001recording. >> We're recording. Thank you all very much. We will call our June 2nd, 2026 policy committee meeting to order. I will begin by saying with equal parts sadness and joy. This is my last policy committee as a board member. Since 2010, I've been a member of the policy committee. And so, uh, I'm handing it off and looking forward to what folks do next. So with that, do we have anyone who signed up for public comment? We do not. We will continue on with our agenda. Approval of the minutes from the May 5th meeting. Emily and Meline, any changes or additions? >> Wasn't here. >> There you go, Emily. I'm good as well. The minutes are so approved. We'll jump right into the discussion items. The first discussion item is agenda item 4.1. This is
002the naming of facilities and dedication of spaces. Uh please correct my memory. Uh we the board has seen a first version of this without the submission form. The policy committee will be looking at it to send it back to the board for a second reading and adoption should the policy committee choose. Um so let's just begin by talking about the policy itself, thoughts, reactions, any additions and then we can get to the submission form um as well. Maline, anything about the Emily? Anything about the policy itself? >> I'm good with what we have so far. Yeah, I think it's my question. >> Fantastic. Then we'll move to the actual form. Um, just a quick note, I don't know when the last time you looked at it. I sent a message to everybody this morning and
003you can see it at the end of the form before there's a signature. It does say please note and it just borrows the exact same language from the actual policy that the the board may at its discretion request additional information. I thought that should be on the form. so no one's surprised by it. we may add another line that please see policy such and such and please know that probably be a good idea to link those but beyond that um uh Dan I think I asked you if you're the person that worked on this with >> it's a case >> and but we're borrowing from the central >> uh right I slip uh it's we looked at their form um It's pretty much from from their website. >> We liked we liked what we saw.
004>> Yeah. >> Pretty standard. >> Uh it looked good to me as well. Uh provided some information. I think it does help uh having some context and making the person who's making the ask respectfully do a little bit of work >> um to make sure that has meaning and impact. Um the board has not decided and other boards have. Central is asks if the honore is someone who is still with us or deceased. Um that's a decision that other boards have made. They have struggled to name spaces after people who are still with us. I don't know that that's a good thing. We should probably be giving people their flowers. But I just want to make sure note of that that is one thing that some boards have debated before. And otherwise, I think I
005would say to folks as much as possible, even if the board passes it, to refer to this as a pilot um as in that it can change. We have never had a policy in place. We have never had a practice in place. And so it may change as we learn more about what either is missing, what may be too ownorous, whatever it is. But I' I'd ask the board and administrators to communicate that to folks as well that we're we're trying this out. Well, it looked good to me. Uh, Maline, Emily, >> do we need the person's mailing address? >> I I don't know if we actually Yeah, it's a good question. I'm just even wondering like I can imagine like a group of people who wanted to just like provide contact info instead, you
006know, instead of like an individual something about providing them. >> I think we're trying to make sure they were within the school district. >> Oh yeah, that's true. >> That's the one if they're making a request to name something but they're not actually resident in the ethic city school district, it could be a little bit it could be problematic. >> Yeah, that's fair. >> Yeah. That's >> um move this forward for discussion at an upcoming agenda of next board agenda to take a look at. >> Yep. >> Second reading and adoption. >> Yes. >> Fantastic. And thank you to all the people. Uh this is none of those policies that we went round around doing all kinds of research. Thank you to Emily. Thank you to Casey. Thank you to Dan. Thank you, Emily, Meline.
007Uh, you always think a policy is going to be easy and then something catch you about how deep it actually go down. Um, and how many different examples we looked at from across the state as well, if not across the Northeast. So, thank you all. Let's see what our board colleagues say on June 9th. Um, the next policy 2111.1 school visits by school board members. Um we had a brief conversation at the uh last board meeting. This would also um also has been uh up for a first reading previously without looking at possibility of revisions or second reading. We had a couple of questions um that may or may not have um been addressed. Uh I know one is in the proposed policy content. the third paragraph there is a line that is uh crossed
008out. I think it's from my read of it, I am perfectly comfortable deleting that line as we discussed and then I think I put two other additional questions in the policy. But for that first part, uh third paragraph down across the line, the superintendent or building leader may limit the schedule or deny visits if necessary to protect student safety or maintain order, address an emergency condition. I imagine that that would happen no matter what. doesn't mean it needs to be necessary written policy. That was one of the things we had. So if that's good by folks, we can just delete go ahead and delete that. And then there was a question that we had about who would the uh school board member work with and change from the original that the school board member would
009coordinate with the board clerk and the board clerk would work in consultation with the superintendent. But that's how it would the system would go. Uh there is an expectation of notifying um board members in advance. I think I just wrote a note again. Other districts across the state require a majority vote for a BOE member to attend a school in their board capacity. I don't think that's necessary, but I just want to make sure that for me that part of letting other board members know is a important part is a reason why that happens there. And then of 3A.1 it says at no time shall board members independently visit classrooms or student areas without authorization or accompaniment. And I thought authorization from who? It almost is the reverse of what a board member's world is.
