School Board Meeting - April 7, 2026

001on your key. I will say there's a difference of learning history. >> Absolutely. I feel like a lot. Do you know where I thought it was being in the spaces that they Jean, do you want to do the vision tonight? Pardon? You want to do the vision? >> Don't be so enthusiastic. >> I don't care. >> No, I think just >> always get a tattoo on your inner >> I can't get on the internet. >> You tell me when you're ready. >> You can go. I'll catch up. >> Stephanie, you good? I'm never good. So, please don't please don't wait for me. >> Okay. >> Oh, there goes old. >> You want to put your mic down? >> People can see. >> Julie, you ready? >> Yeah. Julie, you ready? >> Julie, you ready? >>

002This regular meeting of the Independent School District 535 School Board is called to order at 5:31 p.m. on Tuesday, April 7th, 2026 in room 137 of the Edison building. Present at this meeting are school board members, Superintendent Kent Pel, a non- voting exeicio member, and Assistant School Board Clerk, Miss Anne Kramer. Miss Kramer, will you please call the role? >> Director Barlo >> here. >> Director Director >> here. >> Director Martin >> here. >> Nathan >> here. >> Vice Chairman >> here. The board acknowledges this site and all RPS sites are situated on the ancestral land of the Dakota people and we honor the Dakota nations and the sacred land of all indigenous peoples. At this time, we offer the opportunity to say the pledge of allegiance. I aliance to the flag of the United

003States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Our next agenda item is the Rochester Public Schools mission, vision, and values. During this agenda item, a board me the board member will read our mission or vision or one of our six values to emphasize their importance in our work as a district and our decisions as a board. Tonight we focus on our vision. Our vision is that every student thrives in school and in life. Next item is approval of the agenda. Are there any changes to the agenda? >> Move approval. >> Second. >> It has been moved and seconded to approve the agenda. All those in favor say I. I I >> Any opposed? The agenda has been approved. The agenda and

004documents for this meeting are available online at rochesterchools.org/asssembly. Our next item are comments to the board. It is important for the school board to hear from our stakeholders regarding issues that impact our students, staff, families, and schools. We welcome communication via email, phone call, and here during comments to the board. The purpose of comments to the board is to give community members an opportunity to provide input directly to the school board about issues that fall within our authority. The board and superintendent do not respond directly to the speaker's comments during the meeting, but may follow up with the speaker if requested and appropriate. Persons who want to make comments to the board must fill out the online form by 5:00 pm on the Monday before the schoolboard meeting. The form is available on the RPS

005website and on the assembly main page. By participating in the public comment period, each speaker agrees to abide by the public comment policy 206 and procedure 206A. Speakers, when your name is called, please come to the table. If you have written remarks for the board, please provide them to our assistant school board clerk prior to your remarks and she will distribute them to board members. Choose a microphone to speak into and be seated. Please direct your remarks to the board. You will have three minutes to speak and your time will be displayed on the timer. Please begin remarks by stating your name. Our first speaker tonight is Ule Bryant. and outreach. We have our recognitions. Uh our first is of National School Librarian Day. Director Workman. >> April 4th was National School Librarian Day. school

006librarians or here in RPS, our library media specialists and library media pair professionals contribute to student success by helping students find materials related to their learning and supporting staff with resources to supplement curriculum and instruction. We appreciate all the work an organization library media specialists and paraprofessionals do to keep our library media centers an essential district resource and to create welcoming library media centers where students are encouraged to grow and are motivated to build their knowledge. Best-selling fiction author James Patterson celebrated librarians in his non-fiction book, The Secret Lives of Book Sellers and Librarians, and said, "Librarians are not just keepers of books, but the keepers of dreams, the bridgebuilders to imagination, and the guardians of worlds waiting to be discovered. We thank our RPS library media staff for sparking a lifelong love of reading

007by connecting our students to books that provide windows into the experiences of others, tools to be informed citizens, and the keys to unlocking adventures far beyond their own world. Thank you. We're also recognizing our assistant principles. April 6 to 10 is assistant principles week. Our Rochester Public Schools assistant principles are essential to building strong school communities. They work tirelessly to bolster teachers, motivate students, support and partner with their principal, and tackle the many unpredictable challenges that land on their desk. We thank our assistant principles for leading with dedication, resilience, and heart to make every school day run more smoothly. Our next information and outreach item is the John Marshall Black Student Union's H.B.CU DCU college tour and I'll turn it over to Director White Horn. >> Okay, y'all can come up. Don't be shy. >>

008So, we um had the pleasure of going on a three-day H.B.CU college tour, Miss White, that includes you, to come up. >> She done sent the kids. >> You wore the shirt. >> She did wear the shirt. Um, Miss Helandis White is the is the woman that made this happen. So, give her a round of applause before we even start. So, this trip successfully organized uh 35 students, 13 chaperones. Uh we went from Topeka, Kansas to see the board of education. Um we went to see Tulsa, Oklahoma and Black Wall Street. also visit the camp campus of Oklahoma State Tulsa location and we also visited um Langston University. So at this time I'm going to turn it over uh to Miss White and some of the kids that were there so they can speak on

009the experience that they had. Um I just think this was an amazing experience and I'll let the kids and then tell you. >> Yes, >> I really don't have too much to say. I would like for the students to share how this really impact them and um I'll let them use their three minutes wisely. >> Okay. Um I'll start. So my name is Adam. Uh I'm a senior at John Marshall and I'm the co-vice president of John Marshall's Black Student Union. And let's see. Okay, I can hold it. >> You don't have to hold it that high. >> We can hear. >> Okay. Yeah, this is good. Okay. Um, so the JM's Black Student Union has been um a club since fall of 2023. And being a member since then, that was the first time

010I really felt a community of those around me that looks like me. I grew up going to like the predominantly white like elementary schools, Harry Bishop and stuff like that. And I felt like when I was in that club, I was really able to cultivate my environment. And uh, with this H.B.C.U you trip. It really just helped me elevate um the people around me and just to see um prosperous people that look like me, especially in somewhere like Tulsa or I've never really went to the South, so it was just really an amazing experience and I really hope in future years that the trip continues and it becomes even bigger than it is. Hi, I'm sorry. Hi, I'm Dane Johnson. I'm an eighth grader at Kellogg Middle School and uh this trip it was really

011like an eye opener because I just moved down here in January from Tennessee. It was Yeah, it was I don't know how to say that word. It was like mostly like white white kids and stuff to be around. So, this trip really it really just showed that uh that black people together they could just be a family and be peaceful. Cuz growing up down there, it's usually like them together would be like a lot of violence and stuff. And this really showed where it can be peaceful and it could be a learned opportunity like Black Wall Street and Black versus Board of Education. I never knew anything about those until this trip which showed like the stuff that really happened and being just in that environment and being like where the stuff actually happened like

012walking on that road, it really just showed that really anything can happen. Um, my name is Haja Bomba. I am a senior at John Marshall High School. I am also vice president of the Black Student Union. Um, can you guys hear? >> Yep. You're good. >> Um, this club pretty much started I think sophomore freshman year. I think uh fall of freshman year. And I think at this point, Miss O was just subbing at John Marshall, or I think she was a culinary teacher. And me and a couple of my friends who are not here, but they are also seniors. Um, we had the idea of having a black student union at John Marshall. And we were like, who do we go to for something like this? Who will like actually like step up and

013do it? And so, Miss O was really the only person that we had. So, we reached out to her. She was like, "Absolutely." She was so ecstatic, like she was like, "Yes, we can do this." And so we started John Marshall's Black Student Union and there's not really any other group like it. Um, and to see that we started from literally started from scratch to having an event every year, which I think some of you know, which is the tour of Africa. Um, to going across the country to take an H.B.CU tour is like really just sensational. It's really big. And we started from nothing. Like it was just a little measly club and now we have over 50 members that come every Wednesday to John Marshall after school. So really just I'm really happy

014and proud of all of us because we could not have done this without like each other. But most importantly, Miss O. Um, she she's really just I could go on and on, but she's just she's an amazing person. And I really hope that you guys do encourage this and put some effort into making this a tradition every single year. I think that what most of us took away from this trip from a historical standpoint is that uh black people can be pro uh prosperous. we can do so much together and we no matter what no matter what no matter who uh decides that we cannot have something we will still fight for it and I think from an academic standpoint um it was really important to go to an HB.CU you. I think because um

015I think within the black community like education isn't something that's so like big. Um and I think that we need to show other younger black kids that going to college is very important and investing in your education is very important and you can do so much with that. But I'm just really happy that this happened and I really hope that you guys do make an effort for this to be a tradition every single year. Thank you. Hello. Okay, my name is Kayen Strong. Um, I'm a 10th grader at John Marshall. I just want to say that I'm very appreciative of the trip because I learned things that I've never actually heard of, especially like the Black Wall Street and the fact that there's a song that has a hidden message in it that we had

016no idea about, which is amazing to me. I'm very musical, by the way, so that stands out to me a lot. Um, I just want to say just being on the trip actually opened me up to something new. I became a BSU member on the trip, which I'm very excited about and happy for the long journey that is that's ahead of me. So, I'm just really really happy about it. And um I just definitely want to see more of us going on trips like that, especially to colleges because that opens up our mindset to not doing dumb things and doing smarter things with our lives, putting us at bigger careers than just working at a store or working at, you know, a restaurant. So I just I'm very happy to see that. So, I just

017want to say thank you and just let's continue to keep it up and actually have it in more schools because we only have it at JM and I was at Century. They have nothing for black students which is to me I feel like they're not showing like showing us more like they could. So, I just I'm happy that I'm able to switch and go to this school. So, I found more black le things at this school. summit. Very very appreciative of it. So, thank you. >> Hello, my name is AJ Phillips. Um, I'm a senior over at John Marshall. And, uh, I just want to start off think big thank you to Miss Whorn because a few days beforehand, she had offered me to go on the trip, still paid for everything. But, I had

018never been able to make it to the the meetings at school because I'm always busy. So, big thank you to that. I would never have gone on the trip if it hadn't been for that. But this trip was very eye openening one because a lot of the younger students um about Black Wall Street, HB.CU in general wasn't like like a big thought in their mind. They didn't know much about it. And I think growing up in Rochester, it's a great place, great community, but people that look like us, our community is not so big on trying to get out, trying to go to H.B.CU is not too known unless you've gone to an H.B.CU. Like my family, we've gone um to Alabama. My whole family's gone to Alabama, HB.CU down there. So, it was always

019nice to watch kids learn about it and want to go there. Um heard a miss I heard somebody say on the H.B.CU trip we were going there and it was like they saying based off the campus that oh a state college would have more money or be like that. But I feel like it's be more important for a student to go to especially a black student to go to H.B.CU because of the way it is. Everybody's more like family there. And I think it'd be a great experience for us to go down there rather than a state college. Even though both are great, I think it'd be better for more kids to go to H.B.CU U trip our HB.CU college >> and uh thank you. That's everything. >> You can say the college name that

020your family is from. >> Oh, and the college you went to Alabama was Tuskegee University. It's a um Yeah, it's a private university down there. It's really great college. I've been down there like my entire life. So, I real familiar with H.B.CU and all that. I have a baby picture down there that of a lady I don't even know. So, >> full disclosure, my son went to Tus to Stevie. So, >> close. Everybody said everything they want to say. >> I can come back. >> Not the double. >> You turn it off, babe. >> I turned it off. >> Yeah, >> needs to be green. >> It's on. Okay. >> Yeah, it's good. >> Um, just once again, I just feel like this trip was really big for me, especially because I'm graduating in two

021months and I was really just able to be around such a big amazing community. I got to see things. I've never left the Midwest in my entire life. So, uh, as like a first generation student, I'm the first person in my u, my parents are both immigrants. So, this is my first like time ever really seeing big colleges that are built on the backs of African-Americans in our country. So, it was amazing. We learned a lot. Uh, a lot of people thought about their future. Lot about a half of the trip, people were just like, "Oh, wow. Now I want to go into these college things." And it just like it opened up doors that have never been opened before. So, it was just an amazing trip. It was amazing to be there and hopefully

022once I graduate, maybe five years to come, I'm just going to look back at that trip. I'll donate as much money as possible because I just I wanted to keep going and yeah, that's all I really want to say. But thank you guys and thank you Miss White and Miss Whitehorn. >> I just want to tell the school district thank you for the support. This could have not been possible without the support. Um I reached out to a lot of the staff that's a part of the staff of colors. They came out, they supported financially, they gave snacks, they just all the support, all the love, all the prayers because we we had to stay prayed up. Um, we had all of that going on and I just want to say thank you guys for

023making that possible for BSU and some of the other students in the community. I really truly from the bottom of my heart appreciate all the love and support to make this possible. Thank you guys. And the next trip >> October 15th through the 17th we'll be going to three um colleges as well. Harris Stowe Lincoln in St. Louis and Kentucky State University in in Frankfurt, Kentucky. >> Great. >> Thank you board members. Any questions? >> I just want to add that these this group of students did a wonderful job. They sold raffle tickets. They had spaghetti dinners. uh the students reached out to advocate for themselves. This was a student-led trip. This is something that the students wanted to do. Miss O made it happen. She reached out to myself uh and my husband. Um

024we involved also our church family, Christ full Gospel Church that came in and supported. So we it made it happen as it was a it was a group effort. So but I really want to give these kids an applause because they wanted to see this come to fruition and they did the work to make it happen. So give him a round of applause. >> Thank you. >> And if you haven't done a tour with 35 teenagers on on a charter bus, let me tell you something. Charter bus ain't like it used to be either, y'all. It's not made for us people going up in age. But we made it. We made it. the adults needed a hand to the 13 of us that that sat on the bus for three days with other people's children.

