001SBSD Helpdesk: Hey, Laura? Okay, you're you're loud, all right. SBSD Helpdesk: So I'd like to call to order the South Burlington School Board SBSD Helpdesk: Special meeting on August 7, th 2025. SBSD Helpdesk: The 1st item on the agenda is a projected executive session, and so I would entertain a motion to find that premature public knowledge of what we're going to discuss, which is employment of a public officer and receiving confidential attorney client communication for the purpose of providing legal services. The board would place the district at significant disadvantage. SBSD Helpdesk: I make that function. SBSD Helpdesk: Do I have a second? Okay any discussion? SBSD Helpdesk: All those in favor say, aye, aye! SBSD Helpdesk: The motion passes. I would entertain a motion to enter into executive session for discussion of employment of a
002public officer, and to receive confidential attorney client communication for the purpose of providing legal services to the Board. SBSD Helpdesk: I move save a second any discussion. SBSD Helpdesk: all those in favor. Alright. So we'll go into executive session, and we will try to return around 6 pm. And coming into executive session with us is Joe Mcneil, the District Council, and at some point we may ask Kristen Rome to come into SBSD Helpdesk: the executive session. So SBSD Helpdesk: okay. SBSD Helpdesk: that's good. SBSD Helpdesk: To use that SBSD Helpdesk: alright. I'll call the order the August 7, th 2025, special meeting of the South Burlington School Board. SBSD Helpdesk: Our 1st agenda item was an executive session. SBSD Helpdesk: Our second item is calling the meeting to order. Our 3rd item is announcements and
003amendments to the agenda. SBSD Helpdesk: Does anybody have any announcement for amendments to the agenda? SBSD Helpdesk: I have one? SBSD Helpdesk: No? So I'd like to welcome Kristen romick sitting here as our acting superintendent. Kristen was our choice because she brings a wealth of experience relationships and a history of dedication to the district, and we are thankful for you. In this role, and we have confidence that you will SBSD Helpdesk: tide is over while we, while we need that. So thank you. Is there anything you'd like to say? Thank you very much. I'm excited for the opportunity. Now. SBSD Helpdesk: Veronica, you know, bridging that? SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah, that we have over the next few weeks, and it's very confident. Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: Does anybody have any other announcements or amendments? The agenda.
004SBSD Helpdesk: Okay, we'll move on to comments from the public. SBSD Helpdesk: This is all incorrect. SBSD Helpdesk: Hi, Elizabeth Fitzgerald, resident city councilor. I just wanted to make the board aware that the city is going to have a public hearing on September second, I believe I have to check the date, second or 4, th and there are some considerations in a public forum on land development regulations. SBSD Helpdesk: So the Tif district, which includes city centers and property across Williston Road and then down to San Remo drive. There are some modifications being recommended by the planning commission that would allow for 12 to 14 story buildings in that area. SBSD Helpdesk: And I know I brought up some questions about considerations of property that abuts the school properties. This is a long term plan.
005It's really land development regulations that encourage denser housing in what we call our city center area. But I did want to make the board aware that SBSD Helpdesk: those the public hearing will be in that early September timeframe. If there are any considerations you would like to take into account relative to that height building in proximity to school facilities. SBSD Helpdesk: Thanks you, too. Thank you? SBSD Helpdesk: Oh, yeah, we need. SBSD Helpdesk: We'll go back out of that. SBSD Helpdesk: Oh, there's a hand up in the attendees, mark. SBSD Helpdesk: would you? Would you unmute Mark? Yeah. Mark G Ivy Bound: I have. All right, thank you all. And Miss Ronick best wishes. I'm an outsider. I'm Mark Greenstein, but potentially an insider. Should Ms. Ronick, you not want to continue? I am a
006candidate for interim superintendent. I'm in Connecticut now, but for all purposes I wanted to, just for 2 min have the Board members be really thinking about a proposal Mark G Ivy Bound: that I think it's long overdue, and it's to stop foisting advanced math on kids. Mark G Ivy Bound: The students who need in their careers, algebra, trigonometry, matrices, calculus. For God's sakes, it's 1 in 200, Mark G Ivy Bound: and that number is shrinking. Mark G Ivy Bound: And meanwhile we put on students from 6th grade onward. And they've got their arithmetic typically down by then. That's all you need to conduct life and business. Mark G Ivy Bound: And then we're putting them through grade 7 all the way to 12, in most cases with math that will never be used Mark G Ivy
