often it's a it can be two sides of a coin where

067adults are using it in ways to check their work. when I have it do some Latin work for me because I was a former Latin teacher. I know when it's wrong. Maybe a student doesn't know that yet. Where's that line? So, one idea is also getting them to use it on things they're specialists in, right? Get that student who's excellent in I mean, they know everything about liaboos. Get it to write about a liaboo. It they will spot the error, right? And you know, if they pick those topics that they really know a lot about, it can help them do that thinking. So, I think we have a lot of exciting things to to move forward with in that area. >> Yeah. I I was just going I'm sorry. Can I talk? Um can I

068talk? I feel like I have to say something. I'm like that person, that adult that loves to debate with my AI. Um so yeah, I call them out all the time cuz I it's like ah you don't sound like a black woman. But um you know um but what I appreciate about this is um like you're leading forward. This is the reality of this generation. You said since 20 22, right? Um, and so not only are we using it in the classroom and, you know, having the conversations with our students and our teachers and and our families, but we are preparing our students for their generation. I mean, you know, there is no way of getting around this. Um, and and it's going to change. And you know, back in my day, it was the

069encyclopedia, >> right? Now it's now it's AI. It's like, what's that? He was like, what? The encyclopedia. Um, you didn't have a sense, >> right? And plagiarism was real then, too, right? It was. >> It was like, oh, okay. It was >> um but it Right. And so we just keep evolving as as a people. And um I I do hope and I'm assuming that we are um also communicating um how do I say this that AI has a preference of where that information is coming from. >> Okay. So, you know, we're um very real about that too, right? So, I'm like I'm serious when I say no, this is who I am. Um, and and I think I'm doing critical thinking. I think I'm, you know, being I'm using it as a tool, but

070also um I'm looking at it knowing um how this was created and developed and who the architects were and all that kind of stuff. So, I'm I'm assuming we're doing that, too. I definitely know there are a lot of teachers having great conversations with students um about this topic and and going into those details as well. Um we don't hear about all of those uses all the time, right? It would be impossible. There's hundreds of teachers. Um but I know two years ago uh Ava coming back to you again um was in Girls Who Code and she was like, "Dr. Wandre, show me this thing." And then she's getting so excited two years ago and using it in Chem Fizz and um and then there's teachers using it in science classrooms all the time for

071a variety in a variety of ways. Um and there's just such a wealth of really cool information um that students are getting and like innovative ideas in every single classroom. Um and so it's really exciting and if we can collect some of those um little stories and stuff that'd be great to kind of share out as well. >> Thank you. I think help helping teachers understand where where the the the ideas are coming from um would be helpful because then they could relate that to students and and encourage students to really dig more. Um it's not just the first thing that comes up, there's more. Mhm. >> And and they are the ones to control how much information they get and how many perspectives they get and what those perspectives look like. So thank you.

072Thank you again. >> Very exciting. I look forward to that. >> Thank you. >> So I guess after we hear from the state, we will bring that back to the conversation. >> Yes. All right. All right. So, we are um going to hear about the Oakton College intergovernmental agreement. >> Yes. So, um if you think this is a little strange, don't think that. Um but it's a it's I have to explain. Um back in the 1970s. >> Oh my gosh. >> Wow. >> I'm glad you're doing that one. >> We're going back. >> Yeah, we're going back. Way back. Um Okay. >> You said encyclopedia. >> That's right. Well, my mom worked for World Book for like 30 years. I had lots of encyclopedias in my house. >> Encyclopedias. Yeah, >> I think I still

073have my son. >> I think I have my and child craft. Anyway, so um Oakton at that time Oakton Community College had a governance a governance agreement with its serving high school partners that required Oakton to get approval for from the schools to hire certain positions, stipen certain positions, and do all of these things. So much so that there was a requirement that in each um serve each high school district that Oakton serves uh would send a representative from the board and the administration to Oakton for an annual meeting to kind of discuss governance and we realized that that that structure was way out of date. Not just us but Oakton um realized that um that it was out of date. Pat and I would go, I'm sure once a year Pat went with Dr.

074Witherspoon. And so here we are with a new way that we engage with Oakton, right? And we would do this through an IG. So this is the these are the structures that I recommended that we do uh to the group to the other superintendent to to the Oakton president. And so here we are um with a a new agreement with Oakton that does not have anything to do with their governance. We don't we don't we don't really want anything to do with Oakton's governance. Uh they can run Oakton and I don't know have any you know I don't have a an opinion about what positions they choose to stipen. So, um, what you're going to hear is just a summary of this agreement that we have written with Oakton and has have vetted through our

075attorneys several times. And, uh, we're finally here. And, um, I believe that that the Oakton president is taking the same IGA to her trustees tonight, uh, and having this discussion. So, Pete's going to kind of talk a little bit about it and, uh, get any questions and if there are any concerns, we can take back. Uh, but we're looking for approval tonight for the IGA. It's pretty, it's pretty straightforward. Yeah, it's pretty straightforward. I would say there's three buckets. Now, the what what I would add to what what Dr. Campbell said is that we also had side agreements on a whole bunch of things. True. >> Okay. We had a side agreement for data analysis and we'd have to renew that every year. We go to a different group would go to Oakton. We'd look

076at our data analysis and then we'd say, "All right, we want to reup so let's let's continue our data sharing agreement." So, this this comprehensive IGA covers longitudinal data sharing and analysis. So, it takes away that that need for that annual like, hey, let's do it. It provides a a sunset for review. Um, but that that just streamlines a whole bunch of things. It allows us to get reporting on are our students prepared when they enter. It does all that longitudinal high school uh to Oakton College uh reporting. The second thing is it it another agreement we used to have is dual credit agreement. Uh this solidifies that under one under this IGA. So, our dual credit agreement, um, again, dual credit, you know, we did a big early college, uh, report, we did a

077post high school report. Uh, we've been growing our dual credit offerings, and this again just streamlines that whole process for us. And finally, there's uh, we do on-site academic programs and facility use, uh, which is our our Oakton uh, evening school. Includes uh, English as a second language classes, GED classes, some workforce development courses. they occur here in the evenings. This again covers that. Uh it doesn't cover uh the rental agreements. That's something separate. Uh but it does cover you know outlines that Oakner is responsible for staffing and evaluating those programs that they exist outside the district and that they are using our space. U so that's really what this is is sort of an umbrella essentially is an umbrella agreement for those three prongs. Um and um I I mean my recommendation as assistant

078superintendent is to go ahead and uh and approve this. It it does streamline the process and it it we also meet you. Okay, Pat. >> Okay. Water. All right. Uh it allows us to real you know we still meet and collaborate with Oakton and it really calls for that as well but you know we have standing meetings with Oakton. This is just a way to quantify to to solidify and concretize uh those standalone agreements under one umbrella. Questions about the IG. There's a memo outlining that in your packet. There's also the full uh IG uh is in there as well. Um, thanks. I um I just I mean as I read it, nothing surprised me. It felt like this was all things that we do and have done. Um, am I correct that it's pretty