010So I don't know that I would put authorization. I don't know if we need to say that they would have to be accompanied. Maybe that's something that's good to put in it. I I don't know. But the authorization for me didn't make any sense. Um, but the idea of being accompanied, I don't know if there's an expectation if a school board member is visiting the school, should they be accompanied by a teacher, a principal, maybe a student depending on age level? So, thoughts, reactions, comments, recommendations. >> I don't think the accompanyment is problematic in any way. I just wonder if it's already been sent in any way to the school to the school itself and if they wanted to just say please go check out that classroom. >> Yeah. So, if anything, I guess I
011would ask leaders their input on that. Um, or think about phrasing it the way that, you know, as determined by uh but I'm just going up to see. >> Yeah. Um I guess like the the 1A also the board members wishing to visit a school um in their official capacity shall coordinate with the board clerk and in consultation with the superintendent. Does that kind of cover or can we could it be covered there in like coordinating the visit? Does that include like making sure that there's an agreement with the school leader about if they're going to be accompanied or not? >> What happens in a scenario where sort of the reverse happens where there's a contentious situation taking place and a board member says I don't want anyone to be with me. I want to
012just roam the school. >> Oh yeah. >> Then what's the should there be an expectation that there would be someone that's accompanying them? Um, I think that's part of the reason why it may have been written that way or why some schools and some school districts tried to play around with it. I I I don't know. I mean, I think again we we had this conversation multiple times. It's hard to write a policy to try to anticipate every scenario. Nor should we, but is it just generally good practice to expect that there would be someone accompanying >> a vessel for the visit? >> Uh, and we can leave it and ask this question to our board colleagues or ask feedback at the board meeting as well if there is the authorization. I would recommend that
013we uh that we remove. I wonder if it's like at no time sh board members independently is it classrooms like unplanned or I don't something that's like you can't go all outside of like what was like the co coordinated visit um or even changing plan to coordinate up at the top. >> Well, if I'm looking Thank you Emily for that. Now that you say that I'm also looking at 3B. Doesn't it already say that? >> That's what we're talking I think. board member shall be accompanied during the visit by the superintendent design as a leader building leader. >> Oh yeah, you're right. >> So we don't even need the second part. >> Yeah, >> right. I mean it's redundant. >> That's Yeah, it is. So then the question is to be like >> Yeah. Right.
014>> But it also specifies that no time the board member so like it makes it more clear that we can't just say like well that person got busy but something came up let me just then be on my own. I prefer the flexibility of, you know, there's an expectation that you'll be accompanied, but to your point, like, hey, lunch is taking place. How about you go have lunch? Um, >> so I I'd be a fan of actually making it flexible, but having the expectation that people would be accomp >> you know, different ways, but but that at least the the hard fast rules always makes me a little uncomfortable. Um, because one, they're hard to impose. They're hard to implement. What's the consequence? What does it mean? >> I like just the regular freebie because
015then like I said that they should be accompanied during their visit, not not necessarily like which means like they're accompanied in the beginning and then it's up to whomever they're with to make decisions about exactly what and where. >> Yep. Yeah. It's funny again taking samples from different school districts who are writing policies for different reasons, right? they're usually trying to address something specific. So, I'd be a fan of deleting the um the one after the um I I don't think it's I don't think we need it to be honest. And then you can remove my comment that was just for me to have on record. Um I think we addressed everything else that people we we did most of this work on during the board meeting. So, thank you Emily for capturing um our
016conversation and what was done. But this policy reads well to me. Other board members may have some other suggestions or ideas or um Emily or Maline or things you want to us to address. Now it's just have fun and have at it. >> I'd be happy to get the rest of the course in. The only thing I was just questioning was if it was helpful to add something where states that whatever whoever board member goes to a specific school like comes back and >> like I guess share with the board what they learned. Yeah. So then that way each board member doesn't have to like go through the same process if they don't we don't need to like disrupt the classrooms things like that. >> I love the idea. How does that happen though? It
017happens in public. That makes me a little uncomfortable. >> Well, unless it's like a more like a personal confidential issue, but if it's just like I don't know curriculum or anything that is, you know, we can discuss in public. >> Yeah. I think we do that sometimes at least anyway. source about like what kind of language do we want to put into policy that's not going to um add like complicated factors while also kind of expressing the we recognize that that's a benefit of board members like attending these visits is to be able to kind of share out without setting like a requirement around it >> maybe somewhere in the intro um there's similar language in on uh board member attendance of conferences. There's a statement about reporting out to the board following tomorrow >>
018which which we try to do which we have as an agenda item right like the update from attending this conference right like that's usually been an agenda item um okay uh locationing know where you think it would go would it be like below for under the procedures for official visit by school board members. >> Again, there just there is an opportunity like under the at the very top like the official school visits by board members like the purpose of school visits by board members shall be to enhance board members understanding of district operations, programs, operations and activities. Something like And it's generally expected that you know and in order to support that it's generally encouraged for board members to report out to fellow colleagues or something. >> Well before we do that there's if we
019go down one two three four the fifth paragraph what begins with additionally >> it says any questions observations or concerns shall be communicated through the superintendent or designate. So how are those are they in conflict with each other? I think there's an expectation that if there is a concern or an idea that that would be dealt with or addressed directly between the superintendent and the board. >> But would it be beneficial for the entire board to be aware whether is that like a good thing or a bad thing? Regardless, >> I completely agree. Trying to figure out um it's a little different conference presentation, right? Because in going back to what you learned, >> the school visits aren't always about learning. Uh maybe they are uh I'm open uh to wherever folks may want to