007Bound: in place of things like critical thinking, nature, health, science, computing, workplace skills. There's so much that they could do and flourish. Mark G Ivy Bound: I'm a sat prep. Mark G Ivy Bound: Teacher. I've been at this for 25 years. Mark G Ivy Bound: and you do not need an sat math score to attend a really good college. Mark G Ivy Bound: The students who are you see them, especially girls feeling inferior because they don't keep up Mark G Ivy Bound: and frustrated. Why do I have to do this? And in the meantime Mark G Ivy Bound: they're spending half of their homework time on one subject, and they could be spreading it out to 3 or 4. Mark G Ivy Bound: I hope you'll consider it long run about. What are we really
008doing with these math requirements? Thanks for hearing me out. Look forward to the rest of the meeting. SBSD Helpdesk: Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: Bridget. SBSD Helpdesk: Would you want to be Bridget. Bridget Burkhardt: Hi! There! Bridget Burkhardt: This is the second meeting in a row that Mr. Greenstein has been allowed to comment. He doesn't fall under. I know that the Board can listen to anyone. Bridget Burkhardt: I find his comments extremely disturbing. Bridget Burkhardt: and they are from someone who is outside of our district. Bridget Burkhardt: even if he is considered which I hope he is not for a position in our district. He should be following the regular process that everyone else would need to be following, I am very frustrated that the Board seems to shut down commentary a lot of the time
009from people who live in the district, and who have an interest in the district other than selling services to the district. Bridget Burkhardt: or potentially being hired by the district. And yet he has been allowed to speak at both of these meetings, and I really hope that you're a little more judicious in the future about outside service providers being allowed to take up time at board meetings. Thanks. SBSD Helpdesk: Thank you, Bridget. Any other public comment. SBSD Helpdesk: So we only allow one speak one session per speaker, because public comment is not meant to be a period for discussion. So I'm sorry, Mark, but I can't let you respond. Right now. SBSD Helpdesk: Any other comments. SBSD Helpdesk: Okay, we have it coming in the room. SBSD Helpdesk: I was disappointed when I saw you
010had hired a public relations firm to me. I'm gonna wonder from now on. Is it the board speaking, or is it a Pr. Firm? I would rather it was the board. But SBSD Helpdesk: thank you, Michael SBSD Helpdesk: Diane, would you, new Diane? SBSD Helpdesk: You can go ahead, Diane. Diane Bugbee: Hi, thank you. I just want to say I I'm Diane Bugbee: also. I'm concerned about the prospective interp candidates speaking at this meeting, but I I feel compelled to just say I was offended by the assumptions made about girls and math, and Diane Bugbee: lots of girls excel at math and want to be in advanced math courses, and it to me just seemed misogynistic to make this assumption that we shouldn't be that he's singling out girls in particular about math and advanced
011math. And I just I'm concerned about that. Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: Thank you, Diane. Any other public comment. SBSD Helpdesk: Alright. The next item on the agenda is action on the public participation policy. SBSD Helpdesk: And I think this is something that we've been discussing since may SBSD Helpdesk: the spirit behind it is to take the public more seriously SBSD Helpdesk: and offer them opportunities to engage with a quorum of the Board. SBSD Helpdesk: and to clarify the guidelines that have been on our agenda and back them up with a policy that the Board has adopted and allow us to clarify venues for public participation, both on the agenda template and also on the website where, you may remember that in the policy it mentions that we can add a table of SBSD Helpdesk: I
012think we called it the table of authorities to the website. That'll basically say, if you have a question about staffing. Here's who you talk to. If you have a question about budgeting, here's who you talk to. If you have a question about SBSD Helpdesk: anything, you know. Like, let's let's make this a a big table, so that when people want to make, when they want to provide appropriate feedback, they know where to go to, so that it doesn't feel like rope or dope where they talk to one person, they don't get a response. They talk to the other one, they say, talk to the 1st person and all that. So that's my introduction to this. I'll put it back on the screen, and then I would welcome comments from board members and our superintendent. SBSD