079much solidifying our practices and policies as they have been in just one >> nifty little package? it gets to one nifty little package as opposed to three separate and and also the what was the other group called that we were in that did this the governing body was it called the alliance >> the alliance >> so it also does away with all the alliance like having to meet for that so you know this is a >> it's actually interesting it just keeps the good and and kind of gets rid of all the extra bureaucratic pieces so I >> but it doesn't but it hasn't changed what we do with Oakton it hasn't it's it's really the same just again put in a different format essentially >> it is it also allows us for a little

080more freedom on the cadence with which we do our dual credit so it allows for more flexibility there so that would be one good that's one change I noticed that I thought was you know I think anyone would support that so >> good okay thanks Pete >> you're welcome totally makes sense that that once once a year meeting in May was just it's odd to to be on a committee that meets once a year just didn't make a whole lot of sense. >> And you were chairing them. >> And I was chairing them. Oh my goodness. That's true. And I Yeah, I just read the script. >> Mhm. >> Yeah. >> All right. Well, thank you. Okay. And the next item is the finance committee. >> All right. So, uh, we're going to have, uh,

081CFO Kendra Williams and Associate Superintendent for Human Resources and Administrative Services, Dr. Bramley, come and give a bit of an, uh, overview of the, uh, district's financial position. Um, both short-term and long-term. Uh, Bor, you are aware that we avoided short-term borrowing um, by less than 24 hours um, over the break. And so Kendra is going to talk a little bit about, you know, cash flow and things like that, but we couldn't prepare the mid-year budget review because we're still getting caught up on all of the payments that we have been trying to negotiate um over the past um several weeks. Things that didn't get paid are finally getting paid uh because we got uh money from the county and the board. You are also aware that maybe you remember it, maybe you don't. Back

082in September, I shared with the board that the 2526 budget was nearly impossible to balance. Um, and as a matter of fact, when we submitted the tenative budget to you in June, we immediately started planning for the 26 27 budget cycle because we knew that we were um um going to have to make some adjustments. Uh, and so I shared this information with the staff during institute day. And um, here tonight you have Scott and Kendra going to share a little bit of context as to what we're doing and how we're making these addressing these concerns. Uh, for example, just tonight, we're not closing the language lab. That's not it's not closing. We're just going to run the language lab differently. And God forbid we are not closing our EM program. Um, that is completely

083antithetical to the values we hold as a district. we're just going to run it differently. So, uh, Scott and Kendra will chat tonight, uh, about some of those, uh, adjustments that we're making. And I should also say this, ETHS is not in a budget crisis. We're not. Um, we simply have to make adjustments um to um to be sure that we are on strong financial footing for the next budget cycle and the foreseeable future. Uh, so our finances are strong. Um but if we don't do anything uh this this this like a slippery slope and this avalanche grows quickly. Uh so um CFO Williams and uh Dr. Bramley will um share some information with you. >> I don't know how much is left. Marcus teed it up. So well no we'll get >> great introduction

084>> right we'll get into some specifics but yes thank you so much Dr. Campbell. Uh good evening board. Uh I'm here along with my esteemed colleague Dr. Bramley. Uh as Dr. Campbell said to just give an update on district finances and just to talk through kind of where we are, how we got here, and where we plan to go. So just uh the plan for this evening for this presentation just to go over an overview of our current financial challenges, the effect that uh these challenges have had um on our fund balance thus far and what the effect will continue to be and then review the measures implement implemented thus far to address challenges and recommendations for future adjustments. >> So good evening everyone. Uh I promise the next time I present it'll be on

085happier times and about uh the celebration of our staff and I'd like to focus that way tonight as well. Um it's unfortunate uh to be able uh to be here tonight for this purpose but it is a reality that Dr. Campbell just discussed. Um and so um as we think about our board goals and we think about um our role as public educators, part of our responsibility is to be fiscally accountable. Um and so we need to make sure that we're taking steps today to ensure the health of the district. Um CFO Williams and the team that uh supports her and our district and business services, they do a tremendous job that we have often lauded at this table um trying to make sure that we're able to operate our district from a values-based perspective.

086We hold that firm. We center that in all of our conversations. And over the past year, we've worked as an administrative team to try to identify how do we preserve the best parts of this school and this community without bankrupting the school and the community, right? And so we're not in a crisis, but we have to annually take steps to make sure that we're not adding to our structural um deficit if our revenues are being outpaced by our expenditures. And Kendra has done a fantastic job over this year. every time we've talked about the budget um helping us understand um just how much she brings as a CFO to the conversation about our students, the classroom, the student experience. Um she's one of the CFOs in our area who truly values that and brings that

087to the center in every conversation. So that process didn't change in any way um this year. The difference this year is we've identified that we need to make reductions. In past years, we've had some additions or we've had some neutral staffing. This year, we really do need to bring some reductions, and that's what we're prepared to discuss tonight. I just want to make one other comment. As you were giving Kendra some shine, I need to do it officially and I'm going to pause because I think it's important. Um, for 6 months, we got no money from Cook County and everybody in this district got paid. I don't know how she did it, um, but she did it and her team did it. So, Kendra, thank you for making a way out of nowhere uh down

088to the wire and ensuring that this district and its employees were appropriately compensated through this cataclysmic incompetence of of of the county of Cook County. And so, I appreciate you and the staff for making it work when it looked very dire. So, I appreciate all of the hard work that you did with that. Do you want me to keep going before you react? >> You can go. >> So, I think one of the things that we're going to talk to you tonight about is just how we need to remain focused on our efficiencies. And as Dr. Campbell alluded to, we're not looking to cut service for any of our students. Um, based on these reductions, we we're very intentional to find ways to operate more efficiently. Um, and we're going to have to do things

089a little bit differently. It might look a little bit different, but we are committed to preserving as much if not everything that we've provided um in the past. One of the things that Kendra and I talked about tonight uh in preparation for tonight is just understanding that as a school district, as a public school district, and Kendra's going to go into a little of the challenges with our budget, um our revenues are really restricted. And so we have to make sure that our expenditures can keep pace with and be balanced with our revenues. Um that's how we're fiscally accountable. If we don't do that, we're one school district, but we're talking about shuttering programs. We're talking about wholesale changes that would transform this to a different school community, which Dr. Campbell alluded to earlier this

090year as well, and so did Kendra in the in the budget presentation. So, these are intentional efforts to make sure that we're living within our means as a school community and we're being strong stewards of the district's finances and the community's investment in our school and our students. >> And I think the one thing that I want to add to that is that of course, as you can see here, we have the four goals up with fiscal accountability being highlighted as this is a presentation around um the financial challenges and the response to financial challenges. But I don't ever want it to be misconstrued that we are not also focused on goal one, goal two, and goal four. We recognize that it takes strong fiscal fiscally sustainable decisions in order to make those goals continue

