BOE Meeting 2/9/2026

001There's no >> uh Arc's he's on his way. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> All right. Good evening everybody. >> Good evening. Good evening. Uh welcome. Today is Monday, February 9th, 2026. Grand Rapids Public Schools Board of Education meeting is set to begin. We welcome and appreciate your presence at this meeting of the Grand Rapids Public Schools Board of Education. We respectfully request individuals silence cell phones and refrain from clapping, cheering, or making audible comments during the meeting. If you wish to formally address the board, please fill out a public comment card, which is located at the entrance, and place a completed card in the provided basket. I will announce the time in which public comment cards will need to be submitted for participation. I will determine the amount of time that will be provided to

002make comments with up to three minutes being the maximum. We will start with our roll call uh by Secretary Kilpatrick. >> All right. Trustee Buchek here. >> Trustee Kilpatrick. Trustee Melton is excused. Um Treasurer Mareno >> here. >> Vice President Wade >> present. >> Trustee Williams >> present. >> Trustee Williamson >> present. and President Rodriguez >> here. Great. >> Okay. And next we will move on to the approval of our agenda. Is there any discussion on this item? I want to mention that it does show that our consent agenda grouping goes from 13 to 17, which would include section 16, which I believe is an area that we need to have open for discussion because it is the application discussion for the vacant seat. So, I don't know that we would want it to simply

003go into the consent agenda portion. >> May I clarify? >> Yep. >> Yeah. So, I'm just clarifying. So it's to make sure that the the discussion will be in open but it's just to kind of approve the process of that you're going to have a process. >> Yeah. Okay. So >> perfect. Any other questions? >> Thank you for that. >> All right. Do I have a motion to approve the agenda? >> So moved. >> Is there a second? >> Support. >> All those in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? That motion passes. Just for record, >> Trusty Williamson and Trustee >> Williams or BHK >> boot. Thank you. >> Okay, we are starting off our meeting today. Um, moving into close session. Um, Secretary Kilpatrick, if you want to read us into close session, please.

004>> I will do that. All right. So I move that the board go into close session for the purpose of considering the written legal opinion of council to the board which opinion is exempted from disclosure under section 131G of the freedom of information act. This closed session is called pursuant to the open meetings act section 81H. >> Is there a second? >> Support treasure mod. Goodness. Give me a sheet. >> Mhm. >> Okay. And we'll go roll call. >> Roll call. Roll. >> All right. Trusty Buchek. >> Yes. >> Trustee Kilpatrick. Yes. Trustee Milton. Excuse. Treasurer Marino. >> Yes. >> VP Wade. >> Yes. >> Trustee Williams. >> Yes. >> Trustee Williamson. >> Yes. and President Rodriguez. >> Yes. >> All right. >> We will move. >> That motion passes. We will be going into

005close session. >> We are upstairs. like terrifying. Those are really clear directions. Hi, my name is Aaron Shadowins. I'm the principal at CA Frost Environmental Science Academy and Blandford School. >> Hello. >> Kids are really fun. They're really amazing. They have interesting, quirky views on the world. They had the best questions. I had so many teachers and adults who really poured into me, always saw the best in me and supported me. Originally, I thought I wanted to go to law school. Realizing that so much had been invested in me, and it was time for me to do something with everything that had been invested in me. I was a Teach for America Corps member in Detroit. Taught second and third graders and then I moved to Brooklyn, New York where I spent the next 10

006years teaching every grade K through three and then moving into administrative role. CA Frost and Blandford have an environmental science theme focused on getting the kids outdoors and learning and appreciating nature in our natural world. So many schools think that we either value the outdoors and play or we value academics and actually they're very much connected. Having a family of my own, I really wanted my son to have some of the core memories that I got to have growing up here. Michigan's a really special place and I'm really excited to live here again. You're doing the syllables in then tang. I want them to have a sense that they are seen for who they are, that they're appreciated for who they are, that they can be themselves, and that they belong here. Do you see

007what the mistake is in that one? We have really high expectations for them because we believe in them. The most important job in a school is being a teacher. Everything that you do as a leader needs to be around thinking how do I help my teachers be set up for success and do their jobs really really well. We want to make sure that any kid who comes to this school is going to be successful and be able to make choices in their life when they leave us. It's a privilege to have this role and to be able to work with our community's kids. I love coming to work every day. It's great. Looking for a way to get ahead and have a blast this summer? Sign up today for Ignite Summer Learning at GRPS. This

008is the ultimate summer experience where kids explore, learn, play, and grow together. From hands-on classroom learning to realworld experiences at places like the Kids Food Basket Farm and West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology, this sixeek program is designed for scholars kindergarten through 8ighth grade. Ignite your child's love for learning this summer. Sign up today at grps.org/summer. when she fashion. I feel like I would be upset. My favorite thing about CA Frost is the fact that it's so small. Everything is a tool and everything is super useful that I've learned here at Frost. It has done so much for me cuz I've been in a space where I can be myself. I've done so many cool things while here at Frost. I started two businesses. Frosty Coffee. We had like regular customers. We had ice

009coffee, hot coffee. That class taught me the most about like running a business and just life because we had to work with students that I had never interacted with. Math professor is one of my routes that I would go. I also would love to keep going with the horse business. That has been super fun. I have so much art just around my life. It would be really cool to go to school for art. I never thought that I could be a 4.0 student. and being here, it's been able to push me to be able to do that. I'm very excited to graduate and I'm very sad because I like this place so much. My name is Ella Bywalter, class of 2026 at CA Frost Middle High School. There's only like 200 people at Heat. Heat.

010How should I write what I want to say? I like that. We are here at City High Middle School to honor the state band teacher of the year, Mr. Matthew Palmary. And I have senior Josiah, who is one of his band students. What makes Mr. Palmary such a special teacher >> in class? He's very energetic. I can really feel the passion he has for the band. If I have an issue with my instrument, I'll come to him. He'll he'll help me out. You have a teacher who not only loves his craft, but cares about his students and makes sure that he gives you tips. >> Should we go surprise him? >> All right, let's go. >> We have a coffee mug for you as well as a $50 gift card to Lucy's, which is a

011restaurant right across the street. Thank you so much for the work that you do. We continue to lift you up and are so glad that you have made GRPS your choice. Congratulations, I hope something last. >> Oh, yeah. rolling. I notic, but I still think about skate and ice skate. >> Hi, I'm Dan Morse and I'm the principal at North Park Monasuri and Wellerwood Early Childhood Center. >> Nice. pool can be such a sanctuary for young people. I know it was certainly for me somewhere that I've always felt like I belonged and I wanted to make sure that all of our scholars here at North Park feel that way. My mom graduated from Union 1969. She taught at the Shauny Park Oral Deaf program for about 30 years. I graduated high school 2006, same year

012my mom retired, attended Central Michigan University and returned in 2011. Taught social studies my first year at Crestston High School. taught at Innovation Central High School for about seven or eight years, three years as assistant principal at Grand Rapids Monastery. This is absolutely home for me. So, my wife is also an educator. She teaches at Ottawa Hills High School. We live a few minutes from there. My daughter's 2 and a half and she certainly will be a Grand Public School student as well. I went through a monastery school since I was 3 through 6th grade before attending City High. I really fell in love with education when I got to select what I was studying. And I want to give those same opportunities that I was given and that I was able to have within

013my schools to the scholars that we serve now today. I hope that they can see my smiling face, can see my enthusiasm for the day. Each morning, I like to greet them outside the cafeteria doors, making sure that everybody is going to have a good morning. here at North Park, whether it's myself or our future leaders, that we are truly pushing for an inclusive but rigorous environment for our um scholars, a place where people can come together to learn highquality education and just feel comfortable being themselves. I am blessed to work with just fantastic staff here and work with fantastic families that support the school because you know it's cliche to say that it takes a village to raise a child but the more experience I have with an education the more I understand why

014that became a cliche because it is so true. >> I think we're just very blessed here to have that village truly wrapping their arms around scholars here at North Park. I've been at Grandus Monasuri my whole K through 12 career. here. I had a very busy high school schedule with JRTC being vice president for student council. Being ahead for be nice and dual enrollment, it's preparing me very well for the future. The hands-on work has drive me to have a stronger work ethic outside of school and uh has influenced the way I am as a person. It's been great. It's been a fun year. a fun little era of my life that I'm ready to kind of close and step out into a new one. I do want to go to college. I'm not sure

015where at the moment. I want to be a zoologologist, but I've connected a a lot with the faculty and a lot of the people here. Thank you for making me me and making me a better version of myself every year. I am Matthew Beer, class of 2026 at Grabs Monastery. deleted. She had too many tears. I don't know. I actually kind of don't want to see. I don't like hearing my face. We are in a great place in Ottawa Hills to build to restore pride. My football journey has been very important to me, very impactful in my life and it's made me who I am today. I ended up playing 78ers for Ottawa Hills in the eighth grade. came to Ottawa, played a couple games at JV and then got moved up to varsity as

016a freshman and uh never looked back from there. Football was everything for me. It changed my life in high school. Graduating from Ottawa, going to play college football for a year. When I came home, the first thing I did was partner up with my defensive coordinator from high school as he became the head coach at Crescent. Then I ended up coming back to Ottawa, known under coach Ruffin for a few years. Bounced around a little bit after that. It was a very overwhelming feeling when they told me that they wanted me to become the football coach here. It's a dream, a passion, a desire for mine to help these young men in our community. I tell everybody the same thing. You want to play for me, I got a spot for you. We hope to

017run an uptempo, fast-paced offense. Let them make plays. You know, we want to put our kids in positions to succeed. >> It's going to be tough. It's going to be difficult. But as long as you put the effort in, I'm going to put the effort in for you as well. >> On three. 1 2 3. There's studies out that show having a great football program drives your academics. I think a lot of our kids want to be a part of something. We have to develop a foundation and a culture here that kids want to be a part of. I have long-term relationships with my high school coaches. Those are the types of relationships I want to establish here with the kids that play under me. It's not an overnight process that we thinking about. We're

018thinking about the long term, not the short term. It's a cultural change that's happening here. It's changing the face of what we do. Like when you look at us, you want to see Ottawa Hills. I want to get started. I want to get going. I'm eager. I'm excited to get the process rolling. >> I am James Jones, the head football coach, the Ottawa Hills Bengals. You guys and then we could have found a way to go. Those are really clear directions. Hi, my name's Aaron Shadowins. I'm the principal at CA Frost Environmental Science Academy and Blandford School. >> Why? >> Kids are really fun. They're really amazing. They have interesting, quirky views on the world. They have the best questions. I had so many teachers and adults who really poured into me, always saw the

019best in me and supported me. Originally, I thought I wanted to go to law school, realizing that so much had been invested in me, and it was time for me to do something with everything that had been invested in me. I was a teach for America core member in Detroit. Taught second and third graders and then I moved to Brooklyn, New York where I spent the next 10 years teaching every grade K through three and then moving into administrative role. CA Fro Frost and Blandford have an environmental science theme focused on getting the kids outdoors and learning and appreciating nature in our natural world. So many schools think that we either value the outdoors and play or we value academics and actually they're very much connected. Having a family of my own, I really wanted

020my son to have some of the core memories that I got to have growing up here. Michigan's a really special place and I'm really excited to live here again. You're doing the syllables in then tank. I want them to have a sense that they are seen for who they are, that they're appreciated for who they are, that they can be themselves, and that they belong here. Do you see what the mistake is in that one? We have really high expectations for them because we believe in them. The most important job in a school is being a teacher. Everything that you do as a leader needs to be around thinking, how do I help my teachers be set up for success and do their jobs really, really well. We want to make sure that any kid

021who comes to this school is going to be successful and be able to make choices in their life when they leave us. It's a privilege to have this role and to be able to work with our community's kids. I love coming to work every day. It's great. I need to get paid for this. Looking for a way to get ahead and have a blast this summer? Sign up today for Ignite Summer Learning at GRPS. This is the ultimate summer experience where kids explore, learn, play, and grow together. From hands-on classroom learnings to realworld experiences at places like the kids food basket farm and West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology, this six week program is designed for scholars kindergarten through 8th grade. Ignite your child's love for learning this summer. Sign up today at grps.org/summer.

022My favorite thing about CA Frost is the fact that it's so small. Everything is a tool and everything is super useful that I've learned here at Frost. It has done so much for me cuz I've been in a space where I can be myself. I've done so many cool things while here at Frost. I started two businesses. Frosty Coffee, we had like regular customers. We had ice coffee, hot coffee. That class taught me the most about like running a business and just life cuz we had to work with students that I had never interacted with. math professor is one of my routes that I would go. I also would love to keep going with the horse business. That has been super fun. I have so much art just around my life. It would be really

023cool to go to school for art. I never thought that I could be a 4.0 student and being here, it's been able to push me to be able to do that. I'm very excited to graduate and I'm very sad cuz I like this place so much. My name is El Balter, class of 2026 at CA Frost Middle High School. Heat. Heat. We are here at City High Middle School to honor the state band teacher of the here, Mr. Matthew Palmary. And I have senior Josiah, who is one of his band students. What makes Mr. Palmary such a special teacher >> in class? He's very energetic. I can really feel the passion he has for the band. If I have an issue with my instrument, I'll come to him. He'll he'll he'll help me out. >>

024You have a teacher who not only loves his craft, but cares about his students and makes sure that he gives you tips. >> Should we go surprise him? Yes. >> All right, let's go. We have a coffee mug for you as well as a $50 gift card to Lucy's, which is a restaurant right across the street. Thank you so much for the work that you do. We continue to lift you up and are so glad that you have made GRPS your choice. Congratulations. Hi, I'm Dan Morse and I'm the principal at North Park Monasuri and Wellerwood Early Childhood Center. >> Nice. >> School can be such a sanctuary for young people. I know it was certainly for me somewhere that I've always felt like I belonged and I wanted to make sure that all of

025our scholars here at North Park feel that way. My mom graduated from Union 1969. She taught at the Shauny Park oral Deaf Program for about 30 years. I graduated high school 2006, same year my mom retired. Attended Central Michigan University and returned in 2011. Taught social studies my first year at Crestston High School. taught at Innovation Central High School for about seven or eight years, three years as assistant principal at Grand Rapids Monastery. This is absolutely home for me. So, my wife is also an educator. She teaches at Ottawa Hills High School. We live a few minutes from there. My daughter's 2 and a half and she certainly will be a Grand Rap public school student as well. I went through a monastery school since I was 3 through 6th grade before attending City High.