013Helpdesk: and I think if we discover that we are not satisfied with this. SBSD Helpdesk: As currently written. Then we will not take action on it tonight. But if we are satisfied with how it's written, then. We've had at least 3 readings and so we are allowed to take action on it. SBSD Helpdesk: Are there any concerns from board members or superintendent about this policy? SBSD Helpdesk: Well, the one thing that I was going to to say is, and I think we discussed this, perhaps last week is in regards to who may address the board, and I think what we have heard is that anyone can address the board essentially, and it's spelled out here in pretty great detail. SBSD Helpdesk: Some of the concerns in the past is that we have had participants address
014the Board SBSD Helpdesk: that are not residents of South Burlington. SBSD Helpdesk: And I don't feel that their commentary adds to our discussion, but nonetheless, we just to kind of clarify that they still have the right to speak. SBSD Helpdesk: and I think going forward an opportunity for us is to have a sign in sheet potentially. And if you have a certain amount of time that's allotted on the schedule, then you can divide it up based on the people who are going to speak, and so that way folks can be afforded the appropriate opportunity to have time to talk right. SBSD Helpdesk: Oh, and Laura, go ahead, Laura. Laura Williams: Yeah, I just people who may address the board. So I agree with what we have written here. I you know, any district residents, all
015the all the stakeholders, and Number 6 is others at the discretion of the board, and I know my! I'm in a minority here, but I do think that people who are not stakeholders, you know they are not Laura Williams: community members. They have to give their name, and we, as a board, decide whether or not that that's others at the discretion of the Board, and I think that we can exercise that. Laura Williams: So that's otherwise. I do agree. I agree with the policy. SBSD Helpdesk: So let me just SBSD Helpdesk: think that my only other concern is is how folks are SBSD Helpdesk: divided up, and who who's going to be this week. By the by, the numbers, and that it's a little bit exciting as well. Yeah. My short SBSD Helpdesk: knowledge of
016the I have not seen a situation yet where we've had so many speakers that we have needed to cut people off SBSD Helpdesk: have other, maybe just asking around. SBSD Helpdesk: But and the only other thing I. And I know this is clear to everybody here. SBSD Helpdesk: Number 3 where it says, and parents. And it's parents of students. Right? SBSD Helpdesk: Yes, because, you know, just from a legal standpoint somebody could come in from Heinzburg and on SBSD Helpdesk: the parent, the parent of a student. Right? I think. The only reason that we enumerated this was so that we could justify why we might prioritize, so does it have to be parents, or can it be caregivers? And I guess we do one thing, too, because it may not necessarily be a parent. But
017it could be. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah, I think that's a yeah. That's not a substantial change. I don't think that requires. SBSD Helpdesk: I think it's a school. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah, we could say that there are numbers. SBSD Helpdesk: So do I need Oxford comma here? Student? Yes, I think I did SBSD Helpdesk: very diverse of the school staff members, students and students. SBSD Helpdesk: And then I also wanted to point out another thing here is that this policy is written so that there are only a few SBSD Helpdesk: requirements. SBSD Helpdesk: Think we use the word will, so there's only 4 times where we use the word will SBSD Helpdesk: every other time it's in May. SBSD Helpdesk: So there will be time set aside for public input on any topic. At every regular special
018or emergency meeting of the board. This is the public comment, Section SBSD Helpdesk: board interaction with the public. This is meant to say that the Board will not interact with the public like have a discussion except during specially notated SBSD Helpdesk: public forums. SBSD Helpdesk: Also, it says, we will not discuss things that are not on the agenda, even if it is a public forum SBSD Helpdesk: and then SBSD Helpdesk: this is just in statute that we have to provide a response. If people have questions, so those are the only 4 things that are required by this policy. Everything else is up to our implementation. SBSD Helpdesk: So I'd entertain a motion to adopt this policy. I have one other question you just said about an agenda. Will there be agendas for the public forums?
