001inauguration of our uh newest student representatives and reelected board members um and saying goodbye to some of our student representatives. Um it is uh Tuesday, December 9th, 2025 and we are meeting in a hybrid format. Some of us are here at Casco Bay High School and others are online on Zoom. Um so Dr. Warren, will you please call the role of the current board members and representatives? Member Ali Ali >> here. >> Member Oh, sorry. Thank you. Member USA Ali >> here. Vice Chair Bondo >> present. >> Member Bryen >> here. >> Member Lena >> present. >> Member no >> here. >> Member Upper >> here. >> Member Sautel >> here. >> Student representative Fitzgerald >> here. >> Student representative Kiba. >> Student representative Lee. Student representative O'Brien >> here. >> Student representative Ziggler. Chair
002Lentz present. Um, up next we're going to get to hear again um from our Portland High School's orchestra um under the direction of Audrey Kabra and Ashley Terrison and we have the Star Spangled Banner. Thank you. And now the pledge of allegiance. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Portland public schools recognizes the original inhabitants of the land on which our city and schools stand. The Wulis Tiguay or Maliset, Mcmmack, Ponobscot, and Pasimquati tribes known collectively as the Wabanaki Confederacy or people of the Dawnland. We are honored to have Wabanaki children among our students today. And as a district, we are committed to making past, present, and future Wabanaki peoples visible in our
003schools and classrooms. And our reminder of our mission, the Portland Public Schools is responsible for ensuring a challenging, relevant, and joyful education that empowers every learner to make a difference in the world. We build relationships among families, educators, and the community to promote the healthy development and academic achievement of every learner. and our definition of equity. Equity is all people being held to high expectations and having access to opportunities that are reflective of their their individual needs, identities, and experiences. Equity is achieved in Portland public schools when there are no identifiable differences in outcomes and experiences for any population subgroup. Now, before we start our inauguration tonight, I wanted to offer a few remarks. The last time we were in this room together, it was a tremendously hard meeting. Many people from across the district
004came to share their experiences, fears, and worries about existing racism and other forms of oppression that are go ongoing in the district. I'm very thankful for each of the people who came and shared their stories and experiences. It is a gift in the Portland public schools that people are honest and willing to share so that we can all do better for our community and ultimately our students. However, I made remarks that added to the hurt and the pain in the room. My remarks made people feel dismissed, otherred and not valued. For that, I am deeply sorry. Please know that I am fully invested in repairing the harm that I caused. As an initial step, um, one second. As an initial step, I'll be reaching out to all those who gave public comment at the last
005meeting to share a personal apology and to invite them into conversation. Additionally, over the last week, I've worked along Vice Chair Bondo to create a resolution that we believe will bring or that we'll bring before the before the board tonight, which outlines concrete action steps we would like the district to take in response to what we are hearing in the community. I would like to thank those in the community who have demonstrated grace and called me into conversation about my remarks. I look forward to continuing those conversations as we move our equity work and community forward. Thank you for listening. And now we're going to move on to inauguration. And I'm just incredibly thankful for everybody who is here tonight. This inauguration, this act of showing up and committing to public education is something I
006will never take for granted, especially this year. It's a reminder that our schools are not just buildings and budgets. They are communities. And communities need all of us to show up. Right now, I would like to take uh just a couple of moments to recognize our incredible student representatives uh that tonight are going to be moving on to their next chapter. Well, Caroline is is doing both, but we're going to recognize you before we keep you for longer. Um, and I know that I say this every year, but these students have been incredible. Um, I'm sad that Zachary Lee is not here, um, because he gave so much to the board. Um, but all of you, um, have showed up prepared, thoughtful, and determined to make the district better. I have not seen student representatives
007that dug into policy in the ways that these students have to understand the legal um, infrastructure in which we work and to make suggestions uh, to try to make things better. um outside their responsibilities with the board. Um each of them is heavily involved in their own community working participating in multiple activities and we even had a parent on the board this year. I'm so grateful that even with everything else that you hold, you found time uh to commit to the board and to making the district better. Um I would now offer you if you want to say a few words about your experience on the board, you're more than welcome to. Um, well, I mean, I want to thank all of you. First of all, I feel like coming into this, I was kind
008of nervous. The previous board member made it like she eased my nerves a little bit, Charlotte. Um, but I she couldn't have prepared me for how welcoming and I guess accepting everyone was of my initial lack of knowledge on things and maybe how unprepared I was at first. But, um, Dr. Oper, you have been like I guess just um this like guiding force throughout this which I really appreciate. You never seem to let us forget anything or um or you were always willing to like help us with things that we don't understand and um Dr. Warren, I remember this one time we were in the car together going to Bath Mine for the phone policy and I really appreciated that. Your insight is great and all of you have just given me such an invaluable
009experience on the board. I think that education, I'm passionate about education because you I'm experiencing it and because we all experience it and it's one of this these foundational blocks of life that I think should always be improved and should always be looked at closer and I really appreciate I really appreciate the opportunity or I really appreciate having gotten the opportunity to do that here. So, thank you for this past year. >> Thank you, student representative Fitzgerald. I guess I would just echo um Representative Fitzgerald's remarks um in thanking Dr. Aubberman or board member Aubberman and also everyone on the board for being extremely welcoming and I'm looking forward to being able to continue to build upon what I've learned this term going forward. So, thank you. >> Thank you so much. And I would
010um also just uh open it up to any board members um to share any sentiments with the student representatives. >> Go ahead, board member Aberman. While it'll be very difficult to lose Mina, member Fitzgerald, um and I'm so glad member O'Brien is staying on. I don't I don't think people realize how much energy and time it takes to attack the information that you need to know in order to be um impressive in the system. and you have you've suggested policies, you have directed uh discussions, you've argued with us well and um and that has been I think one of the blessings u and I appreciate your attention to everything that you've done. Um and so thank you. I just think you're exceptional and you have a have a very high standard that the rest of
011them will have to follow. Thank you. Anything else? Just deep deep gratitude um for everything that you've given the board. Um we have a little appreciation for you. Um and I will make sure that we get that for you. Um but now Mina, you can leave your seat if >> I was going to say something, Ali. >> Oh, I'm sorry. I missed your hand. Go ahead, Ali. >> It's It's okay. Um I just wanted to say um thank you guys. Uh all you guys um was really incredible just to work with you guys this past year. Um, and you know, just to say that when I was um in when I was your age, I wasn't doing this and I'm highly impressed and I hope that you guys continue doing this work and maybe see
012you on the board in a few years. Um, yeah, and yeah, you guys really impressed me. So, thank you. >> Thank you very much. Okay, that's for real now. Yeah. And just so everybody else, you know who the other student reps were, um, Zachary Lee from Daring High School, we had Rosie Ziggler from Casco Bay, and we also had Julie Kintiva from Portland Adult Education. >> And I believe Zach was is in rehearsal. So >> for Mamma Mia, >> yes, this to go see Mamia. >> We all should see him. >> Okay, perfect. Thank you. Um, and so now we're going to do the oath of office. Um, city clerk Ashley Rand is in the room. Beautiful. So, we're going to start with the adults who um were reelected tonight. So, we have um Dr.
013Upperman, uh Jane Sautel, and myself. Ashley, where would you like us to come? >> Just want to stand right in front of me. All three of you. Go ahead and raise your right hand and repeat after me. >> I state your name. I, Julia, >> do swear >> that I will support the Constitution >> I will support the Constitution >> of the United States >> and of this state >> so as long as I shall >> so long as I shall >> remain a citizen thereof >> and that I will faithfully discharge >> that I will faithfully discharge >> the duties incumbent on me >> duties incumbent on me >> as a board of public >> education member >> according to the constitution >> laws of the state >> and ordinances of the city of
014Portland >> congratulations Okay. And now we're going to have our student representatives come up and stand in the same spot. Um, so we have uh Caroline O'Brien, Sebastian Milstein Jones, Safa Muhammad, and Emory Grant. So you can come right on up. Beautiful. And you can just turn and face Ashley. All in a line there. Right. Same thing. Go ahead and raise your right hands and repeat after me. I state your name. do swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States >> so long as I shall >> remain a citizen thereof and that I will faithfully discharge to the best of my abilities, the duties incumbent on me as a student representative according to the Constitution, laws of the state >> of state >> and ordinances of the city of Portland >> video.
015>> Congratulations. >> Okay, students, now you can come up to the big horseshoe table and find your uh name plate there and you can have a seat. Welcome. Welcome. Um Dr. Warren. Um will you now call the role of this um board formation please? I will. Uh member Ali Ali >> here. >> Member Ali >> here. >> Vice Chair Bondo >> present. >> Member Brighten >> here. >> Member Lena >> here. >> Member no >> here. >> Member Upper >> here. >> Member Sautell >> here. Student Representative Grant >> here. >> Student Representative Milstein Jones >> here. >> Student Representative Muhammad >> here. >> Student Representative O'Brien >> here. Chair Lent >> present. Um so thank you everyone. Uh this is our new formation um for this upcoming year. Uh students, there is a lot
016of procedure that happens tonight. Um, and so if at any point you're curious about what's going on, um, you can always raise your hand. Um, and, uh, we'll try to get you information. These first few meetings may feel pretty confusing. Um, Robert's rules, which is the way that we the kind of like the rules that we use to run the meeting, sometimes can feel like a different language. So, um, if you have questions, um, just let us know. And board member Sautell is going to be your kind of like point person on the board. Um, but welcome. We are so glad that you're here. Um and so up next we have um our election of board leadership. Um and this is very similar to um the straw poll or the uh inaug um the vote
017that we did uh at the last meeting. Um so up first we'll do chair and then we will move on to vice chair. Um, so, uh, first up we have the consideration and action to take nominations for the Portland Board of Public Education Chairperson for the 2025, uh, 2026 school year. Is there a motion to open nominations? Thank you, board member Opperman. Is there a second? Thank you, board member Brideen. All those in favor of opening nominations? Yes. Beautiful. Thank you. That is um unanimous. Um, and let me just double check. Board member Ali Ali, I'm going to just double check that I see your hand on these. Um, and is there a motion to nominate someone? >> Board member Brighten. Go ahead. >> Thank you, chair. Um, I would like to nominate Sarah Lent
018as board chair. >> Thank you. And in this process, we don't need a second on the motion. Um, are there any other nominations? So, uh, seeing none, I'm going to go ahead and close nominations. Um, board member Brighton, would you like to speak to the nomination? Yes. Thank you, Chair. Um, I am, um, pleased and excited to nominate uh, you, Chair, um, to continue serving in the role um, that you've been serving in. Uh I have a great degree of respect for um your uh the the care and thought and nuance that you bring to this work. Um your um the amount of energy, time that you pour into the role. Um we are lucky to have you um serving and I am so grateful that you are agreeing to continue to serve as chair.
019So I'm I'm happy to make this nomination. Thank you, board member Brighten. >> Um would anyone else like to speak to the nomination? >> Okay. Um is are there any um questions on this motion on the floor? Did Did I close nominations? Hold on. Yes, I closed nominations. Speak to the nomination. Um any questions on this motion? Ali? >> Yeah. Um board member Ali, go ahead. Um, actually I'm not I'm not going to speak. My apologies. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, any other discussion from the board? Then by roll call vote, please indicate whether you support appointing Sarah Lince as the chairperson of the 2025 2026 school year. Um, uh, in these votes, you need to say the name of the person that you are voting for. Um uh so Dr. Warren, will you please
020call the role? >> Member Ali Ali. >> No. >> Member USA Ali. >> Sarah Lent. >> Vice Chair Bondo. >> Sarah Lens. >> Member Briden. >> Sarah Lent. >> Member Lena. >> Sarah Lens. >> Member No. >> Sarah Lent. >> Member Upperman. >> Sarah Lent. Member Sautell, >> Sarah Lent, >> Student Representative Grant, >> Sarah Lent, >> Student Representative Milstein Jones, >> Sarah Lent, >> uh, Student Representative Muhammad, >> Sarah Lent, Student Representative O'Brien, >> Sarah Lent. Um, so that um motion passes and I will be the board chair um for another year. Thank you all for your um confidence. Uh I sincerely appreciate it and um I look forward to working with each of you. Uh now we have the consideration and action to take nominations for the Portland Board of Public Education vice
021chairperson for the 2025 2026 school year. Um, is there a motion to open nominations for vice chair? Thank you, board member Opperman. Is there a second? Thank you, board member Brighton. Um, all those in favor of opening nominations. Thank you. Um, uh, are there any, uh, nominations? Board member Uberman. >> Thank you, Chair. Um, I am proud to nominate Mickey Bondo for vice chair of the Portland Public School Board. Thank you. Um, are there any other nominations? And just a reminder, we do not need a second. Um, so I'm going to go ahead and close nominations. Uh, board member Upperman, would you like to speak to your nomination? Yes, I'll speak just very briefly, but u Mickey Bondo has been a gifted leader on this board for some time now and I think her knowledge
022of the schools from all aspects is exceptional. Um and I particularly appreciate her advocacy for all students uh and and so therefore I I think she will do very well in the position as she has already. Thank you, board member Aperman. Would anyone else like to speak to the nomination? Um, I would just like to speak to the nomination. Um, Vice Chair Bondo, uh, it has been a tremendous honor to, um, lead with you. Um, and I just have the most utmost respect for the ways, um, that you have helped navigate the ship over so many challenges in the last three years. Would anyone else like to speak to the nomination? Okay. Any um board discussion? Oh, would you like to speak now or do you want to Okay, go ahead. Thank you, chair. Um
023I would like to speak before accepting my nomination. I draft something and uh tonight I just I name my nomination a call for accountability and action. My decision to accept this leadership role is driven by a reality. I have heard the community and I must heed the truth. We have received feedback including the powerful message of the educator of color and ongoing concern from other staff as well that tell us a painful truth. These are the dedicated professional who came to us because they value diversity and are committed to our student accomplishment accomplishment. Yet they have often facing systemic barriers, retaliation and unacceptable experience of discrimination. I commit to continue to listen not defensively but with courage about where our system are broken. The feedback will guide every decision as support to build truly safe,
024supportive, and affirming schools for all student and staff. By then, I humbly accept the nomination to serve as a vice chair of the Portland Board of Education next to the chair lens. Thank you. >> Thank you, Vice Chair Bondo. Um so by roll call vote, please indicate whether you are uh in support of Mickey Bondo as the vice chairperson of the 2025 2026 um year. Uh Dr. Warren, will you please call the role? And just a reminder, you'll need to name the person uh you are voting for. >> Member Ali Ali. >> Mickey Bondo. Yes. >> Member Ali. >> Mickey Bondo. >> Vice Chair Bondo. >> Mickey Bondo. Member Lena. >> Mickey Bondo. >> Member Nor. >> Member Brighten. >> Oh, sorry. Member Brighten. >> Mickey Bondo. >> Member Lena. >> Mickey Bondo. >> Member
025No. >> Mickey Bondo. >> Member Operman. >> Mickey Bondo. >> Member Sautell. >> Mickey Bondo. >> Student Representative Grant. >> Mickey Bondo. >> Student Representative Milstein Jones. >> Mickey Bondo. Student Representative Muhammad, >> Mickey Bondo, >> Student Representative O'Brien, >> Mickey Bondo, >> Chair Lent, >> Mickey Bondo. Uh, so that is unanimous. Uh, Mickey Bondo is our uh, new and returning um, vice chair of the board. Thank you all um, for that. Um, and I've got just a couple of more remarks um, about moving into this uh, year. um welcome uh board member Ali and then we'll have a break uh so folks can enjoy some snacks with the people that are here to support them uh and then we'll come back in uh to session. Um so I mean this past year has been
026incredibly difficult for the board. Um we're operating in a national landscape that is increasingly toxic uh for Portland or for public schools. Um, at the federal level, we've seen vicious attack attack attacks on immigrants and asileles, uh, attacks on our disabled neighbors and our LGBTQ friends. We've seen equity work under siege across the country. The Department of Education slashed and Title One allocations proposed to be disinished in ways I never even thought to imagine. We've also seen funding cut for basic necessities like food and heat. Many of our partnering organizations have been forced to reduce or decrease their services. And at the state level, we've seen public education and local school boards become a flash point for political conflict. We've seen debates about curriculum and who gets to feel safe and seen in our schools.
