001component parts. It's things like, you know, every time we're talking about handing in an assignment on time, how we are using language around that instruction, around that guidance, around supporting students is once we put it into a standard, we can reference that over and over again. And it's stuff that's already happening. There may be a few categories of things that might require some creativity and different re resources, but for the most part, these are skills that most of our educators are pretty familiar with um teaching. It's just a matter of making it more formal and creating some standardized language around it so we are held accountable to it the same way we're held accountable to academic standards. >> Trusty Sandy Wilson. >> Um I want to thank you for doing this work. It's so important
002and Joanna when you talked about we don't know what a lot of the jobs or the careers that kids are going to have in the future but the list that we get from corporate America or or or any of the areas that you can go into study so many of the first the most important skills they're looking for are the ones that are that we're going to be addressing directly and recognizing directly that this will really help our kids going out into the future. So, I can't imagine the work you've done. This is just, you know, it it's I'm I'm so excited about it and I'm so grateful that we have two people and a district that is supporting this kind of work because it's it's really important and it's imperative that we do this.
003So, thank you very much. I don't have any questions. I'm just so excited about this. >> Yeah, I just want to add um kudos to you. This is brilliant and I love how this is just integrated and I and I know it's not new under the sun for teachers but it just puts it in a just such a great place. Um were there any other districts in the state or the region or the country similar who like and did you draw from any of that or is it we looked at so many examples. I will start there. I was hoping that somebody had it all figured out already. Um and the reality is that they don't and what we've created um stands up against any of the examples that we've seen if not um provides
004a greater level of detail and clarity around what we're trying to accomplish. Um, you know, I looked at examples from New York, examples from California, examples from all over the all over the country where they'd attempted to do things like this. And, um, it it pretty much in most places exists like a poster. And it's really unfortunate that we don't learn as well from posters as we do from people. Um, but we've taken that next step to make this something that um, we can actually execute upon. >> The only thing that I'll add And and I think you'll understand this is as I've had an opportunity to talk to other folks across our state as well as had the opportunity to go down to Albuquerque, New Mexico with some state leaders and and I talked
005about this. What everybody said to a person is please share that with us when you've completed it. Um because it's the next step in this process that most people just haven't it's it's a hard one to sort of wrap your mind around. Um one of the other people that was instrumental in this process was Sarah Hayes. Sarah helped us tremendously with the planning and preparation and organization much through the the PLC and PLT planning process. You guys know Sarah. Sarah's with us in the room hiding back there. But just her expertise in um the just how all of this works together and this process is just instrumental. And so I think one of the other things I I say that because we're so fortunate when we take on a project like this in Bzon public
006schools to have so many experts within our district and also have the freedom to navigate hard things um when there's not always a model. Um we know it's the right work and we're going to figure it out together and we don't always have a model we can just pull from but we're going to we're going to keep going and figure it out. >> Casey >> Trusty Berson I think they're being very humble. There's not a school district that we're aware of that articulates K12 social and academic behavioral standards, teaches them, measures them, and reports them to parents across an entire district. It doesn't happen. >> I was getting that picture for sure. So, I I just appreciate it so much what you've done and I hope I mean this is important to our students here
007in our district. Um, but I hope it is something that can be shared as as an example of what we've done here because can benefit. Thank you. >> Question and then two comments. So just in terms of timeline, make sure I understand this correctly. Next year's a planning year and then the following fall would be like when we would start. Is that correct? >> Yeah, we have um movers and shakers in every building. So, as soon as these are adopted tonight, there's already the, you know, the SEAL teams at various elementary schools are already planning summer work around these, knowing that um they they want to live and breathe them um early, knowing that there's going to be a representative group coming together next year to really formalize um where they are specifically taught and
008how we're measuring them for the following year. Yes. So, 26 27 is a is planning um 2728 is full implementation with uh and we'll be discussing reporting during that 2728. And so then the following year, changing report cards is way easier said than done. Um so the following year would be the um when you'd start seeing it on a report card >> helps out a lot. And as somebody who's done like developing standards, this is so impressive because this is so much work. So thank you to you and your team that worked on this. And as teaches college students. Can you start the communication one now? >> You should see the emails I get. >> Great, Gary. >> I was going to make a motion. I'm sorry. Go ahead, Gary. >> Yeah, I totally support
009this. It's great program and I appreciate all the work you are putting in will have to do. I'm just curious is is part of your plan on this is to as you as we educate students on this that they apply this in school and out of school. >> Yeah. In the in the specific phrasing for the standards we talked a lot about that um there are some standards that might be more applicable in an educational environment and some that are more applicable in their social relationships and their relationships with their employers. And um we tried to create um a broad um broadly applicable skill set that is um something that we can observe and measure in school but that's that we'll be able to they'll be able to use outside of school. >> Motion to
