001Okay, I'll move I move I move something. I move to enter into executive session for the purpose of discussing the following uh employment history of particular individuals ongoing negotiations, possible litigation and superintendent evaluation. Second move by Adam, second by Joe. Discussion, debate, conversation. All in favor? Motion passes. We will be back as close to seven as we can. Executive session, thank you greatly for your patience. Uh we'll continue on with our agenda. Um are there any modifications to the agenda? Yes, I would like to make a modification to the agenda. Um I would like to remove the personnel report from the consent agenda. Fantastic. Uh the personnel report will be moved from the agenda. It will be moved to item agenda item 11.10. Uh that action does not require a board vote. Uh any other
002modifications to the agenda hearing? None. We'll continue to agenda item 4.1 which is public comment. And my colleague Dr. Trip has the list. The first person on our list is Loretta Wright, who is to appear before us virtually. Well, we'll continue and if Loretta joins, we'll join back. Dr. Trip, the next name. You want to go ahead, Zoe Wang? Zoe, my apologies. If you're willing, there's a microphone here that will allow people at home or in the recording to hear what you have to say if that's okay. Thank Yes, please. Thank you very much. Hello, my name is Zoe Wang and I am a ninth grader at IHS and a co-president of the climate justice alliance. As a studentled group, we have been working hard to develop the ICSD climate action plan and incorporate student
003voices into it. As a member of CJA, I ask you to pass the climate action plan to support the many students who have worked hard to have their VO voices heard. I also ask you to pass the climate action plan as a community member. I was born in Ithaca and have lived here my whole life. I live in a house on Center Street where my home and many others in Ithaca and my neighborhood have recently been designated an annual flood risk hazard zone by FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Many mornings I woke up to a flooded basement or backyard. And in the winter, flooded sidewalks and streets freeze over and create a dangerous environment for pedestrians and drivers. We are very fortunate to not have experienced severe damage. But if climate change continues to
004progress, that may not that may not always be the case. Even if chances are low, just the fear of having a chance at at all can can and does negatively impact our community members, especially black communities and communities of color. Climate change disproportionately affects people of color, and Ithaca is no exception. It is no coincidence that a community of predominantly black people and people of color is the area most at risk of a flood. The Southside neighborhood has been a community for black people and people of color, but is now at risk of natural disaster. If ICSD wishes to be an anti-racist school district, we must pass the climate action plan to challenge the disproportionate effects of climate change on black communities, uphold our values, and support our students and families of color. Thank you.
005Next up, Ace Defresn. Hello, my name is Ace Duane and I'm a junior at IHS and this past year I served as president of IHS Climate Justice Alliance. I'm here today to express my support for the climate action plan brought to you by the ICSD sustainability advocates. I understand that you will be discussing the proposal today, but not likely voting on it. I urge you to put a vote for it on an upcoming agenda as soon as possible. This climate action plan is the result of years of student and staff advocacy, research, and work. It has public support from a number of students and community members. We saw this with the petition we raised with our presentations to social justice week and with our climate chet. Last year you passed a climate resolution. A climate
006action plan is the logical next step. It provides a framework for the policy that will actually get us to where we want to be. The city of Ithaca and the state of New York have ambitious climate goals. ICSD will have to comply with on Earth's timeline. Action is long overdue. The earlier we start our green transition, the smoother it will go and the more we can do it on our own terms. More most importantly, through the climate action plan, we can be a model for other districts and our own school community of what it means to follow through on values of equity and sustainability with tangible action. Last year, we had Satcham Sam George come speak at the raising of the Howenos flag. What does this symbolic action mean if we don't follow up on
007it by doing justice by the lands and waters that had no have stewarded for years? Thank you for your time. Please put a climate action plan vote on the agenda as soon as possible. Thank you. aided goldber. Hi, my name is Ayda Goldweber and for a few more days I'm a sophomore here at Etha High School. Well, I'm staying at ETHA school, but obviously um I'm a member of the climate justice alliance and one component of the climate action plan that we are advocating for is climate education in schools across the district. I believe that this is one of the most important parts of the CAP because I believe in the power education has to change minds and change the world. When people learn about the root causes of excess greenhouse gases, melting ice caps,
008and loss of biodiversity, they can better understand the solutions that are being proposed to fix these problems. And in their eyes, the climate crisis will become a problem that is solvable. On top of this, we should be educating students not only about the big parts of climate change, but also about how their small actions can have big impacts. Like instead of buying five new tank tops, you buy one. Or instead of using sunscreen that contains chemicals that bleaches coral reefs, use sunscreen that doesn't. Um, or even like don't, this part's kind of funny, don't put your pet fish in a local stream. it might destroy the ecosystem. Um, by showing people the greater effects of their everyday actions, we can give them the power to make informed decisions as they move through their lives. With
009a proper climate curriculum, students will learn that there's a future in sustainable action beyond protesting on the weekends. For example, the ever broadening field of of clean energy because students deserve to know when there are new and developing opportunities for them to explore. I've spoken to you all about climate action before. The first time was last year when we proposed the ICSD climate resolution which you all agreed to. That resolution was just a promise and it is now your responsibility to stick with it to create a sustainable district and a better world. Thank you, Barbara Bergman. Hi. Okay. Um, just a quick what I really wanted to do tonight and I didn't write anything down is give a shout out to the incredible student reps to the board that we have. We don't know who's
010going to be here in two weeks when it's that last regent's weekend graduation. Um, Georgina is graduating. Unfortunately, she's not here tonight. Jingy was reelected and she will be here again next year. And I have to give an extra shout out to Cademan and Claire. I've worked with Cademan for two years and Claire for three years. I think all of you have probably figured out by now that they are exceptional young people. Calling them well-rounded is just understatement of the year with all the things they're involved in. Their passion, the research they do to bring to every project that they're interested in and involved in, you just could not ask for better leaders anywhere. So I love you. I will miss you. You better visit. Anybody else? Show. Have we gotten the the virtual person?