020put something like that. If we want to just agree that we'll have something in by next week and we can send around via email, this is a good place to folks approve or we can at least even discuss it amongst our colleagues and see if anyone has suggested language if that makes sense as well. That works. >> Okay. Does that work by you and me? >> Yes. >> Y All right. So, we'll move it forward with the note that um we're going to try to find some language about some sort of report out or sharing of information. >> Great. Thank you. >> The plan still for a second reading and adoption. >> Yes, >> we can get there. Uh 4 moving on 4.3 student exeicial member of the board policy. Um, this one I know
021we have a couple of questions about and conversations that need to happen. I see we have some folks joining us in the audience as well. Thank you for being here and you can feel free to come up at any point in time too if you want to join the conversation. >> Yeah. Um, how do you want to proceed colleagues? I know there's some questions that we have, but >> um did you all come to speak about a specific thing or just weigh in general? >> I had some things I wanted to talk about >> some specific >> Yeah, I had been emailing Dr. Bradwell. I was just kind of confused. right now what's going on at IHS is that we're having our elections this uh this week and like in the last two weeks there
022have been switches back and forth back and forth and everyone's kind of confused about how these elections are going to work because initially and for for years we've elected four by the student body and now this year they said we were going to elect two and then last Friday they sent another email out saying we were going to elect four and now I went to go talk to Miss Delmare today and she said we're electing two and that two would be appointed in some way. And I guess there's just a lot of confusion about one, what's actually happening and then two, if there's going to be appointments, how that's going to work because I think there are a lot of logistical issues with that. >> Okay. So that's one issue. And then did you have
023something specific or >> I mean there are some general things I want to talk about that can wait a bit. >> Okay. Okay. I think that's the biggest issue figuring out what's actually happening with IHS. >> I think the the changes that have happened this year have been sort of like almost rushed. It it seems like there wasn't like some of the stuff that we're doing where we're we're having appointments. Like no one knows how those appointments are happening yet. And so it seems kind of rushed to go into this saying we're going to appoint these two people when like we haven't planned it out. So, we don't even know that those appointments are actually be more equitable than an election or more fair than an election in any way. So, I guess that's just
024my question. >> Yeah, I think um one I want to make sure we add language in here somehow that addresses or identifies um LACS's student board handbook, right? That right now the way in which the language is written, it's you know, each school will do its own thing. LAS put together something, right? So, that sort of gets that. that I think we maybe we might want to consider putting some sort of language about that into policy. The conversation for me about um student elections of board reps um is an important one. Um and so yes, there's no doubt there's confusion. Um rushed may not be the appropriate word though um lack of clarity may be better, right? because this has been an ongoing conversation for almost a full year about representation and about who serves
025in this role and even what the purpose of the role is. And so as the policy committee has been going back and forth and hearing students um clearly articulate that seeing that this role as a role of student advocacy which may be slightly different than how some of us were thinking about it in the beginning about an actual exeicio member and role thinking about that idea about student advocacy as well. And we've had the board has had concerns for some time about um who serves in those roles and what what is the representation of those roles. I wrote something to um my fellow board members and this is to be congratulated and celebrated. Um in 17 years I don't think I've ever had a student rep that was not collegebound. That is not to say
026anything in particular, but it does say it sometimes may be a particular type of student that gets elected. Sometimes the elections we know as high school has changed dramatically from my let me rephrase that. High school has changed dramatically since when I was in there. Uh but as someone who was elected to student government as well, I was aware of that part of it was a popularity contest. And so trying to find ways to address those in a real way that keeps student voice and keeps part of the process. One of the compromises that we came to at one point in time, and everyone's not there now, but one of the compromises we came to during our last school board, full school board discussion was, well, maybe we elect two and maybe we find a
027process where two others are appointed or selected via a different mode or operation. The concern was if we keep the if we know we're going to make this change then we elect four then we're keeping that process going around for one more year which is something that's definitely on the table for schoolboard members. Or can we envision that it may not be an appointment that happens in the next two weeks but maybe between now and the beginning of next school year there's a process by which two additional students get asked to be student reps from Ethical High School. The board does not want to I think I can say this. The board does not want to appoint students. And what that process can look like for me is any number of things. Maybe it's a
028different student commission that does it. Maybe it's um a collaboration with the board. Maybe it's uh I I don't know. And so I know that's the messiness that folks are probably asking like what does it actually look like? Um but for me as one board member, I'd like to find a way in which we can think about how the purpose of those roles, the importance of those roles, and may it be time to do something different. I should have looked at the history to see how long we've been electing the student reps from the high school. And I don't know how long it is, though. There's nothing that mandates that that should happen or could happen. The board could choose to appoint one person or four people. the right the principal could or principles could
029appoint the superintendent could appoint or it could be by general election of election of the general student body and so this is the conversation to have see where we're at. I think sort of the the problem on the student side is that without any clarity going into elections, students feel like their voices are underrepresented because we can only elect two people and then we have no real assurance that what whatever appointment process actually be equitable. I came back in December with that survey and 96% of the students wanted a direct election or an election through student government. But the problem with elections through student government is that our student government doesn't really work. Our student council has like 20 people in it and I think all of them are freshmen and so 96% of people
