Portage Public Schools Board of Education Regular Meeting - March 10, 2025

001This meeting of the board of education is now called to order. Please stand and join us in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. To welcome everyone to our meeting this evening. Uh, Trustee Ovaria sends her regrets and our first order of business business is to approve our agenda. on page two. Is there a motion, please? Mr. President, I move that the board of education approve the agenda as printed. Thank you, sir. Is there a second? Second. Thank you. All in favor, please say I. Opposed? Motion passes. We'll go to our uh first order of business, which is the superintendence report. Mark, thank you, sir. Uh we

002have a few items on here that uh going to juggle the order on these and start out with our uh bond project update first. Johnny Edwards will present that and then he'll introduce the uh the presentation on the central L playground. Johnny. All right. Thank you, Superintendent Belang as well as members of the sport folks who for the patient. Um my update tonight will be specific to Woodland Elementary School. Uh we've been working with um our principles and our central office team as it relates to operating Woodland Elementary School for the next two years. So as we've announced before, Woodland Elementary School will be using the Haver Hill building, the current Haver Hill building for the next two academic school years. In the meantime, obviously Woodland's current building will be demolished this summer and construction

003will start on that this summer. So, it'll take approximately two years for the new building to open. In the meantime, as we've been looking at operating two schools on the same campus, we understand that currently all of our elementary start throughout the district, the eight schools all have the same start and ending time. And so what we've worked with our transportation department, our CIA department, and uh we've we've informed our Woodland staff and a notice has gone out to parents um to look at the traffic on the campus as well as student safety, allowing students to uh exit the Haver Hill campus in a safe manner each day before and after school. uh Woodland's uh start time for the next two years, doors would open at 8:55 a.m. and then classes will start at 900

004a.m. And at the end of the day, that would take uh the students to approximately 400 p.m. So, we're essentially moving the start time back 20 minutes. Uh in essence, part of that um is again designed to limit the number of uh cars on the campus at the same time. Now, with that being said, there's no reduction to the instructional minutes. Even though it's a delay in our start and ending time, the actual number of minutes that Woodland will receive would be identical to what uh the other seven elementaryaries will receive. Uh tomorrow and uh Thursday, our teachers will be holding parent teacher conferences because we're trying to survey our Woodland families to see how many of them would be interested in transportation. It is our desire and goal that over the next two years

005for all of the families that live in the Woodland neighborhood and attend Woodland School would be eligible to ride our PPS bus. Currently, right now, obviously, there are students who catch the bus to Woodland, but there could be students who live across the street from Woodland that currently walks but would not be able to walk to Habraville. So we will be surveying our families at parent teacher conferences on Tuesdays and th this Tuesday and Thursday to get a gauge about how many families would be interested in using our busing system so that we can start doing some planning on how many routes we would approximately need to be able to service those families for the next uh two years. Uh this is just a preliminary survey. Obviously parents may need some more time or may

006choose to change their mind in the next couple months. That's totally fine. or at least want to get the ball rolling and conversation started around what our transportation needs look like for next year. So again, uh we've met with the staff, we've informed the families uh by way of I believe our Skyward system and therefore tomorrow and Thursday for parent conferences, we'll do some surveys to figure out how many families will take advantage of transportation. So that's my update, but I'll be happy to answer any questions related to uh this information. So, with that being said, I think the real bond project update should come from students. And so, I would like to introduce our principal at Central Elementary School, Miss Sarah Wagner. And she has a few students with her who's going to share

007a nice presentation around their new playground at the Central Elementary Center. So, Miss Wagner, [Applause] We got to get in our order. [Music] and we'll just go down the line. Okay, now one more thing. Let us speak. Okay, come. Okay. Are you ready? No podium for us short girls, right? We don't need it. So, the clicker is right behind you. Oh, in the clip. We don't need that. Okay. Turn it on the side. Okay. Okay. Well, thank you for having all of us. My name is Sarah Waganar and I'm the principal at Portage Central Elementary. I've been the principal there. This will be the seventh year that I've been with that school. Um, we are excited to talk with you about our playgrounds today. So, the number one thing that I get asked when by

008kids is what's the playground going to be like? So, we thought, you know what? We were asked to talk about our new building and what better thing to do than to dive into our playground and to learn more about it. We hope to share what we share with you with all of our students um after this presentation. So, we hope to push this out as a little mini presentation in our morning meetings going forward. Um, but you're the first look. All right. So, let me tell you how it all began and then we'll also introduce. Actually, let's introduce you and then we'll say how it all began. So, why don't you say your first and your last name. So, you go first, my friend. My name's Emma Barnhart. My name is Miles Bates. Ivy Burgerer.

009My name's Laney Chard. My name is Eevee Ty. My name is Willa Vogle. These are all fourth graders and we did pick fourth graders because they will be the fifth graders next year, the big dogs in the elementary school. And we wanted to have some people who are going to live and play right there in our new school. So, how it all began, we started by meeting together as a little team with a landscape architect named Mr. Craig. And Mr. Craig even sat on the floor with us and uh we talked all things playground. He showed us renderings of all the different pieces of equipment. And then like all good students, especially here in Portage, we ran a protocol. And these kids uh filled out uh sticky note feedback. And you can see some pictures

010there. And they wrote down all of their first impressions and things that they were really excited about when they saw that stuff. And from there, they built this presentation for you. Are you ready? All right. Here we go. So this is what it looks like on paper. Pretty pretty confusing if you're just taking a peek. So we hope to bring it to life for you tonight. So let us start with our lower L playground. All right, Emma, take it away. First, we have the Big Green Mound. The Big Green Mound has climbing six. You are able to climb climb the mound because there are steps and it is rubber. It looks cool to play on. The canoe and river would be joyful for the little kids. They can pretend to paddle. I think they would

011have a lot of fun. Next, we have the logs and rocks. The logs and rocks would be adventurous for the little kids and they would have a joyful time. Also, um we have the forest spring ride. I like the forest spring ride. It looks fun. I like the forest spring ride because it can fit four people. The forest spring ride can move side to side and is very bouncy. Then we have the swings. There are six swings. I like it because they are nice and low for the young kids. Now we have the big play structure. There is a transfer platform for children with limitations. There is a rock wall that you can climb up on to go on the slides. There is a spiral slide where you can twist around and go very fast

012when it is snowing. Yeah. All right, let's move over to our big playground. First, we have the trees. There will be many trees planted throughout our playground. I like the trees because in the summer if you get hot, you can cool down in the shaded area. The swings are fun because there are 12 of them. One has one of them has an adopted adaptive seat and you can have fun with all of them. Next, we have the zip track. The zip track is long and amazing for lots of people to sit on and it is more than 15 ft long. Also, we have the four spring ride. The fourway spring ride. The four spring ride is bigger than the lower spring rider and it will be fun to use with friends. Now, we have the

013double to fro swing. I like the double to throw swing because you are able to lay down. It is similar to a tire swing, but you won't get sick. Favorite of mine. That was a personal request. No wonder. Now, we have the tri runner. the slash the flyer. I like the flyer/tryrunner because it makes you feel like you're flying. I like the flyer because it looks like a lot of fun. You're able to sit down and spin people. Next, we have the spring rider canoe. I like this because you can do some pretend playing and you can wobble. I like the climbing wall because it it is so big. The climbing wall you can sit on sit and talk. You can sit and talk on. Also, you can play tag, but you have to be

014careful. Next, we have Bob the Basket. We decided to name the thing Bob the Basket. We like it because you can spin around and there are ropes that you can sit sit on while holding on. I like the main structure because there is a straight slide, poker hopper, monkey bars, and a rock wall. Now, we have the paved area. The paved area is fun because it has three basketball hoops, room for four square, a walking trail, and more. It will be a It will be a place where a lot of people can play. Now we have the lawn space. I like the lawn area because there will be a sports area. I'm excited about a football field and soccer field. All right. Well, that is it. Um, but I have one last thing to show

015you. So, first of all, we just want to say thanks again to all of you as the board of education for gifting us this incredible tool, resource, and opportunity in this new building. It is not lost on us what an exceptional thing it is to have and to be first. So, we know we we bear a lot of great things ahead. But before we go, here's a little team picture from that day. And we'd like to have you take a fly over with us. [Applause] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat up here. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat [Music] Heat up here. [Music] [Applause] Well, thank you for having us. Thank you very much. That was great. Thank you for coming. Thank you very much. Very much. daughter. Just like Come on. Do it

016again. So that's the last of our presentations on the on the uh project update. Um, I wanted to mention to you recently I had the opportunity to uh listen to the dean of the Marylu Fulton Teachers College um at Arizona State University and a lot of her work is around just what we're doing at our new elementary schools and that is to redesign the educational workforce and the workplace. And a lot of her work is around uh creating models for team-based teaching. And so the things that she was able to talk about fit perfectly with what we're trying to accomplish as we occupy Central and uh and Haver Hill next year and then Woodland a couple years down the road. So uh really reinforced the direction we're headed in and the work that was taking

017place. And she actually mentioned that they'd been working uh with uh Mesa schools. Mesa schools in uh Arizona. Uh and uh we happened to host a professor from University of Michigan recently who was talking to some of our folks about uh implementing that team-based approach and we had a chance to show him the school uh Central L and he was he was impressed so impressed with the facility and how conducive it was to this team-based approach to learning. So, it's nice to have these ideas and concepts reinforced as uh um as we go out and about. So, there was there's another part of the update that was going to be provided by uh by Tracy uh but Tracy contracted some uh strep throat. She and her family members so very apologetically she cannot be here

018to do that. But I know we have several people in the audience who are going to be addressing this issue of uh and the concerns they have with some of the changes taking place in our word language program. So I wanted to cover that at at a slightly higher level than I'm sure she would have covered it um along with uh a couple of other things. So, so this is me taking Tracy's place and not doing it justice, I'm sure, but I uh felt there were some things that needed to be shared in light of this evening's uh presentations. So, the first is uh uh an update on the opening of the CTE Center, the Career Connect Center, which is slated to open this fall. Um that new center, if you don't have it on

019your calendars already, is scheduled to have a grand opening celebration on May 22nd. uh from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. where that center will be open. Um that center will also serve as a transportation hub for uh for students in the county allowing students to catch buses to other programming options. We currently use uh Lloyd Norex as a transportation hub. Uh so we'll no longer be using that. So other programs that are based throughout the county that are um regional programs not not offered for programs not offered at the career center that'll be a transportation hub there too. Um the center is going to run two uh programs an AM program and a PM program for students in Kazoo County. The first will run from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. and the PM program will run from