091to happen. If we are not making fiscally sound decisions now, we cannot focus on providing an equitable and excellent education for each and every one of our students. And so that's the um the reason why we show up. We continue to do this work for each and every student. And so while there is a focus here tonight on fiscal accountability, we realize that the implications are far more reaching than just dollars or numbers on a page. All right. So going into the financial challenges, as Dr. Bramley just mentioned, uh we are limited. Um we have our property tax property taxes are the vast majority of our revenue. Uh over 80% of our revenue comes from property taxes. And when we're talking about that major revenue stream, we know that it is limited by the lesser

092of 5% or CPI. So keeping that in mind, we have had an average uh CPI over the last 5 years of 3.5%. And um more specifically there have been two years where there was 5% um but even in those years CP um CPI inflation was much greater than that 5%. So even when we have these anomalies of the 5% we're still not keeping up with inflation and even since those two years we have seen that CPI has gone down each year and so going down each year limits our major revenue stream but there are no limits on the expenditures that we're paying for unfortunately with some there are there's some cost containment that can happen but there's some things that are out of our control that we have seen increases in that we'll be going

093into as well. And so, uh, you know, the revenue growth has not been able to keep pace with operational cost increases. And just to talk about a couple of our, uh, couple other revenue streams, we've had an over 50% decrease in CPPRT over the last 3 years. And um also and that that that decrease equates to $3.7 million. So just in that one revenue line, we have lost $3.7 million over the course of 3 years. So that's significant. And then uh evidence-based funding, which is a state, um a state revenue line that has remained consistent. And so it's about $3 million each year and has been for at least five years now. Over five years. So on one hand you're like, "Okay, great. Well, that at least that's not going down." But once again, everything

094else is increasing, >> right? >> So the weight of that revenue stream is less than it was 5 years ago, less than it was even last year. And so that is a challenge that we are faced with um when we talk about some of our our different revenue streams. And so um as I mentioned not keeping up with expenditures uh we have a chart coming up on the next slide that will detail this a little bit more but these are some of the major expenditure areas outside of salaries where we have seen doubledigit rate increases. So health insurance, transportation and off-campus student placement we have seen doubledigit increases in those three areas. Um this slide details some of our major expenditures. We know that um salaries and insurance um salaries and benefits are our major

095um expenditures and we have seen significant increases in insurance uh 13% and 17% uh in our most recent years. Salaries have not gone up by double digits. However, when that is our most significant um expenditure as compared to our most significant revenue, we see that it is still outpacing our revenue. And so we're all of these different lines are creating a gap between revenue and expenditures. Uh off-campus placements cost. when we're uh looking at off-campus placement costs on average uh we're seeing that in a couple of years there was a 15% increase and or an 18% increase. Uh most recently it went down by 2%. Which is great and it's what we want to see that we that some of our cost containment efforts are being realized because we're trying to track this and you

096know get everything back on track. However, even with that 2% decrease in the last year, we've still seen a 35% increase on an expenditure line that's millions of dollars. And so, even as we work on mitigating um some of the uh increases that we've seen, it's still not enough to get it back in line with where it was 3 years ago. Um, when we look at our off-campus placement costs, we have seen significant increases from some schools that uh that we use, some of which have been over 35% 42% increases over the course of 2 years, uh we've seen the daily rate at those schools go up by over 30%. And so these are the challenges that we're being faced with that we have to address. And then this uh graph really just says it

097so plainly that expenditures are going up and the CPI is not keeping up, right? Which is the major indicator of what revenue is doing for us. So we need to find ways to fill in this gap. So let's talk about fund balance. When we have the budget, we have our revenues and expenditures that we look to uh have balanced. Uh ideally or best case scenario, our revenues will exceed our expenditures even. Um and when revenues exceed expenditures, this bolsters or adds to our fund balance and creates a stronger fund balance. However, if our expenditures exceed our revenues, this weakens our fund balance. And so, um, board policy requires a minimum 33% fund balance or what can be viewed as four months of cash on hand. Uh, Dr. Campbell, Dr. Bramley just spoke, uh, very candidly

098about the the troubles that the district faced where we had to go over 4 months without having our ma major revenue stream come in and we had to work through that. And so that and it's difficult but even more difficult the less fund balance you have on hand. And so oh why I was already getting into why fund balance matters. So uh just you know it is a key indicator of financial stability of uh having a strong fund balance allows us to avoid costly borrowing. um if we did have to move forward with closing um on tax anticipation warrants, that was going to be a significant cost to the district. And so um you know, we want to avoid that as much as possible. And then of course, we know that when we have um

099a significant fund balance that we don't need to utilize within 30 days, we're able to invest those funds. So in our budget, we have investment income that we receive each year. If we do not have a strong fund balance, that's less money that we're able to invest less income that we have coming in to balance our budget. So even in this instance this year, the estimate is that we the district would have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in investment income because we were we had to use our fund balance to pay our bills. Right. So that's why >> do you want to give the number? >> It's about $600,000 that we lost. >> $600,000 uh was the the the loss in investment income. So, when we're looking at balancing the budget, and that's a

100a revenue stream that we weren't able to count on for six months now and really still can't count on because everything is not resolved with Cook County at this point. Um, so yeah, and of course, we um are able to tell that we have a AAA bond rating at this time uh by Moody's. And so, one of the major factors in that is also having a strong fund balance. And when we have a good credit rating, that means that when we do decide to borrow money, we're able to do it at a lower cost to the district. So, also, whenever there's shifts or downturns, having a strong uh fund balance allows us to weather those storms and protect academic programs when there are budget gaps. And so um we've talked about this the ongoing revenue

101delays and the ability for us to use fund balance to support um those challenges. Also uh if tax freezes, economic downturn downturns or unexpected emergencies arise even um for quite some time we heard that there could be threats to the federal dollars received. All of these different things can happen and we have to be able to weather that storm. And the way that we do that is by making sure that we have a strong fund balance. So, uh, recognizing that we know that we have to make fiscally sound decisions. And so, uh, we we started this work. It did not just start this year. You know, of course, some of the recommendations that are being made are because of the work that was done, um, since we submitted the this year's budget. However, every year

102we're looking at values-based budgeting. Um, I also had an opportunity to speak to the board about how we implemented zerobased budgeting. Um, even that uh implementation was done as a cost containment measure where the review of programs and materials for cost versus student impact um happened and there were reductions in professional services and some supply budgets. Uh there were some purchase services and contracts that were eliminated based on the analysis. What's the return on investment on some of the things that we're doing? Are there um things that we're doing that we can think about differently? Can we be innovative in our approach um in ways that it will be more efficient um and also be able to save uh funds for the district. And then these are just some other measures as well that um

103we're taking in order to contain cost. Um just more stringent position control, improve continuum of services to reduce off-campus placements. So um just really working to make sure that we can provide the services needed for our student population and keep as many of our students on campus or reintegrate them as soon as possible when you know when possible. advancing sustainability initiatives that generate long-term savings. you guys um have had the opportunity to hear from our director of operations of sustainability um on the different things that's being done um regarding whether it's LED light replacements or um the purchase of gas and electricity in bulk um whether that be on a secondhand market to ensure that we can um contain costs even though we've seen I mean for anyone that is paying the the gas bill