019SBSD Helpdesk: So if part of the you know, number of the community wants to talk about something that's not like, how how does that work with us? Being able to speak with them? If it's SBSD Helpdesk: a public forum is still a regular special or emergency meeting. It's 1 of those 3 depending on how it's born. And so, therefore, at the beginning of a public forum, there is still a public comment section. And during the public comment section, you can talk about Mars. SBSD Helpdesk: You can talk about anything for 3 min for 3. Well, yeah, for 3 min. So that's so in a in a public forum, the concept. So in the past, we're responding to criticism that listening sessions were not well attended. SBSD Helpdesk: One theory is that they were not taken seriously because
020the board was not there in quorum. And so it was kind of like, well, I'm only talking to a couple of people, and I can't really say anything to me, so why should I even bother? And so the purpose of a public forum is for it to be a regular. I'm sorry so for it to be a public meeting with quorum of the Board, with warned agenda topics. And then, if somebody wants to talk about something. Then the procedure for that is that they should email the board saying, I would love to talk about this, and we may decide to put that on the agenda. SBSD Helpdesk: So for clarity, for instance, if someone wanted to address this topic, are we affording people the opportunity SBSD Helpdesk: to talk SBSD Helpdesk: after so that there's
021an opportunity for public to have input yes. So the chair may ask for comments on action items before action is taken by the board. And this is a clarification of something we say here. So the guidelines for public comment that are currently listed on our agenda SBSD Helpdesk: say SBSD Helpdesk: it's confusing. Comments should not be related to agenda items, but can be made during the discussion of an agenda item. SBSD Helpdesk: So I think that is meant to say we actually could. And I was wrong, and I'm sorry I apologize for being wrong about misinterpreting this. But apparently, if it's a discussion of an agenda item, we can take public comments. But then, at the same time, it says, public comment is not a time for discussion. And so that leads you to believe
022that actually, you can't have a back and forth. You can't actually respond to what somebody said. So we're aiming to replace these, and with something that's more SBSD Helpdesk: but you're right. SBSD Helpdesk: I guess we have the same problem here. If we ask for comments on action items. SBSD Helpdesk: would we expect to interact with them? Technically? No, according to this SBSD Helpdesk: we would not interact, but we would accept comments. Well, I thought that when we put it together the intent was that you're going to have your board meetings where there's public comment, and you would have an opportunity to SBSD Helpdesk: the public to speak again during an action item. But when you have the public Forum. I didn't think that we were planning to actually have an agenda, and it was
023more of an opportunity to dialogue and to discuss. You have to have an agenda we have if we're going to talk about board discussion, we have to. But I think that's fine. You know. We say we're going to talk about parent accountability? Yeah? And then leave it broad. Yeah. SBSD Helpdesk: So in response to your question, this policy, says SBSD Helpdesk: a normal meeting which is not a public forum during which we would not respond to the public. The public is allowed to comment on action items. So right now, somebody could comment on an action item. SBSD Helpdesk: but we would not respond to it. Right? I think it's just affording people that opportunity, so that when you make a decision, made a decision with their with their right, and presumably for many. So SBSD
024Helpdesk: obviously the board is going to take action on many things, and in general we're not going to have time to have a public forum with a warned agenda item on that particular topic. For every single thing that we talk about, like library selection of library materials. So normally, I think the expectation would be that people talk during public comment SBSD Helpdesk: while we're on a 1st reading, second reading and stuff like that. And then there would be some things that are a particular public concern that would get a full public forum agenda item on them. SBSD Helpdesk: So yes, I think there's multiple opportunities here for somebody to provide feedback on something we're gonna take action on hopefully. SBSD Helpdesk: far before we take action on well, and we could be affected by what
025they say during the time, and not take action and not emphasize not taking actions. We want to think about it more, or it changes your opinion right? Right? SBSD Helpdesk: Better input, display or shoulder. SBSD Helpdesk: So I was. SBSD Helpdesk: I would entertain a motion to adopt this policy as written. Laura Williams: I move to adopt the policies written. SBSD Helpdesk: Do I have second second? SBSD Helpdesk: Well, now it's time for discussion. SBSD Helpdesk: Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: I I will just say, I think, that the whole point of having a sign up sheet is critical, because when you go and you look at, if you scroll up just a little bit above where it says the Board may prioritize speakers in the following order, in order to prioritize the speakers, you have
