4/13/2026 - Board Meeting

001I aliance 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. >> Good evening everyone. We'd like to welcome you all to our regularly scheduled board meeting of the Laurel School District. We'll begin with public comment. And I'd like to remind you all, I appreciate your passion and thank you for being here tonight. Um, public comment is reserved for items that are not on the agenda. So, if you're here to speak on something that is on the agenda, please wait till the relevant agenda item appears. I'll go ahead and read our my sort of canned public comment statement. Public participation is encouraged in the Laurel School District. All meetings of the board will be open to the

002public except as provided by law. Scheduled meetings of the board may be recorded. Audience members may address the board during public comment for non-aggenda interests or during the discussion of the relevant printed agenda item. Your attendance is welcomed. If you plan to speak to the board, please look over the information on the agenda, then complete the public comment section on the back of one of these cards and hand it to myself or Superintendent Torx. Again, as a reminder, that is for these are for items that are not on the agenda. Public participation is a right that carries certain responsibilities such as informing oneself in advance of the issues being discussed. Voluntarily being as brief and germanine as possible, not unduly repeating remarks others or you have already made and showing respect at all times for

003the rights and opinions of others, whether citizens, board members, school district employees, or students. So, do I have any public comment for items which are not appearing on the agenda tonight? Hearing none, we'll move on to our next section. Section three, a presentation on student services. >> Good evening. Okay, so first we're going to start with the student exit data and then we also have a portion that has a student withdraw feedback sum uh summary from the surveys that a few of our parents completed. We're stamping now. >> Okay. So, part one, like I said, we're going to go over the student exit numbers and exit reasons. Um this is from Infinite Campus, the portion that our staff inputs when a student um withdraws. And then part two, we will be going over the withdrawal

004survey and the feedback from that. And part three, what we can do and next steps where we go from here. Okay. So currently we have um 46 students that have unenrolled from the high school. We have 20 students who unenrolled the school year from middle school, um 20 from the intermediate and 26 from the elementary. And this is the data that we pulled from infinite campus which is our student information system. So with this information for the first one is for Laurel High School. So we had 10 students who transferred to other Montana districts. We had 22 students that transferred to homeschool. Um, two that transferred to Montana Youth Challenge. Um, five students transferred out of state. One transferred out of the county >> country >> or country, sorry. Um, and then five that were

005withdrawal or dropout. And then we had one unknown reason for one of the dropouts. So, for Laurel Middle School, we had five who transferred to another Montana district. Um, two of those transfer, two students transferred to private school, five transfer to home school. Um, five transferred out of state, one out of the country. Um, one student was expelled, and we had one unknown, which was like a no-show 10day drop. For Laurel Intermediate, we've had five students that transferred to another district in Montana. Um, eight students that transferred to homeschool, five students transferred out of state, one for medical reasons, and then one student for unknown no show 10day drop. For Laurel Elementary, we've had 26 students. And the reasons that we had an infant campus were that five of them transferred to other Montana districts.

006Eight of the eight students transferred to homeschool, five students transferred out of state, and eight were unknown no show 10day drops. So now we'll go through the student withdrawal feedback summary. So, this was a survey that was sent out this school year for parents. Um, once they unenrolled their student from any of the schools, the tech department automatically sends them a survey that they can choose to or to not fill out. That would give us some information to better help us figure out what's happening and why parents are deciding to withdraw students. We had 22 parents complete this survey. So there were top five key findings were communication, um safety and bullying, student support, consistency of supports and school culture. So, out of the parents that um pulled for what they decided or what they

007told us the future educational plans were, um like 42% were going to other public school districts. Um four a little over 4% were private school. I think 4.8% they marked other. Um little over 20% was homeschooled students. And then we had um a pretty good amount of students that transferred to virtual programs, online programs. All right. Okay. So for to put this a little bit in perspective, we just to remind you, 22 families completed the survey. So for Laurel Elementary, two of these um families were families that go that withdrew from Laurel Elementary. So the top concerns that those two families had were communication. Um families reported feeling unheard and mentioned concerns of lack of followup. There was safety and bullying. One survey um responders stated that this was the reason for enrollment for their

008child from the district. And then academic concerns. One survey responder stated that this was the reason for unenrollment from the district. Um and those students went to another public school. For Laurel Intermediate, we had seven families complete the survey out of the 22. And the concerns again were communication, feeling that they were unheard and mentioned concerns of lack of followup, safety, and bullying. Um, multiple survey respondents cited this as the reason they unenrolled their children from the district. And then academic concerns. The academic concerns kind of went both ways. They were concerns of um not having enough for like I think one one of the parents had written that they had a gifted and talented student and then we also had the other side where um feeling like there wasn't enough support for our most

009atrisisk students. So just this just breaks it down. So 71% were homeschooled. We had a few private school and then another um public school district for Laurel Middle School. only had one family complete the survey um and that family's concerns were regarded to safety and bullying um with negative peer interactions that were resulting in behavioral issues and academic decline and also academic concerns that the negative peer interaction was impacting their child's ability to perform at school. and that student went to another public school district. The high school had eight families out of the 22 respond. Um, communication again was reported feeling unheard, mentioned concerns over lack of followup. There were also academic concerns. Um, they cited that this was the reason for unenrollment. So, we had uh 62% went online virtual programs and then a

010little over 30% went to other public school districts. We have three parents that did not want to specify the school that their child was at. So, but they reported communication, the same thing, feeling unheard, safety and bullying. um they cited that that was one of the main reasons that they pulled their student from the school district and we had those students were going majority to another public school and then one marked other. So where do we go from here? Something that you know our admin team will do and look at is immediate goals. So like how can we improve the communication system with our families and our bullying response. Um midterm goals would be strengthening our MTSS support. So looking at what we're doing not only for academics but what we're doing to support like

011the behavioral pieces and the mental health pieces. Looking at the whole child and then long-term goals would be to improve the culture family engagement and some more data monitoring um within our school buildings. And that's it. >> Do we have any cross referencing on if we know those families due to bullying ever reported it directly to any of the administrators to the teachers? >> Yes. So the out of the families that actually did the survey that reported bullying, they all stated that they had like the the anonymous or >> Yeah. >> anonymous reporting. Okay. They did that and then they stated like that they spoke to admin in the building as well. Not sure if they spoke to teachers, but I mean this also doesn't take into account I mean it's good information for us,

012but it also doesn't take into account the students that move into the district. Um, which I know we've had students come in as well. um we're still at a deficit even with the kids that have come in, but it's not a huge a huge change. So, um the numbers for that would be a little more work because the way our system is set up right now, if a kid enrolls and then unenrolls and then enrolls back again, it counts them twice within that year. So, we would have to really go in and look at the data info like each individual to make sure that we're not counting like a student more than once because we do have kids that come back and forth. Like just this week, some of the numbers and in our in

013my report are are wrong already because we've had kids that were in homeschool, two of them that came back this last on Friday. So, and then we have other students that have left. So, it just es and flows like it's always changing. I think we've had this and I again I don't know about the double enrollies but we're in the high 40s I believe for new students into the district this year. >> Some of those are rein. >> Sure. Sure. >> 49 or something like >> and that counts like our kids they also go to Yellowstone Academy that might come back but they only come back for a short short time and then they leave again. So then we're counting them as like they came and then they left. So you'd really have to like

014look at the data and pull all those pieces so that we're actually getting true numbers. So we try to look at the you know kind of the what are the trends in any of those comments you know and when you get trends like well there's not enough communication okay well what does that mean is that coming just from principles is that from teachers is that from we got to make sure that's kind of a whole scale effort to make sure that we're we're getting with people it's the first question I hear administrators asking and I know teacher teachers are very good about it. We're we're we're trying to say, "Okay, have we called the parents?" Yeah, that's a tough phone call because, you know, maybe there was some misbehavior or maybe there was whatever, but

015uh those are the most important phone calls to make uh when there's frustration on the line. Those are the most important phone calls to make. So, but also the hardest. >> Well, sorry. >> And then I remember last when Julie did our last student count report. I mean, even across the district, we were like one whole class size short. I know that, like I said, it es and flows >> um in and out over years. >> Um I also think that when like the boundaries were open and parents didn't have to pay tuition, that accounted for some of the kids that, you know, left during summer cuz this is not even taking in like summer numbers or prior to school starting. This is literally September 3rd to now. So I mean I think that our

016numbers have dropped the last few years but I think significantly this last year when that rule changed for parents to be able to choose where they could go to school >> and our out of school out of school enrolies actually >> also went up two out of district kids went up. So >> kind of >> so is it like a net 70? >> Uh we're net minus3 I think. at minus 13. >> So that's kind of gives you an idea of >> but it doesn't change the fact it doesn't change any of the data >> correct >> about if someone left and they're frustrated because of communication or whatever bullying whatever it doesn't change that those are still facts. >> Yeah. >> Um whether they left or came back those are still concerns and things

017we have to work on and get better on. >> Right. >> I don't think any any of it's being ignored. I just simply um you know it's just difficult at time >> right >> so communication systems cuz we have like class dojo correct elementary which >> I mean from what I'm hearing from our our parents of that um age group they love it if I'm not hearing it correctly cuz it's a it is a back and forth correct cuz they can also respond so there is >> closed social media >> right so they do have the ability to directly contact there's there's child's teacher and that teacher can directly contact for anything if I'm understanding and what does the middle school have >> so we've talked about this we've talked about a little has the

018same they middle school and high school have to kind of rely on our infinite campus system because they don't have >> and phone calls yeah they don't have or they don't have a overall system not that you can't use dojo it's a little kidish you little small kidish thing. Uh but uh not that we couldn't use it as we go up in levels. We just have never used it beyond the free version. >> You can use Google Classrooms too, >> right? >> I don't know how often people do that, but >> but at the same time then at the high school level, what what kind of communic I guess mine's the what what kind of communication is the high school parents looking for? I mean, to a point, I mean, if they have questions, I've

019never had a problem reaching out to any of the high school teachers and ask, "Hey, can I stop into your classroom after school? Can I I have a question?" Um, or just simply email. So, I guess when you guys say there's we're going to improve our communication systems, what systems are we talking about? Because we already we already have systems. So, what does that look like? >> I think more I don't think systems like dojo per se. I think more culture of communication. I think that's where >> Yeah. I think I think is everyone doing that? >> You know, for example, if we have a student in your classroom that um has a D or below, have you how many times have you communicated with those with those? >> Well, if you're set up on

020your parent app, you'll get that the moment that those high school teachers put that grade in and it tells you your students level. You should know. >> Well, sure. if you're on that app. That's true. >> But there's >> trust me, I'm on that app. >> I think there's a lot of parents that don't have the app or don't have email. So like you have to call um >> Yeah. >> Okay. So there is a mutual of communication and I understand the procedure wides but maybe it's a we as a district need to remind our parents that these are the levels of systems we have. If your student is in this grade level, you you have the ability to hop on this. If your student is in this grade level, this is how you can

021communicate >> and maybe even at parent teacher conferences because I know we can capture quite a bit of students or parents and their students at that time, we remind them of that. >> Yeah. So, kind of like the the infinite campus campaign to get people on those things or the or the Google classroom campaigns. So, that's important. Sometimes we'll do that at the beginning and then it fades away. But I think having those campaigns is important for parent teacher conferences or >> well and like in the middle school and high school just the cohesion of what every teacher does. A student has seven teachers and they all each teacher does it a little differently. By February, you forget which teacher does what. So, all teachers should be doing the same procedure. >> Yeah. >> Why

022even like and I know >> we have too. Sorry, Britney. Go ahead. >> Oh, we just have we had an audience uh comment, >> but they have to come up to the podium. >> She'd have to come up. >> They have to come up and say their name and their address. >> Come on up. Just make sure you state your name and address for the for Crystal to write down >> the address too. Um, Deva McNibon. My address is long. 1775 Red and King Gulch Road Laurel >> MC N I Ven. So, from a parents perspective, I'm going to try and like follow the line of what Christina just presented. Um, f almost 5 years ago, our students, our students were dumped into the general education um classes without their IEPs being changed. Uh, that

023was a huge miscommunication with this the district. Um it was actually unlawful and it has not been corrected to this point. Um we were told at that time that you were going to adopt MTSS and that has not happened. Um we don't have any co-eing going on. Uh if you want to call what you're doing co-eing I call it glorified paraprofessionals because the the sped teachers are sitting in on classes that they are not co-eing. Um, as far as communication goes, when an entire uh, nine weeks goes by and I go in and talk with my student's teacher and she says, "She's wonderful child. She is so amiable, but she really hasn't accomplished much this semester or this nine weeks." That's too late. I should have heard about that that first day that that happened.

024I should have heard about it every time it happened, not at nine weeks. Okay? And just because she's happy and just because she doesn't cause any trouble doesn't mean that you shouldn't hold her to the standard that she needs to be held so that she can progress. And this is year after year after year. This isn't just a one-time deal, okay? Um, when we're talking about parents pulling their children because of student lack of student support, we're talking about when an IEP is not being fulfilled, when that child knows that they are supposed to have a reader come in and read their schoolwork to them and they don't have a para that is available to do that. We are talking about um this is my favorite giving a student inappropriate technology to take their mass

025test on because it does not have the accommodations that it is supposed to have on it to be able to do that. Okay. Um, we're talking about um teachers not following through on behavioral plans or not having behavioral plans for students who have a harder time with um social interaction in the classroom. Okay, these are big things. These are not small things. they are actually violating our students rights and our students um IEP which is law that the the district signs. So in Miss Peterson's presentation it seems all very generic and very I want you to understand what the parent and the student is going through. Okay. um trying to think how I can make a conclusion. I I just want you to understand that we are we have real problems and that we have

026real um issues that we need to be dealt with as students and as parents. Mo mo most of you know I substitute in the district. I see wonderful wonderful things happening every day. I see p teachers going the extra mile. What I see the most of is a lack of understanding and a lack of training and that we need to bring these things up and make them current with the 21st century rather be lagging behind. Thank you. >> Thanks D >> Britney. Yes. Well, then I would we're going to if we're going to go there, then if we need to strengthen our MTSS and we need to strengthen our education, then I'm going to look at you as the director and I'm going to look at you because if this is the last couple of

027years and now it's starting to bubble up and we're hearing it from our parents, we're hearing it from our teacher. teachers. We're hearing it from our employees. What are we going to do? >> Well, that's why I added um number five under this um section which was challenges and opportunities. So, we had an opportunity to talk about some of those challenges. I know some of them are funding related. I think some of them are skills related. um as in uh the does the applicant pool possess the requisite skills? Um I think some of it's uh some understanding. Communication I think is one of those things that is so is pretty subjective. I mean you could tell people something 10 ways to Sunday and send it up in smoke and and people would still miss it.