027But here in Portland, we've chosen to show up very differently. Even with the rising cost of goods, lack of affordable housing, and staffing shortages, we've seen our community and our board show up. We've seen funds raised by the foundations in Foundation for Portland public schools in incredible amounts to cover rent, medical bills, utilities. We've seen food drives and coat drives and funds for legal expenses and housing. Our teachers and staff have gone above and beyond to make sure our students and their families have food, housing, and access to the things that they need to be successful. Our building and district leadership has has stood strong in protecting our students and their families, making sure that pride flags stay up and BSUs and other student groups stay running and funded. We are fierce in Portland. Our
028educators innovate even when resources are tight. Our students speak truth, vision, and urgency. Our families advocate for the opportunities they know their children and their neighbors deserve. and our partners across the city show again and again that Portland believes in its public schools. It's because of this ferocity that I love the Portland public schools. Tonight's inauguration is not just a formality. It's a continuation of our shared commitment to the collective fierceness that we hold in our district. To our newly elected and reelected members, thank you for stepping into this work. It requires curiosity, humility, and a willingness to both hold the hard truths and to find hope even when it feels impossible. To our returning members, thank you for your steady leadership, your historical knowledge, and your dedication to moving us forward. And to everyone
029here, thank you for caring about our students as much as we do. As we move into this next year, I encourage us all to remember our wise. Why are we here? Why do we love the Portland public schools? Why do believe we believe that our students deserve the opportunity to thrive? If we stay grounded in our wise, we will continue to build a school district where all of our students are prepared and empowered. And I look forward to doing that with all of you. Congratulations to our new board and thank you for all of the work that you will do ahead in this next year. Let's keep it going together. Now, we're going to break for some treats. Um, and I also just wanted to thank Kate Phoenix, who is standing right over there. Um,
030she, um, makes sure that so many things in the district run. And this year, I think she only asked one or two questions about this inauguration. She just made it all come together, um, in a way that makes people feel very celebrated. So, I'm just very grateful for all you do for this board and for the district. Thank you, Kate. Um and please enjoy. We'll come back together in 15 minutes. Um so that's 40 55. So let's do 655. We'll come back together. Thank you. educators influence like I All right. Board members uh Nor and Yusura Ali. All right. Where's board member Ali Ali? I don't see him. Um we've got a quorum, so we'll go ahead and start. Um, so, uh, we're now going to be moving into, uh, executive session. Um, so I
031will make a motion for the consideration and action to enter into executive session pursuant to 1 MRSA 4056E to meet with legal counsel. Is there a second? Thank you, board member Operman. All those in favor of moving into executive session, thank you very much. Um, Miss Bondo, are you Yeah. Okay. So, that's unanimous. So, we're going to move into executive session. Um, and then, um, yeah, I already let the students know that they, um, uh, can leave if they need to. Um, uh, otherwise, we'll continue the business meeting on the back end of executive session. Thank you. bring us back. Um, we're going to move into public comment. Um, and as a reminder about public comment, um, members of the public may speak on any subject directly related to the operations of schools except for
032personnel matters or complaints concerning specific employees or students, um, which shall be addressed um, uh, through established policies and procedures. Um, if an item is on the agenda, please use the public comment time associated with that item. Comments are limited to a maximum of three minutes or six minutes for individuals using an interpreter to make their comment. And individuals may not relinquish a portion of their allotted time to another speaker. Uh the board may not respond to comments and please refrain from responding in the audience. Um, speakers must refrain from engaging in disruptive conduct, including but not limited to using vulgar and or obscene language, threatening others using words or by other actions, using pjorative or discriminatory language with reference to a person or group on the basis of their religion, ethnicity, nationality, race, color,
033descent, gender, or other identity factor. making defamatory comments, exceeding the allotted time limits, talking over interrupting others, offering repetitive comments, and offering comment on matters unrelated to the school district's programs, policies, or operations. I will stop any public comment that is contrary to these rules. Uh to give public comment, please come forward to the podium or raise your hand in Zoom. Please begin by introducing yourself with your name and address. I will alternate batches between um Zoom and in person. If needed, I will keep the time and raise a yellow folder indicating that you have 30 seconds remaining and a red folder signifying the end of your time. If you get to the end of your allotted time and would like to request more time, you may do so. So, if you would like to
034give public comment, you can come up to the podium now or raise your hand in Zoom. Good evening. Thank you. Thank you for being here and thank you for keeping this public comment session open. My name is Jessica Hathaway. I have two kids in the district and I'm a founding member of the family partnership advisory committee. I'm going to start my comment with a little story. One of my kids often had a hard time stopping a behavior immediately upon being asked. If he was, for example, bouncing a ball inside and I asked him to stop, he would do it at least one more time before stopping. I think that what finally convinced him to change this pattern of behavior was my consistent reminder that most people don't like speaking up or engaging in conflict. So
035once someone asks you to stop doing something, the chances are they are already irritated and that one more time is a message to them that their feelings are less important than your comfort. As the adult in that situation, I knew it was my job to keep calm, repeat the lesson, and remind him to apologize and try to do better. However, when conflict between peers or colleagues is ignored, or worse, repeated, despite a request to stop, an apology alone won't suffice. At that point, a repair is necessary. What I witnessed at the last board meeting reminded me of that one more time dynamic. Following more than an hour of testimony that was thematically unanimous in its feedback to the district, cataloging harm caused across a wide swath of community members from district staff to school faculty
036to parents and students. The response from the board and the district was to center personal experiences and perspectives instead of holding space for the feedback that was brought to you in hopes of being heard. Being able to acknowledge that hurt and harm some of the district choices and actions have caused is not admitting defeat or allowing division to take root or even accepting blame for the harm. But a recognition of the harm and a commitment to repairing without qualifiers, defensiveness or dismissals would have served to start bringing this community back together and could have started a healing process. But instead, here we are two weeks later, and many of those community members represented by the speakers at that meeting are not only feeling unheard, but they are feeling harmed again, despite their courage to bring
037that testimony to a public forum. And to be honest, the last straw for me could have been the detailed retelling of the multicultural experiences of our superintendent, a speech that centered a white man's experience following an hour of public appeals for desentering privilege in this district. The kicker for me, however, was one board member standing up and glaring at the audience when they had the audacity to push back on another board member's declaration that community stakeholders giving feedback could cause division in our community. And division is from the playbook of white supremacy. It is my opinion that no leader in this district should feel comfortable telling a room of black and brown community members that their willingness to speak truth to power is a symptom of white supremacy and expect it to be heard in
038silence. No leader in this district should attempt to intimidate black and brown citizens by standing up, moving closer to them, and staring them down when they don't comply with the rules being used to keep them in their place while district leaders are actively causing harm. I would argue that this is white supremacy in action for a board member to take any moves to intimidate minority community members when there is clearly no threat to their safety. I ask you to use your time here and your professed committed commitment to equity to reduce harm to these communities and begin the necessary repairs to reunite this district. Thank you. Thank you. I would ask that in the audience you don't um clap after um uh speakers. Thank you. Please feel free if you're going to give public comment
039to come up to the podium or raise your hand in Zoom. Good evening. I'm Adam Burke, Portland, Maine chair, members. I stand here as a parent, taxpayer, and former school board member who has watched this district's equity infrastructure be systematically dismantled and the educators who built it, particularly educators of color and LGBTQ bus staff pushed out, silenced, or forced to resign. There's a saying, you can't unring a bell. When the school board pushed out Superintendent Botana in January 23, just months before his planned retirement in orderly transition, you rang this particular bell. Superintendent Botana, a Latino man whose career began as an edtech, built the very equity programs and systems along with those most approximate that I've seen this board celebrate as their own. He repeatedly refused raises, keeping his salary around $175,000 because he
040understood people elsewhere in the district needed their wages brought to parody. When you pushed him out, which didn't solve the problems of the district at that time, and created new unnecessary ones, you sent an unmistakable signal. equity work and the people who do it are expendable. The bell has been ringing ever since. It rang when the two assistant superintendent's key drivers of equity policy and practice were sidelined in the superintendent transition. It rang through Dr. Scallan's admission, the work is more challenging than he anticipated, which was striking from a leader who states equities at the center of his strategic plan, who's paid $30,000 or more than superintendent Botana was, and has already taken a pay increase, and who inherited intentionally built equity structures and expertise to sustain them. This bell rang through last year's budget
041process when the academic team, crucial for developing equitable opportunities, was dismantled. I wrote to you then asking what strategy would replace this approach and I received no answer. Now we're paying $50,000 or more above the district's previous highest salaries for central office administrators besides the superintendent for positions the superintendent gallons created without transparency. And how is that justified as either equitable or fiscally responsible? The bell keeps ringing. Tyler Schwaller left Title 9 coordination because he could no longer trust what he was saying to students and families was what would happen. Priscilla Vincor testified that equity direction had lost commitment and clarity at a moment when racism and anti-immigrant sentiment are rising. Hale lie no described troubling decline in stability, transparency and trust before stepping down. Julia Hazel's position was dissolved. Mono Ali's role was restructured
042away. Dr. Abdali, Dr. Amed's was removed without transparency. And Dr. Grace Venuela's role became ambiguous overnight. and board chair Lent, your concern that the petition and testimonies on November 24th could drive polarization and lack an understanding of the full picture feels like deflection and that's generous. Of course, we don't have the full picture. You've actually removed us and your staff from having access to it. When staff say they cannot speak up without jeopardizing their careers and former staff risk their reputations to come forward, the response cannot be that they don't understand complexity. They are sophisticated professionals telling you what they lived. And you can't unring this bell and not with a res resolution tonight. But you can stop pretending you don't hear it. Thank you. I know I'm going to need the extra 20, so
043can I just ask now? >> I am Tracy Johnson Zagger. I live at 90 Prospect Street in Portland. I'm a parent of a current daring junior and a recent grad and I worked with the district as a subject area specialist supporting math education for seven years. During that time, I worked mostly at the elementary level in schools with teachers and coaches vertically with my secondary counterparts and frequently with the academic team from central office. Those years were a great joy to me. I've worked with schools and districts across the country and around the world. And Portland stood out because of the ways we grew together toward our common goals on behalf of students. It wasn't perfect and our work wasn't done, but leaders cultivated a transparent and open culture in which we were expected to
044speak up and speak out, especially when we disagreed. We respected one another's expertise, worked to build trusting relationships, and had needed hard conversations. None of us always got what we wanted. I didn't, but we felt heard, and we understood the rationale behind decisions so we could move forward as a team with collective efficacy. The climate in central office changed drastically when the administration changed. Transparency and collective efficacy were out. Top-down decisions and secrecy were in. People who wanted to stay became fearful of speaking out. And people who spoke out were often pushed out. We were frequently surprised by public announcements of new district policy that directly affected our work even though we weren't consulted or even notified about possible actions. To be frank, it was not a good time. I'm revisiting this history tonight because
045I have watched the cultural changes that took immediate effect at central office permeate across the district over time. I have run out of fingers and toes on which to count the number of teachers and staff who have reached out to me. Employees text, call, ask to meet for coffee, pull me aside at the grocery store, even stand on my porch on Halloween while their costume kid is jumping up and down to go to the next house because they have to tell me what's happening. colleagues are grieving the loss of a joyful, aspirational, professional learning culture that we were working so hard to establish and support. For example, yesterday an elementary colleague told me that folks in their building are quote keeping their heads down and their mouths shut because they are scared of retribution. They
046just do their jobs and leave, aren't growing as professionals, and no longer feel like they are part of a missiondriven organization that is bigger than themselves. Colleagues have told me that when people see practices that are actively harmful to students and they feel compelled to speak out, they have been scolded, isolated, threatened, or gaslit in response. The sad colleague I spoke to yesterday is white. As you have been hearing, teachers and staff from historically excluded populations and those deeply committed to equity work are bearing the brunt of the push backs. Unsurprising and totally unacceptable. Board members, I am here to ask you each to engage in reflection and take action. I appreciated what you said earlier. Uh, Vice Chair Bondo, if the testimony you have heard over the past few weeks has surprised you, that
047is a red flag. It means you have not developed sufficient trusting relationships with the people who do the work of this district every day. It's crucial that you get into buildings, both schools and central, and listen. Certainly follow up with those of us who are testifying, especially the brave staff who are publicly publicly testifying in this climate, but also seek out folks who are keeping a low profile right now. Demonstrate sincere curiosity about their work and work to become better informed. The superintendent reports to you and each of you has a crucial oversight. I got 10ense. Yeah, thank you. A crucial oversight role to play. intern. As a community member and parent, I promise to increase my citizens oversight of your work as a board, holding you accountable. Teachers working conditions are students learning conditions.
