001[Music] Welcome to tonight's board meeting, Tuesday, October 21st. call to order and a recording of members present. And present our holders for the pledge of allegiance. >> And ladies, if you want to come stand up here, I'm going to read a little bit about you to the crowd. You can wait right there if you want to as well. The shy one is Kennedy Dies, a kindergartener at Cherokee Elementary. Her teacher is Amanda Dry. Her parents are Lauren and Kyle. >> Kennedy loves to play outside, read picture books, and hang out with her friends and brother and sister. She enjoys all things girly, such as dressing up, painting nails, and doing her makeup. And her sister is fourth grader Lauraai Diesson. Um, she is in Miss Teague's class. Did I say that Kennedy was a Mr.
002class? Okay, sorry. Parents are also Lauren and Kyle Dies. Um, Lauraai likes music, softball, and basketball are some of her favorite activities. She is currently a part of the Cherokee Challenge Bowl team. She loves to play outside, draw, and listen to Forest Frank. [Music] Sometimes we have it [Music] I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Take a picture. >> Get mom. >> All right. [Music] That's okay. That's okay. >> Item B, Tigers Roar. And this is national principles pull off and showcase Facebook page >> page. So if you guys would like to come forward and have a little something I have something to read. October is principal appreciation month. The time we
003get to celebrate our incredible leaders our schools very well. our our students learning and our teachers smiling most days anyway. Across our district, our principles wear about a dozen hats every day. Leader, counselor, cheerleader, bus line, traffic controller, sometimes even therapist, and stand-up comedian. They handle it all with grace, grit, and a lot of coffee. They're the first to arrive, the last to leave, the ones who can calm a cafeteria full of kids with just that look. and they make tough calls, lift each other up, and remind us daily what servant leadership really looks like. We're blessed with an amazing team of principles who pour their hearts into their schools. Miss Rhonda Reed at Greenwood Elementary, she could not be here tonight, is all business, and we love her for it. She's practical, direct, doesn't
004waste a minute, which means everything runs efficiently at Greenwood. Students and staff know she sets high expectations and they rise to meet them, often faster than she expects. Marissa McCoy at Cherokee Elementary leads with kindness and consistency. She has a heart for kids and a gift for making everyone feel valued. And she is some and she somehow manages to keep everything running smoothly even during indoor recess. Misty Balante PreK is pure sunshine. She makes our littlest learners feel safe, loved, and ready for school each day. If you ever need a dose of positivity, go by and visit the prek. Amanda Vince at Heritage Elementary leads with excellence and efficiency. She's always data driven and student focused. The kind of leader who can solve problems before anyone else even knows they exist. Sherry Yacht at Central
005Academy is a champion for students who need a second change, second chance, and a strong voice. She leads with compassion, humor, and determination and never stops believing in her students potential. Mark Jordan, a Telqua High School principal, brings the perfect mix of humor and heart to highlight uh to high school life, which is no small task. He's the calm in the storms of adolescence and young adulthood and keeps his team laughing and learning through it all. I wish I could remember the Marcism you said today. I thought I needed to write that down. I'm like, where did these come from? I know they come from Westville. I know where they come from. Sorry about that. Dusty Ciphers at Tele Middle School sets the bar high for leadership, school pride, and student success. He's everywhere in
006classrooms, games, and events, new and loving it. And his dedication to his staff and students are showing in everything he does. Each of these principles brings something unique and irreplaceable to our district. They lead with heart, handle challenges with grace, and always put students first. So tonight, on behalf of our school board and our district, we want to say thank you for your leadership, your laughter, and your unwavering commitment to our schools. [Music] You go. >> Get on your tippy toes. >> You guys are amazing. And >> thank you all for your hard work. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for all you do. Item three is that public to be heard and to be dispersed. Members of the public shall be allowed to attend all meetings of the board of education. In addition, the
007board of education will have an item on regular media meeting agendas that afford citizens the right to address the board of education on items pertaining to education and or the operation of the school district. The item will appear prior to any business being conducted by the board of education. A resident wishing to address the board of education must fill out a form before the meeting and submit it to the board clerk. The speaker is moved to the lectern on being recognized by the board president and give his her full name and address. Actually, I don't think they have to give the address. >> The speaker will be allowed four minutes to address the board. Public comment will be limited to the first five individuals who sign up to speak and will not exceed 20 minutes
008total. The board and administrative staff will not respond to questions or comments at the meeting. The resident may receive a written response as soon as possible. Questions and complaints relating to employees of the district will not be permitted at this time. Such questions are to be referred to the superintendent at another time. Presentation or discussion of matters which are currently under legal review will not be permitted. This is TPS policy 2217 and we do have someone miss Ally Snider. >> Thank you. Uh my name is Ally Snyder and uh last year my son and I came and addressed the board along with another parent and student with concerns that Talqua High School will no longer be offering the aviation program. And I'm here tonight to thank you. I don't know who all I need to
009thank, if it's everybody on the board or principal Jordan or um who all I need to thank, but it seems like you guys have not given up on the aviation program at the high school. And this means so much to us. My son who's in second year now, but also my younger son, he'll be joining hopefully next year as a ninth grader. So again, I just want to thank you all for listening and for not giving up on that program. And if there's anything I can do in the future, if it threatened, you know, again, any support I can give as a parent, I just really think it's an incredible program. So, just want to thank you all. >> Item D, discussion vote to approve or not to approve the minutes for previous meetings. And
010we had previous meetings September 18th, 2025 regular meeting and October 7th, 2025 a special meeting. Do you have a motion? Move to approve second. Any discussion? I >> I didn't come to the seventh class, >> but I I mean I read I read the stuff, so >> Okay. >> I'm sorry. I went over. >> It's all right. No, >> Dr. Kaufman. >> I and Mrs. C. I item E, deputy treasurer to report and discussion and vote to approve the monthly financial reports. >> Good evening. The bank balance as of September 30th was $16,100,366.39. Receipts for the month of September general fund was $3,66,382.98. [Music] Building fund was $6,853. Seeking fund is $32,449.94. That brings the fund balance for general fund to $7,535,114.19. Building fund is at $6,925,3772. Bonds funds $382,578. Even seeking fund is $189,8048.
011activity account at the end of September was1,24,8914. Over to utilities and our electric was actually um $8,600 more from last September to this September. Um I talked to Brad. He was going to look at that. He thinks it's possibly something to do with the trash situation. Um, gas was $442.58 more than last September to this September. And water was actually $1,68023 less from last September to this. >> Did you say on the electric it was800 on the electric? >> Yeah. 869847. >> I think they misread a meter. >> What? >> I think they misread a meter. Will they >> once once I get it all situated figured out? >> Are you gonna keep doing it when you leave us? What if we vote not to like any questions? >> I'll make a further discussion. Mrs.