026I really fell in love with education when I got to select what I was studying. And I want to give those same opportunities that I was given and that I was able to have within my schools to the scholars that we serve. Now today, I hope that they can see my smiling face, can see my enthusiasm for the day. Each morning, I like to greet them outside the cafeteria doors, making sure that everybody's going to have a good morning. here at North Park, whether it's myself or or future leaders, that we are truly pushing for an inclusive but rigorous environment for our um scholars, a place where people can come together to learn highquality education and just feel comfortable being themselves. I am blessed to work with just fantastic staff here and work with fantastic

027families that support the school because you know it's cliche to say that it takes a village to raise a child but the more experience I have with an education the more I understand why that became a cliche because it is so true. I think we're just very blessed here to have that village truly wrapping their arms around scholars here at North Park. I've been at Grand Rapids Monosuri my whole K through 12 career. I had a very busy high school schedule with JRTC being vice president for student council being a head for be nice and dual enrollment. It's preparing me very well for the future. The hands-on work has dried me to have a stronger work ethic outside of school and uh has influenced the way I am as a person. It's been great. It's

028been a fun year. Uh fun little era of my life that I'm ready to kind of close and step out into a new one. I do want to go to college. I'm not sure where at the moment. I want to be a zoologologist, but I've connected a a lot with the faculty and a lot of the people here. Thank you for making me me and making me a better version of myself every year. I am Matthew Beer, class of 2026 at Graham. It's Monasuri. We are in a great place at Ottawa Hills to build to restore pride. My football journey has been very important to me, very impactful in my life, and it's made me who I am today. I ended up playing 78ers for Ottawa Hills in the 8th grade, came to Ottawa, played

029a couple games at JV, and then got moved up to varsity as a freshman, and uh never looked back from there. Football was everything for me. It changed my life in high school, graduating from Ottawa, going to play college football for a year. When I came home, the first thing I did was partner up with my defensive coordinator from high school as he became the head coach at Crescent. Then I ended up coming back to Ottawa. Known coach Ruffin for a few years. Bounced around a little bit after that. It was a very overwhelming feeling when they told me that they wanted me to become the football coach here. It's a dream, a passion, a desire for mine to help these young men in our community. I tell everybody the same thing. You want to

030play for me? I got a spot for you. We hope to run an uptempo, fast-paced offense. Let them make plays. You know, we want to put our kids in positions to succeed. >> It's going to be tough. It's going to be difficult, but as long as you put the effort in, I'm going to put the effort in for you as well. >> 3 1 2 3. >> There's studies out that show having a great football program drives your academics. I think a lot of our kids want to be a part of something. We have to develop a foundation and a culture here that kids want to be a part of. I have long-term relationships with my high school coaches. Those are the types of relationships I want to establish here with the kids that play

031under me. It's not an overnight process that we're thinking about. We're thinking about the long term, not the short term. It's a culture change that's happening here. It's changing the face of what we do. Like when you look at us, you want to see Ottawa Hills. I want to get started. I want to get going. I'm eager. I'm excited to get the process rolling. I am James Jones, the head football coach, the Ottawa Hills Bengals. Those were really clear directions. Hi, my name's Aaron Shadowins. I'm the principal at CA Frost Environmental Science Academy and Blandford School. >> A lie. >> Kids are really fun. They're really amazing. They have interesting, quirky views on the world. They have the best questions. I had so many teachers and adults who really poured into me, always saw the

032best in me and supported me. Originally, I thought I wanted to go to law school. Realizing that so much had been invested in me, and it was time for me to do something with everything that had been invested in me. I was a Teach for America Corps member in Detroit, taught second and third graders, and then I moved to Brooklyn, New York, where I spent the next 10 years teaching every grade K through three and then moving into administrative role. CA Frost and Blandford have an environmental science theme focused on getting the kids outdoors and learning and appreciating nature in our natural world. So many schools think that we either value the outdoors and play or we value academics and actually they're very much connected. Having a family of my own, I really wanted my

033son to have some of the core memories that I got to have growing up here. Michigan's a really special place and I'm really excited to live here again. You're doing the syllables in then ting. I want them to have a sense that they are seen for who they are, that they're appreciated for who they are, that they can be themselves, and that they belong here. Do you see what the mistake is in that one? We have really high expectations for them because we believe in them. The most important job in a school is being a teacher. Everything that you do as a leader needs to be around thinking how do I help my teachers be set up for success and do their jobs really really well. We want to make sure that any kid who

034comes to this school is going to be successful and be able to make choices in their life when they leave us. It's a privilege to have this role and to be able to work with our community's kids. I love coming to work every day. It's great. Looking for a way to get ahead and have a blast this summer? Sign up today for Ignite Summer Learning at GRPS. This is the ultimate summer experience where kids explore, learn, play, and grow together. From hands-on classroom learning to realworld experiences at places like the Kids Food Basket Farm and West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology. This sixeek program is designed for scholars kindergarten through 8th grade. Ignite your child's love for learning this summer. Sign up today at grps.org/summer. My favorite thing about CA Frost is the fact

035that it's so small. Everything is a tool and everything is super useful that I've learned here at Frost. It has done so much for me because I've been in a space where I can be myself. I've done so many cool things while here at Frost. I started two businesses. Frosty coffee. We had like regular customers. We had ice coffee, hot coffee. That class taught me the most about like running a business and just life cuz we had to work with students that I had never interacted with. math professor is one of my routes that I would go. I also would love to keep going with the horse business. That has been super fun. I have so much art just around my life. It would be really cool to go to school for art. I never

036thought that I could be a 4.0 student and being here, it's been able to push me to be able to do that. I'm very excited to graduate and I'm very sad cuz I like this place so much. My name is El Balther, class of 2026 at CA Frost Middle High School. Are you ready? Heat. We are here at City High Middle School to honor the state band teacher of the year, Mr. Matthew Palm Mary. And I have senior Josiah who is one of his band students. What makes Mr. Palmary such a special teacher >> in class? He's very energetic. I can really feel the passion he has for the band. If I have an issue with my instrument, I'll come to him. He'll he'll you know, help me out. >> You have a teacher who

037not only loves his craft, but cares about his students and makes sure that he gives you tips. >> Should we go surprise him? >> Yes. >> All right, let's go. We have a coffee mug for you as well as a $50 gift card to Lucy's, which is a restaurant right across the street. Thank you so much for the work that you do. We continue to lift you up and are so glad that you have made GRPS your choice. Congratulations. Hi, I'm Dan Morse and I'm the principal at North Park Monasuri and Wellerwood Early Childhood Center. >> Nice. >> School can be such a sanctuary for young people. I know it was certainly for me somewhere that I've always felt like I belonged and I wanted to make sure that all of our scholars here at

038North Park feel that way. My mom graduated from Union 1969. She taught at the Shaunie Park oral Deaf Program for about 30 years. I graduated high school 2006, same year my mom retired. Attended Central Michigan University and returned in 2011. Taught social studies my first year at Crestston High School. taught at Innovation Central High School for about seven or eight years, three years as assistant principal at Grand Rapids Monastery. This is absolutely home for me. So, my wife is also an educator. She teaches at Ottawa Hills High School. We live a few minutes from there. My daughter's 2 and a half and she certainly will be a Grand Rap public school student as well. I went through a monastery school since I was 3 through 6th grade before attending City High. I really fell in

039love with education when I got to select what I was studying. And I want to give those same opportunities that I was given and that I was able to have within my schools to the scholars that we serve now today. I hope that they can see my smiling face, can see my enthusiasm for the day. Each morning, I like to greet them outside the cafeteria doors, making sure that everybody is going to have a good morning. here at North Park, whether it's myself or our future leaders, that we are truly pushing for an inclusive but rigorous environment for our um scholars, a place where people can come together to learn highquality education and just feel comfortable being themselves. I am blessed to work with just fantastic staff here and work with fantastic families that support

040the school because you know it's cliche to say that it takes a village to raise a child but the more experience I have with an education the more I understand why that became a cliche because it is so true. I think we're just very blessed here to have that village truly wrapping their arms around scholars here at North Park. You can't I've been at Grand Rapids Monaster K through 12 career. I had a very busy high school schedule with JRTC being vice president for student council, being a head for be nice and dual enrollment. It's preparing me very well for the future. The hands-on work has dried me to have a stronger work ethic outside of school and uh has influenced the way I am as a person. It's been great. It's been a fun

041year. Uh fun little era of my life that I'm ready to kind of close and step out into a new one. I do want to go to college. I'm not sure where at the moment. I want to be a zoologologist, but I've connected a a lot with the faculty and a lot of the people here. Thank you for making me me and making me a better version of myself every year. I am Matthew Beer, class of 2026 at Grabs Monosur. We are in a great place of Ottawa Hills to failed to restore pride. My football journey has been very important to me, very impactful in my life, and it's made me who I am today. I ended up playing 78ers for Ottawa Hills in the eighth grade, came to Ottawa, played a couple games at

042JV, and then got moved up to varsity as a freshman, and uh never looked back from there. Football was everything for me. It changed my life in high school, graduating from Ottawa, going to play college football for a year. When I came home, the first thing I did was partner up with my defensive coordinator from high school as he became the head coach at Crescent. Then I ended up coming back to Ottawa, you know, under coach Ruffin for a few years. Bounced around a little bit after that. It was a very overwhelming feeling when they told me that they wanted me to become the football coach here. It's a dream, a passion, a desire for mine to help these young men in our community. I tell everybody the same thing. You want to play for

043me? I got a spot for you. We hope to run an uptempo, fast-paced offense. Let them make plays. You know, we want to put our kids in positions to succeed. >> It's going to be tough. It's going to be difficult, but as long as you put the effort in, I'm going to put the effort in for you as well. >> Three. 1 2 3. >> There's studies out that show having a great football program drives your academics. I think a lot of our kids want to be a part of something. We have to develop a foundation and a culture here that kids want to be a part of. I have long-term relationships with my high school coaches. Those are the types of relationships I want to establish here with the kids that play under me.

044It's not an overnight process that we're thinking about. We're thinking about the long term, not the short term. It's a culture change that's happening here. It's changing the face of what we do. Like when you look at us, you want to see Ottawa Hills. I want to get started. I want to get going. I'm eager. I'm excited to get the process rolling. I am James Jones, the head football coach, the Ottawa Hills Bengals. Those were really clear directions. Hi, my name's Aaron Shadowins. I'm the principal at CA Frost Environmental Science Academy and Blandford School. >> Why? >> Kids are really fun. They're really amazing. They have interesting, quirky views on the world. They have the best questions. I had so many teachers and adults who really poured into me, always saw the best in me

045and supported me. Originally, I thought I wanted to go to law school. Realizing that so much had been invested in me, and it was time for me to do something with everything that had been invested in me. I was a Teach for America core member in Detroit, taught second and third graders, and then I moved to Brooklyn, New York, where I spent the next 10 years teaching every grade K through three and then moving into administrative role. CA, Frost, and Blandford have an environmental science theme focused on getting the kids outdoors and learning and appreciating nature in our natural world. So many schools think that we either value the outdoors and >> Oh, wow. I can't see if he texted Let's hope he is here. I don't know where. >> It's hard to see. >>

046Got Richard. >> All right, we ready. >> All right, folks. Thank you for being patient with us as we took care of some uh business. We are moving back into our meeting now. Moving on to celebrations. Um and I will hand it off to Superintendent Roby. >> So good evening everyone. We are going to begin our first celebration with a outgoing um board member. If Mr. Aric Davis is um available. If you will come up to the the podium, please fine. Craig's coming down. Um, thank you all for this uh for this moment to share some words. Um, I come to you tonight filled with gratitude. I will forever be thankful for a community that entrusted me to serve in the very place that helped raise me. Uh the foundation that I received as a

047student in Grand Rapids public schools taught me to dream big. The same that same aspiration now leads me to a new adventure and a new place. Um, thank you for extending your grace and your understanding as I make uh this lifechanging decision. I am deeply proud of what I accomplished or what we accomplished as board colleagues in the last year including the historic investment made um in our educators. I am. The past year has given me a front row seat to the incredible work that our district does deeper than I had ever imagined. And every day scholars, staff are showing what is possible when high expectations are matched with opportunity and support. When I campaigned um to sit on the board, I shared that my priority was to encourage thoughtful and inclusive leadership. I have

048appreciated the guidance from our visionary superintendent, Dr. Roi, whose leadership through the strategic plan and reimagine initiatives is helping shape a better future for all. Thank you. The work being done today will be felt for generations to come. As I step away, my ask is simple. Continue to support our scholars, our staff, and our leadership. Thank you for the trust placed in me, for the opportunity to serve the community that will always be my home. And I did that without crying. So, thank you. >> Thank you, Ar. And Mr. Davis, if you would come up here to be recognized with our this board service award. And I think we would all love to have one last photo with you up here on stage. And thank you for your service. Get a little closer. You like

049that? Our next um celebration, I'm going to invite Mr. Mel Atkins to come forward and he will speak about the Martin Luther King social justice contest winners and video. So, Mr. Atkins, come on down or come on up. Good evening, President Rodriguez, Superintendent Roby, and members of the board. Again, my name is Mel Atkins. I am the executive director of community student affairs. Have the pleasure today of introducing you to um Tari MSAS. Um she is the program coordinator for the department of opportunity, engagement, and innovation. and she's going to talk about the MLK junior um contest. >> Thank you. Good evening, Dr. Roby, President Rodriguez, and GRPS board members. Thank you for the opportunity to celebrate our scholars this evening. I am Tari MSAS. I'm the program coordinator for the Department of Opportunity, Engagement,

050and Innovation for Gapas Public Schools. As we celebrate our 21st year, we thank Warner Norcross Jud for sponsoring this contest in years past and for continuing to partner with us, sorry, in the future. We are also grateful to Safeworker PR, the sole sponsor for this year's contest and look forward to continued collaboration ahead. Much thanks as well to Broadway GR Grand Rapids Public Museum for their continued support and generosity. Thanks to them, each of our winners will receive two tickets to the Lion King, a family membership to the Grand Rap Museum. In addition, our first place winners got an Apple um iPad. Second place winner, an Amazon Fire tablet, and the third place winner got JDL wireless headphones. OEI and our community judges would like to express how impressed we are with our scholars for

051their thoughtfulness, brilliance, and dedication to social justice. Congratulations to our winners. First place, Lyanna Anderson, North Park Monastery. Second place, Mayan Welch from Grand Rapids Monastery. And third place, Rose Ward Monasuri. Let's hear from our scholars. We have a short video for you. To me, Dr. King's words are not just words. They are dreams he wanted. A dream I still want. He really changed people's thoughts about how they think about black people. >> He wanted everybody to speak out for what they believed in and he wanted everybody to be treated equally. >> He faced so much racism for his words. But even when his enemies did not like his words and his dreams to me, Dr. King's words are not just words. They are dreams he wanted. A dream I still want. He really changed

