001It isn't. >> Uh good evening everyone. Thank you to uh we're going to open our May 26, 2026 meeting. Uh I'll begin first by acknowledging the New York Knicks are in the NBA finals. Uh and then we'll entertain motions. I move that the board enter into executive session pursuant to public officers law 1051F to discuss matters leading to the identification of a particular student matters relating to the employment history of a particular person and matters leading to the appointment of a particular person. Second. >> Moved by Adam, second by Jacob. Discussion, debate, conversation. All in favor. The motion passes. The board anticipates being back at 6:30. We will do our best to hold to that time frame. And so we'll see everyone at 6:30. >> We returning from executive session. Uh I would like to
002make a motion to make a couple of modifications to the agenda. One is I would uh move to amend the 10th agenda to add a supplements to the personnel report. Uh and I would additionally like to table agenda item 12.1 and 12.2 until the next board meeting. Those are both policies that we'd like to discuss at our next policy meeting. So that's what I'm present to anyone be willing to accept. >> Second heard any discussion, conversation, debate. All in favor of the modifications to the agenda. So modified. Thank you all very much. And here is the amendment to the personal report. Um we will continue on with the hearing of delegates. Uh I apologize in advance. I'm not going to be able to pronounce names both because of my poor choice of reading glasses today.
003Um, as well as I don't I can't see them correctly. The first is Aaron. And is Aaron here? >> Yeah. >> Can you tell me your last name please? Sh. Thank you very much. Aaron, will our microphones capture um a statement from there from back there? >> Yeah. >> Okay. So I am also in a glass situ glasses situation. So I can't see fire but I can um I am here with other district nurses today um just to kind of update the board about current concerns that have um for our uh basically the organization of nurses in the district. So, I hope I can put into words for other for the other nurses in the district a brief explanation of what's going on right now. Uh, we found out recently our medical director for many
004years was not rehired for the coming year and understand that there's an RFP out to replace that, which is great. Um however, at the moment we're feeling unsupported a little bit and feeling that we've been operating without a lead nurse, which is um something that is in our contract. Um but uh we haven't currently had who provides clinical support, consistent training for new nurses, support for new nurses, that kind of thing. Um, and so as a result of not having the leaders, we have been more reliant on a medical director for that clinical support. Um, and so then now I'm not knowing quite what's going to happen starting July 1, that's one of our concerns. Um, and with Project Innovation starting uh right after the holiday and then sports registration opening in mid July, there's
005a lot that's needed this summer. Um and so one of my questions just can a nurse legally and safely practice um and implement the standing order that we about the license of a medical doctor practitioner. Um and so that leads to our concerns surrounding the lead the lack of a lead nurse. And so we had you know discussed it with in the pro within our um within the nurses and with our supervisor. And so they have are being made and there have been positions put out um and so there is now a position that's been released for the lead nurse itinerant nurse position and so which was found supportive to us. However, the pay is the same pay like if it were offered to a nurse within the district. There's no like additional pay for
006the support that nurse would be providing all the other nurses in the district. um for them a little bit concerned because currently there's no district nurses who are willing to take on the extra liability and um kind of clinical duties that that would require. And so if we do hire from outside the district, they would be starting at the starting wage that we all start. Um that's not dependent on experience, year of experience. Um, and so would that person then feel if they don't have school experience, is that appropriate for them to be um nurses? And so there's concern about how that's being presented and how that would be um how that would work and would it is it kind of setting up for failure? Um because we had tried already that my time. >>
007Thank you. Next is Alexis and if you can tell me your last name as well. >> Thank you. >> Um I am in the same vein and have been part of the same discussions and I I wanted to um after we couple of our colleagues spoke at the last meeting, I had the sense that there was this feeling that it was about the people in the role. And while we have enormous respect for those people, >> um this is really about feeling safe and supported in our clinical practice so that we can feel like we our students are safe and supported. Um, and part of that is having someone who has school nurse experience, clinical training, and a role that is set up to give guidance and support and not just like an extra hand.
008Um, and as you would not expect a principal to practice without somebody that they can turn to for guidance when they have a principal problem, when they need help, when they want to bounce off a question that that person would have experience as a principal, they would have a deep familiarity with the resources and the kinds of situations a principal might face and that principal can ask that person and turn to them. So, you should not expect a nurse to practice without that. Um, without a medical supervisor and and or a head nurse or lead nurse, um, we have some great supervisory uh, folks, but they're not clinically trained and they're not necessarily experienced in what we experience on a day-to-day basis. And so, we're supervising each other by like like, hey, anybody know what
009to do in this situation? which is not feel like a great uh like way to handle questions and problems. And so what I I really would just endorse is that that you consider uh like a new and bigger better situation with that's going to cost less money that you actually ask the people who are really deeply day-to-day involved in what that looks like and what that need that the needs are for a medical director and just talk to health and wellness about what supports they need, what guidance they're looking for. you know what what we utilize the medical director and the situation, you know, the the the larger coaster, all the the things that we are the services we're using and ask us to weigh in on those things and what what we need before
010um uh assuming that that a bigger better uh um response is going to cover it. I think I think it's your last I feel like everything has been said. I mean I basically feel like um we have been told that we're going to get a new medical director to replace the the one that we're losing and we're going to reinstate the lead nurse that we lost several years ago. Um, but I feel like things are not feeling equitable um, in terms of what we're going to pay the lead nurse. It feels like that is under discussion. And I I basically came here sort of insensed, but I'm just going to leave it at that that I want to make sure that we're compensated appropriately so that we get somebody who's qualified and has the experience
011that's needed um, and gets compensated. That's that's basically what I wanted to. So, thank you for your time and >> board responses. >> Um, I just want to say thank you for uh for coming. I was I was personally disappointed to hear that we at ICSB hadn't signed back onto the um cooperative agreement with with uh and I know that not only was the medical director someone who's been working with you all for a long time but also had a partner who is also contributing significantly to that work and that there's a lot of other things in that included in that coher that was really beneficial to students all across our district. So um appreciate you all coming and raising that and certainly um to heart hearing but a leadership role needs to need to
012understand more salary distinctions between the two um and so look forward to working with the team better understand all of that and how we'll be able to kind of compensate for all the losses that are coming from not being a part of that anymore. Thank you. responses. >> I I just want to thank uh the school nurses in general. I feel like you don't get enough credit for the amount of work you do. And just at my daughter's school, I mean, whenever I talk to their nurse, she's just incredibly busy, but also wonderful and amazing. So, first off, much appreciation. I hope that this can go on a HR uh committee agenda meeting so we can discuss it further and really look at what you're talking about with concerns about pay and what to do
013moving forward. So um Emily, are you the chair of HR? >> Yeah. >> Can can that be put on our next committee agenda vice chair? We can talk about it more in depth. >> That would be next. Dr. Brown we an unusual >> I know you thank you um I I'll start by Miss Workman's words um not being a part of the co is just a point team but I think y'all know um I and my team was part of establishing that co and it was an enhancement on the services we provide that's why we established the cos um and it's disappointing I want to flush out why it's disappointing that we're not a part of it but that be a part of the uh presentation we prepared scared to do briefly because at the
014last I forget was it the facilities committee meeting I promise you that we would bring some initial thoughts and we would hear from you we would answer some of your questions we would talk about some tonight as part of the superintendent board so we do have some time we have prepared to talk about it some if the board is okay still with me doing that and we can come to an HR committee meeting but at this point I want to make sure you hear me when I say I'm disappointed that we're not in the closer as well and this is an area and you've come to a lot of meetings talking about compensation and I hope you've seen that we've already responded with making adjustments to compensation. So you're going to hear some of that
015tonight, not probably to the extent you want, but we've always heard and try to enhance and to adjust. And I hope you hear tonight that we're doing it still and noting that yeah, if everything was going as we had planned, we will be a part of the culture that we helped establish and build. But you hear some reasons tonight why we can't and why we're bringing this back in house and the plan was for. But we'll do that when the superintendent report comes and I'll invite some folks to share some data and some history in our plans going forward. >> I didn't mean to stop any other board. >> Thank you. So we'll wait for the superintendent. >> Thank you. We'll continue on with our agenda which brings us to student reps. >> All right.
