001Yes, I have been taught better by my parents. Sorry, it was a little bit late. Um, welcome to tonight's meeting. Um, first thing I'll look for is the approval of the agenda. So, move. Is there a second? Second. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying I. I and oppose the same sign. All right, agenda is approved and uh we will move into number four, our action items and uh Mr. Durban is going to talk to us about the revised budget. Good evening, Chair Clott, school board. Thank you for the opportunity to speak again about our revised budget. Um, does everybody have a copy? And Darcy, did we issue a copy of the spreadsheet? Okay. I apologize for the small font. It's nice to have it all on one page. So, a
002reminder this uh um present this is a a summary tonight of the presentation that we had on March 3rd when we presented our revised budget. So what I have this evening is some highlights um and uh an opportunity for some discussion and the end of a hopefully short discussion we can um entertain a motion for um approval of the revised budget. So, uh, just a reminder as we talk about this budget, this is for our fiscal year 25. Uh, so for this school year, um, we on March 3rd also had some discussion about next year's budget and some adjustments we would make to try to maintain our fund balance. This evening's discussion is regarding fiscal year 25's budget. So, we'll try to stay focused on um the details there for for this year. Um so,
003as we look back to that March 3rd presentation, um really we focused on two funds. Our general fund, which we refer to as fund one, and our food service fund, which we refer to as fund two. We did not make a recommendation for any revisions on our other funds, uh, community service, uh, construction or debt service at that time. Um so this evening just to re to review those um revisions from this fiscal year our general fund revenues we project an increase of 1,711,576 which would bring our revenues to a total of 59,873,842. And a reminder, this is a um majority of this increase is due to uh our ADM projection being increased by 141 student ADM for this fiscal year. So, a bright spot in this year's enrollment. As we look forward to future
004enrollment, um we still project a decline due to our um decreasing kindergarten incoming kindergarten sizes um and larger graduating senior classes. Also, we saw an increase in federal funds that we received uh this year. Uh and I believe Chair Clott, you may be asked uh back in March 3rd about those federal funds um and seeing a a reduction there. Yes, we would see a reduction in federal funds in future years as those um ESER funds or COVID funds are um now being sunseted. So, I think this September was the last opportunity to um grab any of those federal dollars. Also in the general fund, our expenditures increased or project to increase by $2,372,337. Uh bringing our expenditure our projected expenditures for the year a total of 60,869,523 and these are for our our general fund.
005Um and some of the reasoning behind those increased expenditures were a large uh furniture purchase for the district which also brought revenue in as well. Those were purchased with ESSER dollars. Um other grant funds that we received uh to complete projects but also increased staffing and increased costs of services. Other highlights from the presentation on March 3, our food service fund revenues. Um we don't project a change in revenues, but we do uh we do plan for a change in our expenditures. Um essentially we were on the verge of um having to enter an MDE spendown plan. And what that means is if your fund balance in your food service account um your O2 fund exceeds six months of operating costs then you would have to be monitored by MDE to ensure that we're spending
006down those funds. So with that um this year a new allowable expense is cafeteria furniture. And so we planned and made the revision in the food service expenditures to purchase um high school and southwest middle school cafeteria furniture um and also some equipment in the Albertly High School kitchen to spend down that fund balance where we're going to be more comfortable as a district where we're not teetering on the edge of going into a MDE Minnesota Department of Ed spendown plan um but still leave a comfortable fund balance in food service uh moving forward. So that increase was $415,000 of expenditures bringing a total um fund to expenditures to two 2,86,582. And just to note um as we hear a lot about restricted funds, food service is one of the most commonly discussed funds that
007is restricted. Uh general rule of thumb, it needs to be used for food service purposes. So your kitchens um or kitchen equipment um expenditures there. Um you can't use it for say a classroom or um general fund use. So with limited opportunities for expend expenses there um and a healthy fund balance, we saw it grow over 600,000 over the last five years. Um and so it seemed and it is an appropriate time to spend that down to a little bit more comfortable value. So this evening um we ask the board to approve our revised budget. And just a reminder um that we are in a healthy place financially as a district and we do carry a fund balance goal of 12% as a district and the revised budget indicates a lower fund balance. Um, however,