052people's thoughts about how they think about black people. >> He wanted everybody to speak out for what they believed in and he wanted everybody to be treated equally. >> He faced so much racism for his words, but even when his enemies did not like his words and his dreams, he still loved everyone equally and fairly. >> The MLK Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. Social Justice Contest has existed for over 20 years to allow our scholars the ability to use all of the different mediums available to them to express themselves. We had nine schools participate from across the district with 183 submissions. >> I was pretty nervous, but as I was doing it, it got easier and I was getting pretty excited about it. >> I had like a hundred thoughts. I didn't really know what

053I was going to do. The theme of my poem was like kind of about like racism and stuff. I did an essay about problems of white privilege. White privilege is something that I've been noticing more and something that's really stood out to me. Our world has so many problems, but every person has the power to solve them. Even at the age of 11 years old, I'm still noticing things that I know are wrong. Problem I see is how someone who is white has more privileges than someone of a different skin color. Examples of white privilege are everywhere. When I was in third grade, I noticed that a black person in my class had a bandage on that did not match their skin color. It was made to match the skin of someone white. we can

054all make a difference and I really want people to just know like talking about problems and acknowledging them like helps them put put a stop to it. >> I am really proud that I got to make a sculpture. I was really picky about the details I did. I'm just really happy that I got to do this project cuz it really gave me a great opportunity to get to know Martin Luther King more. I really hope they just see the inspiration of how just cuz Martin Luther King is gone, that doesn't mean his legacy is. I do understand, but I I don't feel like I understand that much like Martin Luther King did and stuff, but I feel like I understand that much to write a poem about it. We want We want to be confident

055like my mom teaching herself to make bread, like my sister learning to make gravy. We want to feel safe like my dog when he stops me and my sisters from horse playing. like my dad when he spends time with me. We don't want to feel scared like when I see things at night that aren't there. We want to be treated like anybody else. Like when Briana Taylor was trying to sleep in her bed. We want freedom. like when I hope they think about how like how messed up it is to treat somebody differently just because of their skin tone or how they like pronounce themsel because if people read or see art that actually expresses that then people might think h well these kids are changing so why shouldn't we always amazes me is what

056our scholars come out with you think sixth graders don't know or don't see and they see very deeply. >> This has like made me want to kind of make a change in the community. >> Social justice is something that we can't explain cuz we haven't done it yet. But I hope one day we can succeed. Dr. King will want that. We're still hearing his voice and calling it out. And once the scholars do the research, you can see through some of their work, they're like, "Oh my gosh, here's this amazing human who started this movement and it continues on today." If people don't learn that we shouldn't treat people differently, then how are we going to change and make the world better? Congratulations winners. This year we received 183 submissions and in addition to the

057three in addition to the three winners, we have over 40 honorable mention students. The honorable mention scholars were awarded with a certificate, a commemorative poster and honor course for their courage, compassion and leadership. We had scholars participate from nine schools in the district. Aberdine Frost Center for Economic Ecology lots from there. Grand Rapids Monastery, Harrison, North Park Monastery, Ridgemore Park, Riverside, and Up Prep. In celebration of Black History Month, we invite you all to visit the MLK Junior Social Justice Exhibit at the Grand Elvis Public Museum where our powerful work of all of our winners and scholars and honorable mention students are on display. If there are any scholars and their families that are in the audience, will you please stand? I want to say a quick thank you. Thank you to our amazing scholars

058who participated in the contest. Your effort, creativity, and courage truly shine. The honor cords and poster colors tell your story. The words integrity, courage, compassion, serving boldly, and leading bravely reflect the powerful values that you already carry within you. Purple represents justice and standing up for what's right. Green represents faith, growth, and believing in your future. And gold represents optimism, excellence, and the light you bring to others. Together, they stand for justice, equality, and hope for all people. Keep growing, keep believing, keep leading boldly. We are all so proud of you. Thank you again. >> Thank you, Lord, for allowing us this time. >> Thank you. Thank you so much and congratulations again to those scholars that were recognized tonight. I know that our board members will do their best to make sure we go

059check out that exhibit. So, thank you so much. Next, we are moving on to our uh scholar representatives report. We will start with uh Miss Fitzpatrick if you would like to provide us with your report this evening. >> Yes. Um I just want to report out on a lot of the student leadership I see going on um in my school. So I'll say this month um a couple things we have coming up for student council at my school is a black history museum that is for students to see but also led by students and an idea of the students. And then I'm seeing a lot of my peers taking leadership with fundraising for students so that they can have uh memorable proms and memorable experiences. And then really notably, we are getting started with our

060second annual theater um program and we're going to do a musical which is Beetlejuice if any of you guys know it. Um so that'll be later in the year. Uh but if you want to come see it, I think that would be really good. And as for Superintendent Scholar Advisory Council, we recently went to Kids Food Basket to volunteer. We helped package lunches. They're a really good organization. They send out nearly 10,000 lunches per day to um help feed kids across Grand Rapids. So, that was really important for us to um learn what it means to serve the community and motivate us to like keep doing that even after high school. >> Thank you so much. Next we've got our scholar representative, Miss Martinez. Aion. >> Um, so currently our student advisory council is um

061well, sorry. So our um student council at our school is having like a pop can drive. It's like a competition through the grades to be able to raise money for future like events and plans. And our diversity union is working on our like mini coffee shop in order to get some money for our upcoming event for Black History Month. And then um me and Aliyah are excited for upcoming event with the rest of our super um attendant scholar council. >> All right, thank you both so much. >> Uh next we are moving into our secretar's report. >> Just a few things to report here. We have a finance committee coming up um February 23rd at 4:30 at GRPS University. And then our next ad hoc facilities committee, it committee meeting is scheduled for March 9th

062uh right here at Ottawa Hills. That'll be at 5:00 p.m. >> Thank you so much. Um and then finally, we um and I I realize I did not give a uh time frame for which we are collecting uh public comment cards. Um, I would hope to have them all collected after our committee chair reports. Um, and so please, if you do have any last minute comment cards, please uh get those to our executive assistant, Miss Anderson, so she can get those up here. Um, so now we're moving on to our committee chair reports. First, finance committee. Uh, a lot of the things I'm uplifting today are items that we'll be voting on uh, in our agenda. Um, but I just want to highlight um, our purchasing agenda. Uh, there's a lot of like partnership dollars

063uh, that of course we've seen them come do public comment and so just kind of uplifting those and that consistency. Um, also in the purchasing agenda are the five bond projects that are kind of slated in this next round. Uh and then the budget amendment one adjustments. Um we are following some of the food uh services dollars that again they did increase and so we're just going to keeping an eye on those. Um I I think as I've been like working on like what kind of items am I going to be updating? I'll probably send an email out uh to learn from each of you. You know what what do you want to see from finances especially in these updates. So please be on the lookout for that. Uh also hopefully in uh our superintendent

064bi-weekly note uh coming note there'll be something from finance. Uh Miss Cripps did share a presentation around student enrollment trends uh at a state level and so you know continuing getting and uplifting that information. Colleagues, is there any questions or comments? Okay, seeing none, we are moving on to our ad hocs ad hoc facilities committee update. >> Yes, thank you. Um, ad hoc facilities met today. Um, we discussed updates with Ken O'Shea. Um, the construction that's going to be coming up this summer, which uh we're very excited about as we move through our facilities plan. Um, I know that team is going to have some updates with some other projects for us later. We also had a discussion um an update with the uh community feedback sessions that we held for Alexander and stocking and

065we had a I was you know privileged to be able to attend two of them. I know some other board colleagues you you also attended um and we got a lot of really great feedback that's now incorporated into the RFP the request uh for proposal as um you know different potential partners and whatnot uh look at uh at those properties and start submitting um couple things to highlight with that. uh some of the feedback um the three top items of feedback for stocking Ann Alexander focused around housing um green space and outdoor amenities as well as uh a community center or hub or shared space um and then just looking forward to that we're going to be accepting those requests for proposal until April 1st when they'll close and then uh us as a well

066us as a committee and then us as a board of course will have a lot of work to do in evaluating those. Um, beyond that, we also had a discussion, a really good discussion around um, some of our vacant properties. Well, when we I say vacant, uh, properties that don't have schools in them right now. Um, some of them we have leases out to. Some of them we have, uh, you know, district programs that don't have students in them, but they're using those spaces. And just as we're moving forward with these properties, um, whatever we end up doing with them, making sure, uh, we're maintaining those relationships and working in collaboration. And that's all I had. >> Thank you for that update. Colleagues, is there any questions or comments on the ad hoc facilities report?

067>> All right, seeing none, we are moving to our superintendent report. >> I'm going to invite Mr. Alex SM who is our executive director of facilities and operations. He's going to give a bond construction update. One of the things that we are trying to do is each quarter um to provide an update as to the ongoing projects that are taking place as well as what's on deck for the near future. Good evening everyone. It's good to see you. Um, President Rodriguez, board of trustees, uh, President Roby, we uh we have been uh, as you all know, very very busy uh, in the facilities getting these uh, projects uh, uh, rolling. So, um, we'll go through the slides. Please, at any time, as usual, let me know if you have any questions and I'll do my

068very best to provide that uh, uh, the answers. Um what uh what we're doing today is uh I was trying to put together some of the projects that have some commonality so that way they they the report that can be more succinct. Um and these are projects that I brought uh to you before. Uh we have Kent Hills, Dickinson and Scissor Chavez. Um all three projects uh we started them last year. Uh this is going to be summer number two. So, which is phase number two um for uh each individual project. Just a quick little recap. Ken Hills uh is uh interior renovation work uh electrical upgrades uh some uh toilet room upgrades. Uh Dickensson and Chavez have a HVAC component uh which is uh definitely uh needed and some uh carpeting. Uh so we're

069going to uh uh continue that work and uh the target time of completion is August one and that will be the final phase on all three projects. Uh so far everything's going on on schedule uh and within budget. Uh next projects um we we have the Northeast Elementary. Uh we're very excited that uh work is taking place. Uh sometimes it's remarkable to see our construction crews out throughout the city working in this really really cold winter. Uh we're always running inside and uh these workers are on the outside uh working. So we uh we have seen progress. Uh the foundation work is about 80% complete. Uh we're doing some uh drainage uh around the foundations and uh masonry work was going to start this week at some point. um completion date June 2027. Uh as

070of right now, we are don't have any schedule issues. We're within schedule and within budget. Uh Innovation Central High School Auditorium. Uh this one has given me some some more gray hair uh when it comes to to trying to get some of the uh uh rigging equipment uh delivered in time. uh but we're we're holding um and uh with with the schedule and uh including testing uh and the systems you know the auditorium will be available in April. Uh I know that uh we're pushing for most of the construction work to be done now in February early March but then it's going to take some time for testing and adjusting make sure that everything is working properly. What you see right there are the brand new seats that are being installed. This is up in

071the balcony. Uh it's looking great. Uh I cannot wait to uh to have you guys come over and take a look at what a wonderful space that's going to end up being. Um next uh uh two projects that we have here. These are um um significant uh Ottawa High School right here where we are. Uh this one project is um divided into a few different uh uh tasks and uh let me go through my notes here for a moment. Um so initially we had three four different projects that we were planning on doing but internally we started looking at there was uh some benefits on combining them uh when it comes to you know savings. we were able to um to use one CM and begin to do the projects together. So uh we have

072the middle school project which uh already started. We have demolition going on. Uh and um we will be completing on that one August Tuan to receive our students from Ager. That was the goal. Uh but then we also have this auditorium uh which is another component uh of the project. And this one is going to be going on a little bit further know more delayed and around October is when we're hoping to be completed here. Um then we have the pool swimming pool renovation work. Um that one we're working with the athletic teams uh you know to make sure that we can figure out how the schedule is going to work. Uh and we are also going to take the opportunity to do the football field and track uh for practice. Uh so uh and

073that one is going to run all the way from spring of 26 to spring of 27. Um so that that's the complexity of Ottawa. So you will be hearing from me on future reports on how that project is going. Um, Alger is um a project that uh um is um going to include some preK toilet room uh additions to receive uh students from Brookside. And it's going to have interior flooring uh painting uh lighting upgrades. Um we're adding two new playgrounds, one for preK, one for 512. And uh we're hoping to start construction in June 26 and we should be done by April 22nd. >> Mr. Smart, I just want to clarify. One for preK and one for K5. You said 512. >> Oh. Oh, I'm sorry. 512 is the age groups. Thank you for

074for asking. So, so yeah. Yeah. So, pre preK the rules are different >> because of of the age and the size of the kids. So, the playground equipment is a little bit different. Uh so that one is separate so that way they can safely play and and then 512 is the age group but it's actually for the rest of the elementary school. Uh but but thank you for catching that Kenosha. Um um Trusty uh Williamson gave a pretty good uh synopsis of what we talked about earlier today. Uh but uh we received bids uh on this project. Uh the bids were in our favor. Uh we are within uh within budget. Uh I'll be honest, I was a little nervous on that one. Uh but uh we worked together with our CM team and uh

075and our partners from planaran and we got the project with the budget. Uh we are right now going through the process of evaluating the bids. Uh and our hope is to submit this to finance at the end of the month uh for consideration and if it's approved by finance then we'll bring it to you for next next uh month's uh meeting and uh we're hoping to uh get the project completed by May 2027. Um you have previously approved the demolition package so that work has started. So we already started doing some of the demolition work. uh the mon monatory programs we are continuing to do exploration work there. Uh we we we have some challenges obviously with w with with with budget and and the program needs. So uh we are right now working on

076trying to determine some other possibilities. uh once we get to those viable options, we will bring it to to you also to uh uh to have the feedback and and and and and approve or send us back to work more. So that that that's coming uh down the road. Um now the project that really I mentioned this before that makes me kind of nervous is the elevator upgrades. Um we have 26 elevators in 19 different buildings. Um and and here's the challenge that we have. All the work cannot be done in the summer. So, we're going to have to do some work during the school year. Uh and that's what makes me nervous. We have to we have to uh work really closely with food service uh special ed uh building administrators to make sure