026to know who the speakers would be. SBSD Helpdesk: so I think that kind of underscores the importance of having that sign up sheet. Right? Yes, and I think that the way it's written now, if we know at a SBSD Helpdesk: board meeting, where we're going to talk about the budget. We expect a ton we can. We are allowed to. We may have a sign up sheet, but then, in a meeting like. SBSD Helpdesk: you know the consent agenda meeting in the middle of July, we might decide not to have a sheet, and we wouldn't be out of compliance with our policy. SBSD Helpdesk: But I would just say, I mean to some of the comments that were made tonight. But during public comment, people who are concerned that you have folks that are not in
027the district that are commenting, and they're having an opportunity to comment before people who are in the district, you know. I'm just saying that might help to abate some of those concerns. If you're looking at it and saying, Hey, these are the people that we know are self, Burlington residents. We want to hear from them 1st SBSD Helpdesk: before we get to. SBSD Helpdesk: so are you. Are you saying that the motion should fail and we should change this from saying sign up. Sheets may be available to sign up sheets will be available and force us to do it every time. SBSD Helpdesk: Well, I'm my concern with that is, though that does not mean that you can't speak. If you didn't sign up on that, you can still speak if even if you didn't
028sign up on the signage. SBSD Helpdesk: even if it's here every time. Right? My reason for for not having us SBSD Helpdesk: force is that I don't want to be out of compliance if we think that on a particular meeting we don't need it. SBSD Helpdesk: That's a good discussion. If someone out of the district signs up on the sign, up sheet, even if they're not resident, would they have priority before someone who is from the district but didn't sign up? So this SBSD Helpdesk: this, this policy? SBSD Helpdesk: Does not say that the prioritization has to be based on the sign up sheet. It just says that I can prioritize if I know. SBSD Helpdesk: So that is probably like an edge case. That wouldn't, Laura. Laura Williams: Yeah, I just want to say
029again that everybody who speaks has to say their name and where they live. And again, I want to reiterate that we do as a board have discretion to say whether or not the person speaks. Community members, stakeholders. Yes, 100% Laura Williams: anybody who has. Laura Williams: But again, people people should. Laura Williams: I think it's it's just pretty clear. We, as the board, have discretion, and that is. Laura Williams: that is how other boards operate. I did look into this a little bit so. SBSD Helpdesk: Well. SBSD Helpdesk: I am not a lawyer, but I believe that where it says, at the discretion of the board that has to do with prioritization. SBSD Helpdesk: so like we could not say SBSD Helpdesk: the the advice from Joe was that SBSD Helpdesk: if somebody wants to
030speak we have to let them speak. Laura Williams: Okay, I. SBSD Helpdesk: And so they must go last in line. But. Laura Williams: I don't think that's entirely correct. But okay, I will go along with. SBSD Helpdesk: Even if I I don't know how this would materially change if we I mean I could be wrong. But I don't know how this would materially change if Joe said, Well, actually, you can. SBSD Helpdesk: I think that it's sufficient as written that we may prioritize people. And then I guess the assumption is that we would also be able to move on to a different SBSD Helpdesk: agenda item and therefore cut off public comments simply by prioritizing and moving to a new thing, but I wouldn't do that unless Joe told me that that was allowed. SBSD
031Helpdesk: Oh, the word discretion makes it seem like we SBSD Helpdesk: queues to move on if we want to. I don't interpret that here, because all we're like SBSD Helpdesk: all that is list is doing, is it? Says the board chair may prioritize Speaker in the following order. So that doesn't say who can talk. It just says the order by which I can prioritize people. SBSD Helpdesk: But I think that it. It does leave. SBSD Helpdesk: It is ambiguous here whether we are essentially allowed to time people out. SBSD Helpdesk: But I also don't think that SBSD Helpdesk: it's necessary for us to put that in here like Joe will be like you can time people out. We'll time people out, or Joe say, no, you can't time people out, and I'll move on. SBSD
