Board of Education Meeting September 18, 2025

001that will be led by Lauraai and Ellie Remager. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you, girls. Next up, we have approval. We need a motion to approve the open session agenda for September 18th, 2025. as presented. >> Motion second. >> All right, we have a motion and second. Any discussion? >> All those in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Motion carries. Next, moving into recognitions. >> Julie. >> Yes, sir. Be >> before we go into recognition because that's an important point. I'd like to ask given the new the news we've had over the last month with all the killings from kids to adults to police officers, will

002we all just take a moment, reflect, have a moment of silence for all the people that have been killed by people that have significant issues in their life. Thank everybody for being quiet for a few moments and just contemplate Thank you. >> Okay. Um, six WSD students took home medals at the Family Career and Community Leaders of America FCCLA National Competition this summer. Congratulations to North Point High's third place finishers, Kylie and Haley, and Liberty second place finishers, Maddie, London, Violet, and Zoe. Great job. You can come on up. Okay, up next, WSD students earned top 10 finishes on the HOSA Future Health Professionals International Leadership Conference this summer. Congratulations to Liberties Audrey, Leah, Lauraai, Prrenade, and Isabella, Timberland's Emma, and Jessica, and Frontier Middles, Payton, AJ, Jesseline, Jackson, AA, and Eli. Congratulations. Okay, thanks

003to the quick thinking efforts of a Liberty student McKenzie and WSD bus driver Kevin, a student is safe today. Upon noticing a student was choking while on the bus, McKenzie immediately jumped into action and began the Heimlick maneuver. She notified the bus driver, Kevin, who promptly stepped in, called 911, and signaled for assistance from a bystander. Way to go. Okay. Um, thanks to the quick actions of staff members at Crossroads Elementary, a student is safe today. When a student began choking on a grape, instructional assistants Katie, Adrienne, and Christy stepped in to help, and CR teacher Lindsay then took over and was able to dislodge the blockage while others sought additional help. Thank you for the quick response. All right, we will be moving on to the public comment portion of our meeting. I don't

004know, usually there's an exodus of people after this, so I'll give a moment. Okay. >> I'd like to make a motion to allow all speakers. >> There's three additional. >> Second. >> So, Director Olsen has made motion to allow for 13 speakers. Any discussion? Just a question comment. I know back when we were reviewing this back in the spring and again I want to hear from all the constituents. Um but I thought we talked about how we wanted to set the precedent of 10 speakers keep the time limit going. Um again if they're not able to speak it's known that this is the the the top 10. um and they can share their comments with us via email or other avenues as well. So um I just trying to remember if that's what we had

005talked about. So >> thank you. Anybody else? >> Okay. So we have a motion and a second for allowing 10 or excuse me 13 speakers. Uh can you roll call please Joanie? Secretary >> BMA nay. >> Dr. Olson >> I >> Dr. We >> Dr. Lewis >> I >> President Scott >> name >> Vice President Walsh >> name >> Director Hanky >> I motion fails. >> Thank you Joanie. And yes, I do want to reiterate what Director Bezenthal had stated that um we would like, you know, to hear from any constituents who would like to share their comments via email. Uh you are more than welcome to and are encouraged to. So first up we have speaker Rebecca Messik. >> Good evening. My name is Rebecca Messik. I am a district teacher, resident, and parent.

006Um, I'm also the president of the Wentzville NEA. Um, and in lie of a board member taking a spot that is reserved for community input, I yield the remainder of my time to Donald Looney. >> I'm sorry, Becca. That is not allowable in our policy as it currently states. I'm sorry. Yeah. >> All right. In that case, um I'm sure that many of you know that we are finding ourselves in the midst of a fairly serious teacher shortage. The state is trying to help us by allowing our retired teachers to work while drawing their pension. Um which thank you to all of those teachers who have returned to Winville to um try to help out. Um, but we still find ourselves with very few candidates for a lot of job openings and substitute teachers are

007also very hard to come by. I bring all of this up because it is imperative that our district become intentional and aggressive about teacher retention. We cannot afford to lose any of the quality educators that we have here. Across the country, teachers are leaving the profession altogether because of the unrealistic workload and the stress of the working environment. Here in Winsville, great teachers are leaving to go to other districts. How can we change that? There are so many actions, big and small, that can convince our teachers to stay. Take the time to tell them how much that you appreciate them with a note or a gesture. Take their needs into consideration when creating programs and policies. Give them a way to voice their concerns in a constructive manner and let them feel heard. Create a

008way for them to have more collaboration time in order to plan their quality instruction. When discussing student data, whether at the building level or here in this boardroom, find what teachers are doing right and praise them for it. Be careful not to make them feel that they are to blame for low test scores. Talk to them and ask them what they need or how you can help. Offer to buy some supplies for their building or their classroom. Speak highly and kindly of the educators in your life and those in our district. Give them the work life balance that allows them to have a life outside of their school. Our educators show up every day and give their all because they care about students and their community. And for anyone listening, I urge you to consider

009how you might brighten a teacher's day tomorrow. give them a reason to want to stay here in the WSD. >> Thank you. Next speaker is Katie Rosner. Hi, I'm Katie Rosner and I am a teacher here in the district. Uh Winill teachers are some of the best I've ever been around and I've worked in three districts over my what feels like very long teaching career. They consistently demonstrate professionalism while in the classroom, spend their time own time outside of their contracts to provide opportunities and learning experiences and show up every day despite hardships in their own lives or within their jobs. I'm lucky to be able to associate with this tremendous group of over 10,000 humans in this district. Some highlights from the land of the free and the home of the brave, Liberty. Even

010with zero training on ELLL students, teachers have bent over backwards to help them understand content and make them feel comfortable in the building. A math teacher was recently observed taking a group of students to a different room and using Google Translate on her iPad to break down all the steps of the math lesson, which with each of the students going above and beyond every day. Sorry, with each the students were able to go above and beyond what their normal daily lessons would look like. It's been a really incredible thing to witness. This is only the second year that ELLL students are attending their home schools and not in one school in a designated program. It's been a huge adjustment not only for the students but for the teachers at Liberty as well. Teachers are using

011their lunchtime to hold extended club meetings so that students are unable to stay after school or come to school early can have access to the same activities as others. Making this equitable for all is sometimes a strain on the teachers but has helped build community that we are proud of at Liberty. Many teachers are doing really fun labs, projects, and other activities to allow students to have fun while learning. Many of my freshman home room students are excited to tell me about the things they're doing in class and are excited about the classes in which teachers put in extra time and effort to create these engaging projects and activities. Setting up activities often requires teachers to come early or stay later than contract time, but stop by any morning or afternoon and you'll be sure

012to see teachers giving this time for students. Teachers are pivoting and working hard to not lose instructional time when techn technology issues arise. And boy, do they arise. The custodial staff at Liberty got the building looking fantastic to start the year. There's just something about that fresh, shiny, waxed floor. It really starts the year off. But coming to work in a clean building definitely helps add to morale. Not one but two teachers in our foreign language department forfeited their plan period this year so that more students can take foreign language classes. again sacrificing their personal time to benefit students. In one freshman class, a teacher reported that the students this year seem to be really focused and working hard. And out of 80 students taking the unit one common assessment, only one student scored below

013a C. Most of them scoring A's and B's. Huge accomplishment and many kudos to that teacher for getting their students prepared. Another teacher heard the request of several students wanting to add more advanced classes at LHS and started teaching and built a curriculum for AP research class. so many requests that they have a wait list for next year. This is just one example of the many great things that teachers are doing. So to piggyback off of Becca, let's try to keep those great teachers in the WSD. >> Thank you. Next up is Julia Lutkinhouse. >> Good evening, President Scott, members of the board and administration. I know that I've been here countless times over the last 25 years. Um, but this time I want to actually say thank you for the smooth way this school

014year has started, in particular in my building, in my experience. Um, and I hope that this is felt across the district, but I'm not sure. Sometimes in our execution of our day-to-day tasks, we forget how far we've actually come. We are a far cry from the days when we were so disorganized as a district that we didn't even have anyone qualified to take over when our superintendent was fired. long time ago but we were there. There were no procedures or processes in place to make sure things ran smoothly. It was a disaster. Then we started the our unprecedented growth and though every effort was made to ensure that the processes made sense and were implemented with fidelity, it was difficult to say the least. Then there was CO which turned our world upside down and

015not to mention the difficult years we've had since then as we've tried to figure out what education here in Wville looks like. It's very clear to me in my situation that there has been some sort of change in the administrative focus because I see it in our mission, in our goals, in our data, and it's trickled down to the building administration that I'm working with this fall. It feels like there's finally a plan where we know where we're going and how we want to get there. Our building administrators have been amazing in helping teams implement our PLC's, gather information that will help us determine exactly what we want our students to know and how we're going to ensure they're learning those things. Their constant presence throughout our building, as well as their willing willingness to

016dive in whenever and wherever is needed has been a blessing and has fostered a sense of teamwork among the eighth grade at least um where it has been lacking in the past. So, in a time where it may seem that our critics are on every side, please know, Mr. Bishop, we see you and we thank you. All right, next speaker is Trisha Mahoney. >> Good evening. My name is Trisha Mahoney and I am a proud public school teacher and a resident of the Winssville School District for the past 23 years. I have three children, two graduates, one from Hol and North Point and a current student at North Point. I also work I entered my 20th year of teaching at Pierce Hall this year in the alternative program. I wanted to discuss with you tonight

017what student success means to me. As a parent, I have been exceptionally lucky and my children have experienced tremendous success and many wonderful teachers in experiencing clubs, programs, and athletics here in the WSD. If I had to guess, I've taught probably 1500 at risk students in my 20 years here in Wsville. While I have learned many things from my time here in the district, I have learned that student success has countless definitions and student success is not linear. Student success can be measured in untold ways. But most importantly, student success is something that should always be celebrated. My fellow teachers at Pierce Hall are reporting the following student successes this five weeks into the school year. We have a Pierce Hall palace program at Heritage Elementary and each week students from our MIP middle school

018intervention program and Anna Branch connect with Heritage students to build relationships by practicing regulation and social skills. The joy of was evident with hugs and smiles when those students reunited this year. The program started last year. Our middle school intervention program, we had five graduates last year. They have successfully transfer transitioned into our bridge program, which is new this year, where they spend half of their day at Pierce and and the other half at their home high schools, and they have already have students who are participating in clubs and are on a football team. Um, current students in the middle school intervention program are making huge gains and with their academic and emotional goals. Our Missouri options program at Pierce Hall has already had their first graduate as of today. It was a student, a

019young man who was at risk of dropping out and struggled with school for the past three years and now he will collect his diploma in May. In our Anna Branch program, those students have seen success in their focus and academics grow year after year and they are more engaged. They have increased coping skills and our returning students have come back and they have trans transitional opportunities that this year they get to go to their home schools for part of their day. As I close, I would like to say that student successes occur every day in every classroom on our athletic fields, on our school buses, in our theaters, and in our nurses clinics. These successes happen in collaboration with parents, with family members, community partners, and hardworking teachers and staff in this district. These successes