048Teachers are demoralized and conditions are deteriorating. I look forward to further conversations offer my council and labor in any meaningful work that would improve working teaching and learning conditions for our students and staff. >> Thank you. Good evening. My name is Deca Dalag and I live in South Portland. Tonight I speak from a place of love for our community and deep concern for our students future. I have two of my kids graduating Duran High School and my daughter sit for the students uh representing Dan High School for two years. Portland public schools cannot continue down a path where PI Park teachers, staff, and administrators feel undervalued, unsupported, and unheard. This is not just a staffing issue. This is a justice issue. For too long, PIPAC educators, administrators, and staff in this district have carried an
049invisible weight. Being asked to fix problems they did not create to represent entire communities to educate while also navigating bias, exclusion, and barriers where their peers do not face. And yet this despite these challenges, they stay because they believe in our students. They stay because they know representation matters. They stay because they care. They stay because they are part of our community. For years, our educators of color have stepped into classrooms and school buildings ready to give their best. They bring cultural knowledge, lived experience, language skills, and connections that enrich our students learning and strength our communities. They serve as a mentor, role models, advocates, and leaders in ways that extend far beyond their job descriptions. But too often that dedication is met not with support, but with barriers. Not with belonging, but with isolation.
050Not with respect, but with dismissal. We cannot say we value diversity and then fail to protect the very people who bring it to life. We cannot claim equity while decisions continue to silence, overlook or push out the educators who reflect our students identities and live experiences. We need transparent process for reporting harm without fear of retaliation. We need real anti-racist accountability, not performative statements or temporary initiatives. We need professional growth pathways that are equitable and accessible. And we need leadership at every level who understand that equity is not an accessory, but it's a responsibility. Portland students deserve more than that. So do our teachers. So do our community. Tonight, I ask the Portland Public Schools Board to look honestly at the systemic harm happening now and to acknowledge them, to take responsibility, and to act
051not with statements, not with uh promises, but with real change. Equitable hiring, fair promotion practices, culturally safe work environment, and leadership that listens and learns. Schoolboard, you must do better. Diversity is a is our strength but it becomes a burden when it's not respected. Our BIP bipak educators, staff and administrators deserve better because of our students future depends on it. The time of polite silence is over >> time. >> Can I get >> 10 more seconds? >> Thank you. The time for positive listening is over. We are calling on Portland public schools to match its promises with action and real measurable transformation action because when we take care of our educators, we take care of our kids and when we uplift the people who have historically been pushed to the marginist, we strength the entire
052community. Thank you, chair. Is there any other public comment in the room? Hello, Tyler Schwaller, nine church a. So, I came here planning to give one speech thinking about complaint processes. Um, this is something I worked very hard on as student equity officer and I hope that you trust that I bring a spirit of collaboration. I just like like to think about policies and procedures and talk with you about this stuff. Uh, one thing I do want to highlight just so people in the room know, the definition of complaint uh, from the discrimination procedure is an allegation that someone has been discriminated against or harassed on the basis of and that goes on to protected categories. So when you say that the board hasn't received a complaint, I I'm not sure that that's true uh
053because a complaint is defined just as an allegation, not it doesn't have to be pitched in any particular way. So I also encourage somebody if they think they've made a complaint just to ask like hey have you received my complaint? what's the form you want it or need it in and encourage you to be transparent about that. Uh so I wanted to talk about complaints but um before I came I read the draft um resolution and I was grateful for much of it. I feel good about much of it. It also really really deflated my spirit because as I read it I thought that's what we were doing. That's the work that I was so grateful to be a part of doing. Um, and then I got to the end and I saw that you
054included a form of the suggestion I made at the last board meeting about a civil rights officer and you even strengthened that and I was glad to see that. And then I just sat there and like I started to cry because I thought like that's the work I love to do. That's the work I'd rather be doing. Like I left my role. I mean, I'll say it like I was recruited to be the director of sexual ethics for an international organization with multi-million members. So, like that was a great opportunity. I want to be serving the people in my community and it as as was quoted um it came to a point where we were not following our procedures where some of the fair processes basic principles of fair process were being undermined such that
055I couldn't trust that what I was saying was what would happen. Um, so I just I guess wanted to share with you like you should ask those questions when I that's great. I'm not saying with the resolution that you shouldn't do it. I'm not saying they're bad ideas. I think they're great. And I also would say like why is the district recreating work that had momentum? I mean, it wasn't perfect, but it had momentum. We were going and there was trust and then what happened? So that that's the question you should be asking and consider like what's it going to take to rebuild that and to build trust in it because that that's not the conditions that we're operating in under now and I'm sad about that. >> Thank you. Hello, I am Emily Victor.
056Um, I live at 31 Kushman Street. I have a daughter, a daring, a recent uh daring grad, and I spent six years on this board. I'm here tonight to talk about the history of our Title N program to protect students from harassment and discrimination. A program that took incredible courage and persistence by students to create only to now be systematically dismantled by the current administration and this board. When I was elected to the school board in late 2018, a staff member in the HR department served as the district's Title 9 coordinator. Our program was bare bones. A student at the time routinely came to schoolboard meetings and nearly begged the board during public comments to confront harassment and discrimination in Portland public schools. Harassment had defined this student's experience in our schools. And they were
057not alone. That student as their senior capstone project during high school surveyed students and documented that harassment and discrimination were widespread in our high schools. The student had incredible courage and persistence because even after presenting their survey findings to the board, the board failed to act. Still, the student came to schoolboard meetings and spoke out. Then in September of 2019, Cape Elizabeth High School suspended three students for speaking out about sexual assault. The case received widespread media attention. one of the families with uh one of the families sued um the school district along with the ACLU ACLU of Maine. And as it was all unfolding, the Cape Elizabeth student came to one of the um one of these board meetings here in Portland and shared her story. Only then did the board finally act. We
058passed a resolution creating a subcommittee to address harassment and discrimination in our schools. I was part of that committee along with a great group of students, a wide range of experts in the community, staff, administrators, and other board members. We met for what I believe was about a year and a half, including during the height of the CO 19 pandemic. The process was very intentional and thorough and together we overhauled our harassment and discrimination policy and procedures. From there, the superintendent and board put money behind hiring first ansman and later a student equity officer to lead this work to recruit and train staff to be liaons at their schools and to roll out the policy to students, families, and the community. Our goal our goals were to interrupt a culture where harassment and discrimination were
059the norm to build a culture of safety, inclusion, and belonging. And to create a trusted, accessible, known system for students to speak out and get help and justice when harassment and discrimination still occurred. >> Time. Emily, would you like 20 more seconds? >> I would like 20 more seconds. Culture change like this takes time, but we were making real progress. It is devastating to now begin to understand that the district's Title 9 program has been dismantled under this administration and board. That the progress that the district had made has been undone or worse since now so much trust is lost. I think back to that student testifying here night after night, pleading with the board to protect other students from the harassment that haunted their days in Portland public schools. I ask you, what will
060you say to the next student who has to stand here begging for protection that their safety and dignity isn't worth the effort? Then what is? >> Thank you. >> Good evening, Superintendent Scallan and esteemed members of the Portland Public School Board. My name is Erica King and I'm a concerned parent, community member, and member of the district's family partnership advisory committee. um here tonight to call your attention to the actions that have systemat systematically eroded trust, led to the departure or displacement of some of our most respected and dedicated act educators and damaged essential services for our most vulnerable students, especially those who are multilingual, immigrant or unhoused who we claim to protect and equity. Vice Chair Bondo, I want to thank you for reaching out to me after the last meeting and for your
061remarks tonight and for listening. I really really appreciate that. Um, and also I'm here in this spirit of collaboration and us doing better collectively together. Representative Ali, I want to thank you for your efforts also to listen to and center the voices of the community rather than just your own. We came to you last two weeks ago to exercise our first amendment right to petition the public for for public accountability and transparing regarding a troubling pattern of removing or reassigning the very professionals who hold the institutional knowledge and possess the cultural competency our diverse student body and district relies on. Your response of siling us silencing us with lectures, prepared speeches, procedural warnings after folks shared their comments further pollutes the groundwater that you are referencing. Chair Lent, we are formally calling on this board
062to fulfill its oversight duty and critically evaluate the superintendent's leadership and the board's own role in perpetuating the groundwater or the systemic issues of eroded trust and organizational instability. I request that this board investigate the problems and complaints raised in the petition and begin the repairs needed to address them, including launching an investigation independently. Just auditing the educators of color report with a resolution undermines everything that as my pre the bells that have already been rung to date. We have to create transparent processes for staff uh staffing changes and en ensure open communication and robust public engagement with the family partnership advisory and other groups to prevent further suspicion and restore faith in district decisions when displacing existing staff. And finally, need to protect employees from retaliation and imple implement more robust and explicitly communicated
063safeguards right now to pro protect any employee past or present who comes forward to speak to with any of you as board members or as a body during the investigation or speak out against current practice. A meeting and decisive board action is required to protect the integrity of our school system and the welfare of our students and staff. We the community implore you, our elected representatives, to act now with courage, humility, and conviction necessary to address this crisis, restore ethical leadership, and ensure a stable, supportive learning community for all. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Good evening. My name is Moren Clancy. I have been a staff member at Portland Public Schools for the past 13 years. This fall has been an incredibly difficult time to watch what is happening to our nation. It is
064even more difficult to watch it happen at our school district. I have worked here for 13 years through 13 superintendent, multiple school boards, and many staff changes. Equity has been high on the agenda for all of this time in some form or another. There have been ups and downs, movements, and stepbacks. We have led and now we follow. I have also felt it was my job and responsibility to speak up and address issues most closely related to the work I do. The staff I work with and the families we serve in the district. Until recently, I've always felt it was welcomed even if the superintendent or schoolboard members were not always on the same page. I felt just as we want our students to practice inquiry discussion and to find the best solutions, we too
065as adults should also practice this. In the past couple of years, I've shared concerns at meetings and in person and with emails to the school board. This has not been met with inquiry or discussion, but with feedback that is not appropriate or wanted. This has stopped me from sharing at times, which is a change for me and makes it very hard for those of us working hard to improve outcomes, support staff, and improve our district. If we cannot share our thoughts or are told to just do it, find a way, and are not given the opportunity to speak, then we are shutting people out. If I feel shut out, I know staff with less privilege and power are also not speaking out. Equity is addressed in a variety of ways. and how we create policies
066and how we make hiring decisions and how we onboard staff and how we design education and learning and how we speak up for and with our students and families and how we hold the people accountable. When staff are bullied or misused because of their race or religion, the answer is not to leave or to move them. The action is to hold those people accountable and practice what we preach using restorative conversations. To enforce our equity values, to acquire training and improvement, to collect data and make change. When white fragility and saviorism shows up, we must hold people accountable. We must be a district that speaks up against inequities, that sets policies and programs and school boundaries based on the needs of our most vulnerable students, not the most vocal or privileged. If we set policies
067and programs that work best for our most vulnerable students, then all students would thrive and we would improve outcomes. This would be equity and action. When staff of color feel valued, respected, and supported, we will have a district that is working toward equity. When staff feel empowered to help make the district better, then we will move toward equity. When the needs of our most vulnerable, those not meeting standards, those not getting to school are who we listen to first and with the most attention, then we will improve outcomes. When diversity of thought and collaboration is valued, our staff will be engaged and effective and we will work jointly to find the best solutions. If equity is collective work, then we are currently failing because the work does not feel collective at all. >> Thank you.
068>> Is there anyone else that would like to give public comment in the room or on Zoom? Good evening Hannah Talon from report. Um I have heard friends, community members, parents, staff who are keep saying what happened and all the missteps and missed opportunities that happened in here. But what I want to remind you is that the negative impact and the emotional psychological damage that happened on August 8th. I was in my leadership training right here. It was my fourth day. I was so excited. One of the district leaders sat down next to my to me, touched my clothes and said Islamophobia slur because of you dismantled all my support, everything that I will run to. I had nowhere to go. You rooted out people who came and told you all their experiences. People that
069look like me, young people who came from this district, staff who uh I seek their shade like walls when I need it. It's my people. This person was calculated, deliberate, and vicious to discourage me to become a leader. What they don't know is the insight report echoed every experience that I had in the district. But because of my commitment, I am still here and I will rise to leadership. So the role of district leadership is fun fundamentally grounded in the cultivation of trust. Tomorrow is a new day. equity and institutional legitim legitimacy. When a district leader does not address discriminatory behavior toward even a single individual, the impact cannot be understood as isolated or contained. Rather, such an act signals a systemic vulnerability that reverberates throughout the broader community. You have uh leaders that you
070trust with children who come from my background wear what I wear and that leader cares for them all day long. This is a very deep negative impact to my community. The marginalization of one person functions as an indicator of potential risks for all. So my friends, by dismantling equity and the people that I ran to when I need it, who helped me get to where I am today, led to for a person, a leader come to me boldly and tell me I look like a terrorist. So, how can you take that back? Thank you for your time again. Good evening. My name is Mahmud Bar. I am the executive director of Maine Access immigrant network which a nonprofit organization and a former president of the Somali Community Association of Maine. I'm also the parent of
07110 children, some who have graduated from Poland public schools and some who are still enrolled. Even though I'm I'm currently dealing with the health issues, I felt it was important to be here tonight. Parents deserve to be heard. At the last board meeting, it felt as though the voice of parents were dismissed. As a parent, this was hurtful and untrue. My children have found success in Poland public schools largely because of the diversity in our staff and because of leadership of Dr. Ahmed and Dr. Grace. At moment when people in my community are being inserted publicly at the n national level, it's heartbreaking to see our district moving Dr. Ahmed away from his his academic role and away from serving all students without clear communication to families. For such significant change to happen without transparency
072is wrong with the voice of families and students not matter. The superintendent sent a message saying he stands with the Somali community yet the action of this district suggest otherwise. Manu Ali a Somali girl shared concerns and was promptly fired. assist principal Miss No, the first black Somali Muslim female assistant principal resigned after her concern were ignored. Now, Dr. Ahmed, a black Muslim Somali leader who has who has had a tremendous impact on students including my own. It's being resign resign reassigned which are deeply concerning. We have already lost money diverse staff staff who helped our children th and we still have no clear explanation. Families, students, staff, and community members deserve honest communication. Tonight I'm formally requesting that the school board review this discussion that are being made regarding the reassignment of longtime leaders
073and investigate why are continue to lose uh talent staff especially those those uh from diverse background. Many staff have started. They fear retaliation if they speak up and that should never happen in our schools. As a parent, this is my form for formal complaint. Trust in this district is being damaged not only in the Somali community but many communities. I urge I urge you to rebuild that trust by listening to families increasing transparency and ensuring that the decision truly reflect the needs of all students. Thank you. Is there any other public comment in the room or on Zoom? Okay, I'm going to go ahead and close public comment. Um, I thank you all for coming and sharing tonight. Um, um, and we are listening and taking under consideration everything that is being shared. Um my
074um remarks tonight are very short. Um but I mentioned at the beginning of this meeting um that there's a draft of a resolution that's included in the agenda tonight um that uh Vice Chair Bondo and I have been working on um and we um use this resol resolution to try to capture and respond to the sentiments that we've been hearing in uh the community over the past few weeks. Um, and I really welcome you all to look at it. I know some of you have. Um, and to reach out with feedback or ideas. Um, and we we hope to vote on that uh resolution and its final language next week. Um, uh, and then um changing direct directions slightly. Um, I wanted to let the board know that the boundary committee has completed its work.