011No. No. Okay, then we're done. Board responses. I'll go first tonight. Um, yeah, definitely want to echo the um the thanks for board reps. I ran into a a past board rep uh a couple days ago at Wegman's doing very well and we we reminisced fondly about the days of her being a board rep. Um, also just wanted to to thank um Zoe and Ace and Ada for coming um and talking tonight. I I think it's so great when when students come and articulate some of these things. Um definitely aware as a psychologist and also a board member that a lot of students have a lot of anxiety um about climate change. So it's really good that people are coming talking about that raising awareness um definitely we have a climate action plan that we'll
012we'll be talking about um eventually voting on. I mean, as one board member, I'm I'm strongly in support of that, but that's we that's for another time. Um, and I appreciate everybody coming and and raising awareness for this really important issue. Thank you. Additional board member responses. Fantastic. Yes, we will be discussing the climate action plan as an agenda item. Um, and I'll just double down also on what Miss B said. And Brandon, if I'm not mistaken, you're going to be leaving us as well. So, thank you for your service. And Emily, if I'm not mistaken, you're going to be returning. So, want to acknowledge our reps from LACS as well. Thank you for your thoughtful feedback and, uh, pushing the board in various ways. Greatly appreciate it. And with that, board reps, let's go
013right into it. All right. Um, so a few things. Uh, eighth grade promotion. Um, that's coming up in just a few weeks now. Uh, Tuesday, June 24th at 6 p.m. and a showcase of 8th grade projects will begin at 5:00. Um the following day will be the high school graduation uh for Wednesday, June 25th at 7 PM with senior project display starting at 6. Um last week facing we had our facing bias presentations to seniors. They went wonderfully. Uh John Raymond and Simnia um were our main coordinators. Uh they did a beautiful job. It all went really smoothly. seniors gave their feedback which was a larger venue um and they're taking that into consideration for next year. Uh and finally classes are wrapping up this week. Uh many classes are focusing on pre-bats, pbats and
014postbats. So our pbats are performance space assessment tasks. They are in lie of regent exams. Uh pre-bats are the preparation version for 10th graders and postbats are for the seniors to fill their time. Um um and students are wrapping up their final projects and we're all looking forward to uh Steuart Park Day next week. Yeah, Steuart Park Day. Um that's something we do every year. This year it is on next Monday. Um the whole school goes to Steuart Park and there are potlucks that the family groups do and it's a a lot of fun. Uh so everybody's looking forward to that. And then regent week, we do not take the regents at our school with the exemption of the um the English regent which most of the um 11th graders took back in the winter.
015Um, so we really we have a pretty empty regent suite week and it's kind of nice, but uh for 11th graders they do have to do their pebbat presentations there. So Brendan already briefly went over pebbat presentations. Um, two have already happened but the during regent week we will do math and social studies pebbats. Um, math pebbats and social studies pebbats. Same with the others. You write an essay and then you go and present it to a group of raiders. Um, so that's really it's exciting and it's um nerve-wracking and yeah, so that's that's what is going to happen during regions week for us and then it is school's out and we're done and celebration. Um, thank you. So, hi everyone. Um this summer I'm launching a new engagement pilot to improve student and family
016relations along with um school engagement. So we're starting the summer with separate student and parent roundts to like find out their needs in terms of school engagement and family communication. And then this work would also lay the foundation for a program that I'm calling here to help which is a studentled mentorship program piloting also this summer at summer schools where high schoolers will visit the middle schools and mentor young peers through interest ba interestbased projects in STEM public speaking arts whatever spikes their interest and those experiences will help create a student state of the district report which I'll be presenting to you guys when the programs are on their way and I'll bring back to this board and it will include stuff like real stories and ideas that the students want and the families want
017for a change in the district and the goal basically is to build connection both ways. So middle schoolers get someone to look up to and the high schoolers get someone to um lead through their processes and help them build their path towards high school and help them find a passion that they really want to chase. be that school related or even non-school related. So if any of the board is interested, I'll be really glad to talk with you guys and work with the rest of the board that we talked before and we'll all work on this together. Thank you. So we last Friday we held elections for class officers and new board reps. So Jingyang will be returning next year and then that's Judah over there. that is um one of our new reps as
018well as Lily Cowder and Chin Yang um who aren't here, but I'm excited for the board to meet them and I know they'll do amazing next year. Students received a very brief message regarding the new phone policy yesterday. Um and we hope that there will be some more detailed communication about the district's plan. And I was reading through the website and I just had a few questions. I know there might not be answers to them now, but just wanted to bring them forward. So the first is that we already have a shortage of Chromebooks to loan out when students forget their devices or it's in repair. So with the entire body having to use Chromebooks and school issued devices now, how does the district how will the district address the larger need of the Chromebook
019supply? Will more Chromebooks be purchased? um because it it's really bad if a student forgets their device and they can't participate in the instruction that's happening in classrooms. Um also there was an initiative a few years ago where students return their Chromebooks when um they did have a access to a personal laptop um and if they didn't need the Chromebooks they returned to the library. So, if there's some initiative to return all those Chromebooks and make sure that everyone has a Chromebook and a charger before the start of the school year, that would be great. And then lastly, how will the district support teachers and kind of give them guidance about how to enforce the ban? Um, and if there's like a consequence or some incentive for students to follow the rules of the ban,