025So I just want to tell you educators out there, you are loved and we are so grateful >> and there is a special place in heaven for us. >> Yes, there is. Amen. For teachers as well. >> Our next agenda item are board member updates. Does any board member have any updates for meetings, committees or anything else to share? Okay. Well, I can share from our uh last skip visit. >> Oh, >> right. Gage Elementary, uh where we visited about their school continuous improvement plan and there and there was a lot of great things to see at Gage. Um, I think one of the biggest visuals for me, um, is that in, uh, their, um, one of their instructional coaches office, they have a visual representation of every student on a square of paper organized

026by classroom. And they have that students most current FastBridge scores. and they know for every student if they're, you know, where they are compared to where their goals are, if they're a tier one or receiving tier two or tier three students and and they use that sort of as a mission control, if you will, I think about our Artemis going to the moon um to plan their interventions, to plan their tier one instruction. and they said that, you know, making making it visual really helped um just help with the organization and help with with their plans. Um the other we saw a lot there and you know, a lot of great things to say. I'm excited to hear that they're having a a kitchen. They raised money to have a kitchen put in their community

027room >> and um that's going to happen over the summer. Um but one of the best conversations we had was about um a mentoring program that they have with fifth graders mentoring younger students. And it happens every day at 7:55 a.m. And these students come to school and the fifth graders are they're not just sitting and reading with the younger students. They know exactly what skills, literacy skills, these students are working on. And for 10 to 15 minutes, they work specifically on the skills that that student is working on. And they help track the students progress. And together, the students can can experience the the um feeling of accomplishment of of of helping them succeed. And we met a lovely fifth grade student who um told us that it was important to her own attendance

028because she didn't want to miss meeting with her, you know, little buddy. Um it helped her own self-confidence. It helped her um own notion of what she might want to do in the future, perhaps teaching. And um uh this the principal said they they they'd have no trouble getting fifth graders to want to do this this kind of program. Um, so community building worked into academic achievement and outcomes. Um, I think it really just showed what a what a great community uh gauges and and how well they're focusing on improving um the outcomes for their students. So that was great. Dr. Workman. >> Yeah, I'd like to just add on a little bit to the the student that um Chair Nathan was referencing. um she was infectious not with disease but with her energy and

029um it was really clear that she knew exactly what she was talking about. I mean she had those literacy terms down cold and I'm thinking back to when I first started teaching that in order to teach somebody something you have to really know it and understand it yourself. So this works both ways, both for the little buddy and for the person who is actually having to work with her. So it um it was just really quite exciting to see um a young person be so joyful about reading literacy. It was great. >> Hearing no other announcements, we'll move on to our consent agenda, items 5.1 through 5.6. Would any board member like any item removed for separate consideration? Director Barlo. >> Uh yes. like to have item number six uh removed for discussion. >> All

030right. Hearing no others, uh we will approve the rest of the consent agenda, items 5.1 through 5.5. Um do we have a motion to approve 5.1 through 5.5? >> So move. >> Second. >> It has been moved and seconded to approve items 5.1 through 5.5. All those in favor say I. I opposed. The consent agenda has been approved. Um, Director Barlo, would you uh like to say anything more about removing from the consent agenda or should we turn it over to the superintendent? >> Well, perhaps what I say will u lead to what the superintendent might uh respond to. Um my reason for uh wanting uh and requesting this particular item to be removed uh flows primarily from the fact that uh sometimes um we as a board uh and I'm thankful for the unique

031relationship that we're able to have with uh you superintendent pel uh to where you uh make us aware and with this particular uh slate of uh items identified ified uh under section number six. Uh you met with us individually to share with us rationale insight and uh afforded each board member an opportunity to uh inquire directly with you regarding uh potential impacts and future plans. Um what I also realized after leaving the meeting and since then is while I as a board member was privy to that uh the community at large was not and so uh uh many were left wondering well what in the world is going on not having the advantage of the knowledge that uh I we as a board were afforded. Uh so I do have three uh items I'd like

032to advance to ensure that uh what I left understanding and uh what may be useful to those who are inquiring or uh concerned. Uh the first item is that of uh our ability to communicate how the essential functions, programs and supports currently provided by family engagement and youth empowerment, how they will be sustained moving forward. Uh secondly, and that our uh commitment to family engagement and youth empowerment remain strong. And uh thirdly that the identifiable benefits from students, staff and families are not being eliminated. Uh so those were the things that I wanted to bring forth and that's why I suggest that had I gone first they might lead to some of the comments that you might potentially make. >> Superintendent. >> Yeah. Well, thank you Dr. Barler for bringing that up and for giving

033me a chance to do that. But I appreciate especially that you gave me a heads up um that you would be asking for a discussion of this item which makes uh complete sense. I had discussions with some other board members as well. Um to the point of um I think to to quote you uh what's going on um the difficulty of discussing human resource questions that involve individuals in a public forum is why very often we don't have a public discussion of these issues. But ultimately uh I have to make decisions and recommendations and you have to vote. And so in this instance we need to talk about positions and individuals. That's unavoidable and uh uh and very appropriate. Um, so I'd like to give you a sense of the rationale for the four position

034uh eliminations that are on the consent agenda and um a new possibility that I have given a lot of thought to in the uh weeks since I met with you individually as board members and in the slightly less than a month since I informed the four individuals that would be impacted by these cuts. Uh some new thinking that I've been doing. Um it's critical to suggest that uh none of these decisions are ones I would choose to take for anything other than reasons of necessity. Um as board members are aware, this board has already approved over $60 million in reductions in our budget over the next five years. $ 8.3 million for fiscal year 27, meaning the 2627 school year that's ahead of us. um 13 million for fiscal year 28, 11.7 million for fiscal

035year 29, 14 million for fiscal year 30, and 15.8 million for fiscal year 31. Um those budget projections, as board members know, are a result of uh very tight, I would argue, inadequate uh state funding, rising costs, uh salary and benefits for our amazing staff, especially healthcare costs, and a projection of declining enrollment that we are analyzing all the time because, as you also know, we had a very welcome unexpected increase in enrollment last fall. So this is driven by the finances. Um 27 teachers and education support professionals uh a couple weeks ago lost their jobs for next year as we are making cuts at the building level. I hope some of them will be able to find new positions but they lost their jobs. Those are just teachers and what we call ESPs. Uh

036staff in our maintenance food service and clerical groups have not yet been informed of their reductions. Those come a bit later. A and there are other reductions that will happen in central office departments. So I believe when you're cutting at the classroom level, you have a responsibility not just to cut in central office, but to cut at senior levels of uh the district, which of course is incredibly uh difficult when we've already made uh hundreds of cuts since I came to Rochester in uh 2021. So to reduce costs, the four positions that are on the consent agenda are the executive director of community education and partnerships, the executive director of family engagement, youth empowerment, the director of positive behavioral supports, and the director of school leadership and improvement. All occupied by dedicated talented individuals who

037I have great respect for and who I regret. Um this uh difficult situation is impacting uh their professional and personal lives. Um in terms of the executive director of community and K education and partnerships that is very aly filled by um Amy Ike that position at the cabinet level I've recommended reduction uh as a cost savings um and it would exist as a director level of continu community education um which is a continuing position in every school district. You have to have a licensed director of community education. And I'm thrilled that Amy has indicated her desire to remain in that critical leadership role that is entirely funded by community education funding and does not tap into the general fund for that purpose. Um uh you know also again I said at the outset it's it's

038a bit awkward to talk about uh individuals uh uh as we heard from Mr. Bryant who I talked to earlier today uh Will Ruffen II has uh done very able work in his role. Um and I'm going to come back to that role as you pointed it out in a moment. uh Director Barlo. Um and that position is one that I've recommended uh moving away from at the cabinet level. I do want to say um and Will and I discussed today. I can share this. Um I have offered Will a position as a special assistant to the superintendent for student engagement. Um he is one of the most gifted educators I've worked with in how you truly engage students in learning. It would be a portfolio uh funded for a year by a grant we

039have from the state of Minnesota. um and potentially beyond that will as is totally his prerogative is considering that among other possibilities and opportunities. Um but I want to mention that here as an indication of the deep respect that I hold for him uh as an individual. But the changes on the consent agenda tonight do not only involve reductions. Um there are a couple other changes that are that are notable. There actually is one position creation and it's a new position that I'm calling executive director of learning environments. Our school district like school districts all over the United States is really struggling with positive student behavior. And there are many deep reasons for that factor. But if you talk even to our kindergarten teachers across uh Rochester, we are seeing a subset but a significant

040subset of our students really struggling with positive behaviors in the learning environment. We know that draconian school discipline is not the solution to that. We need a positive, holistic, strength-based approach to making sure that our schools are safe, equitable, and inclusive learning environments. So, I've proposed creating a position that brings together functions that are now spread across departments and functions in central office with an eye to creating a holistic systematic approach to positive learning environments. That position would create a department that brings together the work we're now doing on positive behavioral supports, student well-being, and mental health. our health service offices that provide physical supports for student health, community education, community partnerships, family engagement, American Indian education, our family, our new family supports work, the homeless education program, and youth empowerment work. Those efforts would

041be led under a new position, as I'll describe in a moment. that position uh is currently posted and we are um receiving applications and certainly all of the talented individuals who would be impacted if you approve the reductions of the four positions uh we're talking about tonight would be invited to apply for um that position. There's another change that doesn't involve a reduction or an addition, but it's a movement, but I think it's important to note because it's a uh everything's a package deal here. Um, I'm also recommending that Jackie Peterson, our current chief of schools, assume the responsibility for the chief operating officer position that was previously occupied by John Carlson. As board members know, we conducted a search. We had a uh national candidate who ultimately uh decided that they couldn't move to

042Minnesota um uh as sometimes happens with national candidates. and we also had other uh talented applicants. But I ultimately decided that staring uh right at me in a meeting was somebody who could provide the kind of leadership that I think we need across our operations functions um uh at a critical time in our work. And so the recommendation I have is to uh have Jackie be appointed to lead our work on facilities, finance, policy and innovation, student nutrition services, technology, transportation, communications, including language interpretation services and registration and records. And because Jackie at the central office level has been the single person who has provided the critical leadership for the creation of our middle school alternative learning center program, which we created since I've been in Rochester. um I'd like to keep that um as

043part of her responsibilities. If you approve the creation of that role, that means that the chief of schools role would be open. That is also posted and people have the opportunity to apply for that as well. The cumulative savings from these changes would be about $250,000 a year each year to the school district. And so there is a uh a savings that helps us address that um budget uh process. As I mentioned, both of the two positions that are open, the chief of schools positions and the executive director of learning environments positions actually are not only posted, they closed tonight. Uh we've had significant interest um in both. The uh uh chief of schools position as of the time I checked with Carl Bachan, our HR director, had five applicants and the executive director of

044learning env uh environments position had 31 applicants. They are a diverse applicant pool from inside and outside the district. And I want to be clear that those are authentic positions that will have a first round interview process that does not include me or board members and an open inclusive process. Um so people applying for those jobs uh if you haven't looked at it still have a few hours before we close those uh positions. Um, so to your point, Director Barlo, which you made about family engagement and youth empowerment, I think which is if this uh these reductions are improved, where would they go? Um, and I want to assure you and the community that despite the fact that these are not reductions I would have chosen to make absent the need for financial savings and

045being highly efficient in this environment, community partnerships, family engagement, youth empowerment, school improvement, leadership development, support for positive student behavior, attendance and equity will all move on. But I want to address the last piece in particular. And I think Mr. Bryant in his comments today which I also discussed was him on the phone uh highlighted that importance of that equity function. There's a longunning discussion in not just schools but in many organizations about is it better to embed support for communities that have historically been marginalized um in everything you do or in a very specific position or um experience. It's kind of the debate of should every month be Black History Month or should we have a Black History Month? And my personal answer is it should be both. That when there isn't an explicit

046emphasis, things can get lost underappreciated. I think you uh spoke to that eloquently tonight um at uh during his comments. When I got to Rochester in 2021, the board had just created the position that uh will now occupies and it was entitled executive director of diversity, equity, and inclusion. And so it really explicitly had that term, which has subsequently become very um noted in the public discussion um in many different ways. Um over time as we added some responsibilities to the portfolio that Will was leading including school counseling, family engagement, and youth empowerment, we broadened that title to um executive director of equity and engagement as part of a reorganization last um spring and summer. Uh we shifted that title to uh the executive director of family engagement and youth empowerment. And to be entirely

047transparent, that was done in part because it was very clear that the term DEI was about to become radioactive in a way that I had a strong personal instinct to fight against and resist. I certainly talked about this with Will, but the logic was the title isn't the work and the work can go on without the specific title. Um, as board members are well aware, our school district lost a multi-million dollar grant to build urgently needed uh mental health staff capacity in our district explicitly because it included an emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion. It was it was it was unambiguous. And so we directly experienced the consequences of concern about that term. In the months since that decision was made uh last summer and it was implemented, I personally have been concerned about the