028So that was a that was a tricky one to solve. I understand. So I think what we can talk about though I think are the the other challenges like implementing MTSS in our district. How does that work? And that was one of the questions I had is what are the challenges uh implementing that? To what extent has it been implemented? Um and things like that. So if anyone else has questions that's what I want this um opportunity to to be. So >> go ahead. Go ahead Kelly. I just wanted to mention in looking at the information um I find the withdrawal data helpful to look at in terms of you know drawing some conclusions and trends. When you look at the time that they actually took to complete a survey you only have two from

029the elementary and one from the middle school. That's like singledigit percentage. >> So I really feel like that's very limited. I mean it does reference things but we have to be really careful to not draw a bigger conclusion for that. But um definitely the withdrawal data um I I think that's helpful information to look at. And one of the things about the withdrawal data is again it's limited to this those email responses and I know we have some anecdotal responses that that come to our principal if I come in and check out my kid. Well, what's going on? You know, how can we help you? Well, I'm frustrated because of A, B, and C. And then they may that so the principles have information who and and they talk a little bit about that. They

030could potentially get up and talk about that if you want. So they have additional data that doesn't necessarily show up in this uh that we talked about. It's not hard data, but it's anecdotal. It's it's uh qualitative data. Um that's something obviously they can get up and briefly give some feedback on what they're hearing because they've talked to all those kids that are being pulled out and though they didn't all take a survey, they have talked to our principles. So that was the first part of the presentation was that information that's in IC which is what the building gets and then our secretar's code in IC. So like but the the principles probably have a little more information on maybe where when they say they're going out of stage or out of district >> and

031that would include, you know, how how we've implemented what we're doing for uh MTSS systems in our school and what that looks like, what that even means. So you guys all are comfortable that even means um and we can obviously talk about that. Uh if we want to save that, we talked about what MPSS looks in our school. Uh there's a lot on tonight's agenda, but that would be a good presentation as well, just so everyone just has a good understanding of what that looks like already. >> Uh it's not just co-eing. I don't claim to have a co-eing model in this school at all. Um uh I've told the principles don't use that term co-eing because that's not what we're doing. Um >> and NTSS is all of us, all the admin work together

032on this. This is the multi-tered supports that are in the schools. So like what we do for all kids, you know, what we could be doing for all students at that first level, what do we do when we progress to that second level where they need more support? And then the third level, which is like our most high-risk students, could be on IEPs. Um maybe they're not on an IEP, but they're like our tier three students that need interventions through IBGR or other supports that we need to provide behaviorally. Um so it's very much a team approach. It's not just I don't work on that. I don't give anybody information on on that other than us working together. What do you what do you say is the challenges to implementing that effectively? >> Does admin

033want to step up for their buildings? Because I I can't speak on behalf of their buildings, but if anybody would like to >> on just MTSS. >> All right. >> So, we talk about him. Yeah. Justin. >> Okay. So, I don't think it's fair to put that just on Christina. I think that's all admin. Uh, I think there's many challenges with MTSS. I think we're all doing well, I know middle school, we're doing uh pretty good job now. Can we do more? We can definitely do more, but we've come a long ways from where we were at. I think uh personally, I'm just going to say this. I think the survey which is good which gives us some insight. I also feel uh from 10 years ago until today uh now it's much easier to

034we see a lot of kids that are that get unenrolled for homeschool that enrolled for home school. Enrolled for home school enrolled to home school. uh and there's no followth through in homeschool. So we MTSS yes could still be strengthened up. However, I also feel there needs to be what would help in a lot of this is some follow through from the state on what does homechool look like? Are we following up with students that are being homeschooled? I feel like if that was the case like in Georgia, I think you would have a lot less of that and a lot more conversations are working with the district. We've worked with I know Allison and I is this three years with you? >> Y >> um any parent that comes in, we meet with any

035bulland report, we tag team. Uh we're working with the students that are with bulland reports. Um uh one part of education that's that's uh not what everybody feels as part of education is how do we live and work with others not just science reading social studies art and all the other great things but how do I work with people I don't agree with how do I uh hold each other accountable how do I uh do things when I go to a job. Mr. Troy is a great boss, but he tells me to do something, I don't want to do it. What do I do then? I still have to do it. And so perseverance and all these other things uh where um many of us I think everybody in this room that I'm looking around

036to agrees with that but there's a small population that don't know how that all works. And so the easy out is I'm going to pull them away if they're my kid doesn't want to go to school and is arguing with me. Um, it's easier to pull them out if I have. So, that's I don't know. I could go on and on and open a whole big can of worms, but uh MTSS I feel that we're all doing I was just at uh elementary and they have the 3Bs and they're doing an awesome uh assembly uh with the 3DS. That's all NTSS. So saying we don't have MTSS I would say is inaccurate. I would say just like any school you're constantly striving to do better. And I see all our teachers. They're always striving to

037do better. Are they perfect? No. But I can look around this in this room and I know nobody in here is perfect. As far as I'm aware, there was one guy that was perfect in this world and he was born about 2024 years ago or 26 years ago. Sorry. Uh but we all strive to be perfect or and do better. Um so are we perfect? No. Do we have a long ways to go? Yes. Do I think that we're better than most districts in Montana? Heck yeah. Uh do I think that when I look at my middle school teachers, do I see a bunch of top-notch teachers that are doing the best that they can? Yes. Is there more that we can do? Yes. But one thing that comes out in the survey, we just

038did a a survey, a staff survey, and they feel that they're stretched way too thin and they feel overwhelmed. So, as a district, we need to take care of them because I tell you what, there's not very many out there. And if we're gonna start uh not working with them and uh doesn't mean not holding them accountable, but working with them and stuff, then they they can jump to other districts that are willing to work with them that understand that we're all human and understand that uh that there's that we all strive for perfection, but we don't quite make it. But MTSS in our district, yes, we have MTSS in our district. Can we do better? Yes. >> And some of it is a funding piece. And the only piece that I'm going to add

039is I concur with everything Mr. Cleby said. He took the words right out of my mouth. But the only thing I would add is when we look at MTSS and we look at multi-tier support systems. There's a dollar point value that comes with that. And it's great we have air conditioning available in elementary. I heard sat at this board meeting with somebody coming in. We want air conditioning. Great. Do we have enough money for interventionists within the buildings? Do we have enough money for instructional coaches to help our ABC teachers that have came in that are teachers or seasoned teachers that have come in, but the ABC teachers came in without a degree to try to help get that support. And if we're wanting to really make a difference or or move that needle, we

040have to look at that piece of the funding as well because it's great to have air conditioning and everybody wants comfort comfortability, but we also have to take care of our systems in place. And I guess as for the bullying and those remarks, um, we have one parent that reported. I would say that if you look at our I mean when I went over the middle school till now I can even show you the data the behavioral I've kept it for the past years and we are constantly cutting it in half and half and half and soon as they come in we're on it and the first thing I do is I offer every parent that reports anything do you want to know contact contract that way we can start protecting the kids right off

041the I mean day one we will protect your child Um, I would want that done for my child. I take that very serious. I know Mr. Cleby does, too. We want our kids to feel safe and supported. But we also want to hold our kids accountable for their actions on school grounds and off the school grounds. And we want to make sure that our kids are helping each other be better adult citizens of this community. So as they grow and come back to serve in these roles that you guys have, some of our past students will start serving in these roles at some point in our lifetime. We want them to make sure that they understand the community role as well. >> Yes. >> I just want to remind that we can't use the monies

042from the bond for air conditioning toward just to make a decision. I just want to know on how we do our budget. throughout the years. >> Yeah. >> I just want to make sure >> that's going to be a huge cost. >> I'm talking about like what he said. The utility money going forward is what I'm talking about. I'm not talking about bond money. >> I just want Yes. Right. Thank you. We appreciate that. >> I'm new at this. But >> we would like to just as a reminder about >> time I just for reals I won't talk as long as Justin. I uh MTS systems are in place in elementary and intermediate. We have behavior. We've always had the MBI. If you get the MBI handbook, it is on our website. You go on

043there, it tells you exactly what happens. The kids in tier 1 are here. Tier 2, tier three, how we do it. Think sheets. We do assemblies. We have all of the things going for positive reinforcements. Get on there. Look, it's awesome. Been doing it for years. Well, I've been doing it for one, but we are continually doing that all the time. MTS systems for academics are also fully in place at both schools. We have got I've got the gifted and talented, but we're also doing win. It's the low kids, middle kids, green kids. The kids, all the kids get at least a half an hour four times a week where they're at academically. The sped is special education kids. Kids of all abilities get to be where they need to be. We have systems put

044in place so that we can find the kids who need the extra help. We have progress monitoring every two weeks for all of our low kids, for the red kids, for the orange. You don't know when we're at an orange beam, but the lower kids, right? The kiddos who are struggling, the ones that we need to identify. We have all of those kids. We've got stuff in place for our bubble kids, the ones that are about to be on level. All of that is already happening and happening weekly, monthly, daily in our buildings. Yes. What is the communication to the parents from those progress monitorings? >> That's a very good question. So, I don't know. So, we do we do the quarterly reports. I know that title does quarterly reports. if there's issues and they're

045going down or they're not making progress. So, if you have these win groups, we set up these win groups and they start to move forward, right? And if you have a kiddo who stays here, but these kids start to pass them, then we start looking into the next step of tier 2 or tier three and parents are contacted at that point cuz then you're looking at title, you're looking at spat, you're looking at the different things that go into that. Does that make sense? Yeah, because I would argue quarterly reports are great, but the minute we start seeing nonprogress at any level, I would like and this could be an area of improvement. I would love communication. >> Yeah, I think the key point that what you said there though was a regression because the

046the goal right for any school is that everybody is moving forward. And so it would be then the expect if the expectation is to contact everybody about everything that their child does then cuz school ultimately is a system >> and there's not enough adults to manage each of the children you know simultaneously they are working their tails off to do the best that they can. So, as long as we can agree that it's just on those that are sliding rather than the vast majority that are moving. Um, now don't get me wrong, I also think that we I'll say we really, I mean me, that I could do a better job of celebrating like our scores from this half of the year. We have so many kids that are proficient. It's been a really, really

047positive year. super big gains in both reading and mathematics. And I don't think we get to talk about that enough. I put it in my board report, but I know y'all just read it, but >> I say, yeah, good things are happening here. >> A lot of good things are happening. I I also would like to say somebody asked, are bullying is the bullying being reported? Since I've been at LA, I've only had two reported. There is more on there. So, no, it's not being reported. Okay, it they're not telling me. And if the kids don't come to me, I can't do anything. If the parents don't come to me, I can't do anything. Everything that is reported to me, it is handled. And it's handled quickly. So, I don't know if we need to

048do a better job of making sure, you know, I visit with the kids. I need you to tell me. That's why I walk around at lunch. It's so you can catch me. So you can tell me. So I'm visible. That's why I'm out at recess. so you can tell me. I'm accessible. I just want you to be aware that I I don't think some of these parents pull and say, "My kid was being bullied." And they may they may have been being bullied. I've only had one instance that I'm aware of in my school where that was actually true, malicious, and awful, right? A lot of the time it's kids needing to learn how to be a part of the community. We do it. So do they. So the only other thing that I really

049wanted to address was IEPs are agreed on between the whole team. That includes the parent. So if the parent has an issue with the IEP, I really hope that they bring it to the team. I love it when parents come to a meeting and say, "This is what I really want for my kid. this is what I want to see and I think this is what would be best. I think that's productive and I love it when parents advocate in a positive manner. I love working with parents who do that and a lot of these parents do do that. We don't not listen on purpose. Sometimes we do mess up. Sometimes we have little things that happen where an aid didn't know this was supposed to happen cuz we're all human, right? Like they said,

050we got to keep these people. All my people are trying. All of our staff is trying. >> We all love these kids. >> Do you want to add in? I will stop talking cuz I'll just keep going. >> Thank you. >> Competed with Mr. Cleveland pretty good. >> Just go ahead and state your name and address. Carolina Hoff 2744 Spring Creek Road. One thing I do got to say is I got to thank the teachers for actually taking the time for being here for one and you guys for being here and we I've dealt with the high school and the middle school and they have been working hard and I understand there's stuff that you know falls through the gaps. One thing that I have noticed as a parent and we were in a different

051school district before this one was that the lack of communication in another district was super bad. This district is better. But there are some teachers in the high school level that when their child advocates for themselves um pretty much tells the student that you can't use that because it's a crutch. I'm a 49year-old male. I have disabilities myself. May not look like it, but I'm dyslexic. I have a hard time reading and stuff. I was pushed through school. You guys are talking about, you know, people that need help. There's certain people that you come into your life with teachers or staff. U I I know my daughter has some staff. The people we've had IEP meetings with have been very good um very very receptive but there is some stuff that does fall um communication

052especially in the high school when you do get emails or you email a teacher and he doesn't get back to you for weeks or doesn't even bother responding um you know so that that is kind of frustrating and as Christina was saying there's bullying in schools the teachers before said there's some bowling schools I I think that bowling, just observing this tonight, there was some bowling going on tonight, which it starts with us as parents. We're the ones that teach our kids to be try to be good and reasonable young people. we're growing them to adults and stuff, but when you the parents are even sitting in here, you guys are the ones that do really actually say, "Okay, this this can happen." And when you see the bowling going on between you guys with

053other people that it shouldn't go on, you guys should be working as a team. And it doesn't seem like you guys are working as a team. And it's kind of disheartening because my kids actually are thriving a lot better in this school district than the other school district. And this is the first meeting I've been to. And I've just observed certain people in this in this room, which you guys are board members, being a bully, which I don't appreciate. That's all I have to say. >> Thanks. Thank you. Uh, Dr. Bington. >> Um, Melissa Bington, high school principal. I will keep it very brief out of respect for our time. I just wanted to um note that the high school does have MTSS in place. Our grade level and department teachers meet um quarterly at

054least twice quarterly once by department and once by grade level and cross reference students who are extremely at risk who are not necessarily on IEPs or 504s. Um, we also address uh needed interventions with students who are on 504s and we regularly do our best to follow all of the IEP accommodations and modifications and work with parents to the best of our ability. We try and communicate regularly and as always, we are endeavoring to always improve our processes. We just had conversations today about improving some of those processes and how do we improve them next year and how do we improve consistency. So, didn't want to be left out with all the administrators reporting that yes, MTSS is in place. >> Thank you. There was one more part to that report, too. We did I

055know that the board requested uh some data on um special ed as well as the students are checking out and >> it's up to you guys how you want to address that, but that is on the report as well. That's up right now. >> It's a need. The one thing that I take away from this what the rest of the board feels but that that 21.4% of the school being serviced by student services is a significant number. And so I hope that as a board, as a community, I think it's really important um and as uh an education team that we take some time and put some focus into uh this group of vulnerable students. Um, I know we do our best now and I appreciate kind of some of the feedback and hearing um,

056the work that you guys are putting in. I don't know if the board has any other um, comments they'd like to make. Um, but I think that uh, there's some more work to be done here that I think with the communications and and different things that maybe some more um, parent parental involvement as a group. I'm I'm not sure how that works or or not yet, but Bernie, go ahead. >> So, as a job of the trustee, we are voted to advocate for our community, for our students, for our staff, for the community. And sometimes, yeah, being in this role, you do. And you have to hold the people accountable. And it's not an easy position. And it's not I'm not up here to bully. I'm up here to hold accountability because without asking the

057tough questions and without holding them accountable then where would we be as a school district? We have a lot of people who depend on what this collective board votes on to make sure that we are putting in the right um implementation and asking the tough questions with our administrative staff and making sure that our students are heard and everything. And without it, if we just said nothing, it wouldn't change. It just wouldn't. And yeah, I have been on this board for seven years and I know that a lot of people understand. I am very open and I'm very direct and I'm willing to battle and fight for it and and I understand and I'm getting >> I just got one question. No, you're good. >> You've been on the board for seven years. >> Okay.

058In that seven years, what have you changed? >> We've changed a lot, but I don't have a special education. >> Well, I'm doing my best, aren't I? >> Apparently, you're not because you've been in there for seven years. >> And I'm not the only one. >> Okay. I I like you. I think we're >> I am not the only one. >> So, I asked the tough questions. I asked for all this to be brought up here because I have concerns and yes, I have already asked these questions a couple of years. So my question now is we have implemented two coordinators. I'd like to know exactly how those coordinators are doing. Have they benefited our sped teachers? Are they actually taking the work off them or are they putting more work on them? I know

059that we have where we do all this professional development training. I'd like to know what that looks like. Is that it you go out and then you come back and you train because you've gone to these conferences and you've brought that knowledge back or are admin invited to some of those conferences so that they can go take that information and bring that back to their schools. I'd like to know what what training are we sending our staff to because I knew that there was m I knew there was a class at MSUV and who did we send? >> So that's all voluntary. We send all the information out to the sped teachers. I I send it I know Charlotte also sends whatever comes through OPI. We give them that. I have 5 hours for the

060year with the sped teachers to train figure out what we need to go over and that's five win-win days basically. Um there's a lot of information that I've been trying to fight for more time for this because I know they need more training. Um it all comes down to what's what's the most important? What what is what are we going to get about training to make sure that we get these other pieces in? Um the last few years I was the coach, I was an aid, I was a teacher, I was in the buildings a lot and supporting that way. And this year has I've been really transparent. It's been really hard with the compliance that we've done. Um also having two new coordinators and implementing that for the first year and having a behavior

061specialist and trying to implement that position. Um ensuring that they understand what they're doing and and all of those pieces. But I will say that nine pe nine sped teachers completed the survey and out of those nine, we have 11. So a couple did not complete it. Um but seven of them have said that having the coordinator has been the best thing that they've ever it's been the best. They can teach. They're actually teaching. Um they work together collaboratively. We still have some people that are not happy and change is really difficult and it's hard in the first year and it's nothing is perfect the first year. So this year's implementation, next year is refinement. Um we just have to keep working together to make things better. But the majority it has been positive. Um

062out of 2021 before I was here um the compliance monitoring had 156 non-compliance. We have 14 and that's because of the systems that we have in place right now. That's crazy for a district our size. >> The feedback from the state, from OPI, from the compliance officers was wow. >> I I have other other districts are starting to reach out about what we're doing because we got superintendent call um OPI's asked because it helps. It really does. Even though some are not happy, if eventually once systems are like clean and we get those pieces down um in the communication part or how they collaborate, it will be full-on success. >> So besides just the survey, have you sat down with these teams? Have you sat down and asked them and heard them directly as well?

