February 7, 2026 Board of Education Budget Workshop

001I'm going to call the uh February 2026 um budget workshop to order. Can we all uh stand and say the pledge of allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. Can the clerk call the role? >> Mr. Joseph >> here. >> Mrs. Danielle Padulla >> here. >> Mr. Donald >> here. >> Mrs. Talil New >> here. >> Mr. James Paul is excused. Mr. Jason Cooper >> here. >> And Mr. Braden Anna >> here. >> Okay. Um why don't we get started talking about the uh budget. >> So we'd like to before we get into detail just open up with the presentation and contextualize the materials that we have today and then we uh

002want to get straight to it. >> Okay. So, first thank you for everyone coming in on uh Saturday in this frigid morning. We appreciate you here that we are as we stayed in early in this budget process. So, this will give us the opportunity to present our spending plan today. That's what this is centered on. And we'll talk about what our proposed idea is to support student learning for the 2627 school year. Again, as with everything we do, it is rooted in our mission and the part that we are focusing on is continuous improvement, getting better in all areas of the organization year over year. Same is true of fulfilling our vision. These are guiding uh our guiding light so to speak. And again now with our mission and vision, we have district goals that

003are tangible aligned with that work and that framework. As we engage in a budget process and we had discussion about what it is that we hope to do, a lot of words came up and this was our thinking as we were putting this document together. We talked about opportunity structure, investments. We use words like data driven, missiondriven, accessibility, student centered. And so this budget as as all budgets are a moral document. It speaks to what our values are internally. And we are just explicitly putting the things here that everyone at the team at one point or another had stated publicly. And this is why we thought it would be pertinent and and uh good of us to illustrate this to show our thinking. Now when we develop budgets, the budget is developed based on an

004organizational framework and an organizational need. When I entered the institution in 2024, we did a structural analysis. We looked at the gaps from an academic standpoint. We looked at our operational deficiencies and we really used that to guide our practice. So this budget, one of our initiatives we're talking about is um uh professional development and what's the need for that. So when you think about this concept of homophily which is really a concept where you start to the organization inadvertently engineers group think because we're not really expanding our perspectives and ideas. We're recruiting from the same places same region. So part of that creates alignment, but it also stifles and has the ability to stifle an organization, which is why we want to um invest in professional development for the upcoming year to get our

005people out there with the best practices in the field, exchanging ideas so we can look at how educational transformation is being done more broadly in the field of education. So we are prioritizing that and that's the theory of action that this is aligned to. Now, the same thing when we think about going back to our mission and vision, we talk about the need to improve student outcomes. We are a highly diverse uh uh student population with students that have a a variety of classifications, special education, economically disadvantaged, over 52 languages. And part of our work here is how do we not only expand the opportunity structure, but how do we make sure that our students are prepared postsecarily once they leave the institution. So one of the theories of stratification, how is inequality maintained throughout

006systems over time is this theory by Lucas gives us which is effectively maintained inequality which really posits that as opportunities expand as we expand opportunities like for what we're doing with the high school for our AP courses NBC bridge program CTE that the inequality persists because the most advantaged actors will be positioned to take advantage of those opportunities. ities. So when we look at this budget and we look at our instructional framework, we are thinking how do we close those gaps? Now, one of the things that we've done to be actionable about this was the award-winning RED program that we implemented last year, which was designed to support our neediest students and address academic uh gaps early on. So as students move through the system, they would be better prepared to take advantage of said

007opportunities as they exit a Proctor High School. and they'll have the opportunity to uh to uh engage with the CT program which is why we are working with our middle schools and we are doing work in the red program to create awareness. So this theory of action is what guides the cultivation of the budget. It is why we ask for positions. It is why we ask for programs and initiatives all align to that. It's also very important because before we get to the numbers because the numbers are not created part and parcel. They're not separate from we need to have an understanding of our thinking about why we are doing what we do and this is the theory that that that works to support that. Again when we uh we last year uh when we

008did our opening day we always talk about the opportunity structure. How do we expand opportunities for our students both structurally and culturally? So, I put this here again to frame our thinking around the budget as we get to the numbers. Now, we're going to talk about the budget process and and process is important. What did we do? How did we arrive here? Now, number one, I want to say we're very early, very early in this process. And I'm happy that the board donate donated their time to come work with us today because now we can have these discussions and we can kind of see, you know, where is this budget aligned to our priorities. I'm also happy to say just like I say it coming on the heels of our budget testimony on Albany that

009right now we have we are in a stable financial position and one of the few urban districts that does not have a structural deficit and we are not looking to build one which is why one of our core words was sustainability. So as we talk about the process I'll turn it over to Heather to come talk a little bit more about what what are our process and remember we're still early in the process. The process is not done this is a part of it and Kev you Good morning. So, Dr. Spence wanted me to share with you a little bit of how the budget process works. Some people think it begins at a particular time and ends at a particular time. Um, but for the finance office, that's just really not accurate. It's it's a

010it's a perpetual moving wheel that continues. We're constantly looking at how programs are working, how how they're being expended, how the revenues are coming in. to actually get the the numbers on the paper. We begin usually in September at the beginning of the school year. Um, everybody's back at work. We're we're taking a look at the year before. How did our programs work? Um, do we want new programs? Um, and so that collaboration between all the departments begin and it started with our weekly meetings on Wednesdays. Uh the superintendent has something called the administrative cabinet and every Wednesday we meet to talk about initiatives that are working, initiatives that aren't. I think the best case example this past year was the cell phone cell phones where we had to pivot very quickly, find funds and

011then uh develop a process which Mike Ferrar was was key involved in in getting that off the ground and it was very successful and I think the commissioner of education came here and was very pleased to see that happen. But that's all sort of the things that go into the budget. So it starts in September, October, we start taking a look at uh where we are currently, right? Because when you're building a budget, you want to know where your fund balance is going to be at the end of the year. Um and so you've only got a couple of months in. So you're constantly projecting. Um that's why you hear that term incumbrance quite often. Um an incumbrance is basically a bookmark. And what it does, especially for our salaries, it bookmarks it all for

012us. So we can we can look at it every payroll period to see where we are. Um, so as we're looking at our fund balance, we begin uh projecting out where we think our salaries are going to be. Um, as you're well aware, we have some union contracts coming up. So, you know, we try to make some assumptions, but but we don't know where those things are going to land. Um, but it's very much a collaborative process. Um, we are also taking a look at cash flow. cash flow is very important to make sure that we can pay our bills timely um and make sure that we have enough money in the bank um to to be there when we need it. Um as we go through November, uh we take a look at we

013begin where we're going to be for the December presentation. Really key in that portion was transportation. Um transportation is a significant portion of our budget. Um Mike Ferraro worked tirelessly with us. We go through writership. We go through roots. How can we be more efficient? How can we provide a better service? So, as we go through all these different programs, we're taking a look at those things. A lot of people do trending. And before you right now, you have sheets and reams of paper, ledger ledger sized paper where I've gone through and I've given you a couple of years of trending material. So, even though you might see a zero for this current year, there may have been activity in prior years. Sometimes it's one shot. Sometimes it's a program you decided to get rid

014of. Sometimes it's a program you decided to add. And so looking at the trending is great. That's the beginning. But you have to dive down to into each account line. There's been a lot of discussion over the past year and a half about coding. And what you're going to notice in the ledger paper and all our accounts, we've uh expanded on the names of the accounts. Some of them would just say salary and you'd see a location code. Now we actually have the school name. if it's a grade one through three, a kindergarten, high school, you see them all labeled out. Um, we've been going through every line, making sure that everybody is placed where they're supposed to be placed. Um, so that we have a good tracking and we think we've we've got that

015under control. And so it's been a group effort and, uh, we're excited about that. And along with federal funds, they've taken a look at all their classifications and we think we're in good shape there. uh as we go through December and January, we begin to get a little more information about numbers, beds data, uh our sped enrollment, um where our vacancies are, and that all kind of plays into it. So that at the end of the day, it's a living, breathing process. It's not going to stop today. It's not going to stop after the the the voters have a chance to look at it. Um it just continues on. >> Okay. >> Thank you very much. And and thank you very much. And it it has been a very collaborative process. Heather and the business

016office has worked with the uh the academic side of the house and we're really looking at student data, but we're also looking at trends within the budget. And Heather looked at uh previous budgets 25 26 she's looked at 24 20 uh 24 25. And so we're really looking at that because in the overall grand scheme of thing colleagues, we're not proposing a reduction in staff. We are not proposing a reduction in programming. We are actually at a point where we're looking to expand some of those things, but we want to make sure that we're doing it in a fiscally responsible way. What we are proposing today will not be the final budget that you see. There will be tweaks and adjustments. We are talking more conceptually about these are the things that we're looking at

017and we're going to get a little bit tighter as we move on. So, thank you very much. And it has been very collaborative process and we're still ongoing process, right? whether we still have more people to meet with and we'll talk and then continue to refine this. So, thank you. >> I just wanted to ask when when you talk about people to talk to, who who would they be? >> So, for example, it it goes from the building level to the cabinet level. So, when we meet in cabinet, we'll meet with our various departments to assess need to assess look at trends and then we'll look at what the numbers are telling us and where's the organizational need. So for example, we'll talk about um an initiative of expanding our literacy teachers that came from

018a collaboration between uh uh Mr. Fouch's office as well as Heather Moat, superintendent, and we all sit and talk about these things because they're all intimately interwoven. So the goal for us here is to really mirror the needs of the organization from a holistic perspective. When we talk about adding the induction of the building principles, you would imagine that I mean system principles, you would imagine that's building driven. So we're really working to balance that across the organization and you know constant conversation >> off of that. How much input do we get from our teachers and from the people that are actually doing the work? So if we're looking at reading services for example, are we speaking directly to those teachers to the people in that are doing the work? Well, okay. Go ahead. >>

019So, the principles are constantly meeting with their staff. As late as yesterday, I know an Marie Paladino was meeting with her different chairs in her different departments trying to understand, I shouldn't say understand, but get a better uh clarification as to what their needs are going to be for next year. So, they're the ones that are really on the ground. They're constantly working with Steve Fel. Um, as we talked about, it it's not just this time of the year. It's all year long. >> So, Mr. I guess that questions to you because you're reporting. So, are these teachers in the discussion? >> So, I I just want to add to what Heather said. We also have districtwide AIS facilitator at central office who is a teacher curriculum specialist and they are on the ground working

020directly with teachers. So, all of that information should be funneling up through the principles and then it funnels up to our offices through the people that we have at central office that are on the ground working with the teachers. >> And did we get that input that this year? So, before we did all of this, was all of that input sent? Yes. And in fact, uh, we're actually meeting with the principles again on Monday. They're scheduled from 8:00 a.m. until 4 so that we have an opport they've already submitted their budget requests ba based on what their their discussions with their staff and then Heather has set up meetings so that we can actually sit and review all of that with them >> to make sure we have full knowledge of what their needs are.