075Um the boundary committee was um uh the boundary committee did land on some recommendations for the board but they are less about um uh actual boundary move movements and more about policy recommendations. So the superintendent, myself and the committee are still working on a final report to get to the board. Um but because we believe that there are not major budget implications um to that work um it will be um the the first meeting of the year in January that that um report and presentation will come to the board. So I just wanted to um uh uh let people know the progress of that work. Um, and with, uh, that, uh, I'm going to turn it over now, uh, to the, um, uh, oh, board member Ali, you have something you'd like to bring to
076the Yep. >> Um, thank you guys all for whoever uh, spoke. um all this stuff is heavy and uh you know we we I think we as a board we're still we're doing our job. Um I I can say I feel it like early. I've been doing a lot of um this work for a while. So uh I think that you know it hits me different you know um and and these stories really um yeah it's just it's it's a lot. But um aside from that, I would like to um make a motion today. Um and the motion is I'm writing to ask that we we vote to immediate immediately halt all new administration position and hiring decisions until we can properly properly address the serious concern of our staff, family, and communities um has
077and the communities have been raising. We have all received emails um and our responsibilities as elected officials is that we should act. Um because of all of the stories that we heard and because of some complaints that um whether it was a full full complaint or or it hasn't been processed through the correct way. Um I have tons of questions and um I think we all do. So my ask is that uh uh we we do do that and halt any other any um yeah any positions when when it comes to executive uh positions. Thank you. >> Um so you're the motion that you're bringing up is to halt all hiring of what's the language that you're you're recommending? um h to haul all new administrative administrative positions and hiring um decisions until we address
078the concerns. >> Okay. Um would there be a second to that motion? Um uh board member nor is the second. Are there any questions on the motion? >> The question I have is on the length of time uh depending upon what proceed situations um take. Do you have a length of time on that? I think that I would leave that to the board's decision um and uh once we u feel comfortable and figure out what we need to figure out and um we get some answers. So I I'll leave that to the board with the >> Yep. Can I have any clarification on the specific position you you want us to hold or >> Yes. Yes, we just need to hear because those are personal uh position and I think if we hear any any
079clarification maybe from the superintendent so we have a bit a larger aspect picture about those positions then we want to to make a hold because I just want to to see how I can you know support something then I know that mostly goes to is not in our level it comes to the superintendent level so if we need to hold something because we hire only one employee is is the superintendent. >> So if he comes to us, I just need to make sure which specific position then you feel like is really important then we have to work for it. >> Absolutely. >> I I can see I can support >> of course thank you. So there um because of all the different type of positions that we've heard that has been like whether people resigned
080or not whatever um uh also we've received a lot of emails about him uh uh the new hires on on superend superintendent positions that we are still unsure about that I I mean personally I'm unsure. I I don't really understand. Um, but my request to to the board is uh I know there's a hiring going on right now, but just to uh put that at pause um and just until we identify like you know what you know what's going on in in in totality. That makes sense. >> Board member Yer Ali. Um I just have a clarifying question because um if we go ahead with the halt then does that not kind of stop the work that needs to be done? That's just my concern. >> Yeah, absolutely. So um as we know right now
081there's currently somebody in that position doing the work and um uh and my hope is not to halt any um of of the work that's going on. Uh and uh I believe that there's currently somebody that's on the um family and um uh uh position where where the with the new superintendent's new position would be. Um I just for me it's it's it's before any other type of administrative things happen or you know um with all these question systemic questions that we have in hoping to continue our resolution that we just uh pause on that that uh final hire last that that not the hire but like the the just a position pause. >> Board member Brighton. >> Thank you chair. Um I I share board member Yusur Ali's concerns about the ability to move
082the work forward. um uh if we were to operationalize a pause in hiring. But my question has to do with what I I I would be looking for more clarity around what defines until we have this figured out. That's a very big term. I think as a board until we feel more comfortable and and we understand um how the things are going because I know we we are going to read the resolution and understand how our systems are moving and because there's a huge confusion on how our systems are moving. So just until I at least until I'm you know and comfortable with >> are you suggesting that we pause hiring of administrative roles until we get to this nebulous we feel more comfortable like I would want defined criteria >> understood understood um I
083think that at least until we come to uh the towards the end if there's an investigation or review I think towards the end of that until the end of that Any other questions from the board? >> I just want to see the the legal process as a board. >> Uh was my legal process is to hold a position and you know then is not on my on my on my supervision as a as a at a board level. So I just want to understand the process art is really is under our protocol to hold any any position uh to be filled. I just I just need to understand how the process goes >> and to see how we going to proceed with that. >> Yeah. And >> yeah I um I have big concerns that
084this is outside the scope of the board's responsibilities. we are meant to, you know, pass a budget, uh, hire and fire a superintendent and maintain policies. And I have legal questions about this even being an an option. Um, I would wonder if you would um consider tableabling the motion until we can get legal advice uh on this and we can I'm happy to bring it back uh at the next meeting after we have more information. >> Absolutely, 100%. And I I I did um expect uh that that was going to happen. So I'm more than happy for our lawyers uh if if they are present listening uh to elaborate on that and give us um some uh feedback. Um but yeah, we'll be more than happy to table and discuss this in a for time.
085James, >> um a as part of this, I'm really interested in getting a better understanding of who does what at central office. Uh, that's something I've asked. You know, I just I didn't understand it when I was in the classroom and I and I still don't have a lot of clarity and it I know a lot of people have changed positions. I would just really like to know, you know, who they are and what their jobs entail. >> Yep. Um just to to respond to that and then we'll move back to the tableling after Miss Bondo is um the superintendent is working on an updated um uh organizational chart along with job descriptions that will be part of the budget process. >> Great. >> Yeah. Vice chair Bondo go ahead. >> Yeah. So I think
086for under that process uh member Alis that the way we understand exactly what different position and then the one we we feel like is not is not responding. I think we have the budget process to to be able to to vote no or yes to move those uh those position forward. >> Okay. Absolutely. >> I just want to go through the process and really understand exactly what kind of position we have and what's the job description for each of those uh people that we have on the at the central office. So the process is so important. Thank you. >> No, thank you. Thank you so much. And I'm I'm just echoing everybody's uh concern and questions that I've seen emails of. So thank you guys. So, do you want to make a motion to to
087table that until >> Motion to table that until we get um uh we we talk to the lawyers? >> Okay. So, we'll plan um uh to table until the uh 16th, which is next meeting. >> Perfect. Thank you. >> Okay. Is there a second? All those in favor of tableabling the motion. >> Thank you. So, that's unanimous. Um Dr. Warren. Um, and so, uh, with that, I'm going to turn it over to the superintendent. Uh, good evening. I want to start this evening with acknowledging the student protest that took place last Wednesday. Um, and the students rising their raising their voice uh, to speak about the impact of immigration enforcement on students and our community. While the district cannot um publicly support um protests for legal reasons, we can all recognize and be proud when
088students demonstrate how to make their voices heard and to how to effectively engage the community. So, want to acknowledge and recognize the students in their work last week. The um the comments for tonight I'm going to keep brief. Um I heard at the last meeting and I heard again tonight that we have not met our equity goals and that there's pain in the community. I'm committed individually and as a district leader to meeting these goals and ensuring that all staff feel supported and we get to a place where all students graduate prepared and empowered. This work is hard. It's heavily relationship based. It's iterative and it's fragile. The comments tonight again highlight that we have not met or adequately address the challenges in our district highlighted in the educators of color report or in the
089day-to-day lived experiences that have been shared. This past year, our commitment to equity did not change, but we did experience a sta a shift in staff and in programming and in part of that we lost valued relationships and new ones will be need need to be built. We also saw that in this transition, some of the work that felt most valuable and impactful, such as affinity groups and equity leaders at the school level, while not intentional, uh, got paused. And so we have committed and made clear to the board our work around immediately addressing that and putting those pieces back in place. We have taken some immediate action to address concern, but the immediate action is transactional um or tactical in nature um and is short um and is trying to address what can be
090immediately addressed and includes confirming that our reporting structure is still in place and has always been available. Making sure that we update our website so that information is up to date. Um and at the same time that work um while addressing some of the concerns that brought up also need to recognize that we're dealing with long-term and adaptive work. We're dealing with work that will require us to sit in community and have hard conversations. I'm committed to recognizing my role in that and to engaging in conversation with the community and figuring out how we continue to move this work forward. One of those pieces that I just want to highlight is I encourage the board um and its resolution um to identify and to have a civil rights officer and to have that individual report
091directly to the board as long as legally uh viable. uh to help build transparency and trust. And so I encourage the board to act on that uh tonight or at another time as much as possible. Each year um we start the school year um with an assembly for 1400 staff. Part of my work is to make sure that 1400 staff feel cared for. Um, and one of the things that I share at that uh, meeting is that I think Portland is uniquely positioned to meet the goals that were laid out in the Portland Promise and that are highlighted in the strategic plan and I recognize that we have a long way to go around that and that I play an important role in that. And so I will be working with Jen Brady and with
092others on staff to figure out how we can have community conversations and continue to dig into this work. Thank you. >> Thank you, Superintendent. Um so up next we have our elementary schools report. Good evening. We uh actually have a small group just presenting the elementary and secondary schools report together. So um Done. Okay. Well, I don't know why it's Does that seem >> wasn't okay. It's just the way it is. Just a little offkilter today. Um so uh we have our elementary and secondary schools report for December. Uh we have um two topics uh today. The first one is our PBIS framework. This is really an opportunity just for um us to give you a little bit more information about the PBIS framework that we use uh across our district. uh what it is,
093uh what a framework, how we use it, um and things like that. And we have Joanna and Alice who are here to present on that. And then we also are going to talk about one of our professional learning strands across the district this year around culturally and linguistically responsive practices. And Allison and I will talk about that. So I'm going to turn it over to Joanna. I may be the person who is the the the slide manager today. Or do you want to >> Yeah. No, that's good. >> Okay. >> I think you already I think I think you already talked about that. Great. Okay. Um hi everybody. Uh Joanna Frankle, director of elementary culture and climate. I'm um Alice and I are happy to be with you to talk a little bit about um
094PBIS. I think you talked about that. Okay. Um, so I've been in front of you before talking about PBIS, but we've never actually gotten to sort of roll it back a little bit and at least in my three years in a district role, to be able to actually talk about what we mean and what we're talking about. Um, I'm sure you hear the acronym and the verbiage a lot, but I think it's good for us, especially as you have new board members, um, for us to just all be aligned on what this strategy is. Um, so PBIS stands for positive behavior interventions and supports. It's an evidence-based framework we use in our district. Um, and it's used nationally and internationally in schools. Um, and so I just wanted to talk a little bit about what
095PBIS is and what it's not. Um, because like many things, um, it interpretations can vary widely. Um, so what PBIS is at its core is an evidence-based three- tiered framework um that integrates data systems and practices with the outcome of better outcomes for all students. And that means outcomes in terms of academic outcomes, social outcomes, emotional outcomes, the whole person. Um, and uh, so it's about really establishing a culture for learning in our schools that treats social and behavioral learning very similar to how we treat academic learning. That they are skills to be taught and practiced and reinforced. When some people hear PBIS, they think about school stores, a boxed program or curriculum, um, etc. And that's what PBS is not. Um, sometimes it can be co-opted to be, but it is not at its
096core those things. Um, and I did want to just share a couple quotes with you quickly. Um, so the main department of education actually is writing a story right now about our district, um, and the positive work we're doing with PBIS, and they had reached out for some quotes. So I, in turn, reached out to some staff to ask if anybody would be willing to give quotes. So I just want to share a couple with you. This one is from um, a middle school staff member. PBIS has helped us build a cohesive schoolwide framework that allows us to intentionally weave together the practices most essential to supporting the students and families we serve while keeping equity at the center. Within this structure, we are able to align restorative practices, culturally responsive teaching, trauma-informed approaches, and
097more. The PBIS framework has supported more consistent implementation across classrooms and strengthened collaboration among teachers, families, and students. This shared approach has improved communication, created more predictable and supportive learning environments, and most significantly from my perspective, allowed us to develop authentic, positive relationships throughout our learning community. I thought that was a really powerful quote from one of our middle school staff. Um, so just a little background that there's this is PBS has decades of research studies behind it. Um so it is a truly evidence-based practice. Um and it outcomes are in these three big buckets. Um one is about improved student outcomes which I've sort of I mentioned before that span academic performance, social, emotional, behavioral competencies, a reduction in bullying um and uh decreased rates of student reported drug and alcohol abuse. PIS also
098has a lot of evidence um around uh its ability when implemented with fidelity to reduce exclusionary discipline practices. So including things like suspensions, expulsions and also a reduction in restraint and seclusion practices and also around improved teacher outcomes. That's around teacher efficacy um and just having a strong positive healthy school climate. So, there's some like if you wanted to sort of nerd out on the research, there are some some um that's just a c a few studies, but there's many many research studies. Um oh, I'm switching on my computer, but this is the one we're looking at. Okay. Um so, uh PBIS, you know, another acronym that I'm sure you've heard is MTSS, which stands for multi-tered system of supports. PBIS is an MTSS, meaning PBIS is a multi-tered system of supports and that model