063>> Not right now. No, I have not. And we I have asked her to do that and sit down and not only with with them but also with the administration and just reflect on it and what you know we have a little bit of administration already but what what's going well? What what what do we stumble out of the blocks on >> uh and what do we need to do better? We have met a few times but nothing like >> right. So that's a spring thing here too. But >> one of the one of the things too this isn't we we also had two people in there who had never been coordinators. They didn't know what that what that job was either. >> We have principles that never had coordinators. So they didn't know what

064that job would look like either. So they were asking them to do some things that maybe and they tried to do some things maybe that were a little out of their scope uh and out of their time. So uh we're we're trying to review those things and make them a better situation. I mean that's what we all wanted to succeed including the teachers. I think the teachers wanted to succeed too. >> Oh and I think that's why more and more are speaking up because they do >> they do have a love for this district. they do have a love for every one of their students. >> And so I guess that's what I think they're crying out for is because they don't feel it's it's as positive as it could be on their level and

065it's going to start impacting our students because if we start losing more and more of our sped then we are definitely going to be hurting. >> True. the survey that was completed or the numbers it wasn't just on sped just so everybody okay >> I'm talking about student services report now okay so I mean >> so what do you mean by losing numbers just >> teachers teachers yeah just the staff I mean that's my concern is that I don't want to lose >> more and more staff >> I know That's that's always my goal too. Um >> so and again I think it's also very specific on maintaining the numbers that we have as well. So I mean >> I just have a question about um you mentioned you want to do more training time

066and that's a challenge. What's the challenge there primarily? Is it uh sort of the bargaining units um you know our CBA saying this is the amount of allotted training time >> it's just the amount so many so many days so let's say let's say we were a little more flush with money you know for whatever reason we had a couple hundred grand extra >> then we might say okay let's uh let's bring in staff in August on these two days and we'll pay it >> and then and then okay people I can I can live with that you know they'll come in and take those trainings Um those kind of things make the difference but then okay then we can add some days and you know right now if we do some of those summer

067trainings it's for replacement hours which some teachers need they jump on others like I don't need that I don't want to give up a you know whatever summer uh >> and it's hard when you have all the annual like PD that training that you have to do. So then you're trying to >> figure out how you going to squeeze in the things >> in between that you you know need know that we need to do for staff. >> Um it just all comes down to time. Like >> like if I have a win Wednesday and I only get 5 hours for the school year, but a teacher wants to attend, you know, a different training that's happening in their building. I mean, I'm going to be the bad guy if I say I really can't

068have them go. like I literally only get them 5 hours for >> we have to decide what's more important at the time and and we'll say special ed's more important >> and maybe we need to look at what's offered on those days like I don't I don't know how to make that part better other than there's just not enough >> times that's what I was think just thinking ahead it's like you get a day in February 3 months later and we're just getting stuff too >> just taking ways that maybe that could help. But if we're only doing the same continuing like boot camp then >> well that that's just something I do extra that's voluntary if anybody wants to come I like the first two years I all the new staff used to come

069um last year we had staff come it just it's I offer that to help as an added support. It's not anything that's mandatory cuz I know they don't have to come. It's basically after hours. So, um, that's just an something added. >> You're saying you're cutting you're sending that stuff out as voluntary. That's all what you're saying is it's if you had sort of this aotted training time that was on that was on school time, you could kind of be like, "No, you're going to this." But because of the limitations of time, >> well, like this year, for example, we've been working on compliance. So, compliance is a 2-year monster. um we're still not finished cuz now we have to do the corrections for whatever those 14 non-compliances were. Meet with parents, talk to them

070about all of that. Um so like our training, our win Wednesdays have been like an annual training. Then it's been talking about compliance, about their files, like all the pieces that we have to make sure that we have ready for when the state came in. Um so like this year has been heavily been focused on compliance. Yeah. And so then other things are getting like that voluntary they're still offered but they're on the voluntary side. >> But the goal would be taking the paperwork off and kind of that compliance piece off of the teachers so that they can attend other trainings within their building um and all those other pieces like for curriculum and all so that they're a part of their group in their building. you fleshed out how the the coordinators are getting

071training. Are they do they have more time to go through some of this what we're what the classroom teachers are doing on a voluntary basis? Is there opportunities for the the coordinators to do it on more of a mandatory basis so that at least more than just you is containing that? Is there a way for that to happen or is there is there >> we've tried to do that but I think uh staff perception is that then the coordinator is over them and so that's a hard really hard line for the coordinator because they are teachers and >> they too feel a certain way just like the teachers feel a certain way about their roles. So, >> um it kind of just puts them in a position, which they are. They they can train. They

072do some of our annual trainings, but um just for us to keep in mind that it puts them in a hard spot with some of the staff. >> That's fair. >> Yeah. What would you say are your um specific goals as it relates to and I know we kind of move in school years which is kind of different for me a private sector person I think anybody's like I don't really move in those same rhythms >> if I want to change something it's kind of like I can do it now >> I mean I can even alter my budget I don't and this is different >> um so what are your sort of primary goals for improvement during the rest of the school year and moving into the following school year. Um what are those

073primary goals for yourself and the department? >> So just for student services. >> Yeah. >> As it relates to student service that all-encompassing area. >> Sure. Um so looking at like the information that we got from the spent teachers, from our admin meetings, um from the coordinators as well and our support providers, um with some of the challenges that we've talked about with ongoing turnover, adjustments to the model that we put in place this year. Um, we I just want to make sure that everybody understands their roles. Like we've gone over roles, but there's still a few staff that have reported they kind of are confused about their role or who does, you know, that piece. And not to say that they all do, cuz like I said, most are reporting it to be positive,

074but um looking at like the system. So progress monitoring practices like what are we doing? it it's like everybody's doing something different. We want to do that as a district like all of us are um doing the same thing the data collection quality like what we're turning in now um to coordinators because before teachers didn't have to do that. So now they're actually turning in their data um the tools that we're using across the building. So like we have tools in place like goal book and all those other pieces that we can utilize and pull resources from to support. Um another part is like for the communication this year we've been trying the d like the director gives the information to the admin. The admin then reports to the teachers. Not sure how all teachers

075feel about that but that has been >> we got to clean that up. We >> that has been what was asked. So, we tried that this school year. Um, not to say that it's not working, you know, but I do feel like there are some teachers that still feel like, you know, I'm not getting them the information. So, maybe it feels like I'm not supporting them, but I am getting that information to their admin. And that's what I was asked by admin to do. So, that could be something that we look at and see like what we could do better in that aspect. um looking at the social emotional behavioral needs. Um we don't have social workers anymore. Our counselors have not everybody can do sessions with kids like individual and and group sessions. Um

076that's a big piece finding how we incorporate that and making sure that everyone knows how to do that. Um that's something that's part of MTSS. It's the ground foundation. So like all kids should be getting that um clearly defined specially designed instruction. That is the actual instruction that the spec teacher does. Um those are the minutes that we put in the IEP. Um does everybody understand that that part is actually instruction? That's not just accommodating or putting things into place. It's the actual instruction that goes into helping them meet those goals. um just continue to work on the pieces with the coordinator. I really from the information that we've gotten back and the data shows like this works. Um if teachers can focus their time on progress monitoring just like the gened staff do and

077the instruction part, we're going to be golden. Like that's what teachers get into teaching for. I think they get into they want to teach kids. It's not they don't get in because they want to do paperwork. So hopefully if once we refine the system, look at how we're communicating and now just it wasn't perfect this year. We did have wrinkles and um but even staff that had concerns in the beginning have now shifted and have stated that they actually enjoy this model, that they get to spend more time getting to know the kids and actually instructing. Anything board the audience have any discussion related to this item? >> Go ahead. Lisa Pickkins, certified co-president LUA. Um, one of the concerns that I've heard from teachers uh has been about the amount of time that has

078been spent outside of the district attending trainings and what actually has come from that. So, we had I'm not sure how many gone to two and then you have another one coming up. Um, but each time that those people are gone, nothing's coming back. And um your general education teachers likely spend more time with your um students with IEPs than your special education teachers do. Like there's students who have IEPs who me seeing them once a week. I have more time engaged with them than their special education staff would. So it's not just your sped teachers who need to have this information. It's all of your teachers. And I don't feel like that's really been established as far as your early out time goes. Um, this is not direct knowledge, but there was one of

079these times where the training was basically on the fly. So, the presenter didn't have enough to get to sped staff in that time. So, they finished about a half hour early on their win Wednesday. As far as contract goes, we're yours from either 7:55 to 3:55 or 8 to 4 um Monday through Friday. And if you have something that is of value, it's always easier if you come to teachers versus asking them to come here because you cut down on that travel time. I just think there's opportunities for that training that can happen outside of your win Wednesdays and a better way to share things forward with people because sometimes it feels like we have a student services department that has been on like a resume building tour showing what we can do at the

080state level, national level, while ignoring completely what you could do at the district level by including all of our staff, not just your um special education staff. Thank you. So, just so that everybody knows, I did invite um our goal from the last training was to hopefully bring on co-eing. So, we did ask for Janed and SPED teachers to attend that. The middle school were the only ones that sent a gened teacher um for that training. >> Anything else? I appreciate uh your time, Christina. It's not easy to come into a public meeting and discuss the shortcomings of of of things and what we can do to improve. I appreciate you coming and sharing that with us. >> Thank you. And just for future, if there's ever any concerns, I would love to be afforded

081the same opportunity that the principles and teachers and aids are given to address those concerns. >> Come to you directly and talk to you. >> Yep. >> Yeah. No, it's appreciated and I I appreciate the parents and u being here in support of their children tonight and um I think I I do speak for the whole board when I say that it's something that we have a concern for and and want to improve as a district and I think it's it's a team effort and not a uh parents versus district versus teachers versus fed teachers versus it's not like a it's not like a standoff we're all like pointing guns at each other. This is something where um we need to work together as a team uh to help make these outcomes as good as

082possible for these students. So hopefully we have a royal rumble. >> We give Yeah. No Royal Rumbles in uh Laurel School District. Please let's uh let's play some team sports. So thank you so much again for being here. It's very appreciated. If there's nothing else on uh the presentation, we'll move to correspondence and we'll just talk about the donations. Um again, thank you so much to our partners and friends in the community uh giving to our school district so generously. It's really, it really does make a difference particularly in these uh extra academic programs which the school doesn't have um funding to be able to support. These things go a long way to to doing that either through inind or actual cash. So, thank you again. Moving next to our consent agenda. Do I have

083a motion? >> I move to approve the consent agenda. A motion to approve the consent agenda by Jenny. Is there a second? >> Seconded by Donnie. Any board discussion? >> I want to call it. >> Yes, Matt. Thought you raised your hand, did you? I feel bad. I'm sorry. Um I caught you raising your hand. So, just as a reminder on the personnel hiring, I have two of those that are with successful certification. So, just as an example, our PE teacher is a uh is a student teacher who's just finishing up, I think, in three courts. So, when we hire those people, I put down a successful certification, which means we're hiring them, but I put the specifically, what if he doesn't get his certification, something fell through? Well, then he wouldn't necessarily be ready.

084So, so I do put that on those just so you guys know that's there uh in that consent agenda cuz that's normal for student teachers not to have that or whatever. I don't see a problem with either one of those. But >> yeah, as a reminder, >> good good clarification. Any other board discussion? Audience discussion? Hearing none, we'll move to vote on the motion by Jenny to approve the consent agenda. seconded by Donnie. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. We'll move next then into uh our action items. Thank you, Nate, for being here and and allowing uh the time for the presentation. So, >> do you want to move on action? >> Oh, it's up to you. >> Let's let's do I think I think it's I think we'll

085move through these. Um well, we'll we'll go through we have a few people who who will be presenting and discussing board. Um we'll let Nate go. He's here. Um but action item M is M. Yes. >> Yes, it's M. If if it's all right with the board, if the board has no objection, I'd like to move M up to within the first three action items instead of um so that our our uh food service representatives um may also uh exit. Is that that's okay? Great. Go ahead, Nathan. Uh Nathan Matlage, Coldwell Banker, commercial real estate. Um, I've been uh marketing uh along with my business partner, George Warmer, your uh old admin building at uh 410 Colorado Avenue. Uh we've had uh a couple different uh potential buyers uh put it under contract uh do

086their due diligence and then decide to uh terminate those contracts. Uh the good news is that uh some of them have been very generous in turning their earnest money into a donation um and have had some positive outcomes despite obviously not selling it. Um one of the things that uh that we've learned uh is that there's uh some challenges with uh redeveloping the property overall. Uh specifically, uh there's some asbestos that uh cost a significant amount of money to remediate, which not necessarily a surprise, but um more importantly, just kind of an overall cost of what it will uh take to redevelop that building for potential buyers um into uh condos, uh apartments, those sorts of things. Uh the good news is is today um it it did get you know reszoned into a multif

087family zoning which uh we believe's uh overall helps position the property long-term uh for the next uh buyer, investor and developer. Um, and really it just wanted to come before you tonight uh to brainstorm on uh what it would look like potentially going down uh the process of uh basically holding an auction um on a a Kxy auction platform and what that might look like. Um typically uh in in auction uh is a good uh route to go uh when you want a time basically time certainty um of a sale. And so um you know we started out listing the property, you know, over a million dollars. Uh we've had some uh significant price reductions. And so, um, just more or less wanted to come before you, uh, just talk about some of the different

088benefits, um, that might come with an auction and what that might look like. Um, do you want me to kind of start at the beginning and explain what that might look like or was the email that we forwarded uh, disseminated? >> I think we just go over that auction process. I put that uh, auction marketing agreement uh, in the board packet. Um I guess so what what what does that process look like? >> Sure. Sure. Um so it in my mind there's there's two different routes uh that we could go down as we continue to um market and sell the old admin building. Um, you know, we could continue marketing it, uh, have the occasional price reduction and wait, uh, for a local buyer to come forward, um, make us an offer that we accept,

089go through the due diligence process and see if we can, um, you know, sell it kind of the traditional way. Um but you know obviously there's a carrying cost uh to the school district of you know what happens if uh this process continues for an extended period of time. The nice thing about an auction is that uh it adds a sense of urgency. Um and also through the Krexy nationwide kind of auction platform um it puts uh a tremendous amount more eyeballs um on your property and kind of bring bring it to fruition uh a sale to fruition uh potentially uh faster. So, um I'm just going to kind of go through uh an email uh that was sent to uh sent to us uh by the Krexy auction platform. And a couple bullet points

090that it talks about is um you know, first and foremost, uh this auction uh is uh no no cost or no additional cost above and beyond what our uh listing agreement already outlines. um you basically get the benefit of having the full auction services um and any additional fees are paid by the buyer uh because they're perceiving to be able to uh purchase uh properties um at potentially a slight discount and they're willing to pay for uh that opportunity. Um there's a confidential reserve. Um so you know we would obviously set kind of a baseline price in which people would start bidding at in traditional auction auction status. And once a baseline reserve has been met, uh all of the biders are notified that that reserve um you know has been met which kind of