016Um, as many of you know, our community is currently grieving a student, our seniors. Um, we started today with a short session in our family groups to process and point students to additional support um available in the building. Uh, and we'd like to thank Dr. Brown, Mary Grover, and other desk district officials and support staff who are helping our community this week. With that said, um our LS graduation is coming up pretty soon. Uh it's June 22nd for middle schoolers, June 23rd for high schoolers. As you probably know, in LACS graduation looks a lot different from any other graduation, but that's pretty typical at this point for LACS. Uh both middle school and high school uh complete their it says middle school or high school uh projects be eighth grade project or senior projects. For
017senior projects, I've seen it be anything from building jet engines to re writing entire books to anything in between. and they're really really amazing what people can put together. After they they present that before the ceremony, but after the fact comes the actual main ceremony when rather than just walking across the stage, a staff member will give a speech on each individual specific student for the class. and they are incredibly meaningful as both a summation of the students time at LAS but also them as a person their passions their projects really their entire life up until this point as a teacher has known that or the school has known that rather it's a long but triumphant and joyful ending to a career at as a student at at least in high school. We'd love to
018see any board members there for at least the project sharing which will be again June 22nd 4 pm for middle school and June 23rd 5:00 pm for high school. Thank you. We'll we'll come back around second. as me as we've mentioned a few times before um this past week we had our uh trip spring trips and so that was a wonderful experience for all and um a lot of students have been quite excited and quite happy about that trip that they had last week. Um, a personal memory of mine is um, climbing up the tallest spiral staircase that I have ever been on. But unfortunately, within the last, call it 20, 30 steps. Right as you're feeling extra tired, they get twice as high. Awful. Thank you. >> Uh, sure. So, uh, as boat failed
019to mention, the three of us were on Spanish trip. >> It's okay. Don't worry. Uh, we went to Valencia, Spain. Um, and it was it was incredible. It was really, really a lot of fun. Um, it was a language immersion trip. So, we went to, um, school there. Uh, we went to a institute called Conversa. Uh, which I cannot recommend enough to anybody who happens to be looking for language programs in Valencia, Spain. Um, and uh, it was really really cool to be sort of immersed and trying to use like our problem solving uh, abilities to communicate in a different language. Um, and then all of the extra fun stuff on the side, the uh, swimming in the Mediterranean and uh, visiting cathedrals um, and shopping. I got this whole outfit pretty much there at
020the thrift stores. Um, yeah, spring trips are really, really something. And it was a joy to take so many people out of the country for the majority of the group's first time, I think. >> Majority of first time. >> Yeah. On an airplane or even out of the states. So, uh, that was really really wonderful to do. >> You heard about Spanish trip. I want to share a brief memory from my trip last year, which was the backpacking trip in which I want you to picture about 40 extra pounds of gear on your back, water hanging, all the mosquitoes in the world, no bug spray, and it's also happened to be pouring rain and 45 degrees outside and got to walk 30 miles, which sounds quite miserable, but it's one of my favorite trips. And
021it was one of the happiest trips I've been on. We had amazing time. I was an older student on this trip with some younger students. I had the chance to mentor a lot of students, show them even some students how to build a fire. Had some students how to like balance your bag, make sure you can like go walk seven miles in a day with all that weight on you. And again, pouring rain, but having to like filter water from rain puddles, which again miserable, but I had a lot of fun doing it. I also very briefly want to throw our supports behind the school nurses initiative here. And as you know, we ask a lot of our school nurses and and anything that helps them do their job better immediately impacts students positively. So
022I think it's fair safe to say we support any initiative to better the work working environment of school nurses. >> Thank you all. >> Um I don't have too much to report on right now. I'm not sure what the other reps want to talk about this meeting. Um, I also want to acknowledge the loss our community is facing right now. Um, although the student was a part of LCS, they're also part of the school workers share community. Um, yeah, that's very difficult. Um, other than that, I just want to talk a little bit about the UAE rep policy for election. Uh, we were just wondering a bit about like the appointments and how that was going to work. Um, I also just wanted to touch on like the new colon system and it seems to
023be working pretty well so far um, in most of the classrooms. Um, and I also just wanted to put support out to the district nurse initiative too. Like all the nurses do so much and so much what we don't realize. Um, from field trip forms to like a lot of different things. And it is true that you can't expect like the label nurse to cover every sort of different training like you need. It gets pretty specific at responses. >> I'll jump in. I recommend attending LACS graduation for the 17 and a half hours that it goes on. >> They know a new record last time about 26 hours. >> Um and um Lily uh we the board members possibly received a message about um the school reps slash exofficial members. Um we'll be discussing it
024again on June 2nd. Um the board decided um at last meeting uh though it's not official yet um to return to a four student reps at Ethica High School and two student reps at LACS moving forward. The idea was there was questions and conversation amongst board members about an election process and more importantly about representation from the entire student body. So the thought was to do a dual process that two of the reps would be elected through the normal process and that two additional reps would be selected um through a a process that the school will choose um not the board. And so uh there'll be a conversation with Ithaca High School administration. There are some thoughts and some ideas about what that could look like. It's not set, but the thought was to not
025move forward with electing all four members this year because we were looking for and having dialogue again about representation and about student voice. So, I go back I would recommend folks go back and watch the last board meeting and then uh it'll be on the agenda for June 2nd for us to finalize that policy. I know it's probably I'll leave it there. Um, is that a question? >> Is it is that uh selection policy affecting the LASS process? >> No, LACS policy is set in the handbook that has been created. Um, so folks can see that as well and go from there. So, the new the new change will actually be more advised and we'll communicate that to an email as well. Did I capture that right Emily as a policy colleague. >> Yeah, I
026mean I think we're we do still have another policy committee meeting and are going to be discussing things. So if I say anything, but is anything set in stone? So if you have strong thoughts or feelings and want to send them over to us before that meeting, happy to hear that feedback. >> It was just more so curiosity since like the initial election process is like starting on Thursday for campaign. Yeah, the timing we kept it up against >> Yeah, we're aware the timing is that >> uh we will um No, I won't. Uh thank you for the students for the we're experiencing a loss. I want to just leave time for us to acknowledge that. Thank you for reminding us and remembering We will continue on with our agenda. Up next is the consent
027agenda and we'll entertain the motions. >> We move that the board approve all consent agenda items listed in consent agenda consideration of account students personnel report. The minutes previous meeting is presented. >> Moved by Jacob second. Be moved by Adam. Second by Jacob. The only addition would be the personal report includes the adopted debate, discussion, conversation. All in favor? Motion passes. Thank you very much. Um and that brings us to uh superintendent report. Dr. Brown. >> Yeah, thank you for the opportunity, Professor. Yeah, a few items tonight if I may, including we'll finish with uh the update on where we are with our Europe provider support. Um and also beginning with Yeah, it's been a tough weekend, long weekend, wasn't quite a bit wasn't a holiday weekend. Um and my dad always say you learn