008um, to make sure that we're being, um, clear and communicating well to our constituents in the district here, um, an 11% fund balance is a strong fund balance. We're not at any risk, um, as a district of going into statutory operating debt, anything like that at this time. Um, and I will, um, I don't want to get cornered into any specific numbers, um, and we can maybe have some discussion on this as well. Um but we have made some response to um this snapshot that we see tonight and seen a little bit of reversal and our finances since our March 3rd meeting and we can talk a little bit more about that as as uh questions arise tonight. Um but we're in a strong place financially. So, this revised budget would result in 11% fund
009balance should um nothing change from the trajectory we were on at that time on March 3rd. Um I can confidently say we will probably end up in a better place than 11%. Closer um probably in the middle between 11 and 12% is where I think we would be if nothing changed as of today. Um I can't pinpoint a number because we didn't do a full revision after a little less than a month's time. So, um looking at the screen here as it sits, these uh just want to describe what you'll be approving this evening. The spreadsheet that you you receive here in front of you for your revised budget outlines all of our fund classes. So, the top half of the sheet here I have on the screen right now represents our fund one. That's
010your general fund. Um note that we had three additions to our fund classes this year. our Q comp code changed to code 437. So if you were looking at a prior year um budget, you might not see that code there. Um that's the Q comp code for um our performance pay. And then our redact codes were added this year. When we created our adopted budget back in uh July or June, excuse me, uh for this fiscal year, they did not have those specific fund class codes for the read act yet. So 456 and 457 were created for that one-time money for the redact. The first column shows our audited fund balances from June. And a reminder, we do an annual audit with a third party auditor. Um and uh we will go through that process
011again this this um summer. And um the the second column there says revised 2425 budgeted revenues. And you notice that 59,873 at the bottom 873,842 that was noted in our summary. And the third column is our revised 2425 budgeted expenditures. And the bottom of that third column 60,867,523 is all those expenditures. And then the far right column I think is the other important column to look at our projected endofear fund balance be 7,395,578.13. And then also in that food service um note the ending fund balance um in the restricted fund would be 41,506 and total fund 2 would be 492,164. All right. So, at this time, I would ask for uh approval of our fiscal year 25 revised budget. Okay. Is there a motion to approve the revised budget? Motion by Neil. Is there a
012second? Second. A motion. A second by Kim. Is there any discussion? Go ahead, Neil. Yes. Um you noted that there were some the items in red were items that were added. So my question is did that increase the total expenditures and therefore have u have a an input into the the fund balance. I mean if you have a larger base and you have the same amount uh in your in your revenue uh left you know the the balance left over that would uh lower the percent would it is that is that so I I think I understand your question so um if we look to the screen uh as presented right now um the items that I highlighted in red were those additional classes that were added this year are those what you're speaking to
013those three and and that increase that I would assume increases the total budget. It would. However, we did anticipate um so one Q comp was an existing fund before they just changed the fund class number. So the only reason highlighted this evening is so if we were trying to compare it to prior year's fund for Q comp, we would be able to see what that looked like. The other two redact funds, we did anticipate that revenue and expenditure. we just didn't have the class um specific for those codes in the spring. So, they might have been lumped in with say literacy aid at that point. Um don't quote me for sure, but they were in their anticipated funds. So, and your your theory was correct. However, we were anticipating that revenue and expenditure. I guess
014the essence of my question is without those changes, our fund balance might have been higher than 11%. um because it increased the base. Yes, I think I think what you're saying is correct. So, if you looked at the line items 456 and 457 uh and we removed those from this formula. Yeah. Okay. Um I just have a question because I'm not sure how this works. So, you know, we have the policy 714 fund or school fund balance at 12%. Do we change the policy then or how does that work at this at this point? No, because this is just projected revised. Okay. But if we get to that point at the end when we do the final, we would either have to change it or try to get it back to there the next year