010approve the superintendent's recommendation that the as the K12 essential behavior standards are presented. >> Second. Motion made by Trusty Neil, second by Trusty Burlesen. Any public comment. All those in favor? Motion passes 8 to zero. Thank you guys very much for all your work. Congratulations on it. Um to this point, sounds like a little bit more work as well. Um Patrick, as you started, so if you leave, you're doing the same thing to the rest of the people. >> Yeah. Yeah. No, it's not. It's just interpret it however you'd like. >> You're welcome. >> All right. Next item. I think it's Mr. Mills. Is that correct? 4.2.1 Consideration of approval board um Boseman High School activities director Welcome, James. >> Superintendent Bertram, trustees, thank you for having us tonight. I'm honored to be here to
011uh introduce James Maxwell, and many of you know James Maxwell. Um to introduce James Maxwell as our new activities director at Boseman High, which as you know is a new position that we're very excited about. um very excited to augment and transform our administrative team at Bosezeman High in a new direction um and all the possibilities that that that entails. Um couple things to introduce Mr. Maxwell um to this role. Um you know those of you and everybody in this room has served on some sort of interview processes and many interview processes. Um, in the work that that I do, interviews are simultaneously probably the most important thing I do. Um, and also they can be a bit tedious just by their very nature because you're doing things over and over again and and trying
012to get towards substance and and trying to find the right person. They're mentally challenging. And I have a moment that I find uh when I'm in the middle of an interview process where I find myself being inspired and and taking my own notes about things that I want to do differently at Boseman High and things like that. And I I think I point to that because there were many moments like that during the interview process uh with with Mr. Maxwell. We had two rounds of interviews umh for this role. Um and I was learning from from Mr. Maxwell as as we went through those interviews and that's how I really ultimately knew that he was the right person for this for this leadership position at Boseman High. Um, one of those things that I that
013I learned, you know, obviously we know that Mr. Maxwell is is a is an excellent manager of activities, uh, an excellent organizer of activities, knows everything about Boseman High and everything like that. What really shined um during the interview process was Mr. Maxwell's passion for activities, passion for competition, what that means for student participants, student athletes, students um in speech and debate, students in drama and fine arts, etc. And so those were really uh some of those uh interesting uh interview moments that I found where I was learning from Mr. Maxwell about what he cares deeply about and what he sees happening on the field, the court and stage and how that could translate to this position. Um I I happen to just look up Mr. Maxwell's resume again today just to get some of
014the timeline on on how exactly long he's he's been at Bosezeman High and things like that. And one of the things that struck me is, you know, resumes themselves are bullet points, but there's nothing that's a bullet point about James' resume. It's all of depth and substance. He's been an English teacher and a very good one for a very long time. And that speaks to this position uh in terms of how well he knows students and what it means to be a student, how important it is to be a student. There's no part of Mr. Maxwell that that says athletics first or fine arts first or anything like that. It is the composite picture of a student participant. Um and then the last thing I'll say and I'll I'll turn it over to to the
015trustees because I know you probably want to speak to Mr. Maxwell. Um but I think there's a really important part of Bosezeman High that is the confluence of past and future. Um, so this weekend when when I spoke at our graduation, I point out that this is our 126th commitment commencement ceremony. We really think that's important and I think it's important to embrace the past. Um, and Mr. Maxwell understands that past and understands history of Bosezeman High. And yet at the same time, I've not met another faculty member that has a more uh, you know, nimble, flexible, progressive mindset, always looking to to look at things differently. whether that's my work with with James in the activities realm or in NHS or in the English classroom itself. Um always looking at things in a different
016way in a different light. And so I think in that way uh Mr. Maxwell is really poised to be part of Boseman High's future. And I'm excited for next year what our admin team will look like, what it'll mean uh for our student participants to have um you know have this new role there on site. Um and and so with that, I'll turn it over to to you, Mr. Maxwell. >> Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. Um Jay, do you have anything you want to say to begin with or you want questions thrown at you and comments? >> You can probably just ask me questions. It's easier for me that way. I mean, I >> All right. >> That way I won't ramble. I may still, but >> that's fair enough. Well, I would just
017comment wise I would just start off with um I've seen you for um your in your athletic uh um position that you've been in for the last few years. The amount of work that you've done um to me is really amazing. I really appreciate all your efforts there. Um I really look forward to although I know Mr. Ader did a great job in the role that he was tasked with and and he had I I'm really um excited about seeing this and having two athletic directors at each school, then being able to concentrate specifically on their school create that culture that they believe in. Um, I think actually I was thinking of what Mr. Mill said regarding the 126 um years and graduations that Boseman High had. Um, but that looks different than what it
018did 126 years ago or six years ago or 10 years ago or 20 years ago. Um, and I think there's an opportunity there at this point in time to create some different cultures and different thoughts and um, and then support and I think you have the skill set to go support the coaches in a different manner um, than they have been able to in the last few years. So, I'm I'm excited for this role um, that it gives not only for you but also for Mr. Ader to really um, and also be in the same building on a more regular basis. I understand that there's a component for um, SMS and CJ for Mr. Ader, but Um, I think that's a that's going to be an amazing thing. So, um, I'm really excited about this
019transition. Um, and I think you're you're going to be a great fit for this position. So, if there's any questions or comments from trustees. >> Yeah, I would just I was thrilled to get this recommendation. Um, Mr. Maxwell, you're you're the def definition of at least from my perspective of of humble and and I see you doing lots and lots of things behind the scenes that nobody really understands. that that have to happen, cutting grass and refereeing soccer and just all I mean there's a whole sea of examples of things that I've seen you doing over the years that you just do what it takes to keep the ship moving forward and I I just think you're the perfect person for this position. Um institutional knowledge that you have. You've you understand the the campus