021>> And and to be clear, that's one of the the why the the principal ship is just such an important role. They're working with a variety of stakeholders on the building level, but ultimately the principles have to really guide that decision- making because they're looking at the overall needs of that building. So, we value the input, but decisions have to be made. And so I just >> so I just want to understand I think Tanal's coming from the perspective that the rank and file teachers are and I'm not trying to but she wants them to have input into the final budget. Now my understanding of the way it works is they would have to make their request to the principles. >> Yes. and the principles would evaluate whatever that request is correct >> and then

022pass that on up to the administration or Steve um and and that's the process that's followed right >> correct >> okay and so right now you'll see where we are in the proposed budget right now if we were to adopt this budget today we're at $313 million. We're talking about an increase of uh about $22.85 million. So, right now we're looking at big picture, but we are going to do a little tightening around this numbers. Right now, this is more conceptual where we are. And it's good because again, we are early in the process. >> You know, I wanted to ask how we it seems to me that we are early. What's different this year than in past years that we're actually early from what I hear? Um, it's a bit more collaborative. So, what

023what is what's the difference this year in in that we're we're here at at this point? I think that our team has had uh I I think you know um again the organization's experienced a lot of the transition unfortunately I guess varying levels of the organization and I think our team our structure the weekly meetings that we have in polls it just it just lends itself to um uh uh I guess greater collaboration the the the thing about this is and one of the things that I always um promote in the cabinet meetings is that everything is interconnected. There's nothing that that I do as a superintendent that is not connected to a larger theory. I'm a social scientist by training. So, I bring a lot of that into the work in the organizational management,

024but it's also as a team we're looking at what how are we all connected to this overall framework. And they've been really good at um working, you know, just working to gel these things out, gel kinks out. And it's a constant uh learning moment. Next year we're gonna we're going to learn things from this process and say, you know what, we didn't really do that that well this year. This becomes a a refined part of the process. So, it's just continuous improvement like our mission. >> How much of an adjustment did we make in the way this budget is being framed versus years past? How did we get to that particular I'm of course assuming that we made adjustments but >> I don't know does anybody else want to speak to Steve? What do you

025think? What are your thoughts on that question? >> So as Dr. Spence said it's been a collaborative approach but there's also milestone markers along the way. For example, budget testimony in Albany. So, you have to ensure that you're ready for these things and you're prioritizing your needs ahead of time and looking at all of this information so that when you hit those milestone markers, you can make an intelligent um argument as to what the district's needs are every step along the way. >> So, I can appreciate that in terms of business days, we might be early in the process, but we have two board meetings. We have one next Tuesday and one the 24th of March which is the date that this has to be adopted. So in terms of actual board meetings it doesn't

026seem to me that we are that early in the process left. So I'm assuming that for we're most likely going to have to schedule a special meeting or some workshops to continue talking about the changes that are going to be happening or tweaks to the budget. When we say that we're early, when you look at the budget timeline, the portion that we're going to go over on Tuesday is already done. We're early in regards to the fact that we have a strong authoral hand over the budget and its key components. You know, the budget hasn't been adopted by the state yet. So, a lot of the the larger thinking, we're early in the process. I don't particularly foresee that, but Heather, if you have a different opinion, let me free to disscent. >> I think

027in the past couple of years, there were a lot more unknowns. I think that you know we keep using the word collaboration um but it's really a fact I just the constant communication between all the departments um the framework is really set and when we talk about tweaking there are things that come up I mean I'll give you a great example Boseis has not approved I don't believe that Boseies has approved their their rate increase yet right I think that's coming this week it's very difficult to be 100% spot on on numbers when you don't know what an increase is going to be um we just found out what our our our state aid is estimated to be from the governor's runs. That may not be where it ends up. Um we're going to be

028talking a little bit um next week about technology. You know, different things are aidable and how are they aidable. So as you go throughout the year when those things become more solid, you actually can do things a little more efficiently. So I don't disagree with you, Mr. banana that you know it may not appear that it's early but the strong framework that we have um and transportation is a is a is a great point we feel really great about those numbers and put a lot of effort into it and we did that in all these different areas um and so that we can document I think even on the last page of your sheet I did a little analysis for you on the boseies and the salaries um and and those were things that perhaps

029um we didn't have time to do in prior years so we feel I think much more concrete about what our numbers are representing and how we can document them. >> I think it reflects, you know, the the definition of what education is. Education is always learning and growing. So every year it should never be the same. We should constantly be re-evaluating, right? That's the definition of what education is. Um, and I love the idea of a collaboration approach because our teachers, our AIS facility workers, special, we're not getting collaboration. we're truly not going to make a budget that's going to impact them and impact ultimately their students because that's boots on the ground so they understand exactly what they need. So I really appreciate the collaboration approach. >> Okay. So the budget I'm going to

030simplify the budget for everyone because it's really not that complicated when you talk about the actual spending. We're not making a reduction of people. We're not reducing program. You take last year's budget, the same people will be there the next year. There's a cost of living increase. You your margins are really in that slim foundation aid if anything and whether you're appropriating any fund balance and trying to and and converting monies into expense driven aid. So I want to be clear about that. After going to the testimony again, I I'm happy to report that we're one of the few districts that are able to continue expanding what a lot of my colleagues talked about on the floor, structural deficits. So what we're looking to prioritize based on those theories of action, based on the study

031of the data and what we're seeing is um summer enrichment opportunities because again we know that students lose ground in the summer. We're talking about an expansion of the rate is extended. >> So what let let's just talk about that for a second. So, summer enrichment opportunities. Um, is there going to be an adjustment, for example, in whether or not there can be credit recovery in the summer versus what's taken place in the past where, you know, somebody didn't maybe get to school enough. Um, I mean, is that part of what you're I'd like to know what that >> So, if you give me um I just let me just list these and then as we go through, can we ask the questions on a particular >> Yeah, you can just Okay, so I'm going

032just I just want to go through and then we'll we'll talk about that. Very good. I just love the uh I love the uh the teacher in you, Joe. All right, so very good question. So, summer enrichment opportunities, again, we know that kids lose ground in the summer. We want to make sure that we can continue to keep them um um engaged in learning opportunities. The expansion of the award-winning Raiders extended day program. We started in November. We would like to start that as early as the third week in September. Um the expansion of career and technical education expansion. You know, we're going to need more people to help supervise the students as they're working with that equipment. Our district-wide technology replacement. Make sure our students have the most up-to-date tools. professional uh development across

033the organization connected to that hiphop framework strengthening building support. We have a lot of the organization did so well. The organization did so well last year the the in terms of our ability at that three through eight great bands to move the needles. So, we want to keep building on that momentum. And it was one of the things just to say here for our our viewing audience that I was proud to be able to say that on the uh at the budget testimony as a member of the big five, one of the few organizations that can say that. So, we're doing really really well in that area. Um and I want to keep that momentum going. Uh stren uh recruitment and public relations. So, one of the things again we're talking about theories. This is

034what I was able to glean when I went to the uh budget testimony. Many of our colleagues across the state are um are h are are addressing concerns with the proliferation of charter schools and the charter schools that are taking uh students from you know the organization and moving them. And if you know anything about charter schools, it's it's this neoliberalism, right? The privatization of the public sector and school choice and how do you compete? We're going to compete. We offer a lot in this district and I think we have to do a better job at rebranding those opportunities. So we want to increase the budget, our public relations line to be able to advertise more broadly to really ensure that all of our students and families understand the wide array of course offerings that

035we have. It is our way to compete in the marketplace. So that's the the thinking behind um increasing online there. And then also part is that is we live in a world of misinformation. We live in a world of um uh you know, all types of software and you can kind of build coalitions that don't also uh always lend itself to helping the organization and we need to be able to strengthen our recruitment. So, we're looking to really strengthen that to make sure that we can adequately tell our story and it's not something that's unique to Udica. It's one of the things that urban districts tend to struggle with. They're typically on the defense rather than being proactive. And we do so much here. So, we're really looking to invest in that. And then again,

036academic achievement. We're looking to really get more uh literacy teachers there. We'll talk about that to continue to strengthen the pipeline. The reason why we are looking to really strengthen our uh core supports at the elementary level is because the gaps are exacerbated over time. So if the student does not receive quality instruction or those instructional gaps are not addressed early on, the remediation is often more costly in the end when you're trying to remediate at the high school level. So our goal is to really address any of those learning gaps as soon as we possibly can so we can send the students up to the pipeline prepared to take advantage of those opportunities. Again connecting that to the opportunity structure framework and really dismantling that effectively maintained inequality over time. Uh again, this we've

037seen this slide again, so I'll go move to the numbers, but again, we're we're talking about extending that uh uh red program. And this is kind of a a breakdown of a couple of different scenarios. If there's any questions here, or Heather, if there's anything you would like to say, >> we just wanted to portray what um the cost was for 2425 and that was directly out of district funds. when the program moved in 2526 to Boseis um it was uh 90% aidable uh other than the administrative cost which was 64%. So you see that the cost dropped and we went from five months to seven and a half months. Dr. expenses uh request is that within this budget that we move to 10 months, move it uh into September instead of starting in November,

038have a full year and you can see that the cost is still what we project is still less than what the district would have paid in 2425 uh for half the time >> nominal cost very if I could add Dr. We're also looking to add the number of students that have access to that program from 675 when it was started last year to uh 1350 this upcoming school year. >> Sorry, 1350 still just for elementary. This is still >> this is just still elementary. It's still elementary. And and I also just want to um just for the the community, this work came about from two things. Um, one I want to connect it to the board when we talked and interviewed and we talked about, you know, um, opportunities for students was was something that

039the board had expressed when we did our four town halls, when we went to community and we went to each sector of the city. This was a resounding theme that we needed some extended day learning opportunities and I'm happy working with our team that we were able to not only design the program from scratch, we built it. Then we were able to leverage our funding, strategic resource of allocations to turn it into an expense-driven aid which drives sustainability for future years to come. So it was a very good collaborative effort. This is why I'm so pleased that we were able to receive the New York State School Board Association's Champion of Change award for a program we implemented last year and I we couldn't do it without your support. So thank you. And and we've

040had a lot of um requests from the community. So, we're looking to increase it because we're looking at the data and it's we believe it's also contributed to improving uh student outcomes. >> I have I'm sorry, I have one more question. Is the demand there to increase the numbers? Like we're we're still weight listed at some schools, right? >> Yes. Yes, the demand is there. So, when we um when we first started this this slow roll out, I think we were early on maybe around um >> 50s or 70s and then we creased it to 100 and then, you know, from what I'm hearing, there's a lot of demand there. Um and and people really uh and and seem to enjoy it. It's been from what we could see, it's been a really good program.