020happen regardless of the chaos that is happening in the world we are all navigating right now. I know there are challenges and more likely to impact public schools in this community there to come. It doesn't matter what religion they practice, if they practice any. We teach these students and we want their success. It doesn't matter who makes up their family or who their parents love. We teach these students and advocate for their success. Finally, it doesn't matter to us whose parents who their parents voted for or what political party they belong. >> Sorry, Trisha, your time is up. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> We will teach them too. Thank you. >> Next speaker is Jessica Lee Leeman. Leman. Thank you. >> I brought my assistant. Hold this. All right. Good evening. Longtime lurker, first

021time speaker. Um, while our nation mourns the hundreds of children and educators lost to school violence, while we watch the people of Gaza being starved and slaughtered, while we reel from the recent lynching of a black man, I can't help but notice where the outrage is most loudly directed. The First Amendment protects speech we both love and hate. It protects dissent and moral judgment about public figures. What it does not protect is the coordinated harassment designed to destroy someone's livelihood. What we're all collectively experiencing is the most aggressive and straightforward attack on free speech in this country and in our lifetime. I don't know how many of you know about this, but a social studies teacher in our rural district recently exercised her right to speak as a private citizen. Her statement read, "Just so

022everyone is aware, the Lord indeed does not say well done to racist homophobic misogynists that use their vast platform to spread hate. When you bear no fruit of the spirit, you have not been a faithful servant." That comment, however pointed, isn't hate speech. It's a moral and religious opinion. The very type of speech that the First Amendment exists to protect. My concern isn't her words, but the responding call to action for retaliation. This wasn't a spontaneous disagreement. It was a coordinated doxing campaign with the explicit intent of getting her fired and ruining her reputation. There's proof of people organizing to expose her workplace and pressure the district to fire her and keep her as far away from the children as possible, some of which are in this room tonight. There was no call to bring

023her into a conversation for discussion her clarification. There was a call to destroy her. It's important to note that the man who started this smear campaign is a disgraced former radio personality who recently lost his own job for making racist remarks. When someone with that history targets a black educator in a rural community, we should all be encouraged to question his motives. And why does he feel so emboldened to attack those he disagrees with? Unfortunately, this is definitely not an isolated event. Across the country, political groups have inserted themselves into local education governing, turning our schools into battlegrounds for political agendas. Individuals in positions of power are actively advancing these harmful ideologies within the public education system and within the very fabric of our society, creating an uneven and unsafe playing field for teachers, students,

024and any human who speaks out. Accountability has to be consistent, even-handed, not selective, and not political. Allowing this coordinated attack and harassment campaign to succeed lets everybody know that intimidation works here. I encourage the board to stand on principal, protect your teachers, protect the integrity of our schools, and do not let intimidation and political weaponization decide who gets to speak, who gets to teach, and who gets to be heard. Thank you. All right, next speaker is Amy Benninghoff. Good evening everyone. Um, well, I was going to do a moment of silence on behalf of all the tragedies and innocent lives that's been taken recently, but since you already did that, I'll go ahead and skip to what I was going to do, which was actually pray. I think there's a lot of hurting people tonight

025all over the world. And so, I just wanted to pray for all of us. So, excuse me. Lord, I come to you tonight and I lift up our students, the faculty, this community, and all those around the world that are hurting. May you comfort them, Lord, for those crying out, asking why. May you give them peace that passes all understanding. Lord, help us to navigate through this crazy world with clarity of mind, fearless and bold in who you have created us to be. Help us, Lord, to be the light in the darkness. God, I pray that through these tragedies, you would draw the loss to you. May they feel the love you have for them. God, I come to you humbly and ask for you to heal this land. Being near to the brokenhearted, I

026ask that they feel your presence. In your mighty name, I pray, Jesus. Amen. All right, the next speaker is Amanda Canel. Okay, first I want to start with some gratitude. Um, my daughter's at North Point Middle and she's had a wonderful start to the school year. her theater teacher has been one of her all-time favorites and her social studies teacher in her word slays. So, thank you to our teachers. Thank you for creating an environment where she feels challenged and supported. Um, unfortunately this week things have changed a little bit, gotten a little bit strange. Uh, one of those favorite teachers suddenly wasn't in class anymore. And yesterday on Constitution Day of all days, my daughter didn't learn about the promise of free speech, she learned that um sorry, she learned that rights can disappear

027if enough people get angry. Right now, she has a substitute teacher, a little bit of an unstable learning environment, not because her teacher failed in the classroom in any way, but because words spoken privately and offduty were weaponized into outrage. We all know grief and anger are powerful and we can't take away from that. They can unite us or divide us, but good leadership channels them into solutions. Reactive leadership lets them fuel vengeance. And vengeance has real consequences. Courts have been clear. Public public school employees do not give up their First Amendment rights when they leave work. When teachers speak as private citizens on matters of public concern, that speech is protected. We cannot be allowed. What cannot be allowed is what our courts call a heckler's veto, which is when outside voices manufacture disruption

028and pressure schools to silence lawful speech. Punishing educators for lawful offduty expression is viewpoint discrimination. And it's not just a legal issue, it's practical. It drives away great teachers. It risks costly lawsuits that drain resources from our students. And it sets an example that rights are conditional and not guaranteed. So tonight, I ask you to reflect on the precedent that could be set in our district. Because if we allow outside pressure to dictate decisions once, it won't stop. It will keep coming until no teacher, no leader, no one in this district feels safe to speak, to teach, or to serve. So for the sake of our educators and our students and the future and integrity of this district, I urge you to not let our collective grief and our collective pain dictate our decisions and

029lead us down a very dangerous path. Thank you. Next speaker is Megan Kur. >> Hi, I am Megan Kurs and I am a resident parent and also work for the district. Um, unfortunately, uh, across our country, we've seen educators come under fire for lawful private social media posts, some of which we are very aware of how private our social media needs to be. Um, we hand select every person that we usually friend. um posts that don't name students, families, schools, school districts, but simply express personal viewpoints. These cases are less about professional misconduct and more about political disagreements spilling into education. Again, our own district's conduct policy makes it clear that staff is expected of staff. It speaks to preparing for instruction, supervising students, communicating with respect, protecting confidentiality, following safety guidelines, and maintaining professional

030boundaries. These are important. These are reasonable and they all focus squarely on what happens in the classroom and on school time. What the policy does not do is police lawful private expression of values outside of school. A nameless viewpointbased post on a private page does not violate these standards to stretch the policy this way would be to expand it beyond its purpose. From protecting students in schools to monitoring teachers personal lives, we go down that path. We risk creating fear rather than professionalism. What would undermine teacher morale, recruitment, retention while distracting us from the real work of supporting student learning? The strength of this district comes from supporting teachers in their professional roles and holding them accountable where it matters most, in the classroom. I urge everyone to focus their teachers also. Thank you for

031showing up daily. >> Next speaker, Jen Olson. My name is Jen Olsen. I'm speaking tonight not as a board member, but as a private citizen and fellow American. Last Wednesday, September 10th, 2025, at 12:23 p.m., in front of thousands of young American students, Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was publicly executed by a deranged coward. What was Charlie's crime? Encouraging young people to engage in the free exchange of ideas in pursuit of the truth. Free speech is a founding doctrine in our country. Charlie was killed for exercising that right. We must not let this become our reality. Young people in our country are searching for truth and direction. It's our duty to maintain a society where they can safely and freely debate ideas and choose the path they wish to take. That doesn't

032happen by labeling people as bigots, racists, homophobes, xenophobes, transphobes, fascists, or Nazis for simply expressing their opinions. All that does is create more deranged monsters who will fail to win civil debates and turn to violence in an attempt to snuff out their opposition. staff, students, families, and community members from across this district are very distraught right now. Not just from what they witnessed last Wednesday, but also by the reaction and behavior of some people in the aftermath. There are a lot of people who legitimately feel as though some of their peers, colleagues, friends, and loved ones would dance on their graves if they were the ones who were murdered instead of Charlie. This is unacceptable. We must ensure that our students know their voices matter and that it's okay to have differing opinions. We need

033to protect their right to express their ideas without the threat of violence or death. Words alone are not violence and we need to stop saying that they are. That mindset killed Charlie. Words are an opportunity to learn from one another and understand each other. Regardless of whether or not the words hurt our feelings or bring us joy, we should always protect the right to speak them. When we stand by in silence as free speech is snuffed out, we not only fail our children, but we also fail each other and our country. When we tell the youth of our nation that it's not okay to say something that may hurt someone's feelings, we're silencing them and snuffing out their voices. If we continue this path, we will be the ones responsible for the collapse of this

034great nation. To the students of this district, do not be afraid to speak your mind. Do not allow intimidation and fear tactics to silence you. You are not alone in your beliefs and opinions. Your voice matters. Every last one of you has a duty to this country to shape our future and to exercise our rights as Americans. Because if you don't exercise them, you will lose them. We all will. I encourage our students to email the TPUSA's regional manager, Jordan Landau, at joynn.lau at tpusa.com or visit tpusa students.com to learn how you can start a TurningPoint Clubame chapter in each of our high schools. It's a simple process. Please take part in the search for truth because your country depends on it. All right, our last speaker is Katie Vanderplug. >> Sorry if I said

035that incorrectly. >> It's good. It's fine. It's It's Vanderflug. It's a lot. I married it. Uh, so to start, my name is Katie Vanderlug. I am a parent. I am a resident. I am also a district employee. I'm the assessment coach for the district. Um, I came tonight out of an immense love for our teachers and to specifically take a moment to celebrate the incredible work that our educators have put in in this first month of school. But I also want to acknowledge and say thank you to Jen for supporting our teachers ability to speak freely and without um fear. And so I just I appreciate that. So um I just wanted to say thank you for that. So, I I do I do appreciate that. As the district's assessment coach, I have had the

036privilege of leading professional development on standardsbased grading for our K5 teachers. Um, this shift has been a 12-year process in our district, but we recognize that it requires a significant change in thinking and a lot of dedicated effort has gone into making this change in classrooms across the district. This change takes work. It takes a mindset shift. And I can't tell you the work that I have seen our teachers put in to this change and the way that they have embraced it and have welcomed me in and allowed me to work with them and talk through questions so that they can accurately assess and report what students know and are able to do independently. align to our our standards so that families and teachers and the community has a better idea and an understanding of

037what it looks like to be proficient. Um this amazing work is even extending into our middle and high schools. We have teachers voluntarily embracing a standardsbased mindset um assigning assessing students on what they know and what they can do based on standards. They know that this approach gives them a clearer picture of student success in their courses and they are doing this work simply because they know it's what's right for kids. They are putting in work that they're not required to do because that's how much they love our students. Um, everything that our educators do each day reflects the commitment to our students and I am honored to publicly celebrate every single educator in the Winsville School District and I thank them for the opportunity to get to the work get to get to do

038the work that I get to do because of them. So, thank you all. >> Thank you to all the speakers this evening. And next we are moving on to district comments. >> I also want to thank all our speakers. Appreciate everybody's participation. Uh last week we celebrated Patriot Day. Uh throughout the district we remembered the events of 911. Honored our brave first responders who serve in our community daily and those who have lost their lives. Their dedication and courage inspire us all every single day. So thank you to all of our brave first first responders and and again we remember everybody who lost people in 911. Constitution Day was yesterday. As it's already been mentioned, schools across the district celebrated Constitution Day, which commemorates the culmination of the work of the Constitutional Convention with the