077that we schedule this right and provide the necessary access to all the spaces. Um so, uh we have a lot of coordination to do. uh we're ready for that task and we'll get it done. Uh and we have until August 2028 to get this work done. Um and just to note this work is happening because it is a state mandate. It's a code mandate that we have to be completed by 2028. Um and uh the next group is a project that makes everybody smile which is the playgrounds. Uh we uh we're doing Ken Hills uh Chavis and MLK. Uh those are the targeted uh projects that we really are hoping to do this summer. Uh Jer Ford uh we're working on that one too, but that one is in partnership with the GRPS Foundation. Uh

078so it's connected to some uh uh donations and things of that nature. So I'm not 100% sure on the schedule yet. Um, but I will again bring that up to you and and share that with you as we uh we know more. And uh and I believe the next one here I I'm not going to say too much because uh Trustee uh Williamson gave a a wonderful res uh summary of what we talked about on this. Uh the one thing that I would add is that uh we have had some interested parties uh coming through the buildings last week. Uh so we uh we made a few trips to to let them in. Uh we're asking our partners from JL to keep track as to who they are so that way we kind of have

079an idea of who's looking at our buildings. So So more to come. We have a lot of uh work to do on this one too, but uh we're expecting to receive the proposal by April 1 and then we'll do the evaluations and have more conversations with you. And that concludes my presentation for today. If you have any questions, I'll do my best. >> Colleagues, go ahead. >> Really quick one. Um, you mentioned the um, athletic improvements here at Ottawa Hills. I think it was football field, track, and pool. Were those all going to take place, those improvements taking place this spring >> for all three? >> Well, uh, if we go back, the the the pool will be in the fall through the spring and then the athletic field will start in the in the

080spring. >> Okay. uh of this year and go through spring of 27. The reason for that is >> okay >> we have to use seed >> for the for the grass. We can't we can't afford this the the the s so that requires us to stay off the field for at least a year to let that grass establish. The meantime we're working with athletics and Mr. Johnson to to find areas other places in the district for the teams to practice. Uh we have plenty of places for them to practice. >> Okay. Thank you. Any other questions or comments? >> Thank you. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you so much. >> Thank you very much. >> All right. Next, we'll be moving into public comment. Uh, I will have Secretary Kilpatrick read us into public

081comment. >> Wait, are we doing three minutes? >> Okay. All right. So, welcome everybody. We ask that speakers who come up to the podium refrain from making abusive or disrespectful statements about board members, employees, volunteers, or contractors. Should you have a complaint about any of those listed above, you can utilize our um a process outlined in board policy 9450. We um invite you to address the board one at a time and you will be given two minutes tonight. Um, we do ask that you uh share your first name, your full name with us as you give your comment so that we can um include that in our official minutes. Board members, do not respond during public comment. However, all concerns will be forwarded to the appropriate parties. Um, and I do want to mention that

082uh we have a number of of the golden cards tonight. So that means uh student voices uh and a thick stack of other voices as well. Um it is not it's not lost on me that the thing that Americans fear the most is public speaking. So for you to put your name on one of these cards and come up and give public comment is a very big deal to us. We just want to thank you sincerely and let you know that um you're doing a brave act. So thank you for contributing tonight. Say two minutes. >> I do. Do you know how >> uh and we did you mention we're moving to two minutes? >> I did say I did say two minutes. >> If we could have Mr. uh Gare say >> uh if

083we could just have your assistance in changing this to two minutes. >> Our timer. Thank you. So as we wait for that, I will be inviting the first scholar to come speak. Um u may come up. Um and then uh on deck we have Maya Lobo. >> And Katchchi, could you could you pronounce your last name for me so I can get it correctly? >> Okuasi. >> All right. So give us one second, please. Thank you for your patience. Okay, I think that's could just over And if we have to if we have to move into a cell phone timer for the sake of time that will also be >> let's go down to one minute and call it good. >> Yep. >> Right. >> Okay. So >> no worries. Thank you >> everyone. I

084apologize. Please please be mindful of the time. We are going to do two minutes. Um so at one minute um >> at one minute that will be time. >> That will be your time. Thank you so much for your understanding. Okay you may go ahead. >> Thanks in >> um good evening. My name is Enchan Okawasi and I'm a city high student who is committed to fighting for the environment. Um last year I became a part of a national coalition through friends of the earth called the youth plant steering committee also known as YSC. YSC is a national youth program committed to advocating for environmental justice through activism and campaigning. Over the summer, me and eight other YSC students gathered at the DC Capitol to advocate for environmentally um forward bills like the Healthy Future

085Students in Earth Pilot Program Act, which is an act that promotes access to plant-based meals and non-dairy milk options in our nation schools. After this trip, I was inspired to take this work back to my own school district. This is why I believe we should introduce meatless Mondays into the GRPS meal plan. This is a once a week program where where only plant-based or vegetarian meals are served to the students. Unlike our menus now where vegetarian options are served on the side, on meatless Mondays, vegetarian/pant-based meals will be the main dish. With me today, I've brought another classmate, Maya Lobo, who will further discuss the importance of implementing a program like this at DRPS. Thank you. >> All right. Next up, we've got Maya Lobo. On deck, we've got Camir Brown. >> Good evening, everyone.

086My name is Maya Lobo. I'm a senior at City High Middle School and I am a social justice and climate justice activist. Today, I'm here to discuss making our school district a more eco-friendly place. In school, it is not uncommon for our meals to have some type of meat, whether that is chicken nuggets or ground beef. Meat is seen on almost always a student's plate. Unfortunately, meat consumption is severely hurting our planet. A study by MIT showed about one pound of beef emitted almost 60 times more carbon dioxide emissions than one pound of rice, corn, or wheat. Given this, imagine how many pounds of meat GRPS goes through each day. This is why with the meatless Monday, we can work towards making GRPS sustain sustainability goals. Meatless Mondays will cut down our district's daily carbon

087footprint by more than 40% and bring us one step closer into being a greener school district. Through plant-based lunch ideas like fur, tofu, teriyaki bowls, and soyo chili, meatless Mondays don't have to be a bland, unsavory day. They can be delicious school meals that simultaneously protect the planet. Thank you guys for your time. >> Thank you. >> All right, next we've have Camir Brown. On deck is Naia Brown. >> My name is Kamya Brown and I like to talk about my school. I would like to have a shop a shop in my school where our parents can buy things after school and we would like to have a bowling club and have paper to sign up. And we would like outside equipment so we can play and have bubble w. Thank you. Next we've got

088Naia Brown. On deck on deck is n. Okay, Miss Brown, the other Miss Brown student, please come up. Uh, you're on deck and then please pronounce your name once you get up here. I'm so sorry I can't read this. Thank you. Na, you may go ahead. >> Um, hi, my name is Na, mister. Sorry. >> And I go to Union High School and I wish there was more after school programs for young teens our age. And I think it will help us stay connected and more focused in our school environment. That's it. >> Thank you. Hi, my name is Nigeria Brown and I go to Sham Hills um elementary and I'm here because I want to um share my um my certificate and um I'm the student of the um of the monster. I made

089my I made me feel good and I'm I'm doing the month and I'm showing hope because um I made me feel good and I to get a certificate um and I can do hard things like um I believe in showing by believing that hard things can be I could do hard things by working hard in my class and the school and my I'm thankful for my school and I my teachers that help me do better and make me happy. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you, Niger. Next we have Mai >> Mari Thompson >> and on deck Janiah Hris Hello superintendent and school board members. My name is Michael Thompson. I attend Frost High School. I wanted to take this time to say that I wish that there were that were more programs in ST

090for black males like myself. I believe that I I believe that if I if someone that looked like me that I could relate to, it would help support me and some to talk to about things that will help me in school and in life. Please consider adding programs like this to our school. It is very much needed to thank you. >> Thank you so much, Janiah Hendris. And then on deck, we've got Lisa Lee. Hi, my name is Jia Hendricks. I go to Ottawa Hills High School. I wish my school I wish my school was more job. I think that this will help my school become a better place and students will want to show up more and it will help boost self-conidence in other students. >> Thank you, Janiah. Next we've got Lisa Lee

091and on deck we've got Seth Moore. >> Good evening school board. Um my name is Lisa Lee. I'm an early childhood special education teacher within the district. Um I just want to talk at the last um session there was a recruitment update that was shared. Um the current GRA vacancies are 87.5 and 53.5 of those vacancies are special education staff. 34 are classroom teachers. 19 and a half are OT's PTs, social workers, psychologists and teacher consultants. And then we had two more social workers resign in the personnel transactions. Um in the support staff categories there are 60 vacancies in special education aids um PTA and we are also without a director of special education. Um, I want to reflect on those numbers for a minute because with those vacancies, IEEPs and service minutes are still

092being completed by a group of very dedicated and overworked special education staff. Um, I'll take myself for example. Recently, the early childhood department has taken a monumental shift in how we service the earliest learners. Instead of pulling them out to a special education program, we are pushing into their classrooms. So that means that I have two full-time jobs in the basically um my morning uh self-contained classroom has been shipped to the afternoon and then I'm services servicing um students in three different buildings. Um when we have subs, Fridays are like my PLC days and my planning day, but that is taken up by meetings, collaboration, um that. So that means all the documentation from the Mipsy documentation and compliance is happening outside of my contract hours. This is happening for many of our staff because

093when you have subs in buildings, all of that extra work is pushed out onto existing. >> That's time. Thank you. So, thank you. >> Take a look at it. >> All right. Next, we've got Seth Moore. And on deck, we've got D. Jones. Hi there. Uh, Seth Moore here. I am here tonight to urge you not to renew the contract of Dr. Roby. This is not about personality or politics. It's about leadership, accountability, and urgency. The superintendent is the district's chief executive. That role requires decisive leadership and the ability to act when problems are clear and immediate. Under Dr. Roy's leadership, those responsibilities have not been met. The board is aware of multiple investigations involving senior leadership in the executive cabinet. I'm not here to relitigate those findings, but Dr. Roy's conduct during those situations

094matters. Across them, there has been a consistent failure to stabilize professional environments, set boundaries, and restore trust. More concerning is the culture that this has created. Under Dr. Roy's leadership, many within the district have felt unable to speak openly or raise concerns due to fear of retaliation. When people are afraid to tell the truth, accountability collapses. And that brings me to this. When your house is on fire, leadership does not look like standing by and watching it burn. It looks like naming the problem, setting priorities, and acting with urgency. Instead, what we've seen is delay and tolerance for dysfunction while trust continues to erode. This same lack of urgency shows up in how the district approaches improvement. As taxpayers, we paid for the Eureka report. And yet, its recommendations remain largely unmeasured and unfulfilled. Effective

095leadership requires smart goals, specific, measurable actions with timelines and accountability. Instead, we've seen broad statements without clear follow-through. When public dollars are spent to diagnose problems and leadership chooses not to act, that is a fiduciary failure. At some point, while this is no longer about individual incidents, when issues recur, staff feel silenced, transparenc. Thank you. >> Thank you. All right, next up we've got D. Jones. On deck is Ned. >> How y'all doing? Happy Black History. Every day in America is black history cuz they stole our history. So, shout out to all the black people in here. It's black history. Uh first of all, I'd like to say um very excited to be able to work with you guys on increasing digital equity and opportunities for students. I'm actually working with the Urban League uh

096to bridge that digital divide. I'm actually working with uh the Urban League to actually do some uh infrastructure work that really needs to happen. I'm also a part of the GR business chambers. So, I'm on the part I'm on the committees for the natural uh resources and infrastructure committee for our GR chambers, but I'm also on the uh committee for the tax and regulations committee. The reason I'm saying this is because people don't know, but Amway is short for the American way. And the American way is really the African-American way. And so I am really getting to the core infrastructure of the systematic issues that is affecting our community, our school district, and having a hard conversations holding these billionaires and people accountable at the chamber level. Um, I'm also looking forward to continuously working

097with you guys on a co-op program. I ran into Keterin University as I was doing the auto show at the Devos place and they were literally right across from me. I spoke to Keteran University. They have a co-op program where students can be on an esports scholarship or a traditional sports scholarship, but those students would do their first year and a half of college and then they would actually get paid 55 to 75K plus doing the same work that they do for the profession that they're trying to get in. So, if that job is in Atlanta, if it's in Houston, if it's in Chicago, if it's in another state, they pay for the housing and they also get paid to do those jobs and careers. So, I'm looking to actually help you guys enhance the

098infrastructure, but I like to get paid for some of this stuff because I have been doing this for a long time. I've been giving you guys free educational equity and programs and I've been helping increasing our scholarships and scholastic opportunities for students. So, looking forward to helping you guys with the infrastructure. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. Next, we've got Ned. On deck, we've got Marshall Booker Jr. Good evening everyone. My name is Ned. I'm a resident here in the third ward right around the corner. Um I've come here tonight really to say congratulations to all of you and to Dr. Roby herself. Um we all know that in 2020 when uh COVID hit, it was a hard time for schools all across the nation, including Grand Rapids public schools. So she started

099her tenure here under very difficult circumstances. I would also say that there is an ecosystem that's very difficult in the nation today and Dr. Roby faces that here as well. We've become an attack society. We have become uh find a point of minutia and attack that point of minutia society. Well, what I've done with Grand Rapids public schools is I've taken that step back and under Dr. Roy's leadership, Grand Rapids public schools have improved. Grand Rapids public schools have stabilized. Facilities questions have been answered. Bonds have been passed. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been pumped into the system. We've looked at scores. We've looked at graduation rates. And in every regard, Is it perfect? No. But in almost every regard, I've seen a stabilization under the current board and Dr. Roy's leadership. A very

100common mistake that leaders make, not only uh superintendents but boards, they say, "Hey, change isn't happening fast enough. Improvement isn't happening fast enough. So, we're going to slash and burn and we're going to go in a different direction. Now, we start all over again." I would ask you all to take that big step back, look at the ecosystem you're operating in, a system in which the greater Grand Rapids area is all uh convening to attack. And under that very difficult circumstances, Grand Rapids public schools have improved. Graduation rates have gone up. Tremendous stabilization. So, I just want to say congratulations to Dr. Roby for what she's done. And I want you all to look 5, 10, 20 years into the future. >> Don't slash in time what you've done today for what you can accomplish

101in 20 years. >> Thank you. >> Next, we've got Marshall Booker Jr. on deck sale. >> Great evening everyone. My name is Marshall Booker Jr. concerned citizen of Grand Rapids as well as a former graduate of Grand Grand Public Schools. First of all, I would like to thank uh thank the board for your hard work and overall improving our schools. Second, I would like to congratulate the the Dr. King social justice contest winners and those who who also uh participated but wasn't recognized as far as a trophy or anything like that. Lastly, I'm here in support of Dr. Roy's request. Uh Dr. Roby, thank you for everything that you have done in Grand Rapids public schools thus far. As we said earlier, um when you came to our district, it was a lot of things