028a lot about people when things happen like this. And I I didn't learn stuff. I think it was affirmed for me how special the ACS community is. um the young people, the staff members, what I saw this morning was um pretty special in the ways in which they came together and led and supported one another in love. And when you see that, it's hard to unsee it. Um and at a time like this, we needed it. Um and to me, without saying too much, just thank you for allowing me to be a part of a community that can love like that. At a time like this, I see you. Thank you. Uh and thanks to the board for your approval, if I can transition um your approval of the consent agenda and the items that
029were there. And if I may, I wish to uh recognize some folks who were appointed this evening. Um and let me begin. Uh I hope I can't see everybody. Maybe it's Zach or Dan because I have a text every meeting to turn the lights off here. But at some point, can you turn the lights off? Thanks, Dan. I don't have one meeting. the hospital and get through without me on the text. >> We have lunch in this room. >> I don't know. They were recently installed. Um that's where um Karen Quill I hope Karen's here. You can just gra be joining us from another school district. She's going to be taking on Marty Shaw is going to be transitioning into a new career I hope is retirement and in her replace her as associate principal
030for inclusion. We got Karen coming from another school district that she's a stellar educator. You're going to learn much more about her tonight. I want to make sure people saw her face and she's here. But thank you for joining our team. These next three folks are people who have been a part of our team. Um when I got to work, I was told that the best administrators are always the people who are really good teachers first. And I've tried and as we look for administrators, we look for folks who are good teachers first and most importantly and it's even more important when they've been members of the IPA here association. They've been teachers in our school district and they've been great candidates who can metriculate through organization and what people may not know is when
031uh you transition to the administrator in the school district from being a teacher you give up your tenure right and you give up tenure to start over and that's a vulnerable place to be in the state. Um and we've had folks raise their hands and say I want to do it. So tonight, I wish to acknowledge some folks who are earning tenure as administrators um in some key roles. Miss Granger, you've started your life here in our school district and now you're the tenure principal at Cuba Heights Elementary doing an amazing job. Thank you. >> 2010 when Mr. Anthony was giving me a tour of the food district, the first place we stopped was South Hill Elementary School and we went into Julie Humble's class. And at the time I like, wow, this is a
032pretty good first grade. Was it kindergarten, first grade? I don't forget much. >> Yeah. Wow. A long time ago. Um, and some of those young people have now graduated. Um, and are graduating college. I gota >> I shouldn't say I should say anyway, outstanding teacher here and an even better administrator. So, Julie is earning tenure at Northeast. also told that the best teachers also can and should be coaches. And the first time I saw this gentleman, he was coaching lacrosse, I believe, right Pat? >> I was like, how tall is he? Anyway, my first question and then I once I realized how tall he was, I realized he's a pretty good coach, too. Um and then I went into his math class and he was an excellent math teacher and he's been associate principal in
033at this high school at a place you know um there were a lot of administrators who came through this high school over the years and they um so when you can find someone like Michael Trum every time I get a chance to take Jason Trum's name when you start in a classroom and then become an associate principal and then a principal and and Pat will be a principal and superintendent someday but he's our tenure associate principal. Thank you Pat for being here. proud of everybody and it's a great team we have. Um, and as we learned this weekend, administrators and teachers, folks don't get many days off around here, even on holiday weekends and when that phone rings at 5:30, administrators pick it up and they then have to navigate oftent times some difficult stuff.
034So, I see you and I thank you for taking on a job you can choose not. Appreciate you. And then uh this next item um again as we foreshadowed at the last committee meeting for so I would like Carrie Burke and Mary Grover uh the period a few remarks knowing that this is an ongoing conversation but we thought we would share some information. I hope this gives some light to why I said I'm disappointed that we are not engaging in the culture again also and you know it's one thing to be disappointed it's another thing to have a plan. So I think we're going to talk about the plan we have moving forward. So, Mary Carrie, >> yes. Thank you for having us tonight. We thank you for speaking and sharing what you need. We
035hear you. We appreciate you. We have some of the components moving forward for the 2627 school year that's ongoing. So, in 2018, we shifted the role of the supervision. I want to give a bigger picture because I think shared timelines create shared understanding. Um we moved away from a head nurse position to a director of health and wellness to incorporate and support both school nurses integrated social emotional learning were the priorities of the time. We didn't know it that COVID would hit six months later. And part of our recruitment was also specialty and public health. Based on the feedback we were seeing, we had a really um I know it's not typical for us to use names, but I need to use names because uh Barb Masser from Bell Sherman was is amazing amazing school
036nurse held the role of lead nurse. So the structure was um a head nurse, a lead nurse, and we've moved to a director of health and wellness to work alongside the lead nurse, always having a medical record. That's really important. Um, and so as that role has shifted and the program enhanced and we did go to a regional model for the medical director position, we're returning and bringing that role back in house for the 26 27 school year and knowing when we bring that back in house having and and reinstating the leaders position would be an important part of the supports that are nurses. >> Yeah. And I want to thank the nurses who are in the room today and those who aren't. Um recognizing the shifts that needed to occur following uh you know
037our nonoper number of you have been um stakeholders I've had uh in involved conversations with about what are the structures and supports needed to be successful going forward. So this this um emergence of a hybrid position where the lead nurse role previously was a nurse who occupied a building room. We are moving in another direction to really provide more latitude and availability to that individual to be able to support nurses directly. So that was in direct response to the conversations I had with many of the nursing staff and feedback from the department as a whole. Um I'd also like to just touch on to the community partnership piece. uh that isn't something that's going away either. Our our engagement with groups like a project teach out of near Rochester um professional development from Boseis and
038in-house professional development is part portions of those were incorporated in the coaster but they will continue on outside of the existence of the coaster. And so if I could add to the hybrid position. So right now there's an itinerant nurse position. So that itinerate nurse position. There's an additional itinerant nurse position. I just want to clarify that will be um the lead nurse. So it's an increase of an itinerate nurse position that the hybrid is that it will also be the lead nurse. Just to clarify >> insert something real quick. We've been in so many meetings. I want to make sure for folks who are hearing this for the first time get this piece in. We had a there was a grant I think it was a New York State grant that we had access
039to was the primary reason why we moved to a closer co closer regional model. It was a significant amount of money. We hoped that that grant would be renewed and we would stay on the same path with the same enhancements receiving state aid. We did not receive that grant. So without the grant funds having it done regionally would have tripled our cost going forward. So there is a resource finance component to this as well. Again, I'll say it. The primary reason, the reason we were in support of transitioning this to a closer regional model was to access a state grant and the reimbursement from the through a um without that it is something we need to think about as far as resources and whether or not we do it. We've done this with technology. it's