039signing of the US Constitution on September 17th, 1787. Staff taught about the signing and the significance of the Constitution in a variety of ways from teaching key facts to bulletin boards to spirit days. I will also say here at the central office people got to hear me speak about my pure joy of government and constitution as I was providing my own history lessons up here. All right, that fell on my face. I tried but I did do that. Did I not Dr. Lebr? Transportation. Some good news here. We've added three more drivers to routes last week. We're hoping to have five more added by tomorrow. We've added a couple more. So that would be eight in two weeks. Um we have more in the hopper that are coming forward. So again, those of you that

040have recruited for us, we greatly appreciate that. Please keep doing that. We had two more walk-ins today. So thank you very much for everybody's help with doing that. Keep spreading that word, please. And then mark your calendars in a very unique Wville tradition that makes it still it makes a big city feel like a small town. We have our entire Wville school district homecoming parade on October 4th. If you have not been there, you should go. It is a blast. Um, we will start at Hold High School beginning at 9 9:30. Travel down Pierce Boulevard and end at the American Legion Hall. Uh, if you've got kids or if you just have a sweet tooth, make sure you line streets because there's plenty of candy coming your way. And thank you for everything you're doing

041and the support we've felt throughout the entire year. Keep up the great work. >> Thank you very much. All right. Next, we need a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. >> Motion. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Nay. >> Okay. Sorry. >> Was Can we I guess >> Yeah, we'll roll call, please. Sorry. So >> I was trying to get a question in. >> Sorry, I guess I didn't realize for discussion. Please go ahead. >> And I know it's not normal, but >> I I think that there's questions that I that are happening in the community about and I don't know if it's still in the consent or not, but for the funding for the remodel of the admin building, is that has that been pulled

042out of consent? Okay. I I wanted to make sure that was the main point I wanted to get in there. Thank you. >> Any other discussion about consent agenda? So, um we'll take a roll call for the consent agenda, please. We have a motion in a second. >> Secretary Bezenthaw >> I. >> Dr. Olsen. >> I. >> Director We >> Director Lewis. >> I. >> President Scott. >> I. >> Vice President Walsh. I >> director Hanky I. Motion carries. >> Moving to old business for we have we need a motion to approve the revised policy 2770 seclusion and restraint as presented and to resend policy 2674 use of physical restraint intervention. >> I I mean motion. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Okay. No discussion. Uh, all those in favor? >> I. Any opposed? >> Motion

043carries. >> Next, we need a motion to approve the revised policy 4325 leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act as presented. >> Motion. Second. >> Any discussion? No discussion. All those in favor? I. >> Any opposed? Okay, moving to new business 15.1. We need a motion to approve the personnel recommendations and resignations as presented. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Roll call, please. >> Secretary Bezenthon, >> I. >> Dr. Olsson, >> I. >> Dr. We. >> Director Lewis. >> I >> President Scott >> I. Vice President Walsh. >> I. >> Dr. Hanky. >> I. Motion carries. >> We need a motion to approve the leader and me custom coaching agreement as presented. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Director Lewis, I believe you'd have this pulled to new business. >> Yes. I appreciate

044that. Yeah. What I wanted to bring up on this is we've talked about this and I've talked about it maybe betterly better said for three years was leader and me was approved 2.8 million if I remember right before the 23 election. At that time we were told that it was basically free money from - or I forget what what it was at that time but a million dollars came from our our funding. At that time, there was discussion about the fact that it was a big benefit and that that was going to be the cost that we bore. Now, we're looking at another 200 or $151,000 for an extension. That's exactly what I I was speaking to originally when we talked about the fact that this is going to be a never- ending give. I

045listen to the the teachers and and those supporting the teachers. And as a former union member, I appreciate what you're saying and what you're doing. You may may not believe that, but I do. CWA 676171 as union steward. So, I know where you're coming from. What I want to tell you is that we're pushing so much on the teachers right now that is not directed toward the learning experience. I've got another file that we're going to talk to a little bit later on about results for the last three years. Anytime we're doing something that is not bottom line, helping the kids learn what they went to school for, shouldn't be on our agenda. We cannot afford to have our students scoring 50% or less on basic math, basic reading, basic science, basic social studies. This

046is another example where we're spending money that shouldn't be spent until we get our house in order. And for that reason, I highly advocate that we vote no for this and we take once and for all take leader and me off the board so that the full amount of time that the teachers have their students, they can teach teach them meaningful things. And I'm not saying that health, mental health, education, all that is not important. I know there's there's a lot of points on that. We've got a lot of resources assigned to that already. I'm talking about teaching them basic skills so they can go out and get earn a meaningful living, be productive citizens. Leadering me does not help them achieve the basic reading, writing, and math uh and science skills that are needed.

047I implore everybody to vote no for this. Thank you. >> Okay. Director Lewis, I think maybe you misunderstood what this is. So this is no cost. This is zero. So what's going on is leader and me provides resources. We don't need those resources. So in lie of those resources, they agreed to trade us letting them keep those resources for coaching. So there's no cost here at all. We're also not extending the agreement with leader and me. This is simply an amendment to the contract. So, we haven't changed anything except instead of allowing resources that we don't need paper resources because we use them digitally, they're giving us a re a check on those. They weren't going to give you a refund because they can't. What they'll do now is just customize coaching, which Katie can

048talk a lot about what that coaching is. But one of the things it's going to do that you're going to see with the other contract is it allows micro credentials to be earned by students with leadership certificates that are really valuable. So I I I think maybe in this case we misunderstood what what this was. It's just a swapping of resources that were already agreed to for coaching. >> Well, that's a positive statement that you made that we're not going forth leader and me. >> I didn't say that. I said I'm not extending that contract. I said this doesn't extend the contract. >> Well, the contract was for three years originally, right? >> We're we're still right where we're at. This literally when you read it, it doesn't change a single part of the contract

049other than we're trading materials for coaching. That's it. >> The contract I I understand your statement. >> Okay. >> The contract was originally signed in the spring of 23. So we're on the last year of Leader and Me. You said you're not extending it. Does that mean that at the end of this school year, Leader Me is over? >> I haven't reviewed the contract. What I'm saying is it's first of all, I think the contract was five years, not three. If we go back and look at it, I'm fairly certain was five, but I don't have it in front of me to do that. All I'm simply saying, as you said, it was $151,000 cost. It's zero. That's really all I was trying to tell you. I'm just making sure you understood what we're talking

050about before we say vote no. It's not costing us anything. Nor can we All you're doing by voting no is saying, "Okay, give us the paper materials that we want instead of coaching." That That's what we're voting no for. This is just to change the contract to allow for coaching instead of paper materials. So coaching for what? Katie, >> do you want to talk through what that coaching looks like? >> So, um, within our buildings, we have student lighthouse teams, staff lighthouse teams. We're able to have people come in and work, um, align goals, align resources, um, academic strategies, um, help us with PLC work and how we're, um, encouraging academics, leadership, culture within our buildings, and meeting our school improvement goals. So, it's just an extra resource for our teachers. um an extra place

051for them to go uh when they need some assistance. >> Thank you for the feedback. So, we're just encouraging more in depth. We're taking leader me deeper into the school system is what I'm hearing. Great. >> I have a question. Sorry, Julie. Did you have a question? Okay. Um, so is this like prepping us to become a lighthouse school or district? This is this like the steps that we would need to take to become a lighthouse district? >> Uh, there's various paths to lighthouse status. Um, it it depends where individual buildings are within their journey. Um, I believe we potentially could have one that's ready. Um, but they have haven't declared um that they are. Um, I haven't been involved in that process. Um but it's something that teachers are working very hard on. Um

052and um kids are are benefiting greatly from >> any other discussion. >> Yes, I had a question. So is when does the training occur for our teachers? Is it during school hours? Is it after hours? During their plan time, when does this coaching occur? Um so we have various times. Um there's times where we have pieces that are woven into um our curriculum like into our curriculum writing process if it deals with academics and things like that. Um we do uh leadership training with our administration with our administrators. Um we utilize coaches for that. Um sometimes um coaches are brought in. Um teachers reach out, building administration reaches out. um they can do some professional learning on uh late start days or they'll come in and um do some sessions um with kids with lighthouse

053teams um of kids. Um, we had a lighthouse team at Liberty last last week or the week before um that a a secondary leader and me coach um came in and worked with those students on um picking four values that they were going to work towards um as a group and help freshmen become acclimated to the building. Um and so there was some coaching that was done with that. Um it's really um really customizable. So, if we need an hour, if we need 30 minutes, if we need virtual, if we need in person, um it just allows us to tap into an additional resource if people are wanting um some additional assistance and support. >> And just kind of a comment, I've had students talk to me about leader and me um and they don't

054like it to be completely frank. Um they don't like that it's asking them to set goals for themselves. They feel that that is um the teacher's job. It's the teacher's job to teach them. It's not the student's job to come up with their goal. I mean, their goal is to make an A to get a passing grade. And it's the teacher's responsibility then to how do we get there? And um they also don't like that it's asking them personal questions. What's your goals outside of school? They were pretty frank with me and said, "It's none of your business." So I think putting more into this when students believe it's taking away from their education time isn't a great idea. So I mean I I do not support leader in me and I will I would

055not support even getting the coaching for this. Any other discussion? >> Yes, Director Lewis. >> Brian, you talked about there's no cost part of this. I mean I I didn't see where there said there's no cost. What I see is payment terms where we have it. We got 30 days. >> If you read the memo where it talks you about a cost analysis, the cost is zero. The payment is the normal payment we already make for the pre purchased materials that were already purchased in the original agreement. This is simply a trade of those materials for the coaching. Okay. Thank you. Any other discussion from the board? I hesitated to share this for just a second because it is a bit personal concerning one of my own children, but I would say I had my

056son have the exact opposite um with leader and me. He found goal setting incredibly helpful and increased his reading I Ready score significantly based on his goals that he had set with his teacher and those uh continued you know to spill over into other ways. So I you know I'm not here to argue any benefits or or um good or bad for the program but I do think um you know it is important you know my end is one but um you know to continue this contract. So, any other discussion before we vote? >> I'd like to just say one more thing. I I worry a little bit. I understand leader me that the district agreed to it 5 years. I understand a lot of people on this board weren't there. I wasn't sitting in

057this chair or anything else. It's an agreement that was made. The money's already been spent. I would strongly discourage purchasing materials that we have no need for and just letting them sit there. That to me makes no sense where if anybody can get an ounce of help or assistance out of something that's free that's being traded, it makes way more sense than that materials that we just don't need. So it took a lot of work to even get cubby to negotiate that. It was a big deal to do that. So I think if anybody benefits at all from the coaching, then it was a worthwhile trade as opposed to materials we just don't need. So that would be the one thing I'd encourage people to really think about too. It really doesn't make sense to

058just have paper material sitting there we're not going to use and we can get some benefit out of the coaching. So >> So why why would we have material that we wouldn't be using then? Why why would that even be on our purchase or what we're wanting? >> Right. So when we initi when the contract was initiated before um what was it 3 years ago we said um the there was like workbook materials that were used um and now just with things changing it's more of a digital platform um and you're able to kind of pick and choose the different pieces that you use instead of following a workbook front to back. So it's just evolved. So, so the so it's a workbook that we're switching out with coaching time. >> It's a learning companion.