02011:45 to 1:45 p.m. And we're working through the logistics now of of transportation and other things that have to happen for students to get uh their credits through that. Um each district was granted a certain number of slots based on the average district enrollment and CTE attendance from the previous three years. in grades 10 through 12. Ported schools received 393 slots and based on enrollment in district, those slots were divided among the three high schools. Central High has 198 slots. Northern High 175 and Community High School has 20 slots. So, we're currently in the process of finalizing student enrollments uh in those programs for fall offerings. Uh there's a pretty uh organized uh structure for dealing with uh with slots that are not taken by all schools. Uh so if if we have open slots

021that are not filled, Vixsburg and other schools would have an opportunity to fill those slots and vice versa. So uh we have till the end of this month to uh to finalize our slots and uh let folks know where where we stand. Um and we will continue to support our on-site CTE programs that are not moving to their career center. So that includes programs in finance, accounting, advanced accounting, in marketing, advanced marketing and entrepreneurship and in engineering wood. So those programs will continue in our schools as they will not be offered in the center. So, uh, we'll provide some more updates as we get more information, uh, with scheduling and that, um, as time goes on, but, uh, exciting to see that center opening, uh, for next school year and hopefully you can make it

022out to the open house, uh, on the, uh, 22nd of May. Um the other uh the other thing I want to just kind of review is what I'm sure we'll hear a little bit from some of our speakers this evening um about our um world language work. You know, we started exploring this world world language uh situation back in late 2022 with the world language curriculum review cycle that we refer to as the CRC. uh we established that team to complete the the phases of the work that they're responsible for. Uh during the 2324 school year, that uh team met to analyze practices and explore evidence-based models of what's happening in world language education. Um throughout that process, more data was needed beyond what they had and more questions needed answering. So, there were several

023issues that came up and one of those was the issue of inconsistency in how credits are allocated to level one courses. Um, and so that was explored during the summer and early fall of 2024. Um we had apparently it didn't come to light until you know questions were being asked but we had approached credit granting for uh world language programming at the middle school in different ways over the years. Um and uh what we did find out through uh our conversations with the Michigan Department of Education, we were not implementing the law appropriately. we were uh not allowing those credits to count towards credits for graduation. They, you know, from high school towards the 26 credits. So, that was an issue we had to deal with. Um, and we can only offer credits, graduation credit

024for courses that are the same as those taught in the high school. So, uh, world language at the middle school, for example, was the equivalent of one-year world language class at the high school level, but it was taught in two school years. That is not the intent of the law of the law. So, because we don't offer a the same uh situation at the high school. So, our high school students who take a world language class start with a fullear world language class. We have a similar situation um that um that exist well I shouldn't say similar we have a situation that exists where we have honors English 8 that's taught at the eighth grade level that's equivalent to algebra 1 at the high school level for which we can count exhowing students to apply

025that towards a 26. It appears on their transcripts but it does not count toward the 26. So we have to make we discovered through some of this process that we have to make some additional adjustments in how we treat um credit allocation. Um so there was also uh some findings that we utilize different resources uh and obviously the class spanned a longer duration and utilized different uh resources at the uh middle school level. So based on these discoveries, it was decided to uh to weigh some programming options so that we could look at our structures, our credits and our programming which are all functions of administration. So you know as we look at the decision-m process, there are certain things that the CRC is responsible for. There are certain things administration is responsible for and

026then there are certain things that are tied in directly to board policy. So the matters that I'm discussing uh are are are not board matters. They're administrative matters. So the board really has no decision in this uh these issues that we're dealing with. So these issues of how it's structured, how we give credits, and how the programming works are a function of administration. Um, so leading into more currently, notices were sent uh on December 30th of 2024, so this past December, regarding a meeting that was to be scheduled for uh midFebruary to discuss findings and consideration. And leading up to those meetings, there were two meetings with uh the world language team leaders where uh the proposed slideshow was shared uh and then made available to entire CRC team. Um, middle school principles also met

027to discuss the proposed slide deck and provided their input. So, in total, we had 25 individuals who were invited to that February 13th meeting. 22 of those 25 attended and uh we feel that that process was fully transparent. That meeting lasted two and a half hours. materials were all uh discussed, presented and there were three concerns that emerged. One was the one I had mentioned, the one about credit allocation. Um the middle school world language requirement for high school credit was an issue and the third was the need and effectiveness of introductory courses. So those are are and have been discussed and researched to better understand how they should be addressed. Um we felt that credit um allocation need to be implemented with consistency. Uh the use of the same curricular materials in the middle

028school as in the high school that the two credits in middle school which is currently the case equal the one credit in high school. So students who were in high school were spending one year getting one credit for the same thing students at the L at the middle school were spending two years and getting two credits for. So there's this equity issue that we had to be uh concern ourselves with. And then the fact that we were not allowing students to count those credits towards graduation, which could have offered up some additional courses and and electives that they could have taken, but instead uh uh even though they did appear on their transcript, there was no uh grade point attached, but it did close the door to opening up some other classes. So, um, that

029was one of the thing, developmental readiness. Um, you know, we're looking at is the mandate to take a world language class at the middle school appropriate for all learners. We're already opting out several students at all of the schools, all the middle schools, whose needs are better met in other programs. So that whole question of how appropriate is it to mandate world language as a middle school class which is earned credit for for high school. Um we also found that some evidence exists that middle school students can be successful in high school courses offered at the middle school level. For example, our our um um math plus 8 is uh equivalent to algebra 1 and it's taught over a one-year time period. And our students are are handling that very well and seem to uh

030be able to come into high school and and have that behind them and move into the next uh their next course of study. So, that works. And uh the Michigan Department of Ed is not aware of any other school in Michigan that requires all students to take a world language for credit at the middle school level. Um so with that we we are preparing to uh send a communication home to uh to families. The uh there will be some changes that we're uh proposing uh to not to the board but we're proposing to uh to incorporate next year is that all students in seventh grade this starting in the fall of 2020 25 would take a one semester language course taught by certified world language teachers. The course introduces students to Spanish and French languages

031as well as their cultures and helps them make informed choices about what to study further. So they would have a semester, nine weeks each of Spanish and French to see what that's all about. And middle school is much more exploratory in nature and is, you know, a more rigorous high school. So, uh, we want to expose them to as much as we can and in turn also fulfill one of the board's end statements about making sure that students know about cultures other than their own. So, that's a, uh, a consideration. Um, beginning in the fall of 2026, eighth graders could choose to take either Spanish or French as an elective for the entire year. Um this allow uh this this kind of course of action would follow the high school curriculum and students would receive

032one credit towards the 26 credits required for graduation. So for this following fall, the current seventh graders would be allowed to continue with that sequence kind of grandfathered in to the process. They would still receive the credits that they were told when they started the the sequence in seventh grade. And then beginning next year, um, eighth grade language or world language would be an elective either French or Spanish or both. Students could select to take both classes if uh if that's the direction they wanted to go in. Um, the previous credit system then was uh uh was being was inconsistent with other practices. So middle school students who complete level one uh earned two credits while those uh taking the same course only earned one credit. So those changes are being made to be consistent

033with awarding high school credit districtwide. Um middle school courses offered for high school credit have to mirror the structure and rigor of their high school equivalence per district policy. Therefore, the first year of world language will be offered as an elective course during 8th grade using the same curriculum, the same resources and pacing as the high school world language one course. Um, so there are some questions that um that um and really some issues that that seem to be coming up that I want to make sure we address. There's a the first one is about uh international balora program alignment. Students will still be able to complete five years of language study. There's a common misconception that this change will prevent students from completing the five years required for the IB program. Uh students will

034still have the opportunity to complete Spanish one or French one in grade uh 8 and earn high school credit. And once in high school, students can continue language study through advanced levels, including AP and IB courses, ensuring that they meet our IB diploma requirements. Um, this structure that uh that we're going to be implementing is in line with other successful IB programs and does not limit a student's ability to achieve the five years of language study. So, there's also, you know, some concerns about the impact on seventh graders. Um we're adding an exploratory opportunity um enhancing their experience by providing those two nineweek se uh uh courses uh so that they can take a look at both Spanish and French and the culture that goes with them. So instead of committing to a full-ar course

035without prior exposure, seventh graders will now have the opportunity to explore both French and Spanish before selecting their preferred language. And so hopefully this ensures that students have a more informed way of making a decision uh leading to what we hope would be better engagement and long-term success in language learning. And then the misconceptions about the one-year versus two-year language course structure. uh the shift to completing lang uh span to completing Spanish one or French one in a single year instead of over two years aligns with what our high school expectations are and therefore ties into the credit granting. The shift also allows students the possibility to study both French and Spanish. Students can now take both French one and Spanish one in e 8th grade which has not been an option under the previous

036model. And then the other the other thing that uh I just wanted to get some clarification on for you is offering high school credit in middle school. Um we feel that that students being able to acquire uh credit while in middle school is important, but it shouldn't be mandatory. And that's why the shift to the elective nature, families and students that want to take a foreign language, a world language are certainly able to do that and we encourage them to do so. Um, so to ensure that developmental appropriateness, the academic rigor and equity, we need to make sure we maintain the same structure and rigor as high school courses. And if this is not feasible, then the course should not be offered at the middle school level. And then aligning the credit allocation with the

037district standards is important to maintain consistency. So those are the few of the issues that I wanted to touch on. I know that um that Tracy would have done it. I would be happy to try to answer questions that that you might have at this point, but I know I'm not going to be able to get to the same level of depth as would Tracy, and I'm happy to bring back um you know, additional information if if you need to. Um, also just making sure you know this is not what we're doing does not require a board decision. There's nothing in board policy that that speaks to this issue. Um, the board outlines graduation requirements in in through policy and then we develop administrative guidelines to implement your policies which uh which this meets your

038policy. So I'll open up for your questions if you have any. I've got a few. Um to start, like you said, we're not developing the curriculum. I'm a parent. I've got three boys in the district. They directly are affected by this. Um and I'm struggling weighing the change of this and the urgency that is being put on this. Um I believe this is how it's been since 1998. Um so why we're shoving it through from February to be enrolled in by next year. I'm struggling with that, especially when it goes against all of the evidence-based research, the teachers recommendations, and the advice of the curriculum review cycle team. So, generally speaking, I'm struggling with how this change helps every student first for their future. So, that's my generally first question. Yeah, there's more than one