041>> Well, some schools are participating in it more than others, right? >> Not at this point. At this point, we have almost uh Steve, correct me if I'm wrong. It's almost about 100 per each go, right? >> Yeah. So the goal is to get the numbers by January up to 100 and we're there, but there are like MLK probably does have a higher student population in their program. There's a significant demand for it there and she's able to staff it to meet the needs of those kids. Yeah, that was one of my questions because getting the I think it was the last board meeting we were provided the red numbers um in staffing and it looked pretty sound and I think I saw that I can was even hiring like for substitutes like when they

042weren't able to provide like the regular um teacher who was in the room but MLK last year had just about 100% participation from each student in the building. So if the demand is there and they could staff it, are they allowed to go over that 100 this school year or are they >> we have to budget for we budgeted for 100? If there's a demand in their staffing, it would be it'll be an internal conversation right now because there'll be a budgetary impact. But the goal for for us is we want as many kids in there as possible. I if I could keep the kids till 10:00, I'd keep them at 10:00. >> Oh wow. We want the kids in the building as long as possible because in the urban transformation that I did when

043I worked in Rochester, when I worked in uh for Harlem Children's working in charter sector, that was one of the models even just growing up as a kid, just going to school, that was one of the models that helped keep us engaged in rigorous academic content. The the beautiful thing just to say about this program is not only do they focus on the academic power hour, they focus on a social emotional learning aspect. So when we brought the um representative from NISBA uh through Watson Williams, they were talking about how do we display empathy and and and and talking about these concepts for the children which was really good. So it really good work there. We're really proud about this. I I sincerely mean that. >> I'm sorry. I have one more question this only

044because I see still some differences building by building which is understandable but when buildings um bring in like different speakers or >> they host different like athletic camps after the power hour is that a cost to the district or does I can schedule that into their >> that that's bringing them in and so okay that's >> and and to some extent the we designed it intentionally for the buildings to have customization because we I wanted to make sure again as we had talked about before I wanted to make sure that our stakeholders had buyin and voice. So I didn't want it to be top down. The only thing that was top down was we have to have an academic power hour. We want you to emphasize social emotional learning. How you get there, you need

045to customize it based on the talent that's in the building and the the culture of that community that's surrounding that school. >> I have one question. So third line from the bottom 2026 meal security parent leaison this year that's 100,000 we're projecting the same for next year >> but we're also looking to enroll more students right >> is there a reason that line doesn't change is that because we pay a certain amount and then >> we're we're paying no we're paying a certain amount we're not looking to increase parent leaison because it would be the other we have a finite amount of them that work in the district so it would be the other instaff. So we increase that. This is what that reflects. How many other teachers would you need? How many other X

046mind check? We understand that the same mother. >> Okay. All right. I think >> Oh, the mills. You want to speak to that? >> Okay. >> That's okay. No, you're correct. >> Well, for the mills. Yeah. >> so line 2026 will probably be adjusted at the >> time. So, is the proposal for the expansion of the red program purely I don't want to say purely but is it is it more students longer time frame or are there expansions to sort of opportunity nutritional elements of students who otherwise don't have ability to have dinners or things like that or is it are is it less programmatic and more logistic right now or >> so the expansion is more students within the same framework so add more kids to the pool of kids that we have. And

047then in terms of like the the structure, the programming, we're looking at those things. We'll monitor it. We'll have we'll have a conversation at the end of the year with the full team or we'll talk about how can we enhance it in terms of different quality metrics. But right now, this just really affects reflects more staff and more students. >> I'm assuming though that if programmatic sort of expansions of this would also cause more harm, >> right? >> Yes. >> That would if that conversation And there's a desire to do that. That wouldn't be for next year. It' be for the following budget year. >> Well, right now we're still again, we're still got a little wiggle room ahead. If someone came to us and said, I'm just making this up. We want to bring

048LeBron James to Watson Williams and they had a good reason for doing something, then we would say, okay, we're going to adjust this to make sure all kids have an opportunity. >> I think I'm less thinking about that. more thinking about the types of foods that we're providing during this sort of meal period, >> the sort of >> activities and things that we're allowing you to >> less about. So I think I think I this is the question I was trying to ask or well that I did ask but >> so does it fall on I can because I see some schools doing like a cooking class I see schools doing dance a school doing lacrosse yes it's being done during RED who's responsible for like if you say that you want to work with

049I can and under their contract they have to bring in a a reader they have to bring in a community member they have to do a cooking class is that a budgetary item that falls on the district or would that reflect on I can? >> So, I'm I'm going to say two things. One and and Heather and Steve, you'll be prepared to jump in on this. In terms of the design of and what we're offering, we're still controlling that, but that's within the pre-existing call center. Correct, Heather? >> Yeah. So, that would be with the IM within that existing with with existing uh budgeting. So I think I think then probably from an equity standpoint and and a board standpoint just seeing each building differently and I understand that they should be ran different based

050on their clientele and the talent within the building and all of that. could we set some um parameters or that like once a month they can bring a speaker in like or something so that each building knows because I think what we're hearing is that X building gets to do this and we didn't know we could and it may just come from communication through I can or budgeting through I can but it it's like we didn't know we could do this we saw it online kind of thing. So in in regards to the uh variety of experiences across buildings, what we'll do is we'll meet internally. We we haven't um had that market yet. We'll meet internally with them and we'll do an assessment. That's more of just progress monitoring and quality control checks for

051the overall program. We haven't had that meeting, but as we look at that, if that's feedback that's out there, we'll consider that in regards to its implementation. >> Yeah. And then sort of more hypothetical question because it's not a short term this budget cycle thing. It's something that has been mentioned though previously from the board side of things is opening up the schools as facilities for community agency usage, other local governments to either do I know we've mentioned like on county health clinics or mental health clinics, food banks, things like that. Are those things that because they sort of align with the goals of the RED program, we would look as expansion of red or as a completely separate program if we were to move in that those would be um so any other coordinated

052agencies those would be separate from the red program. The red program has been designed but that's also one of the things that we we're looking to do. So again, part of just coming into the organization, my goal has been to shift the school as the hub and work with as many community partners across. So they fill out the facility usage form and there's some a type of event or something they want to host. We're amendable to that because we're trying to um coordinate services more broadly. >> Well, speaking of clinics, um we still do them, right? >> You still what? health, you know, the health clinic, the dental clinic, those types of things. >> Are we still delivering those services to our students? >> So, we were we did have health clinics at three of

053our schools, but they are no longer in operation on that agency side that was running the clinics. However, we have brought in dental clinics to all of the elementary schools. Because my thinking would be that since we have the RED program in all of our elementary schools and many of those kids are at risk, why wouldn't we schedule clinics and reconstitute or reinstitute our dental and health clinics that um and how long have they been gone? I want I want to say since last year, >> but didn't we I don't want to say we, but wasn't there a district move to remove them in order for space in the building? >> Not not the medical. >> Well, that's what they the people that supported the program no longer supported the program and it was really

054due to to staffing. They couldn't get the staff to run the clinics >> and meet the needs of their organization as a whole. So I do in previous discussions I know the board has expressed interest in expanding even >> those the I think those clinics should be I think those clinics should be rotated. We should go back to them. I think we should rotate them so that the kids that are in the uh RED program and any other child in the district that would need it would have access to it because um you know frankly we're responsible for everything else. we might as well discharge our obligation on that since sometimes >> uh people don't discharge that obligation for their kids and >> we need healthy kids and we need kids that aren't going to

055have uh you know major dental or health problems because they haven't been attended to >> and I'm I'm just to piggy back off of that I love the idea at RED we have a nurse shortage within our own buildings and I believe if we had stationary ary clinics and I know it'll take time to develop. I'm not saying we could put 13 in tomorrow. It was my understanding that they helped even like if they were open 9 to 12 then a nurse can be at another building. I'm saying use that opportunity where you have all the kids there to have the clinics and rotate them through because my idea is at this point I don't want to I'm not looking to put 10 clinics in our elementary schools. I'm just saying, you know, we have

056kids, they're captive, and >> so >> they need to be attended to. And if we have to rotate, >> then we rotate the kids through and we rotate different schools and everybody's got the RED program. So, >> but not everybody attends the RED program. So, I love the idea of making sure we >> But if there's clinical hours, it may be nice that your child could stay. Like, we used to even do the flu clinic. And it we had flu shots available here or at Proctor and it was like open to anybody in the community. >> So we still we still >> clinic this year. >> Yeah, we still do that. Yeah. >> So let me just >> let me just speak to this. So >> that is our intent. That's something that we spoke

057about um community equity and outreach, right? We talked about how we can have a date like that's one of the things that we talk about in the committee. Anything just for clear for anything above reading, writing and arithmetic is extra. All of swimming, anything above that from the foundation of education is considered extra. Over time, the school has been asked to do more and more as the county and the other services sort of move it on to the school because it's the only compulsory institution in American society that everybody has to go through. So, >> we have to do it now, right? We have we wash clothes. We we we provide clothing, we give food. I mean, we do a lot of different things. My my point is there's no sense in like like when

058it comes to health and it comes to you know, it comes to dental >> and the fact that you know uh the people responsible for making sure that the children have those needs attended to aren't discharging those obligations. Not saying all of them, but there's a wide variety. And I see it when I'm in family court. So I I see direct evidence of it. And my point is it it would help the kids. It would help our staff. >> Mhm. >> And it would help the people that are responsible for it to make it easier for them to discharge an obligation. So I'm just saying if we can't, you know, somehow they're no longer in the schools. Okay. But that's an effort that needs to be made even if it's on a rotational basis in