015from my understanding to 12 since it's still part of our policy. I will include our fund uh fund balance policy in next board update in my interpretation and as we start working towards the final budget we can discuss further. I believe it says we strive to maintain um I'm not looking at it currently. I don't want to be misqued so don't quote me on that but I believe it says strive to maintain a 12% fund balance. Um, I think where we should probably also look at that is in finance committee and look at, and this would be my advice, um, as we look at the challenges that schools, not just Albert Lee, but all schools are facing moving forward, our legislative changes, some federal changes that are potentially coming. Um, we do need to start
016thinking about those hypotheticals and what what does our fund balance serve us for? Um, and at what point do we concede that? Uh, I'm not saying this evening that that's something we should be doing, but I'm thinking it's a good discussion item for the board to have. It would be healthy to have that discussion. Paul, on on paper, the general fund looks like we're deficit spending over $800,000, but some of that can be explained. For example, like the restricted for third-party billing is must be a factor in that number. Am I reading that right? Yes. So um third party billing is a fund that we can carry a balance in and um we can opt to use ex use use those funds um for benefits and employee benefits. Um and in this case the use
017of third party billing will help keep our fund balance stronger when those funds are there. Um, and again, don't quote me because I don't have the the spreadsheet in front of me, but ballpark in the in the um I think the 700,000 800,000 range is what we'll typically see in a given year. Uh, and I believe the adopted budget we had put in 900,000 for revenue this year. We don't know what that number is going to be exactly. Um, and I don't have the documents in front of me, but we chose to adjust that and revise it to 800,000 to be conservative at the time of the um the revised budget. Just a quick clarification too on the uh like you said everything is restricted in food service. The non-spendable again that just basically means
018it's money that's got to stay in food service. That's our fund balance in there. Is that correct? Yes. Okay. Oh, and then the other question I had, Paul, I don't know if you have any recent update, but I know the legislature was looking at giving more flexibility to school districts, for example, in the ex in in a surplus and food service to use it in other areas. Is there any progress? Um, I'm aware of a couple different bills that are being uh floated through um either the Senate or House right now. I think they each have their own variations. Um, and I believe the governor's proposal has an element in there about the use of funds um, flexibly. Um, I can't comment on momentum. I really don't know for sure. I think um, in the
019spirit of those um, many school districts are sharing the challenges that we're faced when we're provided funding, but it can only be used in one pool and can't be used for other areas. um not always just food service to other areas because sometimes that makes sense if we're generating revenue for meals and we should be using it on our food service. um but also in areas um like safe schools or read act. Um and there's many restricted funds. As you can see, we've got a a long uh list of uh classes for our funds. And um if we're not able to have flexibility between those, um a lot of times it might mean we have a stronger um balance in one category and we must spend it. So we spend it on things that others
020may believe isn't as impactful as a classroom teacher, for example. um but it's money that can't be spent on a classroom teacher. So, there's challenges that come with all of those different um requirements um and restrictions and mandates. um we do our best to try and make sure that we're using the money appropriately and um I think I can say confidently that as a district um we we try not to be wasteful in any way when we do have those balances. So, I know one other comment on the side of that, Gary, is the things I read too or and everyone that uh it seems like everything we're trying to do at least this next year is to bandaid a bunch of stuff. If we need 150,000 here, we'll put 150,000 there to try to
021move it on to the next election cycle and when everybody goes on the ballot and then try to, you know, weed it out after that. That's unfortunately when I was up at the capital the other day and talked to him that's kind of what it's looking like which I mean can we call it collaboration maybe it is but we make it work for now but into the future it's going to be tough I I believe in my opinion. So, and so just to comment further on those um on those potential bills that are out there, they they're some are specific to food service, some are more blanket statements, but they'll all come with their own challenges in interpretation. And right now, I think that's what we're most curious about. Um for example, um we are