012Hi, >> Dr. I >> Dr. Hi, Mrs. Crawford. [Music] Item F, deputy treasurer to present and discussion and vote to approve the fiscal year operation. >> Okay. So, you guys have your little budget votes that I carried for you and then I did a slideshow. So, I'm kind of going to go in between both of them. Fall's my favorite. So that's why I just want it to be more outside than probably go to that next slide. Okay. So this is um our enrollment. So as you can see our enrollment is down from last year to this year. We are down exactly 138 students. But our sped weights are actually up. So we should not see a negative adjustment at midterm based on that. So we think that we'll be okay there. Uh we are going
013to in November do uh we used to go to a superintendent workday. We're actually going to do the superintendent workday here and all the admin's going to come and go over and we'll figure what our adjustment is going to be. you go to the next one. So, our revenue at a glance is you can see our local dollars are $12,281,920.72. So, that's 25% of our budget is coming from local dollars. That's $64,62.19. That's county money that we get. State 27,695,62542. That's 56% of our budget comes from state. As you can see that 8,670,15786, which is 18% of our budget is federal. So that's mostly like our grants. Uh last year our um our state aid at midterm we did get that adjustment. So you'll see in that book um that we got that adjustment and
014it was like 1.06% was what the adjustment was. Since the general fund is the largest operating fund for our district, this narrative will focus mainly on it. The current state aid factor after SD held out 2% is $4,273. That is a $68 increase from the initial factor to the final factor. We anticipate a revised state aid formula calculation that will result in a $2 increase to the factor, bringing it to $4,275. The state didn't have any new charter schools. So that money set aside will be reallocated. So that's why we'll see the adjustment. 87 schools do not receive foundation state aid allocation due to local collections exceeding the formula. So that would be schools like prior for example. They have dozen industrial parks and they have something for that. The state revenue picture for this
015year appears strong for now. It is generally agreed that is unlikely that schools will see cuts in state aid for this year. This year's state aid allocation is 20,97,769.72. Our local valuation revenue increase this year. This increase will result in more local revenue collected, but that increase is charged against our state aid. It will also increase our bonding capacity, which is what we've seen over the few years is we able to borrow. Our student counts are down a little. We will have to monitor our student counts and make sure we're getting every weight that we uh can for each student. So, of course, you guys know that each student gives us different weights for different reasons. So, we have to make sure that we have all that correct, which they're focused on that right now
016with the October count. Our estimated general fund expenses for the year are around $42,580,521.33 which is approximately 6,671,26486 86 below our anticipated revenue. So that is what our carryover will be which now you know last year we had the $5 million carryover. We learned this year that we want to have six to 6.5. So that right there will keep us in that. >> So when I ask questions right now, she's like >> 6.6 million. >> Okay. Overall, it's a stable start to FY26. Income tax and gross production uh tax collections are up. While the drop in state sales tax reflects the grocery sales tax cut, oil prices need to stay between $60 to $70 a barrel to not see a cut in revenue. Natural gas needs to stay between three to four dollars. State dedicated
017revenue is up in all four areas, which is the county, the state, local. The building fund is stable. We will continue to receive red bud funds and impact a money that we will put in the building fund. Right now, impact aid is kind of on hold because of the government shutdown, but when it opens back up, I'm sure they'll still be hopefully giving us that money. uh building fund will continue to be utilized to maintain our facilities when possible and if needed some general fund maintenance expenses may be transferred to the building fund to perhaps this shows that um the budget instruction wise we're looking at spending about 22500,000 on function 1000 function 2000 support services and 16 920,000. Uh function 3,000 operations is 3.13 3,100,400. Facilities and construction function 4,000 is $49,561.33. Uh the
018function 5000 other outlays, that's $10,560. So, we're going to be working with that budget of 42,580,521.33 to ensure that we get the six uh,671,2646 uh carryover. Now, of course, that gives us a little bit of wiggle room to still be between the six and the 6.5. So, I think that's a pretty good spot for us to be probably the next slide. Tanny asked me to add some um few different things this year as far as like academic achievement and like what goes with our goals. So academic achievement um of course salary and benefits that's under academic achievement. Without the teachers and the staff we would not be able to teach the kids. So that's anything that's a function 1,2100 and 2200. I know some of this might not make sense but those functions and stuff
019are in this book if you want to look back. It tells you what those functions mean. Uh the supplies for the kids, of course, the books that the kids need, online subscriptions, some of the classes do online subscriptions to help with like testing or just extra little things. Of course, the curriculum and the technology. By the end of the year, we will spend $35 million on academic achievement. That is 71% of our overall budget. So, I think that's so school climate. Um, so for me, what I think school climate is is like being proud of like the things that we have and um being able to do professional development with our staff. So, new buses. So, we will spend roughly $131,000 on new buses this year. Um, one we already have um and one we
020will be purchasing. uh site keep uh site upkeep, which would be the cleaning contract, like when we get new windows and doors, bathroom repairs, site painting. The students are proud of their uh sites that they attend every single day. And so that makes them happy. Also, we will spend about a million dollars on that this year. Professional development for staff, we're going to spend about 350,000. Some of the things that we've already done or we will be doing um will be like uh connected kids workshop, the United school leaders, the great teacher alliance uh conference, mental health America conference, uh the AASL library conference, um we had a teacher just actually attend that over fall break. The CTE summer conference, which all career tech teachers um have to attend for their classes. We have Katie
021Kinder that comes into the school. Uh the OCA conference, the innovative school summit and the OPERD convention which that was for our gym teachers and they recently just came back from that. So we will roughly spend all together uh 1.4 million on school time. So security of course this is a really big deal. So um we will roughly spend 530,000 or 530800 I've said too many numbers 530,870 on security this year. Uh our SRO contract which we pay out a building fund right now is 350,000 itself. Um so that's for all the SRO's that we employ and the contract that we have with the city of Taloqua. uh security equipment, we're looking 170,000 out of general fund. That could be cameras, that could be the badge to go in the doors. Um and then the
022ID badges at the high school and the middle school, we pay for all of that out of general fund for those sites. And right now, we're at $10,870. So, we buy them the machines if they need them. We buy them the actual cards. They need the little clear uh plastic things like this thing. I don't know. Um, I think there's anything else that they need. The printer cartridges that go with them. So, um, like I said, we'll spend about 530,000 on that. Okay. Building fund. So, building fund. This year I have um for instruction, which is a function 1000. Looks like we're going to pay about $1,300 out of that. Um support services is about 1.4 million. Um facilities acquisition and construction services is about 2.2. Um remember we have some of the armory coming
023out of there to be renovated which is looking really good. T said today. So right now um our appropriation for the uh building fund was 7,932,81744. I project that we are going to uh spend $3,681,424726 which is going to leave us with a carryover of about 4.2 million. Um, so our electric bills continue to decrease due to due to the ESP projects that Brad had done over the past two years. Randomly, we'll see like higher bills sometimes, but like this time and like that last month that we had the water bill that was high, like there was a reason for it and we figured it out and you know, it was okay. Um, we had an increase of property insurance due to the new bond projects, but we had to take a higher deductible on
024our pre um, so our premiums actually went down. So on the utilities, fuel, and insurance page, you'll notice like last year our premium was 7 uh 756,000. This year was 731,000. And that was like state mandated. Like we didn't have a choice of that. We have that. Um and then in the very back we have the information about the scing fund and then the history of the net assessed valuations which shows where we sit every single year. Um then the next to last page is the bond page that we will pay for the new bond that you can see. And then the very last page was the October one. You guys have any questions? >> Good job. >> I'm glad that we made the book, too, because I always go, "Oh, wait. It's right here
025in my book." I have three. >> We want to move a motion. >> Uh I move to approve the 2526 FY operational budget. Second question. Um they're all over the place because I was making PD $350,000 in this for your opinion. Is it fair to say that the majority of that is grant funed? Yes. >> Yes. Um, and then on high school for middle school badges, we pay for those in the first instance. And if the kid loses it, they have to they pay a replacement by $5. >> They get one free one, right? And then they get the $5 >> replacement. They already have kids on them. >> They put that money that they get from that in an account and then it goes back into the general fund. >> Okay. >> Yes. And
026TJ, I think this one's probably for you. Do we think the drop in enrollment is specific to Talqua or do we think that's across the state because I know a lot of kids are going to virtual? >> Yes. Um charter. >> Last year we were the only school district in Cherokee County and that I would almost in this northeastern Oklahoma area that had an increase in enrollment. So we're just kind of back down to where we were. But speaking to all of the county superintendents right now, there were a couple of them that are pretty static from where they were last year, but most of them dropped and have had significant drops over the last couple years. When we we looked at when you look at the level of the kids, we looked at this
027quite a bit, but um so we had our largest drop was uh were two. Our ninth graders were down about 31 kids in nth grade. Uh, Sequoia High School did take more students this year than they have in the past. Um, but I also, um, have a great relationship with their superintendent and asked, you know, how many kids um, and it wasn't an abnormal number for us, so I don't think that they were necessarily there. Um, we also the nth grade we were down 31. Um, 11th grade was a drop of 37. Um, sixth grade was a drop of 28. And then our kinder was down. And kinder prek the last couple years um, has been down a lot. I I I really think that people thought there would be an influx of COVID babies
028and that did not come to fruition. Um actually I people must not have liked each other very much because fewer. So um we're not really sure where they're going. We we know that there is an increase in virtual enrollment. Um, you do see people t choosing to homeschool their kids a little bit more than you used to. Um, and it's just it's a trend nationwide, not just Oklahoma, but nationwide. >> I like that sixth and seventh grade is interesting because that's kind of the age where they can stay home alone. So, if they are doing virtual or they are doing homeschool, parent doesn't necessarily have to be there all day. I just know I I saw some numbers unrelated to us but just the increase in virtual enrollment in the state and I mean every
029year when you pull out co because obviously that year had an impact but >> well and it's something that I mean we talk about and it's one of those things that if it continues to be a trend we do have a virtual program we don't we don't have uh I mean it's not a huge virtual program but we do have one. It might be have to be something that we look at and and and expand it one day. You know, that's the game that if we have to play the game, then we'll have to look at the game. And if we have to we have to put u more effort and time um money into that program. Um we think, you know, some kids do great job at virtual instruction. It really works for some
030um but it doesn't work for everybody. So, we have to have a diversified choice. Um and and Sherry really gives that her building with the different options that they have there and it's a program that we might have to grow one day. >> Thank you. That's all my questions. Any further discussion? Mrs. I >> I item G principal director's report and going to look at academic achievement elementary and secondary principles or Widenower and Dean Mashurn actually elementary and secondary curriculum, but I brought lots of notes and script because, you know, us kind of get up here and ramble them all over the place. So, we're going to keep it to business and y'all just throw something at me if I get off script a little bit, but that's not going to happen. >> So, we'll
031start with looking at this is the report. We'll start off with a yearover-year comparison of our Oklahoma school testing program. We call it OSTP scores for grades three through five, excuse me, in areas of English language arts, ELA, math, and science, grades five only. The data we're showing today is our 24 25 school year results with those from the 22 23 school year. you know, we're emitting last year's scores with the cut scores changing and stuff. So, we hope after this year, everything's right on track so we can really see some trends and hopefully continue growth and change some of our patterns that we're seeing. So, we'll look here first. This will be all of our district. Uh, third grade in ELLL from ELA from 23 to 25, we grew 11 points in that area.