020better than really almost anyone in some ways. And um so I I just think it's it's it's going to be a great fit. Um how many interviews there were, but uh there was only one that was needed in my opinion. Um I just think it's a great recommendation. So, thanks for stepping up. >> And as one of your future middle school parents, I'm so excited to be working with you. >> Feel bad that I didn't say anything and but I mean I I I'm honored to take the position. It was it was you know I I took a unique path here. I think I took a fairly atypical path into the AD route. Um, you know, I've been teaching English for quite a while. I was up at MSU and um, Godfrey called me to
021create a so they had overflow in junior English and that's how I ended up at Bosezeman High. Um, and I'm glad I did. I mean, I always wanted to get in there. Um, I think the biggest part for me throughout all of this is I've had um, probably the best like mentorship that I I think I've experienced. Um, I I joke with True. And that might be where some of the work ethic comes from is I seem to have this weird habit of following like people who set these impossible standards. I mean, um, you know, Anne Sullivan was a legendary debate coach, right? And, uh, to even begin to try to step into those shoes as to coach debate was like I I I don't even know why I took that on. Um, you know,
022Scott McDonald's was the AD that hired me and he's I mean, that dude was there when every bus took off and every bus got back. Um, I mean, I've worked with great ads. Randy Russell was great AD and when I heard he applied for the job, too, I was going okay. So, that's he was the AD for most of the time I was there. Um, and Mark's been a great mentor as well. Um, so it's been able being able to like learn from people. Um, I'm excited to work with our admin team at Boseman High School. Um, I I'm nervous to leave the classroom. I mean, it's it'll be a grieving process. I know that it's been a long time that I've been I it's weird to think about, you know, Christian Landers was up
023here. He's and and when I got the position, I was like I said to the AP kids and all my kids, I said, "The last AP kids I'm teaching, I guess, and and that kind of stuff." And it was it's definitely bittersweet. I miss it. Um I don't know if you've ever seen my classroom at Boseman High. Um it's hard to leave that space. Thankfully, another English teacher is going to take that over and we can continue the legacy of all sorts of creative things on the walls and stuff like that. Um, but I look forward to it. It's a great new challenge. I think I'm excited um to to see things differently to to be on the other end. Um, I'm nervous about, you know, as you guys have pointed out and know I
024I do enjoy being behind the scenes a lot and this position will require me to step out from behind that definitely. So uh um that'll be a challenge for me and a unique one but um I look forward to it. I think the time I've spent as I said with my mentors and work doing leading up to this um has prepared me in a unique way I think to to do this position and hopefully I can live up to the expectations. That's that's my Thank you. >> And what do you look forward to most? >> Uh what I look forward to the most is um I like the environment. I like the game environment. I like being around it. Um I like being outside a lot. Um which is not to say I hate winter
025sports necessarily, but I I do. I mean, it's been great this spring. Um baseball was a lot of fun. Just it was a nerve-wracking experience to think of a new sport, but it went about as smoothly as I think anybody could have expected it to go. And uh it was a lot of fun, right? Being out at that park and that lands. I love the fact I look forward to the views that we have at our games too. Like I haven't been to a venue either Gallatin or Boseman where it's a bad when we're participating in games. Um, and I look forward to new um, and deeper relationships with coaches as well as as kids. Um, and I thought about when I came into this position, the biggest thing is being around sports, right? It
026has a it has a a great tendency to bring out the best in people. Um, activities in general do also has a tendency to bring out some of the worst in people. And I, so I look forward to being able to to sort of help cultivate a place where it's mostly the best and minimize the worst. I guess that's it. >> All right. I would >> I'd like to make a motion to approve the superintendent's recommendation to appoint James Maxwell as the Boseman High School activities director effective July 1st, 2026. >> Second. >> Motion made by Trusty Moran, seconded by Trustee D. Any public comment? All those in favor? Motion passes eight to zero. Congratulations. Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you, Mr. >> Item five, board discussion 5.1 uh policy reading. 5.1.1. Mr. Waterman. >>
027Good evening, trustees. Um, a pretty short uh proposed policy change for you to review tonight. 535 HR policies. Um it says currently that our temporary employees um will be paid in accordance with our classified um employees and and they're just in in different groups. Our temporary employees are our substitutes and our overflow pair of professionals. So you can know specifically who we're talking about. Those groups are exempted from the classified unit. So accordingly they they aren't paid the same. Um the other change we've got in here is the human resources office. just move that to or proposing to move that to the superintendent what we've done in other policies. Happy to answer any questions you have. >> Any questions or any comments trustees? >> No graph and you have no questions. Maybe that maybe note
028that in the future Mike if you don't bring graphs you won't have any questions. >> All right. 5.2 honor 202526 administrative retirees. Sarah and Pat, come on down. >> Is this when we cue put one shining moment? >> Yeah. >> This is a discussion item and not an action item because we're hopeful that they'll change their mind. Um uh in front of you are two incredible administrators, incredible people that um have served our district for over 50 years combined. Um and so it's it's hard to um really quantify um the impact of that many years in pivotal positions. Um I'll I'll start with Sarah. 32 years in Bosezeman public schools. Um high school English math teacher, high school assistant principal, district curriculum coordinator, ele longtime elementary principal um at Emily Dickinson, and then more recently
029a very behind the scenes um but pivotal role as a district admin PLC coach. Um people get better on Sarah's watch, period. and um I've I worked with her as a elementary um principal. The pride she had in um her teachers and her parents and her community uh and the work she did there to create a model PLC um was transformative. And then watching her behind the scenes coaching our principles, coaching my executive team, coaching me. Um she is a great thought partner and she's always looking for ways to move the district forward and the way she does that is with humility, with grace. She always makes it feel like it's your idea um and uh just has a um incredible um work ethic um and sets the bar really high for herself and everyone