091uh spurs on uh additional bidding. There's fully managed buyer outreach. Um, so not only in addition to uh George and myself getting all the leads and being able to pick up the phone and call um all of these potential buyers, uh, Craigy has a team that's also involved in this process um, where they're um, you know, personally calling um, vetting a lot of these buyers. And the nice thing is that uh, every uh, bidder has to be um, you know, pre-registered and show that they have uh, cash funds that are available. Um there's there's aggressive national marketing for 35 to 45 days. Uh CERxy is kind of the premier platform for the marketing of commercial real estate nationwide. And so uh they have you know millions of potential buyers that are constantly looking at uh

092properties uh you know for sale uh nationwide. And so, um, every person that goes on the platform has to register, put in their contact details, and Craigslist can monitor, um, if they're looking at similar properties, um, to, uh, what we currently have for sale, and kind of do a a custom targeted, uh, marketing, outright, outreach, and email campaigns. And that happens for 35 to 45 days uh, leading up to the auction. So, not only are there a tremendous amount of, you know, email marketing, uh, but George, myself, and the Craigslist team would would reach out to, um, you know, kind of these registered biders and those sorts of things. Uh, there's a 48 hour online auction. And so, um, it basically, uh, pulls all of the potential, uh, buyers off of the sideline and said,

093"Okay, you know, you have 48 hours to get registered, uh, to submit your bids and make it happen." Uh, it's it's very interesting. Um, recently I've been getting a lot of potential buyers that, you know, send like soft inquiries saying, you know, hey Nate, you know, what would it take to buy the school? Like, what's the school's bottom line? like, can we make a deal? Like, I'm a cash buyer. And I said, well, um, you know, I don't I can't make that decision. I have to bring it in front of the board. Uh, if you'd like to submit an offer, you know, uh, I'm happy to help you write it up or grab your favorite real estate agent and we can make that happen. And, you know, some of those potential buyers, you know, they

094they never bring the, you know, bring the offer. So, by having a 48 hour online auction, obviously, it creates a sense of a sense of urgency. Uh, all biders are required to uh provide proof of funds um and a $10,000 credit card hold uh to ensure commitment. Uh how often do we see in the the general real estate market that people come, you know, come around and they say, "Hey, we're interested in buying something um you know, but sometimes they don't have skin in the game." Uh this ensures that only the people who are really really serious or have a track record um of buying properties similar to what we have uh for sale um are actually uh coming to the table and getting registered. Uh the winning bidder signs a non-negoti um non-negotiable contract

095um on the same same day that they win the bid. And so in you know traditionally when we sell commercial real estate as we've seen with the last couple buyers um there's a due diligence process and unfortunately the last couple times uh we've had buyers that said hey um this is not going to work out you know whether it be uh for financial reasons or they can't get the return on investment or you know maybe they saw something about the property that they didn't like. The nice thing about this auction is that um there's no additional due diligence. Um, we would supply 100% of all of the documents that we have up front uh to all potential buyers um so that it's a a non-contingent contract, meaning if they're the successful bidder, um they know

096that they're going to buy it and they receive um you know, you know, when when Paul did a lot of his due diligence, we got some great reports. We have uh property disclosure along with a couple other things that we would provide to all of these um you know potential biders up front so they um kind of know um what the you know what they're getting. Um so 10% there'd be a 10% hard deposit uh within hours of them winning the bid. So, you kind of go from a $10,000 credit card hold uh to a 10 thou 10 10% hard deposit to a in essence a 30-day allcash non-contingent close. And so, um you know, when a seller wants certainty, uh that they're going to have a property sold, um uh auctions are a great

097platform. Um and then you know also it's one of those things where um there as much as us real estate agents can create uh competition between potential buyers which we saw in uh the first round of of offers where we had kind of a multiple counter offer scenario. Um this auction platform is just a way of creating that competition uh nationwide which you know once you hit that reserve people get excited and and you know they they kind of bid it up um as as far as that goes. And so, you know, there's um you know, there there were some, you know, different pricing strategies and and ideas that uh Krexy had, you know, shared with us based off of um some similar transactions that they have completed and some sales comps that they have,

098you know, overall. And um um and and so that that would be kind of you know it a discussion as far as if we did decide to go down this route you know what kind of you know minimum where with the minimum bidding star reserves so on so forth but mainly wanted to bring this as an idea. Um we pride ourselves on exploring every possible way to get uh commercial properties sold and so really just wanted to uh to get some feedback um overall from the board. Um I don't know how many of you have gone to an auction before but you know there is an expectation that um you know when biders show up with cash that they are looking for um a little bit of discount. Obviously, we have a property that has

099its challenges just uh with um asbestos and age and and uh just the total dollars that um need to be invested. And so, this is just a creative way of potentially uh getting some sale certainty. >> Okay. Any questions on that board? >> So, just I just want to make sure I understand. So, let's say we set the reserve at I'm just going to make up a number, $500,000, and that reserve was met. We sold it for $500,000. Um, we still have your agreement. You would get a certain percentage just like if we were selling it uh in a normal fashion and then Craigslist handles everything else on their side from the buyer. So, for us, we're still selling it for 500. You're still getting your commission as CBC >> and we move on with

100our lives. Is that what I got out of that? >> Correct. Yeah. And and so um we would we would work collaboratively with Craig Seed to kind of identify some starting bids and some reserve prices um so that you know we know that at a minimum uh if it does go through to transact that um you know we're going to you know come out you know at at a at a minimum. uh if for some reason uh the the auction happens uh it doesn't you know the the minimum uh bid is not reached um it's kind of like you know no sweat off our backs you know we tried it it it didn't work um >> it's not going to cost the district anything >> it wouldn't cost the district anything so they they get

101paid by the buyer so if there is a buyer then then they don't get paid um but when I went to a national convention and brought this up as um a potential for the KY auction uh the gentleman that runs uh all of the auctions nationwide, uh he got really excited. He was like he's like, "We've had good success um selling old schools on our auction platform. Um like we we we know that we have a buyer pool for uh those kinds of properties." And so that's that's what kind of led uh George and myself to bring this um as an option to >> Britney. Yes. Do we I guess in your professional opinion, what kind of set price minimum do we entertain? Do we go super low? Do we I mean the So, you

102know, I have I have a couple thoughts. Um and you know the the last couple the last couple buyers that backed out and this is an indicative of every buyer out there um you know but after their analyses of you know hey you know if I wanted to you know basically build brand new multifamily apartments um it would cost you know more to demolish you know the property than than what it's worth. And so some of these past couple buyers have kind of said, "Hey, you know, even if you, you know, gave it to me for free or or super low cost, like we, you know, we'd have some, uh, some, uh, a tough time making the numbers work." And so, um, if if you kind of look at kind of this this massive price

103range, uh, that KRExy did based off of their analysis, um, the absolute low end of the price range is a little over $118,000. Um, and then the absolute high end of the price range is a little over 577 uh,,000. And so, you know, it's kind of like it, you know, the more that, you know, the the more motivated that the school is to see, you know, kind of an end result, um, you know, the lower the minimum bid that you might start at, um, they thought, you know, they thought that, um, kind of a reserve price, um, you know, could be in that, you know, $315,000 range. And so when I kind of look at this, I'm saying um if we're if we're truly talking about the widest spectrum, you know, you might start your

104um your baseline bidding at, you know, kind of that $118,000 range. uh you could set your reserve at around 315,000 and you know based off of their you know historical um data of success they could expect that maybe 577,000 you know could be the high end of what you might achieve based off of competitive bidding and things like that. So um it's a it's a big range but that's the data that they have. But if it doesn't meet our our >> our reserve, then we're not out anything. >> Correct. Yep. 100% correct. Um there's there's different um you know tactics that can be taken uh if you and I would lean on the experts for this but sometimes they say hey if you were to take their you know recommendation of setting a $315,000 reserve

105and you weren't getting you know enough uh you know bids and buyers to get close to reserve obviously you'd have full control if you want to try to you know drop that reserve in order increase competition in in bidding. >> And if we don't get the reserve, say it's 315 and somebody bids 285, I mean, the the district could exercise it and say, "We're willing to take the 285." >> You would you would probably you'd probably during the auction, you would reduce the reserve cuz the re reserve isn't um uh told or like all the biders don't know what that reserve It's not immovable. It's not carved in stone. So, yeah, like you said, if you want if we elect, >> oh, it's getting close. I mean, we really want it to go. Let's move

106it down. >> We have that option to do that in real time or accept that lower number. >> That's that's correct. >> We feel satisfied. >> Yeah. So if you're getting close to to the end of your 48 hour online auction and you know to your example if and I'm not saying that this is what we should do but if you did you know say hey the reserve was at 3 315 and you saw that someone bid 285 and you had you know 60 seconds you know left at the auction could you drop it to 285 and and and do a deal >> yeah the board could maybe give permission >> like could we and that's pre preermission some thresholds confidentially some thresholds >> give pre-ermission having voted on it to say we go down

107to this level >> if not they could go back and do it again I guess >> should they watch it no >> really bad thing about it >> really strategic >> because we're true >> I think it's a uh viable option given that we've come and gone on multiple offers on the building. Um I think it's sort of a this is a way of saying you bought it, you got it, you know, I mean like you want it, here you go versus you want it, okay, let's wait 6 months, you do some due diligence and then you come back to us and say it's not economically viable, which is what's happened to us a few times. So >> yeah, >> I I think it's a way of of um it's not a performing asset if

108you're looking at it in a private way. uh is time to unload that that non-performing asset. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Well, then we have I mean it's an action item. >> There is a motion. >> Okay. So, I recommend that the board consider the KY auction as an option to sell the old administration building. Um, at which time using the professional advice to maintain the reserve at 3:15 and give the board the ability to move the reserve down by 50,000 without coming back to the board. >> You catch that? Did you catch that motion, Crystal? Mr. >> So it's so >> so it's I make a recommendation that the board consider the Krexy auction as an option to sell the olden administration building using the professional advice to set the reserve at 3:15 and

109the board approves to change it by $50,000 if we don't meet our reserve and we have an offer. How's that sound? Yeah. >> Can offer within 50,000. >> Yeah, that's a good one. >> I will second. >> Seconded by Jenny. Any other discussion or questions from the board from the audience hearing? None. We'll move to vote on the motion by Britney to approve uh the auction to proceed with the auction from with Krexy in conjunction with Cwell Banker Commercial to set the reserve price at 315,000 with the latitude to move uh that reserve within 50,000 of a bid. That was motioned by Britney, seconded by Jenny. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Motion carries. >> Thanks, Nathan. We appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> Hopefully, this is the get that

110thing hammered. >> That's right. That's right. So, I'm assuming I'll just follow up with Matt offline and go from there. >> Wonderful. >> All right. Thank you very much and then be done after that. >> Do we think this will take? >> No, >> I don't think we'll take anymore. I don't think >> that's or did you do one? >> I think this this >> Let's do We're going to move action item M up to to action item B now, which is the food service. >> Got that? Okay. So, committee, what are we thinking? >> Do we want to go for you? >> You good with that? Okay. So this afternoon, the committee, which composed of a couple of trustees, Matt and four of our staff, >> business manager, >> uh, and business manager, um,

111sat through and ate our way through the afternoon. >> All was wonderful. Um we uh sat with Ordo and then we sat with uh Chartwells and then uh Sedexo and then SF and all the presentations were um phenomenal. uh answered the questions. We're willing to probably um work with our district based off of either our needs, our wants, our future goals. Um but at the end of the day after and it was it was it was it was a tough debate on a few. So at the end of the day though, the committee would like to bring to the board um with the proposal of SF to be um the next potential discussion on bringing over to our uh hello contract for food services. So great. Um, with that, I'd like to make a motion

112to approve and um build a agreement contract with SFE. >> A motion to uh engage SF for food service contract. Do I have a second? >> Seconded by Donnie. Any other board discussion on that? Audience discussion. Hearing none, we'll move to vote on the motion provided by Britney to approve or engage rather in a contract with uh SF for food service uh food services provided for school district. Uh seconded by Donnie. All in favor say I. I. I. >> Any opposed? >> Motion carries. All >> it's appreciated. That was uh I'm sure a very filling uh enterprise. This sounds good. >> Great. >> Now we'll move uh to contacting uh Larry if you want to bring him on. >> Let me uh Deon's going to call me in. Deon, if you can hear me, go

113ahead and let's call Mr. Martin in Please don't forget we're painting by the hour. >> Just saying though. >> Hello. >> He said hello >> Larry. you're on the the speaker and you're uh on the meeting. >> Okay. Um let me get to a little better spot here and see if I can hear you a little bit better. So, hold on one second. >> How's that? Can you hear me? >> Yes, we can hear you well. How How are we coming through? >> Uh you're a little bit uh kind of echoey, but I can hear you. Okay. There's some background noise, but I'll do the best I can. Okay. >> All right. Thank you. >> Turn down. >> Go ahead, >> Larry. It's Chris, the chair. >> Yeah. And so I think we just wanted

114to talk with you tonight about our discussion regarding research um on behalf of the school district um as it relates to the building of a forensic mental health uh facility prison here in Laurel. Um, as we've already expressed our opposition formally uh to the interested parties, we're just wondering um what your thoughts on research time are and potential cost of that research time. >> Yeah. Well, um thank you and I'll I'll give you some thoughts. So uh what we did at uh your uh suggestion and authorization on March 13, we sent a letter to uh the governor, to the city council, to the director of the uh DPHHSS department, board of investments, and the mayor uh which uh expressed uh your uh concern about the sighting of that facility um and some of the issues

115that you had considered uh and your uh opposition. Um and we told them that we were uh authorized to uh investigate. Um and uh we of course got no uh reaction to that letter and we didn't expect that we would. Um, in addition, uh, we kind of took a look and I did send a a message, uh, at the end of March, uh, to Matt, uh, which basically said what we would probably have to do, excuse me, is to take a look at three different areas. uh one uh is the issue of the uh board of investments that entered into the uh purchase and sale agreement for the site. The second would be the uh department of public health and human services uh with respect to the sighting and the potential construction of this the

116facility on the proposed site. And then finally uh the city council uh with regard to annexation uh and where that is. Um in the meantime we have kind of tracked a lot of information and that has really been very helpful in sending us uh some information. A lot of people have weighed in uh in terms of their opposition uh and we have uh taken a look at those things. So um from our uh perspective there's two things that we would be potentially involved with. One would be to assemble all of the uh information with respect to those three matters, Board of Investments, Department of Public Health, and the city council, and assemble the information in connection with how they conducted themselves, uh what documents they have, uh what communications they may have had between them,

117uh and uh how they conducted meetings etc etc. Uh so that would be part of a rather massive public document request. Uh every citizen of the state of Montana and certainly you as a board have a right to public documents. You do that by making a public document request uh which is governed by statute which would require a response. how many documents we would collect to what extent they would believe that there were privacy interests that they would redact. Uh the other part of that is is that if there are a lot of documents the public uh entity can charge anybody a certain amount of money uh to produce those documents. Uh but based on what we would then assemble, we would then take a look at uh what the legal responsibilities were uh of

118those entities and whether they met those responsibilities in kind of making those uh decisions. Um we could do some of that to begin with. Uh then put that all together in a package and give you uh some legal advice. Now, as you know, the final uh the final decision has yet been made. Uh you still have a potential annexation. Uh you still have a potential purchase. Uh it still isn't quite done. Um and when that will be u it's a little hard to know. I know that uh there still is a lot of issues that have to be resolved. As I said, a lot of people have weighed in. The uh city attorney has. Uh so there's a lot of information in view. It's a little hard for us to uh in any way predict

119uh uh where we might come out on this once we got the information necessary to give you what we thought would be uh cogent uh legal advice. Um, but I can tell you that it is a a rather extensive job just because of the amount of water over the dam at this particular point in time. And I think you understand that. So if I were to tell you what the potential cost might be, I could be u blown out of the water one way or the other. But I would suggest that you probably would have to look at potential legal fees of of probably 10,000 and maybe double that depending on how much work there may be. Now, it could be somewhat less. I don't suspect it probably would be more. Um, but if you're