032And in math, we've dropped five areas. That uh that drop is a is a notable decline that we don't like to see in math, but it's led to an investigation of our math curriculum, and we'll discuss that here in just a little bit. Our fourth grade again in ELA, ELA, we saw a gain from 21 to 27. And math went down five again from 44 to 38. were a little bit higher to start out with, but we sure don't like to see a decline. In our fifth grade, our ELA scores stayed the same, 27 to 27, but we saw a fivepoint gain in math from 30 to 35. And our science stayed pretty much the same from 38 to 39. When we compare our district to the state, we are above the state average and
033everything but our district third grade math. And we were two percentage points below the state average. So from third grade ELA, fourth grade ELA, fifth grade ELA, our fourth grade math, fifth grade math, and fifth grade science were all above the state average. or I think you said this and I was looking ahead. This is these these percentages are proficient. >> Yes, I'm sorry. I should say that. I think maybe you did. >> This is proficient and advanced. Our kids get three scores. They'll do below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced. And these numbers are the proficient and advanced. We get to count basic when we talk about accreditation scores, but when we look at our numbers, we only look at proficient and advance. And then so to kind of talk about this before we move
034on to each individual site, I want to kind of give you what we were doing there was just comparing grade levels. I'm going to give you some information where we're going to compare apples to apples. We're going to compare the students growing and we're going to call that just a cohort from our third graders from our fifth graders that were last year to the third graders and the areas that they grew at Heritage. Our third graders, our fifth graders last year grew 14 percentage points. This is not in your PowerPoint. This is just things that the principles had come up with when we were looking at ways and I didn't put it in the PowerPoint. So 14 points at Greenwood. Those students >> minute came up >> 14 percentage points >> percentage points >> from
035the year they were in third grade to the year they're in fifth grade minus that fourth grade year at ELA >> at ELA at Heritage. >> Okay. >> 14 percentage points. at ELA, at Greenwood, they grew um 11 percentage points. That same group of kids, I mean, not the same group at Heritage and Greenwood, but the group fifth graders when they were third grade. And at Cherokee, they also grew 11 points. So that's very big jump that those kids had a lot of growth. Now what we're also looking at is that band growth from below basic to basic to proficient. So we took overall as a district we took 27% of our students and moved them from below basic to basic. We took 5% of our students and moved them more into a higher proficient
036level. And then we had a 4% gain in advanced students. That's how many more students we had in advanced. So those are that's big numbers when you're comparing just the apples to apples student growth. >> And you don't have that in this. >> It's not, but I got a copy for you cuz I made it last minute when I was wanting to put more stuff in there. >> Yes. And then I want to give you some math numbers at Heritage talking about that same cohort. Those students grew nine percentage points in math. At Greenwood, they stayed the same. They went they were 30 to 30%. And at Cherokee, they grew three percentage points. So great. And again, just to go from that below basic to basic, just moving even the bottom kids up row 20%
037of our students moved up into a new performance band. So that's that's great great to grow those students and I'll have that information. Sorry it was it's kind of hard to put in the PowerPoint but I have it here on the paper and I will get that to you. So let's talk about next steps that we're going to do as a district. So in ELA, we want to sustain and expand our literacy grade gates, leverage successful literacy programs, and ensure vertical alignment throughout the grades. We're going to continue using our HMH curriculum because this is now we're beginning our fourth year of using the HMH curriculum. Uh a mirror learning is something that is new to our district this year. It was purch I it purchased eye station that we had used for the past
038three years and so now we have a mirror learning that is a state approved screener that we have to use. We have a few options that the state pays that's our screener to determine our students reading deficiencies and also it's our dyslexia screener. >> Is that the the feedback >> the AI thing? >> So I've told you guys should my kids do this and they told me about it. So they read out loud and it's a microphone and if they don't say the right word, the thing tells them that they're not saying the right word and it also makes them pronounce it correctly because I had one complain that she was not saying ly correctly. She was saying wall >> and it made her she's like I had to repeat it nine times and so
039I hear about this program from all of mine weekly and I we should have a it's because it's AI which everyone's you know but it's a very cool usage of AI >> right and we're we're learning we're learning as we grow it's it sets the kids on a path once they give they they take a beginning of the year a middle of the year and an end of the year something a test and it's something that we do in all three sites It's uh try to keep all of our sites consistent with doing that and then it puts them on a path that they can go on and learn and it's supposed to be the thing. We're working out kinks because it's a new to us. So, it's a little bit different than I station
040with that some with that talking and uh you know we run into some roadblocks but we take away we add to it. So, we're getting there with it. So, we've also made a lot of curriculum changes with our ELA. And then after receiving valuable feedback from our teachers that our reading assessments were not fully aligned with the curriculum, we initiated a comprehensive review process and we brought together all the department heads. And if you ever want to sit together in a room full of brains and principles and I was just kind of there to be the referee in some great levels. It was kind of tough because very very intelligent people. We have great people working here in this district and extremely valuable principles and to for them to all make a decision on what
041we're going to do can take a long time. So we we spent a lot of hours they spent a lot of hours coming up with this and so the department heads closely examined our assessments and the curriculum in relation to the Oklahoma academic standards and this analysis revealed that our existing assessment covered only about 50% of our required standards. We did the literacy first assessment. So now we've changed it to match our standard and we call it our literacy assessment. So we are doing that all three sites do that. Uh they all came together. They all agreed on something. We had to twist a few arms with some. Marissa had to get a couple in headlocks but we got them all we got them all to agree and it is going good. And uh so
042after that, our department heads revised the assessment to ensure full alignment with the Oklahoma academic assess standards. We then updated our report cards to reflect the new assessment structure. And this alignment has streamlined our curriculum, assessments, and reporting processes, saving teachers time and effort. But more importantly, it provides a clearer, more accurate picture of our students preparedness in meeting the state standards. So that's what we're doing in language arts to hopefully get all of our assessments aligned with our standards. >> So our assessments that we were currently or are currently using were not fully aligned. >> Right. We were assessing some things that were not Oklahoma academic standard. Okay. >> And so teachers and the principles >> out. Yes. Leaving things out, covering things. girls and we had some first grade things that kindergarten were
043doing some first grade items and so we made that we took kindergarten down that now they're doing >> we just closed some gaps. So like for instance in math we noticed that there were gaps in teaching where like for instance kindergarten would leave leave off at a at a place where they could go deeper which would help first grade. So does that does that make sense? So we kind of we've scaffolded that better. um now for the math for the math curriculum and then as far as the literacy assessment goes I would say that we um we're we're not assessing the the amount of um standards that we needed to assess correct our the literacy first assessment did not include for instance encoding so it only you know assess decoding so now we have an
044assessment who that assesses both of those things. It also only assessed one um one skill at a time. So, it was isolated, which we now know that our kids were not they didn't fully master that skill if they couldn't bounce back and forth between Yes. between those skills. So, it was showing up when we were were taking eye station assessments. That's when we noticed it and then we dove deeper into looking at how they were being assessed. And in order for our kids to be to really have true mastery, they need to be able to hear and understand what's being asked and bounce back and forth between the skills. >> As they like to say, they have to train their ears >> to do the do the work. cart just to clarify you the so
045we are at least going forward we're using the same >> assessment at each site for each grade so we can see exactly >> and everyone every like I say there were department head from every site every grade level was in every meeting every principal was involved and then when they got done they even went to Misty at prek and showed her so she was able to look at her report card and what her teachers were assessing and we tried eliminate any assessments that did not need to be given. If they didn't have some measure with our state standard, we got rid of it. So, we tried to keep all three of the sites the same and then bring prek. And Misty does a fabulous job of and her staff of getting those prek babies ready
046for when they come to uh kindergarten. >> If we weren't assessing it before, we probably weren't teaching it. >> Right. Right. So just an awareness on everyone's part >> we hear what you know we hear the feedback I mean this starts right from Mrs. Jones to give it to me that we take to the principles and then the teachers talk with our instructional coaches and it's been a process and lots of meetings that we've uh that we've done that they've done lots of hours to get all the curriculum to try to be on the same and we'll still look at it and make adjustments as Miss Jones likes to say which I like to slap her when she says we're never in the land of done we always got to work so we got a
047lot of things to do cuz she likes I like that score going at five, but she's like she wants to be at 100%. So that's where we got to go because we're leaving something out if we're not there. So we got a lot of work to do. >> Thank you. So let's talk about math. You know, last year we implemented the big ideas math curriculum and we directed teachers to teach it with fidelity just like we did with the HM curriculum when we started that four years ago. And at the end of the year, department chairs again met to evaluate its effectiveness, identifying which components worked well and which needed improvement. The team revised the curriculum by adding lessons that required more instructional time and removing content that did not align with the state standards.