099comes from the public health model. Um, and so I like to use the analogy around going to the dentist. So when we talk about tier one practices in PBIS, those are universal things we do for everybody, for all students. It's like how we all at least are supposed to go to annual dentist appointments to get our teeth cleaned, right? We go, it's a checkup. It helps keep us healthy. Um, and that's what tier one is. We're supposed to brush our teeth and floss our teeth. Um, and that is the same thing um in in an MTSS. Tier one, it's our high quality instructional materials. It's our strong researchbased teaching practices. It is our teaching of our expectations. It's our social emotional learning curriculum. These are our tier one strategies. Um to go back to the
100dental analogy, um I don't know about you, but I have developed some cavities over the years. Um and that means I need to go back to the dentist for more treatments. I need to get some fillings. I still have to go to the dentist for my cleanings, but now I also have to go and get my fillings. And so that's what we would think of as tier two. So our students who might need a little bit more support, they might need some small groupoup reading instruction. They might need a little double dip for math. They also might need uh some small groups for some social skills interventions or some reteing. That's tier two. Tier three is what a few a small number of our students might need. They might have the highest level of risk
101or need and they might need some individualized instruction. Back to the dentist again. I have caps. I've had a root canal. Um so when we think about that analogy, that's like when you're going to the specialist, right? I've been to the endodontist. I've been to the oral surgeon, unfortunately. Um, and so, you know, these are specialists that I that some of us need to go to, not all of us. Um, and so back to schools, some of our students need more individualized intervention or instruction. And that might be done by a specialist, right? It might be a social worker. It might be um, you know, an instructional coach. uh it's individualized and the most intensive. So the point is um we you uh PBIS uses this sort of three tiered logic model that comes from
102public health and has applied it to schools and that's what we think of as MTSS. I'm going to turn it over to my colleague Alice Buckley. Hello. uh Alice Buckley. Um I'm the secondary director of culture and climate and I am going to kind of talk about what does this look like in in schools. And so, um, the goal is is as you go, uh, through the different schools that you are going to hear from, um, students and staff that they are able to articulate, um, core schoolwide expectations that share a that reflect a shared value and that those um, those schoolwide expectations are explicitly taught um, across multiple settings. So that we are are teaching students this is how uh we walk in the hallway. This is how we use the bathrooms appropriately. Uh
103how we interact in the classroom. How we enter the lunchroom. Again with the idea that we teach academics explicitly that we also have to teach uh behaviors explicit explicitly. And then along with that that we do have schoolwide acknowledgement that uh supports uh adults to provide uh students with positive behavior um incentives and feedback. Um and you'll see uh from elementary as you move to to uh secondary that um some of the tangible rewards um look a little different. Um, but that we hear over and over from students when we do our culture and climate uh survey that students feel like that uh they aren't acknowledged enough for positive behavior. Um, and that doesn't necessarily mean it needs to be a tangible reward, but just being called out for doing u things well. Um, just
104like we are with our academic grades, students like to know, hey, I really noticed that you invited a a a new friend to sit with you at lunch today. And that really demonstrates um, you know, compassion and empathy and that we are a community together. Um, so we do want to make sure that it along with our discipline practices that we are very intentionally giving positive feedback. Uh that we then also we want our school teams to use uh data um and allocated resources um to provide specific uh supports for students who are um needing more um intensive supports at the tier 2 and the tier three level. Um and the way that we collect that data, one way is through Swiss. And um we're really excited uh with um really pushing out Swiss at
105our secondary level so that we can really drill down and see um what is it that is causing um some of our greatest uh disruptions in schools um and where is it happening? Uh what group of students is it happening? Is it happening at a specific time? um so that then we can um come up with a strategy to uh retach that classroom expectation. It may may be something as as simple as having um a policy that we have all our teachers at the door in between passing periods so that they are there to number one greet students and welcome them into the classroom but also uh help us clear the hallways and and reduce our tardies. um the use of a standard uh response to behavior which um that includes the proactive teaching and
106uni universal behavioral supports for all students. And then again really important is the collection of data from our students during the uh survey, the climate and culture survey because that's how we know are we are we doing a good job of making students feel safe and um welcoming at school and if we aren't, what adjustments do we need to do to um make to improve that score? Hey. Oh. >> Uh, so Swiss again. Oh, you were gonna do Joan's really excited about Swiss. >> I do. I do like talking about it. Um, and I know the board has has some interest in this. Um, so Swiss stands for school information system. Um, Alice talked a little bit about it. Um and we continue to work on standardizing our usage of Swiss um across the entire
107grade span. Um so right now most elementary schools and all three middle schools are using Swiss um for two categories. Swiss categorizes behaviors as staff managed or administrator managed. It used to be called minor or major. Um and um so using data in a in numerous ways um both sort of from a responsive um in a responsive way that Alice described a little bit. So when we see certain spikes or trends we can respond. Um but also there's something called the October catch which is a way to use Swiss as a as a screening tool. Um and so there's uh a lot of research around how um if students have two or more referrals in Swiss by October that line tends to continue and so intervening at that point and that's when we get back
108to that multi-tered system of support. If we can put some tier 2 interventions in place in October, you can actually change that trajectory. So it's it's also sort of used proactively in that way. Um and then our high schools um are starting to utilize Swiss this year really focusing in on behaviors that violate policies. So in particular um our personal electronic device policy um that felt like important data for us to capture as in year one um bullying and harassment etc. Um and so we are all sort of in this process of aligning. Um and then as as powers school continues to be built out there will be an interface between Swiss and P school um which will be great so that we'll be able to um see behavioral data in powers school um while
109we can still take action around it. Right. Right now what we see are suspensions, we see our our restraints and seclusions. At that point it's too late. Um so we want to have data that's more actionable. I'm going to turn it back to Alice. So um strategic investments that support our PBIS work. Um PBIS itself is free but does require um some ongoing investments. Um and that includes uh both the uh elementary and the secondary director of culture and climate um who help lead our district PBIS team and support our uh culture and climate coordinators um who are at the school level and then provide professional development and technical assistance um at the school level. I am so sorry it has been a very very long day. Um >> we're tracking. >> Yes, I know
110you guys know. um our culture and climate coordinators, they facilitate the school-based uh school uh PBIS team and participate in other teams that then also support the students. And what I mean by that is uh for instance, our culture and climate coordinators, if uh their uh school has a restorative and a reset room, they are collecting data every time a student comes in. Um and so the purpose of that data collection is so that when we take that information to an SST team, we can say this student has uh visited the uh restorative reset room six times in the last uh three weeks. And uh every single time that they've come in, it has had to do with interpersonal relationships. So, as we are building a support plan for that student, some of that needs
111to be lessons around interpersonal relationships, we we're going to need to um bring in the counselor. We may need to bring in the social worker. We're also going to want to communicate that information to parents so that they understand the these um although they may be doing very well academically at school, these are some of the challenges that they're facing um or that they're encountering uh with their interpersonal relationships. So that data is super important to drive uh us creating a uh collaboratively creating a support plan that is specific for that student. Um they're also uh help lead professional development. Uh they were key in um uh pushing out the uh CPI deescalation verbal deescalation training at the beginning of the year. And then also um before winter break, all secondary schools and all elementary
112schools have revisited uh that that deescalation training. Um and at the secondary level, the way that we used Swiss is that we tked the culture and climate coordinators to uh work with the leadership team to look at the Swiss data and to narrow down what are the the highest rates of uh where are we having the most infractions? um and uh creating role plays specifically around those interactions that they could then take to the staff and say, "Okay, let's talk about this. The these are we're having a lot of issues with um disrespectful behavior. Let's talk about how we can verbally deescalate that in the classroom so that something doesn't escalate from a minor to a major." Um, and um, we've gotten some really good feedback from schools as far as how that revisiting went,
113especially because we we ask schools to tailor that training specifically to their school community because every school community may have um a different hot spot, so to speak. >> Oh, >> one more. >> Oh, um, okay. So, we're going to continue to utilize resources from the state to support this work as well. So, um currently we have seven schools that are enrolled in the main department of education advanced tiers cohort. Um this is a two-year program of training um that require that um includes um training and technical assistance uh to build out tier 2 and tier three. Um it the the schools included are um for our elementary school are Ocean Avenue, Riky, Talbet, Row Row, sorry I am new new moon new moon to Maine so excuse me um Lincoln um King and Lyman
114Moore and we're also part of the Cumberland County cohort that uh receives additional coaching and technical assistance from the state coach. And I can personally say the high school state coach is awesome and has been really really uh helpful in uh helping um the work at Daring High School. Um we have had over 20 students uh I mean 20 staff attend uh the main state PBIS conference in Augusta and uh the main department of education also continues to uh invest in this uh I can't read that last one the strategy sorry any questions was is that no sorry muted >> well we can uh ask questions at the end I'm going to turn us Now to um our professional learning uh major strand this year on culturally and linguistically responsive practices and last spring the
115last few years you may you may recall I hope you do that we've been working really hard on our English language arts curriculum. So when we took a moment to reflect uh last spring uh internally and with some external uh partners around our culturally and uh linguistically responsive practices um we felt like that was an area that we could dig into deeper this year um and identified a focus on our multilingual learners um and how we could be better responsive to their needs. Uh, but I also do want to par point out that really when we're talking about culturally and linguistically responsive practices, those are high quality instructional moves that are really valuable to all learners. We're all language learners. We all have culture. And so um it's about being more intentional about um how
116we do that in the classroom and in our practices. So we started um you know so this focus on uh uh culturally and linguistically responsive practices really we launched it this um summer with our school leaders and some of the themes that we identified uh this summer was um you know as a district we communicate and champion a strong instructional vision with high expectations for all learners. So we do have that vision. We wanted to take some time to reflect on those discrepancies between what our vision for instruction is and what the reality is in our schools and in our practice. Um and then we'd work to implement uh strategies and align our resources to address the gap between that vision and reality. And um so some specific things that we focused on were around
117identifying and exploring the mental models around multilingual learners uh in our schools. um highlighting the role of the leader in shifting those models uh to a more kind of positive framing and also supporting our teachers and developing and elevating specific instructional strategies for multilingual learners. So, uh, we also knew that we really wanted to focus this, uh, on on ELA, which is a curriculum that runs from kindergarten through grade 8, uh, in our district. Uh, that was needed, um, some more attention, at least at the elementary level where we had focused on CKLA a lot in the past. And so Eel actually has a set of core principles uh that they for a multilingual mindset and it's a positive framing of the the mental models that we want to have and to grow. Uh they
118it talks about these are them and I have them here. So multilingualism is an asset. Multilingual learners are diverse. Multilingual learners deserve rich compelling challenging curriculum. Language development reveals itself in varied ways requiring flexible attuned support. All educators share responsibility for multilingual learners success. Students cultural backgrounds and home languages deserve to be honored. Multilingual learners belong as fully participating members of a diverse and heterogeneous classroom structure. and multilingual learners deserve specific support um at all language proficiency levels with an emphasis on the critical intermediate level. Thank you. So um I am going to turn it for the set of specific practices to Allison. >> Hi, good evening. My name is Allison Dame and I'm the director of secondary academics. And so we're pivoting here to how we hold ourselves accountable to really embody and enact
119those mindsets in our actual practices as teachers. And so um last year um myself and Jesse Robinson, my counterpart in the elementary team, along with the directors of ESEL at the time for both elementary and secondary began to meet and see where there were practices present already in the ELA curriculum that aligned strongly with what we knew worked for ML learners. Um and again to repeat, we're going to give those strategies for all students because they're good for all students. Um so that was a really highly effective collaboration that then led to an arc of learning this year. Um that really focuses on the on these practices which I'll um unpack in just a moment. Um I would just mention the reason directors of special education were not there then was because the roles were
120not full but we're now able to also work with them which is um terrific. So over this arc of learning for our teachers, we're focusing on conversation cues, academic language, language dives which focus on the syntax around sentences and then close reading strategies and text dependent questions. So just to unpack those um briefly, conversation cues are the questions we ask um to put the thinking back on students. And a couple beautiful things about conversation cues. One, they're easily scaffolded. You can start with very simple ones which create a sense of inclusivity and belonging um with a student who's maybe very new um but then they can push into being very um more sophisticated and complex um and so you can really kind of hone how you want students to be thinking based on your questioning.
121Then we pass the conversation cues on to students and then we're pushing for them to lead their own academic discussions and to keep conversations going with each other um about the content. Um academic language um very focused on um vocabulary and so really quick strategies that you can um embed in all lessons that are going to help students get the multiple repetitions they need to really own the language and be able to use it expressively. So, this can include everything from from word walls to to reading logs to just unpacking a word together with its roots and stems. The ELA curriculum even promotes actually looking up a word and says close readers when they encounter a word they don't know, they stop and look it up. So, it's a it's a suite of different strategies.