039question in there. Well, so the one question is how does all of this change make it better for every student first? How are we putting every student first for the future based on this change? And I think you'd get different question different answer to that depending on who you know who is asked that question. Uh you're asking me uh you know I'm just based on my experience and what I've seen not every student needs to be in this. So that's why we have we have probably 30% of our students in some of our middle schools that are not enrolled in the program because their needs are different. So forcing this to happen I don't think is in the best interest of all students. Um, so I, you know, I would start with there. It doesn't

040give us the kind of flexibility that we need to meet, you know, individual student needs and it's still, but it still gives parents who want their kids to be in a in a world language program that option and that opportunity. So, we're not taking that away. Um, I disagree with the, uh, premise that this was being shoved down anyone's throat. U, this is a process that's been at work in a while. And as with any decisions like this, you're not always going to have 100% agreement. And we take as administration full responsibility for designing the structures and how this is going to be implemented. We rely on our professional staff members to deliver the curriculum that they're part of developing. I have a couple more if you bear with me. Um the other thing you're

041saying the kids will take nine weeks of French, nine weeks of Spanish for this exploratory class. What are they going to do with the other 18 weeks in they have other semester elective offerings at the seventh grade level. So this would be this will take up one half of their school year. Their other electives will be offered the other half of the year. What electives would those be? I think they they vary a little bit for student by student, but I'm not it's the other elective cycles. And then and then the the followup to that one is do students really need 18 weeks to decide between two romance languages? If we had multiple language options in portage schools uh that were dramatically different, Mandarin, Arabic, German, I could see the validation to exploring cultures and

042what language they really want to learn. But French and Spanish are awfully similar to take 18 weeks to say that that's needed at a seventh grade level. Um, I guess they struggle with that. And that's my question. Do we really think that we need 18 weeks for these kids to explore French? And well, they would be nine weeks in each one. Nine weeks. Yeah. Total nine weeks in each one. I don't know if that's a given the the semester structure we have. I don't know how else we would do that. We seem to be as a at least in our district here, we seem to be uh moving towards just the two languages. Now, we've seen a drop off in other languages over the years. So, these two languages made the most sense. We're not

043we're not trying to give acquisition of language skills through this program. We're trying to expose them to the culture uh to some of the basics behind it and we don't have those programs the you know the idea is to have those developed yet this summer and we don't have it so I can't speak to specifically what's going to occur in those classes but um right now that is the the you know kind of the approach that we plan on taking with that and then my last one and I'll stop talking but some students can handle a ninth grade a ninth grade course load like math plus. As you noted, students do struggle with math and English. They might not be able to handle this nth grade course in 8th grade. But unlike math plus, and

044I assume English plus used to be, there is another math curriculum in place so that these kids, we are not denying them math. We were not denying them English to an eighth grade student. Wouldn't this change be denying world language to an eighth grade student who is grade appropriate but not yet ready for a nth grade class because there is no alternative language opportunity for that child. There the the uh revised school code does allow for options outside of world languages to fulfill that requirement. Um, you know, our our high school counselors work with those students all the time. And what are the alternate pathways to meet that requirement without taking a world language class? What would an eighth grader who wants to take Spanish but can't keep up with a high school level speed

045rigor in the class, but they are great appropriate eth grade. We're taking away a language opportunity for that student. Right now it's it's over two years at a slower pace, which I would argue the more exposure you have over time to language, the more you're going to retain, which I think studies show then allows for better success academically, proficiency, and just retention in life. Um, versus making it into one class in eighth grade. I get the credit situation to make it match high school. I think that's fair. But not every kid in eighth grade can keep up with a ninth grade class. They can't keep up with the math, but they can take math core or regular math. And the English, they don't even offer the the honors anymore. But you're taking away language altogether

046for an eighth grader who is eighth grade appropriate. There's no longer a language for them to have exposure to. So they may do the seventh grade exploratory thing to fall in love with French and they can't keep up with the ninth grade coursework because they are in eighth grade and therefore we're shutting the door on that student to take language. So they are going to be behind in high school and they're never going to be able to catch up or have an awfully hard time to catch up. And that goes back to my first comment of how does this help every student for every future? And I don't know if I have a good answer for you. I mean, I you know, you raised an interesting point there. I don't know if number one if

047we have the capacity to offer both a full year class and a halfyear class or a fullear class that covers half the subject because then what happens in ninth grade? They end up repeating the first, you know, everything that did in eighth grade. We can't continue with that at the high school level. We don't have a a slower paced class at the high school level. So I I I think some of it is and and you know and I don't know all of the details behind that and I do understand your point. Um the difference between math and a world language is one is a core class that you know we really need students you know in that core curriculum performing as best they can. World language is an elective. Not that I'm giving that

048less importance, but I don't know as if we have the capacity to do everything like that for every course that we offer. Okay. I'd like to piggy back here just a little bit because I'm coming from the opposite end of the perspective. You have children coming up potentially entering the program whereas I have children who have been through the program. So, you're looking ahead. I'm looking back. Um, my daughter would be happy to admit and is willing to let me share that she is not good at languages. Not at all. Math, we got it. Languages, nope. Um, she benefited from having that year, those two years of Spanish ahead of time and then she repeated Spanish. Um, again, my other daughter, same thing. Not good. even worse. Um, so she again re they retook in

049their freshman year what they had already learned seventh and eighth grade. And for my older daughter, that allowed her to get through three years of Spanish in the high school level. My younger daughter, I said, "Just make it through. Let's get the credit." But it allowed my older daughter to get through three years of Spanish at the high school level because she'd had that year ahead of time to really give her that base. So when she took that first year of Spanish as a ninth grader again, she actually learned it better because she wasn't relearning. She wasn't learning from fresh, she was relearning things. So again, it's that I I want this to be something that is equitable for all students that gives students that option to really do well so that every student succeeds

050because not every student is going to be able to hit Spanish their ninth grade year even if they did took it or not their eighth grade year. Are we doing something to meet the needs of those students who see that as a need? Well, I think we've always allowed students to retake classes. Um, it's just that they will we will not have um a half of year of world language offered at the middle school. The slower paced learning to begin with so that they can really absorb it and then hit the ground running for their nth grade year. We don't do that in other courses. I'm not aware of any other course that we have where you have an option to take it over two years. I'd have to explore some things, but I think

051there have been in the past and I don't know what it is currently. So, that's a good point. And let's explore things. I have a question of as far as because we're talking about these where we have people are taking it for two years um you know equal quality of credits that variety um and I did not grow up in school in Michigan. I grew up in school in Tennessee. So my exposure is completely different. Um but when I transferred schools I was able to take a test to determine where I was and that it would qualify for my credits. So, I would be curious as if instead of having the two years where that counts as your high school credits to determine whether or not you can go into Spanish 2 as a freshman,

052you would take a test. And if you're not quite ready to go into Spanish 2, then you would repeat as a freshman Spanish one. I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel. I'm just these are thoughts as this topic is coming up. my other qu question there um because I know you don't necessarily have an answer to that um and I would love for you to come back with me with more information. Sure. I I can tell you we do have a test we do have test out options here for our students. Okay. Some of our students do take and uh that a final exam for a class where they can demonstrate mastery and comp out of that class and move on to the next. Okay. um that would then for me seem to be a

053natural solution to the credit challenge, but I do understand the decisions that um where you'll have gone with those. Um my curiosity comes into um we're talking about introducing these two different languages in the seventh grade and I'm curious why we're not introducing them way earlier. Um, I studied French in elementary school and one of the highlights of me in my sixth grade year was we as a class went out to a French restaurant and spoke only in French. And there were kids in my school that were not great at French, but they still got that exposure to that language way earlier. I still remember how to order things and can you pass the butter, please? and my name is um I do like Fris but it inspired a love for the language and the

054of different languages. I took Spanish. I was really really good in Spanish and I in college I was required to take Italian and I took my Italian test in Spanish. That didn't work out well for me. But I I feel like we're waiting too long to get them that exposure in seventh grade already. the literacy program in the sixth grade curriculum. You could put in the language component to that when they're doing their different things right now. Um I think that would be an easy solution to create that opportunity without moving the curriculum around. Very much there, you know, it is it is the intent of the work that we're doing with this to to take a look at what more we can do with the sixth grade level. And I don't know if there

055have been any discussions about anything prior to that, but we do um we we will be looking at that at what we can do at sixth grade to set up for eighth or for seventh grade and then into eighth grade. So I would expect there will be ongoing changes taking place. This is like the first step in moving towards a different model of delivery. I have one other thing I just I'm curious about um because and I and I brought this up when we talked about um removing English plus is I feel that while our intent is to bring everybody up to the same level and to give everybody all those opportunities but I feel like we are hindering some challenge or potentially hindering some children who could be more advanced and we're keeping them

056from being more advanced with some of these decisions that are for whatever that's worth. Just one more comment and I I had mentioned this to you um Mark in my email that could we just work on this for the next school year because it seems like this is too much decision- making. and there's a lot of conversation around it and I think we need to have revisit the collaborative approach and and perhaps come back the following school year with some solid that everyone can we can work out the credit issue which I don't quite understand at the middle school level anyway because you know because you know I can see that it whatever I'm I'm too new for all that but just throwing that out there as a as a suggestion and and and I

057don't know, you you know how you how you do you think how you phase this in without having some type of an issue because you know I think where where I think what what we've recognized with this year's seventh graders is that we're allowing that to continue with eighth grade. So, you know, when I think about implementation of this, I do see that because we are allowing seventh graders next year to finish up with this the what they've committed to. We are implementing this over time. We are part of this is being delayed. But in the meantime, we still have to do something for seventh graders. So to wait another year, you're putting it you're you're actually putting it out two more years because if you allow seventh graders to start with the first year

058or first half of of a full year course, they've got to go into the second year of that. So it I don't know from a logistical standpoint if you can make it work any other way. That said, nothing, you know, there's nothing prevent anything from stopping, you know, completely, but I I don't think we're gaining anything by doing that. especially with the credit situation. Uh we're just extending that for another year and I think the sooner we come into compliance with that, the better it is for our students. Thank you for for raising that issue. I'd just like to say something in wrapping up and um obviously the world languages topic is kind of a theme of this evening whether we want it to be or not. Um that's why so many of you are