059conjunction with the red program. And you know, you can also expand it on the other side so that you know people that are not taking advantage of the RED program can access those clinics and we can provide the opportunity in the window for the people to do it. Can I just piggyback off of that because >> you know I'm loving y'all right now in in building and grounds. Jason and I have walked through schools uh I believe it was Watson that had a dental clinic >> going on. >> The the downfalls of that is they also lose their gym in the aud. So I I think we this is a bigger picture. I love that Watson has them. I didn't realize that they go to all the elementary schools. So that's awesome. But um the

060logistics of it I think bigger picture if we can put a clinic back in even one building or two building that is available for parents to even make an appointment or or have access to would be awesome. So when you say that >> why don't we convert why don't we convert a school bus into a uh into a mobile clinic. >> Yep. >> I mean we got to do something because the fact of the matter is that >> so you got to find an agency that can perform the service. Well, Mosaic does our dental. Is that what it says in the >> You would have to find an agency that can perform that service. >> Here's here's the other part of it, which is I'm I'm happy that you're we're having this discussion because it's

061connected to the larger drive for community schools. That's essentially what we're talking about. Community schools wraparound services for students. So, we're looking to build that out right now. Part of the board had already funded the family community engagement position. Once we get that position um solidified and we're working to make some adjustments there, the that person that my thinking was that person would be responsible for coordinating with the community agencies. This is a model that we know that works. Our district is largely economically disadvant disadvantaged. So in order to do the work of educating them, these things are important. So yes, and y'all are right on brand. This was discussed at the budget testimony. We're all aligned. So just that was great, great discussion. Great idea to um and then um this is the career

062and technical education expansion. We know as uh as uh as uh the students phase in, we're going to need more support in the classrooms because they're dealing with heavy machinery, etc., etc. This one's um self-explanatory. It's it's based on the need. >> So, going back to that, >> y >> I I think a hold up here for me is the proposal of adding TAS for CTE when we have such a shortage of TAS already. I I guess I don't understand how those are going to get filled because we still have we still have an obligation to budget for the position. The our efforts to be able to recruit and attract is is divorced from that intent. We have to have the positions in order for the program to run effectively. And then on the other

063side of the house, we work out to get the people. So, are we going to be able to fill them? Because every TA that comes in, we're in such a shortage for special ed. They continually get pushed in special ed. So, will we even be able to get there? >> So, that speaks to the the um idea of an u funding the sort of advertisement budget working with other things. I mean, this is a very complex nuance process that has multiple factors in it. And so, we are working to from the state level down to the local level. So, we're working within that. But for this, we're talking about budgeting for it. Our ability to do it is going to be contingent upon other factors as well. >> So, but are there not mandatory positions?

064>> These ones? >> Yeah, >> they're not mandatory. >> So, I guess where I'm coming from on a budget side is we we currently have practices in place of prioritizing or only putting TAs in special education until those positions are filled. So, these positions are going to be incredibly far down the line. And if there's not uh if there's not I'm not going to say probable, I'm going to say likely chance of those getting filled in the budget year, those salaries that we've budgeted for could be used for a oneshot initiative or something. Okay. I understand it's not a lot of money, but those could be used for a oneshot initiative this year and then budgeted for when it's more likely that they'll be fed. >> So, so I I don't want to conflate the

065the the those things. Yes. Important. But this though it's not like I driven. I would still recommend to the board that we have them because they're working with they're working with uh heavy equipment and things like that and we want our CTE program to really run effectively. I mean, is there are there special qualifications, for example, for the CTE uh TAS? Because it wouldn't make sense to me that, and I'm just using this is, you know, it's not even probably related, but you had someone that, you know, was an auto mechanic that wanted to work in the, you know, one of the fields or whatever as a as a TA in CTE. We're going to tell an a, you know, someone that has specialized knowledge but maybe didn't get the appropriate certification to be a

066teacher. No >> that you you have to go to special ed. I I I don't think that >> No, no. So for for this program, >> I would administratively place the TAs in that program. >> But what I'm saying is you're you're not just looking for somebody. you're look the people that are TAs have to have some related special knowledge, right? It's not just somebody being put in the position because, you know, we we finally got to the 37th TA. >> That would be our our hope and that would be our that >> Well, no, I'm asking if they're they're really there to help with the supervision and management of the classroom. We would of course provide some in-house training. Ideally, if we had someone that was had a career adjacent field to the particular

067area of supervision >> and we have equipment in these rooms, right? >> Yes. >> And the rooms are our our rooms are fairly sizable. Correct. >> Correct. >> Okay. And so if somebody if a teacher is working with one particular student, >> you know, from a from a liability standpoint, >> yes, >> we would need >> it would reduce it reduce district exposure. >> Would they also be required to have the certification >> to have a to have a certification? Yes, >> they would need to be certificated as a team. Yes. So, are they more on the instructional side of things or are they more on the helping out with the equipment side of things? Because I think those are two different >> those are one and those are one and the same. They would

068have be monitoring the students and working to support the classroom teacher. >> I I I think that this is a morass that is being waited into. Personally, I I think this needs more thought. Well, I I will say when we spoke to the teachers and the department head, I think the teachers would really like to have that support budget for and I understand if you think different, but we're trying to be responsive to the teachers that are talking about what they need for their classroom. The teachers would also love kindergarten TAs and all sorts of things. I mean that's >> I I understand it's just it's a matter of if it's going to be a requirement for the position that they have training on the equipment and things I think then there's a legitimate argument

069to be made of having these positions as a priority if it's having a t another TA then I think that it's the same situation that we're in with all TAs and I can't get behind that. I don't know if there's a way TA or is this a is a specific >> TA? That's the question. I think I I would imagine that they would have >> No, I mean, let's not imagine. Let's know. >> Mr. What's the situation, Steve? >> They would need to have they would need to be onboarded to be able to assist with the equipment in that classroom and to supervise. So, you would have to have some qualifications and some background >> or training through the CTE department and the teacher that's in the classroom. >> Okay. >> Uh, so the summer

070enrichment extended learning opportunities, we have we have one that we're looking to expand that exists and that's the one for CT. Steve, can you talk a little bit about that? >> Sure. So last year um through the Griffith Institute, we had a STEM camp for kids. We're looking to expand that. Michelle Hall's working through the Griffith Institute and then through the um this funding, we would like to see those expanded. Also, we had a very successful drama program at the high school a couple of summers ago where the students who and they didn't necessarily have to be in drama club, but who were interested in drama. We ran a three-week program that included practice at the Stanley Theater and a production at the Stanley Theater. We would like to see expansion of that type of

071programming down at the middle level, the elementary level, and capture kids in all parts of the city. So, right now it's it's in the the planning phase. Um, I went to Joan school a couple of weeks ago during the RED program. They had an auditorium full of kids who were engaged in extracurricular music activity. So, STEM, drama, music, the arts, and then intertwining our summer camps for athletics that we've run for the past three years just to be able to expand these opportunities to kids because there are kids out there who this is it keeps them tied to school. It gives them something productive to do over the summer. So, can we talk about program design, what this looks like, timeline on a day-to-day in our schools and budget, how much this is costing or

072how much proposal was. >> So, right now, we're working to finalize the design and we're working tweaking those things. There was a survey that was sent out because we wanted the voice of our stakeholders to gauge employee interest. So, right now we're all of that work is happening simultaneously while we're building this. And so we thought we we backwards mapped it a little bit. You know, approximately how many individuals would we need to run it? How long would it run would be the duration of time and then we put out to gauge stakeholder input and now we're working on finalizing the design. So it's really in this beta stage of of design funding >> funding where do we have >> so in your letter sheets that we have there um under I believe teaching regular

073we have 400,000 slated salaries and 100,000 for contractual. So >> this is teaching salaries. >> Yeah, I can tell you what is >> the salary summer academy. It's 82110 >> 2110. Sorry, what was the last number? 153 2110 153. >> And while we're looking at that too, so with these summer institutes, are we also looking at providing transportation or will this be a requirement for students to get there on their own? So >> So we we're looking at all of those factors. We're considering, you know, to the extent possible, we would love to transport the students because we want to make sure that they get in there and transportation is not a barrier, which goes back to the earlier theory of action of effectively maintaining equality. We want to make sure the person that doesn't

074have uh transportation has the same opportunity as the mom or dad who does. So, we're considering those factors in its design. >> And I know that this has been proposed um and talked about since we began it. Are we looking at And I know you're in the design phase. Are we looking at moving it? Right. Typically, we have a lot of things that happen. Proctor, are we looking at moving some of these other areas to kind of meet the needs of those students? >> Man, we just so aligned today. I My god, I just love y'all. So yes, we ideally we would want it in four corners of the city. Four, we break the city down in four quadrants and have it at a location. That would be our our hope. >> You mean like

075drama in one place and something in another? >> Mhm. And then it it also >> Well, bus runs, you know, you're talking if you're talking bus runs, it it it's how how much is that going to cost? >> So like significant, you talking like millions. So if we're providing transportation have we >> and how many weeks is this pro this summer academy let me hold on before we just talk about that. So the the goal right now part of the design may be this year the program that's offered so and transportation is an impediment. This becomes cost prohibitive. We might say for this quadrant of the city this year is this this quadrant city this program is centered on that because it's really will help those kids in that neighborhood which is sort of time

076on the bus. But these are the considerations that we have to flesh out as we continue talking. So we we have some flexibility with how we do that to get around the transportation issue if it becomes a significant cost. >> Well, I'm just curious, you know, how many weeks is this program going to run? Is it going to be a six week program? >> No, we were Steve, I believe we we had decided what three weeks. >> Three to four weeks is typically when we run our camps because we like the kids to enjoy some other things during the summer. >> What other three to four weeks happening all at the same time? Are we looking at like math and education location three to four weeks? all at the same time. >> Math and science

077>> simultaneously >> during the summer. >> How many hours a day? >> Steve, what's that? Three. >> I feel like if they're full days in transportation maybe a little bit easier. That's the issue that we received feedback on the summer camps. It was an hour and a half at JFK for baseball. Two hours, let's say at Donovan for softball. like they were it was impossible for your child to >> in our initial conversations we were talking about 3 hours maybe 3 to four hours at this particular building this site no movement to any other sites you're in this building this is your your area and scope of programming for that particular quadrant of the city but this is all good feedback as we're >> is there a way to bring a community partner uh what's