020um, that would be really helpful. Hi everybody. Happy last voting meeting before graduation. So I have a couple shorter things here and then a couple longer things. So students have kicked off regents and finals week today with their first test in world languages or biology. Upperassman awards ceremony was last Thursday and the underclassman awards ceremony will be this Thursday. The jazz concert for the end of year. We've already had the uh whole band concert and the orchestra concert. And as Claire said, the choir concert's coming up, but the jazz band concert will be on the 17th at 7:00 p.m. and tickets are for sale uh for $25 a family or $10 per person. Senior prom was last Saturday. It was lots of fun and luckily there was no rain, which is always a plus. The
021IHS choir concert, it's tomorrow at 7:30, like I just said, and this will be the third of the music department concerts uh after our successful band and orchestra ones. And then I have two longer things here which I'll try to keep brief. So the first is you know we've already heard people speak in support of the climate action plan. I will say that I also was a member of the team albeit a small member that helped to draft uh this plan which is really the culmination of the efforts of many people not just in one individual not just one administrator or teacher or student voice. It really is the representation of as many people who were interested to participate as possible. There are a couple reasons, some of which have been touched on that I
022will try not to elaborate too far on for why this is of paramount importance. The first being that if we are truly a district committed to a culture of love and equity, as we say, then this must extend to our actions with regards to the environment as well. Um, this isn't or at least it shouldn't be a political issue. It isn't or at least shouldn't be a controversial question and it isn't or at least shouldn't be a divisive proposal. I understand that the board has to take time to vote on things. I'm not trying to hurry anything, but I am trying to say that there there are some things there are some principles on which we stand as a district. The principles on which we stand um are surround education obviously because education is the
023objective of a school district. Indeed, it's the objective of the public school system in its entirety. If we want to educate, we have to educate about the key issues which will be present whether we like it or not in the coming generation. These will include climate change and it will also include one of the areas of the greatest job growth in the next couple decades. If we want to see economic progress from our poorer communities, we should provide avenues and incentives towards people learning about the most uh lucrative opportunities that we have in our futures. uh beyond merely the education, allowing students through our the healthy uh healthy schools component and all that it does with regards to nutrition and the sourcing of our food and the gardens that we might like to see sometime
024in the future. Thinking about these questions are really important because they provide the foundational basis for students actively engaging in a real tactile way um with the world around them in the environment that they reap so much benefit from. It's one thing to buy a product. It's another thing for that product to be something that you understand how it was produced. You understand the man-hour that it took to create that, to shape that, to build that from uh the bosom of the earth that it provides to us. It's it's not a tree hugger question, right? It's a question of understanding where we come from and how we exist in the world that we do. And so I want to speak strongly in support of the passage of the climate action plan as soon as is
025possible and the expediency with which we implement it. The second thing is teacher pay and benefits. I'm sure a lot of people saw the protests that were happening outside earlier today before the meeting and I know that negotiations are ongoing. I will say as a student rep and perhaps for the last time that if as I said before the goal of a school district is education then education cannot be fulfilled without the people who educate. And I I know it's a simple concept and I know that everyone understands, but I feel the need to say it again because at the end of the day, we can talk about budgets all we want. We can talk about dollar signs and the problems that we have with making things add up. But if the goal of a
026school district is fundamentally to provide the best education possible for all of its students, then the number one priority, not number 2, 3, four, five, after anything else, the number one priority needs to be teacher retention. and uh the acceptance of teachers who are by all measures extraordinary and not pushing them out into other districts. So I I don't have the budget uh numbers. I can't make it work. But I'm giving this to the board to as a student plea to show the true need for for these teachers. Every student I have talked to has exhibited the same understanding that I just gave right now. This is not my opinion, just my opinion. This is the opinion of hundreds of students, if not thousands of students that stand in this district every day for 6
027to seven hours, if not more. I'll pass this back to Claire. All right. So, as it's been brought up, it's my last board meeting since we're graduating in two weeks. And so, I just wanted to say that I learned a lot from the past three years serving as a student rep. That's like as long as a term that you guys serve. Um, so I just want uh I've learned that coming up with good solutions and making decisions is incredibly long and a difficult process. Um, and while I myself wasn't able to move forward with everything I hoped, I am thankful for the chance to better understand different aspects of the district. Um, and even after I graduate, I'll probably continue to hear about our schools and the district. So I really hope we mo move