059So, we have access to everything that's in the learning companions um into the booklets. Um it's all done digitally um and teachers are able to pull. Some buildings do still utilize the workbook materials um but a lot of them um just don't have need for all the things that are in there. So then are different teachers doing different things because you're saying some are using the workbooks and some are not. >> Every building has customized it to make it work for them and for their students. Um they work um at the at the lighthouse team level um to plan for their building and where and to kind of meet everybody at their needs and where their buildings are. So they have that autonomy as a building to make that decision on how it's implemented into

060their building. Just like with a lot of things, >> I think. >> Okay. So, just every building does leader meet a little bit different depending on their students then, >> depending on their students, depending on their goals, um depending on their lighthouse team and how they've written goals in the area of leadership, academics, and culture depending on their needs, just general needs in the building. Um, we set some district goals with our MRA surveys as as a school district. They also set goals around their MRA survey. Um, and a lot of that work is driven um with their leaner me stuff, too. So, and every building is different. I'm just a little confused why it would be different when we have our MSI, our CSIP, which has one goal for the district, but then we're

061doing different things and we're using leader and me as an outlet to do different things. We have one goal as a district and the area of belonging. So, there's just there's multiple pieces to that, but every building then when we meet with them and set that goal, they have different action steps and how they're going to meet that goal. And so we we meet with them individually and they sit and they individualize things based on on their needs and where they are. >> Does that make sense? Okay. >> Any other discussion before we vote? >> Okay. Joy, roll call, please. >> Secretary Bezenthal. >> I. >> Dr. Olsen, >> I. >> Dr. We >> director Lewis. >> Nay. >> President Scott. >> I. >> Vice President Welsh. >> I. >> Dr. Hanky. >> Nay. Motion

062carries. >> Next, we need a motion to approve the online portal access for high school students as presented. >> Motion. Second. >> All right. Any discussion? I'm not sure who pulled that. >> Can Katie or Jerry explain this to us? >> Um, so this piece in um our secondary curriculum um gives our students the opportunity to learn to earn micro credentials. So they go through project-based learning um in order to earn micro credentials in eight areas. um with the habits, achieving goals, strengthening wellness, finding their voice, developing high trust relationships, contributing to our community, succeeding with people, um and leading teams. And then once they earn the that credential, then that is theirs to use on a resume. Um it's been scored and certified by their teacher and by Franklin CVY, which is widely known.

063um they can use it on college applications, they can use any of those things. And if they earn all eight of them, um they receive like the overall leadership certificate credential um that they then are recognized for, um by the school district and by Cubby. Um it is uh different there's different modules and so students are able to kind of pick different entry points where they um will write a problem statement about a real world problem that needs to be addressed. Um they create action plans and then they carry out the action plans and produce a final product um to present to a to a board to a group of people um and then that work is evaluated to see if they earn then that credential. So um and this is only at the high

064school level at the secondary level. >> So is this kind of the same deal? We're swapping out books for >> not really um with secondary. So this is a way um that um programming at the secondary level um just really working on making intentional and more relevant um especially with um success ready and career tech with everything we're doing to create kids that are ready beyond high school um in whatever field they choose. Um this was a way to make this work very relevant and applicable for them post high school. >> Right. But how did we get it for $0? >> Uh it's it is it is what the secondary programming is >> that we already paid for back in 23. >> Yep. It's what the secondary programming is. >> Okay. And all of these

065things that they're going to microcredential for is that outside of school time. >> Um it can be in clubs. It can be an advisory. It can be class time. >> It can it can be a class if that class if a leadership class is offered. Um it can also be um during like the nest time or den time. um some of that the um extra time that they have um or during power lunch if they have clubs and and uh times that they they would have time to work on that. >> So it's more so extracurricular. >> Correct. Yeah. Elective based. Yeah. And choice. And they get the choice to do it. >> Any Oh, sorry. What are like the long-term um I want to say I'll just say strings. What are the long-term strings

066for this? Is there something where um this is going to grow into something else that we're going to sign on to in three years or is this is this standalone 3 years till the end of our contract? >> Mhm. >> Yeah. So this this is what now will take um what will be the secondary programming. Um it like the we were talking about the workbooks for elementary and the lessons and things like that. This is how leader me looks at the secondary level. >> So it's kind of like a voluntary thing on the secondary level. >> Um it it is more interestbased. Um kids you know are given a voice in various ways. um student lighthouse teams have a lot of um voice in how um like I said I used the example of Liberty

067earlier they met and um we're really working with the freshmen um sometimes the high schools I in this similar to um elementary and middle it looks different at every single one of our high schools um so it's it's really like I mean I encourage you to continue to ask the high schools those questions and how it looks because it does look different at all four of them. Um we sat in on a lighthouse team meeting last week. Um and kids were so thankful just to have a place to have a voice that they could be decision makers and help kids that were coming into Liberty learn their way. Um Holtz has um a course, a leadership course that is offered um that they'll be going through some of these um lesson modules together. Um it's

068eight credentials and they're it's it's hard work. It's hard work to earn them. Um, so kids that are are really motivated to do it are are really excited about it. So, but I encourage you to um we can set up some visits at high school to see it. Um, I also have a a really good video that I can share with at staying on board um that kind of explains each of the eight individually and and just some of the things that are in there. >> Any other discussion or questions? Thank you, Dr. Brett Schneder. Uh, we will take a roll call vote, please. >> Secretary Bezenthal, >> I. >> Dr. Olsen, >> I. >> Dr. We. >> Dr. Lewis. >> Nay. >> President Scott. >> I. >> Vice President Walsh. >> I. >> Dr.

069Hanky. Nay. Motion carries. >> Next, we will have discussion on the Apple and Google professional development. >> We brought this, the administration brought it to the board to discuss. I'm going to let Katie and Pat kind of talk through both what we're looking at. Um, ultimately what it is is bigger corporations like Google and Apple and things like that. Now, when they do the they they submit contracts that we go to PD. Uh, we've approved those PDs in the past, done this multiple times. However, they are changing the wording looking for things like an ethics officer to say certain things and it it kind of gets into a policy violation of 3181. So, the short version and I'll let these guys talk more about it. We send somebody to Google. In the past, Google is

070just part of your deal that you go you go to your PD, they pay for the lunch, they do all that kind of stuff. Google now, Apple as well have switched to where now they want this to be deemed they they call it a it's on the contract here. Let me find it real quick. A gift basically, which would violate policy 3181. And so the discussion is we do need to send people to these things. The question becomes, do we modify the policy for something like this or do we just pay for it as part of our PD money? And so I I know I'm simplifying it. I don't know Pat or Katie if you've got anything to share, but that's that's pretty much the simplest way I can explain it. >> Okay. So this

071hold on. I think was Jen or if you don't mind for just a second, Katie, were you going to explain it now or? >> No, I mean I think that that you did a really good job. That was simple language and so we can go with questions. Um, did they used to pay for the hotel, transportation, all of that? >> Yeah. So, my understanding that that was just included, but we never had to say >> include >> that it was a deal like as far as that's part of what the the professional development was. You stay there, they take care of those things. >> Included in what though if we didn't pay for anything. So for example um a Google conference um they said you know we will and sometimes conferences do this too they

072offer to pay for your registration um or like give you like swag like a a cinch sack bag and post-it notes and pens. Um they that was always just kind of part of what happened when it not not when you went to all conferences but a conference like a Google conference or an Apple conference or something like that. Um, now now what's being required is they're making us acknowledge that we're receiving those things um and kind of listing it out. So the one that is in here for Google um is accommodations, meals, swag and ground ground transportation. So providing transportation to and from um so that the district wouldn't have to pay for that. Google would would pay for that. Um, and Apple, the Apple one, I believe, was a meal. They provided a meal.

073So, >> Apple provided a meal, not a hotel. And transportation. >> Apple was swag. >> Um, it was um hosting you for your meals directly associated with this event is what what's the most recent one? It changes like these are just two that came across our desk and we were like, okay, we like we need to now that it's in writing and on paper, we we need to have this conversation. >> Okay. Okay. So, I guess where I'm at with this is like for instance in a MSBA conference, you pay the $285 and you have like a meal included or I think you get lunch in a brown paper bag for both days that you're there. I don't consider that a gift. I consider that part of the $285 we paid for. Um, when there's

074no exchange of money with Google and Apple, two of the largest corporations in the world, um, everything they're doing is a gift, which is, in my opinion, yes, we all love Google and Apple. We've all probably got Apple phones and Google phones, um, computers, watches, everything. It's literally, it runs our world. It's kind of a bully tactic for the education industry because it it snuffs out the other companies or other product software that could be advertised or um school districts could be participating in or using their services because those companies maybe can't afford to whine and dine the entire education industry to get them to buy into their products. which is what they say in the contract that it could be their lobbyists that are, you know, dealing with our people that we send out

075there. Um, we frown upon that in the legislature. It's kind of gross when, you know, we talk about DC doing it or Jeff City doing it. And I think it's still it's got that same feeling at this level, too, because as I said, it it doesn't give the other people the same opportunity because they wouldn't have the funding to pay for everybody to come to their conference and pay for their meals and their housing and swag. So, I I think if there's a paid option for these conferences, by all means, we should do that. But this doesn't. >> So yeah, there there is if we want to spend district money to do that, we can absolutely do that. That that's why we're bringing it to you guys to ask that discussion. This is the discussion

076aspect of that. There there is we can pay our own way. We we can absolutely pay our own way if that's what we as a district want to choose. Again, we're bringing it to you guys because this is really something new that's shifting with these bigger groups and we chose not to sign it because we viewed it as a violation of policy 3170. And in order to do that, we're not going to sign it until you guys say we're going to revise the policy or we're going to pay our own way. So that's that's the discussion aspect of it. You're saying it exactly the reason why we're bringing it to you guys. that the discussion is we either need to revise 3170 where it's not a policy violation or we need to say okay we're

077not willing to revise it we do believe these are gifts and we're going to pay our own way that that's the discussion aspect >> and I agree I think I think the policy the way it is is good I think it helps us to ensure the integrity of the process of choosing what vendors we go with and to ensure you know that whoever it is in that position or whoever is going to go to the conference isn't influenced which you know what the policy is there for and so that we can the board who's relying on their opinion can entrust that or we can have some confidence that there wasn't you know the swag or the free this and that the whining and dining isn't the reason we're going with them. So I think paying

078our own way would probably be the best route in my opinion. >> Go ahead. >> Two kind of two questions. one from a legal standpoint, is that why is there something that came down that as a maybe pushing the envelope for Google and Apple to do this or are they just trying to make more money possibly? Um is there like anything legally speaking? And then secondary um like by paying our own way for some of these now obviously that's going to take a hit to the professional development budget. Like I guess there's no way to know for sure like what kind of opportunities we'd potentially miss out on with reallocating resources, but I guess something along those lines. Like is there a way to still be able to provide opportunities but not be influenced by

079the swag? I'll let Pat answer a little bit of the legal. What I would say is it's hard for us to say why Google or Apple's choosing to do that. It's kind of hard for us to kind of get in their brain and do it. I think Pat can kind of give you a legal reason why he would think they'd maybe do that and then I'll answer the second part. >> So, in terms of like the legal component of it, I think they're kind of shifting the burden on to the attendees to demonstrate compliance. uh what they're really concerned about is not so much legal compliance, but they don't want to be precluded from being able to contract with us, with the attendees by virtue of having given these free gifts. That's the exact opposite