102that you had you inherited and that you eventually uh continue to fix as well as your board. And uh so in closing, I would just like to thank you for your excellent leadership and support our scholars, our teachers, and our staff. >> Thank you very much. Salem Tran is next. Frederica Brown is on deck. >> Hi, good evening. Sale Tran um from Grand Rapids Monastery. Um I'm here tonight to talk about um the renewal or the like one-year contract vote. Um, while I recognize and I agree with stability and a one-year contract can poss like possibly give us that, while we're in search of a new superintendent, I do want to push back slightly on um a pay increase. Um, looking at the numbers, um, since 2020 of the start, um, our superintendent has already

103seen a $74,000 raise. Um and that pays about one and a half to two teachers. Um understanding that there was a pay freeze for this year, but that also included our security guards, our youth behavior or our youth um advocates and our um behavior specialists. Um, some of those people are our lowest paid staff members in the district and majority of those staff members look like and are um within the same ethnicity, race as our students and we are still paying them unlivable wages. Um, and they were put on this pay freeze as well. I want to see that be lifted before we see a an increase of any sort um for our top paid person in this district. um as I would like to see that 3% or whatever percentage go towards maybe paying

104our um parapros, our security, our behavior specialists, again those that look like our students and our models for our students on the grounds get a sixth day snow day paid for. All of us teachers get six days. The state allows six days of snow days. Um, but after that fifth snow day, if we have another snow day, for example, this year, those staff members will not get paid for that day. And again, our lowest staff, lowest paid staff members right now. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next, we've got Frederica Brown on deck. Jane Neman. Good evening, madame superintendent, board chairs, and trustees. My name is Frederica Brown. Um, I have two scholars at Shaman Elementary and one scholar at um, CA Frost. I wanted to take this time to uplift some good things that are

105happening because I believe that not enough of that is going on. So, first, let me start with sharing some black boy joy. My son Nigeria received an award for um showing hope. And why is this important? Because it shows him that he has seen, that he is valued, and that the work that he has put forth in it is so worth it. I am so proud of him and his accomplishments because it has not been easy. I give a debt of gratitude to his teachers, past and present, that have walked this journey with us and I thank them for all they're doing. Now, I'd like to uplift something that I believe is very important, but not talked about enough. High school was a very tough transition period for a lot of scholars. It is also

106a time when parents may be needed more. I used to think that because my child was a high schooler that I did not have to be hands-on. I was so mistaken. What I've come to realize is that I'm needed more and need to be more involved. I needed I needed my child to know that if he was struggling in a certain subject, he has support from his at school. I also want him to know that he is not alone and that I would do what I can to make sure he is successful. I am thankful that the staff at SA Frost know and know how I'm sorry. I am thankful that I was able to share my concerns to the staff at SA Frost and know how and when to ask for help. I am

107grateful for them and all they do. Now, I would like to encourage parents, caregivers, and students, and alumni alike, to share positive stories uplifting their school, past or present. Use the hashtagrepyou schoolgr and show how and what makes your school unique and show your school pride. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next up, we've got Jane Neman. On deck, we've got Mary Beth Jelks. >> Good evening, uh, Madam Superintendent, members of the board. My name is Jay Neman. Um, I speak to you today on behalf of the Grand Rapids Educational Association as their vice president and grievance chair. Um, and I want to speak to a couple of things. First, I would like to shout out uh Kelly Green, executive director of the Northwest Quadrant. I had a wonderful conversation with her this afternoon, and we

108seem to be on the same page. I also want to shout out Michelle Dexter. Um, in my work with Michelle over the last year, especially over the course of bargaining grievances, I've come to value her immensely. She has been someone who has been willing to build relationships, build trust, and communicate. And while we may not always agree, which we will not, um we I find that both of us have been able to come to meet and compromise and establish a quality relationship. So I certainly encourage you to continue her employment and to give her a shout out for the work that she is doing to build back uh morale and relationships. And I I really appreciate her and I just want to say that was an extremely good hire. Um Dr. Dr. Roby, if your

109contract is continued, I want to say um that I would hope that in this coming year that we continue to build that relationship, that we work towards moving away from the current bargaining um policies into something more interestbased. I recently went to a conference on interpace bargaining and I think that with Michelle as one of the lead bargainers that we could move to a more um collegial a collegial uh interpace bargaining program and rebuild trust and relationship across the district with certified staff. I also want to second um the concern about ancillary and special ed staff resigning and leaving. Um, it is increasingly difficult for staff to cover those services and I invite you to meet with me and Michelle and Aaron Pertie and meet with some leaders there and to problem solve this as

110a district moving forward. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next, we've got Mary Beth Jokes. On deck, we've got Shen Shenica Washington. My name is Mary Beth Jels. I come to you in support of your consideration of extending Dr. Roy's contract. And I say that and make that recommendation based on my expertise as an employment lawyer who I'm a retired executive from the city of Grand Rapids. I have worked with as a volunteer, my husband who's a professor. We've been volunteers for the school district since 1983. When we came, there had just been a big scandal with the then superintendent. And over the last 40 years, really, the school district has been plagued with constant turnover of leadership. And I think that you all have some big ticket items right now that are pending in addition

111to distribution and uh uh selling or whatever you're going to do alternative uh uh repurposing of your pro your properties which you should give very thoughtful consideration how that's being done. Uh others have done it and some of them have taken a short-term long-term view uh that that results in different strategies. Uh but anyway, the main point is that I want to make is it is very disruptive and has been one of the downfalls of retaining continuity of leadership in this school district. And you if you have an opportunity to do a one-year extension, you should do that. I if my memory serves correctly, you have a scing fund millillage coming up. you have some big things that destate gets destabilized with getting uh having a change of leadership this year. So, I'm just suggesting

112to you uh as somebody who has loved and cared about and contributed many hours of time as a volunteer, even when our kids were in private school, we were volunteers because we know how important a public school is to democracy, to these kids' life. >> Thank you. That's time. Thank you. Thank you, >> Chenica Washington. And then on deck, Caitlyn Homewood. Hello. My name is Chenica Washington. I'm a proud alumni of Ottawa Hills High School, my mother as well. Um, and I want to kind of talk to you guys about the sporting and what's kind of going on. Um, we've been having issues with the athletic director and coaches um, not taking opportunities to get these girls better. And we're offering opportunities for coaches and trainers to come in to train the girls at no

113cost at all whatsoever. Um I we understand what sports mean for our community and how it helps our children and how some kids only work hard to keep their grades up because they want to do those sports. So it means a lot and for us to be hiring coaches that have never coached over coaches that have worked with children from the past years that wanted to come in and we're denying those coaches and we have no valid reason as to why those coaches can't work here. We have no valid reason why we can't have trainers come in that parents are willing to pay out of pocket for to make sure that our girls can win. Our girl game last week, varsity girls scored seven points in four quarters. And our athletic directors and our coaches

114are telling our children that one, winning isn't everything. When literally the goal in life is to win. I understand that we can't win every game. There will be some losses, but we should not be leading with winning isn't everything because we're literally defeating our girls before they go out on that court. Um, we're telling our girls that they're going up against the best. If we're telling our girls they're going up against the best, that means that they cannot be the best. So, again, we are defeating our children and tearing our children down before they even step out on that courtroom. That's not fair and it's not acceptable. We want better for our children. We have coaches that are willing to come and volunteer that are already on board working for GRPS and those coaches aren't

115being allowed to come in and coach and train for free. If we are willing to we want these kids to win then we need to do that. The athletic director is seen cheating and we're not speaking. >> So we just want some change. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. Caitlyn Homewood Homewood is next and Eric Brown is on deck. Good evening all. Um, congrats to those holding new positions. Um, my name is Caitlyn Homewood and I'm here to speak to you today regarding the superintendent's request for a one-year contract extension with a reported original ask of a 7.5% increase. Um, this request comes from one of the highest paid superintendent in our county. While key district commiss commitments have remained unmet such as Eureka report followth through staffing instability, unclear ice protocols and

116some of the lowest paid teachers and support staff in the county. Stability and consistence matters but stability without measurable measurable improvement is not success. Um while students face ongoing instability in staffing, services and school conditions, this district likes to tout its achievements um but not its areas of need or vulnerability. 80% of our graduates are not proficient and there are significant racial disparities in student outcomes right now in our in our schools. Any contract decisions should priorit prioritize urgent and measurable improvements so students see real change in their classrooms. We desperately need to prioriti prioritize funding for our students primarily and for staff working directly with students. Why are district's resources not allocated as directly to our students as humanly possible? For those who are unaware, the superintendent salary was 220,000 in 2020, 234,465 in

1172022, and 294,44 in 2024. That is an increase of 74,44 and a 33 33.82% increase in salary since starting less than six years ago, a $6,000 raise from 22 to 24. My question is is this. What metrics are these raises based on? Graduation rates have gone up 1.9% since six years ago. That is true, but the six years before there was an increase of 31.3%. I hear that many in our community support our suitor superintendent and I did as well. I went hard for you during your during your interviews and I still support you. >> Thank you to see more transparency. Thank you. >> Thank you. Eric Brown is up next and on deck we've got Victor Williams. >> Good afternoon or evening, excuse me. Thank you, uh, President Jose. Sorry about calling you by

118your first name. Wait a second. Thank you guys for letting me be here this evening. My name is Eric Brown. I'm a lifelong resident of this wonderful city and a proud graduate of Crestston High School. I'm going to say that every time I step up here because again, I'm a product of what this system can produce. Uh, and I' I've been able to experience a lot in life because of what I was able to receive at this from this uh district. And I see that trending back in the right direction. Again, I appreciate the young folks that were speaking up using their voice uh attesting to the fact that they have feel a sense of belonging and that that can be seen and heard. So, I appreciate them sharing with us uh on their uh

119their time here. I am in full support of extending Dr. Roy's contract for another 12 months and to the terms that she would request and uh specifically um I I honestly I believe I wish it can go on longer than that because when we see things where this school has teachers full teachers for the first time in 15 years when you talk about we talk about we talk about stability and stability is important but we also need transformational leadership that is able to do these things in spite of decades and centuries worth of disinvestment in black and brown education going all the way back from pie Ferguson all the way down to Brown Wade and how we even fund our our schools schools here in Mary Rapids excuse me in Michigan um in in historical

120investments in underserved schools including Mu campus and southwest those schools that sometimes don't receive that um highest graduation rate in decades topping the statewide average for the first time um standardized scores are going up. These are all these are all tangible me measurements of what the progress and success that has happened during Dr. Roby and the board's transformational leadership. So, we are in full support of her continuing. Thank you. >> Thank you. All right. Next, we've got Victor Williams on deck. We've got Erica. Hello. Hello. help me um cosign what my polar bear teammate just said. Got a shout out on the polar bear too, man. Thank you. Um proud alumni of GRPS and he laid out all the facts for you like uh for folks that have been here lifong, you know, born and

121raised here in Grand Rapids. Uh students of GRPS, we've seen it over and over again. You heard Dr. Jones get up here and say that the problem with GRPS is the turnover. the turnover, the turn turnover. You can't get superintendents to stay. We keep starting over from scratch. You know, superintendents at East Grand Rapids sit there for 25 years, but you know, we can't keep a superintendent because we want everything to be perfect. Everything's not going to be perfect. You have to give people time to work through the kinks. She came here during COVID, uh, one of the worst, most turbulent times in this nation's history. Uh, terrible time to start a job. But she essentially stopped a Titanic ship from hitting the iceberg. You guys may have not been paying attention. I was here.

122I watched almost the entire administration jump ship at one time. Uh, you know, kind of leaving this district in limbo and she was starting here. Uh, she started from scratch almost with nothing. Uh, had to figure it out on her own coming from an entirely different state and she's turned this ship around. She stopped the school district from destruction and for the first time, like they said, the numbers are up. We're doing great. We got to give her time to improve on other areas. Is she perfect? No. There's things that I'd like to see uh that that are not being uh done yet, but I'm happy with where we are. I'm happy with seeing Ottawa Hills with uh you know, teachers in the classroom for the first time in 10 years. It's insane that it

123took 10 years somebody to come along to make that happen that our students went without that for so long and it happened. Keep Dr. Roby. Beg her to stay longer than one year. >> Thank you. >> Erica's next. And then we've got uh Daniel Smith on deck. >> Good evening. My name is Erica um a former GRPS alumni and I wanted to bring up a concern that was brought to my attention recently regarding infestation of mice inside the MLK school. Um children, staff, students, they are very very concerned about coming to school regularly due to mice and fecal matter being all over the school right now. Um there is a lot of mice and a lot of feal matter in the school right now. And while they have tried to address some of those issues,

124it's not being fully addressed and it's becoming more of an issue um since after winter break. And so I just wanted to bring that to you guys attention that is a really big concern in the school related to health and safety because there's small children in those schools and there's mice running over their feet in the classroom and there's feal matter in their toy boxes and when they open up a book when they go to a desk they need to look around and the adults in the school are teaching small children what does mice poop look like? Do not touch the mice poop. do not sit near the mice poop and having to explain to them constantly that they are trying to work on it but yet nothing has really been done to sufficiently uh

125mediate the issue. So that's all I wanted to say today. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next we've got Daniel Smith. And then finally on last on deck is Pastor Jerry Bishop. >> Greetings board. I pray the day has been well for you. I want to thank you for hearing all of us on today. Uh thank um it's a it's an honor to hear different perspectives uh from the community and always keeps us in mind that we're a very diverse city uh with very diverse backgrounds and thoughts. Uh but my one perspective right now is I want to stand in support of Dr. Roby. Um I think she has done an amazing job with the elements that she has been given. And as far as uh the board, you have some great decisions that are coming

126forth. I'm asking you to consider that those decisions be data driven as opposed to feelings driven. Uh we we represent a a very diverse group of people. But if we don't look at the data, I think we'll be missing the mark. According to the data, if you look at the the Grand Rapidian system and the cities that are surrounding us, um what Dr. Nairobi has asked for is minuscule in accordance to what's around us. And I think that if we're looking to be a shining example of what a city looks like and what a school system looks like, it starts with the leadership. And if we don't treat our leadership right, if we don't treat our leader right, becoming leaders uh correctly by looking at data as opposed to doing it how we feel, I

127think we'll be doing ourselves a disservice. Um, and I I also understand and I can I hope I can say this here. It seems like to me I I understand that we're wrestling with how to treat Dr. Obby, but a lot of ways it still feels like a black white issue more than a data issue. And I'm asking us to get beyond get beyond our racial or whatever discriminations we have and actually look at the person. This woman has done an amazing job for this school district. uh even with all the barriers, you've done a great job. So, if we can get past the color barriers and other things and let's just look at the job and do a good decision. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. All right. Finally, Pastor Jerry Bishop. >>

128Good evening and thank you for being here so late as well as offering an opportunity to share. I'm before you tonight to advocate for the extension of our superintendent's contract for an entire year. As we gathered just a few weeks ago and by your own complimentary words, a few of more than a few of you spoke more favorable on our superintendent than not. During her tenure, our superintendent has had a good evaluation, has worked well in spite of not having a raise during the teacher negotiations, as well as labored through much disrespect and arguably a hostile work environment this past 14 months that watched many of us listen and endure inappropriate commentary that no man's wife, mother, or sister should endure. specifically the commentary that was allowed to tan her you know what was said.