048And then we made new pacing calendars that were based on these revisions. So now we hope we saw a drop. So we hope that we can get up there. So we also we introduce two assessments in that form A and form B for each chapter and then so the teachers can administer form A at the end of the chapter then they use our new data tracking system OTUS they can put that in there to find targeted remediation groups that that's what that program does it does it all for them and then after remediation form B can be given to those students to assess their prog progress. So all >> A and B assessments. >> Okay. >> Yep. So you got form A and form B. Same material, same standards, just a different question. >> And
049after form A is taken, then you >> then we remediate. >> Remediate >> and then give form B and then we can see the process. >> Where's that remediation done? In class or >> they do that and they started doing it in RTI. Now you know RTI just used to be a lot of reading. So now they've started implementing math in there. So they do that and each site does do that just a little bit different but they've all started at the same time now and doing more of every grade level doing it and having this we bought curriculum where Sabrina says you fly we bought all that so all of our reading all of our ITI is starting to look the same >> response to intervention y so so we're starting to get that
050so it's going to look the same at all three sites and then all benchmarks have also been added to Otis and this allows the teachers to break down the test data more effectively and this is new because we talked just a good question that you asked because RTI is primarily focused on reading and by doing this I feel like that we're making a commitment to supporting our students growth in all subject areas not just reading we need to do reading and math and then we'll get to science and social studies so any questions before we jump into the each individual sites. Oh, I would like to give a thing that I did give out because I know I have two reading teachers, writing teachers sitting up there on the board that they don't do writing,
051but we I dug through the numbers and from 2023 to 2025, we made a 10% gain in the writing component of reading. So >> I knew you would. >> It is. I mean, one goes with the other. >> Yep. >> So we're making the game there. So thank you. So we'll start with heritage first. And heritage, you can look at their ELA numbers in the two years went from 15% to 39%. Their math went from 33 to 37. fourth grade 32 to 37, 61 to 60. I'm real upset about that 1% drop there when they were double the state average there. So, and then in fifth grade 46 to 30 mean not the same set of kids. So, new crop comes in every time. Math 50 to 42 and from science 49 to 42. >>
052So, that's still though that's upsetting. >> Yes. What have we done to to dig into this look at it? >> Well, let me tell you. So, first of all, Heritage was above the state average in all areas. And like I say, their fourth grade math proficiency levels are double the state average. So, they're continuing to monitor the performance band growth. That's what we talked about below to basic and establishing measurable goals for students. their refinement and enhancing of their tier one instruction because they feel like their RTI has reached its capacity. It's just a hamster wheel rolling. And then now they're unpacking the state standards which we're kind of doing at all the places to establish a shared understanding of proficient student performance, appropriate instructional scaffolding, and required depth of knowledge to ensure student learning.
053So, I know that there's been a a change in staff in fifth grade at Heritage. >> Those are not the same kids. >> No, it's not the same kids. So, but they've made a change in staff. Look at those. >> Oh, we're going to celebrate though. These are not the same kids that went up. And we got to look up. These are not the same kids that went down, >> right? >> The same kids that went up. Yes, those were the same kids that went up, but these are not the same groups of kids. So the first group were the cohort was the same kids like 23 to 25. >> So this is so these are how are these not the same as this? So explain to me I'm I'm just asking how is because
054they are the same graphs. How are they not the same information? >> This is from 23 to 25 and this is from 23 to 25 >> because this is the same kids. This is the same cohort. >> So this is so this is the same. >> No, they're not the same. Right. [Music] >> So, these are all >> What I'm saying is okay, right? Right. How did those get down? Yes. I thought you meant No, >> we were looking at the ones before that. No. Yes. This. Yes. >> We're going to celebrate these victories when we go this >> Oopsy. >> Yep. And so that's where they look at go back to the drawing board, unpack the standards, make sure all of those everything's being taught correctly in the ELA program. We involve the instructional
055coaches in that grade level with fifth grade and just do everything that we can to hope we don't go down next year. >> Yeah. I mean, I would like to have some sort of information on what we're doing. >> Absolutely. come at the end of the time is the fifth grade level that we're having trouble with. So I'd like to know >> fifth grade is fifth grade. >> Fifth grade is hard. >> It's a hard grade. I mean it is the hardest. Number one, they're the test of the most. They have the least amount of time. You know, they go from class to class. They have four classes that they have to rotate through. Um the math curriculum is will eat your lunch >> for sure. Um, ELA will chew for sure. Um, >> so
056what I mean because we just talked about scaffolding up. So if if >> fourth grade is easy and fifth grade is hard, well, what are we not putting into fourth grade? That would bring us up to fifth grade because it should flow through. So just because fifth grade is hard, we've got to look at, okay, what are we not giving them to get them to the point where they can get it in fifth grade? Does that make sense? >> So I mean I I just I you are welcome to come and have that conversation with me at any time. I'd be more than happy to show you the work that we have started. Also, we have started like he said unpacking standards. I think that's a lot of what we're seeing is that the tier
057one instruction um you know fifth grade also doesn't have as much time as everyone else does to RTI basically because they are switching classes and they have an hour to teach each subject. >> Um where in fourth grade they're that's Maybe they have more time schedule. >> So, and we do we have done a bazillion different types of schedules. We try to work on that every single year. >> Do they have to change four times, Amanda, or is it just >> Mine changed three times because I have a I only have three or three fifth grade teachers and three fourth grade teachers. One is ELA, one is science, and one is math. So, they do have to go between those three teachers all day long. about two teachers or something like that. >> Oh, we've
058gotten very and we've gotten very creative. I mean, we have teachers that are >> Well, and we have teachers that are teaching >> double subjects. I mean, they're teaching double things. So, um like my writing teacher, she does writing and math. So, because my math teacher cannot in an hour teach all of the skills in math that need to be taught in fifth grade. There is a huge jump. If we had our curriculum people here, they would be able to probably put more words to it than I can. There is a huge jump from fourth grade math to fifth grade math. It's it's large. Um, in what the kids need need to know. So, for her to be able to do that in an hour, it doesn't work. So, >> so there wouldn't be any
059way to restructure is great. >> Well, we restructure, but we restructure in a way that looks not traditional. um we give more time to things, we do things differently. Um I'm really proud of of our science. We've we've gone through that position has been a revolving door. So that's another another issue is when you have teachers that don't, you know, they're not staying with you and you get a different one every year and you're having to, you know, get them into and a lot of them, I mean, like this year I've got one that's alternatively certified. Um, so how how many also teachers do you have? >> Right. Right now I have I have one in there, but I have I have more than that. >> But >> I have several. >> To Stephanie's point,
060>> what is it we need to do in fourth grade to get them ready? >> Well, our fourth grade scores are 60%. >> Yeah. But I mean they're just >> even at 60% there's something if there's such a jump between fourth and fifth. I think the point you're making is what can we do and at the end of the year >> um oftentimes and I know this doesn't happen everywhere but you know those last three or four weeks after testing I really think kids should be introduced to things that they're going to be facing the next year I it's not schools and movies instead of watching movies yeah >> and playing games some of that's, you know, a day maybe of we've taken tests, let's have a little downtime, but um, you know, start looking
061at these skills that need to be introduced and and not lose that that time before they make that change. >> Have there been any thoughts on self-contained fifth grade? Was that just a gig? >> I don't know that you I mean, you know, we went to two. We only switched twice in in fourth grade now. Okay. >> This year. So, we're going to we're going to kind of play with that and see if I'm hoping that we keep our 60%, you know, we've had that for the last three years in math. >> Um they they have scored, you know, in the 60 percentile um for fourth grade math. So, it's going to be interesting to kind of see how that how that plays out. And we do have another a new MA math teacher in
062there that moved from first grade to fourth grade and is alternatively certified. So, um you know, some of those battles we fight the best that we can, you know, and do the best that we can to to support and help them. I don't know what we would do without Cassie and and Jessica helping us do that. I don't I don't know we'd ever make it >> without them. >> And I'm trying >> for sure. I'm trying to say is what we do to help you because this is >> like you put this out in front of the public and it says look how we draw >> then we got to say okay this is what we're doing to address that and what can we do to help you? So rather than explain to me what
063has happened and I I don't want I'm not trying to say you did a bad job. What I'm trying to say is what do we need to do to get where we need to go? >> I'm going to be honest with you. We need time. Our teachers need time to be able to talk to each other. They need time to be able to communicate and and sit down and have conversations. So like when I started unpacking standards, I mean I had one hour to unpack standards on one PD day. So we some of us got one standard done, some of us didn't even get a full standard done. So not being able to have time for teachers to talk about standards and to talk about what student proficiency is, then they all have a different