104the electric bill we know that those costs are going up and for us to be able to not see um the increases at such a great rate as like households or other businesses are because of the changes that we're making. So we're we there are a lot of different things going on throughout the building throughout diff various departments to uh work to contain cost. However, even with those existing efficiencies and all of those efforts, those changes are still not sufficient to close the gap that you saw before. Um when we talk about how exponentially costs are going up um as compared to revenue and while we may use um a portion of our fund balance if expenditures exceed revenues then we may have to you know uh utilize fund balance to um use to sorry

105to close that gap for that current fiscal year. However, that is not a sustainable decision. we cannot continue to operate that way in the long term. So we know that we have to um take further action and so that we do not fall below the board policy minimum. And uh the board had an opportunity to see this chart when we did the budget um presentation for fiscal year 26 which basically laid out that if we do not make um changes and do not continue to improve then the financial forecast is that in FY28 we would be dipping below fund um the fund balance minimum required by board policy. And so we know that that's not a point that we want to get to. And so, um, like Dr. Campbell mentioned earlier, we've been working diligently

106this year, um, turning over every stone and trying to make some pretty impossible decisions to make sure that this is not the track that we're going to be on. >> So, so as we're all aware, those expenditures are structural in nature. So, one-time infusions of money or grant opportunities, those are helpful, but they don't address the structural um expenditures that we're talking about. And so, being a tax capped county and having our revenues limited um in many ways and then even reduced in other ways, as Kendra talked about, we really do need to take action with the things that we can control. And so, that's really why our recommendations are where they're at tonight. I want to start off before I talk a little bit in detail about the memo that you received and that

107we made available to the public. Um, we're talking about people and so I'll never lose sight of that and this administrative team has never lost sight of it and this board never loses sight of that. This is difficult. These are people. Um, these are colleagues of ours. We forge relationships. This is a very relational school community. This is hard. um as somebody who um was in a position to have these conversations individually with every impacted staff member, um this is very challenging. It takes a huge toll on everybody. Um and so I just want to recognize and honor the people who we're talking about as a lot a lot of times my role has to speak very procedurally and technically and um legally. So, um, tonight, you know, in your packet and in the community,

108uh, packet, we talked about the different positions and kind of where these recommended cuts are coming from. One of the big things that we talked about as an administrative team is how do we make these cuts as far away from the classroom as possible? And when it comes to public school financial stewardship and accountability, it's really important that we ensure that we take steps to cut costs before anything else. Right? So everything that's within our control, how can we be more efficient? How can we do more with less? How can we be creative as Kendra talked about? But the other thing is as far away from the classroom and the student experience and direct service to students as possible, right? So that's a value of ours that we're committed to. And so the first thing

109we did was we froze administrator salaries for next year. No, nobody's going to take a raise on the administrative team while we're cutting people's jobs, right? we're not laying off people and then also giving ourselves a raise, right? That's not going to happen in this school community. And so that's one of our first recommendations, the first thing we did just to see how much of this would we be able to address with just that move alone in addition to the um controls that Kendra talked about. Unfortunately, that's not enough. And so we do have to make some recommendations to be more efficient with our staffing, which is why you have the restructuring plan that you did. I just want to highlight a couple things. um because we we we also wanted to make sure that

110we were being equitable and really thinking about the entire organization when we did this. And so um we did have vacancies in certain positions that whenever we can find um these types of savings when it comes to positions through attrition, we always try to do that, right? And so we haven't done our sectioning for next year in terms of classroom teachers. Um but in years past when we've had opportunities through attrition with retirements and we've had a change in our class sizes or our student population, we do look to uh make those cuts in areas where we're not impacting a person. Right? So that's what we did here in several instances across the school district. But we do have um the the end result is we have four administrative exempt leader positions that are being

111cut. That's four people who are being laid off in that category. three more in our exempt, which in our district refers to essentially anybody who's not in the uh one of our bargaining units, one of our six bargaining units, and who's also not an administrator. Um, and so in those areas outside of our unions, outside of the classroom, outside of direct service to students, um, that's where seven of the layoffs are coming in. Um, as opposed to as we go through the rest of the positions, we do have, uh, four, um, layoffs that are happening in the support staff union. Um obviously 10 positions are being eliminated but uh several of those positions were vacant. Um and then through the process in the contract of um uh reassignments and recalls and what's known as kind

112of bumping um then we have different impacted people than the people whose jobs are being eliminated potentially. And that's what you'll see in your resolutions this evening. And so a couple things that we've already said, but I just want to highlight um services in how we deliver it and how we do more with less are still being determined and still figured out. Um this is a process that happens every year in our school districts where we think through and then we talk through with our staffs, those impacted leaders in different areas. We get recommendations. And so that's the kind of phase that we're in right now where we we will be identifying how do we move forward to provide these services um with fewer positions. One example is our restorative practices coordinator. Obviously our school

113district has invested heavily in a philosophy around being a restorative community learning community. And so we're not in any way suggesting that we're going to abandon our commitment to restorative practices by the elimination of the full-time coordinator position. But we do need to make sure that that work is embedded in our in our respective roles. Um a large majority of that will happen in our dean's office which if you look at our dean office perspective and our philosophy it is proactive and it is preventative and it is designed to be restorative. Okay. Um Keith and the team in the dean's office have reported several times about how they've turned experiences through that restorative approach. That's not just through our restorative practices coordinator. And we're going to have to make sure that our deans continue to

114do their work there. Um, and that we continue to show that commitment throughout our organization, which really should be an integrated approach. It shouldn't be just one person responsible for that. Um, but the districts has has invested heavily in this. Um, we've trained about a third of our licensed staff to um actually experience restorative practices and restorative conversations. And then we've also trained a subset of staff uh to be trainers. Um and so we have a lot of capacity on staff and we invested in that professional learning to make sure that we can have a restorative learning community, not just one position that is focused on restorative practices. So again, that's just one example. Um I think Dr. Campbell uh highlighted the language lab as an example. Um we have not made a decision to

115eliminate or get rid of the language lab. Um, and in fact, in in multilingual services, we haven't cut any of the staff that have direct service to students, right? We're combining two leadership positions to try to be more efficient with the capacity of the number of staff who work in those respective departments, which will be more equalized with our other academic department chairs and directors. um it'll be more in line across the district of the number of licensed staff and the number of student services or student experiences that that position serves. But we didn't cut any parapros in multilingual services. We didn't cut any teachers. We didn't make any recommendations to have any experiences or the way in which we serve students be impacted by these cuts. Now, obviously with having one leader as opposed

116to two, we're going to need to make sure that we're addressing everybody's needs um the way that we were before. But in terms of direct service to students or that forward- facing classroom experience, we did not make any recommendations for that. So there's just a couple examples of like our commitment to multilingual services, something we've invested in over the past several years is unchanged and it's unwavering, but we do need to be more efficient with our staffing as a school district in order to address the concerns that Kendra raised tonight um and that we've been talking about. So just a couple examples there. Um I did also just want to share that um as kind of a final point on the restructuring approach. Um, you know, we're we're trying to be proactive now so that