022taking part in a federal uh meals program for our food service fund. So, if we obtain federal funds into fund two and there's a state law that now says we can use those funds um you know between fund one and fund two, I think the federal law is still going to present some challenges on whether we can use those flexibly. So, I I think as we see um as we move through the month of April, we're going to see more, you know, where things are trending um and if we can find some agreement at the state level on what these laws will look like. So, um but I I can say flexibility would really help our district for sure. All right. Uh we do have a motion on the table and a second. All those
023in favor of of voting for the revised bud budget as presented tonight signify by saying I. I and oppose the same sign. Okay. Revised budget passes. Thank you, Paul. Thank you. All right. 4.2 is um discuss and approve the negotiated contract with uh our our new superintendent, Dr. Steven Hy. Uh, I did receive a uh text. He was planning on being at the meeting tonight. Uh, he said he was he had a couple things come up and uh he kind of shocked us last Tuesday. For anyone that doesn't know, I come walking in the door at 10:00 to 9 and here he's standing there. He said, "Hi." And I said, "Well, I thought we were going to talk." He said, "You didn't expect me to be here." He said, "I talk face to face." So,
024Ashley, Paul, we had a nice discussion and I'm sure you'll go through that. but uh been uh pleased with uh uh with that outcome and I know he'll be down here in the future to work with uh Superintendent Kren too on a transition. So with that, Ashley, go ahead. Wonderful. Good evening, board chair, directors and superintendent Kren. Um so tonight we are presenting the superintendent contract for Dr. Steven Hyle um effective July 1, 2025. This is a three-year contract and includes the salary and benefits that were uh shared with the board last week. Any questions on the contract? Um I'll just put it on the table. I'll move to approve. Okay. A motion and a second. Now, is there any other discussion? Yeah, I only had one and I indicated it to Ashley and you,
025I believe, and it's it's fine. I I I have no problem with the contract except that I I think we need to uh look at the duration the current recommended duration clause from MSBA which stipulates some presents some mandates in terms of notifying the superintendent uh of our intentions relative to renewing or non-renewing the contract. There's no there's no language in the in the in the current duration clause that relates to that. And I think we need to clean that up in in somehow between you know now and three years from now so that the both parties uh have a better understanding of where they stand and what the process for uh for negotiating the contract is. And none of that's included in the current duration clause. But I I I just want to make
026a note of the fact that we need to have some understanding between now and then about that. Dave, I have a qu just and I just an explanation. The reallocation allowance, how does that work? I see it's stre spread out over three contract years. I just not clear about how that works. Um we we we basically tried to load some things in to uh encourage him to be here for three years. So there was there was a portion each year and then the biggest portion of the third year. Okay. Uh so that way and again we'd even uh talked about doing that with a couple other areas but um didn't really need to as we but so yeah it's it's kind of it' be uh I would take it as supplemental payment then each year.
027Is that right? Paul is that how that works? Yeah. For relocation patching. Sorry. No, that's just fine. So that is a stipen that um Dr. Steven Hy would receive if he's within the Albertly boundary area. Okay. Go ahead. For the sake of communicating with the public, is it possible to disclose what the dollar amounts are or is that considered confidential until we pass it? Oh, I can definitely share that. Now, um are you speaking on salary or just all together benefits and salary? Can you can you do both? Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Um so for fiscal year 26 so July 1 of 2025 um salary of 185,000 the following year so it' be school year 186,850 and then uh fiscal year 28 so the 2728 school years would be $190,587 vacation days uh 25 days annually
028and then the opportunity to roll those over um but they would have to be used within 6 months of that following year. 12 holidays. Um we do have sick time in there which we um classify as disability time. That is a beginning balance of 20 days. And then the following um fiscal year 27 and 28, 12 additional days annually. Uh benefits health, dental, and vision $500,000 life insurance. Um and then as um Director Schindler had mentioned, a relocation allowance. Um so again, if within the Albertly School District boundaries um would receive that relocation stipen over the course of the contract, $15,000. Uh we also do have a communication stipen of $100 a month. Um and then a tax sheltered annuity, so a 403b. Um that matches up to $6,500 annually. total uh total package is