030don't want appointments of any kind. And so I think this is where the problem is coming from from the student side is that we just feel like even though we come with these surveys and we say like no one wants appointments then the you know administration decides that we're going to do appointments anyway um or some sort of other selection process and it feels like it feels to the students like our voices are just being taken away and so we >> but if that were the case and my apologies for the interruption then we would do no elections whatsoever. >> Sure. >> Right. So the board has the privilege to appoint if that's what they choose to do. >> So where's it so where's the compromise if if we identify there's a problem representation and
031I hope we can all identify there has not a problem that there's a there's a particular type of representation and if we're trying to expand that and then is there ever a compromise saying that we do something different peak at that what I'm saying to you Jude is not something I haven't said to anybody else in the room. I love democracy and majority rules demands that minority voices get silenced and marginalized. So if it's always done by this notion of a vote, there's always going to be a particular type of student that would never be selected for that role. And so I'm trying to find a way in which without question students voice gets affirmed. We heard it. Absolutely. We need an election process. And maybe the idea is three students get elected and one
032student gets appointed. But I feel like we have an opportunity to do something. >> Yeah. >> To change the voice to >> to increase the voices that get to sit at the table. Not to change. I don't want to change them. I want to increase again at one board now. >> Yeah. >> Can you also remind us how many people responded to that survey? >> A few hundred. I don't know the exact number. >> You remember um do you have information? Did you guys end up like collecting any information about demographics and and other >> so you understand 1400 students and >> so 96% of the certain students were >> I just want to mention also that during this process we had different student groups that came in and also expressed we're really not aware
033of the process. We really don't feel confident. really don't know what's going on. And some students have said, well, um, student reps, you know, you guys have said that sometimes with your extracurricular and your other activities and responsibilities that you have, it it's kind of, um, it might be difficult to do an outreach and and trying to, you know, go to different groups. But we also have another group that says, "Hey, we are working with the the what is it? the superintendent student >> advisory council that said hey we are a group that with pretty sizable students members and we're interested in um and we think we can do it can you give us a chance so I think the the part that we're trying to figure out is how to honor all student voices
034and not just a specific but give everybody a chance to have the opportunity to sit at the table and have that. One of the thing that I was actually thinking regarding that was maybe having um like the high school have the administration uh reach out or have a sign up list where students from different groups can sign up or opt in to be um thought of in the um appointment of the the student ex official. And once you get appointed like every year, switch that so that way it's like circling is not the same group being represented every single year. I think that that's just one idea for me. Um that could be like if the I don't know the art kids or the student uh superintendent I'm sorry that's such a long name. uh
035or the you know whoever they can so to the administration and be like I want to be considered for that payment this year and then have a list we choose two for that year and then the next year we go back to that list we ask the students do you still want to be consider like it's a rotation >> see if I speak >> hi high school principal Um we also could um come up with a structure where it looks as a diverse staff that it's not just administration but counselors, teachers um and really looking at what students and students often do need to be invited in. >> It does take a certain student to be confident enough to put put their name out there and show up at the meetings to put their posters
036up. It's a risk takingaking and the feeling of defeat or rejection is real. >> And so students, we already know anxiety is at the highest level for our young people. Now we're asking could be very great representation along with the two elected to come and join and um but they need that special push and election is not the way that it's going to be, but they're going to get there. Um we I know when we did universal lunch we brought students in students could help also develop what does that structure look like for appointment and though it's not going to be a voting man right it's a maybe a committee a committee that's more diverse than just admin that makes me uncomfortable >> um it it needs to be well representation of who it is
037that makes up our beautiful community at the high school so um and the election process isn't to change with the voting. Yes, it would be only two they would not would be two be voted in um and though the two more that by some selection process that we yeah do need to develop it and might it won't be perfect at first but we can have we can readjust because I do agree that since I've been at the high school we've talked about who is it that represents the high school sitting at the table with the board of education and it is an identified problem we have a really great opport opportunity to change that and you all get to be a part of that change which is pretty exciting. >> Thank you. I think that
038I I totally agree. I think that um there's a lot of opportunity there and I agree that it I mean to ask you for example to appoint two people from the entire high school seems problematic especially for you but in a number of ways and I think that being able to have kind of a diverse group of students both represented in two different groups even like here and then also kind of staff and counselors and folks that know um uh that know the student body more broadly. I also I I think that I I carry some concern about wanting to make sure that we're like uh really thinking about like what that uh uh what the what the decision is being based off of and really being able to communicate that well. Because even when
039we're talking about like diversifying the group, it's not just based on race or gender or you know interest area or whatever, it's also about like you know how engaged like how like what are you thinking about? What are you excited about about being able to utilize this role? Like we've talked in the past, I think when we were thinking about this as a different kind of role of like is there like an application pro like should we be having people come in and like write about the amazing things that they would love to be able to kind of foster or facilitate through this work. And so I think that asking a group of students to be able to do that even privately just to share with the group is would be a really helpful way