032Helpdesk: Curious SBSD Helpdesk: any more discussion on this. SBSD Helpdesk: Alright would we have discussion SBSD Helpdesk: from? Ask if there's discussion on an action item SBSD Helpdesk: way that our current policy is written so guidelines for public comment. Comments should not be related to agenda items, but can be made during the discussion of an agenda item. So let's be SBSD Helpdesk: liberal about our interpretation of that, and say yes. At this point we would. If anybody wants to say anything before we take action on this they would be welcome to say something. SBSD Helpdesk: Elizabeth cool. SBSD Helpdesk: Thank you, Elizabeth Fitzgerald. I did send a note to the full board earlier, so I'm just going to share the highlights of of my comments. But one thing that I think we needed clarification was
033SBSD Helpdesk: That was intended that no public comment would be sought on any other discussion. Topics or the public should make comments in advance of board discussion on these topics like, there's 3 other topics on the agenda tonight, so will there be any comments taken from the public on those SBSD Helpdesk: during a discussion period, or only this topic which is worn for action, that that to me needed clarification. SBSD Helpdesk: the the latter concerns me is the public comment would be out of context and potentially unnecessary. If the Board touches on a point the public was interested in. So I might want to make a comment. But if I hear you just discuss it in your discussion, I'm like, okay, that's covered. I don't need to speak on that, but I would have made
034it out of context in a, in a public session in advance of that SBSD Helpdesk: I did think I do believe the public can enhance the board discussion by having heard the Board's exchanges in advance of taking that comment, and you might find over time that public comment does not take that much time SBSD Helpdesk: out of your agenda, and might add some value to your deliberations when the perception of suppressing public comment in any way could result in unnecessary blowback, too. There are current guidelines on the Board's agenda for public comment, so I wondered if those had to be modified like in Number One, it states your legal name and town of residence. So if you're gonna if you, if the board chair has the authority to prioritize. SBSD Helpdesk: You would need that
035information at some point, and it's either getting it upfront or it's SBSD Helpdesk: stopping a meeting and asking for that, and then sort of calling people out. And if you're going to take comment from anybody anyway, I just wonder what purpose that serves. The second item is in Number 2 on the current. It's the same thing I asked about the chair may ask for comments on action items only. So what is the criteria. For when and how public forum might be designated. SBSD Helpdesk: and will public input be allowed on discussion, topics on the agenda? And then, lastly, on Number 7. Public comment is not a time for discussion. SBSD Helpdesk: and this is relative to can a resident or anyone asked that their written comments be read and or included in the public record
036versus subjectively occluded, and that is noted as when appropriate in the current policy recommendations. So if I had sent these comments in and asked them to be read and included in the public record. I don't know what the Board's mechanism is in this policy to address that. Thanks. SBSD Helpdesk: So I think, that can further inform the discussion of the motion that's currently on the table. My understanding of the Board's position on this is that it was felt SBSD Helpdesk: discussion. SBSD Helpdesk: I'm sorry. Comment being allowed on every discussion item as opposed to every action item, would be too disruptive of the normal business meetings, and at the same time by establishing public forums, we would kind of go one step backwards, 2 steps forward, and provide like a very extensive and SBSD Helpdesk:
037new opportunity for the public to like go back and forth with people. So I think that the way that it's written it does indeed restrict comment to action items and not discussion items. So is everybody still comfortable with that SBSD Helpdesk: based on the public comment. SBSD Helpdesk: Yes, I my question is, and that's great, Elizabeth, for bringing up like what we would do with these guidelines that are listed right here, because that second one just drives me crazy every time. I don't quite it. It's been confusing to everyone in in this situation SBSD Helpdesk: would, like a community member, be able to talk about an agenda item. That is a discussion item during public comment that they cannot SBSD Helpdesk: comment on during the discussion item portion that makes sense. So SBSD Helpdesk: thank
038you for bringing up. And Elizabeth also, I believe that this agenda is going to be rewritten and based on the policy. We will write different procedures. So this all these one through 7, they're going to get deleted, and we are going to start over exactly so as long as I mean, I guess I want to make sure that if public comment cannot happen during a discussion. SBSD Helpdesk: It's not prohibited from happening during public comment at the beginning of a meeting like the way the States, you can't talk about the agenda. Item. Yes, yeah, if you look at board, if you look at the original model policy from the Vsba. SBSD Helpdesk: they say SBSD Helpdesk: there will be time set aside for public input on items, not on the agenda, but we removed that.