028towards a better um a stronger and more supportive place especially by listening and standing behind our teachers who really deserve it. And lastly, there are a couple of projects that um all of us have been working on throughout the year. And as much as I wish we ended, you know, at a clean end, um some a lot of these are still in progress. And so this since this is our last chance to talk to the board, we're just going to give some updates on the projects we've been working on. So first, Kaden and I tried to look into the student opinion of standardbased grading. And we started this project last winter. uh it was something super important to us. We were so excited about the project and we were really hoping to present data to
029the board uh around springtime or at least by the end of the school year. So we created like an infographic poster, a slideshow, a survey to send out to the students and unfortunately nothing was approved to be sent out to the student body. So there wasn't really any progress at that. question. I've had a lot of conversations around standardsbased grading and I was also really looking forward to getting student opinion which ideally we will have in the future but at this point in time does not seem to be something that we have to be able to bring to you. Um as Clare said it just hasn't materialized despite many teachers pledging their support for our project to us. In addition, we in collaboration with the media studies class at IHS and a wonderful teacher Jonathan
030Shine helped to create or produce a recycling video for the school that I've talked about at length outlining the new recycling program. The video was created. It passed all inspection and it was told to us that it would be sent out in class and it has not been. there has, you know, not been any playing of it in third period as was our perception of what was going to happen. So, you know, oh well, I guess hopefully it'll happen next year. Uh we wanted to let the board know about it so that if you hear student reps mentioning it next year as a project that you can, you know, throw some weight behind it or support. And uh just in general, I also am extremely thankful for the opportunity I've had to be a student
031representative. I appreciate all of you, the hardworking people who come here and have to listen to what are often me complaining. Um and you don't get paid for it. So that you know that that's a testament to a lot of goodwill and I appreciate that and I appreciate everybody's interest in building a better school district and I too will be very interested and hopeful given that I have siblings in the school district and given that I still harbor feelings for it that it will continue to improve or uh reverse any negative slides it has been on over the next couple years. So thank you and thank you to the student body who voted me in. And one last time, you know, I really appreciated this opportunity and I hope it continues going uh as well
032for other students. Thank you, board reps, board responses. Uh thank you to all of you and for your service as board reps as well. Um, it's I love being able to hear from students and so appreciate you being here and appreciate you both elevating challenges that you're seeing, but also bringing some really like exciting news and things that that you're enjoying at the schools. Sometimes that kind of news and feedback is much harder to come by than the things that um that folks are struggling with. And it's really uh invigorating and exciting to be able to hear about all of those things. And so I always appreciate you sharing them. And on that same vein, the student engagement pilot sounds like such a an amazing project and I'm so excited uh to hear more about
033about what you're doing and what you're learning and hope that you you know bring feedback to us as as frequently as as you feel is is helpful. Um so thank you for doing that and I'm I love the idea of of mentorship. um uh it's such a critical way that that students and and kids in general can kind of learn from one another and grow. So um bravo for that. That's very exciting. Um uh as you said, we have less fewer answers about the cell phone policy than you know I would hope that we would have. Um but we we have the guidance from the state and we also know that we can build out from that guidance to include um other pieces and specifications things like consequences or how we might be supporting um
034the implementation for both students and staff and and others. So um we're definitely thinking about those things and have a number of meetings set up to um be working on it throughout uh the summer. our um exec team has done a fantastic job of collecting loads of feedback and information from um from different members of the community. So have appreciated that and we'll be taking all of that information um into account when we're working on at least a first draft and really thinking through it. Um so uh more to come I guess. Um and certainly like the specific suggestions and ideas about the Chromebooks like those are the kinds of things that are really helpful for us to hear and always welcome um that kind of feedback and things that we should be thinking about
035as we're developing the policy. So thank you all. Additional board responses. Well, congratulations to the graduates. Thank you very much, Brandon, for your commitment and dedication here as well as in your school. You are always representing. And to Stella, who's not here, but she too is graduating this year. So, congratulations. And to Claire and Cadman, thank you for your continued support. Even Cademan, I know you will be back and you will always um be here supporting your school district. And for and for the returning students, we look forward to you next year. And especially now that we were within TST Boseies, Tkin Synica and Tioga County, we were the school district that already had student reps. our board leazison um students to the board of education and we're looking to formalize that since the governor
036of New York State has requested or mandated that um all school districts should have student board reps. So, thank you very much for your eagerness to serve in this capacity and and also connecting your colleagues, your peers to this and encouraging other students to continue on and congratulations to the graduates for whatever the next phase may hold. Uh just a couple brief comments. Again, you know, thanks to everybody who is here this year. Glad that some of you will be on uh next year, get to continue conversations with you. Um, I think Kaden, your um, the video that you made, um, I definitely would like to maybe follow up on that, but at the very least, I think that was something that you were going to send to the board, and I don't think we've