040to be able to judge based on things that we that go beyond just trying to kind of guess what group they're in or what they're representing especially because they may easily be representing five different groups or five different things. Um, and so I like the idea of making sure that it's I would love to see the election like that too really be emphasizing um, what the contributions and goals are of somebody that's trying to be that's interested in being in this role. So I guess it's just like a a a separate piece but one that I think is really important. And then just as we're talking about this, I want to just make sure to note that appointments, elections, whatever, like for students, I think we had this conversation like two meetings ago, like are
041never going to represent no matter who they are, the whole student body. And so I think that there's a piece about as Sean said about trying to make like just explore and see if there's ways to kind of diversify a little bit and get some new voices to the table. And I want us I want to encourage everyone to really think about like the goal. I think that the most effective way to do that is for those four students whoever they are to have a good process in place where they are reaching hundreds and hundreds of students through collaborating with different student groups and across the school and other ways of reaching people because never are we going to feel like great like check the box. These four people are really just going to to
042be able to bring everything. It's the perspective representative of the entire school. So I don't I I think we recognize that it's imperfect no matter what the what the um appointment or decision way like getting students here and that the real work to me at least is how those students are actually going to engage with the broader population to be able to hear from them. >> I think it's hard for students to just accept that there there's going to be two appointments and I I understand where you guys come from. I think you make good points that elections can't because they elections don't reach like a certain group of people. But I think it's just hard for students to accept that there's going to be another way than elections without that process being fleshed out
043like >> because we just no one knows what's going to happen and >> like you guys are saying it's going to be a hard thing to like figure out how we create this appointed process. And it's just it's already it already seems very unclear to students and even some administrators it seems unclear to. >> And I just don't know if it's absolutely necessary to make this change right now before we've actually planned stuff out fully. Uh that's a that's a legit point, right? The flip side though, the point about students feeling some sort of way. I understand at the same point how I don't understand. And by that I mean the legislation requires the board to have one student exhibition member. So the board could have said like we did to LACS, you had three,
044you now have two, right? We could have said that like a high school, you will also have two, right? And so I understand this notion about feels like it's taking away student voice, but the goal is the goal does not come from that place of taking away student voice. Yes, there is confusion and no one likes living in that space like well what is this process and why would we do it if we don't know and at the same point in time uh if we don't make an attempt to do it we won't change it and um I be in favor of trying something if it doesn't work before any policy could be revisited at any point in time we go back and say hey that worked quite well now we realize that let's do
045something different but I'd be a fan from hearing we've also again heard from other students who have advocated against all four reps being elected. And so, you know, to Madam's point, how do we balance some students saying they want all four, some students saying they don't want all four? We're trying to increase ways. Um, I really appreciate the way in which Karen said it, for some students, they have to be invited to participate. They're not going to be the forward outgoing, right? I'm going to do a platform. Um, I think that's real and I'm more I'm more inclined to live with students being upset with the messiness and I will apologize for that. Um, to get to a process that may be more uh I don't have right language to say it. So, you know,
046you you you continue to make excellent points, Jud. That's why I said I'm looking forward to the conversation and um we have a real opportunity to do something different and I I would like to explore the opportunity as one board. Do you want to add to that? >> Yeah, I think based on what I've looked having looked into LACS's process, I think one of the most important things to its success was that it was truly studentled and I don't mean like students and admin co-developing it. I mean it was like fully students like spearheading the process like fig and being very involved in fleshing out those details of some of the messy parts. And I think that really did allow like having student buyin really did contribute to the success of what we're seeing at
047there. And I think it should be applied to IHS both for fleshing out elections and how to make those better and for getting a new appointment process. That's what we do. I'm wondering how much like if we were obviously there are a lot wrong with our elections. We we've talked about this earlier in the year that like there's not really a chance for students to speak like actually speak to people. We don't have assemblies. There's not a chance for students to meet everyone because it's four students and 1300 people electing them. There's not a chance for reps to meet everyone. And I think there are a lot of things that can be changed about the elections to make them more equitable before we do away with not not completely I understand. But before we take
048away two elected spots and put in two appointed spots, I think there can be things that I think that we can change the elections before doing away with them. I guess like I think almost in some ways it's easier to just change the election process. it wouldn't be that I mean I don't know if it's that hard to have an assembly or two or let some student reps go into classes and speak with people. I just >> and if I may add so re last year uh ranked choice voting was used and this year too >> yeah this year but I believe last year I know the program that it was used was RCB123 and it used what's called single transferable vote and that's the type of what's called proportional representation where you get like
049there's a quota and you have to get past the quota and you don't actually need a majority And that type of system works so much better at accommodating different voices. I think that and it works also better when you have more seats like seats of like more winners and it's more proportional that way. So I think that it it it is still a valid option to do four elected seats and try and work on the election process. I I want to add sorry I I want to add that I think 800 roughly 800 students voted last year in our elections which is three almost three4s of the students and for reference the like the US national turnout um for voting in Congress for presidential elections is like 50 to 60%. And so I there's never
050going to be like Emily was saying, there's never going to be an instance in when we have perfect representation. And I feel like 3/4 of the school voting is a pretty large amount, especially with rank choice voting, it seems. >> But for me, makes me question that's about 600 students that didn't vote, >> right? Was it,400 at the high school roughly? >> Close. I think it's close to the third. So >> no, it's like 1386 about 600 students. So >> are those the minority voices that we're trying to kind of hear from as well or you know like what about those students? Why didn't they vote? Why they don't feel like they can engage or do they even know the process? You know what I mean? Like it's it's just it brings me >> to