129It would also be on my hope that this last segment of her contract that we would recognize the need for the continuity to not be a public embarrassment to our district by not renewing the contract of our superintendent which would hinder the recruitment of an adequate replacement. And lastly, it would also be my hope that you appoint an interim school board member for the vacancy that represents the demographics of the district and has the same priorities of outgoing board member Davis. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right, that ends our public comment portion of the meeting. We will now be moving into action items. So, first action item on deck is the superintendent uh contract. Uh board colleagues, is there any discussion on this item? Uh but I I just want to kind of

130uplift uh again what I named uh in our last meeting. Um just kind of this domino effect, especially if we're thinking about wages. Um, you know, I think I'm coming from the position of looking six months ahead, uh, with our executive leadership, u, our executive cabinet. Um, as mentioned in the public comments, you know, there are other, if we're thinking about equity, uh, and centering that, there are other, uh, bargaining units and other staff who are lower paid that we also need to consider, uh, when we're thinking about our finances. Um, and so my vote is specific to that. Um I I want to ensure that everyone is a being able to be paid uh fairly to the best of our ability uh with what we do know. Uh you know with the lower enrollments

131we have received some state money uh but but we know uh and have been informed that um we we just don't have the money to make some of those decisions. Um so I I'm framing my vote uh towards that. >> Thank you Treasure Moreno. Uh any other comments, questions? All right, seeing none, we will move to a vote. Do I have uh a motion to approve approve the superintendent contract as written? >> So moved. >> Was that weighed? >> Okay. >> Is there a second? support. >> Okay. And we'll do a roll call vote. >> Yes, I think that is appropriate at this moment. >> All right. So, Trusty Buchek, >> yes. >> Secretary Kilpatrick, nay. Trustee Melton, excused. Treasurer Mareno, >> nay. >> VP Wade, >> yes. >> Trustee Williams, >> yes. Trustee Williamson.

132>> Yes. >> President Rodriguez. >> Yes. >> The motion passes. >> All right. We are moving on to we're moving on to a resolution author authorizing public entity membership in the West Michigan Health Insurance pool. Um is there any uh discussion on this item? All right. Seeing none, do I have a motion to approve? >> So moved. >> Support. >> All right. All those in favor? >> I. Any opposed? That motion passes. Next, we've got uh purchasing agenda. Is there any discussion on the purchasing agenda for today? All right. Seeing none, do I have a motion to approve the purchasing agenda? >> So moved. >> Support. >> All those in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> All right, that motion passes. Next, we've got the adoption of budget amendment one for the general operating

133fund. Is there any comments on that, colleagues? All right, seeing none, is there a motion to approve? support. >> Was that Marino support? >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right. All those in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> That motion passes. And then finally, we've got the adoption of budget amendment one, special revenue fund. Colleagues, is there any discussion on this item? Seeing none, we uh do I have a motion to approve? >> So moved. >> Support. >> All right. All those in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> All right. And then finally, we are moving into our consent agenda grouping. >> Thank you, scholar representatives. We hope you have a good night. >> Good night. Um we are moving into our consent agenda grouping that is 13.1 to 17.0 on

134our agenda. Um do I have a motion to approve? >> So moved. >> Support. >> All right. All those in favor? >> I. Any opposed? >> That motion passes. So we will now be moving into our uh board vacancy appointment process. Um and I will have um I don't know if you want to get us started Dr. Roby to explain this process. >> So good evening once again and um what we want to make sure that we are doing as part or what the board will be doing as part of this process is to look at each of the viable candidates. We had a total of 20 um community members who met the requirements to be considered for this vacant position. This position is um former board trustee Mr. Arc Davis position who has um

135stepped down from this role and in that this position will go from um February through December of 2026. His position because we do have an election coming up in November. It will be open for a two-year term which would be the completion of his term um November. So, if there are other folks who are interested in that two-year term, they will follow that process. But for tonight, what we're doing is looking at the candidates that or the folks who submitted their names um for positions and each board member has been asked to rank their top four, I think. >> Six. >> Oh, top six. Thank you. Um we did have 20 candidates. One candidate did remove their name from consideration. So we are looking at 19 in previous just kind of just a little bit

136of a history in previous um roles board members when a a seat has been vacated usually between three to five um candidates are considered and right now all of the folks that are listed are listed by letter alphabet alphabetical letter and what you'll hear tonight as part of the discussion is the person's alphabet alphabetical letter assignment and then once the board comes to a consensus of who they would like to extend an interview for then we'll name those people publicly. We felt that it was most important to allow the privacy of all those folks that were being considered. um are ask of the board as you are con you're talking about the potential candidates that you lift up the most um positive things and then also keeping in um regard to what our current board

137norms are who fits those norms who could speak to those types of things and lift up the positives of each candidate what I'm going to pass out to everyone and I'll just share really briefly it's um the selection should be around policy and analysis and critical thinking demonstrates values of diversity, inclusion and equity. Brings a new perspective um currently under repres somebody who might be currently under reppresented by um on our current board. Connection and familiarity with GRPS and a belief in public education, a team player, leadership, collaboration, community involvement, educational advocacy, and understanding the factors related to academic achievement. And so I'm going to pass those out. Three more. Two more. And my recommendation I'm sorry. My recommendation as you all go through this process is again to look at the candidates that you

138selected and the your rank order of where you put them and then to be able to speak on the um the positives of each candidate. Miss Anderson will be keeping tally of the top six. Amber will >> Oh, Miss Kilpatrick will. Sorry. We're all doing it. >> Yeah, we're all just kind of Yep. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> All right. And so I will turn it over to um President Rodriguez to lead us through this process. >> Thank you. And so just for clarity um so only trustee or excuse me, only Secretary Kilpatrick and I have this kind of you know uh matrix, right? Um but as we discuss our uh top candidates um please we so we are going to start with number one as we as we get into that but first we

139can have an open discussion on how many candidates do we believe that we you know should interview um what are some of the the good qualities that they would bring to our board. Um and then finally we will just go by rank order. Um and then Secretary Kilpatrick will fill out the matrix. So then we can uh kind of have a total and then with that we will decide our top candidates and again that will be up to the discretion of the board um how many how many candidates there are. Oh that's >> um I have a question about what you just said. Are you saying we are just going on the total tally number of votes that we're getting? cuz I think in the past when we've had issues >> Nope, we so thank

140you for that clarification. So we will be voting because we did do the work of ranking them, we will have, you know, number one, six points, number two, five points, and then uh down. So then their rank that you gave them has has that weight associated with it. >> Okay. So, is it I what I I'm wondering is is it does not seem to allow room for us to be able to advocate for any type of uh particular candidate that we thought may be thought highly of or that someone may have up there that others may have other opinions about. And so, I am concerned that there does not seem to be room for us to have a discussion around um somebody may be willing to change their vote or change their thought about someone.

141So, I'm just >> that that should take place. And so I think the cleanest way to do it is just to get the ranking so you know where >> um each of the 19 um folks are and then then have the discussion on you know because there may be somebody who comes clear to the top for everybody and then the ones that are a little bit closer to have some discussion on where there's some give and take on that. >> Wonderful. Thank you. >> Yep. So we we can go. So is your suggestion Dr. Roi that we go through it one time then open for discussion then then revisit. >> Yes. >> Okay. We can do that. Um so uh Secretary Kilpatrick I'm going to um actually give you this sheet and then we're we're

142going to do it one round through and then we will uh open it up for discussion and then um do some some changes if if need be. if folks feel that they're, you know, maybe they heard some compelling uh discussion to change their ranking. All right. So, we will go with uh in order uh alphabetical order. So, >> would you like to >> Sorry. >> Yep. >> So, we'll be going in the roll call voting order and so you'll give me your your top six. >> You want me to give all six? >> Yes. >> Okay. Um and knowing that the person who you give me first will receive um six points. Yeah. >> So, >> and also a reminder to speak to their letter, not their name. Yes. >> Yes. Thank you. >> So,

143my my number one choice, top choice would be letter P. >> Okay. Thank you. Second two is A 3 M. >> Thank you. Four H five B as in boy. >> B as in boy. Okay. Six D. Right. Thank you. I want to clarify something. Um, Miss Kilpatrick. So if so that we're being consistent if number one. So it should be the whatever the lowest score is then, >> right? >> Whatever the lowest score is. So her her first choice receives six points. >> Yeah. On on our paper it says, "Please list your final candidate rankings with number one reflecting the strongest recommendation." >> Yeah. >> Yep. So it's backwards of how many points they get backward. Yeah, that's why I'm saying so it would be the lowest score. >> We're flipping it for them

144to have the highest be the highest. Okay. >> Sorry. >> Okay. U for myself. >> Yep. Yep. All right. Secretary Kilpatrick. >> All right. Go ahead. So um O is my first. >> Okay. >> R is my second. K is my third. >> Okay. >> P is my fourth. >> M is fifth. And then H is sixth. >> Okay. >> All right. Melton is >> treasure Moreno. >> Moreno. >> R is my first. >> I'm sorry. Say that again. R >> R as your first, >> O as my second, M as my third, B as in boy for my fourth, P for my fifth, and H. >> I'm sorry. H was your final? >> Correct. >> Okay, thank you. >> All right. Uh VP Wade, >> D is my first. Wait, sorry. >> Sorry. B

145or D? >> That is a P. >> Oh, that's a P. P is your first. B is my first. H is my second. >> G is my third. M is my fourth. Um R is my fifth. And A is my sixth. >> A fifth. >> Okay. >> Five is R. Okay. >> And six. >> A. Okay. Thank you. >> All right. Trusty Williams. >> I have four. I do not have six. Okay. >> Okay. >> Um P is number one, A is number two, G is number three, and H is number four. >> Henry. >> Thank you. All right, Trusty Williamson. >> My number one is P. >> Slowly. Okay. >> My number two is R. My number three is H. My number four is B. My number five is K. >> Okay. >> And

146my number six is T. All right. Thank you. What was the >> trusty Williamson? Do you mind going through that again? I missed a couple of them. >> Number one was P. >> Yep. Two was R. >> Two was R. >> Three was H, four was B, five was K, and six was T. I think that gets me a bingo. >> Okay. >> All right. All right, President Rodriguez. >> All right, I've got number one is O. >> Okay. >> Number two is R. >> Okay. >> Number three is K. >> Okay. >> Number four is M. >> Got it. >> Number five is B as in boy. >> Okay. And number six is P as in pi. >> As in pie. Okay. Now we'll add these up. >> So if you go across >>

147Okay. successively rise to the top. >> Okay. So, now that we have ranked them for the first round, I will open it up for discussion. Uh colleagues, um >> could you share out the totals? Yes, please. So, that >> Yeah. Uh >> I'm still tallying. >> All right. One second. And for while she's tallying for level of process, my suggestion would be the folks that did not have anybody rank them. There's no reason to to discuss. >> Mhm. >> If that makes sense. >> Yep. >> Okay. Um I'm just going to go from the top of the list actually. Hang on. Should we go from the highest to the lowest? >> All right, I think I'm just going to go alphabetically. So, right now, candidate A has 11 points. Candidate B has 10 points. Candidate

148D has one point. Candidate G has eight points. Candidate H has 17 points. Candidate K has 10. Candidate M has 20. Candidate O has 17. Candidate P has 30. Candidate R has 23. And lastly, candidate T has one. Okay. So, as part of facilitation, does it make sense that for those that have the lowest point score like the one point I think or one point to eliminate. Are people comfortable with that or to give opportunity for those who did vote for those candidates to um keep as part of a discussion? >> I'd be okay with eliminating the with one point. I agree. >> Yep. >> I would actually propose we could we even go as high as 10 and under. If they if it's 10 and under, we could. It seems to be enough disparity

149that there's not enough support. >> Yeah, >> I support that. >> How do you all feel? >> Yeah, I support that too. >> Yeah. >> So, if you go with 10 and under, then this So, 11 and over is then I'll say it more positively. That's candidate A, candidate H, >> candidate K, candidate M, >> candidate O, candidate P, candidate R. >> I also have K with 10. So that would eliminate that one. >> Yeah. >> Did I say that wrong? >> K. Yes, we would eliminate. >> You're right. You're right. Sorry. >> So then I would think we'd have one, two, three, four, five. So again, that would be candidate A. >> Yep. >> Candidate H, >> candidate M, candidate O, candidate P, candidate, candidate, excuse me, R. >> Yes. >> People have. >>

150Okay. Correct. And looking at that total, that is six candidates still in the running. Correct. >> Mhm. >> Okay. >> Are you counting candidate A? >> Candidate A. Candidate H. >> Well, how many points did candidate A have? >> 11. I don't know why I had the number two next to that. >> Sorry. >> Candidate A, candidate H, candidate M, candidate O, candidate P, and candidate R. So, the board will need to decide, do you want to um >> narrow it down or do you want to interview all six? >> I would prefer we narrow it down. >> Agreed. >> I think there's some pretty high numbers on here. Um perhaps I would encourage us to maybe discuss the 17s, the H and the O. >> How do you all feel about 11 or about

151A with 11 points? Is there >> Actually, I kind of have a question. Yeah, >> because I think um the degree of separation between the top person and and the others um I'm just having a question. I mean I'm wondering is this a matter that people feel strongly to um delve more into those other people. I think the degree of separation that we have already put in place um just on votes alone without any advocation I'm advocating for that person. I I'm wondering if this is something that um I'm do we need to go further is what what I'm wondering. >> Uh that's a really great question. Sorry uh President Rodriguez. Uh I I am curious on this individual. Uh and many of the candidates uh they didn't talk about um if they were going