122Language dives are focused on syntax um and fluency around syntax um which of course gets more complex as you grow up. And what we've learned is that a lot of folks when when the text gets more complex um their comprehension goes way down because of um a lack of fluency around syntax. So it's never too early to start talking about them about syntax. And um the curriculum includes work time specifically around these these sentences that we're going to deconstruct, reconstruct, practice, see if we can mix them up, if they still make sense or if it changes the sense. And then once teachers get fluent in doing those language dives, they're actually beginning them to incorporate them more fluidly throughout other lessons as well. And then finally, close reading and text dependent questions make the reader
123go back to the text and really look more carefully at it, dig for more meaning. So those tech text dependent questions have to be strategic in how we're asking them. And we're also working with teachers on um pushing students to read more independently more often because of course all the assessments that they will eventually take will require them to read um independently and so to give students practice with that with complex grade level text that build their background knowledge. >> Oh yes. So, um, one of the practices that you have heard about is our regular walkthroughs. And so, that is one way for us to take stock as a district about how we are, um, at each of our grad spans performing on these particular strategies that we're trying to build. Um, and I do
124want to say, you know, some, you know, we're in individual teachers classrooms. The data that we collect is just at the at the gradspan level. So, we're and we use that information around like what do what PD do we need to do? What changes do we need to to make to to make this better um not around individual um teacher instructional practice. Uh so, it's more kind of feedback on us and how well we're doing our work than it is um anything else. So, this year we we adjusted our walkthrough tool. We had been doing walkthroughs last year, but we added in some components that focused in specifically on these strategies that we are that we're looking for. Um, and you can see that um there two that we put up here, the percent of
125classrooms where students are carrying the cognitive load where they're really doing the thinking. We know make sure somebody else isn't doing the work for them, but that um they are really thinking about it. And so spring of 2025, that was uh one that we did last year. we were at 60% and so we started the fall out at 64% which felt like a good place to be at in the fall. Um and then with our new strategy work this year, the one the second one is the percent of teachers using the curricular materials aligned to strategies that support multilingual learners accurately. So the ones that um Allison just um went over language dives, conversation cues, vocabulary development, and close reading. So we didn't have a measure from from last spring but we are starting at
12644% which we feel like is um good beginning and we will continue to grow and similarly for the middle school walkthrough data um from early September to mid-occtober we saw a modest gain um in carrying the cognitive loan and we actually saw a much um bigger gain um and around those strategies because the PD had put in place and I'll share we do share the walkthrough to transparently with teachers so they know what we're meant to be working on. So we're excited about that progress. >> Oh yeah. >> So after each of these this arc of learning these five PDs that I'm describing, we always ask teachers um for feedback. Um and we've been pleased with pretty positive feedback so far. couple quotes up there um to illustrate that. Um and the vast majority left
127feeling like they had concrete next steps to use in their classroom. And so this um we're we're going to continue this um and so we have two more equity, literacy, and language professional learning sessions. um one during a half-day retreat and another um I think during meant to be delivered on a Wednesday PD. Um and we're working with coaches to continue to use that walkthrough data to inform and tweak and hone how we deliver um that PD. >> And now we have time for questions. Yeah, Vice Bunda, go ahead. >> Thank you team for the presentation. Uh I have a I just need a clarification because my head is kind of uh to explode here. I got little confusion. Yesterday uh during the curriculum committee we had a report on the on the students. I
128mean the way the system the way we have a different system are we have a different uh ways are to collect uh data for the for the student. So those uh use of data and uh the professional judgment really helping the the team to review student like uh grading attendance and also behavior. So I've just wondered the sweets the sweets then you just mentioned more focus on the behaviors and they also those uh presentation yesterday they say it was challenging for teachers you know to using those kind of time consuming system. So I'm just wonder if they have to collect data to to make a report for a student using the the power school dashboard with the grading and attendance and they have to use the the the data from the Swiss for the behavior
129and combining everything for one student. So how do we expect to have a better outcome? So I just want to make sure then they're using two system at the same time because if they do use a system we need to make sure then we are building a system who can be better accessibility for them and give them more uh accountability for outcomes. So can you just get my mind clear for those two? >> I'll go ahead because it's kind of little confusing and then um anybody else can add on. So, I mean, I do think one of the things with the Power School dashboard that that is a it's a major body of work and I know it may feel like it's going slow, but it's actually I mean I haven't it's in other places
130where I've seen them take on this work, it's kind of at this is the pace it happens. So um but so you can see like we have really great dashboards for enrollment now and we have really great dashboards for attendance and I think um these are used more at the secondary level but like our suspension at that level of uh for behavior are are pretty um on target right we are working with we have other systems so the powers school dashboard takes the information from infinite campus which is our student information system and it uses the information that's in there and makes it kind of more usable uh more actionable for us. We do have other data systems. So, Swiss is one is the main like school level data collection for behavior that we are
131using and it's it's friendly in schools. Schools can use that that data on an individ like a school level data. Um it is harder to get district level reports from the Swiss system. And uh the other thing is with our statemandated uh like data collection around behavior like suspension or anything like that bullying that we have to send to the state also needs to be entered into infinite campus. So we're we are working with some multiple systems here. We are making progress in combining those. So Joanna mentioned um connecting Swiss data to uh the data on the dashboard. That connection has not been made yet. It is kind of in the queue so to speak to be connected but right now it isn't. Um, and I do think like having that district view across all
132schools is a really valuable view, not just for like everybody to have access to the data, but also the feedback that it gives to us as a system, as a school about like, okay, what are we seeing in this school? What's happening there? It looks a little different. What's happening here? Oh, we don't even have any data in this place. Why isn't that? So, there you can see that variation between schools and that can help us. what either like learn great practices that are happening or respond whenever things aren't going well. So we are we are managing multiple systems and that I would say is a bit of a challenge where we are right now. We have tried to relieve that to some degree. um in some places like we do have like a admin
133support to entering some things if there's like a double entry requirement um or things like that um to to reduce that. Right now >> just a quick followup Dr. Parkinson I I get the concept what you just mentioned. >> So my my worry is about the the teachers. So that mean they have they have a break time for the learning process. They have everything. So we expecting them to have to start navigating also those uh complexity on those different system to try to to build a report from a for a student or it just they they don't access it >> or is a different team who accessing them? >> No, there are I mean teachers who have used Swiss I mean we have elementary schools have probably used Swiss for the longest in the system.
134So and those are schools that have been using it for 10 years and I think in those places that have been using it for a long time just creating the reports has become like kind of habiting culture. So they do they use Swiss that is a separate system they're not also usually using that to enter IC they wouldn't be doing that enter data entry the data entry around those statemandated reporting around like bullying or suspension for instance um happens at the admin level so that would be something school leaders would be um responsible for uh and um teachers would be using like I see for like attendance purpose that might be the regular or um rating. >> So uh the uh behavioral u recording >> as well as attendance related are on IC and power
135school draws that from IC and it is straight now that in elementary and high uh secondary school they're all good. The issue that the curriculum was reported was that because of the grading systems that the three high schools and or you know at the across the secondary is being used that results at time is that the power school in the district level cannot extract the date and say this is what it is. So one school is using trimesters, one school is using yearl long, one school is using uh 0 to 100, another was using one to four. So that is where the curriculum piece was being reported and it is not at the school level. It is about when we want to put the uh district uh data together >> but that the attendance at
136suspension the behavior as well as uh you know u the behavioral related issues which is required by the IC by the state are all aligned uh in the district level and the power school. If we go to the now to the power school, we can look any school. We can look at the district level about the chronic absentism about behavior. We can look those things are all aligned. The issue is about when it comes to the grading system. There's no way to just uh the input is and the output are not aligned. So that's the what the curriculum uh what Haley brought to the curriculum was like aligning the grading systems. >> All right. Thank you. I'm still confusing but I know if I'm still confusing a lot of our teachers still confusing to the
137that complexity. So I'm making some notes and I will follow up next year to hear more about uh teachers feedback because I really want to to get the the points about navigating the complexity of system. Thank you >> board member Satel. >> Hi I'm going to um kind of tag team on what um vice chair Bondo was saying. Um, and I don't mean this in any way to I'm sure it's going to sound critical of you. I'm just reporting to you what people are telling me. Um, I have had quite a few teachers tell me that they feel like the data entry piece of behavioral support is really arduous and um that sometimes they don't put things in Swiss because it's just not they just don't have time or the emotional energy to do that.
138And um I I don't have any solution as to how to fix that. But um you know when we put things on teachers plate without taking other things off um they really get overwhelmed and overloaded. And um I'm I'm curious because I hear a lot of teachers talking about the walkthroughs and how stressful they are for them. Um, and I know that whoever was presenting on that said that um, teachers know that they're not really being evaluated, that data is being collected on, you know, how often certain um, strategies are being used. But what they tell me is that they feel like people are not in their room long enough to um get a big picture and also that they don't get helpful feedback. Um uh that that they see, you know, people doing the
139walkthroughs like checking things off on a clipboard and then they might get a note saying, "Oh, fun lesson or something." but it's not they know that's not what's been measured. Um, and that leads them to distrust that process a little bit. So, I know that it sounds really critical. I'm just relaying information to you. Thank you for the feedback and uh you I need to acknowledge that this is uh a new practice that uh with our strategic strategic initiatives and uh the team including like leaders at the school doing walkthroughs together and looking into data is uh just we started last couple of years and uh it is have so it is a new practice and this feedback uh we are getting also from the igious and it makes us better actually as we uh
140undertake this. So uh I appreciate the feedback and thank you >> um uh board member Aberman and then we'll come to board member Ali Ali and I'm going to hold us to 10 more minutes because we just have a lot on the agenda tonight. Any questions we don't get to we'll collect and then maybe turn over to you and we can get them in the board update. >> I can do that later. I'm okay. >> Okay then. board member Ali Ali. >> Um I know this is a team effort and thank you guys. Um so I do uh want to echo that I there is a little confusion on my end too. Um but um and another question I I would ask is I do understand that teachers are way too overwhelmed um uh to
141even you know try to do all these other things. But uh in the past they've done like uh paper reports right and and being able to give it to whether it was parents or uh that school administration and things like that. Um and I know that it is I mean there's more technology there's a lot of other steps that they have to take um aside from just this reporting system. Uh and if if it is difficult um then what's like another best way or best practice or something that you know this is not a question for now for later um how we can find a solution to uh be able to put in that data so we can uh review it and um yeah take into consideration. >> Beautiful. So let's just um name any
142other questions that we want the team to to give us information on. And board member Uberman, do you want to say your question out loud that they can? >> Um, my qu my question was I really like the ELA multilingual aspects. That's great. Particularly when you're talking about honing in on um academic language and how the teachers are see the couple of comments that were made. Is this going to the high school teachers this teaching of multilingual? because I I mean high school teachers don't often teach reading and they kind of resist it at least my experience. >> Yeah. >> Um so some structures are already K12. So I would name walkthroughs as one and stepbacks which we've talked about in other presentations and those are focusing on instructional improvement. Um the professional development we're
143doing for leaders around observation and feedback. um looking you know identifying grade level rigor and facilitation that puts the cognitive load that is reaching into our secondary but the big piece that's not there yet is the aligned HQIM or aligned curriculum and just pointing back at the ELELA example we're pulling out strategies that are existing in that curriculum to like reinforce that alignment of those high quality strategies across but the the strategic plan um we are engaged in designing our math aligned HQM right now. We'll launch that next year and then ELA um would be next. And then just circling back to the beginning of my comments. Um I've just now realized I wasn't meant to answer this in real time. >> That's okay. We we have a little time so and we'll take it.
144I just I love your passion around this stuff. So I I'll take it. >> Yeah. >> But those structures of the walkthroughs and the stepbacks that are already there and the PD we're doing around leaders are sort of like um you know priming the the context I think. Um, so I'm excited about how bringing all those elements together. >> Thank you. I think you're all doing great. Thank >> just Yeah. Last lastly, real quick. Um, just uh when you first started, you stated something about um behaviorisms about youth and things like that and how um behaviorisms are we when we want them to improve, uh we have to look at a lot of the positive things that the youth are doing, which I specifically do with my daughter because I have experiences like y'all ain't
145talk about the bad things I do. But anyways, um so I also want to appreciate like and continue that um all the work that's going on in the background. I know there's a lot of um work that's going on background. So I appreciate all you guys are doing. So talk talking about positive about that too. >> Um and I just had one question just also like I just like love when you guys come and and nerd out on your data and all the things you're doing like your passion is just like really contagious and I feel really lucky that we have professionals that are this excited about this work because that that transfers. So, I just really appreciate it and I I get it too. Like I'm like, "Yes, here we go." Right. Um uh
146and uh Dan, I just have a question that I hear a lot, which is about the tickets in elementary school and I would just love to hear at some point, not right now, like the PBIS and tickets and how do we create more internal motivation versus external and um yeah, I would just love any thinking around that that you could share so I can um take to the community. But just thank you all for your deep deep work. Thank you. >> Okay. Um, so you got both the reports are at the same time. So now we have the report of the secretary. Um, we've got the consideration and action to approve the meeting minutes of November 25th, 2025. Are there any corrections on the meeting minutes for November 25th, 2025? Okay, I see no corrections.
147Uh, so the minutes are approved as distributed. Um, we are, uh, next up we have our new business which is the first read of the updates to policy JHB. Um, truency. >> Dr. Warren, is that you? >> That's me. Sorry. Bear with me for a minute. I realize I'm not logged into the virtual meeting. Um, And we're going to do the first read of this and then the workshop also um from Jen Brady before we go into final executive session. Dr. Scallan, can you please make me a presenter? I'm just going to grab a drink. What's up? >> You're not an analyst right now. >> Now, >> yeah, I am now right >> now. at least before. >> What's the perce I'm ready? Is it okay to move forward? Yeah. Okay, great. Um so this
148um policy JHB is our policy related to truency. Um and this is one that is a fairly um technical legalistic update just based on um some changes that were made to the state law that went into effect on September 1st. And so we have an obligation, you as a board have an obligation to update the policy in um to align it with current law. Um when the policy committee looked at this and we were getting advice from the legal team um they had offered up to schools a just a a model policy that encompasses all the things in the law. And we looked at that relative to just a red line of our current policy and it felt easier and more straightforward just to adopt the model policy rather than looking at all the messy
149red lines. Um because a lot of what the red lines are is changes in things like the name of the law. Um and but let me just give you a quick overview of um what some of the things are that changed that you see reflected in the this proposed version of the policy. Um part of it is that the state changed uh made some small changes to the definition of truency. um that includes changing um the age at which this uh goes into effect for students as well as a little bit more um uh detail in terms of what counts as truency. So it used to be 10 full days of unexcused absences. They added this language around seven consecutive days. Um it used to be um in the second sort of provision uh you'll
150see number two um under the definition that used to say uh a student who's at least seven years old. They've now made that at least six years old. Um and then when you get to in both number two and number three, you'll see the reference to the state department of health and human services. they added some clarification around um what qualifies as um neglect under this statute. So making excuse me adding this language noting that um truency that would be considered abuse and neglect has to be at the res the result of neglect by a person responsible for for a child. That was not um clear before. Um this also changes the um the author the the governing body or the authority for appointing attendance coordinators from the superintendent or designate to the board. So
151again that's just a shift in the law. Um and then it also uh pushed districts to choose between um two uh two sets of language and defining who who's getting the referral if the superintendent makes a referral to a student with an ongoing truency issue. Um and we had to pick one and the the policy committee adopted student support team. um which our school teams may use slight variations on that but it's effectively the same concept. Um and so that's the language that you will see where where there was choice in the law and the policy committee has gone with that language. Um and then there are a number of um of places again where they just updated the um the law the number of the law. Um sorry I'm not speaking clearly tonight anymore
152either. Um and yeah so most most of the rest of it is sort of legalistic uh just cleanup. Um, that's think about all. Um, oh, sorry. There's a clarification about if there's a a written notice that's going to a family because a student's um, truency issue hasn't been resolved, there's clarification that it has to be delivered by hand or in mail. So, it's another sort of procedural change. Um, this is not one of the more challenging ones that that we're grappling with as a policy committee. Some of them, um, you know, we're really working sort of from scratch to build a new policy. This one is is really much more of a a required update. >> Does anybody have questions for Dr. Warren? Yes. Uh, Dr. Upperman, go ahead. >> Attendance coordinator. What is that?