078the official word system of care partner to extend these longer days. So our responsibility is the enrichment, the athletics, the drop, whatever stem and then almost like a lunch portion and then it the building can remain open and bring in a system of care partner. And I you know this is obviously just talking through it. But I do think that prohibits us especially when you go from school being open 9 to 6 so to speak in those same children that we're trying to serve for four hours potentially without transportation. I feel like the participation may be low if it's not something that can be utilized longer. >> Yeah, that's really good feedback. Yeah, that no that does make sense. >> And the challenge is we we balance that out because that's a 100% I think

079a real concern. Then it's also how long do my teachers in the summer want to be in the building and do the staff want to you know so we try to where I've seen this work best is was like a four uh uh hour model when I've seen it work best because people look at it like I can still get up you know I can do my role and then my day is not going so we're we're balancing that but this is all good feedback as we're thinking about this >> right and I understand that from the enrichment program or getting the coaches but I'm saying for the morning or the afternoon piece to whatever additional program work with system of care partners. Call it what you want. It may be a little bit less

080un um not structured, but at least playgrounds are open and supervised and the gyms and whatever that may look like to allow parents or guardians to have their child like the half day for the enrichment part is huge. Maybe the afternoon piece or whatever hours you're looking at be the optional. And we bring in system of care. We work with Onidita County to hire some of our own students. I know they have that youth program like they do at the parks where, you know, it doesn't necessarily always have to be a teacher, right? It it could be more recreational. >> So, what we'll do is we'll we'll take that feedback and we'll explore that um and what that would look like. >> Two two quick question to bounce off that. Sorry, mine's really really quick.

081So, right, let's say that we were to do something like that and bring in a system of care. So, we're bringing them in. System of care is taking Are we still though responsible for covering the security costs all of that? Does that fall under system of care budget item or now is that additional because now yes we can stay but now we still have to budget for additional security and all those measures. >> So it would depend on how we structured the contract if we put that personnel under them. We we could and say they our security wouldn't work with them like we did the teachers. It would depend on how we structured that. I I don't know how you can have things in the schools and then say to one of our system of

082care partner, you render security. I don't know how that works. I don't I'm not sure that that would be the case. I think the minute we open the school, I mean, this is my perspective. I might be wrong, but the minute you open the school, >> you have to put security in there. And so, you know, that creates an entire logistical nightmare. And my my point is, if you're going to do this, you know, you might do it for four weeks, you might do it four days a week. Um, you know, I'm not I'm a little I understand that you'd like to do it in every corner of the city, but we may not, at least starting out, we may not have logistically the capability to have four things going at the same time because

083it's four sets of SEC, you know, in four different places. because it's four sets of security. It's four sets of bus routes. >> Um, and I don't know, Mike, am I wrong? Does that geometrically increase the amount of bus routes because you got it going in for like if I, you know, if I'm living in South Udica and I want to do something in North Udica? >> Yeah. To get to get there to get there on the appropriate timetrically increasing it. My point is numbers. While it's aspirational, I think doing it in one location and making everybody come to it would be the way to would be the way to do it and using the best building that offers the most options no matter where it is as the the hub. >> So, we're looking

084so the design of it like again just speaking about transportation. So one, we'll of course we'll always have security in the building. The question is whether they're running through the coser through or whether they're coming out general fund. Just want to address that. Not saying we shouldn't have security. But in regards to how it >> I'm not saying I'm just not for you, Joe, but clarifying for the public. You get what I'm saying. I'm got to clarify that. So um but in regards to the design of it, there's a couple of ways you can do it. You can do a neighborhood school model and say the kids in this school that within walking distance, this is your hub and this is the program we're offering it. or we can do it a model where you

085have all the kids route into one school. We're still fleshing it out and we're taking in this feedback and this is something that we're definitely going to think about and then look at what design is going to do the three things. Number one, pro programmatically, what's going to be the most effective for student learning and student support logistically and then from a a financial standpoint, what will be the most sustainable? And those are the three ways we look at that. So when we look to come back as we're fleshing this out, we would have a proposed model to say this is what we envision this looking like and this is what it's true cost based on this design. >> I think this is a great idea. Right. So one of my pet peeves that I

086kind of always go on about is and you had talked about this a little bit earlier. Fundamentally we are an educational organization. Our institution is designed to come here. It always has. And to educate our students, make them strong, right? so that they're ready to go on to college or go onto the workforce and be prepared. However, as a school district, we have taken on way more. So, we continually are asked to provide different things um that have nothing to do with education, the amount that we have to budget for security, right, so that we can keep our schools safe for the outside world, the amount that we do into finding space for pantries, for clothing, all of this. And we know this is what helps make learning important and this is what helps make

087our students arrive. However, as much as I love all of these programs and I want to see them in, we also have to make sure as much as we're thinking about all of these things that would keep them enriched over the summer, if we are still not able to pour money into making sure that that September through June that we are not pouring into making sure that these students are adequately supported, our teachers, our TAs, everything else. Yes, this is great and we want all of those things. However, we we have to look in the budget of but what are we taking away and not supplying through the school year in order to help and in an ideal world we love to do in an ideal world and I'm probably going to get myself in

088so much trouble for this. We would have a city that would support its youth and we would have boys and girls in this so that it didn't fall on us because it all falls on us and it's us when we're looking at a budget. I think it's important for people to look at how much is in this budget that goes beyond academic arithmetic, all of this instruction. The red program we provide because we heard from the community that said, "Hey, we need extra help. There's nothing for these kids to do." So, we keep them in school even longer. We're looking at opening our gyms. We're looking at the policy of how we can use it, right? And all of that falls on us and the cost falls on us. And people want to look at

089the budget and be critical, but they're not paying attention to everything that's in it because not only are we taking educational. We're taking everything else that all of these organizations should be doing outside and placing it in our schools. And I love that because we live in a community that desperately needs that. >> However, we do just have to take a tiny step back. And that's what I want to look at because at the end of the day, our September through June has to be fully prepared, fully staffed, and we have to pour money into that. Got to get that structured and then we can do all of these things, too. So, something that this budget. I'm going to ask a million% everybody please look at that first and I for the life of me

090can't remember which school district it was that presented at MISVA about this but one of the city school districts downstate who worked and I'm pretty sure I've had this conversation before with a bunch of you but they worked with their city government that school district had put in all the money into capital improvements gymnasiums athletic fields, auditoriums, cafeterias, which we've done and are still doing. And then with through intermunicipal agreements with the city, the city came in and said, "We would love to provide opportunities to the citizens of the city in these great spaces that you've built. We're going to foot the bill for staffing and running the programs so that we can have joint use spaces." want to be at that conversation when we go to the city >> that I've been would like

091to move towards not saying through this budget cycle I'm saying is a longterm plan because those are the types of things that are sustainable they don't cost the district money we've already made these investments >> and then we can partner with these things either in sort of revenue sharing all of those types of things that make a sustainable uh investment instead of what like one shot investments >> right and and I that you both have made pretty powerful statements and I think that's a million% true. It's in us to want to help our students, our babies, our our you know provide opportunity for our educators to make additional income and you know secure from all aspects but there's going to come a point where the city and the county have to work with us and

092be at the table to say we provide all you know you look at Buckley Pool and Addison Miller those places are packed those are our students and our kids we also don't want to take away from those opportunities of them learning how to swim and playing at the park when the county and the city do offer it. Unfortunately, it's not accessible to everybody. It's also not I don't want to say marketed, but you know, there's not stuff coming to our children or to our educators or to our our staff to say, "Hey, there's an opportunity for you here. Something's already been created. How can we work with you?" We provide meal sites all summer. We have monitors at a lot of the buildings handing out food. We have to come together and we have they

093have they have to step in because we can only take on so much. Our staff can only take on so much. We know there's a need for enrichment through the summer and September through June first and foremost. But we h some of these partners have to come to us to say how can we provide support. I can one of an example is too and just shout out to Chad Lacanti because this is something that he did right two years ago when the pools were underst staffed and so he came to us and said you have a pool so we began offering lifeguarding courses for free for our students which then bled right into those pools so he hires all of our students and we're able to staff so like that is a great example of

094something that we did and there has to be more collaboration there >> so could I just talk about summer enrichment for a minute what is that a euph eupheanism for >> is that like the kids are going to learn, you know, they're going to get some classroom learning or is that just fun in games? >> Yeah. No, no, that everything we're we're >> Well, no. The only reason I'm asking is because like, you know, I've been on this since I've been on this board. It drives me crazy that our kids show up at Proctor unable, you know, a majority of them unable to do the work being advanced socially. And I know we're making gains on it, but like as much as I want to be the head of a summer camp, I want to

095be the head of an arithmetic, reading, writing, and science summer camp like I used to attend when I was in school. >> Those be your STEM camps. >> Okay. That's what I want to see. I I think it's great that they're going to do all the fun and games, but it's doing the work so that when they show up in high school, >> okay, they can read and write and then we don't have to worry about the systemic um whatever it was that you called it, okay? Cuz you got some kids and it doesn't matter where they are in the world. They show up to high school and they're ready to rock and they take advantage of whatever the programs that we offer, which we should be offering, which we should be encouraging children to

096take. But there are any number of kids that show up that have the capability. they're and they'd be willing, but they're not ready >> and they're not able. So, I want to increase the number of kids that are ready and able >> so that they can take advantage of it and it's replete throughout the district and we're, you know, making gains. But if you got to put the carrot out there, which is okay, you get to go kick a ball around or do something, fine. But they need to be they need to be in the books doing their work that they didn't do or to catch up so that and then they find out, oh, I went to this camp and I did all these different things and I learned and all this other stuff.