117we don't hit this, right? Um, and so again, I value greatly, the administrative team values greatly the service and the work of everybody who we've talked about in this memo. Um, and recognizing that in some instances, if we didn't have this financial forecast, if we didn't have this commitment and this responsibility to make sure that our expenditures are more in line with our revenues, then we wouldn't have to be in this type of position. But that's not due to anyone's error. It's not as if we could have made cuts four years ago and not be in this position. Unfortunately, in public schools in Illinois, especially uh tax capped counties, this is an annual uh reality, right? And we never know the things that are outside of our control how they're going to impact our ability

118to bring you a balanced budget where we're not in a structural deficit. We don't know that every year. CPPT like that has changed over the years. um what we get in evidence-based funding will change um every once in a while. Federal dollars will change. We can't control for all those factors. So again, as I've had multiple conversations with staff about this, um this isn't a situation where like, hey, if we would have done something 3 years ago, we wouldn't be here today necessarily. It's a situation that we need to be good stewards of our finances. And when we recognize that there's a pattern that we've been covering the gap through our fund balances over the past couple years in order to get a balanced budget, then we have a structural challenge that we need to

119address so it doesn't deepen and compound. And that's really why we are making the recommendations today. Not that we couldn't made these earlier or if we make them later, we'd be in a different position. We'd be in a worse position if we made them later. Um because everything just compounds. So that's what brings us today. that's why the recommendations are being made. Um and um again I do really value and appreciate everybody who is impacted by this and also everybody in the school community who will have to do less or more with less which is our reality. Thank you so much. And um I guess I really appreciate you talking about the people that these are people. Um the values of our district have not changed and it's important to continue to emphasize that we

120continue to be committed to the values and the supports that have been established for our students like restorative practices, multilingual services. I mean, those are not going away. Um, one thing I've appreciated about ETHS is that we haven't and and Dr. Campbell and I have talked about this a lot. We don't place all of the responsibility on one person. We we we need to always make sure that everyone understands that we believe in restorative justice. We believe in equity. So we don't have like one person that's the focal point because we're just too large for that. And if we want to really establish or make changes and provide resources, we have to make sure that there are enough folks throughout our district who can do these things. And this becomes then a part of who

121we are as opposed to one person's talent or skill. Um, and so I think that's what we're seeing is that we have planted these seeds and now through no fault of anyone here, these seeds really need to grow and we can expect that. um board. Anybody comments? Pat, >> thank you. Um well, again, I really want to thank you both um and Kendra for you and your team and you know I think uh someone said earlier that we have complimented you many times here and um I feel that you've kept us ab breast of all of this. um as sad as it is and as difficult I know it was for you and others to make um even look at this um I know that you I wasn't surprised unfortunately because this is the reality

122of where we are um I guess so I want to thank you for the thoroughess and for looking under every other stone before we came to personnel um because that is important to us and we We truly do value everybody here and we're grateful to all of them and all the work that they do. Um but unfortunately we're just in these really unprecedented times. When I even before I looked at my board packet I saw that article in the round table that juxtaposed the insurance in increase of 17% and what we're getting in an increase in our revenue. It's nowhere near was two and a half, but I could forgot the number. >> Average of 3.5. >> Yeah, average of 3.5. But >> so yeah, it's it's a lot, but um so I thank you

123for all that work and for your care and concern um and that thoroughess. Um, I did want to ask you because as we all are are just appalled by our county government's poor management communication on the go down the line. Um, so I know we've gotten two payments. >> I don't believe that is the full amount we are owed even for back number. Correct. >> Correct. It is. >> How much are we still owed from previous? We should have already gotten uh at least another 10 million. Okay. And have we had any communication from them about when we're going to get the 10 million, how things are going to look going forward? Any any news, any updates in 5 months? Unfortunately, no. And I think that has been one of the most deplorable and also

124like disheartening pieces is that there has not been good thorough communication um with the taxing bodies to even give an idea of what's going on. You know um a timeline. It's you really have to reach out kind of beat down some doors to to get information um unfortunately. And so at this time, we don't have an exact estimate of when we can expect to receive the rest of the money, which is concerning because we're actually in a couple of months coming up on when we should be receiving our spring tax distribution. Wow. And so now that becomes the other question, will spring be delayed as well if they have yet to sort out fall? >> Yeah. Um, and if if let's say we continue on this ridiculous incompetence path um from the county, when will

125we start to think about borrowing again? The there's a number of factors that will go into that. Um, and it really just all depends on, you know, when we receive the the remainder of the funds. Hopefully, if we receive it within the next two months, then we won't have to talk about borrowing. However, if we get into March and we haven't received anything else and al and also they have not um issued the spring bills, then we may have to start having a different conversation. >> Go. I just I just want to be clear on that because I think that's something we have to keep. I mean, I know you pay attention to it at 3:00 in the morning, at 9:00 in the morning, all the time, but um but I think we need to

126just be be clear on that because that is is huge. I mean, you know, we spend our fund balance. >> Correct. Correct. And so even now I think it it puts us in a challenging situation where typically you know when we have significant dispersements we decide what amount of that we want to invest and now we're at a point where we're you just kind of have to squirrel it all away because you don't know what's going to happen. >> Um so just a number of challenges. We're not out of the woods quite yet. Um but hopefully they get it together. >> Yeah. Yeah. Well, thank you. Thank you both for your presentation and for all this really difficult work but done well and I appreciate you both everybody behind the scenes as well. Absolutely. Thank

127you. Thank you for highlighting those those things and and um making sure that our community knows that we have we still have not received all of the funds and we are not getting answers as to why this is happening. So it's it is very frustrating. >> Mhm. >> Very frustrating. Okay. um John and then Leah. >> So, I'll I'll try to keep this brief, but but I just want to again thank you for the transparency that you've provided with the budgeting process. I think every month since I've been on the board, there's been a robust presentation very clearly explaining the path that we're headed, the the challenges that we're seeing with inflation. Uh, and well, I guess yeah, inflation outpacing revenue, looking at real numbers instead of net numbers, you know, it's it's a it's

128it's a it's a big ball game. And um I feel that you've done a fantastic job of keeping us a breast of everything along the way and and all of the efforts that have gone to to not have to impact staff and um so so thank you for that. I think it's been it's been fascinating to be able to see it and it's presented so thoroughly and so well. Um I just wanted to to thank you for that. um as as as challenging as as some things are going to be in a little bit. >> Thanks. >> Thank you. >> Um I have a question, but I also just wanted to follow up a little bit and um with what uh Pat was asking about. So, I know that we have a Treasury report in

129the packet, but just for the sake of we're in dialogue now and making a public comment, where what is our in the present moment, where are we at with our fund balance? And the fact that we'd like to have it be 33% or four months, where are we right now? >> Yeah. So, we're right back up to about that 30ish%. Mhm. >> Um it it dipped only because we had to use it in order to pay our bills and make payroll, but now that we had the distributions that we did, um we're we're in the low30s percentage wise and then we have uh some significant bills that are going to be paid this week. So, but you wouldn't have that information quite yet because uh all those reports are on a delay. Um but yeah,