120asking for a number at this point in time with what information we now have and what we're guessing might be in front of us, I don't think that would be uh that's our best educated guess uh at the moment as to what we would do, how we go about that. What reaction we would get from all those entities, I'm not really sure, but that's kind of uh that's kind of our current thought. >> Okay. We have a question here from Britney. >> Sure. >> So my question is I know that the Laurel Care Group has been requesting all of this same documentation um and are willing to from what I have been informed from a few of our members willing to share that directly with us as well. >> So the question to you is

121>> because we're still waiting for it. Do you feel that if we asked it through you guys that we would get a better reaction or are we just lining ourselves up behind every other person that's requesting this information? >> Yeah. Well, we could uh I know that group and I uh have con we we've been in contact at least with with one of the individuals involved and I think I'm hoping that they would be uh willing to share because I think uh um I think they have uh a position in opposed to that as well. Um and so it would be very helpful if they could and of course that might help really a great deal. Um um so that that could be a significant uh assist, but we'd have to see uh what they

122asked for, how they asked for it, what they got, uh whether they got everything they needed. Uh potentially uh they may have gotten everything that we would ask for. Um, on the other hand, it could be that we'd be asking for things that they didn't or that they may not have had any uh any luck. Uh, we do know uh that the law requires a response. Um and then if you as uh a any individual requesting a public document if you don't get the right response um if there's a uh an issue about that of course then there are legal remedies that uh you can ask for. So potentially uh that's a good avenue and we would explore that to the extent we can. How much information we'd get from that group, what they'd be

123willing to share, I don't know. I'm hoping that they would because really ultimately uh and I don't mean to push this ahead at all. You've got uh that organization and I'm sure others who really have some opposition uh to the sighting of this uh facility uh where it is currently designed to be. Um and ultimately it may be for you as a board. Do you want to be the leader? you want to be part of a group. Uh depending on what we discover or how do all those pieces get put together in terms of what may be a a a potential opposition from other organizations and individuals. So I don't want to get uh ahead of myself but um again to the extent that we could get information from other sources that would be willing

124to share that would be very helpful to us. Great. >> I I honestly believe if we asked them, I think that they would >> I think they'll show share everything. >> But but the only thing I want to make sure is that what what they like he said what they asked, you know, do we need to ask for something else? maybe cross reference on what they've already requested and did we do we using felt Martin's guidance need to ask for additional or you know did they miss something just because they didn't think of it and nothing to their dismay but they just didn't think of it in that capacity. So, but >> yeah, >> if felt Martin's going to if Larry's if Larry is going to give us some sort of suggestion or some sort

125of a path for him to make a true suggestion, he's going to want to know and have looked at all those things himself. And if he sees any holes, he's going to need to go find and fill those holes. >> So, he won't be able to depend just on what Laurel Care has asked for. He he he'll he'll want to make sure he's covered all of his bases. So >> Yeah. And and uh if if I might, Matt, Matt, so we wouldn't duplicate anything they've done if uh if they have uh received documents. They've asked for them in a way that we think would be uh necessary to get all of the documents that are related to the issue. We wouldn't duplicate that. there'd be no need to as long as they're willing to share.

126But we take a look at what they've asked for and what they've received. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Sense the only thing that I would suggest to the board I mean we don't have a line item for legal fees. So this money is not like a earmarked money. So, um, it's important for us to be import, you know, this is a very important issue that's facing the district, but we still have to be responsible financial stewards. And so, I would recommend that we maybe pace the discovery process in a way that's responsible and not just leaving a check out there for everyone. you know, maybe >> we I mean, but we did get a $100,000 donation off of an earnest money check from the admin. What did we do with that money? >> That money is

127in building funds, but we do have uh money, you know, >> this would be a multi >> like in a multi- district. There's money out there that's sitting apart from our our budget right now. So, >> a general fund. >> Yeah. Yeah. I think apart from our general fund that so as long as you guys are okay with it and and the motion could say that you know we report in if it goes above you know once it goes above the 10,000 level or something Larry and I can be in contact and he can kind of keep me updated I can keep the board updated if uh we can maybe cap it at 20 and then reook at it at 20 but if he's you know 84% of the way there at 20,000 then the

128board let's go ahead and do that little extra to get us through. Yeah. Tending. >> Is that what you mean by feed, Chris? Like temporarily or not temporarily? Um just approve a dollar amount now and then we >> correct. That's what I would suggest that the motion have um some kind of metering so that we understand what we're willing to on the initial outlay um spend on this uh discovery. >> Like up to the 20,000. >> Correct. if if it's if we say up to 20 or if we say in increments of 10 or whatever that that number is so that we're being responsible. >> So, um if I may, normally we uh our practice is to send out uh invoices or statements for services on a monthly basis. So, we would do that. So,

129you'd be able to track that uh month by month. uh and we would probably not uh under the circumstances I think it's fair to you not wait and then at the very end hit you up with a uh with a certain amount uh that would be a total but keep you uh informed on a month-to-month basis as we proceeded. I think we could ask that to be on the financial report every month as well, just as the bill so you guys can see it >> every month, you know? >> Would it require like an action item just like say, "Oh, we're done then." You know, >> or would it just continue? >> It would until I mean based off of the motion and the approval if it was approved today. Yeah. >> Um we we

130have been privileged to represent the Laurel School District for a lot of years and we uh we actually would get a call uh on a certain matter uh from Matt or whatever and go ahead and proceed to provide services. But I think because of the nature of this issue, once you pass the motion, we probably will send you a specific engagement letter just to confirm that we are uh acknowledge that particular motion and what our services are going to be. We don't do that on a regular basis uh for the usual run-of-the-mill kind of questions that we get, but I think probably because of the nature of this particular issue, we probably would do that, which we'd send out. Here's what we understand to be what you're asking for. Here's how we'll deal with it.

131Um and then, uh have maybe the board chair sign that. I'm not sure that's necessary, but maybe under the circumstances it might not be a bad idea. So, >> yeah, I agree. I just think we just need to make sure we stay accountable to the to the taxpayer and >> and stay responsible with with the school district funds. So, >> Right. Yeah. And we get that because we're not sure we're not sure where this is going to lead at the moment. Um, but we will uh we'll try to give you the very best advice we can uh and um and and try to get with it and we'll keep track of uh various events. As I said, uh you know, the final whistle hasn't been blown yet and uh we'll see where it takes us.

132>> Great. Any other questions for Larry? If not, I entertain a motion on this. >> I don't have questions for Larry. I just have >> concerns. >> I really I know I understand the concerns with everything that's going on. I just struggle with using school district taxpayer dollars to pursue legal battle over this whole issue. I just really struggled with that and I it this is don't nothing against Bel Martin but I agree they do bill monthly but significantly in her career. So, please follow closely on the building process >> to keep it current. >> That's just from past experience. >> Good. >> And I've already said it in another board meeting, but I'll say it again. I understand that yes, we have to be diligent with the taxpayers monies today, but just remember that

133growth plan policy for that piece of ground is to significantly increase taxes for the Laurel School Board and the Laurel School District. So, if it gets approved, there will be no growth in that area. There will be no taxes. It will cut it off. So, we're also fighting for our future and the future of our district and the future of Laurel. >> So, don't forget that. >> That could be 150, $200. >> I And I Yeah. And you figure A and B money. You figure, you know, uh, property taxes on that. You figure resources that are brought into the community. You figure businesses that'll grow into here. So, I understand that we have to be very cautious of our monies right now, but I just want to make sure that everybody realizes that that could

134be a substantial amount of things to our district for the future. And if it just gets completely taken away, then there will be nothing in that area. It will be cut off. There is no taxes from the state on state land. And I'd also say over and above all is the safety and and security of our students, both physical and mental safety and security. So it's not just about people jumping the fence as it were and and terrorizing the school, but just that mental aspect of that being there. I think we have an obligation to defend the students um in that regard too. So I think those are both important uh pieces of this discussion. >> Anything else? >> So with the monthly reporting or invoicing, do we put a like every $10,000 we check

135in or is that too little? Like >> I can make a phone call, too. I mean I I I I could do a monthly phone call >> because you know businesses are in the rears on things and how far I don't know >> but I but I would >> I could Chris between the two of us we could make sure that when before the board meeting hey let's make a phone call. >> Yeah. I just want a timely reporting of progress and where we're going with it because >> and and Larry's not going to pull the old switcheroo on us. I mean Larry you still there? Yes, I am. >> I was going to say you're one of the good lawyers. So, I just I don't want to think that he's not going to go

136from one month we're at 8,000, the next month we're at 42,000. >> Um, >> if he thinks he's getting out of control, Bill, let us know. >> Yeah. >> If you think we're getting nowhere, that would be the other thing. If you think we're getting nowhere on this, Larry, like just tell us. >> Yeah. and we'll, you know, we can stop pursuit if that's your recommendation, too. So, >> yeah. And and and we understand, you know, uh tax dollars, uh are best spent to educate kids, uh not for other things. We'll uh take our assignment, uh seriously, and we'll keep in close touch with Matt, um and we'll keep the board updated as we proceed. So, we'll do our very best to understand your situation and take the assignment uh seriously. >> That's appreciated. >>

137Yeah. Thanks, Larry. >> Yep. >> So, we make a motion. >> Yep. >> I will make it. >> Okay. >> Bear with me. um to have it give Martin the permission to research for the mental health forensic facility. Anything they need to do there? I don't know for $10,000 every time. Check back in before $10,000. >> So to Okay. So, I restate your motion by Kayla is to uh approve proceeding with discovery with Felt Martin um to be approved in increments of expenditure of $10,000 per with check-ins for progress. >> monthly. Okay. Is there a second? >> I'll second. >> Seconded by Jenny. Any further board discussion? Audience discussion hearing none. We'll move to vote on the motion by Kayla to approve an engagement with felt Martin for purpose of discovery regarding the forensic mental

138health prison proposed for sighting in Laurel uh to be approved an expenditure of $10,000 uh per increment and monthly check-ins on progress by the attorney. That was seconded by Jenny. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? >> I. >> One opposed. Done. >> But the motion carries. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Mario. >> Thank you very much. Uh, have a good rest of your board meeting and uh would somebody please uh send me a copy of the exact motion that was made so I have that for our file. >> We can do that. Crystal can get Yeah, we can do that. >> Thank you very much. Have a good evening everybody. >> Yes. Thanks. >> Byebye. >> Bye, >> Mr. Chair. >> Yes. >> Can I ask for a 5m minute

139recess? >> Yes. Any opposition? >> No. I'll move for a fivem minute recess. I get both sides, but I just back here. >> Thank you everyone for your patience tonight. This is a long week. So, thank you all for sticking it out with us. It's not easy. It's not easy for you guys. It's not easy for us to have meetings this long. So, appreciate you letting us have a recess. So, we'll move on then now to action item C on the agenda, which is really because we move. Is there a motion? >> I make one understand what this is though. I make a motion I make a recommendation to the motion to approve the reduction in force to the HR director and two of the ELA teachers for the middle school. The motion by Britney

140to approve the reduction in force for financial reasons of the human resources director and certified staff ELA to ELA positions at the middle school. Is there a second? seconded by Kelly. Any other board discussion? I would just like to highlight that this is the um realities of running a school district with public funds. And so why I reiterate the importance of uh financial prudence when we're doing things um because these are real impacts. So um just wanted to make that clear not uh something that we like to do and and I just wanted to highlight that this is a difficult decision for the district. So appreciate appreciate that. Any other board discussion? Audience discussion hearing? None. I'll move to vote on the motion by Britain to approve the reduction in force for financial reasons of

141the human resource director and certified staff at the middle school of two teachers. Seconded by Kelly. All in favor say I. I. >> Any oppose? That motion carries. Action item, probationary period termination. Do I have a motion? >> I move to approve the termin termination of the staff listed. >> A motion to approve the the termination uh during probation. of the staff listed by Jenny. Is there a second? >> Seconded by Donnie. Any for discussion? Audience discussion. >> Yes. Audience discussion. Okay. >> Noel, 2744 Spring Creek Road. The first thing I want to say is I've been in leadership for 20 years and so I do recognize that sometimes it feels that you're very alone because you can't divulge certain information when it comes to employment. It can't furpa foya and things like that. So

142I just want to thank you guys for your time this evening and I want to be respectful of everybody speaking tonight because I know I'm not the only person who will be speaking on this subject tonight and I want to be clear that I'm not here as an isolated story. What you're going to hear tonight is going to be for multiple families in this room and it reflects a pattern that deserves serious consideration. I am opposed to what you just voted. I'm here tonight to speak about school culture, teacher retention, and the decision regarding Mr. Dear's contract. This is not just about one teacher. It's about what kind of district we are choosing to be. It is not a routine staffing member matter. It is a decision that will reflect how this district defines culture,

143accountability, and educator value going forward. We are currently asking this community for and to support a bond. While I support investing in our schools, there's a deeper issue. Voters are also concerned about culture and bullying within the district. The cost of attrition, losing strong teachers, replacing them, retraining them, and rebuilding trust has a real financial and educational impact, which you guys are talking about tonight. Facilities matter, but if we can't retain these educators who have a value to our students, that return on investment is reduced and it is an extra cost to the district. We have policies that describe the culture we want, but leadership behavior determines the culture we have. This tone is set by the adults in this room and professionals we entrust to uphold these values. Miss Demer is a teacher with

144autism. In her first year, she's had to navigate not only teaching but also workplace dynamics where peer influence and internal dynamics can affect how staff are treated and supported. When decision-m is centralized or lacks transparency, it can create conditions where perception or bias may influence outcomes. That raises concerns about consistency in how ADA protections are applied for staff and by extension how student protections are upheld. Students are watching and they see what we model. My daughter has came home with specific instances that she has witnessed in Mamar's case where she has lacked professionalism from her colleagues. Part of that blame is on me because this year my daughter has undergone and she's an IEP student and has said that I can share this with you and I will give credit to Miss Bington. We've also

145had a very serious medical condition. Miss Dearis has been put in the position where when my daughter was suffering these medical conditions, I've got specific teachers who think that it's a crutch even though we're going all the way to University of Colorado. I have got her in a position where unfortunately and hopefully Aubrey you don't get an added. Aubrey was struggling in all of her classes. She's caught up in all but one class because of Miss Maris advocating for her and reaching out. That teacher has failed to respond with me. Even though my sister's been even though my daughter's been struggling, has not given me any updates. I'm still worried she's going to fail that class. But with Mr. Dearis's help and her advocacy, we've developed a plan. I know what's going on. your teacher

146has not given a crap about my daughter and to say that it's a crutch or to imply that from what I've heard in instances from my daughter is a bunch I won't even go that far. Anyway, um just to share my experience and why I'm so upset about this. My daughter, as my husband shared with you guys earlier, entered this district last January and we were going to keep her in her previous district and not sell her home. But we realized with our other daughter who was already in this district the matter that special education was making for our other daughter here. So when my daughter started here in January, even though she had an IEP, she wanted to leave the school entirely. Beg me, "Mom, you've got a masters. You can homeschool me. Mom,

147you can do this. You can do that." She didn't think she was capable of success. Every day was a struggle to keep her engaged. I was scared to death when I sent her to school at the beginning of the semester in the fall what kind of phone calls I was going to get. Lo and behold, that first week I didn't get a phone call. It was amazing. Well, within a week, everything changed. I saw that she began believing in herself. She had hope. She started talking about her future and possibilities of things that she could do, things that she had not done before. She shut down. That shift was not small. It was life-changing. And it was because of one teacher. My daughter later asked for Mr. ner to become her IEP case manager within

148with with Aubrey that is a miracle because she does not trust anybody. Then she faced in November her diagnosis that I talked about that we're still trying to navigate and Miss Demer has been our lifeline. She supported us not only academically but emotionally. She's helped my daughter stay engaged while reinforcing accountability and honesty. And that's rare because it reflects integrity. When my daughter did something that the principal, not the principal, but the vice principal and the teacher did not even bother to tell me happened and Aubrey left a part out of it because she was being dishonest. Do you think this teacher I'm talking about had enough guts to call and discuss it with me? No, he did not. And that problem could have been circumvented had he taken the time to reach and respond

