001think that the recording really has helped with that because I know every time I go back to school it's like what happened to me confer like what are you guys talking about and I'm like well guess what you can have watched all of the streaming here tune in to this time this is what we talked about um and so I just think it's been very beneficial and it it helps me be u mindful of my words because I can be a swear um and I think it just uh that transparency is really beneficial and I also really appreciate hearing all of those um different perspectives from all of the different groups because sometimes there's issues in different departments or in different um things that I might, you know, I might not know about because I
002don't work in transportation or thing, you know, different areas. So, um I really just really appreciate everyone's uh different viewpoints and stories. So we started the process with a lot of things uh against against us. Declining enrollment, a series of political executive orders that have a impact in our school, financial struggles uh due to recession, inflation, all of those things. uh we're in a critical point of artistic and wish uh changing our mindset into results oriented and changing behaviors of the ways that we have done things. And yet we come together because we all care about the same students, families, staff members, and communities. And we have a great desire to do better and be better for everyone. And so I know that even though we didn't address the 13 things, we addressed five. And
003I think with what we have, less people, less money, and with the people that are coming, students and families that are coming with greater need of services and support, I think five out of 13 I don't consider a loss. I consider the next step into making us better for our families. Um, so I I I I appreciate meet and confer a great deal actually. It's a very unique committee, right? Any committee or any meeting that I've ever been to, there's there's always a decision maker, right? It may it it may be collaborative in the process, but at the end of the meeting, nine times out of 10, there's one person that's going to be that final decision maker. So, it's you you have uh you have voice, but you're not necessarily a decision maker. Um,
004and sometimes that can be very very frustrating uh in situations like this where not only are you a participant, but you are a decision maker, right? You have the ability to push things forward, you have the ability to hold something back as an individual. And that's a very powerful thing. Um, and that's why it's so important to build that sense of team. Um, and you come up with little catchphrases and things like, you know, it's my understanding or can I ask a clarifying question because it's all about relationships, right? And, uh, the best example I can think of is like board meetings. If you don't have relationships with that, you're you're you're not going to be able to pass your stuff through. So, it's not it's not just about how you present things. It's also
005about how um how you go about that process and building relationships in the room. Um so building team, a sense of team I think is really really important. Other and and it's tedious, right? The whole process is tedious. I mean I I remember sitting in a governing board meeting where they talked for 45 minutes about a sentence and one word in the sentence and I was like sweet Jesus, can't we just move on and do something else? And sometimes I'm sure people in the room felt that way as well too. We're just like, "Oh my god, this is taking forever." Um, and that's the downside of it. Uh, but uh, in my opinion, you have to be open to those types of situations because it also generates these creative ideas and this other stuff that
006goes along. But I'm I'm not going to lie to you, it definitely is something that can be super frustrating. So, you got to be patient. You got to give people a little grace um, both in how you say things and how you react to things. I think those are really important stuff. But I've always valued meet and confer just for that reason because I've always felt that not only not only you listening to my voice but my voice matters because I have the power to stop and or push things forward. So if you wanted to say anything. So um Joel for really adding this extra day because it allowed for more conversations and I think in IBN for sure the conver the conversations are what's most important. So um I want to thank all of
007you again another year. Um, wonderful work. Um, and I'm sure your staff is going to be proud of you. So, thank you and enjoy. Summer's coming up. The school year is almost over and enjoy it. But thank you.