029is less than our previous superintendent. Any other questions? Good questions. Well, I I noticed that relocation uh clause that you referenced, Gary, and um I'm I'm I'm absolutely certain that we can't include in the contract the requirement that they an employee lives within this district, but we can uh put into the contract that if they they do not move into this district, we will not pay re. So, that's the that's definitely part of it. Was it by 12:31 of 25? Is that correct? That's correct. Yep. If they don't live within the uh district boundaries, correct? Good. Then they they're not eligible for that relocation if they don't relocate here. Yes. Correct. Yes. All right. With no other um discussion, all those in favor signify by saying I. I and oppose the same sign. Okay. Contract
030is approved for Dr. Steven Hile. Thank you. Thank you. All right. So, we will move into our um augmentative and alternative communications. Sounds like big words, Sheila. You can have at it. So, the two of you. Thank you. Good evening, Chair Clatt. School Board Superintendent Krens. I am pleased to have with me Anna Anderson. Anna is one of our speech and language pathologists with the district. She supports our students at Sibi Elementary and Southwest Middle School, but she also serves in the role as the district's assistant technology coordinator. Anna and well, the whole SLP team has been instrumental in implementing and supporting the use of our AAC devices with our students who do experience communication challenges. She has got some wonderful videos, pictures just to share of the amazing things that are happening in our
031schools and the positive outcomes with our students. I was at Hawthorne Elementary a couple weeks ago and the speech and language pathologist made the comment. She was just so excited because a student argued with her using his device. She was just thrilled. He argued. we had a a disagreement and he that that was his language that he used and I am very grateful for Anna and the team and the progress that our students are demonstrating. So I'll turn it over to you Anna. Yes. Thank you for having me tonight, school board. Like Sheila was saying, my name is Anna Anderson and I'm one of the speech language pathologists here in district 241 and I also serve as our district's assistant technology coordinator. I do have two devices with me that I'll go ahead and pass
032out to you. if you want to pass them around so you get a little bit of a better feel of what we do offer some of our students with communication needs. Just a quick side note, uh visiting some of the classrooms and watching the students use this, it's it's really neat. And uh as I introduce myself or the principles introduce me, the kids that are using the students that are using it put some symbol towards me. I I don't know exactly what it means to them, but hopefully it's all positive. So per the American Speech and Hearing Association, AAC or alternative and assisted comm communication um can describe multiple ways to communicate that can supplement or compensate for the impairment and disability patterns of individuals with severe expressive communication disorders. Um so to ground you
033a little bit further, this might be what comes to your mind when you think of what AAC may be. Um, so Sesame Street has recently introduced a character named Zoe. Um, or no, Julia or I can't remember her name, but she has autism and she uses an AAC device. Um, so she's represented very positively in using that. Um, Disney recently released a movie called Out of My Mind, which features an elementary age student with non-verbal cerebral palsy. Tells a lot about her story um of utilizing AAC. Um, Steve Gleason, if any of you are NFL fans, he used to play for the Saints. I want to say, don't quote me on that. Um, but he recently was presenting um and used his AAC device to present an award. Um, and then I think who everybody
034comes to mind is, Stephen Hawking was also an AAC user. Um, so just with some of these people featured here, you can see that they are using different access methods. Um, so our little Sesame Street character is a direct selector. She uses her fingers to select. Um, but the three others all use eye gaze, which is a very um technologically advanced form of communication. And we actually do have one student here in district 241 who does use eye gaze primarily to communicate. So um we do offer a variety of AAC. Um so it can be as low tech as sign language or using switches. Um moving up the scale to PEX or picture exchange communication system. We also offer go talks and then we get into our dedicated AAC devices. Um, so your biggest question