030she comes in contact with. So, uh, we're going to, um, miss her. Um, and we're going to find her find a way to get her back here, um, in a in a in a coaching role. Um, I'll move to, um, Pat. Um, I I told Pat we were going to, um, this was a celebrity roast. It's really not. Um, Pat's been with the district for 25 years, assistant principal at Bosezeman High. Um, moved over to um, the HR office during a trying time and and with with challenges going on um, at the district level and has been the HR director for 19 years. Um what I can tell you is that um there is no other district I'm aware of that has built a um ongoing positive relationship with the unions um like Pat has
031been able to um masterfully um create. um he learned the consensus process and has taught so many others about it and we are um all the big things this district has done in the past 20 years big decisions have been made in circles um largely facilitated or coached by Pat Strauss um and and so um his fingers are all over moving to a second high school all over any of the big things that we've um talked about it is people facilitating well. Um and and Pat's a master um facilitator. Um I think the other thing that um stands out to me is uh we have um sometimes we we almost to our detriment sometimes we have um the the most flexible and humane HR approach. And so when teachers are feeling a bit burned out
032or they want to try a new adventure or they want um to to try the private sector, um Pat has facilitated relationships and policies where we we just let those folks go try that out and we save their job for them and and a lot of them come back and are so grateful for that opportunity. And while it creates one year only positions and and challenges, it's like a human first approach to everything um that we do. Um, also very interesting um, as we've learned that um, we we've had to like create a a structure where we have to have two people moving forward um, doing the work that that Pat has been doing and he's been and that has been challenging for Pat to see me as a superintendent blow up the ORC chart
033and next year we will not have a director of human of human resources. you could approach that in a bunch of different ways. And once Pat understood that um the what we were doing with the with the business side of things with Lacy and what we were doing with the human side of things um with Mars um he has been nothing but gracious and supportive and in recent months we've called him Professor Pat um because um there are so many things in HR that have happened behind a closed door um with people in their darkest moments um that doesn't get writen down that doesn't it's not in a file somewhere um and so Pat has been teaching and training and teaching and training all of us on the executive team um and um telling stories
034um but but mostly just in passing on um all that incredible knowledge and um he's between Sarah and Pat like leaving it leaving a legacy leaving it better we found it. All those things that we hope we do with our careers. Um, they've nailed it. >> Thank you, Casey. >> Appreciate all those comments. Um, I'll just start kick us off a little bit maybe, but um Sarah, I I've seen you mostly at the elementary school, but knowing you for a long time. Um, just appreciate your approach. How you treat people is most notable to me. And I would also say just seeing just go back to the elementary time seeing you how much like you're smiling right now but that was you every day seeing those kids come in the door and that was your
035why and then getting at least to me that seemed like your why and then getting them to the best point that they could be and helping everybody around you um to help them or lift them to the next spot. So I appreciate that as well as your kindness um and um truthfulness in all our in many different conversations we had because I had the opportunity to be leazison on at your school. So that was I appreciate that. I think that was right around co so that was exciting too right for all of us. Um, and then Pat, I've had the opportunity to be on uh not only a few different uh committees, but there's a transition and where you're being a part of that and the consensus and the um and your um your ability
036to bring people together and communicate and and get us to a point of a thumbs up or a thumbs down um is is amazing. Um and then also to get to the point I think or part of that part of your skill set is getting people past the fear. And I think you described that perfectly in those situations where that's what you're trying like and we get those out. There's a process for it, but it needs somebody to be able to get those people to trust what the process is going to be. Um, so I appreciate those things. Um, and then I obviously all are I think we have a little bit of banter every once while up here. Um, and I think we all get into it a little bit and appreciate those relationships
037that we have. So appreciate for everything you've done, both of you have done for our district for many years. So grateful. Thank you, Sandy. You pushed the microphone first, right? You're following instructions. Well, Sarah, I mean, I I knew you personally on the tennis court before and then I have watched over my I think it's 12 years that I've been on the board how you have given selflessly to um acts of helping teachers, helping admin, serving students um for all these years in so many different capacities. And while I I you have certainly earned this time in your life to retire and to move on and to do something else. You will be sorely missed. And um and I love what Casey said about both of you are leaving the place better and and in
038a really good spot for the next people to come in and that says a lot about you too. Um Pat, I have served in many circles with you and um it's been expressed what that's like. I canot tell you I can't I remember the first time when I walked into a negotiation and I used to negotiate in a small rural school and I looked around the room and I'm like I see HR sitting next to to the union the president and I and then I'm looking around there's admin there's all of these things in this circle going all the way around and then to get to the final result of what doing what's best for the district and teachers serving that I saw that happen over and over and over again. Um, the gift that