153Who is that? Why is that? Oh, I have a colleague here who go ahead, Joanna. See, she was waiting to rescue me. >> Was gonna go, but um yeah, I think um at most of our schools, it's the c the culture and climate coordinator functions in that role. But um and I think that was part of our intent in building these positions was that we would have a point person for attendance. But >> but it says it it says it's to be responsible directly to the board in which what what you just read. >> Well, it can be appointed by the or identified by the board. >> Identify. Okay. I was just saying you know you'd have to report to us already. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions for Dr. Warren? Okay.
154So, we'll have a second read on that policy. uh next week and then we have our last um uh bit of presentations. Is Jen Brady still in the room? >> Hello. I'm figuring out how to get on The meeting here. Okay. Do you all have a copy of this? >> Yes, we do. It's linked in um diligent community for us. >> Okay, great. But it's also on the screen now. >> Yeah, got it. Good evening. I'm so glad to be with you and I'm glad that we've all uh stuck it out together. Um I am a morning person. >> I've only gotten to interact with you late in the evenings. I just want to uh highlight that I I do better in the AM. So um but glad to be here with you. I don't
155know how workshops typically work. So, I wanted to check in with you about that and wondered if this could be a little less formal if we have to do the Robert's rules and awaiting uh member calling on etc. Thoughts on that? >> I mean, workshops are typically less formal. Um I I would leave it to you like if you want us to ask questions along the way, we will do that. But sometimes we ask so many questions that you don't get all the way to where you want to go. Um so it's however you would like us to participate is the way that we are happy to participate. Great. I'm I'm happy for you to speak freely. I'm also um happy to happy to just kind of move through this um so that we're not
156here until midnight. Um, however, this is a pretty I think it's important work and it's really underpinning to a lot of the public comment that we have heard over the past two meetings. It's um something that I think is going to be foundational as we move forward. So, um we'll try to uh I invite your I invite you to stop me at any time. uh definitely feel free to stretch and move um however you'd like to navigate. Um so, okay. So, this conversation, the workshop today is really about our values. It's about how we show up as leaders of this organization. And really, how when I say we, I mean you and me. how we show up as leaders of the organization and how we really embody and enact our values. These are um aligned
157with the strategic initiatives that we've been working on. And I want to walk you through what I mean by values in action and how we can use our values as guiding principles to our work in equity and moving um moving through all of our work with an equity mindset, an equity position, and just how we work is equity. And so that's what we're that's what values and action um that's what I'm talking about here. So in the morning I do know how to use computers also. Evening time it it's a little different. Um so this is values in action. I want to highlight for you where this work sits within all of the other initiatives. you remember uh last meeting where we had our um human resources team present and we talked to talked to
158you a little bit about all of our work and so values and action fits squarely here under 4.1 where we are talking about um building a strong inclusive staff culture where people feel valued, affirmed, effective and supported where all people in our staff feel valued, affirmed, effective and supported that is really about strengthening our culture and this is where it starts. This is where it starts here at the board table. Um I think that it's really important to just take a moment when you're thinking about culture of this organization. I want to invite you to think about a an organization or a work experience that you've had where the culture or the tone of the organization felt good and maybe jot down for yourself what that what kind of tone you want to set for
159Portland public schools. Think about the overall mood, the overall feeling, the overall atmosphere, the character. What is the tone you as a leader of this organization want to set for PPS? I would invite you if you feel like you're interested to share a word or two. No requirement. Just if you feel like if you feel like saying a couple of the tone words that are coming to you, I'd invite you to share. >> Just She's giving us permission to just talk. Let's >> wild and crazy here. Just pretend we're not in a boardroom. >> Yes. >> Um two words I had were affirming and listening. >> Thank you. >> I'll go. Um the best team that I worked on um it was a culture of accountability. So if you did a good job, somebody told
160you. And if you didn't do a good job, somebody told you told you what the expectation was and helped you get there. Thank you. Um a culture where you feel cared for and that there's space for mistakes, but that there's constant learning and growth. Thank you. I go with accountability and also a space for growth. >> Thank you. >> What was the second one? >> Accountability. Yes. >> Accountability. Space for growth. >> A space where your brain is allowed to freeze up for a minute and and we have grace. >> Energized. Truly, joyfully energized. Thank you. Energized. So when we think about setting the tone, did you want to share one? I don't want to. No. Okay. Sorry. I don't want to keep I don't want to keep moving on, but got it. Um to
161create those feelings and to create that culture, it requires more than the words on the page. It requires us to take action and to live in a way and work in a way that brings these tone words to life all the time in our leadership, in our daily interactions, in the work that we're doing. And that is modeled at the board level, that's modeled at the um district leadership level, and then it does move throughout the organization. So, values in action. I just want to give you a little sense of what I'm talking about. Um, this is not what we're not talking about is posters, slogans, the things that you put on a stamp and then walk away. What we are talking about is how we do our work every day. Actually, how we do
162it. Not the words that we're saying, but the behaviors that we're using. This is um describing how we make decisions, how we communicate, how we treat people, how we treat each other in this space, how we treat community members when they're giving public comment, how we treat people out in the world when we are representing Portland public schools, how we follow through. Why? Because policies can't cover every situation, especially in human- centered work. What we know is policies are great for us to have as uh a foundation as a back uh as a backup but in humans are messy and we need ways to guide our interactions. We don't h it's not a very clear-cut formula on how we work together as humans. And so in human- centered work using guiding principles or values in
163action as we're calling them here is a stronger way to move forward. Mission statements are oftentimes important for an organization, but they're also very broad and they don't get down into the granular level about our interactions, really describing how we do the work. Values give us a really clear and usable way to act with consistency. And this is the opportunity for us to bridge who we say we are and what we are actually doing every day. And that's integrity. So when we live with integrity, when we have that alignment between what we're saying we do and what we actually do, then we start to see some really great benefits like our staff members experiencing safety, like our staff members experiencing um trust because we're saying and doing things that are consistent with each other. The
164values and action matter most in hard moments, moments of conflict, complex decision making, and when people feel unheard that these are ways for us to build consistency. And I realized that this slide was a little redundant at 10 o'clock at night, so I'm going to skip it. And I'm going to skip this one, too, because look, they are not posters. I already said that. Skipping skipping through um what values and action help us do is really practice the culture that we are saying that we want and that we're saying that we're committed to. It helps us really anchor our work. Um and give us a touch point to continue to move our work forward. So this is really acknowledging that equity is not a separate initiative, but equity is the way we do our work.
165So it is not only saying talking about equity but is how we do our work together and that is also how we work together. Um I think this is just an opportunity to make our equity commitment truly lived and not just stated. This of course ties directly to initiative 1.1 where we're talking about advancing staff mindsets and cultural humility. Um on this slide I highlight for you some of the research about using values as a way to drive our equity work. So um I can share the exact research blurbs with you but I just want to highlight a couple of things. One is when we use values work we focus clarity and well-being of staff. So one study found that when employees experience alignment between organizational values and daily practice. So again that integrity words
166matching what we do or walk matching the talk. When employees experience that the engagement staff engagement and well-being rise significantly. Also, another study, this is the Copeland study, showed that values-based leadership strengthens trust across teams, especially during periods of organizational change. We are in a change moment, and values are a way for us to strengthen trust. Part of the discussion that we had here earlier this evening, uh, one of my favorites, Creary, Stephanie Crerary, talks a lot about equity and belonging. And in her work, she argues that equity becomes effective only when organizations redesign their daily behaviors, not when we are relying on one-off DEI programs. So the the oneanddone training um is ineffective when it comes to actual in integrating equity work. We're talking about um really truly redesigning our daily behaviors. And then
167the final the final piece, Dobin and Caleb, this is a very recent study demonstrated that organizationwide practices like transparency, consistency, and fair processes are much more effective at advancing equity than standalone trainings. So when we think about the opportunity we have here to really move our showcase our commitment to equity and continue to evolve our work. We're talking about the daily practices, the daily behaviors that we are exhibiting every day. And I'm not just talking about the daily behaviors that are happening in the classroom and at central office. I am talking about all of our daily behaviors and how we represent this organization as leaders. So you know remember I started in August and so in this time period we've been uh I've been trying to put some thinking around what are our values. Obviously
168I did not walk in and unilaterally decide here are PPS values. please sign off. That's that's not what's happening, right? Um so here's here is the collection of data that we've used so far. I did create a survey where I reached out to all staff members and had responses from staff members at all levels including custodians, um our facilities teams, principals, educators, um social workers. So, we I got a good cross-section on the how we work survey. And the question I asked on that survey was when we are at our best, when PPS is at our best, what does it look like? What does it sound like? What does it feel like? Give me words that showcase what it's like here when we're at our best. Um, so talking a little bit about moving toward
169the positive, right? like finding out what is it what is it like here when things are really good. I also have done one-on-one principal interviews with all but three principles still trying to track them down. Um and I've transcribed those conversations. Um I reviewed the staff feedback summary from last year's staff engagement survey. Um also have looked at the organizational diagnostic that attuned did for us that is the underpinning of our strategic plan. I of course reviewed the educators of color insights report and the listening tours that you all have done and then built upon the vision of excellence workg group that happened last year. And so I took all of the written work that from those data sources and have run it through different AI to pull out some themes and trends. I mean,
170you gotta >> right, you gotta work. Uh, and what what this allowed me to do was surface themes that I don't know that I would have found as quickly otherwise, but I we know they're there because when you see you're I I don't think these will be surprising to you. What we know, this is what we we continue to hear, what staff want, the needs that we're hearing, more consistency, clearer communication, fair and transparent decisionmaking, better followth through, stronger partnership with families, a space to learn and reflect, and a climate rooted in belonging and joy. So these are the things that surfaced through all of those different sources and they're things that we have heard tonight and the last meeting. So it to me that feels validating, right? We it's like okay yes we know
171that these are the needs um that we're hearing across our multiple sources. And so this surfaced also the themes that surfaced around what conditions are needed in order to do our best work. When we are at our best, how does it feel? What are we experiencing? These are the themes that surfaced across the board. respect and fairness, belonging and partnership, voice and influence, communication and trust, learning and reflection, care and well-being, joy and purpose. These are the things that um the values in action statements are built upon. Now, as I share this with you and I do have it written as a handout as well, um know that this is a work in progress. nothing. This is where I really want your feedback. This is um like they say in Google in Google land they
172call it a WIP work in progress. >> We are >> this is to be workshopped. >> So >> you're in the right place. >> This is so here we are. So I'll share with you the um the statements that we've generated. we is um me and AI together collaborating and pulling and pulling from again all of the sources that um where we actually have had input from staff. So I just want to highlight to you the the formatting for these statements are really about action and it's to support us in enacting and embodying our values. So, we're not just using single words like um like high quality. We're saying we're saying full sentences here that help guide our work, guide our interactions, guide our decision-m. So, here here we are with our work in progress.