080of what they want to do. Under some state laws, there are provisions that would categorically exclude receiving a gift with an existing vendor and it could preclude that um entity from contracting with Google or Apple in the future. That's exactly what our policy says, but Missouri doesn't have a state law component of that. So for example uh in the context of the Google um conference they weren't concerned about whether it violates our policy at all. They wanted a certification saying it doesn't violate state law which is true but when we dug into it more we didn't want to sign a statement that said yeah technically this is true but if we send you it's still a violation of the the policy. So, um, one, I think they're shifting the burden for compliance. Two, they don't

081want to lose business. And three, quite honestly, like this is just the best way that they have to continue to influence the decision makers for contracts. So, um, they're going to do everything that they can to get people there. >> I have to answer your question real quick. Yes. I mean, anytime you make a decision where you're going to send people for professional development, there's only x amount of money to do that. Uh, we already do that a lot. Like, we evaluate every professional development. We really take a lot of time looking at out of town because that costs a lot more money to send somebody out of town. So, yes, any every single option we choose for PD, it's it's definitely something that can impact another opportunity we would have. >> And this is

082just for Greg though, right? That's what it says in the memo. >> Yeah, Greg was the original one. And I mean Arla could go if we need her to go for something, but it would be mostly just our techs or our tech coaches, the people that are directly dealing with that stuff on an everyday basis. >> Yes, I was going to ask a couple of things. Um, how many of these conferences a year do we typically send to like Apple or Google? And I mean, is it multiple a year? >> Not really. Um, there I mean there's different like training sessions. Um these are more um these two are a little bit different. Um and like this is just one. Um we had people go to a um Google um professional workspace conference on AI

083um that was different than this. There wasn't anything tied to it. Um so it really just depends I think what what the topic is. Um the reason these two came up is because the signatures came with it and so that's that's why we brought it here. So, thank you. >> These are the only two that that I've seen like this. >> And, you know, working in healthcare, there's been, you know, there's only so many you can't really accept gifts. I mean, pharmaceutical industries used to be able to send people on golf trips into the Bahamas, and now you can't even take a pen. So, um, you know, there are some legal ramifications to that and, you know, Sunshine Act and and various, um, kind of legislative monitors of that. Do you know does that exist

084for like education where you know like it's reportable if we you know once taken $10,000 worth of free stuff from Apple versus like Francis Alto took zero. I mean like is that like a national database or anything like that? >> I don't think it's a national database but certainly it it would be discoverable through sunshine law requests given that um these certifications are now being required. I mean the certification for Apple specifically delineated each item and the value of that item the attendee would receive. Um so certainly I think all of our neighboring school districts are using the same major national service providers like Google and Apple to a certain extent and attending these conferences. So I certainly think it would be discoverable. So kind of my um and question about like this or other

085one like if we we obviously partner with Google and Apple currently and would that be something to where hey when we're signing up for something you part of what we're paying for would be to provide training where we will cover you guys getting there like is would that be outside of this policy currently or is this just a oneoff example, I guess. >> I mean, this is really just for professional development and continuing training, certifications, things like that. Um, when we purchase and and I don't know, Arla can probably jump in if she wants to, but when you purchase devices and you do things like that, you do get ultimately training components that come with that, how to utilize this, how to utilize that. Um, this would be separate from that. So, the training purposes

086you're talking about are there. This is separate. this is how do I continue to upgrade my certifications? Like Apple's the great example that Pat just gave there. So you go to this conference, you get your upgraded certifications, so you become more prevalent as we continue up moving operating systems. Google might be the same way. Um the the reality is we'll probably still have to send people here because they're integrated into our buildings. Like it's not and and again we bid it out, but as you guys all know, you've got Microsoft, you've got Google, and you've got Apple. There's not a ton of options there. And so our people have to continue to get trained in order to operate the newest and latest things that are going on the operating system. So it's just a matter

087of in my mind, do we want to pay for it or do we want to change this policy to accept it is what they're putting it out there now. Um my personal preference honestly I like it clean and that's we need to pay for it. Um, but that's my preference, but I also understand coming with that means we're spending dollars that we could in turn be receiving as as they're doing that. So, I don't think that's my place to just automatically say we're going to make that decision. That's why we brought it for discussion. was what would your thoughts be or just throwing it out there any sort of like dollar limit for like acceptance of a gift like $200 or $500 or something like that? Or would you prefer it to be just clean

088yes or no? >> Well, I think let's use this for an example. Katie, do you remember I know Greg was reaching out to Google to see what this even entailed. I don't know that there was even an option to pay for part and accept part. I think it was all or nothing. So like it was either an all or nothing. So I in my mind I think that's just the way they're headed and we just need to decide and and again there's no vote or anything. It's kind of one of those things. Do you want us to go explore a 3171 or 3170 adjustment policy or did you just want us to keep the way we're doing it and we'll progress that way? That's that's really was the discussion. It seems to me like right

089now I'm not hearing a lot that we want to change 3170 with vendor relations. We kind of want to keep it the same. So I would say if somebody's got a different perspective on that, now would be a good time to say that. If not, I think we move forward with the way 317 is and we say we're good. Okay. >> All right. Next up, 15.5 student assessment data discussion. Uh this was added to the agenda from director Lewis. um for just reference we will have like a um and for the public I guess that there will be you know further discussion in um next month's meeting about various test results but we're going to have this ahead of that for so go right ahead >> thanks Julie I appreciate the opportunity to discuss this

090this is something that has been on my list for the last couple of years since being in here because fat stats and and numbers can be stacked and looked at a lot of different ways. Each year we get a a summary of numbers that to me are really concerning. And I just asked this past month, give us a review by grade K through eight both with MAP testing as well as with I Ready and and what what we can see here in this first slide. Can you go to the the slide that shows map testing I Ready? There you go. Maybe make it big so people can read it a little bit. So, as big as we can. There we go. I mean, so what what we're really seeing here is as an example, you

091know, with map testing, I'm seeing in 23 was 47 and 24 was 51 and in 25 it was basically a flat number. You can see by grades all these are in the 40s and the 50s except for when you get down to grade eight there's a and and at grade 8 there's a 60. I mean I'm I'm looking at this and I'm going what in the heck is going on? Why are 50% of our students not proficient or excelling? You know, we know it's not the teachers because the teachers are amazing. They're overloaded with everything. We heard that through eight or nine speakers today. I don't say it tongue and cheek. I mean that. I mean I I support them and I my my whole point of this is how do we find more time

092so you can teach and that's why I talked about leader and me how I did. We know it's not the administration because they're amazing people as well. I mean they worked their tail off yet we still have these results. So what's the answer? How are we going to raise this? As a board I'm I'm challenging the board to challenge the district to say what are we going to do to get our act together? It's not anybody's fault. It's everybody's fault. What is the board's fault? Board's fault is not pushing this harder. I'm personally I'm I'm very disappointed in the board for not taking action this year. I had early discussions about this and nothing's happened. I'm disappointed with the schools, the teachers in the past couple of years because they haven't brought the numbers up.

093I'm disappointed the administration because they haven't done anything that has resulted in improvements. Everybody's at fault. Nobody's Nobody's out of the danger zone here. And I I'm just wanting to raise a flag saying what are we going to do different? Scroll down to I Ready, will you? >> Well, I want to address a little bit there, David, real quick. So, when we look at map testing, and to be honest, that 50% I'm going to ask a question, and I mean it legitimately, do you know where that 50% comes from? >> Comes from >> just proficient and advanced, right? >> That's my understanding. That's that's correct. So it's a fivepoint scale that has four grading targets on it. So if you look at it, what I'm saying with that and the states also recognize this, which

094is why they've added that fifth criteria, which is on grade level. So this is about to come obsolete by the end of this year. So when you're looking at this, it won't look the same. So it's graded one through five. So when you look at proficient advance, that's four and five, which if you want to go to an A, B, C, D schedule, that's A and B. A C would be basic. A D the way it's scored right now would be below basic. And an F would be below basic. So if you look at that, you're looking at proficient advance. So you're looking at the number of kids that scored A and a B. We're not looking at the kid that is truly just average. And we're taking that map data as as I said

095before, a snapshot of a singular data point. That's all it is. It's one singular data point. So when we provided you the data and you had an opportunity for every single school district in the state, I know you've asked many times compare us to the top 10 and that's hard to do like I said cuz it's you you see like it's do you want us against K the top K8 performing district in the states 190 kids. So is it is that the equivalent of 18,000 kids? So it's hard to have those data points. What I can tell you is when you look at the bigger picture and you take ELA K12 and you take math K12 and science K12 and history K12 in the state of Missouri we're in the top 10% of three of

096the four. The only one we're not is math which we grew exceptionally well and you can see that we're in the top 12% there. So in the state we're in the top 10%. Are we happy? Do we want to get better? Absolutely. That's what you heard today. We're all committed to getting better. But I think when we look at these pictures and you look at this data, it's hard to understand if you're not in education. And I'm not meaning that as disrespectful. It's legitimately four categories on a fivepoint scale. It's it's unheard of. Nobody does that. And again, that's why the state is now saying we need ontargeting grade level. So when you see those threes that are considered basic right now, I don't know what that cut score is going to be, but that's

097really where you're going to start looking at those kids that are considered on grade level. It'll probably be a midpoint of that. So it's we can talk about it. We can look at it. There's going to be a full program evaluation where we show you every single thing that's been done with your call to action and what's continuing to go on. You know, I'm getting calls right now because we're pushing teachers and we are and they are exceeding expectations. It is not easy right now. We are meeting with administrators. We are having growth plan meetings with administrators. We are sitting down having SIP. We're sitting down showing individual teacher data compared to other school data compared to other county data. And there are real discussions going on. So I don't want to make it appear

098and I don't know what the intent is here because we are going to really have this discussion. But when we're saying those things, by all means, share. But I want to make sure we all understand the exact things we're talking about because you're right, data can look however you want data to look. So when you say 50%, you're saying 50% are A and B's. That's ultimately what we're saying. We're not counting C's. C's are basics. >> Okay, that's fine. I mean, I understand the statement you made. I asked for the the I didn't tell you what I wanted. I wanted to just see what the results are. This is what you gave me. >> No, you you've asked for the top 10. You've asked for the top 10. >> Yes. But I'm talking about I

099asked for what are how do we stack? What are our results from MAP and from I Ready? >> Yeah. >> And this is what you gave me. So this is what I'm working on. You want to give me something different? I'll work off >> I can't. This is what the state did. I'm just explaining how the data evaluates. >> All I can use. >> I I know. I'm just explaining to make sure we all understand and we're on the same page. Education's a little different. and it doesn't work on profit margins and stuff like that. I just want to make sure that when we say the things we're making sure we all understand exactly what we're talking about because it is a little bit different. I mean, when we think about a fivepoint scale, we're