039you have for that is incredible. And I've told that story so many times. So many times. And I wish you your best. The um maybe you'll come back and do a circle or two like in your retirement. That would be wonderful. I would love to be a part of that. But I I can't thank both of you enough for how you've served our kids and our teachers in our district. Thank you very much. Gary, >> well, I agree with everything that's been said. Uh, this is kind of a bittersweet moment, but you both certainly deserve to move on to whatever you you want to do. And, um, Sarah, I hope you have time to support our softball team. Um, and uh, yeah, it's just watching you through the years and your focus on students and
040doing the right thing and being in different positions and stuff is very much appreciated and wish you all the best. Pat um I was early on the board when we started getting into consensus process and that the strength of that in our district is because of you. I think how you've managed and facilitated those meetings and just to bring people together is a very special skill. So, it's much appreciated and it's a process that I'm a strong advocate for and um hopefully we can continue that and move it on um in good fashion. So, congratulate both of you. So, uh and good luck with whatever you're going to do next. >> Yeah. Well, I I can't put it any better than what Casey and Sandy and and Gary have shared, how much you've just dedicated
041and how much you've done for the district. And I I hope that at this point that you have some time to really take in like it's hard when you're in the thick of work to really see what it is that you're doing. Like I know that you know, but now that you're stepping away, I hope it really sinks in just the exponential impact both of you have had on so many people. and I will always be grateful for everything you've done. So, thank you, >> Casey. >> Yeah, I um just want to make sure it's on your radar. We have a district-wide celebration tomorrow right here um 4 to 5 for for Pat and Sarah and then a week from tomorrow, um we have the administrator picnic at Story Mill Park 5:30 to 7 and
042we'll um be talking about um then them again. Um, and also, uh, as I'd mentioned, um, we continually learn, uh, I learn from Pat and Sarah. And so I I don't want to put you on the spot, but if you have any, um, anything you want to say, and I'm particularly interested in advice you have for for us moving forward. Um, >> was my chance. >> Well, I have to say that this this is very uncomfortable for me. like I don't like being the center of attention, but I appreciate all your kind words. And I also realized I never realized 16 years in when I came into central office and I watched the trustees come and the amount of time that you guys dedicate is unreal. Um, and that is why we we have such
043an amazing district is because of all the time and dedication so many people give and your support of the schools. So, I I appreciate all of that. I've known so many of you so much of my life. Um that it it I can't tell you how much we all appreciate the the district that you help us create and that you support through everything you do. Um I can't believe I was 32 years in. Like, how can I possibly be that old? That's the thing that really bothers me the most is that that I've been doing this for 32 years. But I've had an amazing career and I've learned from so many people and um I I've been blessed to work with so many amazing people. And so I my advice would be just to keep
044learning and knowing uh it's been so fun the last couple years to be in so many buildings and work with so many people, see their style, see what they're doing. I hope you continue to get those opportunities to to work with our teacher teams and our admin teams because there aren't any better people around. So, thank you. Thanks for all you do. >> Um, yeah, I just like to echo some of what Sarah said. Thank you so much for the kind comments. I It's been a an honor to work for this school district for 25 years. I I have to acknowledge my wife, Kelly. Um, I don't know if you know this, but uh facilitators need a facilitator, and Kelly's been my steadfast facilitator and my uh my go-to person when things aren't always going
045well and when they are going really well. So, thanks for being here, Kelly. Um you know, I I think what what makes this district so unique has come a lot from the board of trustees. Your your steadfast um stewardship of this district has just been amazing. Um I I feel very um grateful that you guys have embraced the consensus process. I think that's one of the big things that sets us apart from from most of the places anywhere, not just in Montana. Um and um the other the other thing I would say, I don't know that it's advice, it's just reflection, but you've got just an amazing executive cabinet, amazing administrators, amazing teachers, and um I I guess I hope that the contribution I've made uh as Casey said earlier is uh you know my
046goal was just always to make this a place where people want to be and they and they are proud to be a part of it and it takes a team to do that and I would also say that um the style of leadership that we've adopted in the Bosezeman school district it puts a lot on on the folks in this room it's not easy because uh we we get to see hear all the good things but we also purposely seek out what's not working out. And that's not easy to hear as a leader. And I kudos to Casey and Mike and Lacy and Mike and Patrick and Marilyn um for their ability to listen to the hard things, take that in, and make positive changes out of it. And I think that's what's helped us
047be an amazing district. So, thank you, >> Greg. Yeah, I I just want to I I don't have Yeah, a lot of things have been said, but I just I I have to say that I've been saying for years I I didn't I didn't know what consensus was when I showed up here in 2017. And I I learned it through sitting on the committees and and living it. And um and and since then, especially when I entered into board leadership, I I would say the words often, we are a consensus based school district. I I fully at that point started to really understand what that what that means. And um so as far as just a hard footprint and and legacy that you're leaving that really changed a large substantial institution forever. Um you've done
048a lot of things, Pat, but that's I I don't know if that's the biggest one, but that's a huge one. Um, and it's just so important and and it it just goes without saying that this school district would not be what it is without without consensus and without you uh leading that for decades really. So, um, great job. I I can't say enough. It's amazing what you what you're leaving. Um, so thank you. Um, Sarah, thank thanks for everything. I had your mom for English. Uh, it's amazing how um the kids get older and you and I don't. Um, so I just love how that works. Anyway, thank you for everything to both of you. >> Um, I just want to thank both of y'all. Sarah, I've encountered you quite a few times delivering Apple