035might be why these high-tech AAC devices, you know, why are we pushing these on children if they could use sign language to communicate with us or use a variety of different picture symbols um or things that are free and readily available, right? Um, so when you think about communication and the basic rights of communication, these are all the different communicative functions that a neurotypical person can do. You can tell a story, you can disagree, you can complain, tell jokes, gossip. So, you can do all kinds of different things. Um, and what some of the other different forms of AAC limit is your ability to be an autonomous and independent communicator while also being able to perform all these different communicative functions. Um, so those are just some of the biggest things and the right to
036communication is being able to say what you want to who you want and how you want and when you want. So these AAC devices that we've been supporting our students with are really promoting that and giving them the ability to do so. So um, the two different languages that are presented on those two iPads that I've been passing around is language and motor planning, otherwise known as LAMP and touch chat. So, we offer these two languages to our students because both of them do offer relatively different features. Um, LAMP is more of a motor-based system, which is really great for students with autism or cerebal palsy because they get in the pattern of knowing exactly where things are, which makes it really easy for them to communicate. Whereas touch chat is a lot more symbol
037based and has a lot of opportunities for personalization. And so a lot more opportunities for family members to be inputed, preferred activities. Um, which is kind of what some of our more elementary school population is catered towards is, um, being able to have more personalized icons within their device. Um, within our district, we have roughly 35 to 40 AAC users that are using devices provided by our district. Um, so you might be wondering a little bit of what does AAC usage look like in our district? Introduce yourself. My name is Hana. So, this is one of my kiddos at Snibly. She is in first grade and she does have Down syndrome. Um, evidence-based practice calls for high-tech AAC usage to provide students the most robust opportunity to communication. Um, when providing AAC therapy, there are
038kind of the four Ps that we kind of refer to. It's patience, persistence, personalization, and um, presentation. So, always making sure that that AAC device is readily available for your student. Um, this next one kind of talk shows a highlight on what an emerging emerging communicator might look like. Listen. Are you going to listen? Yeah. Okay, I'm listening. Mr. D mouth head. Mr. D listen. Mr. D listens. Does he listen? He's not here today. [Laughter] Mr. D, go back. Mr. D went back. Yeah. Okay. Yep. No. I think you're thinking of his mustache. No, I can't. You're not thinking about Mr. D's mustache? No, no, no. That Okay, I'm listening to you, girl. Okay. Give a mustache. Come on. Mustache. Mr. D does have a mustache. No, I cannot. He can't have a mustache. No.
039You don't want him to have a mustache anymore? [Music] Are you thinking of Mr. D or Miss Anna? No. D. Mr. D. Yeah. Okay. Miss Santa. Who's Miss Anna? E. Yeah, that's me. That's Yes. Yes. I'm Miss Anna. No. No. I'm not Mr. D. Yeah. Yes. I am Mr. D. Yeah. Okay. Sounds good. Hannah. What you think about daddy? Yeah. You have daddy on your trucker, too? Couch. Did you have a couch at home? Yeah. Yeah. You found some numbers. Oops. My My name is Hannah. Your name is Hannah. My name is Hannah. Yes. Hi, Hannah. Nice to meet you. shirt. Yes, you do have a shirt on today with some unicorns itself. Are you all done? Mean no. [Music] So, a little bit of a lengthier video for you, but what it really is
040highlighting is babbling essentially. So, that is what babbling like a neurotypical child would go through would look like on an AAC device. And there's two big things that are going on between Hannah and I. It's call and response and the cause and effect communication, right? She's doing something and she's looking at me for a response. And I'm doing my best to provide meaning to everything that she is saying, whether I know what she wants or not. I'm doing my best in presuming the competence that she is making intentional communication attempts. Um, and there are some back and forth in that that look really great and she's looking like a total beautiful communicator. And there are some pieces that are a little wonky, but that's all about emerging communication. So, this is another little video of
041Hannah. What? Do you need help? So, she has her device stuck around her neck and I don't know if you can hear it, but she does find off on her talker and she clicks it and then she imitates the speech and says off back to me. Um so she does have some verbal skills but children with Down syndrome can have hypotonia which makes um precise speech movements really difficult. So the AAC device not only provides her a lot of language opportunities and symbol based language but it also makes sure that her communication partners are understanding what she's saying. Um with Hannah too we've seen a lot of decreases in her frustration because she is having a lot more clear communicative attempts and she's able to share with her teachers and paras exactly what she's wanting.