064understanding of what that is and what that looks like. >> We need more improvement in that area. >> That's and that's what I'm that's what I'm doing, but I only have so much time to be able to do that with them >> and I would love to have more time with them. So, our current schedule does not allow for us, our current calendar, I would say, doesn't allow for us to have the time that we need to have those strong indepth conversations that we need to have >> and look at student data. I mean, there's so many things that that that teachers do um when they're analyzing student data and looking at numbers and looking at what students need and putting them in groups and that takes time and that can't happen in a 50-minute
065planning period. >> Well, I mean, I I understand that data is important and and looking at it and everything, but >> this says to me we're not addressing the skills is what this says to me. Not necessarily the data, but what do we need to do to address the skills? >> I do think that possibly part of the numbers could be in the math department could be from the new curriculum. Anytime you switch to a new curriculum, it does take teachers because it was a drastic switch from what we were doing to what to what the big ideas did. And they have to study that curriculum and know how to present the curriculum. And I think that's probably maybe a little bit in math. Um I could see where that it takes time. Sometimes you
066go down before you before you move up. >> Um and we had to analyze what was good about it. What did we take away? What was bad about it? >> What we needed to use and what we didn't need to use because there's a lot of content. >> There's a lot of content. >> We we will talk later because we're going to have >> Oh yeah. Oh, I can do this all day long. >> I can do this all day long. It doesn't bother me one bit. >> And I'm I'm really hearing you about needing more time to discuss >> curriculum and I I think that's really important and I think it needs to be the focus of professional development. >> Uh rather than some of you know it's fun in professional development to have
067someone come and get you all excited about teaching and that sort of thing. But there's a point at which we we need to have more directed professional development and you'll have need more time teachers do to collaborate and once you're on similar or same curriculums you can do that >> right >> I have a a short follow when you when we say we need more time >> and the calendar doesn't allow it is this adding is this adding paid days to the calendar is that what we're talking about is this >> taking away student instruction ion days. Those are the two options you'd have. I mean, >> that's what I thought. We would either have to cut instructional days. >> Um, which then your argument becomes, okay, we have 30% of the kids that are
068scoring proficient and then you want to cut instructional days or we have to pay more to pay more to add to contracted work, >> which it also would be probably a negotiated. >> I I get all that. I just want to make sure I understood that time >> and we try to really protect the PD time that we have and this year we did negotiate away half a day of workday. Um there's some things that have been done in negotiations in the past uh years here where some of the PE days are uh work days for teachers and not for professional development and that has hurt us because that's taken some time away. Um I mean we are actually have on the agenda to talk with principles tomorrow talk starting the talk calendar for next
069year which we'll bring to you know in in December you know do we need to look at late start again um with elementaryaries that was time for them and then but the same problem with that it has its own downfalls um and I I will say I hate to cut instructional days but in the same sense if if we're continue to do the the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different result right okay we lack folks um and so if we don't at some point invest some time even if it take if we continue to do something that's not getting the results we want those instructional days aren't going to really matter so I mean at some point we might have to look at that >> but to
070to Lor's point and I I get it I have three elementary kids but you know we could cut instructional days and take some days that we use for where the kids are in school where it's not instructions to be instructional days. Um, and again, I get it. I I understand that we celebrate things and kids need a break and teachers need a break and staff needs a break, but you know, we have we have instructional days where instruction doesn't take place and we know that. We all know that. Um, and it's I get it and I'm not saying it's problematic, but if we're looking at, you know, do we do we need to give them two more PD days a year? Are there two days a year, you know, or is there a time during
071the year when we can say, you know what, we're not going to have a maybe day to say it's going to be full on. Um, and I understand that those are hard conversations, but that is part of it as well. You know, if we really do need to give them two or three or four, whatever that is, then we have to make sure that if we are cutting instructional days that the days that are instructional days are instructional days. They're used absolutely effectively. I don't I don't disagree. >> We'll move to Greenwood. We'll go quickly. The same thing you see there. agree with the L. It's in the 15 to 24, 30 to 28. They're fourth grade 14 to 22 and then say the same in math. Fifth grade 19 to 24, 17 to 30,
072they had a big drop in science 40 to 26 there. And we've made personnel changes in fifth grade science at Greenwood at Cherokee third grade 19- 30 the math 33 to 28 17 to 23 33 to 22 in math and then the fifth grade 17 to 28 in the LA 22 to 34 and the science Crystal Young she knocks it out of the ballpark with the 26 to 48 8% in the Cherokee science. And you know, we've got star teachers and everything. Amanda's Latasha Penny with our writing numbers with Rival that I've talked to you about that. She is our star writing teacher and she's brought in all of our fourth and fifth grade uh teachers on the her classroom and they are all getting the writing too. So hopefully that 10% will be the
073theme. And just like always, we'll continue to work on professional development. We have a theme where we've offered our teachers to new alternative emergency and career teachers, the science of reading academy. There's a workshop of science of reading, dyslexia, fluency and comprehension, vocabulary and word study and writing. So, I know that was a lot and uh [Music] we will have work to do and we will >> continue to >> science science scores still up. That also reflects obviously addressing but that has that's reading and reasoning skills and and reading you know are we teaching those comprehension reasoning reading skills in ELA in such a way it obviously has transferred to science but >> that's what was saying about her science course because they've completed the scheduling thing they've taken away from their science group and
074trying to get in the ELA and math. So, it's all a game to be played to try to see if we get the that's our buck, but we'll >> but social studies and science really supplement really >> I just want to make a comment. Um, you know, I know I know that it's hard for us when those scores go down to see it's harder for you all. Um, and just that, >> you know, we talk about this all the time. We say that a score is not a kid. It's we had things happen and I had I want to tell you this because it it perfectly I had a kid that was sick four days in a row before say test and the test scores reflected that and I have no doubt that they're going
075to bounce back up and I I saw that when when the parents get the email and I opened it and I saw that my you know one of my kids fell into a category that they had never been in but then I was like it was four days and the test was all one day in the office. It wasn't the whole prep and all of that. And so I it at a at a very personal level, I understand that. And I am I'm really glad to hear what we're doing to address these things. And one of the things that I have had concern about, you know, over the years that I've been here is that we can't we can't really compare apples to apples if our three schools are not doing the same thing in
076assessing and measuring and all of those. And I'm very excited to hear um that now we see what we're doing across the district. And I know that you all if you know, for example, we had a couple of places that scores really went up and then we had some that they dropped. So we can look at what did we do right that got those scores up. And if we're doing the same thing, you know, at elementary and all three sites that the principles at all three sites can work together and understand, you know, what's what's good, what's bad, what we need to change. I know >> so hard. Yep. >> I appreciate you all. And obviously with the quote, you know, I'll cry and I wasn't going to say it, but I just think we
077need to hear it. All the data in the world cannot accurately measure the love and heartbreak that goes into a single day of teaching children when needs go far beyond the cry. So, >> okay. I am here to go over the state assessments and performance of students in sixth grade through 12th grade. So, Robert, if you'll go ahead. I am going to try to speak quickly, not just because of trying to get brush, but I'm gonna lose my voice. I've had a sinus infection, so I'm dealing with that. I don't want to start coughing. But that's what we're going to look at. We're going to compare 23 to 25. And so, uh, if we look up, we put those together, and I, these aren't cohorts. This is just sixth grade from 23 to sixth grade
078to 25. and we look that there was a little bit of a decrease in ELA and by three and a little bit of an increase in that but those are still above the state average but very low okay and so some of the recommendations that we've got I would rather go through my testing and tell the recommendations secondary has something unique and different that we're going to do for everything that's going to go into curriculum instruction ction assessments and everything. We have an opportunity. But of course, we're going to look at um our tier one, which I believe that's the biggest place you can make the biggest bang for your buck is tier one and making sure that you have the right curriculum and it's being taught right and the students have the opportunity to