049awards or spark grants to your schools at Emily Dickinson and you were always so welcoming and positive and refreshing face. And I remember when Greg and Casey, I had my trustee orientation and Greg and Casey said, "Well, we do a consensus process here." And I was like, "Okay, I'll figure out what that is later on." And fortunately, I was able to sit on teacher negotiations last year with you. And it was amazing to see how those people come together in a final process. So, thank y'all both for everything. >> Lauren, >> I'll wrap it up. Um, first of all, Sarah, I was doing the math and I'm thinking my brother was in one of your very I know he had to but I'm thinking oh my gosh that was one of your first classes and
050you kept teaching um no he was a good kid um to both of you um I met you before I was on the board either through the schools or sitting on a committee and learned a ton from both of you and um not to repeat what everybody has said but I completely agree with each thing Sarah you always have a smile on your face and give% % 120% and it is always um very evident that you have the kids in the center of the room and that you're trying to lift up teachers and build people up and build systems that build those people up. And so I do hope that you're able to step back and see the legacy um that you've left. And thank you for having the growth mindset to do all those
051different jobs and learn new jobs and um as you worked your way into retirement to take on a huge task that um had you in so many buildings throughout the district. So thank you. And Pat, I know I said after my first uh consensus committee, I'm going to start using this in my marriage and everywhere else. I love the consensus process. This is great. Everybody needs to know this. Um, but you do you break down walls and you help people face their fears in a group setting, which I think is um, just even say it out loud sounds crazy because so many people are so protective of themselves. And like Sandy said, you walk into this room and you see all these people and you're like, how is this going to work? And I remember
052my very first one when you said it's, you know, uh, slow to go fast. And, um, I walked out and my husband's like, "What did you decide today?" or whatever. And I was like, "Not much, but I got a way that we're going to talk in our marriage now." Like, this is great. Um, we're going to keep moving. Um, but your dedication to not only the consensus process, but then I have heard you um during negotiations and stuff talk about the experiences you have taking um our employees one-on-one with their situation. We have people who have battled cancer, um parents that are fearful because they have children and cost of living, all these things. And you really do put the human in human resources and that um you don't just sit behind a computer and
053look at numbers. You knew those each individual and really humanize them and that is really important. So, thank you very much. Well, thank you guys. Sir, I did actually just think of one more thing for you to share is that um both Greg and I were Emerson's Mount Mice. Principal at that time was Nani Hughes and whenever I see her, she still talks to me and she still sees me. And that's the impact that elementary principles can have. And I see that you that as you in the future of people running into you and talking to you about when you are when you principal. So, um I know that stands out for me every time I see her. One, that she actually remembers who I am. Um and then probably the bigger thing is why
054I had lunch with her because I probably did something wrong. So, definitely not an award. Mr. Curtis does not like it when you tell kids to go when you're not when he didn't do it. So, okay. All right. Thank you guys very much. Appreciate everything you've done. Have a good night. >> All right. Now we have 5.3 discussion of 202526 long range strategic plan annual report. Casey, >> thank you. Um reminder this is the annual report which is a looking back endeavor around um all the things that happened um this year um in relationship to our um long range strategic plan. Um let's see. I'm going to um this is a long meeting and I'm going to give you the highlights. Um knowing that um a couple things I want to tell you. Scroll up
055just a little bit. So that blue table is Yeah. Right there. Um In the in this document, you have the um five-year plan and the district goals, grade level reading, graduation, PLC's, early literacies, staff well-being, student well-being, and profile of a graduate. We have completed um the the writeups and we have the data for all of them except the student well-being goal. So, the youth risk behavior survey data from OPI um has um is not ready to be released. uh they released it once, it had some errors and they're they're fixing the errors and so I don't have um viable data there. So when this comes back as an action item uh we'll have that in there. Also number two, school site action plans. Uh we the I think another thing that's unique in Bosezeman
056public schools is we live and breathe the long range strategic plan. It's more than a document or a binder. And so our principles are actively um thinking about their goals at the end of the year and documenting those. Our conversations that we have with principles three times a year get really deep into the weeds and we talked about individual kids and there's lots of data charts in there with kids names all over them. And so it's a cleanup process right now where our principles are taking those documents uh removing all the student names getting them ready for public consumption and and that will be ready at at the um next meeting as well. So those links are not um live. Uh Mike hang with me and we will run through this. We'll go goal by
057goal and I'll just give the highlights. Uh keep going to the next page. Um grade level reading. Um there's a graph. Um scroll down a little bit more. Yeah, right there. Uh, as you can see, our grade level reading uh data using Acadians in third grade is fairly flat. We have a slight trend line um moving up. What you see moving significantly is the multilingual English learner component. Um, and so it's it's a similar um situation that I shared last year. Um, many of those multilingual English learners are coming in at level one or level two. it takes them many years to get up to proficiency on the English language. Um so they have a very low um percentage of proficiency on the Aadian reading assessment. Uh while at the same time we're holding steady
058and so we are for our nonMLE population we are um we are actively closing achievement gaps there. Um, scroll down a little bit. Um, we are also a district that celebrates but also talks about our challenges. And so, um, while we have threequarters of our kids proficient, we know that students with IEPs, multilingual English learners, and our students with free and reduced lunch are disproportionately a part of our achievement gap. And the the really the the driving reason that I come to work every day um is to um close that achievement gap and provide equitable opportunities to all of our kids. So we have lots to celebrate with this and uh we know that we have more work to do. This uh is just there are multiple ways to measure reading um formally and informally.