037gotten that yet from you. So, I'd like to see that video. Um, the standardsbased grading question that you're raising. I mean, I spent a lot of this year talking about standardsbased grading. It's something that I do want to continue to talk about next year. I'd be very interested if somebody's going to continue that project to hear a little bit more um, student feedback about that. We we talked about a lot of different areas this year and we heard from different groups of people and had lots of discussions about it. One of the areas that I feel like we didn't hear from were students. So I I'd definitely be interested. So if anybody is going to continue that project, I just like to hear more about that and I appreciate you uh taking it on as
038an initiative and a question. Um and thank you guys. Fantastic. I'll uh echo my colleague sentiments. Um and again just a reminder both in response to one of Clare's questions but much more information for our wider community that uh New York State has instituted a belltobell what I'm calling a restriction but other people are calling a ban uh but a belltobell cell phone or internet enabled device ban. Um some initial communication has gone out to the community just to prepare folks that this is happening. uh we've sort of known and not known and three of our four secondary schools already have processes in place, but those will have to be changed as well. Um and we are looking forward to those ongoing conversations. Um the one thing that I was pleased to see in the
039governor's mandates and legislation is that no student can be suspended simply for violating the cell phone ban. So whatever consequence may happen, it will not be sending that child home for missing instruction. We'll have to figure out some other things. A lot of the questions that students have or a lot of the questions that we have and our exec team, uh, Mary Grover and Carrie Burke will continue to work with teachers and, uh, teaching assistants and bus drivers to try to figure out what does this actually look like? And we're taking a slow approach on purpose. We are required by the state to approve something by August 1st. I've asked what is the consequence if it's not approved by August 1st. Um and we're given the okay that as long as we have something in
040time for the start of the school year, but we know for our educators that planning will be key as well. So um Emily and I have agreed to meet over the summer with folks at this very high rate of pay that Cademan um referred to. Uh so we'll be doing much more and we're researching other districts and what other folks have done and we're looking forward to what that means moving forward. So just so folks know that. Um and then one last just round of thank you. Um I'm glad that Ithaca City School District has had board reps I want to say for close to 15 years. And so we are well ahead of this new state mandate that comes up. And I'll be asking next year's board reps to help us draft an official
041policy that we're required to draft as well, which may shift what things look like, but actually may give a little bit more uh to our board reps as we engage in this process. So I've been in conversation with Miss B. I'm in conversation with some folks up at LACS, and we'll be looking forward to what that looks like as well. So thank you. Good folks. Uh we'll continue on with our agenda. That brings us to the consent agenda with the modification and we'll entertain motions. Uh okay. I move to approve uh No. Is that what I do? Yeah. I move to approve all consent agenda items listed in consent agenda. Consideration of accounts, students, and minutes of previous meetings uh as presented. Second. Moved by Adam. Second by Emily. Uh questions, conversation, debate, discussion. Hearing
042none, we'll call the question. All in favor? Do you have that, Trisha? Fantastic. I believe the motion passes. I need a better vantage point. Uh that brings us on to our next agenda item. Uh Dr. Brown, superintendent report. Well, thank you for the opportunity, professor, and I'll be brief as we have much to get to. And first, thank you to our student reps. Um, you've been inspiring and not only being at these meetings, which can tend to be long. I've seen you at uh other board meetings, committee meetings, and even on interview committee. So, thank you for your service and it's been needed and uh we've benefited from it. I appreciate you. And one thing I don't think was mentioned already, uh, just to highlight, if you didn't know already, our girls lacrosse team is
043competing, um, in a historic match this Friday at 11:30 a.m. at Sunni Courtland. They're in the state semi-finals. Now, we've had all-American lacrosse players here. We've had some of the best teams, nationally ranked team, but we've never made it this far. And so, I plan to be at that game and all the the activities leading up to it. And please, if you wish more information, I'll share it. And would love for you to join us, too. I'll get you a ticket. But thank you for the opportunity. Thank you, Dr. Brown. Take a chance to the finals. Yeah, we're looking forward. We're going to move on with our agenda. The first agenda item is agenda item 11.1, international travel. Uh this was a topic of conversation um for a number of reasons. Uh and the idea
044was to have the board engage in a little bit of a conversation given some of the changes that have taken place and the potential liabilities andor concerns of students traveling uh outside of the United States and or areas. Um and so there's no resolution, there's nothing to vote on. It's just an opening conversation. Um, our legal council has some concerns about uh ICSD sanctioning international travel to particular locations um and wanted at least the board to be able to ask questions or put questions forward and have some conversation and dialogue about it. And I should say that these concerns were raised with me as board president prior to the most recent announcement by the administration of the 12 country ban. And so that these dialogues were taking place before that happened. And so that just
045further um sped up the conversation that we should dialogue about whether or not um international travel and trips is the thing to be engaged in at this moment, understanding all that that would come along with that, including extreme student disappointment and staff disappointment if that's the route that the district decided to go. So I'll stop talking for a minute. questions, comments, reactions. Yeah, Joe. So, is the question whether international travel would occur or whether the board would be sanctioning particular trips? Our policy currently is the board has to approve any international travel. And so, should we continue to do so? We have a trip that we have not put on the agenda. Even though they came to present, we have not approved one of those trips. We've already approved another trip. And so the conversation