100traditional education people. Everybody in the room had an ABCD F. This isn't that even though it grades the exact same way. >> So, I I guess you you're telling me to ignore these numbers that >> No, I'm not telling you that at all. Let's have the discussion. I'm just saying when you look at a 50% understand that's 50% of A's and B's. >> Absolutely. >> Okay. >> I get that. Or else it's 45% or whatever. >> Let's go down to I ready. I ready. You know I I I and I profess I you know to me in business if I had people that consistently at 50% they'd be on a pit plan and then they'd be out the door. So I know it's not the same and I don't mean to insinuate that's what I'm

101asking for. I'm just saying that the the the levels that work we consistently see have everybody scratching their head saying what the heck is going on here we have I Ready if you look across the board I Ready is 10 to 20% higher why is I ready 10 to 20% higher than MAP is it because we take the test multiple times until we get the score we want I've heard that I don't know you the other thing you look at here with I Ready look at how K1 2 and three are 89 9 91 75 68 then look at where it drops down when we go to fourth fifth sixth and on down. Why is it that when the kids come into school, they score great and as they get through multiple grades, every all

102the scores consistently drop? That's >> May I answer your questions because you asked a few there and so before you go further, can I address the ones that you asked? >> Sure. >> Yeah. So, you asked there's a few things and correct me if I'm wrong, please. Um, with I Ready. So, I Ready is a different tool than a MAP assessment. Um, we assess K8 I Ready. Um so we assess kindergarten, first and second grade which we do not do in math. Um kindergarten and first grade historically show less students below grade level because there is less places for them to go below grade level. Um so with a kindergartener you can go um pre kindergarten skills you can't really go much further than that. And typically in those K12 grades we see the absolute

103most growth with those kiddos. I will tell you with our focus of science and reading and our focus on phonics and phmic awareness, we are seeing amazing gains in kindergarten, first and second grade right now. So these numbers are legit, absolutely legit and a true testament of amazing things that our teachers are doing in classrooms. You also brought up another point about um retaking tests to get scores that we want. Um we have absolutely um streamlined that process and the reason why kids retake tests. Kids get red flags or yellow flags on I Ready. That happens. They rush. Uh there's things that happen. They are allowed to retake the assessment. If that's the case, if it flags them, um there are also other reasons. We have kids that um score within level every single test

104they take and then they take it one bad day on a April two on Tuesday in April and they get two grade levels below and that's just not characteristic and they've set a goal for themselves that they're that they're going to continue to grow and they're disappointed and they want to retake the assessment. that would be a kid that a teacher would submit a form and give a reason as to why they want that test reset for that kid and we my department would decide if that would be allowed or not. Um there's other kids that retake a test and um they stayed on grade level. They might have dipped down um but they stayed within that grade level range that those wouldn't be kids that we would allow. They there we really have nothing

105to gain from that. Um, in ELA on the average for the year we give almost 36,000 diagnostic assessments. They take it three times a year, fall, winter, spring. We have in ELA um 1.52% of our kids have taken the test above and beyond that three times. So, we have greatly reduced that number of kiddos. It's about 550 kids. In math, we take almost 35,000 diagnostics a year. Um about 439 in addition to that if kids take retakes for any other reason other than a flag. Um and that's about 1.2 1.26% of our kiddos. Um we have fielded 137 requests in ELA. We've denied 20 of them. We've fielded we've fielded 66 requests in math. Um, and we've denied four of them. So, we do take that into account every single day in every single testing

106window. >> So, um, and maybe I can I like analogies, David. I know you like sports a lot. I know you like baseball, you know. So, if you look at a map test, that would be like looking at what a player did in a single game. They go 0 for five. Are they terrible? No. You need to look at their batting average over the course of the entire year. If you look at ELA, when a kid's in kindergarten, first grade, second grade, they're hitting off a T. They're going to smash the ball. Then they go into third grade, they're on machine pitch, they're going to hit 500. Then they're going to go to coach or they're going to go to, you know, kid pitch, they're going to hit like 250. Are they a worse hitter?

107No. It's just things get harder and more difficult. So that's kind of how you have to look at it. It's different than business. It's education. I that if that's wrong, let me know. But that's kind of how I view it of like as things get up, they get harder. Map test is one point in time. Just because you performed bad on one day, that doesn't help. I ready. We don't get results for other districts. So, we can't compare ourselves to other districts. See, also too, when Brian says like, "What are you comparing against?" Well, did you hit 300 in major leagues? Did you hit 300 in Aball? It's different. You know, you got to compare yourself to districts that you're the size of. Does that help? >> I understand your statement. I guess what I

108heard out of all that is that there was confirmation that I ready. you get to you take it multiple times. So that's why the scores are higher. That's what I heard. >> Oh, I'm I'm sorry if I if I misinterpreted that. That's not what I said at all. >> All right. I Ready is just a better view of what you are as a learner because it's over a longer period of time as opposed to one point in time. The other piece to Ire is that you take a diagnostic three times a year, but you also have explicit instruction on your path that kids are able to be in there practicing those skills and strategies in deficits that are identified by your I Ready Diagnostic. So, kids take the test and then they're immediately able to

109go in and practice those skills and strategies in questions that look like the diagnostic test. So they get more practice within that platform. We don't use it as an end measure. We use it as a teaching tool. Whereas a MAP assessment, we don't look at it. We don't know what the questions look like. It is based on standards, priority standards. We hope we know we they throw a few in there every year that aren't. Um but we don't get that opportunity to teach into how to take that test, what the questions explicitly look like. Um, with I Ready there's just a lot more practice and teaching tool that goes into it. So that's why those those scores are are very different. >> All right, fair fair enough. The difference of of how we grade those.

110I understand. Can we switch to the other multitab sheet? There's no other questions or comments. >> Can I just ask one question? Did I hear it right that Desi is again changing the maps? So, we're not going to be able to look back on anything with any kind of clarity to That's cool. I love that. That's awesome. >> That's what I've talked about before when the target's constantly moving. >> I However, may I speak? >> However, I will say like the the target does move and we are aware of that. The target has moved for the 20 years that I've been in education. It will continue to move. They are creating these things to be on a bell curve to look at more statistical data versus just looking at like general 50% of students are

111okay or doing where they should. So they're intending for things to fall on a bell curve. They adjust the cut scores so that they do fall on a bell curve. What's important to us is that we have our local curriculum, that we have our local formative uh formative assessments, our summitative assessments that our teachers are writing, that we know that we have a good, valid, reliable tier one, that we're using a a valid and reliable calibrated assessment like I Ready that's recommended by the state that we're judging our kids on three times a year. So, yes, we're taking it more, but it's it's prescribed more. Um, but also taking that year over year so we can see each kid's progress. My own kids vacasillate on that just kind of depending on what day it is.

112But overall, I know they're growing. But that's why we prescribe other measures and we look at other indicators other than just the MAP. The map can give us some good data. But overall, you're right, it changes. They can change a cut score. They can change um proficiency scale. They can change how many scales they're going to judge us by. And that's why like when we go to the doctor, there's not just one diagnostic test that we base everything off of. And that's why it's important to keep it local also. and um intimate to what our teachers know about our kids and to make sure that we can prescribe and diagnose and give quick feedback according to who knows them the best. So yes, it changes, yes, it's frustrating, but we feel like we know our

113kids and what they need and the MAP test gives us a quick snapshot of that globally um in assessing that's not who the only thing that they are if that helps. >> Okay, the other thing I was going to say, this is the last one I swear. Um, when I look at the reading data and the math too, but just speaking about the reading data, the ELA, when we have the whole school or the whole district, this is where we rate for K K through 8 or K12, that to me, I know that it all depends on what we're asking and what we're trying to look for, whatever, but that your 12th graders, your 11th graders, your 10th graders are going to make up for, you know the third and fourth graders who may not

114be at grade level or maybe the last two years or three years they've gone downward a little bit something like that. So, I like to look at each grade level and where they've gone the last four years, but I guess we're not going to be able to do that anymore because Desi is changing it again, right? >> Yeah. And it's hard to do that because they change the test. >> Well, I mean, year over year, it's >> But if we're proficient, I'm talking about proficiency numbers. >> But even the cut scores change yearover-year. >> Like I And I'm not trying to give excuses. I'm just telling you even the cut scores change yearover-year. So like what happens is the desi will take and they'll say for instance what was it Jill six seven eight years

115ago everybody in the state blew away the biology exam like just got astronomical numbers that he realized it was the way they were grading it was wrong and they came back and did an adjustment to it and then the next year everybody had really bad numbers and then finally they found the middle ground where they wanted it to be. So there's just a difference in in Desie kind of the way assessments work. That's that's why MAP is so hard. It's really meant to not look at how did your third graders do this year, how did your third graders do last year or >> fourth graders. >> Yeah. It's meant to look at the growth. You got to go up a grade. So how do they progress year-over-year and that cohort data is what you're really

116looking at. We're trying to look at it from how did our third graders do last year to how did our third graders do this year. That's a whole different set of kids, >> right? But I guess what my complaint here is or what I'm looking for is like how are we going to address this? And I I'm sure you already know that's why I'm asking. How are we going to address the fact that ever since I've been on the board and even before I was on the board, when I was getting this data and crunching the numbers and looking at, you know, how have they done over the last 5 years, 10 years, where, you know, when was our curriculum changed, when was it updated? What are we going to do to to I guess

117flag or what are we doing to flag when we see that this third grade class is now struggling in the fourth grade or in the fifth grade. >> So a lot of the work that um we are currently doing and some of the really good information that we do get from our MAP assessments is how we do individually on standards. Um, and that is the work that we are focusing on right now in the Wville School District is how are our third graders performing on the ELA standards, the math standards, and the science standards that we know are a priority for the state that those are not changing. Um and so that is when we look at creating common assessments for standards, when we look at standardsbased grading, when we look at how um information

118is reported to families and teachers are getting information from kids, we are really digging into those standards. Um, so what we have going on now is um, Katie and Jill sitting here have just been combing through data and saying like in Miss Olsen's third grade class, here's all the standards that we hit priority-wise in Missouri and these are all the standards that are assessed on the MAP test and we work on in I Ready. We correlate that with I Ready. How is how are her kids doing on that standard? And how are we going to support that teacher with our curriculum, with our content, with our coaches, with everything we have going on to learn more about that standard and to teach teach to that standard. And so when you look at that at the

119grand scheme of multiple standards in multiple subjects and I'm just talking about an elementary school teacher um and we say teachers are working hard they are breaking their backs to do it every single day and and to learn more and to do better. We are always learning more and doing better. Um and and and having the data about standards and how we do on standards and how we report out on standards and how kids are doing. Um we think that's where we're going to get the biggest bang for our buck. Okay. Can we go to the go to the next tab over would ELA all this is a stack ranking by school districts. It has enrollment size number of students tested. You can consistently see that it's not all the students. What you also see

120as you scroll down that the best performing schools whether that's 19,000 students at Rockwood 16,000 Francis How or 200 at at Avenue Avenue City. Uh they they all they're all doing better than Wville School District. The other thing that I find that's interesting, and I'm not going to go through all these tabs, but there's a consistent element that says that the top performing schools have a much higher percentage recognizes advanced versus proficient. If you scroll down to where Wville is, 50 something. Get down there. You can see that those that advance are at a much lower percentage than than proficient. And this is across the board in almost all these these are the numbers that you that we're all measuring by as I understand it. What is going on? Why a school with only 200