059here. Come back for other board meetings by the way. come just because of this. Um, and you know, I first heard about this when I started receiving emails from parents and teachers and students. And of course, as I do, I started researching because that's me. Um, and I think right now it's important to remember, Mark reminds us as board members that there's always more to the story. And Mark, you're not the expert on this topic and you're doing a really hard job of trying to fill in for people who are the expert and are unable to be here and we appreciate you trying to fill in like that. Um that's hard to get questions when you're not the expert and I acknowledge that. Thank you. But um I think all of us are looking forward

060to learning more and really figuring out um or finding out what Paul Harvey would say is the rest of the story as we do learn more and I appreciate you giving us a step towards that direction. Thank you, Mark. Yeah. Yeah. I you know I I certainly would not be you know doing this or standing sitting here uh presenting on behalf of Tracy if I didn't believe that what we're doing we're trying to do what's best for our students and I know not everyone agrees that with all of the means to get to an end. But I I do think we're over time positioning our students to be in the best place possible without in the short term compromising their ability to get into that fifth year of Spanish which or French which is so

061important for many of our students. Mark, thank you very much for uh pulling this together in the last minute. Appreciate it a lot. Thank you very much. Um we'll now uh move on to comments and communications. First of all, comments by citizens and I have to address the board this evening. So, I'll start by reading our guidelines for public comment. The board of education meetings are held for the purpose of conducting the business of the school district. The board recognizes the importance of letting the public express themselves on district matters and welcomes community input at our board meetings. to to permit fair and orderly public expression. Please conform to these guidelines when addressing the board. Attendees must register their intention to speak during the public participation portion of the meeting by completing the speaker registration

062form at the beginning of the meeting. Individuals may not register others to speak. Speakers will be recognized by the presiding officer and may not be called in the order in which they have signed up to speak. Speakers are requested to state their name, address, and group affiliation if applicable. Limit comments to three minutes. Direct all comments to the board and not to staff or to other participants. Speakers may not yield any of their speaking time to others. Provide a written copy of your comments and supporting documentation to the board secretary if you have them. Present your comments in a respectful and courteous manner to model the behavior expected of ported students. Refrain from mentioning any student or individual by name. Contact the superintendent directly regarding personnel matters. The board has a legal obligation to protect

063the due process rights of both our students and our employees. Typically, concerns raised by speakers during public comment are best addressed through the established chain of command. board policy delegates resolution of operational concerns to the superintendent for further action. And since uh Trusty Noia is not here this evening, uh Barb has agreed to run the clock for us, which I appreciate. And uh we welcome our first speaker to the podium, Cat Frank, please. You really should come every meeting. Great. Thank you. Uh CatFrank, 2025 Windgate Portage Education Association President. Nice to see you all again. Trustees, it's my pleasure to share some of the great work our staff and students are doing with you all tonight. Lucy Ru Weaver's eighth graders will be going to a local restaurant to order and speak only in Spanish,

064much like Crawford broke up. uh with the employees. Lucy and the owners even reprinted the menu so that students must read and speak in Spanish during the excursion. I look forward to sharing pictures and stories from the trip with you all and thank thanks to Lucy for creating this opportunity with her students. The Amberly PTA hosted a Bing Glow party for the Amberly community which included glow-in-the-dark bingo, dancing, and face painting. It was a free event for families and many parents and teachers volunteered their time and resources to make this event fun and memorable for all. Thanks to Amberly parents and staff for volunteering their time. Uh Kay Tarlton along with other EL teachers and many many paraprofessionals are in the process of wrapping up WEDA testing. Uh if you don't know weeda testing, the

065purpose of this testing is to ensure schools are helping their English language learning students achieve English language proficiency and determine appropriate supports for each student. We have over 50 languages represented in PPS. At the secondary level, over 130 students were assessed either individually or in small groups, which you can imagine is quite the task. Uh this work often happens in the background. So, I wanted to take a moment and thank Kay and the entire EL team for their hard work. Courtney Isler Ward and Julie Stevenson's fourth and first grade classes at Morsbridge Elementary met as book buddies to read and write about famous black Americans for Black History Month. Our fourth graders did a fabulous job serving as learning leaders. And our first graders showed their ability to learn cooperatively and write as well. Thanks

066to Courtney and Julie for facilitating this peer-to-peer experience. And finally, West Middle School seventh and eighth grade bands. I think you all heard from Dennis last month. Uh they performed at the district band and orchestra festival last week. All three groups earned straight first division ratings, the best an ensemble can achieve at this event. Congratulations to all these students on a job well done. And thanks to Dennis for his leadership and guidance. Thank you. [Applause] Thanks for sharing all that good news, Cat. We appreciate it. Our next speaker is Sarah Baker. Please [Applause] Sarah Baker, Kazoo Public Schools. Kel Mazoo Ported Public Schools. My address is on my statement. Good evening, President Vaner, board trustees and superintendent feeling. I had always planned to attend tonight to learn more about the superintendent search. I was prompted

067to speak when I learned of a potential change to the middle school curriculum. As there are many people here tonight to address world languages, I wish to speak about how this decision is more about trust. I am disappointed that Dr. Speaker Gersheimer isn't here. I think she would have been uh very informative and I hope to follow up with her after the meeting. Um I've always been proud of the learning and teaching that happens throughout our school district. I believe that Portage Public Schools has created a system of oversight and community engagement through vehicles like the curriculum instruction council, department meetings, PTO's, district advisory council, and back in the day, designing for the future. These committees are a means to explore change openly and methodically. After hearing about the possible revision to the coursework map,

068I did my research starting with the PPS website. I did find reference to world language and CIC meetings. CIC membership by your in your bylaws is 50 members strong, teachers, administrators, parents, and community design. This diverse group has the best interest of learners K12. However, making middle school world language an elective does not appear on the agendas or in any minutes. It is also not in any of the board minutes this year. As I read the CIC bylaws, the world language instructional path would fall under its purpose. And if the sequencing was a pilot, it still needs CIC approval. Help me appreciate how a significant modification to middle school required curriculum is not a more transparent process. Is this decision evidence-based? How will it improve learning for all students? I have heard trustees express concern

069about the employee culture at PPS. Beyond surveys and paid consultant reports, I offer to you that this change in sequencing is a key faculty engagement activity. My understanding is the world language teachers have conducted research as part of a multi-year review. It goes without saying, but I will anyway. A department of 19 professionals with an average of 17 years of teaching experience, 60% with master's degrees is seriously credentialed. Is this move recommended by teaching staff? And if middle school is to prepare the student for high school and beyond, is this change endorsed by high school administrators, IB coordinators, counselors, and teachers? I don't know. because there are no published documents without full context I don't feel a culture of trust PPS has been a leader in Michigan with the international balora program and many have

070adopted our world language mandatory pathway based on portage I am proud of the rigorous and individualized education offered here I do not understand why such a decision to lower the standard is even suggested Ed again because I have no information board and PPS administrators as I share my thoughts I understand this is a monologue I am sure there are some in the room how who are frustrated because I don't know the full situation and I would say because there's nothing published thank [Applause] Thank you, Sarah. Our next speaker is Heather Kangas. Welcome. Good evening, Heather Kenz, 6083 Evergreen Street in Portage. Uh, good evening tonight. Uh thank you for the opportunity to speak. Typically when I'm here, I'm here to offer opportunities to our students for travel and uh I tonight I am here about

071the opportunities that I feel are being taken away from our students. Um are starting this fall. As you are aware, the seventh graders are going to have a required 9-week exploratory course for French and nine weeks for Spanish. This is going to take away from a fullear opportunity of being exposed to a language and increasing language acquisition and proficiency which gets us to the IB level five course. Time is more than a course. The years uh the eighth graders are now going to be offered an elective one year of one year of language that will mirror the high school level. One of the reasons I wanted to go into education was to help open doors for students that they maybe didn't know even existed. and I feel right now we are going to be closing

072them. I also have a question as far as this semester. Uh what happens the second semester when we're doing scheduling in February and that second semester group is just going to be starting their 18 weeks of exploratory. There's a lot of research that supports why students should take a world language course and even why they should start at an earlier age as mentioned. Um, I feel that this by that by making this eighth grade elective the same pace as the high school course without building the students up to a level of a high school rigor is setting the course up for failure. Uh, students will think twice before signing up for what they may think to be an honors type course when they have only had nine weeks of experience. Certain demographics of students are

073going to be steered away from the course because it will be too difficult for them or they are not really the correct type of student that should be taking this course. Even students who take algebra 1 courses in eighth grade have two years to build up the rigor of the eighth grade course by taking math plus in the sixth grade and math plus in the seventh grade. Personally, I grew up in a small community where I um wanted to play the flute. My cousin said I should play the flute. I went to go take a test and I was told can't play the flute. So, I left. I didn't play anything in band. I lost out on an experience because of my fear of the unknown that kept me from having experience that could have

074been life-changing. I also am running out of time, so I'm going to just skip ahead a little bit. I've had different experiences where I've been told that I shouldn't go into education because I didn't couldn't do a study abroad. And here I am today, a world language department chair, IB uh instructor. Um, one of the biggest reasons that I became, as I said, a teacher is to open doors to other cultures. And as I'm looking at the uh requirements for being able to take the HL course and earn that seal of biiteracy, which portage is in the top of this realm, um, I'm struggling to see how this is not tracking. To quote the email that was sent to the PPS families on February 10th in 2023 regarding EOA plus tracking is defined by stiffen

075Johnson the placement of students into qualitatively uh different courses and based on variety of non-academic reasons such as perceived achievement race socio economic status gender language and other expectations ascribed to the students. I'm having a hard time seeing how we're not doing that to our students now by um not giving them this opportunity and making it seem like it is an honors course. the CRC team actually did propose a model that wasn't um put into the meeting until that actual day on February 13th that would have had a seventh grade age appropriate and an eighth grade age appropriate uh course that would then be able to take the students and place them into Spanish one if they needed the extra time or Spanish 2. And we were told after the decision was made that that

076couldn't happen because there wasn't enough time to see if that was actually a valid point or not. Um on the morning of the 27th, I was told this will not happen for the fall. And at 4 or at 2:40 that same afternoon, I was informed by Dr. Speaker Gersheimer that this is indeed happening in the fall of 2025. Thank you. Thank you, Heather. Our next speaker is Rachel Ryder. Do I have that right? [Applause] My name is Rachel Ryell and I reside at 426 Parkland Terrace. As I tested my 2-year-old daughter this afternoon for the same information, she passed. She does the half the door. Forgot that. Sorry, I need readers. I'm getting old. Good evening. My name is Rachel Ryell and I am the co-chairs person for the high school world language district team