149back to me. Um, so I want to be very clear to you. My daughter wouldn't be where she is today without Mr. Mir. You guys are making a great mistake. This is not about one contract. It's about a culture. This is what we are willing to protect and what we're willing to to lose. I understand this decision's been made, but I'm asking you guys to reconsider at minimum to pause and fully evaluate the long-term impact you guys are going to have on students. Because this isn't just about staffing. It's about stability, safety, and whether every student, especially those who are the most vulnerable, feel that they're being meaningfully supported. When multiple families raise concerns about culture, including bullying and the level of support for special education, those concerns matter more than acknowledgement. These guys aren't

150just test scores. They're about their strengths. Help them build on them strengths and let them learn from their weaknesses. They require a clear response and visible accountability. I sent letters to all of you guys about the great job Mr. Marius was doing. And in my profession, a reply. I don't I don't need you to to say, "Yep, this is what we're going to do." But an acknowledgement is professional and customary within 24 to 48 hours. I manage a large case load of patients. I'm overworked. I'm overburdened. But I still reply any complaint or any concern I get from somebody. So right there, that's your culture that you are lacking. And the first breakdown of communication. For students who rely on consistency, it's not small. You guys are disrupting their structure that they depend on to

151function and succeed. And when these impacts are predictable, they're also preventable. So, this is something we can prevent, but you guys are going to to impact them. This decision is going to signal what this district's willing to stand behind and what it's willing to accept. The concerns are known. And the question now is what you guys choose to do with them. And I'm going to go a step further than what I have written down. You've heard from many of us tonight. You want to know how to address these um these concerns? You've got a group of students here who showed up. Tap into them. Ask them how to fix the issue. you guys. Okay, my husband asked you what you've done in seven years. That's an unfair question because that's not just your responsibility. It's

152every single person's responsibility in this room. And if we're trying to bring these guys up and have them be model citizens and have them be the next level, you know, um there's student center concept just like there's patient center concept and you can look it up. It's a CPC framework for Medicare plus. They bring in patients and family. They're called patient patient family advisory council. Why don't you have a parent family advisory council for bullying to address that? You don't have to have funds. You can go ahead and you can use college students who are working on social work credit. You can use nursing students who are working on early childhood development credits. You could probably have a parent in this group that will go ahead and volunteer to do that. So, I'm not not

153looking at you guys cuz I don't think it's fair for you guys to solve this problem. But I will say getting rid of mamm areas miss not capitalizing on the parents that you have here that are invested in these students educations the teachers who have shown up and the students it's very very unfair and it's biased and the other thing that you guys are doing is you're talking about a budget we've heard about complaints with IEP well there's ADA discrimination and employment laws too and I think that that's one thing that you guys are going to really miss off of the mark and that's one concern that could potentially impact your budget And I'm just saying that because I work with unions and I've been in leadership for 20 years and I've had a lot

154of hiring and firing issues. You're losing your human resources subject matter expert and that's where you're going to create bias. And so to change the culture, you guys got to be innovative and think outside the box. I thank you for your time. >> Thank you. Before we proceed, >> that action item is actually the next action item. I just wanted to make that clear. >> It's two now. >> I wanted to make sure that too. Um just so when we get there we do have >> absolutely I just wanted to make sure I didn't want to stop you in the middle of your conversation. So um it was just that was the actually that's an action item a few down. So I just wanted to be clear. Um so we'll proceed with this one. If

155there's no public comment related to this action item, which is the probationary period termination, >> the bus. >> What's that? >> It's of the bus. >> It's a bus. Yeah. >> So, if there's no public discussion in regarding that one, please remind me of the motion again. >> Jenny and Donnie. That's right. >> Jenny and Donnie. We have a motion to approve the uh action item E E I'm calling it E but it's D. Probationary period termination of the bus aid by Jenny seconded by Donnie. All in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? The motion carries. Action item E on the agenda. Certified staff rehire recommendation. Do I have a motion? I would like to make a motion to rehire the certified staff as >> motion to approve the rehire of certified staff as

156provided in the list. Is there a second? >> Seconded by Kelly. Any other board discussion? Audience discussion. >> Everyone understand >> as it relates to the rehire. >> Yeah. Any questions on that? >> Everyone understands how I did the lists, the three subjects. >> Great. So, have a motion to approve the rehire list by Jen or excuse me, Kayla, seconded by Kelly. Uh, on the rehire list, all in favor say I. I any opposed? >> Motion carries. Action item F certified non-renewal list. Do I have a motion? We like discussion first. >> Go for it. >> What was that? Sorry, Brandon. >> I said they're they're here for a reason, so let them stand up and speak. So, as we go through the public comment during this period, we're we're not um actually going to

157entertain a motion prior. The board's elected to uh hear public comment prior to uh any motion. I would ask and we will time uh limited I appreciate you having the time and I did give you the time, but I just want everyone else to be aware just for that it is for timeliness uh a three minute limit if possible please. I'm not going to cut you. I mean, if it's like 3 minutes and 5 seconds, I'm not going to, but let's try to keep it at at 3 minutes. We will be timing. >> And for the record, if you would, even the students need to state your students need to state their address for >> I'm not a student at this school. So, I'll state my address if needed. >> I just wanted to make

158sure just for minor reason. It's a public meeting. >> Okay. I just wanted to make sure it was okay for minors to state addresses, too. So, go ahead. >> Is it called Mayor 710 Westgate Drive? >> Whoa. So, It's El Dearis 710 West 5. Go ahead. >> As I'm sure you can tell by last name, Amber Demirus is my mom. Um, growing up in the special education department, I was always told that I didn't need help cuz I didn't look autistic. So before my mom even started in special education, she knew what was going on. She was a mental health. She helped children with disabilities like I had. She fought for me for years until she got to become my teacher at Lockwood High School my freshman year. That's when they started paying attention to

159my disabilities and what I needed because of her. That is now what she's doing for all of those kids who came here to talk to you guys. Um, and the fact that unbiased comments said about her in front of her students by many different people within the school system has made her life difficult to the point that she's commented, "I don't want to teach." Which is awful considering she's helping kids like her own daughter who has disabilities and like her who have disabilities because she is also autistic. Um, with my mom's help, I am now a nursing student and I will be graduating with my LPN within the next 2 years. Without my mom's help, I can tell you confidently, I would not have passed high school. A lot of these kids here today to

160talk to you will also tell you without my mom's help, they would not be finishing this. So, I would really, really like if you guys would reconsider taking her dog because all she is here to do is make their lives easier while people at that school continuously make her life harder every single day and they don't care about her disability because she's a teacher and she should have to suck it up. So, thank you for listening to me. That is what I have to say. Hi, I'm Skylie and I'm here because >> you state your sorry full name >> just for Lawrence >> and and uh address please. >> 105 Woodland Avenue. >> Thank you. >> Um I'm here because I want Mrs. Dearis to keep her job and so she can come back next

161year and to help her on her journey to stay employed at Laurel Public Schools. I like Mrs. Dearis because she is very sweet and helpful and smart. She has helped me through so much back in middle school and at the high school. She has helped me so much with everything like my math work and all of my other work. She has helped me with my emotions and she was there for me and helped me through my rough journey. She has helped me with my ups and downs. Ups and downs. She has w she has helped everyone in my class in the high school. There are so many of us that need Mrs. Dear next year. She has always been nice and she deserves to come back next year. And people really say she doesn't do

162her job right in every way she perform. If she doesn't do her job right, then why do I and other kids keep on going back to Mrs. Dearis for help or needs we need. She has been through so much all year this year because people kept on pulling her to meetings just to tell her she isn't doing her job right. But parents, even my parent want her back next year. So she is the nicest teacher ever. And I would love Mrs. Demaris at Laurel High School until I graduate. She is very helpful. So that is why I and everybody even parents want her to come back next year. Having the right teachers helps. It makes a big difference. Thank you for listening to my speech. >> Thank you. >> Hi, my name is Aubrey Hall.

163I live at 2744 Spring Creek HF. I'm a student at Laurel High School and I'm writing this to show how much Miss M Miss Dearis has changed my life and why I believe her contract should be renewed. There have been many many times that I've gave up on myself and on school. I made excuses, didn't try my best, and I felt like I couldn't succeed. But Misty never gave up on me. She helped me. She helped me see that hard work matters and that I I have to value what I have to value that I deserve to believe in myself. Because of them, I'm learning TO TAKE RESPONS RESPONSIBILITIES AND advocate for myself. I use my IEP and as a tool and reach my goals. Misty Misty listens when others OTHERS DON'T. SHE EXPLAINS PLENTY

164OF THINGS. makes sure makes sure I understand and provides a sense of safety and security. I don't feel everywhere at school. She helps me n navigate my challenges outside the classroom, including the medical issue I've I've been having. That makes school harder some makes school harder at sometimes. When I try to make excuses or gives up ON MYSELF, SHE CALLS ME OUT ON IT, BUT IN IN A WAY THAT PUSHES me to do better and realize my own goal and realize my own potential. I honestly can say that Miss D has made a difference in my life that no grade or test score could measure. Losing her would be more than losing a teacher. It would be it would be losing somebody who helps believe in students like me and ourselves. hard work and trying

165trying when even things are difficult. I hope you'll listen to the voices of the students and the people that also are here to listen and here to support her. Please renew Mrs. the Paris's contract. She none of the students can do it without her. >> Thank you. So, I'm here because I want to support Miss D. >> Make sure you uh name >> Thank you. Spell it. >> T I R Y. >> What's your address? >> 615 East Fifth Street. >> Okay. >> So, I'm here. I'm supporting Miss D because she has helped me improve in school. I used to fail most of my classes and and stuff. And then I came and then Miss D was uh got hired on and she helped me uh bring up my grades, bring up everything in school.

166And no other teachers have done that. >> Okay. And I just don't like how people are are disrespecting her at the school. She don't deserve that. And I'm here to support her because she's helping every student in the school that she can. >> Thank you, >> Kayen Campbell. Kimble >> Campbell. >> What's your address? >> Uh 524 Woodland Avenue. >> What? >> Woodland Avenue. >> As a US10. >> Uh I'm here supporting Miss D. today. If it was not if she was not in the school when I was in sixth, seventh, and eighth, I would probably never succeed in life. I would probably be really depressed again, and I would never make it anywhere in life. And I would not be thinking about colleges I want to go to and I would not be thinking

167about stuff that I really need to do with my life. I was when before she came I was really depressed was did not really want to do anything with my life. I just wanted to sit down on a couch and cry. But when she came into the school, I stopped being so depressed. I stopped being I stopped crying so much and I kind of just really gained support and I succeeded a lot in doing a lot of things and she's just been one of the best teachers in my life. I'm here to support Misty as well for how she brought my spirit up to graduate this year cuz I am graduating this year of 2026. Um, I never had faith in myself because until she came and she helped me bring up my grades. Uh,

168she also helped out to talk to me what was going on cuz I also have problems with my disability. I have a learning disability. I have really bad anger issues and I also can't concentrate. So, it's really hard for me to concentrate in school. But I have pra I've learned to control it. I've also have wanted to let you guys see what what Miss D looks like when she's upset cuz we're all here as students because of the teachers not believing in her. I think that's bull crap because um out for the 13 years of me being in school, I've heard my friends, I've heard different kids and all that in different schools say love you to their teachers, including their moms, and they nobody has done it until Bington as King. But Miss D

169has broughten my spirit up to graduate this year. She's given me confidence to graduate. She is very nice to us kids. She wants us to graduate. She's brought us all kids and her students to wanting to graduate high school. And that's all I have to say for today. Thank you. >> Thank you. Oh. Um, do you need to state my address, too? >> Yeah. >> Um, next Bailey 416. Um, shoot. Should I start? um started with your struggles and question. >> Okay. Um as you can tell I'm a student and I think that most students sometimes have trouble advocating for themselves and it's it's difficult um to get help that you need sometimes because sometimes it can be embarrassing or Uh sometimes it's okay. Who's that? All right. I am Tears of McNeven and my

170address is uh 1775 Ren King Gulch Road. And um well, for me um when I was younger, I had a lot of trouble with um reading, math, and uh like mainly uh things to do with code uh because my brain does not hold uh information uh like letters in numbers. They do not come together for me. And I did not understand that until this year. Um I remember being with um the teachers uh in this school. I was like in the classroom somewhere over here and I would draw in the corner on my books and um my teachers would always see my little drawings and uh comment things like you're such a little artist or uh you have so much potential But not a ton of them saw that if I can see well enough

171with my visual impairment that I can draw, that I could read or do math. And since kindergarten up to fifth grade, it's been the same. Stuck in the corner drawing and It took a lot for people to um help me want to teach myself the hard things. When I was in my fifth grade class, I came across Miss W and I came across this moment and it was one of the first times that I could see myself being more than the kid in the corner drawing. And then I had other people that um came along with my side like Miss Debbie, um Miss Daddy, Miss Amy, and Mr. Maris. I'm sorry. Everybody um seems to stomp over these things. It takes a whole team to uh make kids like us want to >> for another

172minute. >> I think I did >> want to achieve more than just what we were doing >> this year. um she was able to be my role model because she's autistic and it gave me an idea of what a disabled person can successfully look like as an adult. And um it finally feels like I'm finally getting somewhere now that she's possibly not going to be able to be here. It's taking one of the enormous puzzle pieces for me able to be able to graduate AND FOR ALL THE OTHER kids here to graduate and become successful people. She's helped me make the student advocacy group that I had the idea of. Thank you. Uh since 8thish, right? But I didn't really uh tell anybody about it because I didn't think there was a way to achieve

173it until um she was able to bring out the side of me that was a little more confident and a little more I'm sorry uh a little more known uh of what she's capable of and I was able to learn what my what both of my disabilities mean and the limits of them and how I can work with them, I will never be able to get rid of them. But that's the whole point with disabilities. You don't get rid of them. You work them for your entire life. And you have to advocate for yourself for every step of the way. All right, thanks for listening. Sorry that I went over the time. >> What? >> Tear to yourself. >> T I R Z A H. My name is Aaron Ramboff in 524 Woodland Avenue. I'm

174If it wasn't for Misty being at the school district for the high school, I would have pulled my son this year. As of January, he went to the hybrid program. He's changed completely because of her. None of the other teachers cared like she does. And if she doesn't stay next year, my kid leaves. All three of my kids will be lower district. >> My name is Randy Tate. Randy R. >> Tate. T A T E. 616 Cottonwood Avenue. I am here today because we need change and accountability. I have witnessed lunches being withheld from students for punish punishments, kids being targeted by staff, staff targeting staff, harassment and bullying not only by children but also by staff. Inadequate medical staff and there is never any accountability. It is always brushed under the rug or put

175off onto the next person and still nothing changes. IEPs are not being followed. I have had the pleasure to know to have to know Miss Dearis as my son's teacher. She has been one of the best teachers he has ever had and she is in constant fear of losing her job. All because she is the change. She is the voice for our children when wrong is being done to them. She is the only reason why my son even goes to the school for the two days a week. For the two hours a week a day that he goes to school. Two hours a day is what he goes to that school and only to her class. He is not to go to anyone else's class. And then he is to leave. School should not be

176that. And if she is not there next year, my son will be completely pulled from the school. And that should tell you everything. Thank you. You need mine again. Red and King Gro. I'm having a hard time starting with where I was going to start with after listening to everyone talk. Um, but I think I'm just going to pull through here. When we talk about disability rights, these rights came up through the same time when the civil rights came through. We're talking about Martin Luther King. These rights are not new. They are something that have been in place for 50 to 20 years and we still are not implementing them fully now. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but

177where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. We ask that we please take into account the things that these students have told you, that these parents have told you today and stand where we want to be to be measured. We need to be making use of the programs in place to ensure our special ed students are granted their civil rights and free appropriate public education. That means that every student has access to textbooks, novels, and PowerPoint presentations. This means that a student's learning disability hinders this act. If this student's disability hinders this access, the district provides free appropriate accommodations and modifications to ensure that every student can achieve their personal potential. We have heard tonight moving personal experiences from students and parents through great anxiety and trial to themselves to show how their accommodations