051ask more questions about like how they feel about it. later. >> This is what I mean is that like I think that there can be 600 students isn't actually that many students and when you think about the amount of students that aren't at school and then you think about the amount of students that's less you can reach those students pretty easily to educate them about the process. I think I think that there are ways that we can educate students about the process and change this process or we just replace it. If I can jump in just for a second. I think one of the things that I'm just going to be honest about that I feel like a little frustrated with at this point is that we've been talking about these challenges like this entire
052we've been talking about this for months and months and months and about the challenges and especially like I think that the committee has been extremely clear about like our biggest concerns which are representation and making sure that we're hearing from all student voices and we have spoken to we have heard from certainly student reps and then additional folks like so many times we've had so many of these conversations and have we have voiced a lot of concerns or questions about the election process specifically and unless I'm not recalling I don't remember any time until right now that there was a discussion about like we acknowledge that this is probably not the best like like structure for our elections. we hear and agree that, you know, we need better, you know, there might be better ways
053of getting hearing from all student voices. Here's an idea of a way to to to build the election system in a different way or to make it more equitable. And so I think that there's a little part of me that's kind of like we kind of got to this point of like well how can we come up with a with a solution that feels like it might and I don't I'm not talking on behalf of you all at this point but like a little part of me is kind of like we went around on like so many things and we're like how could we possibly do this and thought finally like maybe it's that we need a totally different way of helping other student voices come here and now I'm like oh you guys were
054making some really great points and I, you know, have no idea what, you know, system you're talking about that use that, but now here we are in June and there's already concerns about things being really delayed and how do we make decisions and so there's a little part of me that's kind of doesn't don't really know what to do with that because then I'm like, well, do we one option is to just kind of stay the course for another year even though I feel like we've heard confirmation from plenty of people. I would say at this point that there's like some significant concerns about the current process or we could uh try to we could we could just go out with our like whatever idea like kind of like been posed so far. try it
055out for a year and work with the student reps again for the next year to try to come up with a more effective system so that we could go back to full voting if if you all saw fit or do we do just like two and allow two to just be on the board for the year as we're figuring it out or do we just say the election is finalized as it is now two people are being elected that's kind of the end of the conversation as far as the election we will be working with school administration and students or whatever over the summer to hopefully appoint two additional students at the beginning of the year, but I feel a little bit like I'm like, "Oh my gosh, this like new information and new ideas
056are coming at a time where we're a little bit against the wall in terms of timing." And this is not like this is kind of like how policy development works. I feel like we ran into this same thing when we were trying to do the the um create the cell phone policy last year. And as you can even see from our board meetings, it still seems like board members weren't even like there's a lot of confusion and disagreement about that as well because at some point policy makers have to implement policies and kind of see how how they kind of play out. So I don't know if you thoughts or if you want to share more, but that's I I feel like that's where I'm at at this point a little bit. >> Yeah, I
057I think we did talk about it though earlier in the year. I remember having conversations about how we could change elections and I remember talking about maybe having assemblies and maybe having us go into rooms and I remember talking about education and so I don't mean to like no disrespect but I I do remember talking about this and I think this has been kind of a student perspective and >> Judah you are such um an amazing advocate so I'm so appreciative and you keep saying students as if you're speaking for all students Right. And so that's the only thing that I'm struggling with. You're making amazing points. You're saying the student perspective, the student perspective when we've had other students ask for other things. And so that's the that's the tension point for us if
058that makes sense. >> That's true. >> Right. >> But yes, you definitely said about um I remember talking about assemblies and changing the process. So um right, maybe the idea is it is what it is and we go that route. We acknowledge that we're going to continue to have this gap. Maybe the idea is we only say two for the upcoming year. Um and no and no selections. I I don't think I want to keep saying appointments because I don't think it'd be appointed in but but I understand the idea. Um but I'm trying to figure out where we where we where we must and >> I'm invested in the policy. I'm more invested in having students at the table, right? So, you know, how we make that happen um is uh something and I
059al and I think all of us recognize that it is um very poor timing to be having this conversation. That part we recognize, right? People have already done their voting Thursday. >> Yeah. >> Very poor timing for us to have that conversation as a board. how that part how long like and we're demonstrating the frustration that we've been having ourselves going >> and you you should not be again you're an amazing advocate you should not feel like you are the sole voice for for all folks as well right >> yeah so >> yeah I definitely understand it >> I would also like to raise a thing I know Lionel brought it up at the last board meeting but the idea of alternates because currently there challenges getting six people like to be able to constantly
060invest their time into it. And that's resulted in gaps in in attendance, which are understandable. Like all the reps are missing decent amounts of meetings. And cuz like it's hard to be able to come here every two weeks for 3 hours or so. And the idea was potentially allowing schools to designate like half as many alternates as they have wraps voluntarily if they so choose. Uh whether or not that would be valuable like to have in the policy and then in the future, you know, Miss Arnold could say, "Oh, maybe we should have extra alternates to help with attendance." That's something I want to throw out there. And that could also maybe help with the election versus appointment process. like you could switch them either way to like compensate somehow. >> It's a good point.