040gone to Bose and it's come back as you know it's always better to have an in-house program but when we can leverage Bose funds and grant funds it's important for us to do that and when that grant or desk goes away or it's not sustainable to come back and help out I didn't I know you talked about it lasting but I didn't hear it when >> did you appropriate time for questions for this just >> yeah my apologies this is the part I don't like about schoolboard meetings or being in this role that it is not appropriate time for questions, but I would ask to email all questions so we can find a way to make sure they get answers. >> Yeah, I would I would welcome questions so that we can create a shared
041path forward. We OCE is our collaborator, our partner >> at this moment in time. Um, I understand where they are with that grant and continuing they're not able to be flexible or creative in what they're offering us and we're continuing those conversations. Now, for immediate need, the medical director position is slated to begin July 1. So I do want to address that we do have a very um robust summer program for project innovation and thank the educators principal Jean just staff working for that that so we um we don't really have a 10-month school year we have the number of students participating we have close close to 500 students participate in. And I would just say I look forward to working with school nurses to to understand and fulfill the needs that exist. We've been
042here before. Like they've been such amazing individuals to work with during the global pandemic that we experienced and so um I'm confident that we can find a way forward to meet their needs. with their input. I do um your input, the school, your the school nurs's input has been really important and moving forward. We look forward to continuing the conversation on the agenda. We can dig into this a bit more and we can take a few questions then one I also just want to highlight that I understand is going to be on the HR agenda. um which may give you more time to get information but Jacob I saw your hand so >> I just had a couple of I guess factual questions um so I think one of one of the speakers said that
043the lead nurse position was the same as a school based nurs so so when when the original iteration of this came around um the way it functioned was that it was a 10-month building nurse who worked in the district and then they completed a time sheet for um any hours allocated towards um the scope around the the waiver nurse portion. So they uh under the terms of the EA agreement, the employees association agreement which I'm not the expert on, but uh that was that was the path forward for uh recognizing the time commitment particularly outside of ours. >> That's a question I would tell ask board members to take a look at that I understand the requests and appreciate their requests. I'm also interested in what the contract language says and there are definitely addendums
044that can be made to that contract language as well. But just keep that in mind that we as board members you should also go back and read the contract language. >> Then I just to make sure I understood what you were saying Dr. Brown. So if I understand correctly, you said that the reason we had regional services at all was because of the grant. And in your mind, it's preferable to have those that correct? >> In most cases, yes. And in this case, um the situation we probably would have continued with the regional approach had the grant continued and similar cost um again as a program that we developed and have built over time and it's good. Um and now we feel like we can build that inhouse as well. So that >> is there
045a sense of the the number of hours over the traditional typical job description that a supervisor would have? >> Um there is uh I looked at data from a three-year period on average based on what was submitted on time sheets at least it was something to the effect of five to seven hours a week. that's also probably like direct advising something and not an opportunity to kind of think holistically a little bit more leadership role. So I thought it would be interesting to think about how how a leadership role on that is actually being utilized >> is different from like a oneoff call. >> We could we could discuss more. >> Yeah, I think it'll be really interesting. And also like it seems like there's a lot of very cool components that were a part
046of the coaster. Um so to also hear about the vision about integrating a lot of that be very exciting to hear that extended time. >> Thank you. Absolutely. Uh, additional questions, please email or email um Tracy the board clerk and the board members are >> I have a lot of name >> as do I that's not excuse for me either. >> Uh we will move to our special presentations but we have two this evening. Uh we always love hearing about our Morocco student trip and they are up first. Thank you very much. Great. So, thank you again for putting us on the agenda tonight. We wanted to share a little bit about our trip that we took this year. Um, this year we traveled to Morocco during spring break. Um because uh Ramadan fell during
047the February break which is when we traditionally will go and that's not a great time although quite fascinating I think. Um we um we flew >> there's a slight delay. >> Got it. That's why I'm zooming through them here. Um we flew out of JFK as we always do uh into Casablanca and this year we took the northern route. So we went um we always spend some time in Fez the capital city and then we or sorry in Rabbot the capital city and then we continued on to Fez and Chef Shiaan. Um we ended up uh pairing with a slightly with a different partner school that we've also worked with in the past and spent a day with them but didn't it meant um not doing home stays this year but we'll continue partnering with
048the school when we go on the southern route that we uh typically will do home stays with. Um so this is our group. We had 24 wonderful students. It was a really lovely group. We um kids were just really kind and supportive and flexible and like hung out in different combinations and like it was really a lovely group that we got to travel with this time. Um it's always lovely but this was a particularly wonderful group. Um we had uh 33% of our students receive financial aid. Um 33% were firsttime international travelers. Um uh 25% students of color. Um, we always for some reason have more girls go on the trip than boys, but they are more responsible about getting they're all represented here responsible about getting their um applications in. I don't know what
049that is, but we're gonna have to look into that a little bit more. But um uh and um this time we had two trans students for the first time and that was interesting to see how that went in a in a in a society that that um does not always um sort of accept that and it was totally fine. It was went really smoothly. There were really really no problem at all with it. Um, before we leave, we always make a point of, you know, introducing students to Moroccan culture and history and the language, giving people a little bit of, uh, sort of a fighting chance in the markets a little bit with some with some words. Um, and so, uh, we read the, uh, the book Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits by the Moroccan
050author, uh, Leila Leami, which is a really lovely look at, um, different aspects of Moroccan culture, um, and sort of politics and and aspects of society that you wouldn't necessarily see as a tourist. Um, we hosted guest speakers on Moroccan language and culture. We had a former IHS student come in and and share with us um, and have help us practice a little bit with Darija. Um, we had a number of Cornell's Arabic language outreach program come in as well. Um, students really enjoyed uh those times with with students hearing hearing about Moroccan culture and also just a chance to work with college students and and uh practice their language language skills. Um, this year we partnered with the what's um the British Town Academy which is right outside of Robot. It's an English language
051school uh for that students would go to for like um you know like after school language classes or or weekend language classes. Um so you know it's very helpful that they speak uh English fluently. Um we also um engage with our community partners to try to expand access. So um Miss Crawford will talk about that a little bit talk about those community partnerships. We're really constantly trying to figure out new streams of money to make it accessible to all students um and form partnerships so students who might think, "Oh, that's trip is not for me. There's no way my family could afford it still go ahead and apply." Um and so we've created a bunch of partnerships around that specifically um to to make sure that those students do apply and they do get support