046is is that do we want those let those take place and vote on the other one or do we want to have a conversation about um timing of international travel? I mean, um, given how given the roller coaster that we're on with our federal government, to put it politely, I I wonder how much we can table based on, you know, what I I would like to not really jump to vote on anything because the times change so rapidly. I I don't I feel like it's premature to make a decision now. I would like to know the deadline for when decisions need to be made. That's really the crux of it, isn't it? Yeah. And we're not voting on anything. So there is no decision or vote this evening. It's to make sure that we've started
047having this conversation. So if we are in a time crunch, at least it's been raised. And part of the concern is coming from some other school experiences and school travel across the state where folks have had extreme difficulty returning back into the United States as US citizens, as permanent residents, and as green card holders. We have some stories of students being uh held up at other borders. That's just the reality. No, absolutely. And it's it feels like it's getting worse rather than better. Um I I wonder if this is something that and I don't know who we would ask but you know have a timeline of what trips a timeline of when we'd have to have decision-m but also you know what sort of document we as a district could draft to provide for students
048and their caregivers to warn them of the risks that they would be taking. Um so so we don't have to you I would hate I would hate to take the opportunity. It's so enriching to be able to travel, right? I don't want to take that away based on fear. Yep. Any other thoughts, reactions? Um, we do have a trip coming up in July, do we? Is there a Which one? Yeah. So, that's not one of the bands. So the other um the other future trip is going to one of the banned countries. So okay, Morocco was one of the other trips and is that Vietnam? Vietnam. Vietnam. But it's not just where we're going, it's also the profiling at the border when returning to the country that we have to be concerned about. So, if
049we have a trip coming up, is that something that we should be thinking about drafting something with our legal counsel to inform families? I mean, I guess that's the discussion, right? I asked that it would not those documents usually do not hold up in court. And so, it wouldn't re it wouldn't relieve the district of any liability in that regard. Um, but it could serve as notice to caregivers and supporters um that they acknowledge that this that there's risk um and there's always risk involved. So that's not the question. So and again we're not trying to force uh any decision. We're just trying to raise the the reality of what's taking place, right? And we don't what are best practices for unprecedented things and we don't have them well raised. Yes. Yeah. So, and we
050can find that out. You can also ask our legal counsel to come speak with us at a board meeting or at a different session to um so they can outline what their concerns are. They have very strong feelings about us allowing international travel at this point in time. Um but I say pretty regularly, I mean that's the the job of our legal council is to have strong feelings that say no a lot. Risk management, right? And the best way to manage risk is to have no risk. Are there any other questions that board members feel like we should be asking or should I just go ahead and try to set up a a meeting with our legal counsel? A meeting. Keep the agenda moving then. Thank you all very much. Uh that brings us to
051agenda item 11.2, the climate action plan. uh it should not say well this is on the agenda for a discussion and not a vote and so I know there was a presentation um I know that folks uh seen the proposal uh we've had students come speak very eloquently about this but felt like we also should give ourselves some time to engage in the contents of the the cat Dr. True. I've gone through this carefully and I'm very much in support of it going further. Having said that, it's a tiny bit premature for me to discuss tonight because we were planning on talking about it at both facilities and the OACM meeting on Thursday. And I'm very eager to hear staff feedback, uh, the facility staff in particular, their feedback on how some of these items
052would would reflect upon their practices. I've made a series of notes and suggested changes in here and I don't know um how we share those Armen Cindy or um what the process for that should be but um at some point I'm sure people will have things they want to share with you. Um and I certainly would want to see some of these included before I was ready to vote. So, so is there maybe there recommended process just to email any questions, edits, um or it's on it's a Google doc as well, correct? Stanley advocates district now that it was on that to everyone so that all of our advocates can be informed and go back and forth. So, following Maybe you could suggest a process and as you will be keeping recommend we can start
053to note a component section recommendations. We'll have to come back to how whether and if they will be integrated and what that means. So just have maybe another time actually more of a dialogue about that and we may actually have to schedule a special meeting because I also have included a number of notes. Let me back up. I am 100% in support. With that being said, the current plan as written also comes with financial considerations that I would need more clarity on before I be able to vote yes by locking in future boards and future possible facilities projects. Maybe this is part of what Jill's referring to as well into a particular financial way of engaging some things. Some of the things I was also thinking that we could be broken down and we can
054start without doesn't need board approval, right? That could beginning and and have begun. So, they're continuations of the good work that folks have already been doing. Um, but I also, you know, I wrote down I think a list of I don't know what I got to like 56 different action items that were included in here. Some with potentially sizable financial um responsibilities and other a little a little easier as well. Um, and I will say one recommendation for me, just because I'm speaking and I have this platform, um, I would very much want to see a stronger connection to the local gaonal community or framing early in the beginning. It wasn't until page 12 where I read any reference to indigenous lands or indigenous folks. and we're having this conversation about sustainability and I know