130>> and like you said, because we're um hedging our bets and making sure that we have money in the fund balance, we're not investing it. So that's increased an increase in the amount of investment income that we're losing. >> Correct. >> Okay. Um so one thing that um you have in your um report and and memorandum and you've talked about is that there's an emphasis in the staffing cuts for fiscal year 27, which is the upcoming year. I know nothing can be guaranteed, but is that in fact the plan is to avoid making any significant staffing cuts for the next year >> or is it just we have to see. So it there will be a um a continual effort to contain cost in FY28 as well. Um and the makeup of that cost containment

131will include various >> uh areas that may include staffing as well. >> Okay. >> Um we have to and like Scott mentioned before, it's something that we have to do each year. Um sometimes we're able to absorb it through attrition, right? Perhaps someone retires and we may make a decision at that time to run things differently or um maybe it comes out of sectioning that we don't have to h rehire for um a classroom position because of you know enrollment trends. Um and so we have to see um at that time what the what what is happening with the numbers and then just continue with um position control I would say and um scrutinizing um every expense that we determine to add or eliminate. But we do not yet have a plan to present to

132the board about FY28. At this time we only have FY27. But we do know that um even with this that we will still have to continue to look for savings in order to make sure that we uh fully write the ship and keep things balanced. >> And and that's very difficult. Um but I do appreciate that we continue to be transparent as you're being in your answer right now. >> Yeah, absolutely. >> And I was going to say I don't think we Oh, I'm sorry. I just wanted to add I don't I don't think that we're going to see any significant increases in revenue. I know CPI comes out tomorrow and I don't expect it to be over 4%. As a matter of fact, it's probably going to be closer to three. Um but we'll

133see what happens with CPI tomorrow >> because we take an average of the two years which is why I'm maintaining it. >> Right, >> Monnique? >> Oh, this this sucks. I um and unfortunately we're not unique. Um so I I appreciate you centing people. So that's where I'm going to keep it. Um so I just have a a couple of questions. And you may not know, I don't know, but I I feel the need to ask these. Um what will students experience differently on day one if these layoffs are approved? Yeah, I think that's a difficult question to answer. To your point, we may not know the exact piece, but if you look at the positions, um I think that the students won't largely won't see a difference, right? When they're welcomed, they're going to

134be welcomed in the same way with a half day in the morning and a half day in the afternoon, depending upon their class. They're going to be greeted by student ambassadors. They're going to have staff in the hallways greeting them. Um, when they want to go to the academic study center, there's going to be an academic study center. It's going to be staffed. Um, you know, our students in uh multilingual services who are uh potentially asking for some additional supports um to navigate registration or how uh you know, to access you know, anything in the school district to be quite frank. Um we still have staff to be able to provide that. our director u our new director position will still be um supporting that with staff within the department that hasn't been reduced. Um

135we do have some shifts that are going to happen or maybe you know some some of the work you know you'll notice that the new student transition coordinator position was one of the vacancies that we are recommending eliminating through attrition. Well, we've talked to um some other staff already about pieces of that role to pick up. some of it's already happened because the staff member is transitioning into a new role mid year and so um that work's already begun. Um but we don't have every single element flushed out right now. Um and it'll continue to evolve because um every year we look at restructuring even if it's not position elimination. It is a redistribution of responsibilities to be more equitable, to be more responsive, match form and function. And so these are being done in

136a larger kind of um scheme and looking at um all the different avenues that we might go down in terms of where this work lands, >> right? >> Um and so I would say though given the cuts that we're making and given the intentionality we had um in identifying uh both through attrition and both when we couldn't do it through attrition where we were going to make these recommendations, the direct service to students won't be compromised. >> Okay. I I appreciate that and I like the word restructuring. So, I'm wondering, especially if we're talking about um having to to continue to look at this, that we frame it as such, >> like um >> you know, cuz just reductions and you know, it it just seems like we're making this cut, but you're you're doing

137more than that. you're doing more than that and there's a reason behind that. So, um I thought about that earlier but you mentioned it and I was like let me hold on to that. So because we're living in this um environment right now um my other question is how are so if this is approved right how are we going to support those employees that we're letting go and most importantly how are we going to support those that are remaining especially when you're talking about doing this possibly like we don't know and nobody knows and you know I'm from a nonprofit world so I have to and I I sort of equate this to um that environment because I I had have to do it there too right but if we're working and asking our people

138to um hold close our children and to teach them and our students students under this environment. Um, we have to be just as intentional about how we take care of the ones that are remaining and how well we separate from the ones that have to leave um, in order to maintain the status that we worked so hard in gaining and being a place of of of choice, right? Um, so in the hardest way, you know, and it's very difficult. No one, believe me, no person in any high position wants to do this. This is not this is not like, yay, let's think about how we can. No, this is the worst part of my job. And it's it's I'm feeling really uncomfortable as a board member doing this during these times. >> Um but I

139know >> the world is inflamed right now and it sucks. >> Um that we have to even do this. >> Um so as a board member, I feel an obligation to make sure that nothing is interrupted for our students. >> Amen to that. that is my priority. That is how I lead and that will be for me forever. Right? So that's why I asked that first question. But secondly, how we treat people and how honest and open we can be um to those that are we are letting go and those that are remaining under this stress is is critical. >> Yeah. when I let people go, I have to create a cushion or some cost to love on the people that are still doing this hard work, right? Um, so I'm I'm just, you know,

140and I know you all are thinking that. I'm looking at your faces and I know that this burden is heavy. Um, but I I just want to acknowledge that as a board member, it is my expectation that you are very thoughtful about how we let people go and how we keep those that are here cuz I it is not my job. I don't know these roles. Right. Right. That's what you're hired for. You do this. You figure this out. You know how to run this school better than any board member sitting here. But it is my responsibility to make sure you do it right. >> Yeah. >> And so I'm, you know, I'm I'm stuck on the people because they're already dealing with a lot. So I just >> um I want to say that

141and make sure we're very sound in doing that. >> Yeah. I'll start off by just saying heard >> and um you know, we this there's no good way to do this as you said, right? And I've I've unfortunately had to do this in business. I have to do it in public education. There's no good way to do it. But we were very intentional about trying to do a couple things to treat people the way that we want to be treated. Um to live our values. Um a couple of those things were one having individual conversations with the impacted members. Um doing that before the holidays and before break so that people could get on the first wave of the job market, especially in schools. January is January, February is that first major wave of of

142positions and wanted people to be positioned for that. Whereas otherwise, this is something that's typically done in March >> um you know before the April 15th deadline for some staff um February 1st for administrators. Like there's there's certain time frames that are like later on that we could have chosen to do that at which is a more typical time so that there's less time in between notice and when people's final day are you know happens when they're laid off. But we we took the other approach. We thought it would be better to inform people as soon as we knew that we were making the recommendation and and quite literally the meeting at which we decided this was our final recommendation because we've been mulling over this for the year. Um I started meeting with individuals