178and modifications have not been met. Our district needs to implement MTSS or multi-ter systems of support to which the state adopted in 2013 and we are still not fully um implementing. We need to help train our teachers in accommodations and modifications. We have specialized students in their least restrictive environments and general education classes but without complete training or co-eing with the special ed department. our students are left without their accommodations and modifications written into a legally binding IEP document being fulfilled. We need experts in the special ed uh field like Amber Demarz and Christina Peterson and several others who I I won't mention tonight who are willing and knowledgeable to move our district into the 21st century education. educators who understand our children's or our students civil rights and educational rights. We respectfully ask and

179I have to say this separate from what I had written. I appreciate so much the discussion that we've had tonight. It is moving in the right direction. I believe that we are all very well-meaning and that we want things to go the way that they should, but well-meaning only gets us so far. We need to take the actions to move this forward. I lost my thought. Sorry. Um the thoughts that you shared that you are here to represent both the students and the parents as elected representatives of the community was much appreciated. We would like to see this matter on the agenda in coming months to work out a plan to implement MTSS moving forward to bring our district up to state and federal standards in protecting our students and and uh in protecting our

180students rights. I also would like to point out that Mr. Tor said in this meeting we are not implementing MTSS. Miss Peterson, our special education expert, said that we are not implementing MTSS, but that our principles are in uh contradiction to those statements. There is a breakdown in our structure. The principles have all of the power to implement. Mr. Peterson does not. So that breakdown between the superintendent and the principles not understanding what MTSS is and moving it forward needs to be remedied. Shoot sorry lost my thought again. Miss Ammeris and is an example of several teachers I have seen who have tried to come into this district who have been run off. One second. Run off. Uh you ask about attrition. I cite this that they are we always do this in Laurel. This

181is how it's always been. We're not willing to move forward. I believe this is a big part of the attrition you're seeing with this the special ed and other teachers in our district. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Amber, what's your address? >> 710 West Gate. When I left general education last year, I needed to come home to Laurel to teach. A special education was a goal of mine. This was because of administrators like Mrs. Peterson, Mr. Pollock, Mr. Torx, and Mr. Clevy. They were some of the best administrators I've ever worked for in the six years I've been a teacher. In my education and professional experience and gaining my master's degree in special education and minoring in traumatic use learning, I've learned how important relationships are. Social emotional learning is a psychology that is

182taught and practiced by teachers and districts across the country. I use this philosophy in each area in lesson plan. Why do you ask that? It is because our SPE students all have trauma. Trauma is not just at home or violent. It is separation from classmates, bullying or misunderstanding from classmates and staff, and trauma from home and parents who don't understand how to parent kids with disabilities. It is the smiles in the hallways, fist bumps and listening. These relationships are what help our students learn. I am not perfect. I am not a perfect teacher. I've asked for help. I've asked for mentors. I've went above and beyond to seek the guidance I need from my administrators, from Mr. Torics conversations. Yes, I am autistic. Yes, I have communication needs and I have seek help when I've

183needed it. I've made corrections when I've been asked to. These kids are my entire life. Teaching is all I know. All of this is to help them with their academics, social skills, and life after high school. The behaviors at the high school level are not just outbursts. It is their anxiety, their shutdowns, and their avoidance. These students experience behaviors and emotions differently due to their processing. This then translates to teachers, especially special special education teachers needing to understand and help these students manage their behaviors. My lesson plans are teaching state standards, but also how those work with paying bills and making invoices for welding jobs, etc. for their life after high school. These students don't need just state standards. They need to understand the why and the how. If you tell them what an essential

184question is or a state standard is, they look at you and want to know why. You have to give them that why. It's also teaching them how to advocate for their needs, which they've done eloquently today. Maybe their grammar is not perfect, and maybe they're not the most pleasantly spoken students you've ever heard, but they spoke from their heart. This is probably their first time ever speaking in public, especially at this level. Maybe this is the first time they've ever advocated for something that they truly care about. Maybe this isn't the platform that they should have started at. Maybe we should have started a little bit smaller. But this is a life skill that they're going to carry with them forever. Please listen to their hearts and to their parents and consider what they have

185to say. Thank you. Is there any additional public comments? Carry first. Is there any way my address can be given at a later time considering Yeah, we can we can add it to the record after. >> Okay. I'd just like to say that because I am currently have some threats against me um because of this teacher in question. So, keeping my address private is pretty important to my safety and my family safety at this time. Uh members of the board, thank you for the opportunity to speak. Based on my direct experiences, I support the administration administration's recommendation for non-renewal. Over the course of this year, I have observed a consistent and very concerning negative influence on several students in the high school. Academically, student progress has declined. Behaviorally, there has been a noticeable rise in

186disruptions and difficulty maintaining a productive classroom environment. Without going into detail, this teacher has put students and staff at very serious risk due to her lack of professionalism. It is also important to note that this recommendation is not an isolated situation. This teacher has struggled to ma remain at any one school pattern of moving from school to school raises some serious concerns and suggests ongoing issues that have not been resolved. Well, I do respect that some families may have heard a different perspective and my heart bleeds for those kids who've been manipulated um into being up here. Those views do not reflect the full and accurate picture of what is happening within the classroom and the high school. Um I am very sorry that some have been misled. Uh the decision to nonrenew is necessary

187and it's rooted in what is best for our students and the integrity of their learning environment. For these reasons, I encourage the board to move forward with recommendation of nonrenewal. Um, I have a lot of information I could share. Certainly not enough to go well beyond my 3 minutes. Um, definitely open to answering questions about the seriousness of this decision you're about to make. >> Yeah, we can't talk about that in a >> school board meeting. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. Can I add something to this? Since she decided to go ahead and open that up, I have >> I I feel like that since that was addressed, I have pages and pages and pages and pages of documented proof that everything that she just said is inaccurate. Um, and I feel

188like that's inappropriate and slander to say. Um, if you want to see it and I have I have everything in emails and proof that everything she said was inaccurate and that is not that's not fair to say about somebody in ruin somebody's reputation at a board meeting, especially that's been publicly broadcasted because now any school, any principal, any former employer can look at that and see that and now question me in my employment from here until eternity and they're going to be like, "Well, what was that? Well, what was she talking about? Well, what parents is she talking about?" "Well, what serious situation were you put in?" Um, when I have documented proof that everything that was said is a lie. >> Would you like to know the serious situation? >> Nope. >> So, also

189I have it in writing that any kind of retaliation is not allowed. So I am very gravely concerned about my future now as a teacher because this is a public for forum. >> I appreciate that and that's why we're not going to accept any information regarding that in this public setting. I'm I'm very concerned and I feel like that was inappropriate because none of that's none of that's valid. None of it's valid. I have proof that none of it's valid, but none of that gets you don't get to none of you get to see that. So now that just tarnished your opinion of me and of my teaching and everything that my students have said, everything my parents have said because it was said that it was manipulated. So now that has now tainted your

190opinion which is highly highly unacceptable. >> I think we've allowed you both to speak in a way of opinion and I and we have not accepted any evidence from either of you. Um and so that's and and I and I won't and I won't allow the board to accept that in this in this setting. Um, so, uh, I think it's appropriate to put a counterpoint, but um, I won't, we cannot I'm sorry. >> No, I understand that. I just feel like that was >> a very inappropriate. >> I appreciate that feeling. >> Okay. >> Hi, I'm Aubrey Hoff. I'm up here again. Um, I just want to add to Miss Dearis, I've been in almost all the sped classrooms, all of them. I have an IEP that tells me to take my test in a

191smaller classroom, which is the Skype classrooms. Um, every single SPE classroom except MD's I feel unsafe in. There's always teachers teachers yelling at students, students not listening. They don't ever like help you. I am failing biology. My biology teacher does not help me at all. I go into Mrs. D's class. I get the help I need. I'm going to miss a I think I'm going to leave on the 26th for Colorado for my stomach issues. I'm going to miss a pretty CHUNK A BIG AMOUNT OF SCHOOL. My my science teacher does not help me at all. Misty has been there to HELP ME WITH MY ACCOMMODATIONS, help me advocate with her for me so I can stay in school. I wanted to quit school LAST YEAR WHEN I GOT TO THIS SCHOOL. SO, IT'S KIND

192OF HARD TO SAY, oh yeah, maybe I'm just speaking out of my mind. Maybe I'm telling you lies. Well, I'm not. I'm speaking my heart. I don't know what to say to make you guys do anything. I can't really do anything. But I'm just going to tell you I felt unsafe in almost every single classroom except Miss Ste because she's always there to help me and she always keeps her student in line. >> Yes. Can I get my address underneath Britney Tan? >> Hi. So, I'm just going to make this short and quick. Um, and I can't give out any information. I know the board has information and admin, but I feel there's been conversations in other rooms and there's proof of it. And I feel unsafe coming to work every day. I shouldn't have

193to be looking when I'm driving. I shouldn't have to be worried driving home, how I going to get to school the next day and just looking at every other direction. It is unfair. I should not have to be this stressed every day at work. The conversations were not shut down. They weren't brought to staff right away. And I fear for my safety. Jody Nelson. Um, I also work at the school and I don't want to give out my address right now. >> Uh, Jodie Nelson. I am a uh parah at the high school and I've been in this district for 33 years and um I know for a fact some of these students that have taught tonight up until this year have absolutely loved the department and the teachers that they had. And it bothers

194me that um >> you know they say >> just be care >> I I'm trying. That's what I'm I am. >> Thank you. >> So I just want to say that um up until this year and the you know things seem to be okay. >> Okay. Thank you. We're going to keep this brief and since some things got brought up, I just want to bring one other thing to your guys's attention and I I didn't bring it up, but it's something you guys really um need to pay attention to. So, lately there's been a lot of stuff Noah Hoff 2744 Spring Creek. Um, lately there's been a lot of conversations on specific Facebook groups and so I think it's really um, imperative that you guys go back and look at those specific conversations because you

195guys are bringing up and questioning Mrs. D's authenticity. There are certain conversations that are in these groups that are direct violations of FURPA and those conversations that are happening are giving out student identifying information. And when you read these conversations and there's parents in this room who can provide the comments to you because they're about their children. And so by description of saying the boy was 6'4 and this is an incident that happened at school that's coming from administration. So when somebody okay I'm not implying exactly who it's coming from but somebody has to have that specific level of detail >> and that is brought to me by parents whose children are that directly impacted and I'm not from Laurel so I barely know anybody um I've only lived here 2 years keep to myself

196pretty much but in these conversations I think if you're going to open up a can of of worms and ostracized is one other person, you kind of need to maybe look at some of those conversations and find out where the other leak is because you've got a bigger problem at hand. And the thing is is they may be anonymous postings on Facebook, but you can actually go in and put in an information request because it's in regards to a child under the age of 18 and it's defamation and it is protected by Furpa. And so I just wanted to add that in as we're bringing all of this to light. Thank you. Well, to be clear, it's not an endorsement by the board of any discussion on a Facebook group, which we don't control. >>

197It's not, but somebody has to have deta that level of information that's on there is somehow that's not in disute every day. >> That's not in dispute. But I I just want to be clear that it's not this governing body that is releasing that information. >> And I recognize that, but as we're talking about issues, I think it's imperative for you guys to note to maybe at least have some re-education. If you're gonna call out how one person's not acting professional, I think it needs to be addressed with everybody. Thank you. Any other discussion? >> I have one thing to say. >> Thank you, Jenny. Yes. No matter how this board decides, I want to thank you all for coming and participating in this discussion. Especially thank you to the students. It was a hard

198thing to do and I appreciate everything you've said and um I think you should be proud of yourselves, students and parents for voicing your concerns and sharing with us your thoughts regarding this matter. Thanks, Jane. Any other board comments or discussion? I would echo what Jenny said. Um certainly um appreciated. Not easy not easy for us as a board to hear these conversations and discussions. um from both sides and the passion is appreciated. So with that, I would entertain a motion on this action item. >> I move to approve the non-renewal list. Have >> a motion to approve the non-renewal list by Jenny. Is there a second? I will second that. >> Seconded by Britney. >> Any further board discussion? >> Donnie. Yes. >> I just want to comment that the action the board is

199taking basically we know nothing of the situation. We are basing our vote off of recommendation by our administration which is our role. We can't know about what's going on in the situation and so we just >> have to act off of what >> I think that's fair. I just want that out there that that that's >> the position we're put into. >> That is correct. We are not a you may think that the board is privy to an abundance of information on both sides when in fact it is not because we are not the HR department of the school district and we're not allowed to have that information um as a finding of fact. Is that fair to say that we're not an HR department? comes before this board >> correct in a close session

200>> in the hearing if something >> so we are to Donny's point act we would we would be acting on if the board were to affirm this action on the recommendation of the school district administration >> I would just like this >> just so we make sure we have that invite if you could please again >> 2744 spring road you know I I spoke earlier tonight about bowling and it seems like a co a common theme with this school board and with some of the teachers. So why don't we address that problem? The problem of bullying. It sounds like that there's many teachers and there's that was just a small sample of kids that was that Mr. Dearis uh you know touched. There's a lot of teachers in here. There's I know a couple principles.

201I know those guys got students that they've touched and they would probably be in here talking to you guys just like these students, these parents talk to you guys. But like I said earlier tonight that this is my first meeting and as my wife stated that we've only been out here for two years. I have seen very good things in this school, especially with my kids. But you know the biggest thing I see I see there is a lack of communication and a bullying problem and it's coming from it. It doesn't matter if it's a mainstream child if it's a sped child if it's a teacher. We I work where I work I don't agree with everybody. We have our spouse. You guys are saying it's an HR problem. Well, you guys don't have to

202worry about HR because you just fired your HR directors. So, how how are you guys going to as a school district going to solve a problem when you guys don't have a biased opinion? Your HR director was your biased opinion. >> You mean do you mean unbiased instead of biased? You would want to operate unbiased, right? Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> I mean, so explain that to me. How how's that work? Beans that you got people you got people that your HR department don't see every day come with a complaint. Maybe the principal of one school doesn't like this person or maybe the principal of this school doesn't like the other person and then you guys vote this person out because you don't agree with you know what's going on. So, what I see

203is a bunch of bullies. And I thought, you know, we're grown-ups. And it doesn't look like we're a bunch of grown-ups. It looks like a bunch of schoolyard fighting. We got one person that's been here seven years is blaming another person that's only been here 3 years, but oh, I I did I did these changes in seven years. I can come and ask you guys, you know, what have you guys done for the school district? From my perspective, being my first meeting coming to you, coming to this school, you guys are bullies. And it makes me sad because we're supposed to be bringing these kids up to a different level. I want my kids to succeed more than I succeed. And what I see is you guys are knocking all these kids down. It doesn't

204matter if it's Mr. Deerys, if it's the principal of the high school, the principal of the middle school, the principal of the elementary school, anything. You guys want to bring them up. You guys want to You want these kids in the future to come back to the school and teach. And they're not going to because you guys are being bullies. And I would like to see that change. special education. You don't agree with somebody. You talk it out. You don't complain about every little thing they do. You work it out. And as a school, like I said earlier, you guys are the start of it. And you guys need to reflect in the community and stuff that, you know, we're trying to make a change, >> right? and and like timers and stuff. It shouldn't

205be that way. We should be able to It's a public public entity. It doesn't matter if you work at 6:00 in the morning or 5:00 in the morning or 3:00 in the morning. >> Well, there's timeliness to meetings. I mean, that's that is a >> a meeting. It's a public forum. >> Excuse me. I would like to just to make sure you understand, we hold these meetings in public space, but they are our meetings. So, we do have the right to keep them in a timely fashion. >> Okay. And here's here's a question for you. When when is when you when you >> do you come up for reelection? >> Well, in May and I'm not reelecting. >> Good. Because I'm going to I'm going to run for it. >> Well, we have five. And

206next year I would love to see your name on the ballot. >> Yeah, we certainly would welcome it >> because because you guys need a change. You guys are living in the past. >> Well, I would encourage you to continue coming to board meetings. I appreciate >> I welcome to board meetings because you guys it is >> in all sincerity I'm not being facitious in all sincerity I I really would like to have more participation of public >> and and you guys want to you know >> you'd be surprised how empty they typically are. >> Well I I understand that but I mean that's part of the community is is what you're seeing is people being bolded >> and teachers and stuff. I this like I said this is my first meeting. >> Yes. And