048absence of that term and that portfolio um in our work. Um that said, I've also believed that you can advance equity through everything that we're doing, notably including family engagement and youth empowerment. But it has uh worried me and it's been something about um uh the absence of an explicit emphasis can lead to uh a diminishment of an emphasis on students and by extension families and also staff who need our support the most. So that has been a concern for me for a while and over the last really literally the last week as people have become more aware of my recommendation to eliminate that position again very important along with three other positions that are have dedicated people being impacted. Um the concern about the absence of that position has been heightened uh in my

049mind um because as people uh see something potentially absent not just in the title but in the function um I've uh grown to appreciate some of the concerns that may exist. Now, I do not have a new recommendation for you on that tonight because this is something that literally I've been thinking about pretty much non-stop, but um have been needing to balance against the financial realities that I talked about at the outset. But that said, I would like to uh over the next uh month as we finish preparing the budget and staffing plan for next year, put together some options for this board to uh consider um to uh develop a new proposal that has an explicit emphasis on equity, but one that reflects some of the legal decisions, the guidance, and the parameters that

050have recently been implemented uh including at the federal level that would allow us to retain an explicit focus on that function but to do so in a way that is conversant with some of the changes that we have uh seen in over the past year. Um I uh do not believe that position uh should uh you decide to approve it would be at the cabinet level. Um and that is um partly uh for reasons of uh financial savings, but it really is more about where my leadership of the district places its emphasis. Um if you approve the cuts that are on the uh agenda tonight, we will have cut the cabinet by almost half since I came to Rochester. And that's not because these are not fantastic people. It's because my vision of the cabinet

051is that it is a very small group that connects the dots across the critical functions in our school district. Um, and my job as superintendent really is uh strategy and stakeholder engagement in in the central office, not in our buildings. In central office, I really believe the director level is where the work is led, that it is where the critical uh functions uh are fulfilled, whether that is curriculum or special education or technology uh or transportation. Um uh just candidly the cabinet uh prior to my joining RPS met for eight hours and as a collective nine people signed off on every decision. We now spend two hours on a Monday because it's the work is happening elsewhere and our job is connecting those dots. Um and so that is uh why this year I created

052a new structure called the cult the central office leadership team. Unfortunately if you say it wrong it sounds like cult. And so we have a cult meeting uh cool sums up but it includes cabinet members and directors and and I believe it's been a breakthrough because what it is doing certainly for me as superintendent is connecting me very directly to the people who have the greatest direct impact uh on students and staff. Um whereas previously uh I would often find it like a game of telephone where I would ask uh um Mona Perkins something and she'd say well this is interesting but I need to go talk to Melissa Steni our director of special ed to get that answer and then we can come back to you. So um that is the level at which

053I want to explore uh pending the identification of uh funding sources uh and we are as you know working on the budget all the time right now uh the creation of a position that potentially has that explicit emphasis. Um, and I and I I hesitated in in sharing this uh tonight because this is not on the agenda, but um the feedback that we've received about what's on the agenda has uh greatly benefited my own thinking about some of these issues. Uh it has clarified the absence that I've thought about since last summer um uh in the decision that we made. And so, um, I, uh, would commit to bring you back, uh, some ideas and presumably a more specific proposal. In the meantime, uh, I continue to believe that the difficult reductions that are there

054on the agenda tonight are, um, appropriate ones. Um, and I would be glad to answer any questions about them or other things if there are, uh, issues on your mind involving involving these tough calls. So, just to clarify, your recommendation is still that we take action to approve the recommendations as they exist in the um human resources actions tonight. >> Uh it is, Madam Chair, because not least because we have um more than 40 people who've applied for two jobs that you have not yet officially approved, which is not unusual. We do that, but that you need to open that uh opportunity. and that we also need to put the budget together and that candidly as I mentioned uh we already have uh 27 teachers and education support professionals whose pos who have been informed

055their positions are discontinued and there will be other staff uh in the next couple weeks who will find out through our normal staffing process closest to students at the building level and I think this says we are not holding ourselves harmless at the senior levels of the central office from these difficult budget decisions that are impacting people working closest to kids. >> Dr. Mccclac, um Dr. Pel, can you speak a little bit more about the what you said earlier about this being a package deal rather than something that we could u choose to approve some and not all? Uh no I it was a package deal in the sense that I that's why I also described the um chief operating officer as part of it because that impacts the other position. So I wasn't referring

056to a decision that you would be able to make. >> Sure. But you say if we if we wanted to make a motion to remove one of these positions from the resolution, I guess it's a resolution. Would we be able to do that? Maybe that's a question for you or for the chair. Super. >> Uh, you certainly could do that. I would not advise that, but you certainly would have the authority to do that. >> Dr. W. >> Uh, she took my question. Uh, but in the event that we did wanted to remove one of the positions, just as you said, as you're looking for, um, you have some other options or things moving through um, just for the transparency, just not for the board, but also, uh, for the community. Um I do think

057it would be fitting to remove uh the position at this time. Not that uh the position will not change or be cut or transform at a later date or even maybe by the next meeting. I just feel that um that would give uh just uh the concerns that we have had from the community, the concerns that have been placed forward by some of our staff um I do think are are legitimate concerns. Um, and I would like to see um, as with some of the other positions kind of where that goes and have more clarity on how that will move. Did I make a statement? Did I make >> Did you uh I would certainly be glad to answer any specific questions about how certain functions that are currently being met would be fulfilled under

058the new structure. I believe that uh the the the the supervisory role that all four of these positions play can be accounted for in the new structure that I would have proposed. And so I'm not sure there's a lot of new information that I would be able to provide. I'm confident we can continue to provide supervision for all the functions that are currently supported. Um uh should you choose to uh make a decision on one of the positions versus the others, um I I would need to understand the specific information that you would require and I'd be glad to provide that. Um, if there's something I'm confident we could uh fulfill the responsibilities that we have even with these reductions as difficult as they would be. >> Director, >> um, I just want to speak

059a little bit more to the concept and leaning towards agreeing with Director Whitehorn. Um, Dr. I really appreciate the concept of including cuts at the senior leadership level in the budget cuts that we are going to be required to make based on the fiscal situation. Um I think that that speaks to the topic of equity as well um because it it's not um identifying only certain levels and that type of thing. I guess where I struggle a little bit is I do appreciate the fact you're having the one-on-one conversations with us, but it's perhaps a learning opportunity for me that I didn't necessar when we had that conversation, it was helpful, but I didn't necessarily anticipate that this was going to show up on the consent agenda. So maybe a learning opportunity for me to

060recognize that that's where this was going to land on our decision making on the board. Um, I look at so and I'm glad you gave the history about the different titles of this concept of a position um through the term that I've been on the board. Um, one of the reasons that I looked at running for school board was the fact that there was a lot of conversation in the community about an equity policy, but it was being um proposed and revised and not moving along. And perhaps I was impatient, but I wanted to move that forward um to being something that our district would have as a reality. Um I think it's important to our board values and our vision. Um and more important to our students, our staff, and our community. Um, I

061think it goes directly to the unique diversity of our community and our students and also to the um goals that we have for our students in our district in terms of student belonging. I'm worried that not keeping this position in some form would be a step backwards. Um, and I think it speaks to the benefits of this position to our staff, both our BIPO staff and our non- BIPOC staff, and also um makes all of the staff u better um examples for our students. Um what I would be looking for is a more explicit plan and more transparency about the future plans to move equity forward as a district. And I recognize and and appreciate what you talked about about the changes in the title of this position, but I'm worried that in some ways

062um that um potentially watered down the role of what was originally the diversity, equity, and inclusion and there was a lot of support for that concept. I recognize that's changed. my own organization where I work during the day kind of went through through some of the same things, but I think there's still people that push back against those changes. Um, you know, that we can't use certain words and that type of thing. Um, I think we need to stand up against that. Um, so I look at this as an essential uh dedicated leadership position in the district and you know we can call it what we want and we can um include what we want under the umbrella of that role and and I appreciate what you said um and maybe this um focuses on

063it for me that I'm not necessarily sure that it needs to be a cabinet position or a supervisory role. I think that it's evolved over time uh perhaps because of the person in that role, but I'm not sure that the concept of the equity policy or the work that we're doing in the district in terms of advancing equity necessarily requires that role. I kind of look at it more as an umbrella of um being in the forefront and putting it in conversation that the goals of the equity policy are being implemented across the district. Um and so whatever form that takes um I would like to have more thought and discussion about um you know the origins of this policy and this role and how it fits within our district uh both now and moving

064forward. So to ask some accounting questions, I guess from what I'm hearing from um some of my colleagues, were we to um were someone to u make a motion to exclude the position I assume you're speaking of the family engagement and youth empowerment. Um that would come at a cost. Can you tell us what that would be? I uh I prefer not to. I mean, yes, I know exactly, but I I mean, it's not >> But I mean, whatever cost savings you had hoped to get from this, we wouldn't we wouldn't be able to achieve that because we would still have an additional cabinet level department. And if we were approved to add the additional cabinet level department, we'd be not not doing the shifts that would result in the cost savings that you were

065estimating. >> Yes. And I uh to be clear, Madam Chair, I would prefer not to on the fly. uh the the the aggregate savings that I gave you of $250,000 for the entire re uh elimination is accurate but I would prefer not to uh you know highlight one position without my opportunity to make sure that uh that is being calculated exactly correctly in terms of salary for just that there is a cost >> and yeah it would reduce the savings but again um my uh earlier comments were that this uh set of difficult proposals which again includes three other highly valuable positions um has uh uh been something that I've uh subjected to a lot of thought and uh difficult consideration and that led to my statements tonight about the potential to bring back to

066the board uh an alternative scenario to address some of the issues that for instance Director Mclofflin just talked about um that is not something that uh I'm prepared to do effectively tonight. Uh both for reasons of needing to conceptualize the position, needing to make sure that the position, should I recommend adopting it, is well aligned with the environment in which we now are operating and uh that it can be covered uh financially. So that's why I'm not preparing that at this time tonight. Director Murvin. >> Um I guess my question is you know the four positions that we're looking at all of whom are valuable people doing valuable work. Are you convinced that that work that each of them is currently leading will continue in the district that maybe not so siloed but that that

067uh those experiences and that kind of leadership those kind of ideas will continue in our district. >> Um Dr. Dr. Marvin, I I'm I'm certainly convinced they'll continue, but I don't want to suggest that there's no impact. >> Um because these are valuable people doing valuable work. We will have uh less. I am for instance recommending the elimination of the director of school leadership and improvement position and those responsibilities then would need to be borne by the chief of schools position which also supervises all principles and does a lot of crisis management. And so the work that uh Eric Johnson has done aly to support leadership development um on individual bases uh with some leaders that need intensive support. If you uh talk to teachers and others around the district, if Eric Johnson's in your

068building, it can mean that there's a real need for additional uh support and helping to address some issues. Um uh plus the leadership development that we have done uh the creation of an aspiring leadership academy that's had more than 40 people who are preparing for the principal ship that would be gone. Um and so no would that happen at the same level of uh intensity and fidelity? Um it would not. Am I convinced that we would still move forward with leadership development broadly defined? Yes. But there would be an unambiguous uh reduction there. The same uh would be certainly true of the additional work uh that Amy has provided on issues of uh communications and strategy and branding that function would now need to be you know uh born elsewhere. Uh the work that uh

069that will has done on the family engagement youth empowerment work at the cabinet level and then of course the work Angie Mccandrews has been doing around attendance. um all of those would be gaps um that uh I'm confident the work would move forward in all those areas but um uh no there would not be no diminishment of our ability but that's the same case that's happening when one of those teachers or ESPs at our school level is losing their position as well >> Dr. Bar. Uh yes, as I look at policy 105, our equity policy, um I just want to be clear that uh the decision, the recommendation as it stands presently will not alter or modify, diminish uh the policy uh the and the uh core elements of it. Is that a correct statement?