077and I am a Spanish teacher at Portage Central High School. 12 years ago, I was thrilled when I was hired at Portage Central because I knew the district valued academic excellence and the world language department was a leader in the state in terms of the programming that it was offering in addition to the successes that were being achieved. Sadly, the cutting edge programming and the future successes of our department are in jeopardy with the newly proposed program change. This change has come as a shock to our department because it was never supported by the research that we conducted during our curriculum review cycle. As our team began the curriculum review cycle, we were asked to trust and follow the process with faith and fidelity. We were assured that our research and expertise would be highly

078valued in any decisions that needed to be made. However, none of the models that we researched were considered when a group of stakeholders met in midFebruary. In fact, the models that were brought to the group were not found through research nor investigating best practices for student success. During that meeting, our team expressed concerns that moving to an elective-based program will reduce our program numbers, reduce the number of students that are able to reach the uppermost level of our language program and will delay the start of language learning, which makes language acquisition more difficult. In an attempt to collaborate, our team offered an additional model, but it was immediately dismissed without any discussion. When it came time to bring a recommendation to the executive team to discuss and vote, our curriculum team was not asked to

079vote for the model we felt was best despite being told that we would be given a chance to rank the models that were presented at the meeting. On February 27th, after the executive team had team had met, we were notified via Google Meet of the change to the middle school programming. As you can imagine, we were shocked. I do not believe it was shocking that the program is going to change because we could read the writing on the wall after the meeting in midFebruary, but rather out of all the possible options, the one chosen seems to be the very worst. Although the decision to make a change was not surprising, it has been incredibly disappointing. Our program that was once in the forefront of world language instruction is going to take a giant step backwards.

080The middle school provides the necessary foundation that our students need to be successful in high school and beyond. Instead of working towards strengthening students language acquisition, this decision is going to have a ripple effect in which our students will be disadvantaged. The trust we place in the process and those leading the process has completely evaporated, leaving us to feel undervalued and disrespected. When we inquired as to why this change is taking place, it was revealed during the meeting on February 27th that it is because our program is not in compliance with state law and board policy. I find it difficult to believe that our district could be out of compliance with the state law since no one in our department has ever been made aware of that concern. And we have members who have been

081part of our department for over 25 years. In a district in addition, our district employees, competent counselors who have done and continue to do their due diligence in understanding and complying with the law and the district policies. It seems absurd that if we are out of compliance with the state that it would go unnoticed until now. Our district prides itself on collaboration and strong sense of community. However, this has not been the case for our department with this programming change. What is incredibly frustrating is that when it was discovered that our district is allegedly out of compliance with the state and the board policies, no one took the time to discuss it with our team ahead of the decision, nor to work with us to brainstorm possible solutions. Instead, people who are not world language

082educators are deciding on a model that has no basis on research and is clearly not focused on student success. The district is in a hurry to make a decision, and in the rush, decisions are being made that are taking our department in the wrong direction. while jeopardizing the high level of success we've been able to achieve year after year. Changing a program that is success as successful as our program should be a decision that's not rushed nor done in haste, but rather one in which we take our time and collaborate to determine a model that focuses on students and their success. It is hard to accept this change when it seems as though the process has been abandoned in order to meet a timeline. We owe it to the program and to our students to

083take our time to find the solution that supports the research that the curriculum review team has completed and that we are compliant with the board policies and the state law. If this change is really necessary, then let's work together so that we can ensure that the first and foremost what we're doing is the absolute best for our students. Our next speaker is Katherine Miller. Welcome Katherine Malar, 835 Boswell Lane, Kalinda, Michigan. Um I am here in um reading the letter of a fellow colleague Senora Smith. She teaches at West Middle School. Um before I begin, I do want to address um Mrs. Crawford's question about I was um part of an elementary program uh for 11 years that I developed. I was on a cart and I did teach Spanish for 11 years in Portage

084public schools from young fives up to fifth grade. So it was part of our curriculum before I got the chopping block. Okay. So, um I'm going to go ahead and read her letter. Dear board of education, thank you for taking the time to read my letter. My name is Susan Smith and I am a seventh grade middle school Spanish teacher. Since joining West Middle School in 2001, I have been deeply inspired by how our community supports a strong academic program that fosters growth for all students regardless of their their starting point. Over the years, I've had the privilege of mentoring students through a peer mentor mentorship program designed to help struggling learners thrive alongside their high achieving peers. Witnessing students develop their skills and confidence has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my

085career. Unfortunately, with recent changes in administrating administration support, our program was discontinued, marking a significant shift in focus. As we face the potential cuts to the world language program, I want to emphasize the impact this decision will have on both our gifted and struggling students. The loss of this program will deprive many students of valuable opportunities to enhance their learning and improve their skills, especially at a time when we are seeing declines in MSTEP scores. Thank you for taking the time to consider the implications of these changes on our community. I appreciate your support in advocating for all our students. Best regards, Senora Smith. [Applause] Thank you, Katherine. Our next speaker is Shaon, please. Shon 9150 West. Uh, my name is Shaon. I'm an alumni of Portage Central and my mom has been a kindergarten

086teacher in the district for many years. Um, so I'm very familiar with and grateful for how Portage Schools um, just really supports their students in all sorts of walks of life and interests. Um, that has definitely been part of my story with Portage Schools. So, I'm here to talk about the things that I know about Portage and the things that I know specifically about the Spanish department and about Spanish 5. Um, language is really an essential piece to human thought, experience, and expression. Um it's the heart of human connection and I think that's really what we're discussing here is what is the importance of that for portage students. Um from my experience the first four years of the Spanish program build a really key foundation but then Spanish 5 and the same would be um

087for French 5. That's really where this beautiful structure is built. Um so we're really talking about the foundation versus the structure and and what really is the essential piece of that fifth year. uh on just once a student reaches that level of fluency in that Spanish 5 um the world of connection which is really the purpose of learning a language that's where it begins to open up um so instead of merely observing a culture and a people a language those things you actually start experiencing it so for me um the last year of Spanish 5 was when I was really able to start exploring the personal and cultural connections that really fit into my life. I was able to write and read letters um from family friends that are in Spain that only speak Spanish.

088Um I was exploring books and music that fit my specific interests, which were not common interests um for those of you that know me. And so I was able to do that in a language that was foreign and yet familiar at that point. Um so the foundation was laid in those first few years and then the structure was built in that fifth year. now teaching quilting and quilt history. And in my Spanish 5 class, I made a quilt that represented a piece of Hispanic literature that had personal significance to me that would otherwise be completely lost in translation. I now share that quilt in my quilting lectures and bring my students into that cultural connection that I learned in high school. This is really where I would argue the difference between communication and connection. I

089have many friends that are Spanish- speakaking, raised their kids in Spanish-sp speakaking homes. Um, but I'm really able to connect with these people in a different way. I can communicate with them in English, but I can connect with them because of the basis that I have in Spanish. So, I can talk to my kids friends, you know, their their my friends kids that only speak Spanish and I'm using words that they understand and their face lights up with joy. I can talk with my friend from Colombia and I know that I can talk in a circular fashion and tell stories that way and connect with her in a deeper way because I know her culture, her Colombian culture. I can appreciate the poetic um artistry of Hispanic music because I don't just know what the

090words mean, but I've come to appreciate the sound and the cadence of the language. I I love it in a different kind of way because I didn't just build the foundation. and I went a step further and was able to actually enjoy it in my life. So, what I know about Portage Public Schools is they know the importance of supporting their students and building everything that their students needs. I have experienced that personally and I just hope that you'll continue to do everything possible to make that opportunity a possibility for every single student, not just ones that might think of that whole journey when they're in seventh grade. Because I know I wouldn't have thought about everything that that would apply to my life in seventh grade, but I see it now and I know

091it's important. That's all I wanted to share tonight. Thank you. Thank you, Shay. Uh, our next speaker, I hope I get this right. Is it Sophia Lim? Hi, my address is 4665 Blacktail Avenue. Um, good evening to everybody. My name is Sophia Ling and I am a senior and an IB Spanish 5HL student here at PC as well as an IB diploma program candidate. Like many of those who've already spoken, I'm here today to express my deep concern about the recent amendments to the world language programs at the middle school level. In particular, I would like to talk about how these changes are significantly harmful to students after they graduate from Portage Public Schools. At its core, these changes do deny exponential amounts of students the opportunity to first enroll in the IB diploma program

092by significantly eliminating their ability to fulfill the world language requirements, but also the opportunity to reach their highest potential in these languages by effectively shutting them out of level five classes. Not only does the IB diploma equip students with the strong work ethic that is necessary to be a productive and successful student, colleague, and member of society, it is these level five classes where students not only understand a language, but polish their use of them so that they can take them into the world and make meaningful connections. Level five classes are essential for far more reasons than I can express in a short letter, but namely for the doors that they open for students after graduation. I know firsthand how life-changing these opportunities can be. Personally, I am proud to stand here today and share

093that I've been granted the opportunity of a lifetime. That I'm committed to spending the next four years earning my undergraduate degrees in both biology and Spanish at St. Louis University's Madrid campus in Spain. An opportunity that only exists because of the Spanish program right here in Portage. The impact this opportunity has already had on my life is immeasurable. from fostering friendships all around the world to the opportunity to travel all around Europe and already already saving me approximately $17,000 in tuition before my college career has even begun. Additionally, I've already been exposed to walks of life that I would have never seen without this experience, more than those that I already know through my Spanish classes or those familiar to me as a biracial woman. For the young minds of Portage public schools, exposure to

094other walks of life are not only beneficial but essential, especially in a town like Portidge, where the term diversity resonates with very few. These are the opportunities that language learning unlocks. One that shapes futures in ways that we cannot always predict, but we must absolutely protect. It is precisely these reasons why I am saddened and uneasy by the new choices by the curriculum board that directly harm the future of all portage public school students. By limiting access to world languages, we are taking away opportunities that define students careers, global perspectives, and identities. As educators, you accept a responsibility and a promise to protect the young minds that you serve. An innate obligation that is part of being an educator and one that this decision directly contradicts. I urge you all to refocus this decision on