143like literally the next week. Um that was on a Thursday. I think my first meeting was on a Tuesday um just based on availability. And so that was one thing that we were very intentional about. The other thing is I just when I talk to people, I'm very straight up with them about this. Um, and just make sure that they understand that I'm going to do anything I can to help them land a job. Um, even back here potentially. And I, and I, you know, jokingly talk to people, like it's hard to be the coach and the evaluator. It's hard to be the HR professional telling you that you're losing your job while also trying to be the one who supports you through your job loss, right? And some people might not want to talk

144to me at all. they might, you know, they might be so disenfranchised with the organization, >> but most people were very receptive to that approach. Um, including reaching out to other districts and other colleagues to make sure that people understand that these are honorable dismissals. Um, we have to use reduction enforce language for the school code, but you know, that's the legal part of this, but these are honorable dismissals. Nobody on the on this list is being um released or recommendation for them to be released because of cause, right? This is about a reduction in the staffing levels based on restructuring. And so I've made personal phone calls to other school districts to say, "Hey, I have people in these positions who are fantastic employees and if if I weren't in the position I'm in

145right now, we would be retaining them as we've retained them and rehired them year after year." Um, and so whatever I can do, I've offered that to several people. Um, I've done that. I've written letters of recommendation. Um, even as the associate superintendent uh for human resources, you know, writing a letter of recommendation for somebody. Um, and I'm so blessed to work in a school community where my office is in the building. I'm on the ground most days. People see me. I know people's work pretty directly. And so that's a very specific letter. It's not a form letter, right? that's very specific to the work that they've done and the impact that they've had. And so anybody who's asked me or who's taken me up on the offer, I've done that for. Um, and you

146know, obviously we have our employee assistance and things like that. We have like those basic things that every organization has, but really it's about treating people with the respect in the process. And um, that's a that's an ongoing commitment that I'll continue to demonstrate. Kendra's been demonstrating, the administrative team, everyone in my office. I also talked to everybody in the HR office about the fact that this was happening. These were the recommendations that were coming forward. They knew who the impacted parties would be so that they could interact with them in a way that was supportive. Um that's an ongoing kind of piece to this. Um the other piece is that some of the people who are right now today based on school code and based on contract language are being informed that they're laid

147off. If you approve these resolutions, they might be recalled to positions because some people might not take a position they're being reassigned to. Somebody might leave the district for a different opportunity. And so, as as I shared my own personal story with this, when I was in the classroom, I worked for a district with two I worked at two schools. I traveled between two schools. I got six certified letters telling me I was fired. Um, and at the same time, but we're going to bring you back in April. we're going to bring you back. It's like, well, I have a family I have to take care of. I can't I can't go off of I'm going to bring you back in April. Um, but as much as I can communicate to the affected staff that

148our intention and their rights, right, where they have recall rights are to bring them back if the positions become available. Um, being very clear with that, putting it in writing to them even before like even as a draft, right? So everybody who I met with and everybody who was impacted by this received a letter for from the district informing them of the situation, the recommendation, their bumping rights if they had them, and then also their recall rights if they have them. Um, which is something that generally happens after the resolution is already passed. Um, so again, trying to give everyone as much information as possible once we had it so that people can make informed decisions and understand that we understand the gravity of what this is. um ongoing support. We'll we'll continue to be

149responsive as we can to what individuals share with us and what we see that we might be observing they might need. Um one of the impacted staff members passed me in the hallway this afternoon right before um I was uh getting ready to come to close session and u I could tell visibly was shaken and so went into my office spent a half an hour just talking through providing some support. So that I think is what we need to continue to do is not just wait for them to come, but also to kind of make sure that we're being observant of how people are being impacted, those who are affected, but also those who are not necessarily understanding the impact quite yet, right, on their areas. So um like I said, Monnique heard and that's

150our commitment as well. Um and and we're going to do everything we can to make this situation as amenable as possible. >> Thank you. Yeah, >> I appreciate that as well. Thank you. >> All right. >> Oh, ma. Sorry. >> No. And I don't have anything profound to um add. And I do know though that sometimes when we do or don't comment that um and I'll go on the don't comment side, it can be a comment in and of itself. So, I just want to publicly um thank you and to um really speak to what your questions were, Mon'nique. They were questions that I don't even know if I would have been maybe confident enough to ask. And so, thank you for that. Um because I think our dialogue is critical, especially in a public

151space, um and your answers as well. uh and you know the phone calls or the texts um during winter break and the updates and there's been a lot um it makes me feel emotional because I want to also um understand all of the people who showed up and why they're feeling the way that they are. And so I just want to encourage us to stay curious and to understand each other and think about even when we are doing our very best what is getting in the way of our family understanding those moves. Um, but thank you. >> And I think you know this, but people will need to hear the same message over and over because I could even tell by the public comments today that folks are not feeling like they've been communicated with.

152And it sounds like you've made every effort, many efforts to do just that. Um, so you know, I just encourage you to be patient and recognize that when people are struggling and hurting, and it's not just here. There's so much going on in our society, in our world, that folks are just feeling vulnerable and unsafe and unstable. And I understand why. I feel that. So, thank you again to be continued. >> Thank you. >> I will just end with a thank you to the board. Um, you know, we've expressed that this is a challenging time. You have as well. And um it it's a difficult time for governance, but we do appreciate um all the work that we've been able to do together to get to this point and to continue moving in a direction

153um that's best for the district. So, thank you. >> Thank you. Okay, moving ahead with the agenda. We're at foyers. Dr. Davis, do you have any any comments? >> Uh, we have 13 uh foyers. We have um one by Scolletki, uh two by Bennington, one by Randall, another three from Bennington, one from Reyes, one from Mendes, one from Randall, two more from Bennington, and one from Hirs. And the responses are in your packet. >> Thank you. All right, so we're at board committee reports and there's a report from um from November, Evston Cradle to career. believe I actually already gave this as a verbal report. I just wanted to provide um the written report for the board. So um it's there for you to see and then a couple from Ed. >> Yes. Um so

154the November report I already gave, but the written report is in the packet. Um the December meeting had a lot of similarities to November. So obviously I won't repeat those. But two things that I want to highlight. One is just a reminder that the Ed legislative dinner is uh January 26th and it's at Stevenson High School and I believe you can uh touch base with Lisa if you're interested in going. Um but the more substantive piece was the cell phone bill. So, the governor has been very clear that he wants um a cell phone bill for the entire state as we already have um bell-to bell no cell. So, we're ahead of the curve. Um but they were doing a lot of negotiating and they got pretty close, but the black caucus had concerns about

155discipline issues related to where the draft legislation was. Um so they kind of put a stop on everything and the governor came back with a new uh proposal. Um Ed is working with the governor's office to get as much flexibility in there as possible. Um but you know it is a governor's initiative. So it's likely going to get through and pretty close to what he asked for. Um my one question and this is something I'll follow up on is we already have a policy. So to what extent do changes or um the criteria outlined in the governor's initiative, if it is passed, how would that influence us? So I think that's an important thing to keep an eye on and I will find out as I can and and report back. >> Okay. Thank you.