052the support that they need to go. Um so tonight with me uh are Malik and Katie and Lana and they're going to share a little bit with you about their time uh in in some of the different cities. Um and Malik is going to start off with the uh Hassan Tumas which is in Casablanca and that this is we get off the flight after an overnight flight and we jump right jump right into it. So um students look tired in these pictures that's fine. Yeah, we didn't really board the plane until 12, I guess. >> Oh my goodness. >> It was like a It was a big delay that we didn't really expect, but um >> we we were I think we were prepared for um a delay and I think we still did good
053and we just came off the plane. We were just >> really excited to just get started and and really explore Morocco. So, so this is um our first stop which is the um the King Hassan II mosque. Um it was incredible. It had like I mean it had architecture like I've I've never seen before. It was um very detailed design which like in person it was just incredible. Um we had two so we started two tour guides who are pictured right on the the bottom left. Um I don't forgot his name. >> Yeah. Rashid is is our partner who has always organized a trip with us. Yeah. >> So Rashid and the other >> Nina. Um Nina was the was a first time tour guide on the trip. She was amazing. She was >> first
054time for us. Yeah. >> Yeah. First time for us. Rasheed has been on the trips a couple of times. Um both of them were really amazing. They took us through the um mosque and really told us the history about it. History I would say was the biggest part about Morocco. We really got to learn a lot of the history. Um just rich in history and just lots of history to learn from. Um I'm a student who's interested in history. So I it was a really informative um core of the mosque. Um so that's our our group uh pictured in uh the mosque. The mosque is way bigger in person. Um like huge uh it's it was built on the um ocean and um just amazing architecture. the the the the girls, the females were um
055sort of required to wear the the the hijab, the veil. Um so like as as a person who does wear it um sort of daily and is a part of my identity, it was really really nice to see um my peers wear it alongside me was not alone. Um it was just it was just unforgettable. Okay. So, our so from the mosque, we took a um a bus ride to Rabbat, which is uh Morocco, the capital of Morocco. I would say this is personally my favorite part of the trip. >> Um so, we're gonna let Katie talk about this part though. But you guys Oh, my bad. My bad. Okay, good. Good. Good. Continue on. Sorry. >> Thank you. Because this is my favorite part of the trip and I would love to just talk
056and talk about it. Um so, Rabot had such a welcoming atmosphere. Um, again a mix of history and um, also modern life that really made it stand out. Um, sort of in the middle of these cities, which we'll also get into um, as we dive more into it, but we got to visit what is called the Medina, meaning the older part of the city in Arabic. Um, it was really interesting to walk through and experience. I've never experienced anything like that. Um really again just really rich in history. I would say this is my favorite part about um the trip because it was just it was very it's just it's hard to it was just amazing. Um Morocco in of itself is really tropical. It was really green. Um, I would say robot like had
057a lot of just plants like plants everywhere and flowers and um just my personal favorite uh lots of lots of nice pe saw those are Roman ruins up at the top left. Um, and the the bottom left, uh, Roman ruins are sort of like I would say everywhere, but like in Morocco, um, there was a lot of a lot of Roman ruins and we had a tour guide um, take us through that and helped us learn more about um, uh, uh, Robot in the older city of Robot. We got to learn about the the monarchy, the um, kings and queens. Um, just really really nice. So, this was my personal favorite because I feel like traveling is something that like connects people more than anything. And not just who you're traveling with, but who you
058meet when you travel. And meeting these people was just like amazing. Like connecting with the girls there and just like finding out what you have in common and everything is just so great. They kind of like rolled their eyes that like the tourist camels, but that was also super fun. >> And then they presented to us. We played games with them. Just connecting. This was very like meaningful for all of us just to like connect with the students there and like they were our age so they were kind of at the same stage of life as us and like >> yeah. So that was not to mention we're on a beautiful beach and everything. So >> it's pretty. >> And then so from our bot we go to Fez and Fez is where we went
059in the markets and we learned more about the history. And this was super fun. We just like learned about um all different processes. We ate amazing food. We saw more incredible architecture and just really connected more with the group. I'd say this was like the most fun day like within our group just walking around and shopping and like helping each other barter and everything which is something that I had like pretty much never done before and thought it was so much fun. Um but yeah, just connecting with the group was really amazing. Um, so after that we went to Chef Shan which is up in the mountains also known as a blue city because as you can remember the picture above everything there is painted blue. Um, so it was it was gorgeous. Um, and
060you know top picture that we hike up hiked up to a Spanish moss up on a hill. Um, and I think one of the coolest parts about being in Shaolin was hear the call to prayer a couple times a day and it would come from all the mosques all around the area and it would just echo through the hills. Um, and that that was like nothing I've ever experienced before. Um, and so while in Shan again we put around the medina and learned about the history of the place, tried a lot of great local foods. Um yeah, including there's a um a Moroccan soup, vegetable soup that we have with many meals as appetizer type thing. >> Yeah, the Moroccan soup is amazing. They also serve tea with everything. Just food that we had never
061tried before that we just all like no one I heard no one. So, I brought in a couple of quotes from a post trip survey here. Um, Cam shared that uh he enjoyed the chance to meet other students uh his age from other another country and learn a little bit more about their life. Um Camille was saying that this was genuinely one of her favorite trips she's ever been on. Learned and experienced so many amazing things. Opened her eyes to how beautifully Islamic culture is, how diverse a country both geographically and culturally Morocco is. Um she's still in contact. oftentimes students will continue their uh contact and relationship and communication with um the students that they meet in in Morocco. It's a very um very friendly culture like just very outgoing and friendly. Um Jonah
062really enjoyed Chelle and saying that it was beautiful but really that spending time with everybody was his favorite part of the trip. It really was the group really bonded. It was really lovely group on this trip. So it falls to me to give an overview of some of the successes and challenges. Um this year the Morocco Club was awarded the AFIS Tony Cook grant. Um we also worked to develop some new partnerships including a partnership with Cornell STEP program. So, STEP is now sponsoring um one of our student travelers and our longtime partner sponsors two other travelers. It's one of the ways that we are actively seeking to recruit students of color to attend the Miranda trip. Um, we also partnered with IPI to develop a donation portal to support our scholarship fund to help
063make the trip accessible to students who otherwise would not be able to go. We also engaged in some really important conversations around um, norming for international programs with Ithaca Colleg's office of international program. It just helped us to um figure out ways that our program already aligns with the practice of our neighbor the practices of our neighbor institutions and some ways that we can shift our practices to align better with their procedures and protocols for international travel. Some of the challenges we faced this year um we had a shortened timeline. the trip approval for our trip didn't happen until um into the fall and so we lost some fundraising time over the summer. We also had an increase in ticket prices which is just part of the increased fuel cost. So the expenses for our
064trip were a little higher this year and the fundraising was a little lower than it's been in past years. We also faced some challenges with um visa applications. We had hoped to bring our Moroccan partners to visit us for the first time and we put a lot of work into making that possible and then the visa under the admin current administration the visas were not attainable and so they were unable to come. Um we also had some issues with bringing international students from our district abroad this year for the same reasons. So those are some of the challenges that were new to our group. I wanted to share some numbers with you. Our students worked incredibly hard. They fundraised $6,62 um mostly through leaf raking and yard work. Um that fundraising was distributed amongst all