055someone raised it as well. Um then for me it should it has to be framed. I would like for it to be framed and the ways in which uh the uh the local indigenous community has had a much different approach to protecting land. Right? The story I tell my students is the the law of seven as I understand it of making decisions seven generations ahead and seven generations behind. And that gives us a much different access point about how we decide how things are done. But um it was a glorious reading. Uh I I can say that. So thank you for all the work that people put into it. Yeah, I have I have a sort of like a similar question, but just kind of in the area of curricular development because that seems like
056just just even that one little part seems like that's going to require a lot of thought and discussion. um you know like which classes will teach this topic you know what is that going to look like at elementary school middle school high school you know is it going to get integrated across you know all classes if possible is it going to be a subject area where will we get the information from so you know also I think there's just a lot of questions to explore definitely like I said I'm already I'm supportive of it as well and definitely behind um you know the philosophical uh initiative to definitely do this and also So wondering how that's going to look in terms of developing the curriculum. So wondering also if there's any like if there's any
057framework for some suggestions for that and how that could be shared. Uh I think we should just hold on to them and we'll Okay. Yeah. You could email me or we could have another another conversation. Yeah. Additional comments, reactions, thoughts. So then a plan forward for the time being seems like to send questions uh comments right to the sustainability advocate group um and then we can work with uh Trisha and probably set up a a separate meeting um uh noting that we have um OACM which is around our capital projects and a facilities meeting that's taking place on Thursday where some of these questions can be answered as well and that would allow for a little bit more of a dialogue uh than than a board meeting. Um we wanted to make sure we had
058it on the agenda that we keep it moving. It will come back to the agenda, but this gives us an opportunity to to at least keep it um at the forefront of our agenda. Looking forward, I'd like to request that as board members, we copy the whole board in and send in emails to the sustainable sustainability advocates. Thank great idea. Thank you. Fantastic. All right. Thank you all very much. Um, we'll continue on with our agenda then. Agenda item 11.3, a resolution to set the date for the annual reorganization meeting. And we'll entertain motions. Okay. I move to set the annual board reorganizational meeting day for Tuesday, July 8th, 2025 at 9:00 to be held at Ithaca High School, York Hall, 400 Lake Street, Ithaca, New York, 14850, and direct the district clerk to provide
059notification of sesh. I second. Moved by Adam, second by Karen. Uh questions, concerns, debates, hearing none, we'll call the question. All in favor? The motion passes unanimously. Thank you very much. Um the next couple of agenda items are policy related. Uh the first five policies are uh intended for deletion. Uh they've already come before the board. We had some debate and dialogue. They went back to policy committee on June 3rd and they are back here for a second reading and deletion for this evening. Uh the first policy is policy 4112 the school day for a second reading and deletion and we'll entertain motions. Uh um motion to move do I sorry do I do them all at the same time that's or no we have to you could go through each one quickly motion to
060move policy 4112 the school day for second reading and deletion second moved by Emily second by Adam questions conversation debate hearing none all in favor the motion passed passes. Uh, any abstension or any no vote? Any abstensions? Yes. Abstension. My apologies. I'll do that in better order next time. Thank you very much, Maline. Um, policy 4114. Uh, motion to move policy 4114, dismissal of school for second reading and deletion. Second. Moved by Emily. Uh second by Adam. Questions, conversation, discussion, debate. We'll call the question. All in favor? You got it. All opposed? Abstensions? Thank you. Fantastic. Policy 4115. Motion to move policy 4115, policy to limit elementary classroom interruptions for second reading and deletion. Second. Moved by Emily, seconded by Adam. Question, conversation, debate. All in favor? All opposed? Any abstensions? Policy 4300. Motion to
061move policy 4300 supervision for second reading and deletion. Oh, second. Sorry. Second by Adam. Uh question, debate, dialogue, conversation. All in favor? All opposed? Abstensions? Same and policy 4530.1. Motion to move policy 4530.1 community as a classroom for second reading and deletion. Second. Moved by Emily, second by Adam. Questions, conversation, discussion. All in favor? All opposed? Any abstensions? abstain. Thank you all very much. Those policies will be deleted. It's important to note that Emily has requested that in the deletion of one of those policies that has uh a reference to attendance. And so at our next policy committee um or at a future policy committee who is ever on the policy committee, the board will be reviewing policy 5160, which is our comprehensive attendance policy. Just want to make sure our board members are aware
062of that. Um the next policy is policy 5150.1. This is a policy about our prek um enrollment for a second reading and adoption. So this is a poly that policy that we hope to adopt not to delete. And so we'll entertain motions. Motion to move policy 5150.1 prek for second reading and adoption. Second move by Emily, second by Adam. Questions, conversations, discussions and this policy. Yes, please. Go. I think you were about to do it. What's What is this policy? This the the policy is about our prek program. Uh the only change in this policy is removing the specific date that was referenced and identifying that um it will be by a random lottery and then filled as people uh apply. So it's just clarifying some language. It literally is changing two sentences but probably