079go back and redo and refinish and work things. So, those are things we're working on. Uh, also at the sixth grade level and the seventh and the eighth, they have a new program. It's called progress learning that we bought. We actually the middle school scheduled it made it actually have to happen. It's not like in your math class that's 50 minutes. You have to devote 20 minutes to this. We literally changed the whole schedule so they can have their 50-minute math period, but there are x amount of minutes. 20 or 15 >> 15 >> about 15 to do a program. That's all you need about 15. and it assesses them and then brings them back to fill in the gaps and holes in math and reading. That's happening. It's brand new this year. We're going
080to see what we think about that. So, um let's look quickly at uh seventh grade performance. Go over to that. And um that also shows that in ELA there was a decrease in ELA but a slight increase in the math. um that some of the interventions that we are going to do and I'm going to go ahead and show you the eighth grade. Let's just skip over the eighth grade performance before I talk about all these other things. U ELA came up a little bit from 23 to 28% a little bit decline in math and then our science is usually at about 50 but you know that's like I said where we are. However, what we're doing, we have the opportunity, I know that you all know that we've had gear up in Talqua, the
081Gear Up grant with the Oklahoma State Regents for a while. We have the opportunity to um have a curricular audit with S, which that is huge because S is a Southern Southern Regional Education Board top quality place, and they uh are going to pay for the math to be audited. All we have to do, we're going to pay for the other three course. They're going to give us a discount of and it's super cheap. It's not cheap having to pay because we're here. It's going to be 500 a subject. So that'll be 1,500 for the other three ELA, science, and social studies, 1,500 at the high school. So it'll just be 3,000 for the district. They will come in. We've already got it scheduled with our two new principles, and they are coming in in
082January. They wanted us to get this first semester going in and they come in the 27th through the 28th. And they have a process that they do. And this process is a school improvement process that identifies and studies problems of practice and implementing. It looks at your curriculum. It looks at your strategies. It looks at data. We're going to have to give them, they're about to start all the testing data and different things that we give them from discipline, attendance to everything. Then they take this and they look at engaging instruction, aligning the curriculum, supporting for students, and then any kind of leadership improvement. They debrief after they come in. They debrief with you and they'll prepare us for a three to five year process starting the next year. So, it's really going to be
083interesting. We're very excited. There'll be different stakeholders, different teachers and a lot of involvement that we will get to look at things and look at our practices and say you know over time this is what we have this is our benchmarking this is our state test you know this is the curriculum we use so we are excited about that and the progress learning I told you about K20 because we are part K20 does that excellent professional development and because we're that the teachers that we have at the sites that are alternatively certified it is their first year. They are doing they'll have three this semester and three next semester of professional development. We're actually hosting it at Talo and we're doing that at the high school and all these other area schools are coming in.
084So we're we're fortunate to have that and that to be paid for. Um, also Europe now, this is a new thing with this new grant. >> People from the K20 Center coming in >> the K20 Center in Norman come to us. Yes, we're working with you. >> And then uh we have her name is >> Chry. If you know Bali is his sister and she had been working, she is a gear up in a new gear up instructional coach that is coming to our sites every week and really working hand in hand. We do have the mentor teachers, but this is a little ump to what it is and they really like her. We're really excited and we're hoping she brings some things. So, uh, Otis is the new thing that we have the program
085that Car talked about where we're putting all that data. So then we'll be able to look at it better, actually see the test results, actually see their formative and summitative assessments. And so I'm I'm anxious to see once they do that if that helps them to see the gaps and the holes in instruction. So let's go on to the next which will be the high school. And with uh high school, I did that a little differently. I went back five years for high school because they did not have the same where you know last year the 24 school I wanted to go ahead sorry this is little so if you have it there but this is showing so the first thing is that we have a CC we have a test an 11th grade science
086test it is 50% physical science it is 50% life science or biology and when you can when you can get on our cognet and you can look maybe in EO and it breaks down a few of the standards. You know, it does not in in the sciences because they will not break it down. It is such a lengthy test that they don't give enough questions on one particular standard to be able to break it down to show you, hey, I'm lacking here because when you look, we're scoring about the same on both. It's very hard for us to digest the low scores in our science, especially with this group, this last one. Because if you look, it shows you as we go down, we're going down every year in science. We were down to I
087guess this is one advanced and 12 that were proficient. But that's that group of seniors that this year came and we had multiple kids that passed AP test. You know, it's it's hard for me to believe that this is a valid test, but we're going to take everything we can. We're going to visit schools. We're already going to talk. We have an we're talking, Mark and I, with the science department Friday and their PLC time about visiting a couple of schools that we can look on that oakschools.org and you can kind of see where people's student achievement is and just see what other people are doing. If they've already lined out something, we'll beg borrow and steal and see where we can be. So that's there. Our this shows our social studies, which is our
088US history. And you know, in talking to people, it's these tests. They don't have to pass to get a a a degree. I mean, they don't have to pass to graduate. >> They just have to take the test. And they feel like some of these kids know that. I'm not trying to give you an excuse. I'm just giving you a lot of different reasons and a lot of different talk because >> as many sharp seniors as we have this year, somebody in that senior group had to say, "Ah, this doesn't matter to me. I'm not even I'm just going to break through." But we're still going to look at that, see how we can motivate, see what other schools are doing because they're out of scoring us. Not everybody's outscoring us, but they are outscoring
089us. So, we're going to look at those things. Um, I like looking next. It shows our ACT And this, you know, so you're going to have to go to the bottom and up. And that's also reflecting that we're going down. This year we have bought, and this is also through Europe. This is why we're so fortunate because these things are so expensive. We have an ACT prep online program for every junior student. And they are also have a class. It's not just to use when you're in the class. So Mark and I are making sure that our teachers are we got to know who's helping these kids utilize this because they literally go on and after they've taken that ACT it is a prescription for you only. I mean where you're weak where you're low
090that student can be working on. So I want to make sure they're working on it in other times because not all 200 juniors can get in the ACT prep class. You know what I'm saying? So that's something we're working on and >> that's a totally online program. >> Yeah, that's totally online. They can do it on their phone. They can do it at home. Their parents, we just need to really be pushing that parents are are really helping. But this very last page I want to show because this is where I think it had a glow and it showed a little bit of a growth. So you have to look that the group when I have the title like this. I go from the bottom. So from the bottom that was the 24 cohort. They
091already graduated in 2024. But you look over here and in 2122 they were a 10th grader and that is their preacct and then it and you look it was 16.3 if you look at their composite. Then when they were a junior they did the fall test and grew to 17 and the spring test to 18.4. So that was that group. So go up to the next. They are a 25 graduate. And this shows that when they were in 10th grade, a 16.5 16.2. So that stayed kind of the same, but then they went to a 17.3 in that of the the actual, you know, the fall test is paid for by Gira. And we have the opportunity to give them that fall test. That's another great thing. The spring test is the estate assessment ACT
092from that. And then we look at this year's, this is the 26year class that's about to graduate. If you look what they did their 10th grade year, 16.2, 16.4, and 16.8. There's a little bit of growth. It is lower than than what we've had, but we now have an ACT committee. We're working on things like that, training them. Uh we have two teachers that are certified now in that ACT prep I know it's called AIM. Thank you. It's it's an instructional program. One is Chuck for math and one is Alan Underwood and so we're you know really utilizing them and getting strategies. So that's kind of where we are. We're not in the land of we know we got a lot of work ahead of us and that's what we're doing. real quick. Everyone takes
093the AC. Yes. And when did that how long has that been? >> Oh, when did they start mandating it? It was further back than these numbers we have. >> 2020 21. I would just like to echo what Chrissy said. Um, these are hard conversations to have and we start this meeting with celebrating our principles and then we have this conversation and I see everybody just slowly go down. Um, I know how hard you work. Um, I I see the effort you put in every day. I hear the conversations. I know we're having the right conversations. I know we have the right people in place. I know that we have put a lot of time and effort into examining and changing curriculum in the last three years. And it takes time to make change. Um, more
094than anybody else. I mean, Car's right. I mean, as a principal, when we had to set a goal, I couldn't say I want 90% of my kids to pass because I said, who's 10 who what 10% am I going to leave out? I can't say that. I want 100% of our kids to pass the test. I know you want 100% of the kids to pass the test, but the fact is we have to look where we are. We have to talk about it. We have to figure out what's working, what's not working. And number one, what I want to assure the public and I want to assure all of you are those conversations are happening every day. Um and we've made a lot of strides in what what has happened in the last three years.