065of our students. It brought our trip cost down somewhat and the cost for students. We've worked really hard since the trip started in 2015. We have not yet raised the cost per traveler. Despite rising costs, we've kept the cost to our students at um under $2,500. And we handed out over $15,000 in scholarship money to students to help make this trip possible this year. So, we were really proud of that number. We wanted to give a thank a thank and a shout out to some of our local partners to GK and staff for sponsoring our travelers for the Cornell Arabic Language School for helping to facilitate language workshops and to IPI and some of our local sponsors including the botonist who helped to support our scholarship program. Last but not least, we want to thank
066all of you for your continued support of the Morocco Club and international travel programs. And we really appreciate you giving us your time this evening to hear our students talk about how meaningful the trip has been to them. Do >> you have any questions for our travelers? >> I have no questions, but thank you for >> Thank you so much. Thanks once again. Uh that would bring us to our agenda item 11.2 two, which is the climate action plan presentation. So, we're going to start out with students tonight and um so I think uh we're going to do the same kind of thing all the students who run by the chair here. Um students have to prepare statements and then I like to hand out these statements we got from students. I think there's enough
067for everybody pass. >> Hi everyone, my name is Goldber. I'm a junior at IHS and I'd like to say that although sometimes it feels like it will never end, high school is only a tiny fraction of our lives. We have limited time as students in this district, but that doesn't mean we cannot have a big impact. Despite the fact that most of us will graduate before we anticipate the immediate benefits of a climate action plan many we have during these past few years we have dedicated many hours club meetings and evenings to writing advocating for and revising the climate action plan because we hope to create a more sustainable district and community. This can be true for all of you board members too. I urge you to use your time on this board of ed
068to make a change that will out beyond all of our years in ICS by passing the climate action plan. >> Hello, my name is Noel Hayes and I'm a 10th grader at Ithka High School. I am passionate about climate action because I hope to create a better future for upcoming generations of students and children alike. Children have been displaced and harmed for years, but the recently negative impacts such as flooding and increase in temperatures have been on the rise. This topic is personal to me as I have three younger siblings, the youngest being only seven years old, who I love dearly and hope to work towards in a cleaner and greener future for them and all affected children. My name is Zoe Wang and I'm a 10th grader at IHS. The climate action plan is
069important because ICD has committed itself to action towards sustainability through the climate resolution. But passing the climate action plan is also important to upholding ICSD's commitments to being anti-racist and providing equal opportunities to all students. Climate change disproportionately affects people of color and those with a lower socioeconomic status. Climate change can affect these groups in various ways. Black and underprivileged communities have harder times preparing for and recovering from natural disasters. Children and black children specifically are at greater risk for climate change and pollution related health risks, including mental health. Ithaca has taken steps to counteract these disadvantages by passing justice 50, requiring 50% of IT spending on infrastructure upgrades and the green new deal to go to the most affected and at risk communities. One of these is a southside community, a historically black community
070in Ithaca, which has been designated a flood risk zone by the federal government. Ithaca is taking steps to protect our communities and ICSD needs to take similar ones to help underprivileged students living in the manip. As climate activists, we greatly appreciate ICSD support of students of color who are more affected by climate change and we hope you will continue your support for students of color by supporting the climate action plan. >> My name is Bryson Hill. I am a sophomore at IHS. The Ithaca Climate Justice Alliance is very appreciative of ICD ICSD's consideration for climate justice issues as well as the initiatives thus far and the many to come. We are especially grateful and excited for the recent passing of the capital project including a geothermal heating and cooling system for IHS and boy. We
071are also grateful for the support for student action and inclusion in groups such as the climate action plan advisory council. This resolution means a lot to me as a person of color. Communities like mine are affected at greater rates. ICSD needs to pass a climate action plan to support students like me and communities like mine. >> Thank you. Um my name is Ashra Kerji uh and I'm a junior at Ithka High School. Um for years I've been fighting for passing this district climate action plan. I remember when I first became involved in climate action in just sixth grade. I really enjoyed being outdoors and I was developing a real love of nature and at this time I was really starting to understand the scale of the climate crisis and how so many of the natural
072spaces we love are risk of being totally lost. This is why I initially joined the climate action club at boy middle school. Uh and it was there where I learned about how to fight for climate justice and slowly expanded my understanding of the climate crisis. Since then my knowledge of the climate crisis has only grown. I've participated in rallies, protests, and even attended lobbying in Albany. I've done work across IT and across the school to fight for climate justice. But as I've become so involved, my motivation has become so much more than simply to protect the planet itself. Although that's so very important that we protect our natural world from climate change, we need to recognize how it's affecting humanity on a deeper basis. Climate change is so much more than an environmental struggle. It's
073a class struggle. And simple fact is that climate change disproportionately affects disadvantaged communities both in our own city and across the world. The fact is that almost everyone here is in a privileged position in regard to climate change. Most of us have air conditioning and home insurance protect against intensifying weather. All of us have a reliable source of food no matter what type of year it is. And most of us have livelihoods that will stay very stable in the next few years. Most of the world and much of our very own city is not so fortunate. We have a duty being on the other end of this crisis to assist those in need and to use our power to protect them from the worst of this crisis. To do any less would be a violation
074of the principles this district claims to stand by. Today, the climate action plan is our best way of facing the climate crisis head on using the relatively few resources at our disposal to make a disproportionate impact. Any feared costs or potential setbacks are far outweighed by the impact this plan will have on future IT and disadvantaged students living across the district. This plan will also have reaching impacts far beyond the itself. By passing the climate action plan, ICSD will prove itself a leader in the state to pass a sweeping climate action plan and will prove to schools across the nation the climate crisis is not beyond our reach and that combating it is feasible and a necessary. It is for these reasons that I thank you for this proposal and I look forward to seeing
075our long-deserved policies finally be put to action. We're going to sustainability advocates for the districts across the district are going to now introduce um the climate action plan uh the revised plan action plan. So a year ago um we presented an initial draft and uh gonna just start off by saying well first of all my name's Armen. I'm a librarian here at high school and um we are living through a fascinating pivotal moment in human history. So, climate scientists and data scientists have inundated us with alarming and incontrovertical evidence that human activity in particular the extraction and burning of fossil fuels is the primary cause of our current climate crisis. Climate change is already having devastating effects on people around the world and these impacts are disproportionately affecting as you heard from students vulnerable populations.