063changing three words if that makes sense. So no changes to our program, just changes to the policy more in line with our current practice. Did that answer your question, Joe? Yes, it does. Thank you. Additional questions, concerns, or hearing? None. All in favor? Is that unanimous? That's unanimous. Thank you very much. Uh and that brings us to uh agenda item which I thought was going to be uh 10.10 but I see we moved it to other district but that's the personnel report and we will entertain motions. Yes, but online it looks differently. So that's why I said that um online our school district business is agenda item 10 and our other business is agenda item 11 and it was moved to 11.1. Okay. So I think I move to approve the personnel report. I second
064moved by Adams seconded by Karen. questions, debates, conversation hearing none. We'll call the question. All in favor? Yep. All opposed. Abstensions. Yep. Motion passes. Right. Five EA, one nay, and three abstensions. Correct. We're all set. Fantastic. Uh upcoming dates of importance. We have an audit committee meeting tomorrow for folks who are looking for extremely riveting board of education meetings. It's the best board committee out there. I highly recommend folks join us 5:30 here. Uh we have a facilities and a finance committee meeting on uh Tuesday uh June Thursday, excuse me, Thursday, June 12th. Um and the board will most likely be changing its uh next board meeting. It is currently scheduled for Tuesday, June 24th. That is the same day as LACS and DIT's moving up ceremonies for 8th grade. Um, we're unsure the exact
065details at this time, but we'll get that out as soon as possible. Uh, we'll be talking as a board and talking with the board clerk. Uh, but notice about that will be happening in very short order and we'll let folks know about that. Can I share one quick thing? Yeah, I don't see your name on the agenda. I know I was other business. Yes. Yes. Dr. Brown, thank you for the opportunity. Uh just briefly, uh thank you for your support of the personnel report. Um and there are a couple of names I wish to highlight for our community. You'll get more information, but in the room earlier was uh Miss Jess Salipichi. I think she transitioned. She drove a long way to be here, but she's going to be the new principal at Carolina Elementary.
066So information will be going out to that community. Uh a robust process that selected this candidate. And it's always good to have external and internal candidates taking on our roles. And this is an external candidate that was uh wanted by a lot of school districts and she chose us. We're very excited. So if you see her, say hi. Um other folks that were approved and going to be transitioning. Um a former division one athlete, a coach, a youth sport coach, um a person who's become quickly a state and national leader when it comes to wellness and restorative practices is going to be taking on our role as director of athletics and wellness. Um and that's she's in the room right now. Hi Carrie Burke. Miss Carrie B. Thank you. And um other shifts today, I
067think I should say uh Miss Samantha Little, who has served in that role for a while now. I think it's close to a decade, is going to be transitioning to be the principal at WJ. Martin. She was she's been there. We needed her there and she fell in love with it again. I think she started her career at Beverly J. Martin. Um and spent a lot of time in that community and in that building. And now we'll be assuming I told her today um we may have to change the name at some point to have a Beverly J. on and Samantha little I don't care it was a good joke at the time she was not happy about it um and also uh you think about outstanding educators who've been in our school district a
068long time one who started as a teacher a stellar teacher and transitioned into multiple administrative roles including the director of prek for a long time Miss Caitlyn Braum who is a stellar educator will be and we've been looking for this role since February um a robust process and we're very excited about a princip transitioning into this role to lead that special education department. All folks that'll be here in the near future, this time of year, there are a lot of transitions. This time of year year, those transitions happen pretty quickly. We try our best to get out press releases to update folks. Um, but yes, we have some very talented folks coming in and transitioning with any organization, including the last thing I wish to share. Um, a lot of things happen around here, um,
069without people even knowing who was responsible for it. We've been at the table where we've had some contentious board election and voting seasons where everything went haywire. Huh, Trisha, I hate to bring that up again. And u it has required some technical expertise and some commitment to make it run more smoothly. Um this past year, for example, we transitioned from a paperbased pro program and a product that has been that way for generations to one that was complete. I showed up and I was able to sign on an iPad and most folks didn't even realize how that happened or who was responsible for it. um and as a person who gets an opportunity to work with an amazing human and a professional every single day. Um she is and I am her ride or die.
070Today is the last it seemed like every year this time I'm saying goodbye to some people who have made the organization what it is. If you don't know Emily Tracion Arm, please get to know her before she leaves cuz she's made a lot of stuff happen around here and never takes any credit and she makes a lot of us look good and makes a lot of this work happen um without even saying anything. But tonight we're going to celebrate her and if you see her the next I think it's only two more days. Um, she's going to be transitioning into a new role primarily in support of her family, which I've been able to watch grow and mature as she's sitting next to somebody she watched grow and mature who came all the way from
071Virginia to see this. So, we love you, Emily, and we're going to u wish you well in your endeavors to support and hang with your family more. So, thank you. Thank you, professor, for that opportunity. Yeah. Thank you, Emily. I just started talking to Emily again today. So, uh, but I am very, uh, um, thankful for all your work and congratulations and I look forward to seeing you in different capacities. So, fantastic. Thank you, Dr. Brown. And if any other thing, business board members, with that, we'll bring the meeting to a close. Thank you very much.