095But they are again based on kids on a day that might have been sick for four days where the story I told every one of you about my own son told all those years. >> Um >> we're putting a lot on our third grader's back. >> We are. And what we cannot do is make our leaders and our teachers feel so beat down that they quit or they say this isn't doable. So it is a it is a fine line that we have to walk. Um and I I agree like on the time and that like again that's something already literally on the agenda sitting on my desk for tomorrow. What do we need to do with this? We hear you. We know what we need. How do we fit it in here? >> So,
096I think maybe I was misinterpreted if you're ducking your heads because that was not my point. My point was, what can we do to help you? >> Yes. >> Not you were off base. But for me to sit up here and say, "Okay, that's all right. Good luck." is not my job. My job is to say, "Okay, what can we as a school district do to help you so that you can be successful and not try to bear that on your own shoulders?" And that was my point. So, if you took that wrong, I apologize. That wasn't my idea. What I was trying to say is what do we need to do? Because it takes this whole team, not just you, not just your fifth grade teachers, but it takes this whole team to get
097us where we need to go. and I want to know tell me what can I do to help you and that has been my attitude since I took this job is what can I do to help you be successful and to reiterate and not to demoralize it it's not casting blame I think there are and I felt this as a teacher there were many things that at the top that could have been done money, smaller class sizes, uh more time for certain that I I felt like no one was listening to. >> And I think for the next we we really have our district communications systems open and wide and connecting with the community. Tangan has done an excellent job at that. We have our financial position very solid and under control, but I want
098us to now really put our focus, our money, our time on helping us help our our kids. And uh because you know I I used to tell my students this is serious what I'm trying to help you learn because regular people like us this is the only way to rise out of poverty and injustice and all those sorts of things that happen to people who who get left out and who are reach the glass ceiling and can't break through. And so it's a real passion and I know it is u with all of us and um I I know it is with Mrs. Crawford because we've taught together. We've had these conversations on Friday evenings after school where we're trying to figure out curriculum and how we can make the next jump and step with
099our students. So I I want this and for all the years that I've been on the board, this is my 10th year. This has always been what it has been most important to me and it has taken years for it to become the topic of conversation and so I'm excited about that. You know, >> I think it's courageous for us too to have this conversation in public. There are a lot of school districts that you get a glossing of test scores or whatever what you can see on the state website and that's all that they get. And we are talking about them or looking at them and you know we all know this as a district there are very few kind of professions jobs where there's a score that defines you. Um, you know, I've
100never been in a job that I get a score that is like, "This is how you did." And so, the fact that we're talking about it, addressing it, we're hearing the plans that we've made. Um, I I think it's fantastic that we're not just, well, if you want to know our test scores, go look at our website. We have all this information and we are making plans to address it. And as as a district, I think that doing this in a public meeting is not the norm. And so I I do think it's courageous of us that we are everybody is seeing everything and we're talking about how how we're going to get better. >> I want to add something just something that I'm noticing at the elementaryaries from special services um department. They're not
101just looking at data. I mean they are going in they're looking they're having those conversations things that might not have happened five or six years ago. They're looking at our special needs students. those special education teachers are coming into those data meetings and they're really breaking it down with that software. You might have a special needs student that's might not ever get to that proficient category. They're breaking it down and looking at where they're scoring and where they're moving. So, I I know we're moving in the right direction. I know that population but >> blown away with the conversation and the training that they're asking for. We're in the right direction. And education is a 99% people business. Our product are our kids and their success. Giving them the skills so that they can be
102successful in life. Not just what happens this year, but but can they go forward? Are we giving them the tools that allow them to step into the world and not be beaten down by it and know that they can progress and succeed and um I I'm very excited about you know what what we are doing. So I I applaud you and as Stephanie said it's not to be uh critical in this sense although any critique makes is a obviously a criticism but if where we are and where we're trying to go but not of your efforts because I I know your part just >> you don't need to bear that alone my point >> and I just want to Oh, today you would have been so proud. I went to the Rotary Club because I'm
103a member of the Rotary and we have Lorie Freemouth at the high school which she started the Interact Club which that is the miniature Rotarian Club. We just had this. So, we started out with three. Ava Jordan was maybe the president. She's one of the leaders and she got a bunch of kids. I mean, just kids every walk of life of kid. And so today they have what you call a governor over your district and he's over Tulsa, don't these other places? So our interact kids came and we went to the board meeting and then we ate with them and um the governor of this this Rotary Club governor of our district was so impressed with our kids. They set up they were all sitting there all different kinds of kids from everywhere. They weren't
104all just best friends. and they said, "Hey, we would just like to interview." They'd introduce theirel, they told what they wanted to be. And the whole time I could just think of it from Misty working with them all the way up, these kids were like, "I'm going to be a lawyer. I'm going to be I mean, things that were blowing your mind. One kid was very specific. He was going to be a K-9 police in Colorado." He'd already researched it. He knew what this was. You had K9 dogs and this police spoke boldly. They just went on and on and on to Lori and I when we left, they said, "We've never seen kids like this." So, our teachers and everybody, we're doing something right. It's going to take a while, but when they're getting
105out of here, they're going and they're being successes. So, I you would have been very proud today. Very proud of our kids. >> We hear a lot of passion in this room. Passion people, passion with people out there in our community. That's what's going to that's what's going to change. That's what's going to change this. So, it it gets heated and cooled and hard and soft. Um, and it's not always easy, but it's what will change what will change it for the better. Hard conversations. >> Okay. Item eight. You have two minutes. I could cut this down a lot. 506 employees, 3,592 kids. Armory is going very very well. Was able to take a couple with you for a tour. Uh we can do that again pretty soon. A lot of the framing is completed.