156Those are good questions. Something to watch for. Okay. Hey, we're at the student board report. Eva, >> hello everybody. I hope you had a good winter break. Uh, since the last time I reported to you, we've had finals and winter break. Finals, I think, went well. Um, it was the last finals for the seniors for the class of 2026. So, that was exciting. Um, we had the Mina Summit last Wednesday, which went well. And then on Friday, we had the Nutri versus ETHS basketball game. and we won on both the boys team and the girls team. >> Um, as a student union, we've um been sorting through the data from the student voice forum and we've determined six points of interest that were both the most repeated uh ideas and the most feasible. So, I'm

157going to go through those. So, the first one was mental health resources. Uh, better advertise mental health resources here at ETHS. A lot of students feel that they're not aware of the social services that we have here and so an easy solution to that is to uh promote those better. Next is students had a lot of complaints about Delaw um that the techn technological software that was like that replaced GoG Guardian. Um it blocks supposedly too many sites. Um it students complain that it worked over the summer when they weren't using their Chromebooks for school activities. Um and just general complaints. So we're going to bring that up with the uh edtech department. Uh the PE makeup policy. There's been complaints of inconsistent implementation of the PE makeup policy with some teachers being super flexible

158um and some teachers not. So we're going to work on that. um enforcement of IEPs and 504 plans. A lot of students reported that their IEP or 504 plan was not being uh enforced by all of their teachers. So, we're going to see we're going to look into putting out a survey to see how often that happens and then if we find that that is particularly prevalent, we are going to um look into solutions for that. the tardy rollover policy. Uh students, so the tardy rollover policy is where tardies you acrew tardies throughout the year and then they roll over to the next year. Um and a lot of students would rather that they just get wiped at the end of the year. Um so we're looking into that. >> Makes sense to me. Um,

159and then public spaces. So, we have the hub, the library, and then there's also the atrium and a lot of those spaces, uh, safety will kick you out after school ends. So, like say school ends at 3:35 and you had a meeting at 4:30 and you wanted to wait in the atrium in that in between time, safety would make you leave the building. And we that just doesn't really make sense. So, we wanted to look more into uh making those public spaces available after school. Uh so, yeah, that's what we'll be working on for the next couple months. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Wonderful. Great. Thank you. >> Okay, Dr. Campbell. Hey, >> thank you, Madam President. Um, I just love it when students and admin are working on the same problems without any

160coordination. So, you there will be more to come about a couple of things that you mentioned, Eva. Um, I had some remarks prepared and I just wanted to say from my heart, thank you from uh for the board and and the team on the um your leadership through a very difficult time. it seems like we just have one difficult time after another after another after another. And uh it's our values that hold us together. And um I really appreciate um the kinds of things that the board raises and brings up um when these kinds of difficult situations emerge. So thank you. And um to all of our staff, and I've said it before, uh that have been impacted by by this, we thank you for your leadership and commitment and what you have done to

161ETHS to make it the special place that it is. And um hopefully, you know, we can continue to work to support um you and their and your endeavors. Um whether they be here, as Scott said, through whatever recall or um just different opportunities. And um lastly um I'll say that yeah our values it's what holds us together and um I could not be more proud to sit with a a group of seven folks more folks uh to talk about the kinds of challenges and the way that we discuss them. That is what connects us and holds us in such a difficult time that we're um um um empathetic um to the um all of the issues that emerge that impact staff and that impact students and it really means a lot when so much is

162on is happening and as Pat mentioned the world being inflamed. So um thank you for your commitment to our students and to our staff in the way that you do. Thank you. Say something. I'm sorry. >> Sure. You, of course. >> You know what? And I should not do this. Um, or not, I should not forget to do this. Um, we don't often recognize the leader, right? The leader doesn't often get recognized unless you're doing something horrible and then it's like the, you know, everybody wants to tell you, everybody wants to write you a letter, knock on your door. Um, you said yes to your role, Dr. Campbell, during a very difficult time, right? Um, and it's it just hasn't let up. Like, you know, the world has not stopped spinning so we could all

163catch our breath. Um, so when I ask those questions, let me be very clear. It's not because I question who you are as leaders because I know I've been doing this for 11 years. I know who you are as leaders. I know you're thinking about those things. Um at times I just want other people to know that and I, you know, sometimes it's just people in here writing the story so you get the headline right. I want, you know, I want you to understand how thoughtful and how hard this decision is. Um cuz nobody else I mean we don't want to talk about another budget issue in Evston, right? We don't want you to write that. We don't want you you know that's not what this is. Um but I I want to acknowledge you,

164Dr. Campbell, um as the superintendent of this very complex, dynamic um school, let alone community. if we were all the same, this would be so much easier for you. Um, but you're dealing with people and students and staff and families and a community that is just so diverse and so different and you have to have a response for every single aspect of that. Um, and so I don't want to ignore that this is heaviest for you because you carry the load. So, um, yeah, I just I don't know. Why am I feeling like this? Um, mayor, I don't know, but I need to go home. Go to sleep. Okay. >> Very, very well said. >> But anyway, very well said. >> I'm just full and I know this is hard, but I know this is

165costing you rest. So, thank you for leading. >> Thank you. Thank you for saying that. Thank you for for putting that out there. because it's very true. >> Sending my therapy bill to all of y'all. >> Don't pack up yet. >> I'm ready. >> We have items for action. >> Okay. >> I'll stick around. >> Stay. Stay. All right. Okay. I'll try to get through it so that you don't leave. Okay. The first item for action is approval of Oakton College intergovernmental agreement. Can I have a motion, please? >> So moved. Second >> roll call, please. >> Yes. The next item is approval of press policy issue number 120, which we discussed last month. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Roll call, please. >> Martin. >> Yes. Yes. >> Yes. >> The next item is

166approval of resolution authorizing the nonrenewal and honorable dismissal of administrators. >> So moved. Second. >> Roll call, please. >> Yes. >> Carson. >> Yes. Yes. >> Andy, >> yes. >> Martin, >> yes. >> Sandy, >> yes. The next item is approval of resolution authorizing the non-renewable non-renewal and honorable dismissal of administrators who are then being reassigned to teaching positions. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Roll call, please. >> RC. >> Yes. Yes. >> Yes. >> The next item is approval of resolution authorizing the reduction in force honorable dismissal of educational support personnel. >> So moved. Second. >> Roll call, please. >> Yes. Auntie, >> yes. >> Martin, >> yes. >> Parson. >> Yes. >> The next item is the consent agenda which consists of approval of minutes from December 8th, 2025, both regular and close

167session meeting. December 18th, 2025 special meeting. Treasures report from October 2025. Approval of bills and personnel report. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Roll call, please. >> Yes. Okay. Is there any old or new business? Any more comments from the board? >> No. >> Okay. Can I have a motion for adjournment? >> So moved. >> Okay. So we are adjourning at 9:58 p.m. Thank you, board. >> Thank you.