059And so we have Aadian data. We have Ames Webb Plus data at our at our middle schools. You'll notice um uh anytime we're comparing Aadians to Ames Web, it's an apples and oranges thing. And so aa um Ames Webb is set at the 25th percentile is proficient. Um and and Aadians depending on the grade level um is uh is higher than that. And so there there's a bit of a disconnect there. But the long story short is we're seeing strong um achievement in literacy across the K12 grade bands. Um the mast assessment is new. It's problematic. It's we're um doing what we can to share that at the state level. Um and so we're not putting a lot of stock in those um data points at this point. Um, ACT, um, as you recall last
060year, and we'll get to that, highest ACT scores literacy-wise ever in Bosezeman public schools history at the high school level. Um, this year quite strong as as well. Okay, you can keep going. Uh, this is the ACT thing. I wanted to spend a little time on this. You got three colors. Um, the ACT has been around forever, but in 2015, it became the state test, which means all juniors had to take it. before that you could choose if you wanted to take the ACT. So um for so for the first time we had all kids take it 2015 16 you have four years there before um before COVID and it was a traditional schedule in one high school our average proficiency was 69%. You move to postcoid um you have um a traditional schedule we
061moved to two high schools some people in our community thought the the the sky was falling um because we we had opened a second high school, we bumped up to 71% proficient uh in our literacy scores. Um then you move postcoid block schedule two high schools the last two years average 76% it's the highest proficiency we've ever seen on record in um in Bosezeman public schools on the ACT. So change is really really hard and um we have navigated that change process. You have navigated that change process. um extremely well. We're doing we're doing well. Uh this is that same time period and the multilingual English learner um percentage for just juniors. Um and so you can see that that bar is up and to the right. Um when we were talking precoid one high
062school around 1% of our learners were multilingual English learners. And now we're we're bumping up districtwide approaching 10% but in this junior class um it was approaching 4% this year. Okay. Uh graduation we've already talked about this. I won't spend um time on this. Um as well we've also um had there was a lot of fears around u moving to a block schedule um having hawk time prime time um kids having holes in their schedule all those pieces of the puzzle. Um highest cohort graduation rate ever in the history of Bosezeman public schools. First time ever over 90% um graduation rate. Um we're you scroll down it um highest in the double A's um approaching that trend line that blue trend line. We're closing the gap on our target of 95% and people thought 95%
063was a crazy stretch goal. Um and we we are working tirelessly and we feel like we will get there um in the next few years. Uh that's graduation rate compared to multilingual English learner um population and um it's extremely challenging for a high school junior to show up in Bosezeman and be a level one English learner and stick around. And so we're doing a lot of things to keep them um engaged and keep them in the building and provide them a high quality education um and positively impact our graduation rate. Uh that shows that we have some um achievement gap issues. Um our IEP students, multilingual English learners, free and reduced lunch have lower graduation rates. Um PLC's uh when you put PLC's the collaboration part you braid it together with multi-tered systems of support
064um it's just become what we do it's the foundation um of and the instructional framework now in every single school in Bosezeman um which is exciting and we're moving closer to our goal of having um all schools qualifying as model um PLC schools and becoming a model PLC district um we added uh Whittier most recently and so six um six of our 12 schools are there. uh early literacy. Uh while we're not seeing a significant increase in the p percentage of students who are walking in our doors proficient as kindergarteners, um we are getting our hands on um more and more of those students. And so um that that also shows the impact of multilingual English learners. over the last few years um you know 11% 10% of our kindergarteners um English is not their
065first language um and so there's challenges associated with that as you know Megan Roth has been working tirelessly at Boseman Reed's Early Learning Center and then also in the community and the data coming out of um Morning Star this year is it's wild. Keep keep going Mike. Um so 52% um there was a lot of instruct so one to get into that program you get flagged on one or more subtests um during the summer they they qualify you for the program a bunch of instruction happens like on day one and by the time they got to assessment period they had over half those kids um showing up proficient um and then by the end of the year for a population defined by having legging literacy skills 82% of those kids this spring in those morning
066star classs um proficient on um and that number um increased. We went from four classrooms to five. We're moving from five to seven next year. So, we'll um literally have our hands on 126 students in our community. Um their parents will have no cost preschool with school lunch and transportation and all the things that go with it, which is exciting. Uh there's a lot of things Megan's behind the scenes. Um, and we're actually to kind of cement this change, the the Boseman Reeds Early Learning Center is up and running. We're expanding to um, Irving and we're moving Megan out physically out of the space. Um, so she's coming to the Wilson next year and we'll be 100% focused on this external um, working with um, different programs in the community. So she quietly behind the
067scenes partnered with Montana State University and Dr. Christine Lux and the early childhood program and created the Gallatin Learning Early Learning Fellows, 15 to 20 educators across three school districts, six private child care facilities, and HRDC Head Start, had five intensive training sessions with Megan and Christine Lux. She did then she pushed in and did coaching and resource injection and help them with curriculum and she's become a go-to professional in the community for those folks. um she's providing low barrier community access to our screenings. So we used to have it you had to come to our schools um and now she's going to where um our populations are at. And so um screenings at like in the wheat suites run by HRDC at the marketplace on the H HRDC community campus um so that they
068don't have to worry about transportation and logistical barriers. Um and then she created were at the community coalition. Uh brought all the early ch anybody who has access or working with young people um in the prek space and had them really like um take ownership of what they were currently doing, what they're going to do. Um and uh the sky's is the limit there in terms of bringing our community together around early childhood. Um and it's pretty exciting. Pretty exciting. Okay, might keep going. Uh wellbeing. Um, I can tell you that this has been a u somewhat of a it's been challenging. It's been challenging for our administrative team in particular. Um, that uh for a variety of reasons, some of them hard to quantify. Um, we continue to have staff reporting what we feel