106Sheetrock is up and we're still on track for being done by the end of the year. So that is very good. Um bond um in about a week I should have pretty good tenative timeline. um they'll take the projects and be able to put them in something. Then we can go out to the public and say this is when this should start. This would be when it's projected to be finished. Um and so on from that. But um with what I know right now, we should have a new fieldhouse field ready for our students for graduation, for soccer, for football, for palm, for band um uh for in August of 2027. So, our kids that are sophomores this year should be able to use that facility. So, that is very good. Um, I did want
107to give a a little shout out to our instructional coaches, Jessica Morrison, Cassie Stevens, Chuck Pack, and Candace Jefferson. Even though she's no longer full-time at Telos, she's still doing some work with us. Um, ICDC stole her away. She was a good one. But, you know, they have been instrumental in choosing and implementing and aligning curriculum with us. you've heard them talk about them tonight. Um, you know, they're helping new teachers, you know, they're helping alternative teachers. They're helping teachers that have been teaching for a really long time, but they um, they work really hard every day and I know these principles really um, depend on them and I just wanted to give them a super shout out at this meeting. Um, also to Lori Free and Rachel Hall. uh they worked some new strategies
108on the homecoming um parade and events this year and we got so many compliments that I just felt like it was something we needed to say out publicly whatever they put their heads together with the people that were doing it in the past and with the new ideas for the future and it it it's it worked so shout out to them. Um we did just found out that we got the new Mckenni Vento grant. Uh Nikki wrote that for us and so we got the threeyear $60,000 a year um homeless grant from the state. So, very good on that. Served over 88,000 meals in the month of September. Um, there's a lot that's a lot of meals, isn't it, Miss Gene? It is. Um, upcoming dates, we have our state of education, chamber of commerce
109banquet coming up, um, and a couple board meetings before the Christmas season gets here. I did want to just say publicly, thank you for being the best bosses ever. U, last week was bosses day or whatever it is when we were on break and I was um, out of the country. Um, and but uh you guys are amazing. You have the heart, the right heart, hard conversations, but that is what you're here for. And I never question that. I'm never sorry for that. That is so good that it really matters what we do here because if it matters to you, then it matters to other people. Um, and kids matter and 506 employees matter. So, thank you for holding me accountable. Thank you for holding everybody in our district accountable because that's what makes the
110difference. Um, and because it's going to be a new business, I didn't know this till yesterday morning. I just wanted to say um, thank you to Brad. um he is leaving us uh for greener pastures but uh he has really put in systems in the last years that are you know that what we talked about you know whether when I leave one day when Sabrina leaves one day when a Brad leaves one day when a principal leaves one day we are going to leave it better for the people that come behind us and we are going to have systems in place for the people that come behind us that can continue with the excellence not on an accident was something that's replicable by new people. And so, um, thank you for what you've done at
111Talqua. Um, we wish you nothing but the best, even if we are a little mad at you. Um, but we will get over it. Um, but I know that that will be on new business this evening and no one wants to stay here longer than we already have in an executive session is likely to last two hours. So, I wanted to say that right now. Brad's definitely not saying >> I do want to say one thing real quick. >> I do appreciate you as a board that has supported me and helped me and meant a lot. It's a real hard decision. >> Sometimes when when God drops something in your lap, you know it's the right thing. >> Now listen, cars over there. I have a question. Sorry. How many were enrolled? >> 3592. >>
112Sorry. >> Yes. 3592 as of this report. >> Thank you. >> And I know I bust through that. So he accommodated item I discussion and vote to approve the following surplus. I'll make a motion to approve. Second. Any discussion? >> Miss Nemo. >> Hi. >> Dr. Ever. >> Dr. Kaufman. >> Hi. >> Mrs. Crawford. >> And I J. discussion and vote to approve the following bits, bids, and quotes. >> I make a motion. >> It's a fire alarm system for Do we have a second? I'll second. >> Any discussion? >> Normally, we might complain about the price, but not tonight. I >> Dr. Kaufman. >> Hi, >> Mrs. Crawford. >> Hi. >> And I >> Okay. Discussion. Vote to approve the TPS resident teacher mentor committee for the 202526 school year. Move to approve. >>
113Second. >> Any discussion? How do we deduce how do we choose these mentor teachers? the principles put out that they have and they have a new negotiated piece where it's u you put out that you've got you know an entry year here or whatever and then um people that are interested put in you get the list of people that are interested in mentoring and then tea also looks at that and if they have suggestions they do but the principles get to choose who it is and they really sit down and talk with that person and say you know who do you feel the places too already type thing. But that's how you do that. >> And what do we pay? >> Um it's over it's about 1,400 I think. And uh they required at least
114two hours a week and they do a little while keeping. So yes, that's our negotiation. >> Any further discussion? >> Miss Nemo. >> Hi. >> Dr. Everol. >> Hi. >> Dr. Coffman. >> Hi. >> Mrs. Crawford. >> Hi. Item L, business items. Consent docket vote to approve the following. It's one through four and it deals with contracts, fundraisers, trips out of state and facility agreements. Do I have a >> I'll make a motion. Any discussion on >> on the B under one? >> Yes, >> we are taking her resignation. So, >> yes. So, she >> she is going to just do a supplemental service contract with us for the rest of the year uh on the reporting that she does some of the training for the new person. So, she will no longer be a
115full-time employee. She has resigned >> um and stay taken a new job but she will come back on a limited time sheet and help us train the new registar. >> Okay. >> So that's okay. All right. Didn't understand it. All right. Clarify further discussion. Mr. >> Hi. >> Dr. Ever. >> Dr. Coffman. Hi. >> Mrs. Crawford. Not. Um, item M, discussion and vote to approve the schedule of incumbrances. I have a motion. I'll make that motion. I'll second. Any discussion? Mrs. Ne. >> I, Dr. I, >> Mrs. Crawford. And I, item 10, executive session. Exe executive session authority uh 25 Oklahoma statute 307B 1 2 4 and 7. The board proposes to discuss the following matters during its closed session. Number one, conduct confidential communications between the board and its attorney concerning Oscar Brownfield versus
116Independent School District number 35 of Cherokee County, Oklahoma, Leon Ashlock, Matt Cloud, and Deian Mashburn. Case number 21 CB 312, United States District Court for the Eastern Eastern District of Oklahoma. The board having been advised by its attorney that disclosure will seriously impair the ability of the school district to conduct the pending litigation pursuant to Oklahoma statute title 25 307B4. We need to move to go to session. Yes. >> But I make a motion to enter executive session for uh confidential communications and superintendent evaluation department. >> Second discussion [Music] by Dr. and Mrs. I Um, okay. Want to item zero. Not zero. >> I'm late. >> I had surgery yesterday. I'm out of it. um want to acknowledge the board's return open session and it is 9:32 and item P our statement of executive uh
117session is that the board discussed when we were in executive session um a settlement agreement dealing with a lawsuit uh against Calqua Public Schools and we also discussed parts uh which domains did we discuss? Student services >> student services >> and teaching learning assessment in the teach the superintendent evaluation >> and no votes were taken and no votes were taken. No actions item R. >> Oh I forgot Q. I'm sorry, guys. It's okay. >> Would you like me to make that since it is giving you a >> uh Yes. Do that for me, please. >> I would make a motion to authorize board president Lorraine Walker to pay on behalf of the school district in her discretion a settlement amount recommended by the settlement judge up to Brownfield's prayer or up to Brownfield's last demand,
118whichever is lower, in connection with case number 21 CV 312, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. I second that. >> Any discussion? >> Miss Nemo. >> Hi. >> Dr. Eversol. >> I. >> Dr. Cau. >> Hi. >> And Mrs. Crawford. >> Hi. >> And I And now are we ready for R? >> We are. discussion and vote to approve the resolution for a board of education primary election to be held February 10, 2026 only if three or more candidates file for the board of education position scheduled to be on the ballot. A board of education general election, if necessary, shall be held April 7th, 2026 under the following circumstances. If only two candidates file for a position scheduled to be on the ballot or for a position on the ballot for
119an unexpired term or if no candidate in the board of educ if no candidate in the board of education primary election received more than 50% of the votes cast. The voter shall elect a board member for board position number one, which has a five term uh of office. The polling places shall be open from 7 a.m. to 700 p.m. Second. >> Any discussion? >> He's boardwide. >> I think it it is I. So >> um any any further discussion? Mrs. Nemo. >> Hi. >> Dr. Everol. >> Hi. >> Dr. C. >> Hi. >> Mrs. Crawford. And I item S. Motion and vote to approve the following personnel items. And I think it's one through five. And under item two, employment, the following uh names. Bethany Davis, sped teacher, pending certification. Chelsea Hood, part-time Paris sub.
120Christopher Weir, part-time Paris sub. Fleming Jacob E. Rodell, registar. I didn't make a motion, so may I have a motion? I'll make a motion to approve one through five. >> Any discussion? >> Mr. Nemo. >> Hi. >> Dr. Ever. >> I. >> Dr. Coffman. >> Hi, >> Mrs. Crawford. >> Hi. >> And I And we do have item T, new business. Part A, new business on TA. Motion and vote to approve the following personnel item. This is under resignation. These names are not highlighted, so we don't need to read them or we did. >> Okay. >> Brad Jones, maintenance director. uh effective 11725 and Leah Matlock ths registar effective 10925. >> I'll make a motion to approve. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Just say they both value people and they going on to greener pastures
121for them and uh we wish them the best. >> Hate to lose them. >> Yeah. >> Yes. It will be a great loss >> for people that have such experience. Yeah, that's always a loss. >> Uh, Mrs. Nina, >> hi. >> Dr. Everole, >> I >> Dr. Kaufman. >> Hi, >> Mrs. Crawford. And I under new business uh T B. Motion and vote to approve or uh the following contracts. One is a contract with Guard Electronic Incorporated for 244hour alarm monitoring service for our new boag barn to opio opioid lawsuit attorney client fee contract. >> Move to approve. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> We we just briefly didn't. >> Yes, we just the alarm bar. We want to get that alarm on there as soon as possible. We have animals that are precious and
122expensive. That's true. >> Uh, no further. >> Do I have vote? >> Yeah. >> So, Mrs. Nemo, >> hi. >> Dr. Evero, >> I >> Dr. Hi, >> Mrs. Crawford. >> Hi. >> And I and item You are now a truck.