070>> That is a correct statement, Dr. Bo. I'm confident the policy as all of our policies would uh would move forward. >> I think one of my and obviously this is this is as we all know democracy in real time. Um, as I think about the individuals that uh are in some cases literally in this room and in all cases impacted, um, should board members feel that you are unable to uh take a vote on one position, I would recommend that we pull all four positions from the consent agenda. I say that reluctantly because I actually believe this is the right time to make that decision. But if you feel that you do not um have the um either information or there's a need for additional uh information or potentially uh you wanted to uh

071give me time to explore the possibility of the other role that I uh have talked about conceptually tonight though that again the money's not in the bank for that. we have to actually really think hard about it. Uh rather than pulling one um position from the agenda, I would recommend that we pull the four. I think it would send uh while while an understandable value placed on one position, I think it would send a very problematic message to the individuals impacted by those other positions, which I would presume uh is not the board's intent. Well, before I want to consider that, I want to talk a little bit about the um restructuring and addition of the executive director of learning environments because I've I've looked at the responsibilities and I've looked at the um the

072intent and in in my consideration traced over time how we've gotten um to this recommendation. And I uh remember the evolution of that building block in our strategic plan and how when we first were tackling it, there were a number of uh fires that we were putting out in our buildings. Um we had some um situations in some buildings and you made multiple decisions and um Jackie Peterson um Chris Lincoln the team was really focused on addressing those but then coming up with a longer term strategy. And I think what frustrated me in watching that develop was how peace meal it was. We talked about student behavior in the context of uh discipline and restorative practice which was being handled by a different group of people that was handling student mental health and well-being and

073that was um interacting with but not necessarily integrated with uh youth empowerment and family engagement. Everyone was working together, but the the um the strategies, the plans, the the the taxi tactics we were following were um fragmented. So when I saw this recommendation and I saw the items that were included under this new office of learning environments, it made sense to me also in the context of what the other categories of work that you have identified at the cabinet level um for the district. And as I think about the last strategic plan and I think about where the new strategic plan is going and how interactive now a number of these categories are working together to have them working together in the same group with the same leader um made sense to me. Um, so

074that I I would hate to lose that piece of the recommendation, especially knowing hiring cycles and when's a good time to, you know, ask people to to take a new job or move from a different district. Um, so if were we to um delay consideration of this um what impact might it have on getting the right candidates for some of these new positions? >> Uh well, Madam Chair, formally you approve a an appointment to any position uh when you actually approve the hiring of the individual. So we could still move forward with that selection and and the presumption that uh if I offer that job to someone uh the board's going to vote yes because they have come through a high quality process. So in terms of filling that position we could still move forward

075and and literally those that position and the chief of schools position applications closed tonight. We one of the things you do is if you want really good people, you miss a big window if you go much further into the spring because they take other jobs um either internally or you know externally. So we could still do that and uh we could bring that to the board for approval when the individual is named. So that would be potentially I like I like better actually posting a position you've approved when we're actually offering the job. Um, but you know, we also submit grants that then you approve them when we get them. Um, you could reject them when we say, "Hey, we got this grant." And you said, "No, we don't want to accept it." You could

076do the same. Hey, we hired this person. No, we don't want to appoint them. It's less systematic. I think I I I would just like to say, uh, Madam Chair, the summary that you gave of the value of that position, I think, is uh, it's it's better than I've given in my talking about it thus far. The number one need I hear from teachers, education support professionals, to a lesser extent, um, administrators is we have to have safe, inclusive environments in our schools. Um, for a long time, I think people thought student behavior was going to all go back to normal as the further we got from the pandemic. And I think we're realizing that we have some we have people who are in kids who are infants who are now kindergarteners in our schools

077who missed some powerful developmental experiences of serve and return uh with parents with being out in uh with public with being in programmings in public settings and that's playing out and this is not unique to Rochester. If any if you know any suggestion that this is a Rochester public schools problem anybody who follows education not just in the United States but globally will tell you. Uh the other big theory is that it's about screens that screen time and the literal impact on brain development on impulse control is having that. Now we have a lot of kids that this doesn't impact but we have a major issue and what I uh hear again and again is we have to have a systematic effective approach. We respond to this as you noted I think effectively but episodically

078right now and we don't respond holistically. Um, but we do have schools, I mean, Willow Creek is an example where we saw a dramatic change because they really did think quite comprehensively about these issues. It wasn't just the discipline piece. It was how we're going to be a worldclass school and what are our expectations and pieces like that. So, the vision of this position is to take a systematic approach to this issue. Um so that as part of our new strategic plan I'll be recommending the adoption of a multi-tered system of development of a multi- tiered system of support in positive behavior along with mathematics to build on what we've done in the last three years in literacy. So that's why the logic of this position is there. And candidly in this budgetary environment, simply

079creating a new senior level leadership position at the cabinet level seemed off the table to me because that would be I think at a time when we're looking at those reductions at the building level rather tonedeaf um to what we're talking about. So there was the logic of these difficult trade-offs. So in short, Madam Chair, we could go forward with both of these hiring processes absent a decision tonight. you would obviously need to make a decision when we're at the point to approve the individuals who are selected through those processes. >> Dr. Wman, >> I just want to add to this. Um, and I I personally think we just need a little bit more time and us hearing the concerns uh from hearing from you today. Um, what has been most concerning for me on

080this side of the table is to hear our staff of color saying that there's a matter of their inclusion and their safety and how they where can they go with their concerns. Um, and it's slightly concerning uh for me as a as a parent, as a as a member of the community, right? because we are speaking of making sure that our students feel safe and included and you know we talk about the mindsets and the behaviors and representation but it I my concern is that if the staff does not feel this I just I that's concerning for me that I think out of all of the information and all of the things that I have heard over this evening over these last few days about that particular position what has been most concerning to me

081is that um putting our limited staff of color that we have, which we have spoke multiple times about increasing our bipok staff, but to have them say that they don't that eliminating a position puts them in a vulnerable state is slightly concerning to me as an individual, right? Um that's why I have concern about uh the removal of the position. um is that if the staff that we are looking to empower in order to empower our youth begin to feel disempowered and vulnerable um this this kind of doesn't help our mission right um and that I guess is my concern uh we are trying to build uh we're trying to increase diversity we're trying to increase inclusion and I it's it is it is a very uh it's a it's a tight little rope here

082that we're on, but I'm concerned about making decisions that will set us back further, right? We we aren't where we even want to be at this time. Um, so I guess my biggest concern is even though there are budget concerns and there are other things I just and I don't know how the rest of the board feels, but given some of this feedback, right, because we we are not magicians and I don't know if anyone here is psychic, but you know, even in our even in our best I I think that everyone on this board has very good intentions. I don't think anyone had any malice intent um in any of our private conversations. I would hope not. Um, but I do think that this deserves a little bit more of attention. Um, I just

083don't want to make a decision that creates a problem that now needs a solution. If that makes any sense. I just think um, as a board, if we have the option to be a little bit more mindful um, and take step away for a second and give things some thought, I don't think that this creates a harm. I just think that this allows a little a little time to breathe for us to speak to our community, for us to, you know, speak to the people that are impacted by the decision and that we can come forward with better thoughts, better ideas as to how we move forward. I just am concerned about creating undue tension. >> Very important, I think, Dr. Whitehorn, and I know you're aware of this though. Um uh I my presumption

084is you're speaking about the the the function of the position as opposed to the uh racial ethnic background of the person in it. In that recent court decisions uh and uh federal guidance has suggested that um we we we can create the position to serve the function as opposed to the individual. I personally greatly value diverse backgrounds in any position, but that there's been some pretty clear direction that we would need to create the role. Um, which I know you're you're speaking about that role and the value of the role focused on equity. Um uh but that as we think about the challenges of having a position, we would of course as we do with every position have any talented individual could apply for that position and get that position and then uh we would

085staff it um appropriately. >> So just for one clarifying question. So but in us voting for this it would be it would be eliminating that role as well. Correct. So I guess that that is where I I'm giving pause is that um beyond just the staffing just as a board a better understanding of of um you know how some of these things will be replaced and just so I'm very clear because I don't have no any other way to be but as we've spoken about some of the roles uh as you said Amy has is moving to this position you know Jackie's moved to I think there just needs to be that level of clarity maybe for the other executive um roles and and and if it's a matter of they're, you know, not accepting

086or they're applying or I just I think that will help because some some things are very clear and other things seem a little bit murky and I think that could be what gives a little bit pause to um how everyone is feeling that we have a little bit of like very a lot of clarity in some spaces and some it's like well we're working on it. Well, me person I'm sorry I ain't gonna speak for everybody. I speak for Stephanie. That's how that's what Stephanie feels. director. >> Um I appreciate Dr. Pel your comments about um safety and inclusiveness and I think that that's kind of at the core of what I'm concerned about here and in what I've said today, but I'm also thinking about this in the sense that I think some of

087the other concepts that you're discussing here in these other positions are perhaps, you know, either somewhat more behind the scenes or more amorphous than what we're talking about in terms of equity. And I look at E equity as something that we've moved forward with over the past couple years. And I think it makes our district unique perhaps in our region in that sense and that there's been a lot of emphasis on that both from the board policy and and rolling that policy out and implementing it in the district. What I'm concerned about that we haven't talked about yet is the impact of removing that emphasis or that the potential risk of removing that emphasis on both our student enrollment and our employee retention. I think those are critical things to uh think about and consider

088that I'm not sure we've had discussion about yet. Um so I just want to add those two cents. >> Well, I I I I think I just want to ask that question directly. Um because I I don't see anything in this recommendation that says that we're going to remove the emphasis on equity in our district. And a long time ago in a galaxy far far away, I sat at this table and brought up the idea of this position. And my commitment to equity has been from that day through many conversations with people who have inspired me and changed me in my thinking and my knowledge to work with this board on the equity policy, which I am 100% committed to. But I have been encouraged that equity doesn't just live in one place in our

089district. I see it in our MTSS and literacy. I see the focus on every student is getting what they need to succeed. That might not be a textbook definition of equity, but that's the definition that I try to use. And I'm encouraged by this what the superintendent has brought to the table tonight about examining the possibility to bring back that word or focus or director level position so that we can do what I don't think we've done a good job of is to be explicit in communicating to our community where equity is living in all the work that we're doing. It's not just living in one place. I think it's living in multiple presentations we've seen and multiple initiatives in the building blocks. It's mentioned in multiple feedback that we're getting for our next strategic

090plan. And I want it to be in there. But I I think the superintendent has brought us an option for looking forward that might be even more than what we're doing now because in the in the um family engagement and youth empowerment uh area, we don't really have anything explicitly saying what's being done with equity. It doesn't just live there. Even though family engagement, youth empowerment is essential to that, it also is existing in the other I I keep I keep using my hands because I'm looking at an org chart. Um, in all the other levels of the ORC chart and that's that's what intrigues me about this possibility is to have a person who is working with how it is moving throughout all of the initiatives of our district. And it's not just an

091equity initiative. Everybody's responsible for equity in everything we do. Equity isn't just one person's responsibility. So that that's why I think we have an opportunity here with the shuffle to create something better than what we have. >> Dr. B. >> Uh thank you. So our policy um 105 equity uh will remain uh this is not which came first the chicken or the egg u uh policy 105 or the establishment of the position. um the strength of the policy will uh remain. Uh I appreciated you walking through how uh there have been several iterations of uh the position initially u rolled out as director of equity and inclusion. uh then becoming a number of other titles to its current uh uh position uh name. Um so for me it comes down to uh having the assurance

092that uh uh we value uh the individual and I I don't like really I appreciated the earlier uh uh point of awareness. We're not talking uh uh a personnel issue though. It's tough to say, "Well, come on. I mean, Will's right there, and it's tough for him. I He keeps to act like he's not here and he's being talked about, but um um for me, I did leave our and I think I was the first board member you met with. Uh I left that meeting with a level of understanding that this was the direction you were headed in. Uh you were presenting uh the ideas what probably would occur which is presented tonight and u so this did not come as news to me. I'm surprised to hear that perhaps it became news to some,

093but that's, you know, uh not for me to uh uh take on. Uh my initial u purpose in requesting this to be taken off action and uh placed forward for discussion was in part my realization that many there were those within the community uh staff and and students who perhaps were blindsided and left thinking well what the heck is going on? I mean are our is our equity policy going down the drain the things that we worked for uh the direction the the positive things that we have accomplished uh the litany of uh benchmarks we can refer to are they now simply shoved to the side and we're going back to hate to use this term given how it's been politicized recently stone age uh but um you know we don't necessarily uh want to

094move backwards and and not that you can cross your heart, hope to die, stick a needle in your eye and tell us we're not going to do that. Uh but uh I think that's really where uh some of us are and I think uh uh passionate uh educational professionals are. They've seen the benefit. They've seen the work. Uh to some degree we've heard the voice. I'm not sure there there would be a JM Black Student Union had there not been. Not just the position, but the person. And uh so in in saying that I think uh this may require uh the board, some of us uh pause to simply reflect and and maybe uh allow you to as you suggest it um potentially provide additional information. I did want to at least call out uh

095I think director Mclofflin may have alluded to there was great great note director Whitehorn great clarity in terms of some positions and where those individuals are landing. I think you did uh uh say there was an offer made uh to Will that he's currently considering that's his option. Uh so there is an opportunity. Uh there there may be other potential opportunities. Uh we're not being asked tonight to weigh the potential of opportunities. We're we're being asked to move forward with your slate of recommendations and and if I understood correctly, you would prefer us to uh I think there are total five uh four or five >> four reductions appointment. So, >> uh, to to be viewed ideally as a whole versus singled out and u, so I'm I'm ready to cast my vote should the

096chair and other board members be ready to do the same. >> Can I make >> sure? Yeah. And thank you, uh, Director Barlo. First of all, I just need to say I understand the point about, you know, blindsided. Let's be honest, you cannot talk about individual positions in a town hall meeting. That's just the way it goes. Full stop. You can't do this. We're talking about, you know, individual people and I think this discussion here tonight, as many of us have noted, uncomfortable as it is, is far more public than I think is is the norm. That has been uh unavoidable for reasons that I think we all understand. But it's never possible to have uh a discussion about individual position. Uh the other thing though, while I also appreciate because it's something that I've

097sought to put in place, trying to help people who are impacted by something like this land someplace, there are many positions, including positions on the agenda now where there is not a guaranteed landing place for someone. That's the hard uh reality of it. Um I think Dr. Barlo though to try and maybe move us to to closure. Let me be clear with what my recommendation I'm confident uh will be and you as always have the uh responsibility to vote your conscience and in the interest of the district. Should we pull this agenda item tonight, I will recommend at the next meeting all of these same changes. However, there is the possibility of also adding to this the creation of a new position that addresses some of the issues that I described tonight regarding equity. Um,

098and so that might be the change. And so, um, the reason to, uh, defer in terms of my role as superintendent is to give me time to put that thinking together. for your role as board members. It might be to give you more time for reflection and dialogue. But I want to be really clear. I will still bring this recommendation to you, but that there may be an additional recommendation which has been deeply informed by the discussion of the past week and at this board meeting tonight. So you have that sense then about if there's a decision to defer. I think it's important for you and uh anybody else who is um observing to know that I've given months and months and months of difficult consideration to this recommendation and have received feedback including from