042Um so we are seeing a decrease in behaviors. So the better the communication, the more regulated the child. Those can kind of go hand in hand. Um there are some myths surrounding AAC and a lot of people will sometimes say like you know when we introduce this to parents, well I want my student to talk and I want them to use verbal language. Um and the AAC device is evidence-based to go ahead and promote a lot of that verbal language, which is kind of what you see happen with Hannah. You know, it kind of prompts her to use those words and interact with me. All right. This is a sixth grader over at Southwest. I don't want it. What color should we take? I know. Okay. What color is it going to be? Next. Okay.
043And what are we going to do with the pink? What should we do? [Music] Yeah. Check it out. Hunter, who did you find? Who did you find? Who is it? I found a giraffe. Elephant. Yeah, you found an elephant, dude. So, he's not excited about his success as I am. He's pretty nonchalant. But um what Hunter's usage is highlighting is a core word first approach, which is what we typically use when teaching students AAC. Um so our core words are typically like your 50 most frequent words that you use such as open, more, in, out, off, on. Um those kinds of things, which is what we use because it's how they're able to participate the most is using some of those words within their classroom setting. All right, this is one of my students at
044Sibi. He is a first grader. [Applause] [Music] I know we were doing tickles, but we could do squishes with it. Squish. You want to do a squish with it? Okay. And then where where should it go? Where should it go first? Forehead. Squish my forehead. All right. I'm going to squish it. Squish. That's so silly. Squish. Squish my forehead. So, yes, you're wanting some more more. You're wanting some more squishes on your forehead. Here it comes. Squish. Squish on my forehead. Okay. Are you thinking, Phil, that you want a tickle or a squish? I think Oh, you do like the squishes more. What if we did it somewhere else? Cuz I'm feeling nervous about putting it on your forehead. Do you have any other ideas? Forehead. On my forehead again. Oh my gosh. You found
045it. I know. I feel like it was giving you a headache. [Music] My forehead. Here comes Goofy. Squish forehead. No. somewhere else. I feel like this is going to hurt. So, instead of doing your forehead, can we do it on your arm or your leg? Leg. Oh, do it on my leg. Okay. You can roll it. Let me on my leg. Squish it on my leg. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Leg. Do it on my leg again. So, if you are familiar with students with autism, typically they have two main characteristics. One is sensory processing disorder and the other one is social communication. So the beauty of this video is that he is working on two of those deficits that he does have where he's able to number one be in a social reciprocity with me
046where he's go we're going back and forth he's asking for me there's call in response um and he's recognizing his sensory needs. Okay, right the tight pressure is feeling good on my body. So those are two really good things that we are seeing is that he's interested in others and he's using his AAC device to help regulate his body. Okay, let's pick out a new color then. This is one of our kindergarteners. What color balloon should we do? What color is color is blue? Color is blue. Okay, let's go back. We got a blue glue. Let's put it on. Put it on. Are you ready? Are you ready? I know you're excited. Blow it up. Blow it up. [Music] Keep blowing it up. Blow it up. Do you want to blow it up more? Let
047it go or tie it? Tie. Tie it. Tie it. [Music] That video gets a little lengthy and he pops it at the end. So, we'll save you that scary noise, but um because he is a kindergartener, a lot of that intervention is very play-based. He did pick out the activity that day and I'm following his lead with his interests. Um and we are moving from there. So, he is super motivated by those balloons and we have found a different like all kinds of different ways to expose him to different language within that. So, um some really cool growth from him there as well. And then this is one of our students. Are you ready for this? Highlights a lot more of the direct teaching behind it. Where is it? Sorry. You see it? Here we
048go, guys. Ellie over here. Look. Look up. Up. Down. Where's up stairs? Up. Good job. Open. [Music] another ball. So, that video highlights a little bit more of what the direct instruction behind AAC can look like as far as, you know, helping students locate their buttons. Um, and not providing as much of a meaning to some of their intents, but letting them know where some of these things are for when the opportunity presents itself. All right, and that opens us up for any questions if you guys have any. and one of my favorite videos. Hi, Jenna. So, yeah. Does anybody have any questions regarding some of our devices? Neil, I think you're clicking away on that one. just a I would take it one of the biggest benefits of this for you as the instructor