121limited resources like a 200 student student school or a 19,000 student school can do so much better than Wville. We've got the best teachers. We got the best administration. And I'm not being tongue andcheek on this. I truly believe that. I've worked with many of the administration. I've talked with teachers, talked with parents, and hear the dedication. Why aren't we doing as well? This is a question I've asked for three years. For three years, I got the same answer. You don't know what you're talking about because you're not in education. You don't know what you're talking about because you don't understand the numbers. I'm tired of hearing that. The school, the the parents are tired of hearing that. It's time for somebody to buck up and say, "Here's what we're going to do to make

122it right. We've given you every dollar that you've asked for." >> Okay. So when then you're going to need to vote for the calendar that we're going to bring to you with release time that allows for professional devel that allows for PLC time on a weekly basis. Yeah. >> Because right now >> let's also do away with things that are not essential. >> You know David, every school district has things that are not essential in your version or your mind. Ultimately you want to know the difference between Francis how Rockwood Fort Zumal. They all have weekly release time. They all have time to collaborate. They all make the sacrifice. Their parents and the community has to make a decision that we are committed to allowing for professional collaboration. And by doing that, you do it

123on a weekly basis. When you start allowing release, >> we're just trying to understand each other. I know that I know you're getting heated, but >> Well, I am because I'm going to protect our people. I mean, we're don't feel that way right now. >> Okay. But can we just No. Here. Okay. Let's um Okay. Next month we will be host or having um a much more in-depth presentation on I guess I don't even know the title of it at this time but um there will be a much more significant u presentation next month. Correct. >> Yeah, we have our academic services program evaluation next month um that will really just go into um the different pieces that we're doing to support to support this work. >> Great. Thank you, David. Um, was there any

124other last, you know, direction or something that you wanted? >> I appreciate I appreciate the time, Julie. I really do. You and I, uh, debated the this for a while and it got kind of pointed, but my whole point of this was just we've got to do better as an organization. I'm not pointing out anybody. I'm saying it's all of us. It's it's as much the minister the the board's issue as as the first year teachers issue. We've got to figure out instead of just saying we're going to keep working and I you tell me what you need and I'll vote for it. >> Okay. Then then I'm going to do that because the other thing is we're going to continue to bring new curriculums like we've talked about when we had 20-y old curriculums.

125So what I want to focus on you want we want to keep looking back. If you look at where we went last year to this year and the test scores they went up yet we're focused on what has gone on the previous three years instead of celebrating what went right. And that's where I'm struggling. I get what you're saying. I do. This is 24 data that you're looking at specifically. The only data you have right now that you can look at that's comparative because the state hasn't released it is just the NPI scores. And when you look at those NPI scores, they showed massive improvement from 5 20 or one's like 18% math or whatever it is. I don't have it in front of me. That ma that NPI score is the MAP performance indicator

126index. That again that's the biggest indicator that the state uses to assess and I get what you're saying but I'm telling you we're in the top 10% in the entire state. Is that good enough? No. I think we all want to continue to get better but the top 10% pretty dang good and we did have success this past year and it shows in the data you were looking at here. This is a year this almost 2-year-old data now and I know it's all we have to look at and that's why we gave it to you. We won't have the additional data. When is that coming Joe? January for the entire state. That's the other problem. We don't even get like data that shows us where we're deficient anymore. The state doesn't provide that. So now

127we spend the time to go out and figure out here's where all the data points are bad. Either way, you are dead on correct. If you don't think I look at this data and say we need to get better, that's been the sole focus of everything we've talked about this year. At administrator meetings, administrators are having those discussions. There is a whole different level of accountability right now. that I think shows and I think people are seeing that. At the same time, I do want to protect we're asking a lot from our teachers. We really truly are. And it's a reshifting of culture and philosophy. It's changing teaching strategies because the curriculum was outdated. I mean, David, I'm going to be honest. A lot of our curriculum wasn't aligned with current state standards. It's hard

128to do well when your curriculum is not aligned to the state standards that we're testing. I can't get in and tell you why. I wasn't here for it. But it's it's the reality. That's why we keep bringing 70 curriculums a year and rewrites of courses and we're ramping it up to get them done as fast as we can because we recognize our kids are struggling and they don't have access. Fort Zumbalt, Francis How, they have cycles that they established that are for curriculum. We didn't have that to the level that we wanted to have it. Katie's team's doing a great job establishing that. We didn't have the same level of instructional coaches that were coming in and helping teachers who were struggling. we didn't have the level of instructional coaches and the intervention time that

129was being built out. So, we're trying hard to get to that. And so, I apologize if I'm passionate about it. I'm not trying to be aggressive about it. It's just I really truly believe we're headed in the right direction. And I don't want to lose people because they don't think we re and see that. And that's that's where the passion comes from for me. So, I and I'm committed to doing it and I'm committed and I love the fact that we're actually having these discussions. Brian, I truly appreciate the commitment, the statement that as a leader that that's that's where we're going, what we're doing. It's great to hear that. I think and I hope that everybody that has listened here, the teachers from the administration, I I'm not trying to single anybody out. It's

130us. We need to do better. And I'm just saying you next next month we're going to get to new results. I wanted to get it out to see where we've been to highlight what the problems that we've had. and for three years we've had the same issue. Now, you've told me it's going to be great next month and I'm very much looking forward to that and I'll celebrate that with you. But we've got to make sure that that is not just a blip that that it's real and people are tired. They're tired of seeing their kids grow up not being able to read and write. >> Yeah. >> So, I appreciate your your focus, your effort, and your dedication. >> Thank you. >> All right. I think it is time to move on to item

13115.6, a bid on the Oh, sorry. Go ahead. >> I just it just popped in my head just now. Um it's something that I've tried to speak with um legislation about um wondering what we could do at the district level if this is something we could do at the district level. seeing the the numbers and knowing that we do have struggling children um and understanding the development of the child's brain from birth till the age of eight. You can't get a great um IQ on a child under the age of eight, but we are testing children under the age of eight to see if they qualify for services, but that's why in third grade we see that spike in kids that require services. Is there a way that the district could instead of waiting until

132third grade saying up until third grade kind of like what we do in kindergarten but push it to third grade if it's a child who's delayed they get the services they need? I know we do that with reading intervention but could we do that a little bit more with other areas? >> So there's several ways that we look at early intervention. Um our CI3T plan addresses that specifically. Um our um us advocating for additional early childhood classrooms getting kids in the door sooner also has advocated for that. Um the other thing that we did was we added additional screeners. Um Kogat, ENGAT. Um we give the Kogat um in first grade, the NGAT in um third grade um as a aptitude test. cognitive ability test. Um so there's there's several different avenues that we take.

133Um I ready assessment is another one and reading and math. Um social emotional screeners and um things that we do and that um there's there's several. I'd be happy to sit down and we could look grade level at some of those different things um if that's something that you would like to do. Rene. >> Yeah. I'm just saying like push it to because I know the cut off is kindergarten at this point. You know, if the kid comes in with an I, it's not an IEP, but it's pretty much an IEP, but just pushing that to third grade and looking at that and see if that would help. >> Yeah. >> I actually have one followup question to kind of like the sentiment of this. Is there any way next when we bring this back

134if we can if there can be like a list put together of any areas where we can identify where we can trim fat from the teachers plate time that's being that they can't use for their planning or that they can't use for student time >> just hypothetical things that we can trim >> speak for Brian but I mean I would think that that has already been in >> I just want to hear the board. I want the board to hear it. >> I don't know what that would look like. I mean, that's going to take probably a little bit more time than a month to have something like that. I know we that that we've worked to look at that. I know the NEA sent out some surveys that they share with us that we

135can see that stuff. Um, you know, it really comes down to time. That's what we hear a lot about is time, time, time. Um, honestly, you might hear a lot of people talk about assessments and that we're overassessing kids. Um, I can tell you, you're going to hear that a lot of kids, a lot of teachers are going to tell you, "We spend way much way too much time assessing kids." Um, you know, we talk about trimming fat. I I'm not probably the most popular person because we've cut way back on things like field trips. You know, unfortunately, you take some of these activities that are meant to be fun that are traditional parts of education, but because the focus is now so heavy on academics and test scores, you're not going to do that

136as much. you know, like the six flags trip probably isn't going to happen now because it takes time out of class and what's the instructional value of it. So, we're going to ask those questions and we're going to be looking at that. So, >> so this is like an honest question. I'm not I'm not I don't know the answer to this. So, I'm curious. >> When we were paper and pencil and textbooks and teachers writing their plans in a packet or whatever, wasn't it supposed to get easier for them when we switched everything to a computer? like like as far as like their time being spent because they're not handgrading every single piece of paperwork. >> Yes. But >> but we replace that with something else. >> But you're still if you're an English teacher,

137you're still grading papers, right? >> If you're a math teacher and you're doing it the right way, you're still evaluating to see where the mistake was made so you can teach the kid. >> So yes, it's electronic, but you're still finding out where that mistake was made within the problem. >> I'm I'm talking more so like them when they're doing their and I don't know what it used to look like. I wasn't a teacher when I went to school, but it seems to me like they were doing things in paper and pencil and it was all manual and now there's some assistance to it. What have we put in that free space that we opened up for them by switching to computers? What did we put there to their time testing? >> Okay. >> I

138I mean I'm not testing more requirements. Um I mean I can start rattling off and and I got to be honest, I'm not the right person to talk about. It's been 20 years since I've been in the in the class. Can I ask um I appreciate the conversation um that this be held next month during the presentation unless there's some >> Thank you, Brian. Is that okay? >> All right. 15.6 the We need a motion. Hold on one second. To approve to accept the bid and contract from Henkins Construction in the amount of $829,000 for the Wentzville Administration Center renovations. This was pulled from consent. >> Motion. >> Second. >> All right. Discussion. I had one. Yeah. You know, this is something that I I re one of the things I received multiple calls and

139emails on this past week was we have $829,000 to spend on remodeling the Edmond building when we don't have money to do the schools. And I know that there's the rest of the story, and I'm not trying to say that there isn't, but I think it'd be beneficial if we had an explanation for the record of what's going on so we can help rationalize what the numbers mean and why they're being used. >> Sure. So, the majority of this is sewage repair. So, if you've been around last year and if you're here frequently, you see that we operate with four toilets right now. The rest of them are out of order. Um, that's because in 2018, Is Josh still here? When was that camera done? 2018. There was a camera that was run through our

140pipes that shed showed they were corroded out at that point in time. Uh they've done nothing to get worse. Last year we had multiple times where there was human feces in the boardroom and everywhere else. Um and I'm not trying to be disgusting. I'm just telling you that was the reality of what was going on with it. So what has to happen because this is an old medical building. There are 10 eight or 10 lines underneath this Josh. eight lines, eight sewage lines that are under here. And so what has to happen is we have to cap all of those and we have to reroute them all. So we had budgeted within the capital budget already on this one that probably should have been done in 2018 when the when the camera work was done

141to show that these pipes are all corroded out. So they've just been getting worse and worse. So we had 600,000 to replace all that. Well, what we found out is it would cost more if we wanted to keep this bathroom because they'd have to trench through the entire You can see where it goes. is it's the green tape that's on the line. So that's a singular line that would not be there. So this bathroom's got to go away. That bathroom goes through another line all by itself. So that one would have to go away. You'd have to cap those. So that's what we're going to do. It's either trench them and fix them so they're usable again or it's move stuff out of the way, put 88 we we also there's not a single ADA