097Then they go to school and they say, "Oh my goodness, it it, you know, this year's a little easier for me. I'm going to do that again next year so that next year is easier for me." >> Or they now understand like classes that they're interested in. So they do want to take those advanced classes. they want to take the college classes. It gives them and obviously that is the goal which is one of the things that I love from our STEM camps, but also those sports camps do teach them something, right? So, >> I'm not saying they don't, but my point is like I'm not here to I and again I'm I'm here. >> I just I just want to be clear. >> So, >> this is more about education. >> Yes. >> With

098a little bit of >> We're going to keep them there longer. >> Keep them there. But but I'm I'm not here to try to figure out daycare. >> So on that point, we removed the requirements for attendance for summer school. Are we anticipating due to that or encouraging plus anticipating an increased enrollment in summer school programming because those requirements have been loosened? And if so, have that has that been budgeted? So the um that particular provision has not been an obstacle in recent years. And our summer school numbers remain relatively similar. And we also do offer summer school programming at the elementary school targeted interventions for kids who are not meeting the benchmarks in ELA and math. But it's not enough. It's it's two weeks. It's not enough. And we could probably we could definitely

099expand the educational programming. So if we if you just allow me I I think you've um been a very fruitful conversation. I think it's it's very valid points. The first thing is I think there should be intergoverning inter a intra inter agency collaboration. We've been since I've been here at least we've been very vocal been meeting with the mayor. We've met with the county. I've met with all of the leaders. I'd like to um give a shout out to Assembly Whint and Buttonshan who has been a very good uh uh partner in this work. And so we welcome from the office of the superintendent any collaboration for any leader nonprofit, religious community leader to come see me and we can talk about these things. I also want to talk really contextualize our work here. The

100difficult challenge and I'm thinking from a management perspective is that we are dealing with historic disadvantage. We are dealing with the what I call the socopolitical historical context of the students and how they have arrived to us. And what that means is some of my students have parents that were miseducated by a system. I tell myself, I speak to my story. My grandmother went to segregated schools. We have people that are immigrating from different v places around the world. And we have students that have different um circumstances of no fault of their own. And the goal is to how do we effectively address those societal ills? Remember the school is Grand Central Station. Every train goes through rich, poor, black, white, yellow, gray. It all goes through the school system. And with that comes societal

101disadvantage that's inherent in our society. And so I talked about effectively maintained inequality because we have to figure out how do we expand the access to the opportunity to say okay where when you get to high school as Joe's you're talking about and have you all commented on that you are academically prepared. Now, some of that comes from the management of existing resources, lesson planning, the instructional walkthroughs that we're doing. This is why when we speak about the what we're doing for the year, we're talking about proposing an increase in assistant principles to give our building principles the opportunities to be instructional leaders and operational leaders to make sure that the instruction is rigorous and that it is culturally responsive and that it is engaging and accessible to our students. But when you look at

102the overall framework of what this says is I'm proposing that we prioritize early intervention at elementary school because we don't want the kids to come to high school not being able to read and do mathematics. We're also talking about how do we address fiscally responsibly address those gaps. Now if you I'm going to go a little theoretical here. You talk about the works of Annette Laro where she tal she did a book called unequal childhoods and what she found was stark class differences from upper middle class rich upper middle class down to working class and poor on how child rearing practices were cultivated based on the opportunity and resources of the parents. I'll make it a little more personal. My mother was a teacher. Every summer whether I went to school or not my mother

103sat me down in the classroom and she said you're going to do this work. When I was in third grade, I didn't realize that the workbook my mother was giving me was a fifth grade workbook. But she built the discipline there doing that because she was a teacher and she knew that I need to have a command and facility of language to be able to access things in American society. My students don't all have that parent that can do that. So what I'm saying, what I was saying is the things that people do for their kids. You're going to go to Disney. You're going to go on this trip. I'm going to build a bunch of experiences for you using my capital the other kids don't. So what happens in the summer is they're in

104a house. There may or may not be texts there. There may not be any enrichment opportunities there for a variety of factors and I'm losing ground. So when they come back to me in high school, I got the high school teacher saying the kid can't read on grade level. Dr. Spence, you want him to pass a regent? I got him. He's five grade levels behind. So, it's it's both things simultaneously when we're talking about this and how we address it. >> I think I have a question on that because I think that's a bigger conversation and we can continue to talk about it, but how did they get to 9th grade not being able to read or write? I think we have I when and I agree with Tal when she says this, we have

105to make sure the September through June is there because with this no child left behind and I don't want to say holding back or providing additional services or getting into smaller classrooms with, you know, a teacher and and less students. How are they getting to ninth grade, you know, and that's a conversation for us and and and deeper. But where does the budget support that to say, hey, this child's in first grade, second grade, still not reading it at kindergarten to piggy, but hold on just to piggyback off this. That's what I'm going to say, too. So, I understand what you're saying. We all do. >> We're teachers. All of us here are teachers. We're exhausted. We've taught all day. We have the lesson plans. We have the structures. We're doing infinite number of paperwork

106that's now required. What are you doing now to help all of us at this table to strengthen us and to give us the needs so that we can meet those students because we are >> as as all of us are here and we're pretending that we are teachers. We are that parent that excitement in the room that's responsible. So, what are we giving to our teachers so that what you're talking about feeds into us? Because if we are not supported, not only can't we do the work that you're asking, we're going to do below the work that you're asking because we're burnt and exhausted. >> What are we giving to this question? That's where it's got. >> Before you go, Before you go down before you go down that before you go down that road,

107>> absenteeism chronic absenteeism. >> Yes. >> I always see it in family court. >> Mhm. >> And it's now it seems to be it I mean it's just it it doesn't matter. It's not just the Udica schools. It's everywhere. >> Okay. >> But you're a kid's missing 30 days of school. A kid kids are missing 60 days of school. >> 80 80 days of school. Sometimes, sometimes it's just because somebody didn't feel like getting up that morning and doing what needed to be done. Um, you know, kids completely detached from the the school system. >> That is our obligation. >> So, what are we doing? Because the hammer's got to come down. >> Come on. Give it to me. All right. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. right now. Lastly, >> you're supposed to bring your

108kids to school. >> Make sure your kids get to school. I don't care where you come from. >> Yes. >> Just lastly on Tamil's point too though, I think we are all aligned philosophically, theoretically, the district as a community, as a UDICA community is, I believe, aligned on the theoretical philosophical framework. I think we do have to look now into the next chapter of like be taking those practical steps of what does it look like to try to achieve that. >> So this is I'm happy I'm going to address I'm going to address a couple points. So thank you Joe because that's when I went to testify in Albany about chronic absenteeism and provided the board with that memo that spoke to it. What we learned when we studied our data is that the longer

109the students are with us, once we get to the secondary, we're about a 16.7% the get the chronic absenteeism rate increases by 16.7%. We know from surveys that we have um students that are disengaged. And the point that I'm making is that all of it is interrelated. When I've done the superintendent hearings and I'm meeting with family families and students and they submit their essays to me, I can see the gaps in their instructional thinking and writing and we have to work to shore up those gaps. Now, part of that is looking at what are >> how are you supposed to shore how are you supposed to shore it up when the kids aren't being made to go to school? I I I I don't care what level where you come from, anything else. I

110want to know what are we doing to make people get their children to school. >> But I think that's also two accounts. You could say that for elementary, right? That's like punishing a kid. >> Not punishing. Punishing doesn't work. Punishing doesn't work. Punishing doesn't work. >> It's harder, Joe, because you have parents, they think their kids in school, they're >> I understand that whole routine. I do understand the whole routine. I I've had cases like that. I get it. Yeah, >> I went to high school once, too, and skipped the class. >> one. But then again, my point is >> you're supposed to be monitoring what's going on. >> Who who >> the parents, the guardians, the teachers, >> and we need to make sure that we are communicating that information and that we are

111doing something about >> what is what's the followup? I don't know what I don't know. >> So, we need to start we need to start filing pins and JD. Sorry. >> Okay. So, one one of the things one of the factors that we're looking at this is we're looking at this depend this is really this is the larger debate depending on where you are in the on the coin. You have two types of sociologists. One that speaks to structural impediments meaning the system is not design is designed to produce the outcomes that it's producing right now. Then you have those that are a little bit more conservative on the other side of the pendulum that speak to purely intrinsic and motivational and cultural factors for how we explain this phenomenon. The issue is a a

112confluence of both factors. There are structural things that are inherent in the system that have been here for years that we are working to address and there are also cultural factors. We've seen this with co just training kids to come back to school again and get involved. We also know and the point that I'm making is that as the kids go through the system, those that are not able to read and write and perform academically start to become more and more disengaged because they cannot access the curriculum or the curriculara that's being provided to them. So there's two things to do. This system has to improve. I know that quantitatively. I know that culturally I've been here enough. We did my cabinet's done a strong assessment. We got work we have to do as a

113system. However, the part that we are trying to also do is work with the community and work with the the students to pull them through. So, it's not one or the other. It's both simultaneously. Now when you talk about what are we doing in the buildings, we are working to add additional support to our building principles who are managing a large uh quantity of students and need time to be instructional leaders as well as operational leaders. What I know from working in Buffalo, Rochester, New York City, and New Hampshire is that depending on the location that you're in, the principal ship can look different. There are some principles where they don't they don't get a chance to be instructional leaders because they're operational leaders. They're putting out crises. They're putting out fires all day. So,

114they never really get to the real strong instructional meat of what we're supposed to do. And there other systems where it's a little bit more balanced. So, what we would like to do is give our principles with the balance so that they can better support the teachers who have the closest proximity to students on a day-to-day basis. So, this is really strengthening building supports. uh and and additionally in addition to the other things that we have Steve would you like to talk about the EIS facilities and talk about how we're also working to uh uh to provide support and then I'm going to talk about professional development and how that will help the organization. >> So we currently have AIS facilitators at each of our buildings who really are assisting the principal on the instructional

115leadership side but the elementary schools absolutely need more help like Dr. Spence said the goal is to have our principles be instructional leaders, but it's typically, and you hate to say this, it's the last thing that they get to on a daily basis. So, the addition of assistant principles, starting with our largest elementary schools, will not only provide support to the principal, but it's also going to provide support to the teachers because they will be able to assist teachers where they need it the most. effective classroom management, working with those students and the systems of care providers to mitigate some of the behaviors that they're facing in class. Um it it will be a tremendous support to the teachers and to those building principles >> is targeted reading teachers. >> Yes, they're still in there

116>> at the same capacity increase >> at the same as right now it is at the same capacity >> because we decreased them from two years ago but so this budget remains still with the same amount allocated. Yes, currently this current budget does. >> Can I just ask why? I mean, I know we reduce them, but my question is why would we reduce them and not increase them to the prior level? Cuz isn't our problem reading. >> So, we're looking So, we're look just saying unless there's some unless there's some philosophy or the grant like >> Yeah. So there was an MOA that would the union did not sign which would would allow would would have allowed it to become a sustainable uh uh uh uh program so to speak. But I want to address