099many board members and others that I will continue to make this recommendation. But there may be um a very important addition to the recommendation if we have the opportunity to uh both further conceptualize it and look at what that might um entail in terms of our HR system and cost and other structures. >> D um that leads me to kind of that converse question then that what if this agenda item is approved? Could you still do that? that that director Moffin was what I was really trying to lead to without making a guaranteed commitment tonight because I have some homework to do. I mean, so uh that was exactly what I was recommending. But I do think that should the board want to consider it in light of uh that potential additional recommendation that uh

100that that is definitely very viable that we could that we could see it potentially. I am obviously stumbling a bit because I don't want to make a commitment that ultimately uh we either can't uh afford or put in place, but I uh I wouldn't ever have raised this tonight if I didn't think that it was potentially a very uh viable and beneficial additional step. >> And I just want to be clear about that. Then what you're saying is you could go back to the drawing board and about a different position if I understand the director level. Either way we vote tonight. Is that what I'm understanding? Um, yes, that could potentially happen. I'm I'm also I do see the points that board members have made about the connected nature of uh the role. Um, and

101so were you to want to defer a decision on the other four roles until I've had a chance to look at what um might be possible in that additional role, um, we could certainly move that forward. >> Two, >> last time. So if we defer just that piece to next meeting, it would not necessarily create any large amount of harm. Right. >> Define just that piece. >> Well, just the the positions, those executive roles, like you said, if we instead of pulling one, if we pull them all off of the agenda till the next meeting to give time or thought. um as you've already expressed, you don't have any intention of uh changing your uh your recommendation, but the possibility of adding or you know, giving some thought to it, uh that would not create

102any I guess it it would it wouldn't create a a storm, I guess, is what I'm saying. It wouldn't be a big a big huge issue if we were to delay it one one meeting. And I do just want to say this if if I wasn't clear. Um representation is important as well. Um just as when we had the the students up here and we've had staff, you know, there is also a concern of of representation in our district. Um because as it is very minimal, as we have heard even our students say that there's very limited individuals that they have for visual representation to support them. So although um I do not want to always make things about race um there is a concern of of representation on our upper level boards and things

103in the district. Um, so that that is that is a honest consideration that I do have um as a woman of color and how that impacts just not the staff, but how that does also impact um our students and even though they are bigger decisions and they're more complex um and I believe I've said this before, um everybody can't always see all your intentions, but they can see what things look like. Um, so you know, we have a we're having a deep conversation, but we do have to give thought to what the public actually sees as well. Um, and that that's >> I would just ask mad chair. I director, I completely agree representation matters. I'm also wanting as is my job with the board to say we will be making recommendations to you for

104staffing positions that are fully compliant with all the current legal expectations. Um, and that's what I wanted to be sure anybody listening is aware that we will be doing and I know you'll make your decision on voting for those people. >> Yes. >> Dr. Did I miss you? Did you have something? >> Well, I'm just I'm I'm trying to maul through this and in the resolution um concerning the position that we've been talking about um the position of executive director of family engagement and youth empowerment will be discontinued. And from what I understand, from what the superintendent has said that that recommendation will come back to us next time >> along with the other recommendations >> along right along with the other other recommendations um which I'm assuming will not change >> or can I

105should I not assume that? No, I I think Director Workman, we all have a sense here that if people have a sense that if the moment um you um make a recommendation someone doesn't like and they get upset and you pull back that recommendation in a minute, we're cooked because you all heard the budget challenges we face coming forward. And so if people think that I will immediately say, "Whoops, didn't mean it every time." That said, I think I've demonstrated that we listen and I listen and that is why I shared at the outset of this discussion the potential addition of a re a recommendation. But I think it's important uh for you as board members to know that after months and months of developing this proposal. Um I I do not plan to revoke

106the difficult decision which has impacted you know uh individuals. Um however there might be some merit in an additional um component of this strategy that has emerged uh pretty recently that we need some time to um consider and develop. I I guess where I was going with that was that um the people who have already agreed to take another position for um example Amy with the um position of de director of community education will be created. Um are we upsetting the apple cart for a whole lot of people by putting all of these on hold at this point? uh their apple carts have been very upset by this entire experience. >> But I mean it's just it's just another upset for somebody who thinks okay we've got this settled and now it's you know maybe

107not >> uh you know it would depend on their individual experience. I I could certainly envision that the lack of certainty, that's part of the reason why I wanted to make clear tonight, my recommendation, absent some entirely new information, which does happen, uh will be the same with the potential addition of an additional recommendation that um that we could uh turn to in the weeks ahead. >> Not to make this more complicated, but one of your recommendations is for Jackie Peterson to take the position of chief operating officer. And I am concerned um of any delay of having that movement happen which is costneutral. Um particularly as it oversees keeping the trains running on time and I know that you have been in the absence of having that position you have been spending some time

108um and attention on that work um especially with the budget uh cycle coming up. um that department has been without a leader and as we've seen in our search process um it it may not be easy to find the right person for that and having um Jackie Peterson in that position gives us that time um to make a plan for what the future of that might be. Um that position affects the chief of schools in that it it there is an opening but is there any overlap between that movement and the opening of the chief of schools position and uh other reasons for delay um in our decision. >> U Madam Chair, I think it could go either way. you could move forward with the the appointment of Jackie Peterson as the COO, which would

109mean that our chief of schools position is vacant, pending, being filled, or we could keep her doing the good work she's doing as chief of schools and have the COO position uh be vacant um as it's being filled. So, it's uh both are both are a gap, but um uh in the case of the COO position, I've basically been doing those two jobs for a while. Um and so, I'm I'm eager to have that done, but uh we want to make sure it's it's correct. And so right now, because there isn't somebody who would be doing Jackie's current job, we're just going to have to uh flex through it until we get to a point where uh the board is confident that we can uh make those appointments. >> Jack, >> um I I would

110call for the vote and I'm wondering if we could potentially, if I'm not out of order, do a voice vote. >> Um you mean a roll call? >> Yes, >> we could have a roll call vote. So, you would like to vote on the recommendation as it currently stands? >> Based on what the superintendent has said tonight, I think that that's the best course of action moving forward. >> Um Okay. Um would somebody like to make a motion then go back to my notes to approve the human resources action item 5.6. So move >> second. >> So we have a motion and a second. Any last discussion? >> Um >> yes we have Yes. Any last discussion? >> Yes. Uh so I'm a tad bit confused uh just based on what director Mclofflin if I

111could. She made reference to what he just said in terms of the super. So I'm seeking clarity on that point if there is any need for that or if we're simply voting on >> right now we're voting on it as it's presented in the human resources actions. >> So >> and if I could clarify my statement what I meant based on what I've heard the superintendent say tonight that that is the desired path rather than either peacemailing or delaying. and if others have heard differently >> and and that it's possible that a future meeting the superintendent will introduce um the description of another position that's not included here >> a director position >> uh I think as and director Mclofflin to your uh point my main concern is peacemealing uh more than delaying um I

112think to act only on one position uh when three others are are equally impacted I think It's it's while I understand the focus on that, I will tell you these other positions are also critically valuable. So, uh my concern is more the uh acting just on one position as opposed to um a modest delay of uh potentially between now and the next meeting which is two weeks. Um so I appreciate very much your hearing the fact that my saying my recommendation on these positions will not change. I have uh shared tonight the very real possibility of an additional component to this recommendation that potentially could be presented to the board at the same time as you would be taking a vote on those. And so, um, uh, I would respect the board's decision either to

113vote tonight on what I've put before you or to, uh, defer to a period in which I would have the opportunity to potentially add to that recommendation the additional position that we've talked about tonight. Both would be acceptable um, to me. >> Director work. So the way I see it is if we vote to um accept this as it is in the consent agenda now the position of executive director of family engagement and youth empowerment will be discontinued. Um when it comes back to us and we would pull all all of these off at once but when it comes back to us two weeks from now that recommendation will still be there. So, it seems to me that as long as that isn't going to change that there's really no reason why we couldn't vote

114to accept it as is while fullying fully holding um the superintendent to his um promise that he will consider something else and he it may come back that he won't um depends on on how the thinking goes. Um so either way I don't see that see how not voting on this tonight would would change the ultimate outcome. >> And I think Go ahead, Director. >> Yeah. Well, and I was thinking the exact opposite. The only way to ensure that um if it is the desire of the board for an alternate um uh an alternative to be presented, a yes vote would say, "Hey, everything's good." So, uh, based on that, I I guess I'm foreshadowing how I'm going to vote on this, but thank you. Well, and I I also think that in our relationship

115with the superintendent, we have had um specific recommendations from him asking for our direction um to then move on to develop uh additional recommendations. what I hear him saying tonight and perhaps board members feel it needs to be more formal. But in my role as chair and on the executive committee, um I would see our role as regardless of were we to pass uh the human resources action as presented tonight. um one way or another we would be asking the superintendent to come back to us with a plan regardless what he uh regarding what he spoke of of a potential new position one way or the other. Yes, this is what I think I can put together and bring to you as a recommendation or I looked at it and and these are the reasons

116that I'm making a recommendation to not have it. >> Yeah, as I hear in particular Dr. Barlow, you articulate this and while Director Workman, I really appreciate your uh sort of, you know, cut to the chase point about it. I I think on balance uh if I look at the two options that Director Mclofflin proposed, I would uh recommend that we defer until I can bring a recommendation that um likely includes an additional component. But I think for the board to consider that recommendation a as a a whole would be beneficial and we can I believe put that together in the near future. And so my recommendation would be uh to defer this action to the next meeting enabling me to uh do some homework, get some continued community input. Um, for reasons though that

117I really appreciate, I don't think we should, uh, defer this longer than that time. Um, because people need to make plans and, uh, Mr. Crostead and his team need need to finish building the budget because they are really really, uh, under the gun. They're doing a fabulous uh, job, but the complexity of getting that ready for you to vote on in June means that we're in the crunch time. And so I don't think we could defer it beyond the next meeting, but I think we could bring a a revised recommendation to you by the next meeting >> so that we can do our business. Then the human resources actions agenda item that we are considering does not just include this section on administrative structure changes. It does include a number of uh uh changes that

118we approve usually as part of our course of action so as not to have to backtrack. We do have a motion and a second on approving the human resources actions. Could I ask someone for a amendment to the resolution to approve the human resources actions item with the exception of the section titled administrative structure changes. So moved. >> Second. >> So that would be a workman and a parl. >> That's amending. So, we're amending the resolution to approve the human resources actions item 5.6 with the exception of everything under the section administrative structure changes. >> Yes. >> Any other discussion on the amendment? All those in favor of amending the resolution say I. >> I. Opposed. >> Now we will vote on the resolution as amended which is human resources actions except administrative structure changes.

119Director Barb, >> I thought the request was for us to >> defer. >> Yes. So that section is now in not in what we're voting. It's off the table. >> So we're voting then for >> the rest of the human resources. >> Thank you. Yes. >> Just want to be sure. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right. Regular human resources actions. We haven't talked about anything. All those in favor say I. I. Opposed. All right. Human resources actions other than administrative structure changes has been passed. The superintendent will bring back another agenda item at a future meeting that will include his recommendations and then any further development on that topic. All good. Great. Thank you board members and superintendent. All right. Our next item is our focus topic, the RPS strategic plan high school options.

120And we have our guest. >> Uh thank you, Madam Chair. Board members uh have gotten to know Spencer Sherman from Education First uh quite well. And um we are in our final overview of recommendations that have come from our three task forces tied to the strategic plan and Spencer is going to give us a high level overview of the high school conclusions. Um I want to tell the board and others that we are hard at work on my recommendation for the high level priorities of the strategic plan which builds on the work that um Spencer and Joe and our working groups did and you will be receiving that in May. So with that, um, welcome back. And this is also kind of your swan song for until we do another project. But >> yeah, also

121apologies for sort of the casual Friday look. On Tuesday, uh, my wife's actually n months pregnant and we had a little unexpected doctor's office. Um, baby's fine. My wife is fine. my >> Well, anything that increases enrollment in Rochester, >> it'll be a few years. >> Do your part. We have one more thing coming. >> We're with you. >> Yeah. >> Um, all right. Well, thank you very much for having me for uh the third installment of our talking about strategic plan. And I will um like last time, I'll briefly talk through the the process and then focus particularly on the high score recommendations. So um a quick reminder of the process. We had three separate design teams early elementary and um elementary school, middle school and high school. Then we had a stakeholder engagement

122process and then we combined those all into these recommendations um that are coming to you. Now these again are the recommendations. After this um we'll turn over to the RPS um leadership team to turn those into the official strategic plan including all the operational details. Um and that will come after this. Um here are the members of our high school um design committee. As you can see, we had a mixture of both um central office staff, we had principles, we had teachers and also I think a highlight of this, we had students involved in this um committee who were just integral members and really really helpful the conversation. I think a lot of key ideas really got formulated through the feedback that we got from the students who are members of this committee. Um, we

123also had a number of interviews, um, 46 interviews with staff and community members. And I think you'll sort of see some of those recommendations for how we want more community involvement show up in the recommendations a little bit later. And more people interviewed and more people are interviewed. Okay, so now we'll turn to the recommendations. Um, as a reminder, the way these are structured in this um, larger document, you guys just have for I think the printer's sake just the high school um, part of it. Um, but there's a broader executive summary, which for committee members is a great way to get what are the big ideas. There's a one page for each grade level, elementary, middle, and high school. There's a background section, and then there's these more detailed sections for elementary, middle, and