076Meanwhile, we are in the midst of a seismic energy transition and electrote revolution. Prediction models for global warming are predicated on how quickly and how effectively we reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. So through the work of the students and staff in May of 2025, we presented our proposed climate action plan to the board of education for consideration. And as a result, the board of ed established a climate action plan advisory council with students, teachers, administrators, board members, and community partners, all stakeholding uh stakeholders, right? We met monthly to review and revise the climate action plan. had at least seven meetings. What we present to you today is the result of our efforts. Now, we'll provide you with an overview of the four sections of the CAP. The operations component
077of the CAP will help to meet the urgent needs to mitigate the crisis. proven viable solutions abound, including renewable energy generation, battery energy storage systems, electric vehicles, induction cooktops, other energy efficient appliances, geothermal HVAC systems, heat pumps, building energy retrofitting, the list goes on. Active transportation, improved waist stream management, that's waist stream management, etc. We're delighted that we are beginning to see meaningful action um happening here in our district in geothermal projects and acquisition of EV buses to the transition to LED lighting. So the purpose of the operations component of the cap is to make sure that we continue to explore all options for reducing our district's carbon footprint and all aspects of facilities operations, maintenance, construction, and transportation. We believe that the operations component of the CAP will keep us focused on addressing our
078greenhouse gas emissions effectively and in a timely manner. And with that, I'm going to pass it over to the healthy schools folks who are going to talk about that. >> Thank you. My name is Carol Hoffman and I'm Emily Upford and um we're of the healthy schools component. The healthy schools component is like a wide and complex net that everyone from students to staff um somehow plays a part of and interacts with sustainability goals. Um, no act is too small from fourth graders who are creating three sisters gardens at Northeast or sixth graders who are aware of like, oh, we need to turn off the lights because of conserving energy or even like principal advising staff about how to not wish cycle and to share other resources together. Healthy schools is about everybody playing a
079part and these are some of the elements. >> So I just going to tell you a little bit about some of these eight elements. So for Roots to School, we would like students and staff to have safe and sustainable ways to get to our buildings. Um and our school gardens. We have um we would have a vision of a garden at every school or at least an opportunity to have a garden at every school whether it's a sensory garden, a vegetable garden, a meditation garden. Um Robin Wall Kimmer says in her books that if you want to change the world, plant a garden. Um we want students to have access to natural areas and learn about stewardship. Um everything from sharing school resources, waste reduction, energy consumption looks like students and staff having a say
080in what that looks like in the buildings, making it transparent. Um preventing things like throwing out perfectly good resources at the end of the school year just because we're trying to get out of the buildings quickly to finding a system that we can share those with each other um throughout our district. Uh mental health is so important that connects up with all of those things including school gardens, um access to natural areas and clubs like some of the students you heard here talk tonight to give them an outlet to share and participate and make changes in the world around them. Um and then connecting up with our food and nutrition systems. We have an amazing program through Chef Ann in our district and we want to keep that growing. We would like to bring in
081food from the gardens as well as um continuing to make our system more sustainable in the cafeteria. And just to sum up, the healthy schools component improves the physical and mental well-being of students and staff through learning and increasing engagement, promoting healthy behaviors, and ultimately benefiting the earth, the students lifelong success, staff's lifelong success, and um even taxpayers. I'm Cindy Kramer and I teach uh social studies at Ho Middle School and I'm sure everyone was enjoying the sunshine today and I always feel like this is a very heavy topic but it's because that we love the sunshine and that we are centered as a district on students and the future that it's it's such an imperative um that we're talking about this. Um, so as an educational institution that's really focused on preparing students for
082the future, we really think sustainability is essential so that there is a future for grieving uh for them in the future. The education component um as part of the action plan uh that we're proposing is envisioned in response to the concerns and the urgency that we hear students express. And as you heard today, um this is being responsive to what we hear and this is being supportive of our students and our community in general. Um, the plan represents a commitment to empowering students with an understanding of the climate crisis, its impacts, and how they can take informed action to help mitigate it. When teaching last week uh about climate action as part of our civic action component and the history of climate change uh in a social studies class, it was really exciting for me
083to be able to announce to the students the recent proposition that passed that will be shifting us off of fossil fuels to geothermal energy for Boon and Ithaca High School. And as I made that announcement, of course, not everyone, but there were these smiles and glimmers in their eyes, which of course really was very heartwarming. I can't underestimate how important seeing district policy, district actions, district education, how all of those together are statements to our students about our genuine concern for their future. We are a big institution in our community and our actions whether they be in the classroom, on the policy level, capital projects or budgets together, they all come to really creating the best sustainable future we can. So climate education is a recognition of what students will need going forward. So I'll
084just comment on each of the four components. Of course, as an education institution, curricular development is key. Um, and we see this as an integration and not as an add-on. Um, this is looking at causes and evidence of the climate crisis and providing viable solutions. I had a recent assignment in which my students had an opportunity to reflect on some of the climate solutions they had been learning about and I was really taken by how many students commented on things such as I didn't know something could be done. This gives me hope for the future. The word hope is used over and over again once they see the demonstration that change is possible. Um so going forward um we propose also a developmentally appropriate um approach to this which starts with connecting with nature and
085I think that you'll see all of our components are very interconnected. Um but whether it be a young child or any of us that we all find that nature is at the core of what we're trying to protect uh and preserve for the future. We propose also that um it may be integrated in a variety of ways and will complement the content of the current curriculum. Next, we uh propose professional development will be necessary uh to engage teachers in exploring a multitude of approaches to integrating uh climate education with the sustainability lens. this year with uh support from our district and especially Mary Grover um we were able to offer some opportunities for professional development this year and uh found it to be very rewarding and worthwhile and we hope to continue to build on
086that. Um the recent decision that we're all aware of the board of regents of New York State to include interdisciplinary climate education as part of the portrait of the graduate. Um with that professional development will be needed and I really uh challenge us to think about ICS as we feel for the climate action plan be the first in New York state to have one. I think we can also become a model district on how to implement this new graduation requirement. Building on our current connections with the community, uh we already have a variety of ways uh that we're interacting with our community agencies and they are eager to increase this collaboration and have many resources that will enhance what is possible. And finally, and maybe most important, and I want to thank our students who
087shared um tonight, is that engaging climate action within both academic and extracurricular settings, students will develop their skills and play an important role in sustainability initiatives. When students take action to help mitigate the climate crisis, they gain an agency and we hope will increase their civic participation in the future. We believe that educating about how to create a more sustainable world is paramount to the purpose of education in today's global society. Thank you. >> I'm Sarah Brunberg and I'm a science teacher and the sustainability advocate at LAS. Um, and I'm going to talk a moment about the structure component. So, it's the first in your document we ties everything together. So we about to talk about it um at the end. Um so sustainable world is possible. Humans have mostly unwittingly gotten us to this