117when was >> that when this was >> before I even got here. >> Well, I can I'll go How much money did we how much money did it cost to sustain it? >> I think it might have been a million dollars. Yeah, it was about a million. So I, you know, would I'd be more than happy to look for a million dollars in this budget >> to cut it out cuz we need the reading teachers. >> Yes. And >> that's coming. >> Yes. We're talking about >> a priority that's coming further in the slideshow. >> Thank you. And here and here's the here's the other thing I want to say. >> There is more than one way to skin a cat. Every instructional leader has their levers that they implement in the system to do

118that work. As an instructional leader with an urban education background, I also come with a variety of levers where I can say we can get to it a different way. I know that we need to strengthen our tier one instruction, but I also know that in the immediate we need other supports until we can really get to our tier one instruction. So, I just want to be very clear because it was done that way doesn't mean that in perpetual in perpetuity. It would always be done that way because as the instructional leader, I'm working with my cabinet. I'm doing the building walkthroughs. I have an administrative cabinet uh monthly and we review the data and I listen to my building principles and I make adjustments based on the instructional needs of the organization to which

119I propose to the board. >> So I have five questions of increase in complexity. >> Oh god. Um one >> APS >> the increase it's about an $870,000 increase. How much of that is sort of salary adjustment for current positions? How much that is new positions? >> These will all be new positions. >> No, of the 870,000 there. >> What's the breakdown? >> So, are you are you talking about what's up on the screen? >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, the assistant principles, the seven are are new. So that 1125361 um was what was budgeted um previously. So this is this is okay. This is this is budget over budget. >> No, I understand that there's there's nine current APS. >> Yes. >> There's their salaries increased this year as well. >> Yes. I was just

120wondering what the breakdown was between the nine current APS the amount there that's just salary increase for them and how much of it is new salary from the seven new position. Uh so we ha we will have seven between 105. Steve and I were looking at that this morning between 105 and 110. You know, it's all dependent upon experience. There's steps that go up. Um so we we had to just kind of pick a range in there. >> Okay. >> Second question. Go ahead. >> It's six elementaryaries and one AP at Proctor that is budgeted. So it's not the goal would eventually be building is an increased but for 26 27 >> and I and I just want to be clear and I'm going to say this again at different points so if anyone looks

121this over we're looking at this now this is overarching we are going to have some reduction somewhere so right now this is what we're saying it may be there it may not anything that we reduce when we present the final budget we'll say this is what we initially proposed after looking at it we this wouldn't be sustainable based on where current aid projections are so we made this and we'll propose it to the board middle schools not getting touched with proctors adding one >> elementary and how are you determining who's getting I'm loving your question so we look at a ratio it's above 500 correct Steve >> so at the elementary school we're looking at the schools that are right around 500 sometimes they dip to like um and the schools that are in excess

122of 600 beginning with the largest schools because obviously there's a process to fill those so we need to fill those priority order proctor. We're looking to reduce right now there are five assistant principles and we're looking to reduce the student to assistant principal ratio down to 450 to one assistant principal. I was there with six assistant principles. I was there with four assistant principles for many years and I can tell you the building ran at its optimal efficiency with six assistant principles. >> Yeah. even the future to make that even additional >> 450 kids for an assistant. Right? So right now it's 500. So now we go down to 450. Think about managing 450. So right this has already been brought to our attention before. If we can add more and decrease that we actually

123have a better chance of that assistant principal coming up and saying well hey Jason right now when we're down to 250 let's say Jason you're interested in this. What are we looking at for college? What's going on your attendance? we now have the ability because right now those APS are right they're walking the halls they're trying to get kids into classes they're doing all this and they're dealing with so much kind of disciplinary issues and that that they don't have time to get to the core so that we are meeting these students at their needs thanks Jason for being a model right so understood this year but like if we could really look towards the future of making something I think you're going to have a wider impact there as well >> yeah and part

124part of it too uh colleagues that that I want to emphasize is the I mean we know the the organiz ation suffered from so much instability and varying levels in the organization and we know that when that happens it erodess systems and practices. So part of this is building the bench which is why we want to invest in professional development with when one of the things we talked about and I told this my administrative council I said I want to know every shining star that we have that we can provide support and development so that we have our own internal bench that's ready to go as opportunities present themselves. So this model if to speak what you're talking about it's like a phas in model we got to look at the sustainability of it. I

125would love to increase it more if I could but we'll we're looking at this for right now and then as we get closer if we can afford to keep it all we will. If we can afford to add more we will but we're going to look at the sustainability. >> Okay Jason go ahead because I still have my four other questions too. So with the uh six elementary, >> it would look to me and what I'm hearing is the criteria used to identify those buildings is likely headcount. >> Yep. Student population. >> That's solely it. And I ask because we know my belief, excuse me, is we may have smaller populated buildings in terms of child headcount that may have higher incident rates or other needs of students that I want to make sure that

126So looking at the larger picture. >> So yeah, what what makes our the work so complex is that you have student population, you have student needs, you have the uh the management practices, experience of the person in a role, you know, building capacity. So it's so many different variables. Sometimes it's purely a management. We got to we got to provide support to provide better management. Sometimes it's the needs as you're talking about are so extreme that it could warrant that. So for right now, this was a kind of our objective way of looking at it, looking at student population, but that's a good point and something we'll take into consideration. Very good point. >> Okay. Question two, three, five. >> Um, can you explain to me the sort of the main difference? get super in

127the difference of job duties between an elementary principal and an elementary assistant principal. The so the principal is the final authority in that building. The elementary assistant principal is supporting that person. So how that role functions, it's been I've seen it nuanced in different ways. You have some principles that say, you know what, I'm going to take here we're going to break it down by a student. I'll take grades 9 through 10. You'll take grades X or in elementary case it would be 5 through three. We'll break it down by grade bands. It may be that you know what you're going to function on this instructional aspect of it while I st uh focus more on operational aspect of it. There's different ways to pair that relationship based on the needs of the building and

128how it's being being managed. So I guess the kind of question is is that sort of a building principal level decision or is part of also you we've created the we have created it's been proposed I forgot which one now the superintendent of school leadership position >> is this a building of a framework on a district level through that position through yourself through Mr. Fouchy of how of the unified approach to this position or is it a building by building approach? >> D I just love your questions, man. All right. So, it's all there's all interconnected. So, part of it, too. Number one, I've always in our training have always looked at assistant principles as principles in training. You should be expected to work around the wheelhouse. That role is looking at the assistant superintendent

129school leadership is looking at the school leadership models working with their building principles and then also providing direction to say hey you can better leverage these principles assistant principles by doing these things based on the needs of the building but the building principal has some autonomy in regards to how they're going to manage that relationship. It's similar to co the co-eing model with general education teachers and special education teachers. There's a variety of different ways you can design that classroom based on this particular framework or model to make the relationship best support students. So, it's a conversation both from the district level and coming from the building. There are some things that are non-negotiables that any person should be able to do in that role, but then there's also flexibility with the leader that they're

130working with and the needs that they have. >> Can I just add something? >> So, also and it goes back to what Dr. Spence said when he presented on January 27th, this district also needs a su succession plans and we need to hire PE. I when I was hired by Dan Loenard, I'll go back to that in 2000 as an assistant principal at Don Middle School. I remember two things from that interview. One, your hours are 247, which was fine with me. And two, I'm not hiring assistant principles. I'm hiring building principles. So we have to look at it like we're hiring people who we see a potential that down the road they can be building principles so that we're not scrambling all the time to fill positions when be they become um available and

131that's extremely important. >> Agreed. And I love that. >> And can I can I speak to the the um a good example of that model? I want to just I got to give some flowers to my people. Um I think that model in practice was Mr. the Jesus at JFK as you see him there look and gravitate towards the instructional district goals that we work to develop and him being able to work with his faculty and staff to uh continue to do that very important work what would have been a challenge if he wasn't there and I had to maybe take someone from the outside bringing someone outside and you guys are different in a lot of places right so we know that so it would took more time to gel but because he had

132already been there He kind of knew the players. He He's still adding his own leadership style, but he was able to keep the building moving. And I think this picture is great with um uh Congressman Daniel and the district superintendent because we did work and he was able to implement in this building and keep a pulse on it. So, we're looking to have more opportunities like that rather than when I bring somebody in that wasn't in the organization, we don't necessarily know what their training is, what the professional development they've been exposed to is. And now we have to event either add that professional development and training and acclimate them to the culture that we're building here. So it allows for greater continuity and this would be something like that in practice. So other building

133supports so attendance teachers can you kind of explain what the role the daily op the daily sort of operations of the attendance teacher are what are they doing on the dayto day? So, attendance teachers, which we've expanded to all of the schools now in the district, including all the elementarymentaries at the minimum in a part-time capacity, really are the boots on the ground. They're looking at the attendance data. They're working directly with the building principal and support team to find to identify those kids who are not regularly attending. And they are the ones who are going to the houses to meet with parents about student attendance and they are working with the probation department and the assistant principles and support staff when it comes to filing pins petitions. But they really are the intensive laborers

134as it relates to attendance interventions at the school. >> And then targeted assistance teachers. Can you explain, I guess, the design of the program, what they're doing on the day-to-day because it it seemed like I hear some mixed things from building to building about how many students are being pulled out of the classroom, what the design of those programs are, and I'm curious to what the the intent of the design is or what it should be. >> So, the intent of the design of the design is to have additional support to those classroom teachers at the K2 level, in some cases third grade, to work with that teacher and to close the reading gaps from identified students in those classes. So, I know years ago we had the intervention lab. Now, it's targeted at teachers.