207I appreciate that >> and that's what I see. Sir, I appreciate your comments. I really do. This is a volunteer position. We try our very best and I know I know you feel very strongly. We try to listen to every single comment. >> I understand. >> I get the timer thing is frustrating and I do appreciate it and I want you to come to more board meetings. We do have an election in May. If you're unhappy with this makeup, there's opportunities to change. any person who lives in the district can run for for for a trustee position. So, I encourage you come next two weeks, every two weeks, the second and fourth um Monday every two weeks, but I'm not being it's hard to come up here and being told you're a bully. And I

208understand there's a lot of I have been here all day. So, it just >> I've been at work all day. It's fine. It's fine. >> I understand. I understand you guys are volunteers. >> I'm not going to control the meeting. >> I volunteer my time and after, you know, in other activities with kids and stuff. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> There's a lot of emotion and I appreciate that. and we have to act and if we it's not a um easy position or task. >> Sure, Lisa. Let's be brief. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Um but your motion currently is a non-renewal without cause. So you are purely going off of your recommendation of your administrators is my understanding that the way these things work. Um as a teacher is always challenging because

209until you are tenured every single year that's something that you worry about is a non-renewal and nobody wants a non-renewal. So I completely understand but all non-renewals that come before this board are going to be without cause. So, just for anyone who's in the public, it's not even something that you have to worry about what happened. It's without cause for whatever reason. It's not something the school board is even considering. >> Thank you. Which was kind of what we were trying to Donnie was trying to articulate is that we are we are not ready for that information as a as an elected body >> because it's without cause. motion approval. >> So, if there's no public more public comment or comments by the board, we will move the vote on the motion provided by Jenny

210to approve. Action item F, the certified non-renewal list. Uh, seconded by Britney. All in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? I will be opposed. But the motion carries. Action item G, administrative support rehire list. Do I have a motion? >> I move to approve the administrative retire list. Motion to approve the administrative rehire list by Jenny. Is there a second? >> Seconded by Donnie. Any uh public discussion? A uh excuse me, board discussion. >> Audience discussion. Hearing none, we'll move to vote on the motion by Jenny to approve action item G, the administrative support rehire list, seconded by Donnie. All in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Action item H, related service providers list. Do I have a motion? >> Motion to approve the related service providers list. >> Motion to

211approve the related service firefighters list by Kayla. Is there a second? Second. >> Seconded by Kelly. Any other board discussion? Audience discussion hearing none. We'll move to vote on the motion by Kayla to approve the related service provider list. Seconded by Kelly. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Action item I LHS books for approval. Is there a motion? I move to approve the three books on the library list. >> Motion to approve the books as listed by Jenny. Is there a second? >> Seconded by Kayla. Any board discussion? Audience discussion? Hearing none, we'll move to vote on the motion to approve the LHS books uh as presented by Jenny, seconded by Kayla. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? >> Motion carries. Action item J, policy review, first reading policy

2125240, pair of professionals. >> There's three. There's three in. >> Should we just approve them all? Is the board prefer all three? >> I would entertain a motion to approve all three motion. All uh three first readings >> as these did go through leadership and learning, I'm assuming. Okay. I just like to double check. I just Usually they do, but Okay, >> I'll move to approve first reading of policy 5420, policy uh notice form 5450 NF1, policy 5460. >> A motion to approve all policies listed under action item J, policy, first review, policy 5420, form 5450 and policy 5460 by Donnie. Is there a second? Second. >> Seconded by Jenny. Any board discussion? Donnie? >> Um, I noticed on the first policy 5420 on pair of professionals, there was a comment to add, didn't you

213add the word pair of professionals to No, you added a >> No, it was teacher aids or pair of professionals. >> Yeah, we have >> but you did it just in one place and I think we should carry it through out wherever one's listed. the other one should be added. >> Isn't that the name of the document though? Or it's the the set or the header. >> Yeah, we we kind of talked about that. >> Yeah, we added it there just because the the name they had named it as pair of professionals. Then they put teachers aids. So, we just said, well, it's fine if they say teachers aid, but we just put four pair of professionals on there. >> But you don't think we should include that every time it says teacher aid? I

214mean, we've done that on other policies. didn't feel it was necessary, but it's easy to change. >> Just a suggestion. >> It's up to you guys. I can do it very quickly right here just sitting here so everyone can see it. >> Sure. >> Will you make the motion? >> Did we finish the motion? Did the amendment to policy 5420 to include the word pair of professionals throughout the policy, not just in the title? >> So amended. Second. >> Second the amendment. >> Great. >> Any other board discussion? Audience discussion? Hearing none, we'll move to vote on the amended motion by Donnie to approve the policy readings uh as listed with the amendment to include par profofessionals throughout policy 5420. Seconded by Jenny. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries.

215Action item K, policy review, second reading. >> Do I have a motion? >> I have a quick question. >> Yes, Britney. So on the notice form 2335 health enhancement curriculum and related issues the 5 to 14 day. So, okay. So, currently right now when our when our parents sign off on all of the documentation at the beginning of the year, you know, they go into the system, they sign off on it, and already it's noticing them that they will they will be noticed if something related to, you know, um sexual content or anything like that of a of a what am I trying to say? It's been a long night. I apologize. um of a curriculum for them issue. >> Yeah. Right. Even if it's just like in plants because you know science can start

216talking about it and of course in science you have to you know that that verbiage can come up. So if it's predetermined at the beginning of the year that's what their lesson plans are and then they change they have to renotice them up to 5 to 14 days. >> Even if they don't change we're still noticing them. Would that be accurate, Charlotte? Yeah, we notice some. So, we say it's going to happen in this unit, >> but we don't know when that unit is going to be necessarily. It could be a week or so different than it was the year before. >> Yeah. >> We don't say in there the dates of the units. And then we notice them saying, hey, it's coming up. >> Yeah. Like, hey, this unit's starting in 3 weeks, and

217we just want to make sure that you're aware that this unit's happening. It's also a uh kind of a fail safe in case, is that the right word? in case we have like a new family that comes in that, you know, like they still get that annual notification with their enrollment packet, >> but we just want to make sure that we've double checked and triple checked and made sure that parents are aware and that they have the opportunity to opt out if they so choose to. Um and then in particular with this with this one um with our new science curriculum, this particular unit on genetics moved from 7th grade to sixth grade. So when our sixth grade parents at the beginning of the year got the notification for the annual notice, they weren't paying

218attention to it because it didn't apply to them. So we want to make sure that we get that notification out to all of our parents that might be impacted. >> Okay. So the teacher also has to know like when their lesson plans are coming up and everything. >> For sure. For sure. And like we knew that it's in a unit coming up second semester and and now that they get a little bit closer to that unit and that unit is going to start in 3 weeks or however you know >> 5 to 14 days we want to make sure we get that notification out. So are you are you keeping track of that Charlotte? keeping track of like keeping track of like what which unit which units they're they're in the policy. They're posted in

219the policy. So, we went through >> that one. Oh, >> yeah. It's it's listed in there. We did we went through all of our science and health curriculum and then we actually also went through some of our ELA and you know made sure that it not in any of the books that we were launching. I'm just saying like you're do you know like hey this science room and this science teachers this is the policy that's or this curriculum's going >> gracious teachers know too >> the teachers but the teachers KNOW AND THE TEACHERS USUALLY call me and say hey I'm supposed to send out that notice can you show me where that policy is and then like yes we have it far enough advance this isn't going to like cause that's what my question was

220>> that's that's part of our communication loop absolutely is to make that we know which units it is, which grade levels it is. And so this one kind of caught us um not caught us off guard, but we anticipated it in seventh. And then when my sixth grade teacher emailed me, I'm like, "Why are you emailing me?" And she's like, "Well, because it's in sixth grade now with our new curriculum and then we went through it. We actually found it's in 8th grade also." So we that's why we made the change. >> Okay. Okay. >> To stay on top of it. >> Better understand. >> Yeah, I know. Thank Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, >> it's a lot of balls to juggle, but we have a motion. >> Go for it, girl. >>

221You got it. You're good. >> Motion to approve the policies. Second reading for 233. Oh, sorry. 2335 NF1 2335 NF3 522 P1 or 522 I cannot 5228 >> 5232 NF2 motion to approve action item K items 1 through five by Kayla. Is there a second? >> Second. Seconded by Kelly. Any further board discussion. Audience discussion. Hearing none. We'll move to vote on the motion by Kayla to approve action item K items 1 through five as constituted. Seconded by Kelly. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. Action item L, removal of policy recommendation. Do I have a motion? >> Does this one make sense? >> We don't we have this one, but we decided we're not doing it. Have any instructions? So, let's just get it out of there to confusion.

222>> Correct. >> I'll move to remove policy notice form NF2. Motion to approve the removal of the >> of the notice form 2335 NF2 by Donnie. Is there a second? >> Seconded by Jenny. Any further board discussion? Audience discussion hearing? None. will move to vote on the motion by Donnie to remove action item L1, the notice form 2335 NF2, seconded by Jenny. All in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? Motion carries. We did action item M if you'll recall above. So we'll move to action item N. The DPA is for approval. Everway and way ground. I have a motion. >> I move to approve the DPAs as presented for Everway and playground. >> Motion to approve action item N as constituted. Is there a second? >> I'll second that. >> Seconded by Britney. >>

223Yes, Donnie. >> Are these new or renewal? >> These I believe are new. Is that correct, Evan? Where is he? >> He's behind the curtain. >> The GPA. >> Yeah, >> they're they're new. One >> these are new. >> Yeah. >> I I don't know both of them. One of them there used to be an app called quizzes and quizzes change names and I think that's the not the ever way the way ground. I think that's the way ground is the seven. These are one of one of them is like it used to be called quizzes and then they just changed the name of the company but our uh renewal was expiring anyways or DPA >> hyper sensitive about these DPAs too. So >> yeah, >> he's right on top of one change the legal

224name and then one thing I actually have a >> sorry I was looking for. >> So one's existing with a new legal and the other one's a totally new. >> Yes. And I can talk to you. So, what's the totally new for? >> Um, what's the redeemed one for a little bit? Can I withdraw my question? >> If you would like I can withdraw. >> I I asked if she told you know what they were for. >> Moving on. >> Do we really want to do this? >> That rem got buried on you. >> I'll send you. Okay. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. Any other board questions or discussion? Audience discussion? >> Hearing none, we'll move to vote on the motion by Jenny to approve action item N as constituted. Seconded by Britney. All

225in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. Action item O, traffic education, Sunday driving and virtual classroom permission. >> Anyone need an explanation? >> Okay. >> Make a recommendation that the board approve the Sunday drives and a portion of that class to be virtual. >> A motion to approve the action item as presented by Britney. Is there a second? >> Seconded by Kayla. Any other discussion by the board? Audience discussion hearing none. We'll move to vote on the motion by Britney need to approve action item O traffic education Sunday driving and a portion of the classroom time to be virtual. Seconded by Kayla. All in favor say I. I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. Action item P reertification of the taxable valuation >> action of the mills >> of the mills approve

226of the mills members >> approve mill changes. So there there's three is it one full motion and that's just supporting docks underneath or is that >> the big individual high school and and elementary? >> Right. So what you're doing is is you're uh approving the the revaluation and the mills that are going to go to the reeval to the >> what do they do when they retach retax? >> They reertified the taxes reassess. As you guys all remember, and I'll tell everybody out here, the county when they gave us the wrong valuation last fall, the valuation changed, the board had already certified the mill values and sent them in. And then they changed the valuation, but they never bothered to go to the taxpayer and say, "Hey, it's the mills are a little bit different

227because of protested taxes and such." And so now they have to go back this spring and retax property taxes. It's not a lot of money. It's just a few dollars, but but it's still it's something that they screwed up. So, they have to go back and retax. So, we just have to approve the mills and then it goes back to them. So, it's officially >> official. >> So, in May, they will >> Yeah, they'll send out that >> they'll send out the new >> probably this month, actually. >> April. Yeah. >> And it has a nice letter that says this is not the school's fault. >> I thought that's good. Yeah, they better. >> This is not school's fault. >> We we they give us the taxable viuation. The mills get set and then we

228>> we just loop it to them and they're supposed to know that. So >> So the motion should include the acceptance of the reertification >> and approval of the mills. >> I will make a motion. >> Thank you, Donnie. to approve the reertified taxable values for Yellow School District 7 in Yellowstone County and the revised mill levy values to be assessed in May. We want our money. >> That's right. We do. We have a motion to approve action item P, the reertification of the tax bell valuation of seven and 7-7, right? >> Or is it just >> 7-70 is actually in Carbon County. >> This is just seven. >> Okay. And the reertification of the mills or the approval of the mill values to be determined in May. >> That's by Donnie. Is there a

229second? Second. >> Seconded by Kayla or Kayla. I'm sorry. It's 10 o'clock. Kelly, thank you, Kelly. >> Close the other board discussion. >> No. >> Audience discussion. Hearing none, we'll move to vote on the motion to approve the reertification of tax value uh for district 7 and the elementary and high school mill changes. That was motioned by Donnie and seconded by Kelly. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. >> We'll get it sent out quick. >> We are through the actions. Let's discuss some information things. if we could just read them off >> as we go through. Um please stop me if you do have any discussion under department reports activities curriculum facilities food services technology transportation for financial cial reports. We have the cash report, revenue report, expenditure report, high school

230activities, middle school activities, bond expense report almost gone. That's the report almost. Principal's report. Elementary, intermediate, middle school, high school. >> Good job. >> To Bethy's point, yes, we do read them. And thank you so much again. >> It's wonderful. We really appreciate the work that goes into helping us stay apprised to what's going on in the in the schools. All the the good things that are going on. D committee meetings. March 2nd, 2026, district operations. March 12th, 2026, leadership and learning. March 19th, 2026, leadership and learning. March 26th, 2026, capital planning, the superintendence report, resignation report. Thanks for all the reports. Not really. I mean, I I'm not joking. It is appreciated. The work that goes into those each month is very appreciated. We'll have transfers next month. We just didn't have any this

231month. >> Discussion items. We just had one very brief discussion item about door hangers for the bond. Those are going to be they're >> they're here. They're here. >> I'd like to get them uh hung in the next, you know, over the next seven, eight days. Y >> maybe this weekend's a good time. I've already given out my first ones to Wayne. He's going to do his area up there where he lives. So, if if anyone would like to come and I have some maps, Wayne got me the big these uh blown up maps and and Charlotte gave me the official binder of knowledge in regards to handing out door hangers and um so if you guys uh want to volunteer, I already got some volunteers on there, but uh uh to do a little

232walking and door hanging doesn't involve any door knocking. It just is about hanging them up and going. If there's a mean looking dog, you can hang it on the fence. Um, but uh I'd love to you guys to have some time to do those door hangers as they're going to be sending out uh what do you call it? Ballots here pretty quick. Those door hangers are good. Um our uh Zeta here, our u our Zeta, did our uh newsletter go out today? >> It's going out on Thursday or Friday. >> Okay. Okay. And then I have the trifolds that will go out. We'll send those the first day of next week, >> right? >> We'll send those uh the official trifolds out, too. So, it should get bombed with all that. >> So, when is

233your goal to get these hangers out? >> This week all hung up this week. >> You going to grab some? >> Yeah. >> I would say weekend. >> I think we have some. >> We already had some volunteer carve out. >> We do. And I've sent emails to everybody. So, we still have >> No, we still have quite a bit. So, I I went ahead and emailed out the group and I have them all in my office. Just stop by. I'll hand you a map with a nice, you know, >> Yeah. >> yellow. I'll let you help you. You can kind of choose what you can do and then I'll send you out with a pen full of >> Yeah. >> door hangers. >> The help will be appreciated. It's a It's a It's not

234a big town, but it's a lot of paper. >> Grab the kids and walk around on a Saturday for a couple hours. You can cover a lot of blocks with some extra hands. >> Yep. Awesome. So, any other uh items that should be brought before the board at a future meeting? As always, if you've come up with one and uh would like that presented or discussed, uh please send that to myself and and Mr. Torx and make sure it gets put on the next available meeting. All right, everyone. I appreciate your time. This meeting's adjourned. 5 minutes to 10.