124high school. So, today I'll be talking through the high school section. They are all organized with a um one of four priorities, which you can sort of see here. This example has academic rigor and relevance as one of those four priorities. Strategies for change list out the specific actions that the district could take to advance those priorities. And then the detail section we have a list of what actions the district could take, what actions the school could take, a bunch of national resources of people who doing this quite well and also resources from experts across. So all of that is in this larger document to make it the sort of an easier road map to execute. All right. So uh last reminder before I go deep into high school. Here are the four common priorities

125across all grade levels. So we unified our recommendations across four big priorities. Those show up in elementary school, those show up in middle school, and those show up in high school. The concrete actions you take to realize those in different grades spans is different, but it's those same four. Academic rigor and relevance, navigation, supports, engaging offerings, and relationships and belonging. So let's start with um for high school what this first one looks like. academic rigor and relevance. We had um these recommendations come on forth from the committee. So I'll just briefly talk through them and I'll turn it over to you all um for discussion and questions. First is designing college and career pathways. This is one we thought might come up and it was an emphatic recommendation across all the committee meetings. So this

126is organizing all of our students all of our courses so that students are on path for um a pathway aligned to their college and career plans. I just want to say a quick note about this. What we don't want to do is tracking. And so I think there's just because not everyone has different associations with these words. I just want to be really clear what this is and what this isn't. What this is is preparing students, helping them discover what their passions are, what their interests are, and go deep and build expertise in a particular area. Kind of like you would for like a college major. When you gradu from college, you don't gradu from college. You gradu from college with a major in a particular subject. It doesn't mean these kids necessarily need to

127do that that major, but there's a lot of research that shows that helping kids discover their passions and have something that sort of gets their foot in the door for what comes after high school is a tremendous benefit, even if they ultimately do something else. Also, these are college and career pathways. So, pathways does not mean only jobs in the trades. Everyone can benefit from pathways. Pathways are for all students and they're rigorous for all students. So I imagine we'll have more discussion about that but I just want to emphasize when I say pathways that's what we're referring to and that was very clear um from our discussions is that having exploration in early grades like nth and tth grade and the specialization expertise happens later on but these are not you know you're not

128putting on like horse blinders by when you take a pathway you're just building expertise and momentum for what comes after. Second is these coursework sequences. For this to be effective, and this is what the research shows again and again, is you have courses that build on each other. So, kids have they they're learning some pretty deep content by the time you get to your senior year. They're also getting for um courses that for pathways that require industry recognized credentials. They're getting those credentials while they're still in high school to get a head start on what's next. For um pathways that involve um going to college, they're getting college credits that help them graduate early and save money in college. that requires a lot of potential work at the district level, but recommending that you start

129that work um while you're still in high school. Provide career connected learning or also known as work-based learning. Things like internships, apprenticeships, um job shadows, all of that seems to have tremendous benefit for students by giving them a chance to apply their learning in a real world setting. It goes a long way both towards building skills but also for academic engagement. This next one, um, moving CTE, career and technical education from the separate, um, CEK center at RCTC into the high schools. Um, there's a few benefits of this. First is access. So, everyone has access to these courses when they're in high school. It avoids that sort of um certain pathways are elsewhere. It's more about giving everyone option for rigorous both college and direct to um, job site um, careers and within our high

130school. It also sort of importantly given the preer discussion it saves a significant amount of money um to um on transportation um to have students not have to take a bus to and from campus all day. Um last one is rarities in the course catalog. This came up a lot with our students. They're like we maybe we have these course already. I don't even know because the course catalog right now is organized of an academic subject but if you want to think about what it looks like for a pathway you want to have both every pathway involves English involves math involves science but also involves more additional advanced courses so organizing the catalog in a way that's user friendly for students like oh I want to be an account what kind of jobs are there

131oh I want to go to construction what kind of course should I take organized in a way that's logical and coherent for students of that last recommendation so that's our first priority around academic rigor and relevance I'll turn to our second one, navigation supports. So, a big part of like what makes pathways or you know these sort of academic experiences valuable is that students learn about themselves and they learn about what they're passionate about and they also have connection to trusted adults. There's a lot of evidence that shows that's really really important. So, one thing we talked a lot about is strengthening the advising system in schools. I'll emphasize that that doesn't necessarily mean that someone whose title says adviser has to be the one delivering this, but it means creating intentional structures where caring

132adults are providing supports and advising for students. Um that goes to the second one about adult mentors. So having everyone have their person on campus is a really big deal um for their long-term outcomes. So we want to make sure that that is an explicit goal and we're supporting that. Third is enhanced nth grade transition and exploration. there's a lot of evidence that shows that that transition between schools is a critical one. So if you remember for the middle school recommendations, we made a recommendation about the um fifth grade to sixth grade transition for those who are not in K8s being a crucial one. Um and that eighth grade to 9th grade transition is something that we also think is really important and um as director Morphin can speak to I think there's interest from

133the um student school board in supporting this kind of nth grade transition as being something that particularly interest. Um the last one in this category is the students mindsets, behaviors and steps for success. Um that also appeared as you know in the other elementary and middle school sets as being critically important for students development. So that's the second one navigation supports. I'll turn to the third engaging offerings. So one common critique we heard from students was all I do in nth grade is like forced on me. I'm just like it's all fire hose and time to senior year I've got almost two free time is great but there's no requirements left and so part of the idea here is to make that on-ramp a little bit better. Not every kid loves all the required courses

134in nth grade. So having a little bit of options for choice and early grades would be really helpful for that sort of engagement and sense of belonging and enjoyment of the early grades in high school which are really critically important. If you make it past nth and 10th grade, the odds are much higher that you'll make it to graduation than if you don't make it through nth grade. That's critical. So our recommendation here is to modify the requirements for nth and tth grade by moving some of these blocks requirements for nth and tth grade to later to provide at least one elective block in n and 10th grade. How much more beyond one I think is sort of the kind of how exactly you operationalize that. We had a few different ideas which are in

135the detailed report but we didn't want to enforce that recommendation here. We wanted that to be a decision that could be happen with deeper consultation with the nth grade instructors, principles and districts. Second is um sort of building the idea of like more flexibility and choice is embedding graduation requirements. So there are large number of graduation requirements which doesn't allow a lot of flexibility. We had a lot of discussion about could he actually get a two for one with some graduation requirements. So for example, could speech class, currently a separate standalone, be merged with your English class, which would give you credit for both? And it seems our understanding from our initial discussions, although recommending this for further discussion, um, is that you could get sort of like by having like two for one there,

136you would then free up an additional block, but also provide opportunities for deeper learning and application. The feedback we got from the English teacher was speech is great, but speaking about what? And so having speech embedded in English class helps the sort of for what become much more clear. There's opportunities we also mentioned for possibly do other other credits to reduce the number of courses taking and free up time for things like you know embedded um career exploration and so on. Um last here is um increasing electives and clubs. We had uniform um response from our students that those are the kind of things that make them like help them find themselves in high school. That's where they find their joy. And so when we provide time in the school day, particularly given transportation concerns

137and equity concerns that that's during the school day, kids have opportunities to explore, find their interests, find their passions, that sort of gives them the spark that helps them propel them to academic success. Also, oftentimes you find students that are most successful in electives can then translate it into their academics. And if they don't have the opportunity for the electives and they may just feel like school's not a place where I can be successful. So it gives kids a chance to feel successful and find their people. The last sort of on that same note is about relationships and belonging. Our first recommendation is about nearpeer mentoring. So again that's sort of older students mentoring younger students. Remember in the middle school section we had a similar recommendation for middle schoolers and we have the same

138recommendation for high schools. The reason is it's beneficial for both the mentor and the mentee. The older students get the benefit of supporting the younger students and the younger students benefit from the advice which means you know as any have teenagers or interact with teenagers they often listen to teenagers other teenagers more than they'll listen to adults and so there's a huge benefit um having building those relationships and connections community building events. This was the idea that was probably most popular with our students when we brought up at a student school board. They were like I love that 10 out of 10. We definitely need to do that. Which is just sort of reducing the barriers between our community and our schools. So finding ways to build community, build connection, build fun. There's a lot

139of that exists already, but being intentional about how we can do more of it. And um lastly, improving family communications. So that making that's making sure that communication with the family is a two-way street. So it is um both sharing information so that parents are aware of all the things that are happening in schools, but also making sure that um staff and faculty and so on at schools are aware of the concerns that the community feels so be more responsive and connected to our communities. So those are my summary of our recommendations um from the design committee and just a big thank you to the design committee especially our students um who participated in it and I'll turn over to you all for for questions. The three big ones we had uh for you all

140was just what clarifying questions you guys have. Is there any recommendation they're particularly excited about or are there other things as we sort of go from the design committee turning this over to RPS? Any things that you'd recommend um that we should have further study about as we consider implementation? Dr. Marvin, >> as we discussed when you were here talking about middle school, I think this is really exciting and having kids think about how what they're doing in school is going to help them when they get out of school is huge. I have some I mean you're you're good at this. Um >> it's it's the specifics that are confusing me a little bit. For instance, under reorganize the course catalog >> into career pathways. um so that uh students will understand the course and

141graduation requirements in the pathway. Don't all kids have the same graduation requirements? So they know that they have to do that. But let's say that my goal in life is to be a sports commentator. >> Yeah. Dream. That's not going to just never mind. Um how many pathways are there going to be? That's the kind of thing that there's the pathways particular I think require a fair amount of work to like fully work on the details. I'll say where it works effectively what I see. Um they're chosen sort of a bigger a bigger grain size. It's not saying like I will be sports commentator but it'll be the category of like communications. So the best example I could think of is like the closed analogies. Think about if you go to college and you have

142like departments. >> So like you would choose your kind of department um by graduate. So like are you interested in like medicine? are interested in sort of like construction and manufacturing. That's kind of the level. The state graduation cards are unchanged. So that would not change. What would change is having electives that um the phrase people use in this field is um not like random acts of credit. So a lot of people just take like random elective credits which is great but if you take a bunch of random elective like one here, one there, one there does not actually equal specialization. >> So the focus here would be on the electives. >> Exactly. So your electives would be sequential building on each other and the kind of sophistication you get to is really is really

143pretty high. >> I'm assuming that some of them could show up under more than one pathway too. >> Yes, exactly. Particularly for the lower levels like everyone need algebra regardless of what career field you're in. >> Um but example from last week I talked to someone um uh who's familiar with the Mayo Clinic and they're interested in like starting a radiology tech um pathway that like pays fairly well. You could get it within two years of high school graduation. They're like, I could actually embed some of these requirements into 12th grade coursework, but I could only do it if we actually start planning backwards for nth grade about building that kind of stuff up. And so I think it's sort of finding where those opportunities are to think about what kind of opportunities can we

144give to kids in 12th grade if we think intentionally about how we use electives effectively. >> Okay. >> Superintendent, >> very briefly, I think Dr. Marvin, in addition to the elective strategy, you also can teach thematic versions of required courses. >> Yes. So you can teach English 11 with a communications emphasis or social studies with a communications emphasis if it's part of the pathway. And so you have kids who have chosen to have a common interest in the pathway who are taking that English 10 class together and the teacher is modifying the standards to build on the focus of that thematic pathway. So it's electives and potentially some thematically organized core courses. >> And I love that idea. And it would also requuling would be some bunch of kids who are interested in tech taking

145this social studies class in American history and then the next group that you have is kids who are interested in music. I mean it's a great idea. I just our registars will be >> well is one reason why a new student information system and investing in AI is going to be a key part of our strategic plan because we don't just need registars as amazing as they are superv on their thing it's going to take the superhuman intelligence that is almost here so >> okay >> but it almost also gives us an opportunity to you know you hear from kids why am I taking this what's what's the purpose of it and even if it is a course that a communications major, an English course that a communications major would take and a potential engineer

146would take. Because we've thought intentionally about these pathways, we can make a better case to the student that you know this is a core piece of information that you need regardless of what career which also gives the student flexibility because if they if they've only done core uh not not core if they've only done concentrated work only related to communications and then two years out of high school they decide they want to go to uh radiology tech school. Um we can we can help students understand that there is a pathway we want them to follow to build on but there's also we're also building flexibility into the system because I see that you say here we don't want to lock >> yes >> kids into anything. So there's a but I I think all the

147way around it makes a better case you're taking this course because this is what prepares you to take this next course which prepares you to take the next course. director work. >> So, I think this is great for an eighth grader to think about, well, this is a job I might like to have after graduating from high school or taking more education and then and then doing the course. Um, was there any discussion about um preparing kids for jobs that don't exist? Because the way I look at it, probably one of the most important things that we can teach kids as we are already doing is those critical thinking skills that can be applied across the board. >> Yeah, that came up a fair amount. Um, we had talked about thought AI a fair amount

148as well. Um, I think I used this phrase last time, but my overarching vision for this is that momentum matters more than accuracy. And so what but in that I mean accuracy and accurately predicting as a teenager what you're going to do when you grow up. You're going to be wrong. I mean no offense to teenagers. You're just going to be wrong. You'll be right about the kind of things that interest you and your passions and your strengths, but you'll probably be wrong about the job either because that job doesn't exist yet or just you'll try that job and turn out you hate it and you tried something similar. So I think the job the idea here is not to like microtarget particular careers because I have no idea what jobs are going to exist