069like are pretty low levels of well-being um across our and it's been a disconnect for our principles to look at on every measurable thing you can imagine. Um they're off the charts student achievement um they're winning awards. Our kids are highly involved in things. Um and then when you take these anonymous survey data um it's showing up lower and so um we are giving our um principles training from Panorama on how to navigate that on how set measurable goals that are realistic. Uh we're also um going to be working with the union. Uh we have a desire to do two things. One, to make the survey non-anmous um because uh we have a bunch of people that care about this data deeply and when there's anonymous um comments and we can't we don't know where
070it's coming from and we can't help. It's causing a lot of frustration. So, we're going to be exploring moving away from anonymous. We're also be going to be exploring making this data more public. Um, and we have um seen situations in other school districts where um uh I don't think our community knows in some of our really high performing buildings that the adults within the building are saying that their staff well-being is quite low. Um and so um we we want to be more transparent around that. And we've also seen in communities that when you get more trans around that um that data starts to change pretty quickly. The important thing is um we are making progress 65 to 69. If you scroll down a little bit um we scroll down just to that table
071there. Panorama was finally able to provide us within their normative sample like what is significant growth? Is moving from 65 to 69 a big deal? And this says it is. So we have about 650 folks that take the survey on any given survey administration. So two to three% would be significant growth. We made 4% um and so it's it is significant. We are making sign significant progress. Okay, keep going. Uh keep going. We've I've unpacked this via email and other ways. student well-being. We'll get that for the next uh next time we meet. Um that YBS data, I'm very interested in what that is going to say. Um keep going. Profile of graduate is everything we talked about earlier this evening. We have next steps. Um you approve the the standards this evening and then
072we're going to keep moving that process forward next year. Um keep going. These are those sitebased action plans where if you want to get into the weeds on what does panorama data look like at any given school or reading data or what are we doing with multilingual English learners those are like they've become like now 30 40 page documents for each building get very detailed action plans on on what they're doing those will all get linked when this get before this gets approved and then the final section has um all of the um school lunchon dates, the presentations that were given, the data sheets associated with that. Um, as a reminder, this becomes uh once you approve it, it goes on the website, it becomes part of the historical archive for the long range strategic
073plan. And then later this summer, while this is a looking back endeavor, I'll be bringing you the um um long range strategic plan, five-year plan. Um, I can give you a little uh spoiler alert that the theme for last year was massive action and as you recall that document was long and that little new button showed up everywhere because we were doing so many things to achieve these goals. Um, I can tell you that as we've met as an executive team, we're not launching anything new. Um, and so it is the theme is stay the course and we're just um doubling down on all those items that are already um already there and digging deeper with them. So I I think it's been refreshing to our um school sites and teachers to know that hey
074there's not five new things that they have to get trained on in the fall. Um and uh we're we're actually other than the profile of the graduate work, we're not adopting any major curriculum changes, um assessment changes, professional development changes. It's just stay the course. That's that's it. >> Thank you, Greg. >> Just say love it. Stay the course. Uh thanks for everything. I just want to say wow th this report is comprehensive. Um any questions that I may have I know I'll be able to eventually tap into a link or whatever. It's very comprehensive. I just feel like you do a really good job of covering all the bases for us in a way that we can understand and access any data that we want. So thanks Yeah, thank you Casey and team for
075this and um I love this information and how it's going. So much appreciated. One question I have is have you gotten any feedback from the principles and teachers for our board lunchons if they're okay with the the format we're using. And >> yeah, I think they've um things. I think they've liked the flexibility to um change the time of day. That works better in the schedule. They've appreciated that. Um I And then I also think they've um we they were less you probably noticed they were less scripted. They looked a little different in each building. And so we encouraged them to share the things tied to the long range strategic plan that were important to them. And they that I think they did a great job of that. Any other comments? All right. Well, thanks
076Casey. Thanks for all the time. Also, I'm sure >> I know you do a lot with this, but also everybody else's time and effort in so appreciate it. >> Mars, I think you just got rid of our only public comment. >> Yeah, that's public comment. It's as good as it's going to get for us tonight, I believe. So, guess item six, public comment. See, told you. All right. Item seven, reports. Uh, do we have any executive cabin reportes? Um, next Wednesday and Thursday, school funding interim commission meets again. It's my understanding there'll be three more meetings before we wrap up in September with some recommendations. I'm hopeful. they'll start moving towards some actual concrete recommendations. We'll see what happens with that. But uh interesting couple days. >> Thank you. >> Anything else? 6 or 7.2
077board of trustees request calendar concerns, reports, future items, open meeting topics for next meeting. Okay. Yes, Leon and I will be attending the MTSBA uh annual meeting which be is Wednesday morning and um I plan on tuning in to the school funding commission next week as well. So I thank Mike for your service on that and so we can give a report on the MPS briefing once it's over. Um last week Lyanna and I went to the um Bridger Charter Academy um honoring of the seniors um day. That was their classmates honored them. They did great activities out there. And then I found out that um what's the teacher's AP um history teacher who does the 60s I >> Derek Strong. Derek Strong was I never been to this. So, I wandered over there and
078I had such a blast. There were kids, a kid brought in a motor of a 1965 Mustang that he'd been working on and and there was a band of kids that put themselves together and were singing 60s and 70s. I won. And then there was a um a a booth that was doing art, had done artwork in the 60s, and I won a Credence Clearwater t-shirt handmade by a BH um BHS student. So anyway, that's what I that I had a blast doing that. I had never heard of that activ that what he did at the end of the year and he's been doing it for years, right? >> Yes. >> Yeah. Wow. I'm going next year. It was a blast. was kind of embarrassed at how I used to dress when I >> Oh,
079the white. >> No comment from the gallery, please. >> All right. Anything else? All right. Well, I would just say thank you to every to everybody that was showing up for the last couple weeks. I know we've had multiple different things um and we might have a couple other things the rest of this week as well. before school over. So, thank you for your support. All right, I adjourn this meeting.