095the centers on the student centered educational experience that you have vowed to uphold and reconsider this decision to p to preserve the world language programs that have transformed the lives of so many including my own. Thank you. I also have with me letters from different leading experts in foreign language acquisition and linguistics from various colleges as well as letters from alumni of portage public schools. I'm not sure who would like those. Thank you. Um, our next speaker is Adelaide. My name is Adelaide Cowchuk, 7798 Quarters Co. My name is Adalie Elis Cowchuk and I am a senior at Portage Central High School, currently enrolled in IBF French 4. As spoken to previously by Miss Larson, I was given the opportunity to take French 1A in 8th grade and then continue f French one in freshman

096year. This set me up for success. As a lifelong student, a lifelong language learner, and an aspiring educator, I speak to you today with deep respect for the teachers and administrators who shape our curriculum. However, I also speak with a sense of urgency because the decision to remove mandatory world language education from our middle schools is not just disappointing to me, it is unacceptable. Language is a gateway to culture, understanding, and global citizenship. I know this firsthand because I spent my early years in Canada, attending a school where English, French, Braille, and American Sign Language were taught. That environment shaped me, broadening my cultural awareness, strengthening my values, and fostering my empathy. traits I believe are essential to a holistic education. Language learning promotes inclusivity and cultural awareness which are critical in diverse communities like

097Portage. Now, as I look at the changes being proposed, I worry about what will be lost. Language education should not just be an academic requirement because it is a fundamental pillar of a well-rounded education. Bilingual students consistently outperform their monolingual students on standardized tests in reading, math, and vocabulary. This matters for Portage public schools. Michigan's test scores, particularly in reading, are already below national averages and have not returned to prepandemic levels. Cutting world language programs will further lower our district's performance. Removing mandatory middle school world language education forces students to begin learning a language later, reducing their proficiency and limiting their opportunities for advanced coursework in high school. Does our district not strive to increase the number of IB diploma candidates? Additionally, students who lack sufficient foreign language credits are less likely to earn merit

098scholarship or use their API language credits to reduce college tuition as most colleges accept only HL level. Eliminating early language early language education widens the opportunity gap and makes college an even loftier goal for many. The United States lags behind other countries in bilingual education. A 2017 report from the American Councils for International Education found that only 20% of US K- through2 students study a foreign language compared to 92% in Europe. Many top performing education systems including those in Finland, China, and Germany introduce second language in elementary or middle school. By removing world languages, Portage public schools risks lowering its educational standards and leaving students unprepared for the future. Language education is not an extra. It is a critical component of academic excellence and career readiness. I truly believe that Portage Public School strives for

099excellence, but excellence cannot be achieved by taking steps backwards. Cutting mandatory world languages from middle school is a disservice to future students. I urge you, do not let this decision stand. Invest in the future of portage students by keeping language education a priority. Our district is capable of leading, innovating, and preparing students for a glo global future. Let's ensure we continue to do just that. Thank you. Thank you, Adelaide. Our next speaker is Jillian Hatfield, please. All right. Jillian Hatfield, 7641 South Sprinkle Road. My name is Jillian Hatfield and I am a senior here at Port Central High School and a former French forest student, pausing my education due to dual enrollment schedule requirements. In June of 2023, I embarked on a 10-day trip to France through the World Strides program. During these 10 days,

100my cohort, including my best friends since sixth grade, traveled all along the southern portion of the country, even seeing a bit of Spain for a day. I was finally able to use the French language in ways I had dreamed of. From eating an authentic crate by the Eiffel Tower and watching the twinkling lights to down in Nice, swimming on the rooftop of our hotel, basking in the sun and beautiful architecture around us. The trip was incredible. So incredible that my best friend and I got matching tattoos for it. A little posted stamp on the side of our arms with an Eiffel Tower pictured inside. Besides the tattoo, there are many other ways learning a language impacts me for the rest of my life. Lifelong neurological processing and structure changes is one of them. As someone

101pursuing neuroscience, I find myself looking for a biological answer to things. As for language, there is a clear explanation. Such an explanation that if I that I would be here for hours if I did so for all of you. Based on your decision, it seems as though most of you have not looked into this. So, I will inform you if you cannot do so yourselves. According to the National Institute of Health, studies conducted using a functional MRI machine have shown certain regions of the brain to be more active in those who are bilingual as opposed to those who are not. Those regions which I will not bore you with the names are areas involved in attention, inhibition and cognitive control. Now other than neuronal activation, the brain structure itself can be altered. Additional studies have

102proven that white matter, the tissue used to transmit information in the brain, and gray matter, the tissue responsible for processing that information, have shown increased density and volume in various areas of the brain involving language processing, attention, spatial awareness, and social cognition, just to name a few. Now, all of this being said, the easiest way to interpret this information as someone without, for example, a psychological or neurological background would be to say it improves overall learning, which I'd hope for this district to care about. The improvement of cognitive and sensory processing, as well as auditory processing, ultimately contributes to an easier ability to process information, such as new vocabulary in a learning environment. Outside education, being bilingual positively affects your brain's plasticity, meaning its ability to rewire itself and adapt through changes. one's executive function

103important for planning, focus, memory, and managing multiple tasks, as well as enhancing mental agility, allowing oneself to transition from idea to idea and task to task smoothly. Language is not just a collection of words. It is the bridge that connects us to others and to the very foundation of our humanity. Language is more than just an IB achievement. It deepens relationships, enhances cognitive abilities, and open doors to new perspectives. I too once underestimated the power of language much like some of you denying its necessity. But after 5 years of my life dedicated to French and 10 days completely immersed in it, I can confidently say that learning a language has been one of the most transformative experiences of my life. It has shaped the way I think, understand, and engage with the world. I never

104thought that I would be asked to stand here and convince people to maintain something that means so much to my peers and I. and I fail to see why a credit adjustment means more than the overall well-being of your students. You pride yourself in your IB and world language statistics. Though, what I think is not being realized is implementing a more complex, difficult, and discouraging program will only lower these numbers, turning students away from continuing on and weakening the IBM program it in its entirety. I I have laid as much of the science out for you as I can. And with this in mind, I hope you can now make the right decision, one for the students, not for yourselves. this new curriculum would be detrimental to the students of tomorrow and to implement a

105new world language program is to deny those students of opportunity. Language changes lives and I am a testimony to that and I urge all of the board members and administrative members at Porter Public Schools to think of the students who eventually won't be able to say the same. Thank you. Thank you, Jillian. Our next speaker is Katherine Jawaher. Sorry [Applause] about Katherine Jawaher. My address is 5400 Swallow Avenue. Good evening. My name is Katherine Jaher and I am a senior Ivy Spanish 5 student and IB diploma candidate here at PC. I speak to you tonight to express my concern and disappointment with the recent decision regarding the world language curriculum in this district. Portage public schools provides an invaluable education and many opportunities to its students. Both world language classes and the IB diploma program

106have been the most impactful and important in my life here. One of the most prominent goals of the IB diploma program to develop students into global citizens. People who think on a global level, have extensive knowledge in many academic areas, and know how to apply that knowledge in the real world. With the changes you intend to make, it will be nearly impossible for students to achieve that. By requiring only an exploratory semester in seventh grade, students could be forced to start learning a world language two years later than previously, potentially preventing them from reaching the level five classes, which are truly the most crucial years of world language education. It's in those level five classes that students learn how to put together and use all of the tools that they've gained during their world language

107education. Depriving them of that opportunity would prevent them from reaching the IB level. I know that Portage prides itself on the number of students that participate in IB and world language programs. This decision would only decrease that number and be a detriment to the district. This could also prevent students from being able to take higher level IB tests for their world languages, resulting in fewer college credits and increase tuition costs for Portage graduates. Ultimately, this change will only set students back further. No longer requiring a world language in middle school will put students behind in high school and hinders their success in college and beyond. Colleges look for applicants with at least two years of world language experience. This decision would make it far more difficult to complete that requirement. On a more personal level,

108the classrooms of every single Spanish teacher at Portage Central and Portage West Middle School have provided me with the most supportive and caring environment I could have hoped for in high school. I can truthfully tell you that because of the experience I've had in those classrooms and with this Spanish program, I've looked forward to being in Spanish class every single day since seventh grade and will continue to study Spanish in college. The love that has been fostered for learning this language has allowed it to become about far more than simply learning words. Spanish has become a space to learn about different cultures, global figures, and historic literature in a manner entirely different from other classes. It's a welcome break from the rigorous IB program and despite its key role in the curriculum, failing to offer

109students the opportunity to learn in such a unique environment would be doing them a severe disservice. The world language program in your schools provides students with so much more than just knowledge of another language. It teaches them empathy, discipline, curiosity, kindness, and through all of these and more, how to be a global citizen. Depriving students of the ability to learn a world language in middle school could put them at a severe disadvantage in high school and far beyond. I know that you all want to do what's best for your students. So, I urge you please to reconsider this decision. Thank you. Thank you, Katherine. Our next speaker is Kaden Mackey, please. Uh Kayen Mackey, 2521 Bronze Avenue in Portage. Hi, my name is Kayen Mackey and I am a 2024 Portage Central graduate as well

110as my graduating classes recipient of the French department award. I took French for six years from 7th grade to 12th grade and I plan to continue my French in college by pursuing a m pursuing a minor depending on extenduating circumstances with my major. I was very saddened to hear about the changes that are going to be made pertaining to the world language classes in middle schools. I dreamt of visiting Paris from a fairly young age, which sparked my interest in taking French. However, I likely wouldn't have chosen to take it in seventh grade had it not been required. My perspective changed dramatically when I traveled to France in June of 2023 with about 30 of my classmates, my wonderful teacher, and I even had the opportunity to bring my grandmother. Throughout the course of this

111trip, I experienced many life-changing moments, but I will never forget the opportunity that I had to communicate with local French people. My grandma and I were seated next to a young couple on the metro. So, I took this opportunity to do what I had been practicing for so long. After our conversation, they praised my efforts, which boosted my confidence and motivated me to keep improving. I can sit here and tell you about how much this moment changed my life, but you truly have to experience it to feel it. And I would not have encountered this moment had I not been required to take the class in seventh grade. Learning French not only led to these life-changing moments, but it also opened my eyes to what I am capable of at just 18 years old. Forcing