173Open to feedback, lots of feedback. We center students, their learning and well-being guide what we do. We act with integrity. We tell the truth. We treat people fairly and take responsibility. We work in partnership. We listen and make decisions with, not for, with students, families, and each other. We follow through. We do what we say and we learn from what happens. We keep learning. We know growth takes curiosity, reflection, and courage. And we are here focused on progress, not perfection. We we're focused on learning. And we take joy in community. We notice what's good even as we work to make things better. So not candy coating, but we're working on noticing what's good even as we work on making things better. This is a chance for us to build a shared foundation at the leadership
174level so that we can move this work into the broader organization. And so I want to give you a couple examples on how values and action can be used in effective organizations in my um I was thinking of Joanna's dentist metaphor and um I don't have a good one on around dentistry but one of my um clients in my other life said we are a tech first organization technology first as one of their values and so what does that mean in terms in terms of their decision-making, in terms of the way they um connect with each other, they always prioritize technology. To have a meeting in person is unheard of. They are always virtual meetings. When there are decisions to come up, they first say, "How do we use the technology in this situation?" Other
175clients are people first where they would never say let's automatically meet virtually. They're focused on how do we ensure that we're connecting and building relationship. So that's a small example on how or how organizations use values and action to guide their work to guide actually what they do the choices that they make. So I wanted to bring up a couple um opposing pairs. So the proposed well it's not really proposed are work in progress values. One includes follow through. We follow through. So an opposite to that might be efficiency like so here's what that might look like. If we're focusing on efficiency this is let's roll it out and we'll talk about it later. If we're focusing on followth through, we might be like, "Let's be clear upfront about what's changing and be clear about
176how we will close the loop with staff and families because we want to assert we value follow through." Do you see the difference of the how these things can guide? And I mean, fine, if an organization is focused on efficiency, great, good for you. That's not what we're focused on, right? Go ahead. Well, I I I I see the different two different pictures that you're talking about and I understand the difference between them. Having worked in systems if you just if you sometimes efficiency like in the case of a fire >> sure >> is is critically important or a crisis like I think I think efficiency we had three years ago we worked on efficiency when we were having financial issues and all and we weren't always nice >> you know and we were listening
177a lot and so I think you know I I I think we it isn't a one or the other and I think that's a really important No idea. >> I I love hearing that too. And um I think with guiding principles or values in action, this is our stake in the ground on how we aspire to always be and really where our attention is focused. But recognizing if there's a fire, you get out the door. If there's something that needs to happen, we work swiftly, but we prioritize and we are always thinking about for in this example follow through. Another example is authoritative decision-making versus partnership. So in an authoritative structure, we've made the decision, people are going to have to deal with it. In a partnership structure, we're inviting the people most affected to
178the with the decision to the decision-making process as partners so that the solution actually reflects the experience of the people that we're working with, right? >> And and but also somebody like we have to make decisions here which may not always be, you know, in alignment with a lot of people. So I it's it's I I understand what Yes. The one thing in here I wish it was in here was humility. >> Oh, I should wait. I need a pen. >> Humility. You know, um the time when, for example, I've argued with you a few times >> over three years and all. And yet ultimately I have to step back and say all right I I'll keep bugging you but but I'll do what you ask me to do in this case and all but
179I'll keep talking to you. So I think I think that's the the taking humility um accepting that we aren't always correct and um being willing to accept direction. I think those are those are things that maybe I didn't have I mean I anyway that's what I'd say. Yeah. >> Thank you. No, I >> I want it. I I really I honestly I want to hear because like I said, this is this is the one I think >> this is a starting point, right? >> Yeah. >> So, um and let me I'll give you a couple more examples of how do we use values in action. And then I would love to hear I have a couple questions for you on which of these resonate, which don't resonate, what gaps do you see? So another example
180on how we might use values and action. This is how effective organizations actually would be when I say daily practice, right? Like when we're doing this on a moment by moment, it might sound like this at a meeting because we center students. We're gonna ask how each of these options, if we're in a decision- makingaking point, how each of these options impacts learning and well-being of our students before we choose a path. So, we're not making the decision first about finance, for example. We are first we're using this as a filter to first make our decision because we center students. It's a it's >> and the second step is >> And then the second step is >> how much does >> how does it how much does it cost? Thank you. Thank you. and how
181are we gonna how are we going to pay for it? But this is a again guiding a guiding principle to help us when we're in a moment of like okay where do we where do we begin here? Well here's here's the starting point. We anchor in our values and as we move these to be always talked about continually referred to and put in our decision-m from board level across the district. Then what happens is we all start experiencing a culture that feels consistent and feels like we are walking our talk and that is that's where we are all moving in service of equity. Another example um that you might you might or might not find yourself saying I was trying to imagine myself actually saying this sentence but let's just you know let maybe um
182in the spirit of acting with integrity so naming what we care about integrity I want to own my part in this conversation so we can move forward in a way that strengthens trust so when we have guiding principles yeah I might not say in the spirit of acting with integrity However, I might say, "I want to own my part in this so we can move forward in a way that can really strengthen trust." Because if I am saying that out loud, I'm really naming that in a hard conversation. What that's doing is putting accountability on me to take accountab to take responsibility for my choices and I'm also saying I'm doing this because I want to strengthen the trust in this relationship. So, it's asserting the values that we have named that we care about.
183So, in this is really where I'm interested in hearing from you also about the values that resonate most with you on this list. And I'm I'm very interested in hearing what feels like it's missing. So, humility might be one. I wrote it down. Um, what what feels like it resonates from this list of draft values in action? anything stand out to you or in your work as a board member what resonates? Yeah, thanks. >> Um I will say reflecting on >> Can you use your microphone Sarah? >> Yes, of course I can. Sorry. Um it's a workshop but still microphone. Okay. Um so over the last several years of being on the board, um there has been so much complexity and so many issues that are really, really, really nuanced. And as I'm looking at
184these values, I mean that I agree with them and they they all um they for the most part strike me as like, well, yeah, of course. Um and I'm not seeing that, you know, like we welcome nuance and complexity and we acknowledge it and we deal with the difficulty that it presents um in a respectful way. Those sorts of things. That's one of the things that I'm not seeing that uh really um I think is >> you're saying things aren't always black and white. >> They're sometimes more complex than that. And you know and just the acknowledgement that this work uh requires the um the sitting with uncomfortable um uh oh my goodness, it is so late. I can't come up with vocabulary. That's very um discomfort, >> you know, discomfort. Many things can be
185true at the same time. Yeah. >> Yes. Okay. Great. Thank you. >> What else? Yep. Go ahead, Ollie. >> No, you >> um thank you for that. Um um this is really is good. But um one of the things that that I'm kind of uh trying to take in and understand is um I do see the response to the public comments and um and all the information that gathering that you're you know, working with the with team and everything. Um and then putting forth the best resolutions as uh as you know you do the community engagements and things like that. Um, and then what like how do we know or how do we start to see what the resolutions are or or the results are of of the work and if it's ineffective at certain
186places in c certain places it's it's effective which is natural is going to happen in every process right and how we're going to like how do you assess that if you don't mind me asking >> so culture change is long work it's hard work and it is incremental right and so we have to start somewhere there and this is a starting point. So, it's a way for us to each of us individually to begin embodying and using shared language so that it's all kind of connecting back to we are we are representing PPS, we are PPS here. And so over time you start to see um kind of the catch-on of hearing other people saying I center students and that means I am going to take this action instead of that action right so we're
187going to have to start us doing it all leadership levels doing it and then kind of letting it continually move out um I wish there was a really much easier way to be like check check Oh, 90% of people actually are centering or say they centering students. It's just not um it's not a realistic measure. Um so go ahead. >> I was just going to say we'll probably start to see results in like staff surveys though or like sense of belonging, right? They rate those things like happiness at work, feeling of support, like things like that. I would guess is where it would show up. But >> I think that's the measure that we have for 4.1 is the staff engagement survey. And so for example like this misalignment between words and actions those things
188really sit and feel heavy with staff when they start when we start bringing those things together words and actions that will show up on the staff engagement surveys like I feel like what's being told to me and what I'm seeing in action actually aligns. Go ahead. I mean all yeah I've been reflecting for a couple years now uh when I look at what really resonates to me when you've been uh presenting so I look at the aspect of each of us having a different leadership style and then when I look at myself like you know I see between two visionary and democratic style of leadership. So when I aligning I really center on the visionary ways is when I relating like a center students like are we we using that one as as the way
189I use that one as a values to get my decision is that where we find the way we are building and allocating our funding to support our students how we center them as a in our decision making to find them where they are and really understand the needs. So this is why really resonate to me and using my my leadership style as a visionary person to really project to that definition to value my principles and then when I'm working among my colleagues is that democratically speaking when I have to listen and go through reflection before taking some actions. So I feel like to try to balance some other styles when you when you want to be in actions and using those as a principle I think that's a great reflection to work on that. >>
190Thank you. I love that idea too. So talking about different leadership styles. So that's a a benefit of using something like values and action because it's really I mean your leadership style is your leadership style and the values and action are guideposts for how we work together when we are here in this space supporting this organization. So it's a differentiator. So this also can become something that's like when you work for PPS this is what this is what we do. this is how this is what we mean. It's like, you know, like I said, putting our stake in the ground around what we truly believe and how we enact it. Go ahead. >> Yeah. And know and I I want to say that um uh the reason why I kind of came up with that
191question is because more of like uh kind of what's what's happened in the past, you know, recently and and how we are we aware we are a city of equity, right? and how a lot now we're starting to realize there are holes in a in in the bucket and um and how we can patch that so we don't have to keep coming to you know such a um yeah an exhaustive um you know I mean it's just it's a lot you know and and just the how can I say this just the elimination of it eventually so um that's that's the reason why I asked but thank you for the um yeah it's it's good thank you >> thanks um I just um had a couple of thoughts which I I I love these. I
192think that they're they're great. They feel they feel in alignment with my values and the reason that I'm on the board. Um um and I had just like two things that kind of stuck out to me which is um how we are navigating power and positionality. Like I think that these are like often in our district it's central office versus teaching staff. It's principles versus um you know uh teachers, it's parents versus the school. Like there there's so many dichotomies that are built into our community. Like is there a way that we could have a value that speaks to being cross those those identity groups somehow like when we work with each other we work across positionalities and power or you know something like that. And then I also just noticed that the word equity
193is not in this which I believe that these are equity actions like and and the ways that we show but I am just curious how that is landing with with other people if you've worshopped this with anyone else and like >> well you're the first workshop you're >> I just I think there's a lot of um opinion about that and um so I'd be curious to know how that lands. Yeah, I I'd almost say hold the e the word equity because it has so many meanings across this community. Oh, I don't want to hear about when I, you know, I don't want to hear about equity in this group and all this group. This is inequitable and it it's just the word I and words are so important as you as you're saying and so
194it's >> it's you know it it's it but I don't think anyone would disagree with these >> and and with the concept of respect and you know so anyway I just that's >> you lit on fire with that. I see that. >> And by energiz um I'm going to >> yeah write it. >> So I um I similarly I think that um what's more important is the results and where these values lead versus the inclusion of a particular word on the page. Um, but that actually brought me to brought me back to another thought that I had um during the presentation, which is um and I I'm not looking for a solution to this um potentially intractable problem. Um but uh the the question in my head was how what do we do when somebody
195tries to use these as magic words? >> Oh, I'm centering students. So, and then >> they don't. Well, I mean it's it's a thing that happens and I just calling it out and like you know um bringing that into the conversation in terms of you know just using a values and action term doesn't actually mean that you're doing it and needing to like have that accountability as well. >> It's the you're right it's the saying and doing. And so that's something I mean this definitely like I said is an invitation for all of us to kind of consider and all of us to start um reflecting on and enacting. Like I would love between now and the next board meeting to be able to invite you to practice doing these things in whatever context you're
196meeting, whatever situations are coming up. I have a couple scenarios I can hand out to you. Could Could we get these linked in our next board update? Great. >> I mean, they're in so >> Oh, right. They're in. >> So, consider I mean, so I have a couple scenarios here where I just put together some ideas on, you know, things that could come up. And the invitation here is if these were our values in action, what would you do as a board member? How do these help guide your response? How does it help guide the way you get to your response? Because how we do our problem solving, how we do our meeting is the work. That is what we need to do. So we can't be saying one thing and then working together in
197a completely different way. Right? So so I think um I like scenario three disagreement among board members during a meeting. So during a deliberation about a policy related to student discipline. These are fictional fictional board members strongly disagree about the best approach. The discussion becomes tense. Interruptions increase and the public is watching closely. Some members feel unheard. Others feel the conversation is moving too fast. Community groups are already framing the issue as equity versus safety. Pressing the board to take sides. So if these are our values in action, what do you do? Also, how do you navigate disagreement in a way that models the values of partnership that models the values of integrity, joy in community, even when the stakes are high, even when it's the the heat is turning up. These this is the
198way that we want to consider what how we actually enact, how we actually use these values to guide our behavior. Go ahead. >> Oh, I know. I always You've not been here very long. Everyone knows I will talk incessantly, but I will. Okay. So, no. Um, I I have to say that honest to gosh, I'm not feeling it in this board like it was three, two and a half, three years ago. um when I felt you know invisible and all not and you know I tried to talk but you know it was I I honest I honestly believe we listen to one another. I think we really some say less but but when they do speak it's incredibly important um and others just babble on and test you know and everyone else very polite about
199it. So, um, yeah. So, I think that piece, the partnership, um, and we have we have joy in our community. We I mean, like we're like, I think >> so. Yeah. So, I think so, but I do think when when pe when we're having I I think number one, scenario one, I just want to say keep your mouth shut and listen because there's nothing you can do with a bunch of people who are going to yell at you and just want blood. Honest to gosh, that's sometimes it feels like it when it's public comment. >> Sure. And in scenario one, if we're saying we center students, then how does that guide our response in the future? So maybe right now we say we're just keeping our mouth shut because what can we do? But if
200we >> incess incessible however if we say this these are values that we're committed to then that might guide the response in a different way right it might we might end up finding ourselves saying thank you and I really want to bring this conversation back to what is best for our students that is the core of what we're doing here centering our students their well-being so I mean again every organization that uses guiding principles or values in action like this. They have different ones. They're not a public school system. They're they're not Portland public schools. So, we this is an opportunity for us to kind of define how we do things and what this looks like for us. So, I invite you to um reflect, consider. I love I'd love to hear feedback and would
201definitely love to hear how you're kind of reflecting on and embodying these. Um I know that there are still some pieces missing our next steps um from here. I really wanted to just get this in front of you and get a little bit of dialogue going because like I have said this work really starts with the leadership modeling these behaviors. So next step is to introduce these to the cabinet and have discussion with them about what do they what resonates what feels like it's missing. I don't want to over workshop though like this isn't something that we're going to um just continue to meet about. It's like we're going to put our stakes in the ground and just move forward. We might iterate over time, right? Things shift and change but we've got to you
202know start somewhere. Um, I'm going to invite them to practice using these in meetings, in their one-on- ons, in their interactions with staff, students, and families, especially in difficult times. Asking, of course, asking for feedback on how it's going and what's missing and then making a couple, you know, tweaks. plan is to introduce to district leaders so principles and assistant principles like March this March. Um this is a process as you know that's been evolving and changing but essentially from my perspective we have a great opportunity here to set the tone and reinforce the tone of this district and this is a starting point that I'm putting forth. So thank you. Um, so open to uh questions, comments, and thoughts maybe over email during the week in the daytime. >> I would appreciate that. >>
203Or the morning or the morning. >> Can't wait to get you in the morning. >> I'll be the morning person. Now we're starting. >> Thank you so much. Thank you so much, Jen. Really appreciate it. Um and finally, um we have the consideration and action to go into executive session pursuant to one MRSA section 4056A to discuss the superintendent's evaluation. Um uh is there a second? Thank you, board member Brighten. All those in favor uh that is I think unanimous. Yeah. Okay, great. Um and then we'll come back out and adjourn. four. How many? Five. Five. Gosh, that's funny. >> No, she's not feeling one. >> Um, all right. Um, I will move to adjourn the meeting. Um, there's a second by board member Noir. Um, all those in favor. Okay, we are adjourned at
20412:09. Thank you all.