061I do wonder though if we have if we're at this point going to have like one member each time from each school kind of taking on the like speaker role >> that we kind like it almost become takes on that role that like if there are four IHS folks that means that and it would actually improve things a lot because I think it's very very rare that we haven't had a single person from one or one of the schools and so being able to make sure that there's somebody here that's kind of representing for representing the broader community. I love your idea. I just wonder if because the system will change a little bit that way that we will have that through through a grouping. Um >> I am mindful of time 10 minutes left
062in this meeting to try to come to some sort of uh direction. I also realize that no committee is able to make a decision on behalf of the board. There is a policy, let me rephrase that. The policy does not stipulate the practice. With that being said, um, following things like Robert's rules, I guess I would be uncomfortable, and maybe this is Judah's point, saying do this for Friday when the board has not authorized a change in the process. >> Y, >> I still feel the process is exclusive and exclusionary and that part I'll continue to say. Um, and it has been for my 17 years on the board. Um it's rare that I've seen a cross-section as difficult as that may be um in the role and yet I don't think we are in
063a position to be like you're doing this for let me raise that we are not in a position as a committee we don't have the authorization so if that is the case I despite my what I want this is not about what I want it's about process I guess I would say to Ethical High School as late as it is and proceed with your practice for Friday with your current practice because the board has not made a decision in time as a collective as a majority of the board to make a vote and maybe our recommendation to the board with this policy would be we do anticipate future changes and that would probably give us time to work with Karen and the administration to come up with a process that students know in advance and
064saying that that's if the policy got passed that way folks would know that this year moving forward this is what we're trying to do and this is how we're trying to do it. Um, that's probably the best way moving forward. I think about time constraints and I think about what our authority is as a as a >> yeah I think I I think I mentioned that in an email to you all and I think I as much as I'm pushing back and I and I do want to clarify that yes I remember talking about those things and I don't think that like throwing ideas out like that is quite the same thing as like coming with a concrete like plan of of of a new suggestion of way and doing things. So, I think I'll
065leave you in the middle on that one for sure, but you definitely brought some ideas. Um, I I actually had been recently advocating not focusing on appointments as much as I'm playing kind of like both sides right now. And I do think that there are are some major flaws in the way things are working right now. But I feel very very strongly about what we talked about like two weeks ago which I just mentioned about like I think that is less about who's sitting at the table and more about the processes that are put into place. And you guys have done an amazing job of trying to implement some of these more and more and more. And I think that I think that doing something as substantial as what I'm thinking about will take a
066lot more engagement from not just the four of you trying to come up with really good ideas, but from working collaboratively with administration, other student groups and so on and so forth. But I feel most strongly and my I guess I'm voicing this because my cons I'm happy to say yes, go on as usual. I'm actually surprised that somebody was emailing me back and forth about now it's this, now it's that. That's there is no policy and hasn't been. So, I'm not sure where that information was coming from, but I do want to make sure that whenever a policy a policy is in place before next school year that there is some sort of pretty clear expectation about some really indepth new processes and ways that students are going to be reached. So, that's what
067matters more to them. >> I am probably the person responsible for some of the communication going back and forth. Uh, and by that I mean it didn't seem if we were going to change the procedure. It seemed unfair to elect four people and then tell you after the fact, no, we're actually going to change this process. And so I was advocating for a change this year. Um and uh realizing uh after some quick emails back and forth um obviously you know no single board member has the authority to to make that change despite which I will say and I was going off of what seemed to be consensus at our last board meeting about two selections and two elections. Um there seemed to be consensus amongst the board that was there moving that back. So
068it wasn't like I was trying to do that arbitrarily. Um, but I do understand this timing situation which we find ourselves in. And so I think probably as a committee we'd say we're not going to disrupt the process because we haven't done our part in time to have the policy in place in time. Um, I don't I did say this um with great love and respect to Judah. It's not improper. At any point in time, the board can choose to change the process because there is no process set. And with that being said, um I can understand the confusion that's causing for administrators, for teachers, for students or um you know, our ESPs. I I I understand that. So I think we just say go ahead and move forward this year and we'll work or
069whoever work with administration to create a different process moving forward >> or try to pilot different process. I'm sorry. >> No, no, it's okay. So we'll go ahead and have four elected for this year knowing that we should by the board's encouragement come up with a system for two to the following year to elected and two appointed in some way. >> I think that's what I would be advocating for. I think it would be dependent upon if the board passes the policy in that way. Um and so it still will take a majority vote of the board. Um, but that's the part that I beat that I'm on the part that I'm uncomfortable not saying to IHS change your process when a majority of the board has not said change your process >> and but