049is it's all recorded and so you've got it all charted and you like with the IEPs but it's just a great way for feedback then for parents family or any anyone else is that as much as anything um tell me more what you mean what's that I'm sorry tell me more what you mean. Well, a lot of them, of course. No. Um, no, I just that's what I was just wondering is as the kids were looking at it, how they were able to progress. And I mean, I'm sure they've the IEPs, they've each got their own timelines and all that, but I figured that's probably one of the bigger benefits of the old days of the flashards, right? Yes. Progress is really easy to track with some of these because it is so tangible and
050it's so immediate. Like, you can really see how it impacts them in their classroom. um versus having a student who is non-verbal to sometimes we do see these AAC devices promote their verbal speech and then they start to use one-word phrases into two words and four words and so forth. So yes, they are very beneficial in that fact. And I'm just curious your post-secary education what where did you go and what degrees? Yes. So I graduated here from Albert Lee in 2016. Um, and then I went to Iowa State University where my undergraduate degree is in applied linguistics. And then I attended the University of Kansas for my masters in communication sciences and disorders. And a proud Hawthorne alum. A proud Hawthorne alum. U curious, Anna, do um kids ever take these home so parents
051use them with students? That's a great question. We keep those devices um with us at school. However, when students are um showing enough data or have made enough progress, that is something that we can bill their insurance for and their insurance can help them purchase that medical equipment for them to have with them at all times. This question is probably related to that, but when students graduate, do they often get their own device to to use in Yes. real life? Um we have had these devices provided by the district for is this year two or three year three for us. Yeah. So we haven't quite had anybody get up to that phase just yet. Um we have two students here at the transitions program who have a device provided by the district. Um but typically
052I would hope you know that as we kind of get our kids through the program that um we would complete a speech funding report for them and they would get it through their insurance. them. Anna, did you say that there were about 40 in? About 40. Yes. With devices provided by us. There are more students that have had um their own device purchased for them as well. I just I uh my family gets to have one of these in our house. You know, we got uh lucky enough to get introduced to it a couple years ago and then we get to uh bring it home and it is huge help uh for him and for us and I know for the teachers too. We've heard a lot from paras um how successful they get and
053how they progress quick with them and it does help. I have a non-verbal son who repeats what he what he hears on it and that's how he and he does argue with us too. I you said that and I laugh cuz I do get know he's asking for late night snacks and when we don't give it to him then he pushes the button 100 times so we can hear it. Um but they are great and I'm glad that they introduce it to the district and there's a lot of kids that benefit from it. Um and a lot of kids that get the ones that do get a chance to take it home. it it's gives them that much more of an opportunity to use it and so they are great. Thank you. Yes, thanks Dave.
054And we've been fortunate to have professional development come into our district to have our speech and language pathologists attend their professional learning bringing it back to not only our licensed special education staff but our general education teachers, our paraprofessionals. So everyone who works with our students have that, you know, that background and that training to support communication. Thank you. Thank you very much. Yes. Thank you. All right. Um, it's too much for me. Just uh review a couple dates on here before we adjourn. Um, Monday the 21st of April, we'll have our regular meeting here at 5:00 p.m. And then, uh, a couple weeks later on the 5th of May, we'll have a study session also at 5:00 p.m. And then Monday the 19th of May will be our regular meeting. And I'll bet you
055that's just before graduation. The year is sure flowing by. So, thank you everyone for uh, coming tonight. I'll look for a motion to adjurnn. A second. Second meeting adjourned. Thank you.