152to campaign. Uh and so I'm interested in longevity as well. >> That I I think that's a question we shouldn't be asking though because our job is to fill this particular position and the public will decide who will actually hold the seat. And so I'm concerned that we are being skewed by whether or not they want to run or not versus what our job is, which is to determine who we need to fill this seat and the public will do their job and determine who will hold the seat after the the our period of appointment. >> I I don't disagree uh Trusty Williams, but I think it talks about commitment and consistency. Um so I think >> I think that >> could be true >> with the specific person they have shown the commitment and

153consistency and the outreach of um reaching back >> you know to help us move forward you know >> that is 16 >> just shows more of a commitment >> um to this district and so I do understand where it's like are you >> sorry pull somebody forward >> I just need to make a correction on candidate uh M >> M >> actually has 16 >> 16 not 20. >> Yep. >> Thank you. >> Sorry for that. >> I think that there's obviously a clear top number. However, um and I would advocate for that person. However, I do feel like the way we presented this process was that we were going to hold interviews. And so, I think it's only fair to have that interview process because um I think an application and a resume is

154just part of the story. So, I'd like for us to be able to ask some questions and stay open-minded to who we want to bring on. I agree. >> That being said, I do not think we need to interview all of these candidates. Um, I would be more likely to advocate possibly dropping the 11 and 16 or um and then talking through the 217s and maybe narrow it down to three or four. I like the top two. >> I agree with that. >> I'm okay with that as well. >> So again, I'm just going to advocate for I believe the top two have sufficient separation between the rest that if we were go we would go forward that I would look at the top two to interview versus all of the other ones. I think

155we're kind of they're kind of running in there in the same race and the top two have given sufficient separation number-wise from support of this board. >> If if we did not have a colleague absent today, I would agree with you. Um we couldn't include her feedback because that would be voting by proxy through the open meetings act. And so I would like to stay curious maybe with these top four. Um, again, I don't know what Trusty Meltton had as her rankings, but um, that's that's what I would uh advocate for. >> So, what are you >> So, I'm hearing we kind of stick with the top four >> because if we interview the top four, looks like the >> Yeah. Okay. >> I can get behind that. >> I'd be open to that. I'd

156also be open to having discussion around H and O, but >> both of those are options. >> Yeah, I would like discussion around the two. I think um the difference between the two and um the ability to achieve what we need is um I see there's some support. However, I believe it is uh distinctly distinctively different >> and um um without um going in deficit, I do believe one has um uh brought a particular uh value add and uplift where another has not in a way that uh moves our district forward. I do like um I'm sorry. >> No, I was just going to say I will I will accept I will receive that comment. I wish to only speak positively of all candidates. >> So, thank you. >> Well, I'm comparing the two a

157value ad because they both had the same number. >> Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Thank you. Just a reminder. I'd like um >> right >> to to advocate for H. Um this person brings something unique to the board. I believe um everything that's been presented by this person seems very independent, thoughtful, data driven. Um just different from other members on this board. So I think that could add to the value of the board as a whole. >> I agree with that. >> I'd also say um speaking to H correct H um just the experience yes with data but also understanding systems in relative terms. So not only GRPS but also like other organizations that are in our area. I I don't disagree with what's been said uh about H. I I just want to uplift uh diversity

158as a component of this. I really do appreciate um the public comment around uh representation. Um I think the dynamic about our our current uh state, you know, it does speak to uh what O can offer. How does O offer that in comparison to other candidates that we have? What is what is >> Well, if we're just looking at the top four. >> Oh. Oh, because I'm Oh, I think we have already the top four uplift diversity. I guess I'm I'm confused as to what you're saying that this person brings that the other that is lacking from the ones that we've already >> We're just exploring HNO. >> H& we were talking about, >> right? But I'm saying we I'm I'm I'm asking that in regards to the whole not just to separate the two

159because as far as uh diversity in the the other top three it is already there. So I'm I'm asking you what is it that you are saying O brings that P and >> uh R don't bring cuz >> um I would so I I hear your question. Well, I mean, if you don't mind, I'd like to hear what um I was going to ask. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. I I don't I don't disagree with your question, Kim, and where you're where you're going. Um but I I think this is an opportunity for us to uplift a lot of people of color. Uh we do have representation uh across our current board. Uh that speaks to age. Uh and I I think this is an opportunity for us to really represent our district uh and

160continue with what uh Mr. Davis was representing. Uh I do think O also offers a degree of education and experience that yes, H does offer uh you know factual information, but O does offer more uh more education especially around racial equity. Yeah, I I guess never mind. My question wasn't answered. My question was what makes this particular candidate different than >> more what diverse attribute does this person bring over the other >> so >> top candidates is what I'm asking. >> If we look at our BOE criteria for G candidate selection um that second one demonstrates values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Not in that order. Um, but I think the word values is really important to me in this because while I do agree that, you know, I I think uh H is a

161a very solid candidate, um, I also want to dive deeper into what demonstrating values means to us, right? in their lived experience, in their work, in their um honestly everything that that encompasses these individuals. I think uh for me personally O does demonstrate that if we're if we're talking H& right just just those two and actually even further going into PNR you know I see that that demonstrating those values um in in life in work in um everything that surrounds this person. So that I I think is really important to me and I want to uplift that from Treasurer Modeno as well. Um, and I don't know if that helps answer your question, and I don't even know if I'm speaking very well on Trustee Moreno's uh, point, but and I see your head is

162shake. Could you clarify? >> I I think what I've said is is fairly clear. I I I hear that there is a room um, a person who uh, values diversity. I'm saying of the we already have three candidates that already exemplifies that in their what their resume is. So I'm saying what is it that um O offers different than them that we are saying this is something more special. >> So well I guess may may I ask for clarity on what that that point number two demonstrates values of diversity equity and inclusion. So I think we're we have a different definition of what that might mean and maybe that's where the disconnect is >> if I can help you all in your discussion. And so remember the criteria. There's not going to be any person

163who might hit every single thing, >> right? >> And so again, that's why we um we tried to select uh have a criteria, policy analysis and critical thinking. Um demonstrates values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Brings a new perspective currently from an under represented underrepresentative group on the board. That could be either racially, that could be um um what their skill sets are where the board may not have a certain skill set in leadership etc. Connection familiarity with GRPS and board a belief in public education, team player, leadership, collaboration, community involvement, educational advocacy, understanding the factors related to academic achievement. And so keep in mind as you all are making this selection that um and we're looking at people on paper and I know that obviously we know you know some of the folks that

164are being considered but also thinking about the role of governance and who is best to lift up the roles of governance related to the criteria that has been outlined. >> Yes. >> And thank you Dr. Rowey for that clarity. Go ahead. Sorry. O was not one of my options, but I do think that those they do align with those. However, I >> I advocate for H. And I'm also wondering is this just a matter of interviewing four people? >> Right. >> Yeah. I was just going to say could we could I move to just accept those top four >> as our interviewees? >> And I don't know if we are going to this is not a >> Dr. I think you >> are we voting on approving these four >> you will so what you

165will vote on is the >> are you interviewing three people four people two people okay >> and so and then we will um >> share however many we're decid you all are deciding we will first of all share their names with them privately and then make an announcement because I don't want people to hear their names and and not have a chance to say I don't want or to that I would like to continue in the process or I don't want to be considered. >> So that would be my recommendation. >> Um I do have a question though with the way that you explain that if someone declines and we're voting on interviewing four. My only wonder is then do we have to uplift another candidate or can we say these four people >> these

166four >> if someone declines we'll be interviewing three. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. So, I hear Trusty Buchek say you made a motion that we are voting that we are moving these specific four candidates H O P and R to the interview process. >> Correct. >> Is that correct? >> Yes. >> Do I have a second? >> So moved. >> Seconded, sir. >> Yep. All right. All those in favor? >> I Any opposed? >> All right, that motion passes. >> And so the next phase will be that we will um reach out to them so that they know and then then release their names. >> Okay, >> does that sound fair? >> Are we keeping these or will they be left and then they'll be synthesized down to just the final? Wonderful. All right. Thank

167you board colleagues for doing that work. I really appreciate it. I know we all came to this um with a lot of thought and intentionality behind it and I appreciate that. >> May May I ask a question a clarity question around uh interview questions? Have those been identified? Will >> Yes, I see not Dr. Roby. >> And so Oh god. Yes, I think we have um questions. I think Julie's coming up right now. >> And so, as as Miss Anderson is coming up with these questions, much like the candidates that we were just discussing, we will do our best to keep these um >> Oh, yeah. I meant I meant uh keep these uh discreet um as we do not want to give one candidate over another uh you know um an unfair advantage if

168they happen to be here um and hear the questions that we're discussing. So, as we as we talk about them, you may say, "Oh, you know, I I think, you know, I really like one. I think that that's a very important, you know, just as we did with with the letters with candidates. Let's just go by numbers with the questions as well. And so what the ask is right now is that these are sample questions um that will certainly do not suggest asking all of these questions, but if there are ones that you like more than others and that you feel are in alignment with some of the things that we've lifted up as far as the criteria, then Those would be the questions that we utilize. Ideally, eight to 10 questions would seem like

169an appropriate number. And you have, I think, 16 questions to choose from. >> Um, where is there room for us to talk about um adding questions? I see that there's a 17 number. 17. If there's something that you would like to be added, >> right? I'm saying where's the room for us to discuss that or how we discuss that because we don't want to again give it an unfair advantage but yet at the same time the board needs to decide on that as a collective. So, and at two things, these are sample questions that um we think are appropriate and so I'd like you to kind of look at those first and give feedback on those and if there's something that is being missed and I would say in a category related to achievement, governance,

170finance, um community, if there's something that you feel like has not been targeted, then we Um, pull together some other questions. Oh god. All right, colleagues, is there any uh thoughts on some of the questions? Do you all need more time to parse over the questions? And if you circle the questions that you like best, that helps us then >> Oh, okay. >> create the questions for the interviews. >> There's one I don't like. >> Um, number six, just because I think it's kind of bland and a lot of these other questions are more >> well other questions we have get more to the point. >> I think number six is one of my top. I think people need to understand that question, that answer >> like that is absolutely one thing that I would

171want people to be able to communicate. It doesn't have to be worded that way, but >> I think we are a >> lot of people don't know what that is. >> That's that's fair. I do think we have other questions that get to that in a more interesting way. And I would hope that these four folks >> can >> I would say maybe number two answers that question for me >> more related. >> I respectfully disagree. >> I think those are Yeah, I I do see uh Tresy Williamson's point, but I also think while it seems like a softball question, I do think that it tells us a lot about a potential candidate for sure. >> I need at least one of those. Yeah. Yeah. >> Get rid of one. >> I'm looking for a

172question that covers like understanding of governance. >> I think that would be strong. >> What >> I I agree. Yeah. >> I do not like think number five is a necessary question. I don't think it's necessary. >> Yeah, I agree. >> I crossed it out, too. >> All right. Five is >> I also want to suggest crossing out nine. I think a lot of that was uh already discussed in their cover letters. >> Yeah. And it could be discussed in number one too. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> I also for number one I just crossed out everything past the first question mark. >> Pass the first sentence. >> Yeah. >> Hopefully they'll answer that right. >> I feel like we got a lot of that information already. >> Yeah. Good point. >> Yeah, I disagree.

173I actually want to hear that stuff. I want I want the verbalization of it because I think people say and write writing one thing and ver verbalizing it is different. I personally want to hear that. >> So, you do want to keep it all number one. Okay. >> I actually like question nine. That was one of the ones I circled. Um, I just think like in an interview that's an opportunity to answer it in a like a way that writing maybe doesn't do. I'm not going to like hold firm on that, but that's just that's why I circled it. Um, >> going back to one, I the the only reason I'd have a uh, you know, the only reason I'd want to agree with Trusty BK is if if they are a viable candidate, I

174think that they would hopefully offer up that that information that Trustee Williams is is asking for. And if not, maybe that is a an indicator that they, you know, are not the candidate that we would support. I, you know, it's almost like giving them what we are asking for instead of hoping that they >> bring it to us. I don't know. >> Well, I don't think we should play gotcha. I don't think we should have clear expectations. If we want to know the answer, ask the question. And I think sometimes when we leave it to for you to say what you want to say, you may not understand where where we leaning and you may give more emphasis to this area versus another area when we ask the question. Now that allows us to see

175how you respond >> and if you respond to it. Um >> my thinking I'm always particular to say if I ask the question, I'm looking at what parts did you answer, what parts didn't you answer. Um, and um, I think that's important. >> Okay. >> Uh, I like two as well. >> I do as well. >> I think um, >> I think it partners with six, but I think it's kind of it's different at the same time. So, >> I like three. I think because it's someone stepping in for just the remainder of this year, that's really important. >> Right. >> I agree. >> Yeah. >> I also like two. And I'm wondering if that eliminates the need for 14. >> That's what I was going to ask. 14 reads the same as two to

176me. >> Yeah. >> 14. >> Yes. Correct. >> Oh, yeah. >> Cross that off. >> Is that literally the same question? >> Similar. Very similar. >> It's worded different. I mean, it's asking the same question differently. >> I don't like four. >> I didn't like four. >> I feel like >> Yeah. >> Um, that's something we would work on together. >> That's fair. >> I like that. >> I love 15 and 16. >> I like them both. 16. >> I like 16 as well. I was just going to ask VP Wade and uh Treasurer Moreno to give us some feedback >> about questions you like. >> I did they have been >> I have 15 and 16 start as well and I struck five personally. >> Yeah. And then I also am looking at our

177board norms and just seeing if any of like if some of the board norms are covered in here like um I see the will of the board in some of these questions. Um >> I'm looking for uh like a student centered answer. Yeah. question >> and maybe um transparency and >> how we'll model model transparency. I think >> I agree with that. >> I like that thought. >> So maybe that goes on line 17 just those categories of questions that we need to add in if if any if anybody sees those in a question to uplift that. Yeah. >> So it kind of does that. >> Number 10 kind of does that. I don't know if you're looking for more um um kind of the so just I I I like some of these questions,

178but I personally I'd like to hear more evidence-based kind of questions and I'm not seeing many of those. >> Um but I think that is um that's one that could kind of tie in that. But I I'd like the people to be able to tell us about a time when >> Yeah. And I'm not seeing that because I think when people tell us about how they have addressed things versus just tell me what you going to do it what you've done tells me a lot about how you will do and I don't see that. >> Yeah. But uh maybe not a tell us about a time type of question cuz I will make a time up. >> But you're be transparent. She's speaking to honesty. >> If I'm like interviewing, I'm going to make up