112these decisions among seventh and eighth graders is extremely unethical because they will likely choose to take the easy route and take less challenging electives. While art and food classes are valuable, world languages provide students with opportunities to grow their creativity and cultural understandings in ways that other electives don't. The choice to add yet another elective proves to me that you are feeding into the learning crisis that has been caused by the CO 19 pandemic. Students should be encouraged to explore other options that prepare them for the future, including the college language requirements that many universities have. Making this change will lead to limitations on opportunities for students to develop language and communication skills. I would also like to take a moment to acknowledge the fact that this is Portage Public Schools, one of the most

113privileged public school districts in the area. One of the perks of attending a Portage High School would be the prestigious IB diploma, which requires studying a second language. If this change goes through, many of these upcoming students may feel left behind when they don't have the chance to participate in the Ivy diploma due to a decision that they made three years ago when they were in middle school. I chose to continue taking French through high school because of how much I enjoyed learning the language and culture as well as the teacher. It is a known fact that Portage Public Schools hires the best of the best teachers. And that is especially true when it comes to the world language teachers. They create enriching learning environments, are the most personable, and make it known that they

114want the best for us. By making this change, you could be denying future students the chance to experience these benefits. Please reconsider this decision. Don't settle for the easier solution. Portage families trust you to provide the best education for their children. Thank you. Thank you, Kaden. Our next our next speaker is Pth Sharma. Do I have that right? Part Chararma, 7130 Anendale Drive. Good evening everyone. My name is Parth Chararma and I am currently a senior at Ported Central and an IB Spanish 5 student. I'm here today because like many of my students, I stand in disapproval of the proposed changes to the world language curriculum taking effect next year. My peers have already talked about the cognitive benefits of learning a language from a young age and the specific benefits it has for the

115IB diploma programs at both Portage Central and Portage Northern. So, I come to you with a specific and nuanced perspective based on my pri prior lived experiences. So, for some background, I've long been passionate about equal access to education and education policy. Since my sophomore year, I have been part of the Beyond Differences National Teen Board, a group of activists from across the country, creating curriculum for middle school students to increase senses of belonging and fight against social isolation. My work on this curriculum has impacted over 26.5 million students and has been recognized by the former US Surgeon General, Dr. Vive Murphy. Specifically, last year I authored a curriculum surrounding the life and contributions of Mexican artist Freda Kala and her ability to blend her fight surrounding her disability, culture, and betrayal of gender norms

116into her art, which went out to over 10,000 middle schools last year and will be going out to an additional 20,000 this year. In April, I will be heading to Philadelphia to give a youth keynote speak speech at the 2025 Sandy Hook Promise Safe Summit, speaking to hundreds of middle schoolers about how they they can use their voices to create change in their local education systems. In addition to this, just last week I was in Washington DC for the 63rd annual United States Senate Youth Program, a competitive scholarship program where I got the opportunity to hear from many senior government officials. One of the ones that spoke the most to me was Mexican ambassador to the US, Anna Louisa Faher. She spoke about how fostering a sense of cultural understanding between the United States and

117Hispanic speaking countries is possibly the single most important aspect of improving the divide we see in communities today. And in my opinion, that change starts right here in our schools. World language classes aren't just about learning a language. They serve as an introduction for students to learn more about the world around them, immerse themselves, and respect other cultures, backgrounds, and identities. Relaxing the requirements for students to immerse themselves in another culture will be a stark and unjust step in the wrong direction. To solve the ever growing problem of divisiveness we have in our community surrounding issues like race, we have to turn to social institutions like the education system to teach us how to be better citizens. The Spanish programs at Portage Central High School and Portage West Middle School have changed my life in

118many ways and undoubtedly have made me a positive contributor to my community now and in the future. For this reason, I cannot stand in complacency knowing that there is a chance that the students who come after me won't be able to experience the same transformative curriculum as I did. To quote the late Freda Kalo laambio, passion is the bridge that takes you from pain to change. My fellow students and I are passionate about this issue and urge you to change the proposed system for the greater good of our community. Let's live in a world where passion drives our communities, not hate. Thank you. Thank you for our next speaker, Katie Pena. Please welcome. Hi again. Um Katie Painage, 9:30 West Morland. Um so I actually am going to be reading an email from a former

119student who I just saw was is here. So hi. Um, but I wanted to also uh express that I also am a product of the world language um uh program here at Portage Public Schools. Um, I was one of the first people to go through it a as a seventh grader in 1999. Um, and I went through Spanish 5. I'm now a Spanish teacher, been a Spanish teacher for 14 years. Um, I was the presidential scholar at Western Michigan. I studied abroad twice. So, I could not have done that without starting with Lisa Bookin or Aldrich in seventh grade. um and going all the way up with Mr. Hill. I interned with Bonnie. I could not have done it without Portage. So, um I'm reading a uh an email that uh Heather Kanyangas got from

120a former student of her and me back in October, actually. Um and so I want to highlight the benefits of the tangible benefits of what our program has done for students. And again, it only happens because they have that base starting in seventh grade. um it doesn't happen because they start in eighth grade. It doesn't happen because they start in ninth grade. Um and so there, as we've echoed many times, there are a lot of concerns about students not making it to that level five. So, hola, sora, kanyangas, kumas, I hope your school school year is going well and that all your Spanish students are killing it and giving their best effort. Life at Central Michigan University has been a phenomenal opportunity for me. Two weeks ago, I declared my majors and my minor. I

121will be double majoring in social work and psychology and minoring in Spanish. Um, also I am looking into study abroad. Fortunately, with my IB scores, I placed in Spanish 202, which is the highest grammar course at at Central Michigan. And I will be furthering my speaking skills with a pronunciation course next semester, which is actually happening right now. Um, this student who is sitting in the front row also received eight retroactive credits because they took the because she took the IB exam and the score that she received. The Spanish program at Central Michigan is exceptional and IB Spanish fully prepared me prepared her for college level Spanish. Um, this part I laughed out loud. Okay, today we wrote our major composition which was a breeze. I had trouble keeping it in the word count which

122was 200 words because I because I was used to writing 500word essays for IB. If it wasn't for IB Spanish 5, I would not have been prepared to write a college level Spanish essay, even if it was only 200 words. I also feel that my essay flowed extremely well because I knew when to use transition words and I had a lot of them memorized because you kept them in your back pocket. Um, also after taking IB, I feel that my Spanish skills have excelled greatly. We recently covered subjunctive and my professor was amazed at how much I knew about it. Again, if it wasn't for the rigorous IB program, um, I would not be the Spanish speaker, writer, listener, and reader that I am today. Um, this student goes on, but I'm out of time.

123Um, but again, this student would not be where she is today if we didn't have that solid base in seventh grade. So, thank you for letting me read that. You're the Spanish award winner. Oh my gosh. And you also won the Spanish award. Me, too. Thank you, Katie. Our last speaker tonight is Christy Wrath. Well, [Music] is Bonnie Moss also on the list? Number three. She already spoke. She didn't. I called her. Who did? You went right to me. Oh, I missed you. Oh, I'm sorry. Well, I'm sorry. We'll do it. I'll be quick. Christy Wrath, 5851 Texas Drive. Um, and I'm a northern Spanish teacher for 14 years. Over the past week, I've received a variety of emails as well as parent teacher conference conversations about the upcoming world language changes. So, I'm here

124to share the thoughts from a 2021 graduate from Portage Northern High School. As an alumni of the IB Spanish program at Northern, I'm writing to express my concerns about the change proposal the changes proposed for the world language program within the district. As a former student, I can attest to the impact that world language education has had on my academic and personal growth. And I strongly believe that the changes proposed to the current program will negatively impact current and future students. It has come to my attention that it is the intention to rework the program, eliminating eliminating full years of language instruction in seventh and eighth grade and instead implementing a nineweek trial of both Spanish and French and seventh grade. This not only limits students ability to engage with diverse cultures and languages, but

125also diminishes the quality of education that our school district is known for. During my time at Purge Northern High School, the opportunity to learn a foreign language was invaluable. It broadened my cultural awareness, enhanced my critical thinking skills, and prepared me for success in higher education in my career. By reducing the amount of language acquisition at an early age and changing the requirements for high school language, students will be deprived of crucial opportunities that could benefit their future academic and professional endeavors. World language education is an essential component of a well-rounded academic experience. Learning a foreign language enhances cognitive abilities, fosters global understanding, and improves career prospects. I respectfully urge the school board to reconsider this decision and explore alternative solutions that would allow for the continuation and enhancement of the world language department. Due

126to the quality of Spanish education I received at Portage Northern, I was able to successfully test into 300 level classes my first year of college, saving thousands of dollars on tuition for lower level classes. As well as this, I was able to have an on-ampus job as a Spanish t tutor and teaching assistant throughout the entirety of my freshman year, which is an opportunity that would not have been possible without the structure of the world language program the way that it has been. In my professional life as a nurse, I am able to communicate effectively with patients who would otherwise have language barriers and I'm used as a resource by my team due to my ability to communicate with Spanish speaking patients. As an alumni, I deeply value the education I received at Porters Northern

127High School and want to see current and future students benefit from the same high-quality opportunities. I would appreciate the board being open to the concerns of the district and those who are most affected by the proposed change and I am excited to see potential compromises or solutions from our incredible world language teachers in the district. Thank you for your time and dedication to our students education. I look forward to your response and hope that all of our concerns will be taken into serious consideration. Um, and as Katie Pain said, I also a product of Portage Northern, went through the IB program, studied abroad twice, and have been teaching in Portage ever since by choice. And that is because Portage has been the best for many years. And it's honestly really alarming that this is where

128we're headed right now. Thank you. Thank you, Christie. And you were not the last speaker. Bonnie Moss was the last speaker. Thank you. Hello, my name is Bonnie Moss, 361 Alders Gate Drive in Portage. I am the World Language Department chairwoman and a Spanish teacher here at PCHS. I have a lot to say given my 23 years of experience here. So, it was hard for me to pick exactly what I was going to talk about. I decided to go with a historian's perspective and also tell you about some of our successes and losses. When I started, Portage Public Schools offered students opportunities to enroll in not just Spanish, but French, Latin, German, and there was talk of American Sign Language, elementary languages, and Chinese. That was 23 years ago. Over the years, our district has