149in 10 years in one year let alone what I'm you know current like nth graders are you know in their 50s what we can do is like build individual like broadly applicable skill sets and I also think there is benefit when you have these kind of things on top of the accelerated core sequences there's a benefit even if you change your job if you've got a you know head start in college like it's your first year in college already got multiple college credits under your belt, you're already on your way to a major, particularly if you're a first generation student, that is a huge boost of confidence, saying, "Oh, I've done this before. I know what I'm doing." And so, um, I describe it more as about finding your purpose, finding your passion rather than

150finding a particular job. >> What did you say matters more than accur accuracy? >> Momentum. And by mentor I mean you've start actually take you've got college credits you've gotten kind of credentials you've got some expertise you know maybe from the adult mentors maybe you've got a friend in the college who's already been in college tell you how it works and like oh here's the dining hall and that kind of stuff. Those are the kind of experiences that really make a difference. It's not, oh, I thought being an accountant and I'm not because I think all of us are probably different people than we thought we'd be as 18-y olds. But we probably learned something that set us up for success, particularly if we didn't have have support networks or like our parents didn't go

151to college. Having that sort of built into the structure intentionally in high school is a big deal. Rather have it accidentally or only based on resource people have outside of school. >> Dr. White. >> Um, so I just want to say something positive. I'm excited about it. Um, I guess at first glance reading and it if anybody's familiar with college prep high schools, it kind of gave that initially. Um, I want to do say something regarding uh the rebuilding of the catalog that may some parents may have experienced if you've had children apply for college is you if you're even if you've been to college, some things that we ran into was some of our kids didn't take the courses they needed to get into certain colleges. Um, and even as well informed as you

152try to be and you try to make sure your kids are taking their proper coursework, it was a little discouraging to get to a space where your kid wanted to apply to a certain program and they're like, "But you need to have taken this particular math or this particular science." Um, I guess my the my personal experience was a North Carolina ENT. I had a daughter wanted to apply there and there were two courses that were offered in RPS, but she didn't know that they were requirements for admission. Um, so I I would I I don't know how we and I know we can't do each college, but there are certain, you know, higher level colleges that do require certain courses that again, like you said, if you're a first generation student or if your

153parent just went to community state college, may be unaware that um to get into some of these colleges that maybe your kid is really good enough to get into. Uh so I I I don't know if that's something that can be added in there. But then I'm also very excited about the piece where you added about um slowing down the ninth grade um and giving the kids a little bit of time to adjust and and actually like school um because that is that that's always a concern I think for a lot of parents. You got a senior who has two classes and then they're they're in your house all day and things like that and eating up your food. So well, but I mean it'd be nice to see it kind of, you know, scratched

154out just a little bit. I mean, I I think that, you know, seniors, you know, they look forward to that little break, but, you know, I guess I had never really given much thought to maybe uh giving the ninth graders a little bit of time to adjust because uh many students end up with a lot of free time the second half of their junior or their senior year because they only have two requirements or or so forth, right? So, I just that was that was really um I like the way that was put together. And I also like your suggestion about the com combining of classes. That is something that um until you said it, I hadn't really ever thought about, you know, why isn't speech a part of the English class that I mean,

155some of these things make logical sense. I know it may not be as easy to implement, but I do like the um the logical sensess of all of the recommendations that have been made. Even though just because it makes a lot of common sense doesn't mean it can be simply implemented. But I do like that it it was there are a lot of very common sense recommendations that I know may not seem hard to implement. I know that you know there'll be more to it, but I I really like the level of which the recommendations were given. >> Dr. McLaclin >> um thinking about things that I'm excited to hear more about. I really like the idea of the embedding the graduation requirements into the different courses. I think that gives a lot of flexibility

156and a lot of um thoughts about innovation and different ways we can do things differently. The earlier discussion kind of prompted me though to think about something that's not in here is the um idea of changing and maybe maybe it's just not explicit that changing um coursework for either PSO or the um college in the schools that I didn't I was sort of expecting to see that thinking through the elementary middle school high school and is it here just um less explicit or is that something that's going to be separate from uh I know that there's legislation looking at that issue and that's something that on the legislative committee we've worked on and looked at. Is that something that you see as part of this or do you see that as outside these strategic plan

157recommendations? >> It's definitely part of it. I'm glad you asked that. Um it's sort of embedded in trying to remember the exact word. I think we call it accelerated coursework sequences. Um is what I would consider that includes PSOS and dual enrollment. So without getting too technical, there's just different ways you can get college credit in high school. And so our idea is that you have career and technical education, you have PSOS, you have so basic ways getting head start in your college, getting head start in your career. >> Those should be integrated and connected to each other. And so we used I think maybe this is confusing. I just used an umbrella term that incorporates both because we don't want what we try to avoid is the track like college track, career track. If

158you're doing it right, those tracks are the same. And so we just have a course sequences that include both the PSO coursework and also the current technical education course work in one trajectory. >> Got it. Thank you. I was excited about well there's a lot that I was excited about but building on building on this very last piece is um I mean I can envision I looked up some of the um other examples from the other districts and the maps that they gave to kids and I I I can envision in the case of PSO it might be a PSO course that's offered at RCTC that we're not teaching and and we don't have the capacity to staff but it fits a really important connector for that one pathway um for toward a certain career

159and to me it it makes that intentionality of the courses that kids are taking for PSO which is one of the issues that we've talked about um what did you talk about the electives what was the phrase you used about electives >> they build on each other >> people just taking it for >> oh random random acts of credit >> random acts of credit right instead of random max of credit to be, you know, a real targeted reason to take that PSO course. Um, okay. Then I get to talk about the other things I'm excited about. Um, not to give any credit to education first, but um, the Commission on purpose purposeful Pathways um, in that website, it had a quote that said, "I know who I am. I know where I'm going, and I

160know who can help me get there." And to me that when I look at all of these recommendations, that's what I wanted for, you know, for my kids. And I think that's a great simple way for anybody who's listening or saying, "What are you doing here?" That that's where where we're trying to get. Um, I also thought, um, we have a diverse business community and work opportunities. Um are there any models that you've seen on the career connected learning where students have to do their career connected learning somewhere else because the opportunity that's related to their pathway isn't here and you know it's almost like a college co-op right you um and maybe could do take advantage of some of our virtual options. Is that like totally out of the or or does that happen

161some places? >> It does happen some places. Yeah. Yeah. So, I think just to um build on your plug, so the commission per purposeful pathways, I think I alluded to it last time. So, that's another project that I've been on with my other day job. Um it's funded by the Gates Foundation, and we had a collection of like 20 national leaders from across K12 education, higher education, workforce, um parental advocates, and so on. It's like a kind of like the top people across the country working on this. And this report sort of summarizes like what the vision for Pathways is. So if you're sort of like still trying to figure out exactly what I'm talking about, I highly recommend reading that report and I wrote the section that's on um on policy. So if you

162for one like the policy behind it, um like director talked about like PSOS, there's like a lot of national examples in there. So I think the good part about this stuff and I think director mentioned this, it's complicated and hard, but it's also it's been done before. So like there's people across the country doing this. This is like the number one thing mentioned in a lot of like state of the state speeches from governors across the country. So we can build on other successful models. I think Chair Nathan, you're pointing on the hardest part uniformly across the country and on that committee there's um someone from the National Chamber of Commerce saying the number one issue across the country is employer engagement. It's really tricky and so it's easiest when you have like employers that

163are very common in the community and so every community has I think we'd imagine what the ones would be in Rochester um where they have a fair amount of those jobs. I will just say like for example if you're choosing a large employer Mayo Clinic yes they have medical people there but they also have you know financial people there they also have you know operations there's a billion different jobs within a single company and that applies beyond the clinic applies to a number of different employers across across our region um we had as part of the interviews interviewed the local regional economic development organizations and there was some interest in these conversations separately I'm also having some conversations with some num some state level folks in Minnesota about what are structures we can set up

164to better connect employers to schools. So, there's ways to do it. I won't sugarcoat that. The employer piece is by far the hardest part universally. Um, and some folks do do virtual options to sort of make that employer piece happen. There's another model coming out of um I believe this Kansas City um the CAPS model uh which is an interesting one. What they do is they have employers work with schools. Kids don't physically leave their schools all the time. Um what they do is they have basically kids are consultants effectively for a real world project that the um company is trying to solve. And so the employer can just like zoom in occasionally and say, "Hey, I've got this problem. Can you help me solve it?" And so they have to learn about the way

165the business works. They have to learn about how things actually work and the kids sort of give advice to the firm. They go back and forth. So that's like a model that I think is like more easily scalable than the like travel to a job site model, which is like harder to do if the business doesn't really exist in this. Church. >> Uh yes, under priority 4 uh item two, um I thought of our earlier studentled um presentation and um how they could easily or efforts like that could easily result in uh some community interaction where they return from a trip excited. how they can then perhaps uh go into the community, share that excitement, build upon that, uh provide generational development of, you know, like-mindedness if you will. Uh but I'm I'm excited by

166the fact that uh we're building that within the school to some degree. I believe it probably exists uh through our family engagement where they host different events. And while those communities are coming into uh our schools, we need to potentially uh develop the opportunity for once they have come in and received services or uh shared vision uh they can then return back out to the community to uh carry forth the work, if you will. I want to emphasize I think one thing you brought up I think is super important. Not everything here is new. A lot of this is just emphasizing things that were done years ago that we need to bring back or that's happening in pockets that could just be scaled across the whole district. So I think that's an important thing to

167mention is that a lot of what came up is like oh we used to do that it was really good or like this school is doing that really well. How do we people copy that? So I think that's true for a lot of these recommendations is they're not out of thin air blank slate. It's more who's doing it either within the district or previously in the district or in neighboring districts or across the country that we can copy. I think this is a case where stealing is quite good. >> D yourself to director or >> um under navigation supports. I'm excited about the strength and advising and I can absolutely see scheduling kids in with a teacher whether it's home room adisement or whatever. So all of them have a shared interest with the the

168math teacher who really likes sports commentators or something. There's that uh with adult mentors. Fabulous idea. How does that work practically where every kid has this adult mentor who will be the primary advocate supporter and leazison between families in the school? You have 1500 kids in the school. There's some people some staff people are going to have 60 kids that they're in charge of >> 150 >> that is I think we we spent a disproportionate amount of our time talking about that how do you actually operationalize that in different structures so initially early recommendations had very discreet advisory block structures and I think we've heard from different people like certain structures work quite well in their schools other structures didn't >> um so we leave a little bit of discretion right now for like further

169discussions with the schools to figure out exactly how to do it. One thing that came up our conversation in one of our last meetings was it doesn't necessarily need to be an adviser might even necessarily need to be like a core academic instructor. It could be for example like a coach or it could be someone running one of these or clubs. It could be a club leader. >> So sort of expanding as long as we're being intentional about like everyone every kid needs to say um to when you share that quote from the report I know who can help me get me there get me to my goals. They need to have like an adult who's in their corner. And so as long as we help them identify that adult, it doesn't necessarily need to

170be a formal advisor. It could be a little more broader definition. >> Uh I think uh Dr. Marvin part of my role is going to be taking these recommendations plus the voluminous other feedback we received and right sizing it. >> Okay. >> And so some of what you're going to see is going to fall short of the aspirational every kid because it's a great idea, >> right? And so there's going to be quite a bit of that. There also are going to be things that uh I'll be recommending that are not coming from these three working groups, but I'm trying to think about practicality as I look at these. So there's a number of these recommendations where I love the aspiration. I'm going to recommend something that heads in that direction but doesn't quite go

171all the way because as we've been talking about all night, we face some real serious constraints and resources and we don't want this to be a strategic plan that sits on the shelf because it's not realistic. Um, so I'm thinking a lot about that question of how do we stay true to these recommendations, but also have this be something we can really bring to life over the next four years. >> Is there something magic about it being a school staff? Are there any models where they've trained community volunteers or other adults to be able to serve in that role? >> A lot of schools do that and find a lot of success in it. And I think one example just to highlight um in our backyard is UMR has a very successful coaching model. Again,

172we didn't include that because I don't think it's pragmatic from a budget perspective at this point. Um, but there are a lot of models out there that are both like community based and outside mentors and so on that are quite successful that you can copy. >> Um, all right. I'm going to say one more thing I'm excited about. Um, I have I have two pages, so I'm going to control myself. Um, I am uh I'm very exc I mean I'm very excited about the uh course registration guide reorganization because um having been one of those parents that people came to to say explain this to me your kids have gone through this before. Um anything we can do to improve that would be great. Um but I also wonder on the improving family communication. Um

173also very important. Um something that I worked really hard on when my kids were in high school and we built a community. I think we built a community of communication um with the principal um who val who valued that and realized that that made his job easier if families knew what was going on. Um and then I'm going to go back to the 40 developmental um from the search 40 developmental assets from the search institute. Um when I think about under improving family communication what and you you all have heard me say this before so I'm going to say it again. we do pair for um preschool kids where it's parenting classes and you know ways to give parents I've said we need pair for K12 and I and I always wonder in this family

174communication piece if um we can help parents and caregivers be that uh build that trusting relationship with the students. remember the parents even need lessons on how to parent high school students because we all know what they're like. um love them and um that it communication and engagement with the school is really important, but I think parents are still looking for that village, that extra help. And I think Zello for for just the career and the the course planning. I one of the things that was always attractive to me about that is that there is a parent component where they can be logged in and engaged with the same kind of information and the same kind of work that students are doing. So, um, I just wanted to say I hope that that's really integral