179a time on a you know on a >> like so I I don't really want to know about a time but maybe evidence of how you will or could like do you feel what I'm saying? >> I feel like I feel like that's what it's lending itself to is yeah tell us about a time you did x y and z. How about in number 12, the second sentence, instead of that being a question, it could be a tell us about how you have >> when have you worked with people? >> Oh, yeah. Oh, sorry. I do think that's kind of where I was thinking for question seven. Maybe just that very first line. Um, Trusty Buchek, I think I was re wanting a little bit of reframe around uh how do you work with uh

180opposing viewpoints when it's your your >> Dang it. >> I know what I >> have to watch. Okay, I want to I did circle number 11 because that does speak to the will of the board, the norm. So I I do like number sorry 11 >> you saying part of the question >> I was just speaking to the board norm the board norm is we will honor the way >> I trust all of anything we're good >> so are we trying >> this isn't easy are we trying to >> to whittle it down to eight questions right now >> I think 10 would be fine we're at 13 right now >> by my count >> definitely not 13 >> you tell What I will do, >> these are the questions that I heard. Um, one

181just the first part of that question. >> Two and six are combined. >> Combined two and six. >> Yeah. >> Um, I didn't hear anybody say anything with three. >> Yes, three for sure. >> Yeah, we we circle three. Okay. >> And then even one. I I believe the the >> I was pushing for the full question and there was some fine with that >> for clarity. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Keep full. All right. So, one, two, three, delete four and five. >> Um, six has been combined with two. >> Yeah. If you can kind of merge them. >> Yeah. >> Um, >> seven. >> Yep. >> Tell us about a time. >> Eight. Eight. Nine is >> deleted >> out. Yep. >> Dr. Roby for seven, can you make that a tell us about

182a time where you have >> tell us about a time? Okay. >> And then we'll try to believe them. >> We'll see recall that 8 n recall. >> 10 is 10. >> Yep. >> Um 11. >> Yep. >> Yes. >> Okay. What about 12? >> I think that was the one that >> was that another tell us about a time. >> It could be >> VP VP Wade wanted it to be right. >> It could be coming. >> He wanted that one to tell us about >> in regards to those skills mentioned. >> Yeah. >> How you feel about 13? >> I No. >> No. Nah. Okay. >> Deleted. >> I think so. >> I don't like 14. Yeah, we already crossed out 14 >> and then we like 15 and 16. >> We like

18315 and 16. >> So, how many >> four, five, six, seven, eight, >> 9, 10. >> Um, I actually have um a question that I would um I actually have two that I believe I would I think when we talk about it, I think it is kind of a gap. Um, and I would hope that we could possibly consider maybe adding a question or taking out a question, but I do believe it is a a gap in our questioning. >> Do you think area? Um yeah it's hard to speak to that without divulging but >> but an area is it financed >> it's more about um advocacy >> evidence based >> and I think it's >> correct am I correct >> um I think it could be encompassed in 15 to some extent like how

184you approach those situations >> okay Okay. >> Does that make sense, Dr. Roby? >> Yep. >> We will word smmith it. Julie and I will work on it tomorrow. >> I just changed my handwriting. >> I'm so sorry. >> And then there's just one other piece that I am looking for and I I'll say it's in it's in question. is part of it is the the main theme uh of 12, but I don't think it um really this question does not allow for us to learn uh uh uh the candidates's perspective on that. If you can read between the lines >> on 12, you said >> on 12. It's the main theme of it, but I I don't know if we um get to how that's done. Maybe instead of how explain. Are you asking

185for an example or are you >> Yeah, explain. >> So, she's speaking to like the style that they might bring to those to those skills that are listed in 12. >> Oh, >> that that second word >> in the in number 12. >> Um, second sentence, fourth word. >> Oh, second sentence. >> Good way to do that. >> Style of that. What's your style? >> Oh, okay. >> I don't know what you're saying. >> But I think I agree with you. The second word, too, because >> I style will ultimately impact >> Okay. >> No, I think I agree with that. I hear what you're saying, >> Miss Anderson. Did you get all of that? >> I'm writing. >> I'm kidding. I'm kidding. >> Yeah, >> I've written it. Whatever else >> um It does.

186>> So then those are our 10. >> Mhm. We're smithing them. >> Yeah. >> Still. Yep. >> Okay. Um so far as far as process I think it's also important that um people understand what what happens next. So, we'll make sure that the four folks um are informed and then we'll work the interviews will be Wednesday, February 18th >> um at GRPS University and um we'll make sure that we have an assigned time for each person >> and ideally um to be consistent my suggestion also is after each interview board members ers are able to score um what they heard from each respondent before the next person comes in so that you're hearing each person with clean ears and you're and then you can compare the as you deliberate which of the um candidates do

187you feel is the best fit? Does that make sense to everybody? >> Absolutely. Okay. >> And will Miss Anderson have a similar to the rubric that we used today for the interview process as well? Yep. So, you'll have for each question, you'll have a question, a space to write um what you heard >> and then um and then a final sheet with all four candidates and you rank based on your first, second, third, and fourth choice. >> Perfect. >> And then same thing, the discussion related to that. >> Miss Anderson, I just want to make sure. Miss Anderson, are we able to say the names? Did you >> you said go ahead. Okay. >> Okay. >> And these interviews are in person. >> These interviews are in person only. >> Yep. >> You are. >>

188Yep. Okay. So, thank you everyone. >> Can I have the qu questions back, please? >> Yeah, we sent them down. We sent them down. Yep. You got it. >> And we're announcing in alphabetical order. So maybe there's >> It's not alphabetical. It's just um >> just random. >> Random. I just put them in random order. >> Okay. Cuz I think if we do alphabetical order, it may be easier to be unable to distinguish who, what, when, what, uh and and things. So we just put them in alphabetical order and just name them off. Then that way it's not a matter of trying to guess what order. >> Okay. All right. Thank you everyone for sticking along with us in this process. Um so the four finalists for our board vacancy uh appointments are Erica Van

189Djk, Robert Hovincamp, Ismile Nunees and Rainard Ross. So congratulations to them on moving on to the next step. Um and we will as Dr. Dr. Roby said be holding interviews on Wednesday, February 18th at GRPS University um starting at 6:00. >> And thank you to everybody who submitted their names and interest. >> Yes, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you everyone. There's as we said we have received 20 applicants. Um we did a very thorough job of going through uh resumeumés through cover letters and um we appreciate your time and effort in trying to join us in this work to make GRPS the best it can be. Um so now we are moving on to uh board president announcements. Wednesday, February 11th is our favorite day of the year. It is count day. So

190please spread the word. We need we would love your children to be our scholars to be in school every day especially on count day because that is how uh finances are tied to our student count. Um so please spread the word. Um, and as one of our scholars said, there is a um, Beetlejuice performance coming up um, for Union High School. And those dates, they still are are a bit ways, but it's Friday, March 27th, Saturday, March 28th. um two performances at 2 pm and 7 pm and on the the 27th is at 7 pm. So, let's do our best to get out there and support our scholars in every way we can. Um and then finally um actually I think that might be it. I think I did say everything um that I have

191to say. >> Middle high school. >> Yes. City city middle high concert. Um orchestra concert. Um >> that is tomorrow. And here. >> And here. >> Does anyone have the time? >> 7:30. 7:30 tomorrow here at Ottawa Hills High School >> with the symphony. Correct. >> Yes. >> Yep. With JR Symphony. Thank you so much for that. >> All right. And we will move on to superintendent comments. >> Um, again, thank you for the opportunity to continue to serve. I do take that very seriously. I know that we have a lot of work to do in our district and um want to certainly continue to support our organization collectively as a whole. I am not ignoring or not understanding there are lots of things that we have to continue to do together and the work

192is hard and challenging and rewarding but it is not and it's not easy and so I do hear the frustrations of others and we are trying to do this work collectively but I do appreciate the opportunity to continue to serve and will do so with um vigor and um and and just gratitude. Um also I want to um thank again our community for their support um and and wanting to fill the seat. It's a hard seat to fill as a board member. It is lots and lots of reading and work and other commitments and so we don't take that lightly. And so for everybody who did apply, thank you for your interest in in the district and I'm looking forward to what happens in the next week. >> Thank you, Dr. Roby. Um, next we'll

193move to board member comments. Uh, Secretary Kilpatrick, if you would like to go down the roll call. >> Trusty Buchek, anything from you? Yeah. So, I will um kind of tag off of President Rodriguez with the Union Theater. Uh City also has their high school play coming up. It's the first weekend in March. It's Charlotte's Web. So, I would encourage everybody to come out and support them as well. They have a wonderful theater program. Um I also just want to uh share Dr. Roby, I'm so happy to have you on for another year. So, thank you for adding another year and I look forward to continuing working with you. Um, and I was so impressed with how many people applied. So, I'm just going to re reiterate, thank you to all of those that applied

194and um going through all of those applications this weekend. There were so many wonderful candidates. Um, and I just would encourage uh all of those candidates to consider running in the election. Um, the number of people that applied was like double what I've ever seen in an election. And I just feel like that's really encouraging that we have people that are still willing to step up for elected roles when we have so many um, lack of better words, negative things going on in politics right now. Um, so thank you for just putting yourself out there. >> Thank you. >> Uh, now it's my turn. Um, I want to say thank you to our scholars who step forward to give their public comment. Um, hearing youth voices is really important to me, to all of us,

195I know. Um, so I just want to say thanks again for being brave enough to come forward and share your story and your concerns and your needs. um as well as the um public commenter who shared good news. I am so happy to hear good news. So please come forward with more and more and more of that. Um I think additionally um on the topic of public comment um I would love to hear new voices. Um so let's let's have more folks coming out. That's a call for more more voices. Um also looking forward to working with you Dr. Roby. Thank you for giving us another year. Um, I follow the will of the board and I'm here for that and I'm I'm grateful that you'll be guiding us and um I look forward to

196that datadriven excellence that we can find in this year ahead. >> Thank you. Uh, Treasure Moreno, >> uh, just want to continue to uplift the trend we saw tonight around uh, school pride uh, as an alum of uh, being a polar bear, class of 07. Yes. Uh, and then uh, gratitude uh, for Mr. Davis for coming here tonight um, and sharing sharing all the great things uh, that he shared. Uh I hope uh colleagues uh I heard a call that we need to go to a lot of events. Just wanting to also uplift uh the public museum as a date uh and any opportunity to see our young people uh share their joy uh is always really really valuable. I think in that same vein um a student demand action uh has an event on

197the 23rd of this month at 7 p.m. Uh they're hosting a gun violence town hall. Uh so it's students from our district. So hopefully y'all uh will attend that as well and I'll forward that flyer. Um and then I just kind of want to share uh an opportunity I had a couple weeks ago. Uh a group of leaders uh from our community uh got to go to Birmingham, Alabama. Um and the theme around um the thing that stuck out the most was the danger of a single story. And you know, we have spent at least in my time here uh talking about uh our collective story uh and then often time we only hear one perspective. And so you know I want to continue to push us to to offer the full narrative of things.

198Uh so I'll I'll pass along um that article and video attached to that and hopefully you take time to read that. Yeah, that's that's what I have. Thank you, VP Wade. >> Um, I had this really long speech, but I'm I know everybody wants to go home. So, thank you for um everyone coming out. And hey, live. I'm so happy we're live. And um I also want to uplift the scholars that came out and spoke and the MLK sc um winners and um the scholars that submitted. I'm excited to go see their um work. I am also hoping that somebody creates a calendar for all these things so I don't forget because I do want to see the plays as well. And then also I'm I'm just want to thank the community for coming out

199and supporting our superintendent and um all of her work and uplifting the work she's done. Um and thank you. I am proud of you and I am happy that is behind us. Um, and congratulations to the board nomineates. >> Candidates. Yes. Congratulations to the candidates. Looking forward to hearing more from and about them each. >> Thank you. Uh, Trusty Williams. >> Um, just want to thank everyone for coming out and sticking with us tonight. And um I do want to uh uplift um the um very alarming um information that was shared about our athletic team. I think it is something that we um need to take some time to unpack a bit um because um that that score was really hard to hear and I'm so confused and perplexed by that um that it tells

200me that there must be something more that we have some more work we have to do in that area. Um and so I hope that we are willing to take on the charge there to do that as we um make our athletic athletic teams the best that they can be so that again we can continue to attract those students who um want to play in our sports programs. And then um just thank you to um the young man who came up to show us his student of the month uh certificate. I hate that he's not here, but I wanted to just really say congratulations to him. I hope if you guys are watching at home, congratulations. Like you held that up with so much pride, and I want to give you that same energy back.

201>> Najir, you did. >> Najir. >> Yeah, good job, Najir. We're >> all right, Trusty Williamson. >> Um, thank you. So, as I was preparing over the weekend for our agenda, a lot of the things we dealt with this evening and a lot of things we've been dealing with um as a board and the district and our community feels very adult ccentric. Um like we had a very adult- centric agenda today and sometimes that's necessary. Um, but I just want to reflect on the fact that I think all of us across the district and and so many of us in the community don't lose sight of why we're really doing this, which is the kids. Um, and just with everything going on in the world and in the news, it's easy to let adults kind

202of make a lot of noise and do a lot of the talking. and the fact that at least when we're doing this work as a school district and in public education, the fact that it really does all come back to kids and any opportunity we can take to remind ourselves of that and the fact that each of us tonight uh whatever it was we shouted out spoke to that I think is very meaningful. >> So, thank you. >> Thank you for that clap. Um okay, uh me. So, um yeah, I mean thank you. There's so many thank yous to be said. I'll keep it quick cuz I know we all want to go home. But thank you to our scholars. Thank you to our board. Thank you to our superintendent. Thank you to um we

203we did the Ottawa Hills Hall of Fame uh induction ceremony on Friday. Uh Dr. Roby, Trustee Williams, uh VP Way and myself were were there among some other staff as well. Um and just kind of to talk to your point, right? like we want to have these programs be as strong as possible because we see the resilience that that folks had. We see the um camaraderie that they had from from decades and decades of of success and um and just athleticism and opportunity. And so I just really want to continue that legacy as well. Um and congratulations to the four candidates moving forward. Um and also shout out to a great performance by Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl. It was amazing. Um, and I think it's just important to for for folks to see

204themselves in every uh facet of life, be successful, uh, whether black, brown, white, all of us, we all need someone to look up to, and I just appreciated that about him at the performance. And with that being said, we are adjourned for this evening. Thank you everyone. >> Please leave your um, >> packets. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. >> Yes. Thank you. Don't keep units.