129offered and eliminated five of those programs. I would consider those major losses. However, our teachers have always put the students success in the forefront and we see amazing results. So, I'd like to focus on the positive to show you just how strong our current model is. This year alone, our district has over 1,000 high school students enrolled in a world language. This is in part due to the sequence and experience of our middle school program and teachers. Currently, we have almost 200 French and Spanish seniors that will be taking the IB higher level exam, which will award college credit to those students that pass. After doing some comparison with other IB schools around the state, that number far exceeds those that are practicing languages with different and similar sequential models. These students will also receive

130the biiteracy seal from the state of Michigan. Since 2021, approximately 450 of our students have earned this prestigious award. The success of our students has been so great and this is due to their hard work and commitment to our full enriching program. Taking away part of this sequence will have negative effects and will undoubtedly we will undoubtedly suffer losses and these student successes and opportunities will decrease. Students that do not elect to take a language in eighth grade will be required to enroll in Spanish or French one as freshmen in order to fulfill the graduation requirement as per state law. This therefore eliminates their chances of taking the level five course and testing at the higher level of IB. If you do not see the advantage or importance of that loss, I beg you to

131talk to one of the thousands of students that we have personally witnessed, helped, and are currently guiding to achieve that success. Our curriculum directors and now superintendent have stated that we have not been following the language of the law, which is a debatable statement and should have been further discussed with counselors, administrators, and our CRC team instead of solely placed in the proverbial sandbox. If indeed our current model needed to change, there are better options, way better options than this structure that only a couple of people created and support. I need you to know that none of our district world language team agree with this model. I implore this board of education to place the success of our students first in their minds and in their governing decisions. Please overturn this imposed program model so

132that as a team we can do what is best for our students and the success of Portage Public Schools. Thank you for your time. Thank you, Bonnie. And I thank you again to all our speakers tonight. Thank you for coming out. Um, I'll move to comments by board trustees. Anyone? I would like to say thank you for all of you coming out and talking tonight. It was really enlightening to hear all the stories. I didn't have the IB program when I was going through. I missed it by a year for good or bad. But it's really cool to see how much more language you use. I barely got through college level language and to see the difference if they had it in middle school that that could have been even better for me. I'm particularly

133impressed with our student speakers and I want to thank you for sharing your experiences and your input. Um, I know it's difficult to get up and talk in front of people. So, we really I really appreciate you bringing it to us. Um, yeah. Second that. I was the weirdo who took Latin Central. Um, yes, we learned our motto. Well, Ser Ubie Sabubi for those of you who know. Yeah. Um, anyways, thank you for speaking. I saw I could tell who the teachers in the room were because of the beaming prideful smiles that I saw as you were speaking. Um, I wanted to say thank you for doing that. That's hard for many older adults to come and speak here. Um, and do come back. Um the cultural awareness has impressed me with what you are

134referring to. Um, as a very young child, I spent two and a half years in Kenya living there with my parents, which is not a normal experience that people get to do. And it's not something that I could give to my children. And as a result, as a parent, I've sought out other ways to provide an awareness that it's not just here in Portage, it's a world that we live in. And thank you for bringing that up so many times. Anyone else? Yeah, I'll jump in. Randy, um for your high school French student here, um I want to thank our speakers. Uh you acquitted well of yourselves at the podium. Um, I really en encourage people to really try to understand the position of the people who hold the opposing view and for everybody to

135try to reach out and and understand that because Mark, during your comments, you made some good points and there were good points at the podium and I just encourage people to keep an open mind which quite often is really hard for people to do when you feel really strongly about something. So, um uh anyway, ju just encouraging that. Um and then on other topics, uh thanks to the uh the group from Central L, that was that was delightful. Um and then during an earlier discussion, Emily, you linked in the whole um uh middle school ELA topic and I just wanted to put a placeholder there because we got an update on that last summer. Um as all but two of you will recall. Um and the report was there were things that were working and

136there were things that were not working. and uh I just put a pin in it and hoping that we could have a a follow-up report and I was So anyway, this has been on my list of things to ask for and I'm not sure if it's on our formal list or not, but I just it is for me. Okay, good. Um good. Uh look forward to that. I almost forgot and something you saw said triggered it. Congratulations to all the bands who participated in festival. I had the privilege to listen to them and or not all of them. I wish I had to all of them, but um some and the music was spectacular. Um I heard some in pre-concerts and I heard some here. Well done to all the bands and all the band

137members who participated. Thank you. Anyone else? Okay, then we're going to move to our consent agenda on page five. We just have a couple items tonight. One is the approval of the February 24th, 2025 special meeting, regular business meeting. And uh secondly, that we approve revisions to bylaw 0142.7 orientation as presented. This is um the corrected document at your place. If you remember, this was the item we agreed to add at our last meeting. Are there any exceptions to the consent agenda as presented? Hearing none, the consent agenda is approved. Thank you. Uh we're now meeting uh moving to page 13, assurance of district performance monitoring report 1.2. Is there a motion, please? Mr. Chairman, I move that the board of education accept monitoring report 1.2 ends as a reasonable interpretation and evidence of compliance

138with policy. Thank you, Bo. Is there a second? A second. Thank you. So hopefully you had a chance to uh take a look at this report. Um 1.2 is uh uh really speaks to the students having acquisition of 21st century learning skills uh including critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaboration skills to uh equip them to learn and to lead with confidence. And uh in this report um we've been providing you with information about uh student uh enrollment in certain classes and our AP classes and our IB classes and uh in elective programs. And while we don't have uh established goals for what numbers we're trying to reach, I can tell you that just looking at the data that we've had consistent enrollment over the years in our uh using AP courses, uh consistent performance. Um

139and uh one thing I would note is AP exams on which a three or better was earned. Uh was a big uptick there from the 22 23 school year to the last year that we've monitored is 2324 moving from 60% to 75.9%. So that's a great accomplishments by our students and staff for getting there. uh in IB courses. Um again, we don't set benchmarks. Uh we have these programs for those students that uh that can benefit from them. Um as you heard tonight, many of them do. So, our consistency has been in enrollment. Uh we are up some students uh from uh from 354 in the 2223 school year to 374. um that's in the 11th grade and we've seen a similar uptick in uh our senior enrollment in taking at least one IB course.

140Uh and then our our track record for students IB classes in which a C or better was earned. Uh the 23 24 school year again 100% of the students uh that took that exam scored a C or better. So that was uh that's encouraging news. Um otherwise in looking at all of our uh elective offerings, our numbers again are pretty standard over the course of the years. Uh in addition to that, we do have a large number of co-curricular and extracurricular activities that uh students are uh involved in at the elementary level, at the middle school level, and at the high school level. Um obviously there are more activities at the high school level as uh administration and staff look to meet uh where student needs are in terms of clubs and and other activities.

141Um, and then we annually uh administer a student uh experience survey. And I've been using several of the responses from our students uh on several of the questions. Uh, in particular, the ones that apply to this are the enjoyment of specials and electives. Um, I know how to get help when I have a problem. I set learning goals and track my progress. My teachers challenge me to think. and I have opportunities to be successful. And and those last four in particular um all have seen improvement from the 2223 to the 2324 school year um by at least 05 which is uh kind of a goal that that we set in in in that that means there's been some significant improvement in those areas. So um uh we're we're pleased about that. uh we will be

142administering this year's survey uh in April after uh spring break. So it's really the uh the extent of the uh the report. Um I do have just a slightly expanded conclusion statement there that uh we we do provide our students with courses, activities and facilities that encourage the development of those skills. Um, our teachers also receive professional development opportunities to enhance their abilities to incorporate these skills uh into their classroom lessons. So, based on that, we've met uh expectations. Happy to answer any questions if you have them. I was pleased to see that the number of K12 students surveyed is up by almost 500. That's great. Well, I we've been working with our principles establishing some uh uh some uh strategies on how to make sure we get uh students to participate. Yeah. 5,389. Yeah.

143Okay. Any questions for Mark? And the improvement is even more impressive when you look at the the first year postcoid when we first got back to measuring these. Um which is really good, right? So, we continue to kind of recover from that. Some of them aren't as good as the last precoid numbers, but they're starting to get close. Yeah, thank you for noticing that. Just a a quick because I don't I've never seen this before. Is that a score out of five? Yes, I have a score. I'm sorry. Yes, I assumed that. Any other comments or questions for Mark? All those in favor of approving monitoring report 1.2, please say I. I. opposed. The monitoring report uh is approved. Now move our single discussion item for the evening and that's classroom technology. Hi, Steve. Evening

144trustees. Superintendent Belang bring forward a recommendation uh to approve the contract with Parkway Electric for the classroom installation or the installation of classroom technology at the new Central L and Herill uh elementary schools. This includes a 10% contingency which is uh consistent with how we've we've done things in the past when you're when you're dealing with labor proceeds coming from the 2021 bond. Should have a breakdown of those costs there. And I did bring Steve Van Djk here uh very instrumental in this RFP along with Corey Brasher and the Tower Pinkster team. I'll turn it over to Steve for some details. Thank you. Um yeah, so in front of you is the recommendation for that classroom technology installation. Um this is basically tying together a lot of the ends that were uh acted on in

145previous board rec uh board action in the last couple months here of technology that we procured under uh state and federal contracts to uh better our pricing and also get ahead of some of the uncertainties with pricing with uh the political nature right now. Um, and then also there's, you know, some procurement that it just wasn't advantageous for us to try to procure that under a state contract. So, um, we put out an RFP, um, and got, uh, two bids back. Parkway Electric was the low on that. Um, they are currently working on site, uh, doing, um, our, uh, low voltage, um, pulling of wire and installation there. They're also doing the security cameras. So this was an easy thing for them to add on to their scope of work. So with that, we'll welcome

146any questions. Would the board be inclined to approve this this evening as requested? It is non-controversial. I think it is. Um, is there a motion, please, to move this item to action? Mr. President, I move that we move this to action. Thank you, Emily. Is there a second? Second. Thank you, Kimberly. All those in favor of moving the classroom technology purchase to action, please say I. I opposed. Uh the motion passes. It's now an action item, and we need a motion, please. Mr. President, I move that uh we approve the awarded contract with Parkway Electric for the installation of classroom technology equipment at the new Central and Haverhill Elementary School. Total project cost not exceeding $251,64 which includes a 10% contingency for each school refunded from the 2021 bond. Thank you, Bo. Is there a

147second? Second. Thank you. Any discussion? All those in favor, please say I. I. Opposed. Motion passes and the technology purchase is approved. Um we have reached the end of our agenda. We are adjourned. Thank you. I want to make sure that she can be able to scan these for all of them so that we can all