088precarious place that we find ourselves. And it's humans who will get us out of this situation by thoughtful and proactive choices. It's imperative that all institutions, including school districts, accelerate the pace of climate action to meet this moment. The structure component of the CAP is designed to keep our boat pointed toward the important work that we need to do. Like our equity lens, um, works towards important goals in our district. A sustainability lens, if shared by all of us, can help us set and achieve goals that are important for our planet, our community, our staff, and students. The structure component asks each stakeholder group to adopt a sustainability lens in a in the regular work of our district and to in consideration of the issues that arise in our district. Life is complex. The sustainability
089the sustainability lens is not the only lens but our climate action plan acknowledges that it is a critical and an important lens. The structure component brings awareness and shared responsibility of all stakeholders giving them the duty and the opportunity to work together towards sustainability goals. We can lead by example. We can listen to our students who are urging us to take um to address climate change with meaningful action. This cap gives us the path to do the good work that we want and need to do. We hope you agree with us. We hope that you will include it in your voting meeting um agenda on June 9th. We urge you to adopt this climate action plan and we're happy to deal with any questions now or in the intervening weeks. >> Board members questions. >>
090Thank you for the work you're doing. I also want to in particular around curriculum. I really appreciate I think that sometimes we as adults can put our fears on children and I'm very scared for the climate but I really appreciated you like the focus on appreciation of nature especially for little just wanted to share that. I was curious I guess I'm just curious about generally an action plan. It was my first time experiencing an actions down the board like this how would that actually function out like logistically not it's not a binding set of commitments that it's directional or >> was it just the main crush of the conversation um should I you please >> we can do this all day um when the sustainability advocates and our students came to last year with a
091climate action plan. Um it was ambitious without question um and very well done. And what I my concern at that time was um what does that actually mean if we adopt it as it was written then because I did feel like it did lock the district into certain financial responsibilities or commitments, right? Saying we do this. I think the work that has been done um and I take absolutely no credit. I um was not there for the second semester. Uh my teaching schedule changed. Um but folks were um worked diligently to keep the the heart and the core of the climate action plan and modify the language slightly which says while doing this next step we will keep this under consideration at all times. So it does not lock the district in, but it does
092require us to keep it at the forefront of any particular budgetary vote or facilities vote, curriculum vote, health vote. So the idea would be it' be sort of an underground framework for the decisions that we make um in the area. So that's as I'm seeing it, but I'd ask folks to please add to that. >> I want to say I think each of those components have a lot of intentions and goals. We didn't go over all the goals tonight. They're in the document. Um, and we hope you'll review those before uh June 9th. But the structure section does specify some things such as forming uh a council that will be renewed each year. Um, department leaders, central administration, building leaders, embracing sustainability lens. And what that looks like is for all of us to consider
093and evolve. um but the idea and that there would be an annual report reflection and next steps on an annual basis. So, it's a framework more than a detailed list of commitments other than the broad goals that are stated. And and I just wanted to add that um the advisory council I think it was a brilliant idea um because what it allowed us to do is to like slow down as you pointed out um and carefully analyze all of our um statements, our goal uh our goal uh goals for each individual element and then adjust them for the reality of how school districts work, which is something that we are not really as privy to as the board is. And it was so great that we had three board members who participated on a regular
094basis in the advisory council and helped us to reframe the language um as well as an exopicio board member who was going to be a board member once again. And so this really meant a lot to to me and I think to all of us to have this really inclusive um uh organizational structure. Um and student voices were imperative as well. like Armen is saying, I think we, you know, that was something that we kept in mind as we were working on the language, especially for members that were participating. Um, you know, just to just to remember to sort of look through the lens, you know, of this when we're doing different things with the district. Um, so I really appreciate all the hard work. I mean, I I participated too, but not not appreciating
095my work, but appreciating your work. Um, no, it's really great. a lot of people put a lot of time and energy into it and work very hard especially in choosing the language which was a large part of the discussions and um yeah I'm really looking forward to to voting yes on this next week >> and the design was to both share it with the board and with the community and then to bring it on to the January no wrong date not there yet June 9th uh meeting uh for us to to vote on but to also give board members time to read it to continue to ask questions to reach out uh to any of the sustainable advocates and our students. Um but the goal was right how can we uh how can we do
096this work that we know needs to be done that's that's where it came from for me we know it needs to be done now what now how do we make it happen and I think even in the creation of the advisory council a number of good things have already come from it right uh Armen I think I'll ask you to share with board members um and I don't know I believe you're the controller of it but there's a phenomenal library of resources that have been created right of benchmarking schools and of collecting data on the kinds of power equipment that we have and what are some of the other curricular options that we've been doing and partnerships with the city. And so there's a whole flatbed word cache of information that is a lot to
097get through but it also demonstrates the amount of work that folks put into it that's available >> that that that's accurate and then also an inventory of trans equipment of transportation vehicles etc. And also there's spin-off things that happened as a result of this. For example, um Erin Shear, our new facilities director, attended all our meetings since he was brought on to this position. And as a result of that, just one concrete example was um there's a courtyard at a high school, the Anderson's courtyard, also known as Gyard, um that was overgrown and no one could access it. and uh he took he played a leading role in partnering with students to clear it out. Students volunteered lots and lots of hours and now that space gets used every single day during lunchtime. There's students
098lining up waiting for the doors to be unlocked so that they can be in this beautiful meditative space with you know a bird's nest in the tree and things like you know these kinds of things are actually happening as a result of this larger organization happening. want to just also acknowledge that this is not the beginning for our district. This is a continuation. There's so much stuff that's happened over the years of each of the elements that we've mentioned. Um and that the nature piece like we all need to be nurtured by that and we also want to bring joy and action and leadership of students into whatever we do because that will be make us resilient. So, thank you. We'll make sure it's on the June 9th meeting and we'll ask board members to
099send any questions directly or we'll, you know, collect a list of questions as well. >> Thank you very much. with the modifications to the agenda. This for the most part concludes the voting meeting of today. Uh but I will uh entertain motions to enter and the board that the board enter discuss matters relating to the identification of a particular student. matters relating to the employment history of particular person and matters to the employment person >> and I would and I yeah I would add evaluation >> moved by Adam second by Jacob questions conversations all in favor thank you very much uh we are done for the evening thank you very much And I'm already