142compliant bathroom in the in the admin center right now. There's not one. So that we, you know, we were grandfathered in on that, but it's not the best when we use this for our PD center to allow for collaboration. We have guests here who don't have ADA accommodation bathrooms. Um, we have a lactation room that doesn't have water in it. So ultimately, the renovations are those. It's just simply mostly replacing the sewer line. The only thing that may look different for people is the idea is to knock that wall down to make it bigger. So when you have professional development in here and cut that sight line in half because that's a dead line. That's a dead sewage line in there as well. Those might be the only two changes you'll actually physically see. Everything

143else is underground with sewer pipe and that's that's where it came from. So we had already budgeted this in there. We just intentionally waited because we didn't want to put it out there during the summer bid projects because there were so many other things going on and it didn't have a direct impact on students. >> Thanks. I you know I knew that that was going on. I just felt important for everybody. Uh Dr. Tim, if you're still here. Okay. So, with with uh the companies that are doing this include her and Henkins, I mean, can can you tell me they're consistent contractors for us? Are are we are we receiving money from them in any campaign for pack committee work or anything like that in supporting of any of these endeavors? Want to make sure

144just as we talked about before about the Google and the Apple that we're being cognizant and aware of this with these vendors as well. >> I the fact committee does not run through the school district. I don't have those records. >> Okay. So there's been no conversations. I I will say Henkins though to David. I don't I mean I haven't been here since we use him as a contractor. >> Okay. >> So I I don't know. I mean Honer is just our architect that was bidded out. That's up for bid this year. So they they'll bid out again. That that's going to come on your plate to do soon. That we'll have to put that out there. Henkins I mean the last companies we've used has been right and I don't know who was before

145that if any who LCS maybe >> yeah LCS. So, um, from that standpoint, you know, I don't know. Um, I will tell you oftent times vendors will put will add campaign contributions to any number of things. So, they can do that as they see fit. That's their choice. What they what Tim is telling you is those don't run through the school district. So, they're not school district business. >> All right. And that's that's good to hear. And I wanted to make sure we weren't talking and directing them to anything. And it sounds like from what I'm hearing that we're not doing that at any level. I appreciate that. Thank you. That's all I had. >> Any other questions? >> Yeah, I I had a question. So, in the description, it said that we worked with

146Honer. So, did we pay Honer for like contracting with this? Yeah, it will be in their following their uh master agreement that we already have with Honer for any work that we do with them. Same fee schedule that we use for any project that we currently do with Honer based on our approved master agreement with them. >> Okay. I missed the first part of what you said. So, we have an agreement with them and so we will have costs associated with this with owner. >> Yes, they did design and and construction supervision. Yes. Yeah. >> Any other discussion? All right, let's take a roll call vote, please. Joanie. >> Secretary Beenthal. >> I >> Dr. Olsen. >> Hi, >> Dr. We. >> Hi, >> Dr. Lewis. >> Hi, >> President Scott. >> I, >> Vice

147President Walsh, >> I. >> Dr. Hanky, >> I. >> Motion carries. All right. 15.7. We need a motion to approve the proposed tax rates as presented. >> Motion. >> Any discussion? >> Just one item I want to mention that I didn't mention when I spoke for 20 minutes earlier. So, um, the 2.9% that I included in there, that does not include anything that is lost revenue from the senior citizens tax credit. So that money when we figure our new tax rate, we assume we're receiving that money. That's part of the law. So that 2.9% is actually going to be lower because we know we won't receive some of that due to the senior citizens tax credit freeze. But we are required in our calculations to assume that we are receiving all of that money even

148though we won't. And that's the way the the statute is written on the Senate Bill 190. >> So with that comment real quick. So then we're budgeting understanding that it's not going to be that. >> Correct. >> Yes. >> Any other discussion? All right. Can we roll call vote, please? Jody. >> Secretary Beenthal. I >> Dr. Olson. >> Hi, >> Dr. Way. >> Hi, >> Dr. Lewis. >> Hi, >> President Scott. >> I, >> Vice President President Walsh, >> I. >> Dr. Hanky, >> I. Motion carries. >> All right. 16.1 board action items. Anybody have anything to add? >> Sounds like you want to add some kind of budget. I guess sounds like you want to add some kind of something for us to look at teacher workload. You want that to be a board

149action item or just something you want us to do. >> It was for academic services. >> I would like I would say >> if you don't have time to do it before October clearly I mean I know this is I just sprung it on you on the last minute. I just think it would be good for the board to maybe just get your opinion on areas where we could cut fat. I will tell you what, I have a meeting with the we have a meeting with the WA on Monday. So, we'll address that topic and see what suggestions they have. I promise you they'll have a bunch. >> Okay. >> I had Oh, >> I I was just going to piggyback on that and say, look, I would like I would love to hear from

150teachers in the district, teachers in other districts, you know, what areas do you guys see that, you know, maybe you could bubble up through us that we could then share with administration? Sounds like administration hears you guys loud and clear. I think everybody said tonight they recognize everyone's out breaking their back putting in more um than is expected of you and it's appreciated and they recognize that and want to address it. So um please share what you guys feel um could be beneficial for you guys as well either with us with your uh NEA member or administration. So >> go ahead director. >> Um I just had two follow-up things. We had talked about this oh gosh months ago about naming the road right there. Um since reach is coming very soon and that road

151is not named. So looking into uh naming that and that process. And the second thing was power lunch. We had brought that up um and we had gotten a survey just and we had talked about restructuring that a little bit just kind of wondering where that's at. um kind of some feedback >> that is part of what we're talking about with calendars day schedule things like that when we when we're going to bring those items that's something that we are definitely we've talked about that for two years now we've been trying to figure out we've gotten all kinds of research on and it's more than just power launch this is really what I was getting into when we were talking about how do we schedule release time is that something the entire community is going

152to support because it is a big commitment um part of that would go with okay how do we not sacrif acrifice the academic minutes. So, what we're spending a lot of time doing right now is evaluating how many minutes of instruction do we have in our current schedule, these proposed schedules that allow for the academic time, the uh the um collaboration time that I'm talking about. A big part of that is how do we still continue to keep the same number or as many of the minutes as we can. So, when we're looking at that power launch, you know, you're probably looking at something that could be all, could be probably some. I mean, right now, Jerry, Katie, and I have met twice to really pour this over to to bring some options to talk

153with the the NEA and the board about um we're not quite ready to do that, but I would say you'll get something with that sooner rather than later because it's a pretty big shift if we're going to go that way. So, and Power Lunch will definitely be part of that discussion. >> All right, that sounds good. So, is that with next month or is that >> Oh, no. That won't be right. >> No. >> Okay. Any other board action items that you'd like to discuss? And next, last but not least, board member comments. Anybody have anything? Yes, director be Secretary Vincent. >> Um, all right. I just got and I made some notes because it's been one heck of a start to the school year. I know at least for me and I know for

154a lot. So, um, I want to take a moment to commend all of our teachers, staff, admin, students, families for a successful first month of the school year. I know as a teacher of almost 20 years and a parent for the last 12 how difficult it can be to get back in the routine of school. I also understand better than I have ever how much heavy stuff our students have going on in their lives. They or their loved ones are battling illness, cancer, all kinds of things. Uh, we have families who have experienced job loss in the last couple weeks or the last year. Families going through divorce, struggling with addiction, parents balancing, many jobs are struggling financially, families who are unhoused. Some students are trying their hardest while overcoming learning um or processing disorders.

155Throw in the regular struggles we all should remember of how hard it is to grow up, to be a middle schooler or high schooler, friend drama, crushes, feeling you don't belong, not making a team or club. There's just so much noise in our kids' personal lives and it's heavy for them. There can be conflict that arises among students in a school setting, just like happens in adult workplaces. Every educator I know does their job because they have a passion for their subject matter, for trying to instill that same love of learning in their students, and for making school a safe space where our students can grow their knowledge base and figure out what they want to do with their lives. It's also where we teach. And yes, in the dreaded group projects, we force them

156to work together with others without worrying whether they believe the same things because that's what we have to do when we get to the adult world, which is interact with and work alongside people who think like we do and people who think differently from us. Our students are carrying enough weight from their everyday lives into our buildings with their backpacks, Chromebooks, and Stanley's. I am here on the board to equip our teachers and staff, make our schools a safe place for students to learn what they need to know to be successful in their classes and beyond our building doors. Uh, and to our WSD family. We've got one month under our belts. Great work and let's keep moving forward doing our best for our kids. I'd also like to give a personal shout out to

157the nursing staff in all of our buildings, but especially Frontier Middle, uh, Nurse Alicia and Kate. You guys are amazing. All right. Does anybody want to follow that? >> I certainly don't. No >> motion to adjurnn. >> Oh, I do have comments. I was just thought somebody else was >> Go ahead. Um, I just wanted to give my perspective to the board about um the state of well I guess we care about our district but society in general. Um, I've had a lot of people contact me, parents, students, community members, staff members. Um, kind of in in a place of confusion, but also uh they're distraught. Um they're afraid to speak up. They're afraid to um like if they hear something that someone's saying that's abhorrent, they're they're sitting there in silence because they have

158a picture in their head that we all have a picture in our head of what could happen if someone hates you enough for what you said. That'll be ingrained in the head in in the minds of all of us for forever. And our kids saw that, a lot of them, or they will because it's out there. Um, we have to recognize that we've created or at least allowed this kind of environment to exist. Um, I don't know what we did. I don't know uh what we can do to fix it, but I think we should think about it. I think that we should think about um like I encourage the administration to look at ways uh to ensure the kids feel fully accepted and included. It's part of our um our CEP belonging, not just

159um even even the ones that have opinions that aren't mainstream, aren't uh acceptable because there's been a lot of talk about free speech tonight. And I think that students when they're talking to each other or when they're having opinions or whatever, I think it should be embraced and not uh policed. Um, I encourage our staff to be mindful of the impression, both good and bad, that you're leaving on the young people's hearts and minds, as well as your colleagues. I encourage parents to embolden their children and to teach them that their voices and opinions and beliefs are valid and that they matter. I encourage students to listen to one another and to be better than the ex example that's been set out for for you across society. Respect each other's right to have an opinion

160and always be willing to talk through your differences instead of shouting each other down or slapping labels on people you disagree with. There's always something to learn from one another in the process of the free exchange of ideas. Listen to each other. Learn to understand each other. And most most importantly, fight for and not with each other. And I'll leave you with this quote. When people stop talking, that's when you get violence. That's when civil war happens because you start to think the other side is so evil and they lose their humanity. That was Charlie Kirk. >> Any other public? >> Motion to adjurnn. Any second? >> Second. >> All right. All those in favor? I I >> you have to roll. >> Oh, shoot. Roll call. Dang it. Okay. Roll call. >> Secretary Bezenthaw.

161>> I >> No, I don't. >> Yes, you. >> I already said I so I'm good. >> Secretary Beenthawa. >> Hi, >> Director Olsen. >> Hi, >> Director Way. >> Director Lewis. President Scott, >> Vice President Walsh, >> Director Enki, >> I. Motion carries.