135Are they supposed to be working in a way that's similar to how that concept was working in the past or is it a different kind of design? It's probably a different kind of design than when we had intervention labs. But in a couple of slides, Dr. Spence is going to get into strategic planning for closing the reading achievement gap because really that's the foundation of everything that we're doing. Um, and it's directly impacts every teacher. Well, in light of that, and I'd like to just warn everybody that we're stopping at 10:45, and whatever uh whatever we don't get to, we will start on the 10th and if we have to, we'll schedule more to get through. >> Okay. So, so again, one of the things that we looked at was um early literacy investment with

136a focus on K2. Again, we want to get the early interventions as uh students enter into the system um with varying levels of preparedness. Not as important here, but I just want to talk about that. Part of my goal is to as a as an organization is um several things that needs to occur. Number one, when we'll talk about this the professional development, each organization has a particular focus and theory for how they educate students. What ends up happening is education is as we get professionals that come into they all went to varying schools. They all have different philosophies which is good, different schools of thought. And when they come in, they may or may not have x skill needed for urban education, which is it own complexity. So, school districts like ours spend a

137lot of time on professional development doing a lot of the work that should have been done in pre-ervice education. How do I know I was a pre-ervice teacher? Some of the there's classes that I should have taken, I would have better prepared me to enter the classrooms. So, we know that and we know that we need to provide that level of professional development which will then help strengthen our tier one instruction. But because we're not necessarily there yet, our early literacy investment with this K2 focus is is another way to really target those reading skills because if the kids don't get it by a certain period of time, it will be a game really costly. So Steve, I want you to talk about this initiative and I also want to say this to show you

138how much of a living document this is. This came on the heels of a discussion that we had yesterday in planning for this meeting when looking at the data and then we said okay you know what we need to make an adjustment to sort of include this in the budget. So that's how real this planning is up into the moment. All right Steve you go. >> So so if I could just go back quick history. So coming out of the pandemic um there actually was a a presentation to the board was I want to say 2022 where nationally um schools were seeing significant regression in reading scores coming out of the pandemic. So immediately the district went to work, brought in a specialist who um specialized in the science of reading. Uh that right after

139that the school year that summer after that board meeting um all of our principles, reading teachers were trained up in the science of reading. And then that specialist took us through the process of aligning all of our reading curriculum materials, including the adoption of a new reading program with a committee of reading teachers that was directly aligned to the science of reading. And that's commendable because that was a year or two before the governor and the New York State Education Department pretty much mandated and required that all schools realign all of their reading programs to the science of reading. Um we also brought in uh Bosey's curriculum specialists to work directly with our reading teachers. Um we've now adopted Dibbles which is in a pilot at three of our schools to better diagnose and screen

140kids for reading deficiencies. Um and now that will be um rolled out in all of our schools. We've provided the professional development for our teachers. But the missing piece is we don't have the manpower. If you look at our data, the number of kids who need two and uh tier 2 and tier three interventions, um it's a lot and we do not have the manpower visav reading teachers in the school district. We have approximately 32 to provide and to reach every kid that needs intense reading interventions, especially at the K2 level. Um so we're proposing a three-year strategic plan to increase the number of reading teachers. That's just one part of it. And this the the plan though is directly aligned to the report that was written after um the small schools lawsuit was decided

141in the favor of the small cities. We were the lead plaintiff during that time. It goes back down a long time ago. Um and Steven Eubing who was working out of the University of Rochester with East High School wrote a comprehensive report on all the small cities including Udica. And in his report it says that we needed at least 30 additional reading teachers in order to close this gap. So a and then the board in July was very clear they want to see every kid reading you know up on grade level by the end of second grade. So >> now just >> wait can I just ask a question about this? So this attacks all of this. We can't wait. So we've lobbied to we Dr. Mr. Spence has lobbyed each year. Previous superintendents have

142lobbied for the funding for additional reading teachers. Um, math interventionist. >> Do we evaluate our kindergarteners when they come in? >> I'm sorry. >> Okay. We do, right? We screen them. So, like, do we keep data on what we find? >> Okay. So, what percentage of our kindergarteners >> like are prepared for school? >> I would have to get you that information, Joe. I don't know. >> But if you were to take a guess, what would you say? I don't want to guess. I'd rather >> no guess. >> Okay. Would it be less than 50%. >> Probably, but I would want to have the hard data. >> Okay. So, >> isn't it isn't it more about >> we push for a prek program, too? So, we've been pushing for which would help with that as

143well. >> Well, I think even we used to do the birth too with the literacy books like all different forms, but And I know we're want to stick the top time, but even looking at this budget, I mean, the school district has four preks out of the 13 buildings that we already don't have room for. We look at all the partners we work with. Notre Dame only has three. Why aren't we why isn't there, you know, I think is one and senior center is one. Where is the push just like we say with the city for more in the community to see if they can increase room so we can service more kids? We don't have the room. >> And and I think that was also reflected in the governor's budget, right, Steve? She wants

144to focus on uh expanding prek and you know the the room is definitely a challenge. >> Well, room's a challenge. So, but but >> again, I'm not sure the whole drop the card on the doormat routine gets people into our programs. >> Well, our UPK is free full day. Now, >> I I understand you can Notre Dame can only take I think for a full day it's like 30 something. We we >> we have to do something to get the kids coming to school prepared. >> Public library too is a great resource and they have space. So we should start looking into tapping into thing. I mean talk about bringing kids in and reading. We have this beautiful library that has a lot of space that we can tap right. It's >> got books there

145too. >> Right. Right. So like looking into structures >> and we have partner that we have to start. >> Yeah. We have partnered with them. Remember last year we had put the um literacy boxes in the community. We were working with the with them. But there's a silver lining to all of this. There's there's two things I want to say. We are all talking about transformation. It's urban transformation. Our growth is going to be incremental and it's going to be sustainable. In order for it to be sustainable, it needs to be incremental. You don't want to see real large swings. So we made growth last year in regards to 3 through eight. We're as we're building this out and our kids are in the system longer under this new model, we're looking to see greater

146growth. So, it's gonna it's going to pay off dividends over time. And yes, all of this is a part of the conversation, but yes, it'll pay off over time. >> So, I understand the state budget is not yet adopted by the legislature, but >> if the governor's executive budget were to be adopted as is, like how does the UPK initiative affect this? That's a good question. You talking about expanding across just expand this expansion of it. >> Yeah, I I I forgot exact. >> We'll have that answer Tuesday. Katherine, you write that one down. We'll have that answer for you on Tuesday next year. >> And just to circle back as you're talking about all of these things again, we're talking about readers. We're talking about people that come in right with different knowledge, not

147understanding probably how to tap into all of our youth because everything is different. We want to see that money in there to streamline because it's our job. So that is our job to make sure that our reading teachers and all this right are prepared and that we're putting money into services to get those teachers supported and prepared. Otherwise, it's not >> Yeah, I agree. And I I got to give a shout out to um my director of special education that has developed a uh pretty um robust training for our teachers. Unfortunately, we're not getting the participation that we think we would want for special education teachers that are working in that area. and we'd like to see that increase, but I know that we intentionally provided that training with the hopes that we would have

148great participation. Steve, you want to expand upon that? >> I Well, I just want to say that the bulk of the professional development uh that we're requesting in this budget is geared towards the um training for teachers in reading dibbles and then the youth curriculum that goes along with K2. So, we that's absolutely true. We need to get the teachers make sure we're providing that support for them. And that leads into um you know what we're talking about again the the idea of homophily you know an organization becoming insular when an organization becomes insular so too to its ideas and it starts this perpetual thing you need you don't have a growth and expansion of ideas so we want to make sure that we are providing again our members of the organization across all levels

149with opportunities to find out what's happening within the industry of education and come back and turn key that information to us to help build our perspectives. A lot of the a lot of our educators are regional. They they've been here. This may have been the only school district that they've worked in. So, we only know what we know. We only know what's consistent with the training we've been provided. So, we want to make sure that the professional development is number one responsive to district trends and data. We want to also make sure that the professional development opportunity tool allows us to keep um uh to stay a breast of things that are happening within the field that are changing so that we can become responsive to national trends, statewide initiatives and also have some tools

150to implement that. So some of the things that we're talking about and Steve you want to just expand upon these things here. >> Sure. So we talked about the summer um oh no I'm sorry leadership academy. So, we're looking to really enhance our prof professional development and training of our building administrators um in order to give them the tools that they need to. So, we have sent principles to um Harvard here and there over the last couple of years, but we really want to see a systemic leadership um training for our principles through the Harvard Graduate School of Education. And so we are requesting I want to say it's $200,000 which is the cost of sending up to 30 administrators. We want everyone there together get getting the same leadership training so it's consistent. I

151will say I did do it in 2020 2005 before I went to Proctor and it was probably the most meaningful professional leader leadership professional development that I have participated in and it's been very meaningful to our principles and administrators who have gone there >> and can you just when you're saying administrators who are we talking >> we're talking about our building principles building assistant principles that's the priority and then if there's additional spots um academic leaders >> CRC chairs because one of the things that I've realized the organization could benefit from is really there hasn't really been a strong emphasis. I I believe there's been little evidence to suggest that there's been strong evidence uh evidence of leadership development. It's not just about going into a role, it's your ability to lead. It's very challenging

152not having had an emphasis on leadership to come into a district as complex as ours with our complex needs and to lead. And so we really want to make sure that across the aisle, our building principles have the tools so that they can lead in their buildings and effectuate change. Again, each district, think of it like a sports team. You got the triangle offense with Phil Jackson. Everyone has their own mantra and design as to how they educate children. We have to build our brand for if a UDIC a UDIC administrator can do this. And how do we know? Because we know Udica emphasizes this. We know that Udica teachers focus highly on differentiation. If you come to Udica, you got to be able to do that. That's the type of um organizational capacity that

153we have to build. Absent that, what you will have is people that have varying degrees of effectiveness and talents just because that's just life. They all go to different schools and all have different schools of preparation. Um, is this a good time to stop so we can >> Oh, can Yeah, let let me just uh And then we're going to make some investment in into our special education um uh training, expanding the TIMS Academy was already board approved this year and providing some therapeutic uh crisis intervention training. These are to types of professional developments. But yeah, we can uh and then this was the last thing, you know, talking about our sports clubs and elementary. >> Yeah, we're going to want to talk about those more. So why don't we >> put a pin on

154that and then >> Tuesday's meeting is special education athletics and capital >> yes the capital de service as well >> we're going to pick up more on this so >> okay so there's two slides just so I think there's two slides that are left for this and then the way we had structured it was after this presentation is just context I just want to reiterate this is just context and then there was the budget detail that was provided and then just any other and then the questions that were asked >> we'll get into budget detail Okay. >> You know, on on Tuesday, we're probably going to clear the decks on most things >> on the agenda just to deal with that. >> Okay. >> So, >> I think that's probably best. >> Perfect. >> Um,

155I need a motion to go into uh executive session. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Okay, we're going into executive session. Um, but uh I I thought this was a a really high quality meeting today with a lot of good questions and a lot of good information being provided. So, uh hopefully we'll pick up on that on Tuesday and uh I want to thank everybody for coming this morning and we'll go from there. Okay. So, we don't need to go in the room.