175in what we think about when we think about engagement, not just let's come up with a better newsletter. >> Director Whitehorn, >> and I just want to say um to Director Marvin's point that I I do think that'd be great for every student to have an adult mentor, but I do also like that you have the near peer mentoring um because mentorship is going to look different for every student, right? Um, and I think that is something that is easy to encourage, right? Um, upper classmen encouraging our younger classmen. Um, and that also provides that, you know, that little bit of well-rounded support. Um, and then again, uh, also I think we've all alluded to just, you know, with those community connections. I think it I think it could be done. I I I actually

176the more I think of it, I I don't think it's such an outlandish uh request, right? I think that that you know, I guess if you look at it through a very narrow lens of it's got to be just a student and a teacher, then yeah, it gets narrow. But when you look at actual mentoring which is just a person that is that is a mentor to you which can be an upper classman it could be you know there's so many opportunities I think for partnerships um that can that can provide that um there was a group that we were working with that actually went into the senior centers um and found uh they called it uh granddaughter grandma mentorship but there were so many people that had good information and good advocacy that. So

177I just think if we um broaden the scope and look at mentorship a little broader um there are a lot of opportunities for good even adult mentors um to help our our students just within our community. So I think it's awesome. >> Thank you very much. >> Thanks for everything you've done. >> Thank you so much. >> And congratulations. Send me a text. >> Madam Chair, can we quick break? >> We've had a board member request a break, so we will be recessed until >> What time is it? Uh 8 >> Well, that's only 3 minutes. How about 8:05 p.m. 8 minutes? >> 8 minutes. >> All right. That clock is wrong. You should have had him on your birthday. >> You could probably do that, but just like >> he had other ideas. >>

178He came early. >> All right. >> No, I mean they wait for Stephen. >> It did say, >> okay, close. >> She's gone. Just give it a minute. Ready? Refill refill your beverages. This All right. Uh, the board's back in session at 8:05 p.m. The next agenda item is a prep for action item. authorization of issuance and sales of 33,800,000 general obligation facilities maintenance bonds series 2 2026A and general obligation refunding bonds and we're scheduled to take action at the April 21st meeting. Superintendent Pel. >> Thank you chair Nathan. It's a pleasure to welcome uh Andy Crockstead our director of finance um and Aaron Bushberger from Aaylor's our uh advisory firm on all things uh financial in this space. So thank you gentlemen and we'll turn it over to you. >> Thank you Dr. Kale,

179Chair, Nate, members of the board. I I really am going to actually just turn this over to Aaron to go through the presentation. I think we've covered everything. Again, it'll come back in two weeks for final issuance. That timeline Aaron will walk through as well. But the one thing I just wanted to mention, we started this, I believe this is the second year now of of an annual um an annual uh issuance as opposed to uh more I think it was every three years or so and larger um bond issuances. So, so this is something that will, I think, become fairly regular for the board as we proceed through the coming years and the and the projects, presuming the projects exist on the plan that need um need uh bonds to to fund the project.

180So, again, I'll turn it over to Aaron and walk through this real quickly. >> All right. Thank you, Andy. Good evening. Nice to see all of you again. Uh as Andy mentioned, this is something uh similar to what you did uh last year at about this time. However, we do have an additional component related to refunding bonds. So, wanted to to review that uh and make sure uh you were familiar and comfortable with what's in the resolution. So, the resolution of intent uh that's before you for your first reading. So, there's four components. The first uh includes language relating to the sale of the facilities maintenance bonds, which are part of your long-term facilities maintenance or LTFM program. Uh the second is uh related to the submission of a a revised LTFM plan and I'll

181touch on that in a minute. Language related to the potential sale of refunding bonds. And then finally, language related to the participation in the state's credit enhancement program. And again, that credit enhancement program is where the state of Minnesota guarantees school district debt service payment. There's no cost to participate. And it's a real benefit for school districts because potential investors see that as a more secure and less risky investment. So, regarding uh your LTFM plan, so just as as kind of a quick refresher, so district projects are funded through a combination of uh property tax levy, uh state aid, and bond proceeds, uh including this upcoming bond issuance. So, uh this combination really builds predictability into the levy. Again, we like that nice, uh level tax rate. um bond payments. Uh you know, part of

182the reason why we're issuing debt is these bond payments spread the taxpayer costs over time, which match the useful life of the assets uh that you're funding. And then um finally, so the Department of Education uh requires this intent resolution to include uh this debt service on your future levies. And as part of that, they also uh uh require your revised LTFM plan. So those documents are in your board packet. Uh we will note that nothing has changed from an expenditure plan standpoint. It just changes that we're representing uh upcoming this upcoming bond issuance. So MDE has those records and again can include that information in future levies. So an additional component uh this cycle is the opportunity of um some potential refunding bonds. And so just a a quick highle overview of refunding bonds.

183So again, it's uh the opportunity to uh reduce future debt service payments and tax levies. So we often use the analogy of a mortgage, refinancing a mortgage. Uh there's some uh additional requirements that come with refunding bonds. Most notably is there's what's known as a call date. So you can't do a taxexempt refunding of these bonds until 90 days before or anytime after the call date. And I'll I'll show uh you a couple more details on that in a slide or two. But again, the basic con concept is to reduce interest costs. Um, you cannot keep these savings for district um general fund operations. All of those potential savings uh result in decreased tax levies for your taxpayers going forward. So, the refunding bond process, as I mentioned, there's um a little bit of the

184timing. Um again, each outstanding issue has different coupons for different maturities. So, um, so we work with that in these potential refundings. Um, why we're bringing this in front of you tonight is because there's an efficiency from a cost of issuance standpoint. So, if we're able to add these refundings on to your already planned facilities maintenance bond, then we save on cost of issuance. And again, cost of issuance are similar again for that mortgage analogy, closing costs for a mortgage if you're refinancing. So, really, we're trying to um establish some efficiency there. Um the inclusion of these refunding bonds in this intent resolution does not commit you to actually issuing these refunding bonds. It just gives you the opportunity to do so. So when we were evaluating uh your outstanding debt about a month, six

185weeks ago, um these refunding opportunities were feasible given the current market. However, given the recent rise in um oil prices, some uncertainty around inflation, um that has created some market volatility. So if we were to go to market today to to try to sell these refunding bonds, uh they would not be feasible. However, we would like to keep this opportunity included um in this potential um or in this upcoming facilities maintenance bond issue. So just a a quick look. So here uh highlighted in the green are uh the bonds that could be uh refunded on a tax exempt basis. So included in your resolution are these three bond issues. And so again, we'll continue to monitor the market and determine as we get closer to the sale if any of these any or all of

186these uh are feasible. Um we will note, we just wanted to kind of give you a heads up that we do have um a few more bond issuances coming up on their call date. So just know we're going to continue to monitor those. Um and hopefully um you know those will be potential refundings down the road as well. So then just the timeline again, this is your first reading. Um, we'll look for to have you approve the resolution at your April 21st meeting. Um, Ellers will plan on being back on May 5th to present our pre-sale report, which will give you a little more information on the current market and the upcoming bond process. Um, we'll sell the bonds on June 2nd and be back before you to present those results. And then the district

187will have uh funds on hand on uh June 25th. So again, that'll uh replenish your construction fund uh ahead of your your summer projects that you'll have up. So with that, um be more than happy to to answer any questions you might have. So, if we're successful in re refunding any bonds, um when would when would we be able to share good news with our taxpayers that we may have been able to um I think you said uh reduce their future debt service levies and reduce some of their taxes. >> So, we'll provide you with an update on May 5th on where the current market is. Well, frankly, we'll know for sure on June 2nd. So, um, we're working with a number of districts right now on potential refundings, and the market, unfortunately, has changed

188pretty quickly over time. Um, so we're hoping it could change just as quickly the other way, too. So, um, I can't necessarily give you a definitive date, but >> I was June for sure. further out like during our truth and taxation presentation maybe for next year >> if if we were able to be successful in doing that it might be really good for us to highlight >> what we were able to accomplish. >> I think I should just reassure you though Erin that in addition to the um other challenges the board has given me tonight. They have also asked me to address those high oil prices by fixing the war in Iran. So that's going to happen and it'll be done. So yeah, you should be able to get those refunding done in June. Perfect.

189No problem. >> Yeah, as long as you get that done by June. >> Thank you. >> That by our next meeting or >> next meeting? Next meeting's done. >> Okay, good. >> Any other questions, board members? >> All right, we will see you when you come back with our good news, we hope. >> Sounds good. Thank you very much. Thank you. >> Our next item is I lost it. Prep for action item policy committee recommendations from March 27th, 2026. And the policy committee met on March 27th, 2026 and proposes recommendations to the school board. This is the first of two prep for action briefings before the policies will be on the consent agenda for approval on May 5th. Director Workman, are you kicking this one off? >> Um, the summary is in the agenda item

190and just plan on having several hours to read through that summary because it's two or three. >> That was a joke, too. >> Okay. >> Yeah, it's technically two. >> It's a policy and a procedure. Any questions on the policy and procedure that are included in these in this first briefing? >> It was a light one. However, I do understand there are some policies that were discussed at that meeting but are still pending. >> That's correct. So, um we did have a whole lot more work than is reflected in this. >> Okay. So, that will come to us at a later date. >> All right. Hearing none, we will Oh, director, go ahead. not related to that, but the next two >> agenda items. >> Okay. Um, not hearing anything more on this prep for

191action. We'll uh address it in a second briefing at our next meeting. Um, the next item is 8.1 approval of purchase agreement for the sale of the former Mighty Oak Schoolhouse. And this is an action item. Superintendent Pel, did you have any introductory remarks or >> Not in so far as I'm glad to see Mr. Crox did join us again in case there's any uh other questions. Uh the board has already uh received information on this and prep for action. I am uh enthused about the opportunity to um take this property off the district roles uh and add some resources to our bottom line. Great. >> Director Barlo, did you have a >> Well, no. Actually, I want to reverse the order of this, but um we've already have gotten into >> Oh. Oh, okay.

192Oh, this won't take long. >> I'm sorry. Um Okay. Okay. So, I will read the resolution. Be it resolved that the school board of Independent School District 535 does hereby approve the commercial purchase agreement between the district and Allen Investments LLC for the sale of the for former Mighty Oaks Schoolhouse property located at 380050th Avenue Southeast in Rochester in the amount of $1,500,000 and authorizes the board chair and clerk to execute all necessary documents to complete the transaction. >> Move approval. >> Second. It has been moved and seconded. Any other discussion or comments on this resolution? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. Opposed. The resolution has been approved. And with due haste, we move on to the next item. Schoolboard draft response to our American Indian parent advisory committee uh letter of

193non-concurrence. Um I first want to recognize some of the members of Apac here tonight. Um, we appreciated uh the presentation that you gave us of the letter of non-concurrence and the board has um had a conversation about uh the letter at our prep for action at the last meeting. Um, and there were no specific recommendations uh that were made. Board members, any other comments or questions on our response to the APAC letter of non-concurrence? Well, we are I will I will take a vote before I talk about being excited. Um I will read the resolution. Be it resolved that the school board of Independent School District 535 approves the final draft of the board's response to the American Indian Parent Advisory Committee and directs the administration to transmit the response to the members of APAC

194to further the school district's ongoing collaboration with this important group of community leaders. >> Move approval. >> Second. >> It has been moved and seconded. Any other discussion or comments on the resolution? Hearing none, all those in favor say I. I. Opposed. The resolution has been approved and we are excited to continue to work with APEC on the implementation of all of um of all of our commitments. Our next agenda item, as the magic happens on the screen, is our ABCD with our upcoming agenda items. On April 21st, we have a focus topic, social studies standards and curriculum, a prep for action school resource officer SRO contract and a prep for action will be our we'll add that tonight. The policy recommendations for March 27th and the action on the authorization of the issuance and

195sale of the general obligation facilities maintenance bond series 2026A. And then on May 5th, we're going to hear about the results of the five essentials survey. Our prep for action will be our RPS 2030 strategic plan, highlevel priorities. Feel like there should be like a drum roll for that one. Um, our 27 2028 school calendar proposal, although that one should probably have the drum roll. And an action item on our school resource officer contract. Board members, any other items uh that you would like to be considered for a future meeting agenda? >> Yes. Can I make an announcement? I don't know where at what point this would come in. >> Oh. Oh, right. We do have to make an announcement. Why don't you make that announcement? >> Okay. Um, school board academy, our first session

196will be next Tuesday in the boardroom. Um, and the time is 6:30 >> 6:30 to 8 roughly. >> Yes. >> Um, there will be a second session on May 12th which is different from the first SE session. So we will be um trying to rec trying to cover everything that the school district does in about three hours. So wish us luck on that. But >> Director Workman, who is the schoolboard academy for? The school board academy is for anyone who's interested in learning more about the school board, what we do, um our responsibilities, and it's designed to be um particular help for anyone who's considered considering running for schoolboard elections in 2026. And the uh link uh to register for schoolboard academy is available on the district social media. Our staff and parents received an

197email and it will also be on the schoolboard elections web page tomorrow. All right. Upcoming schoolboard dates April 21st, May 5th, May 19th, and June 2nd are all regular meetings that begin at 5:30 p.m. And hearing no other business, this meeting is adjourned at 8:20 p.m. >> Really? >> Has anyone heard what happened at 8:00 p.m.? Chinese