070just to clarify when we say process we're talking about the election not necessarily all of the other stuff that would be in place they actually some of those things will will be in place prior to whoever gets seated >> right >> um and it's a reminder to me again with Robert's rules students who are exeicial members and we that's the one thing we have to talk about what does that look like in terms of who has the opportunity to have the privilege of the floor. So students seated at the table, it's not just being at the table. Students get recognized um as part of a board meeting, which usually does not happen for audience members, right? That there's not the privilege of the floor for an audience member. There is a privilege of the floor
071for our student reps. And so it has a very heightened status. And so we'll that language will be clarified and ready to go starting next school year. So we'll figure out does LACS select one person to be the expial member for this meeting that meeting. So there will be still some change that will take place but in terms of what you came to advocate for you did a phenomenal job advocating. >> Are we in tenative agreement? >> Yeah. >> Three minutes. Can we do it? >> I believe. >> Are we all separate right now? We're going to continue working on this policy. the time crunch isn't as big as it is if we know what's taking place for Ithaca High School. Uh Karen has said it quite well in terms of what the summary is
072and we'll follow up from there and clean up this policy as best we can. >> And I do want to say beautiful news 12 students are running. I think that's the most we've ever had. We are board of reps. So >> yeah, >> that part feels >> more who are running for board of ed reps than they are for their class. >> I have been impressed by the amount of uh time and engagement and participation uh that students have given to this policy in a variety of ways. Emails, phone calls, meetings, uh just greatly appreciated, right? We're all trying to learn and we learn. So thank you very much. whatever. >> So, we're going to table this policy for the time being. We'll go from there. We may do some other work. >> We have
073one minute. The last policy uh is a simp should be a simple change. This is policy 4.4. Um it was brought to our attention um by members of the ITA. So, we thank them for it. Um the policy is outdated. It was last updated in 2008. Since then, the law has changed. I've had a conversation with Mr. Van Kuran about the law as well as well as our uh legal counsel. And so Emily has done a great job of going through leaving the the comments up there, but going through and changing the policy to be in line with what the state regulations say, changing some of the language. Um just for example, it's no longer leave for breast or prostate cancer, it's leave for cancer screening. So, um, I recommend that we accept Emily's changes
074for a first reading. Uh, there was an ask by the email that board members received or the policy committee that the hours be extended for a full day. Um, I am under the impression, and someone can correct me if I'm wrong, uh, that that would not be possible uh without it being a negotiated item. Um and that would take negotiation with multiple unions, not just a single youth. Uh that the law allows or requires or demands 4 hours of leave. But anything addition to that we would have to discuss. That is my understanding. But there are other things. The language is extremely outdated. It's gendered. It does a host of things. Yes, Katherine, we have 30 seconds. >> Um, the one thing the one reason that we brought forward the 4hour situation is because for
075the ITA unit and the ESP unit, 4 hours is not an increment of time that you can report absent for duty. Um, so as you work through this policy, we would love for there to be a way to actually recognize the system that we have to use for our absences and make those >> Absolutely. which are what? >> So a half day is like three hours and a whole day is six hours >> and New York State said four hours. I just put it out there. So I agree it's not it's there's a it's incompatible, right? >> Yeah. So >> but for to get the policy started, there's things that we need to make that keep it in line with what the new recommendations and what the new regulations are. And that is changing some
076of the language again. what it looks like. The additional conversation is one that uh board looks forward to have >> we don't have to put it forth immediately as well. No, take a look at >> making an agreement to accept the changes. >> I I went through um and I did not do nearly as good of a job as Emily did. So I willing to trust Emily as for a first reading. Sure. Sounds >> um I am already one minute over. I apologize. Two more items. If we had three more items, uh Emily Tracy Arm has done an amazing job of taking a look and making a list of annual policies that need to be reviewed. Um that is something that I recommend the future policy committee explore. Um and so Emily can send that
077along. Uh we received a request um from members of the IPDA that the policy committee would take a look at um open enrollment and the way in which we track absenteeism and um tardies and so I recommend that be on for a future agenda item. Um, and we had a request from someone uh that the board consider looking and or creating a separate policy on hazing from uh harassment and from bullying. Um, because I can in the 3 seconds I would be weary as much as I may be have I have zero tolerance for hazing but I have I have zero tolerance for zero tolerance policies. And so I would ask the board to humbly consider to be very careful if we're looking at any zero tolerance policy even while a very strong policy against
078hazing should be written. Uh but zero talents policies have historically shown to be further marginalizing of particular groups of students and um we may not want that. But with that all that being said um a future policy committee should take a look at a hazing policy. I do think there's a legitimate idea that separating that from discrimination and bullying and it does create its own separate entity. So, um something for folks to consider. So, those are two three potential agenda items for some other version of the policy committee. >> Any other before we close out just as a followup to the kickoff meeting, just want to say a big thank you to you for your leadership on the policy committee for so long. makes me wonder how old you actually are. Um, but thank you
079and I know that you've done tremendous work over those 16 years and and have really set us up for success as we move forward. So, appreciate you very late and I definitely have my AAP card. So, with that, we'll bring this meeting to a close. Thank you all very much.