039And we said. SBSD Helpdesk: You can talk about stuff that's on the agenda during public comment. And so the ideal model for public comment is, we warn something for discussion. SBSD Helpdesk: People comment on it in public comment. We we warn it again. People comment on it during public comment. If it's a if it's an issue of particular concern, we schedule a public forum. We put it on the agenda. People show up, and they get to have back and forth with the board, and then the SBSD Helpdesk: this thing where the board chair may ask for comments on action items before actions taken that's meant to be like the last ditch. You guys are idiots. Stop what you're doing us. We're the idiots. But it is confusing, because, like right now, number 2 guidelines for
040public comment. It says, comments should not be related SBSD Helpdesk: should not be related to an agenda item. Okay, yeah, but can be made. And I think that's where so much of the confusion. Exactly. It's it's just having a procedure without having a back policy. We we should always have had a policy. Yeah. So now we're having a policy, and then we'll establish procedure and comply with it. Okay? SBSD Helpdesk: But I think going back to also what Elizabeth brought up regarding any email communication. How is is that sufficiently addressing? Or someone was asked if they send something in? And they asked to have their public comment SBSD Helpdesk: incorporated into the record. How do we do? We have that? I think we have the discretion about whether it would be for the public record.
041SBSD Helpdesk: So to be clear, the SBSD Helpdesk: public records are defined as anything that we write or acquire in the course of doing business. So if somebody sends us a note, this is a public record, even if they later tell us. Oh, no, I didn't want that to be in the public record. So like this is this is more like, maybe the public record may be included in SBSD Helpdesk: I guess if they send us like an Hr. Thing. SBSD Helpdesk: if they send us an Hr. Thing, then it wouldn't be appropriate. It wouldn't be in the public record, I guess what the intention of this was more like on our website. SBSD Helpdesk: Well, I mean. I would just think if somebody sent in SBSD Helpdesk: communication related to an item that was
042being discussed. SBSD Helpdesk: and they're not here in person. SBSD Helpdesk: Then, you know. Would that be something that could be read and acknowledged. That's that's the one as part of the as part of the discussion, not just necessarily in the public record, because when I I hear that what Elizabeth had just stated, I would see that more as we would like to acknowledge communication that was just received by the public from someone who could not speak tonight, and perhaps there is SBSD Helpdesk: some good information there that needs to be shared. So I guess the the point, for example, when Elizabeth sent in her comments a few days ago. That would trigger this SBSD Helpdesk: well, wouldn't SBSD Helpdesk: unable or or, you know, unwilling, I think maybe we just simplify this, and to
043say. SBSD Helpdesk: individuals may submit. SBSD Helpdesk: You know, just delete, this individual may submit, comments the Board, right and written comments may be acknowledged, and you could interpret that to mean we may acknowledge them by reading them at the meeting. SBSD Helpdesk: and we may acknowledge them by like, for example, making a Pdf out of your email and dropping it into the folder. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah? And well, yeah, okay. Written comments received may be acknowledged when appropriate, included in the SBSD Helpdesk: published right in the published SBSD Helpdesk: record cause. It's our like, you just said it is going to be in the public record. But in the published record SBSD Helpdesk: or published meeting, maybe included alongside other meeting materials. Yes. So, by the way, the motion has failed, because I think this
044is some good improvement, and I guess when I think of that, too, I think of it being in the minutes. SBSD Helpdesk: too. If it's read out loud, then it will be in the minutes of whoever's taking. Well. But if you had a discussion about this as we were having, and one of the things like I just bring up during that discussion we received an email from a constituent. I'd like to read it out loud. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah. So that I guess that's when I hear being part of the public record. I think of it as being part of like the minutes that person was here and somewhere, right. SBSD Helpdesk: you know, to what they said. So for clarity when you say you may read it. Are you then making decisions about what you're
045reading? What you're reading? According to this is written? We would, it says, may be acknowledged, and may be included alongside of them. So we may ignore people, and we may not read them out loud. Yeah. SBSD Helpdesk: And I think we could set procedures, and then, if that becomes a problem, we could then revise this. But I don't want to tie our hands about having to read. Every there has to be some discretion SBSD Helpdesk: customer experience through it. SBSD Helpdesk: Programs with you, Laura. Please. Sorry, Laura, interrupt me if I don't. Laura Williams: Oh, no, that's okay. I was just gonna call for the orders of the day because we're way over time on this agenda item. That's all. SBSD Helpdesk: Okay, thank you. So I would entertain a motion to adopt the policy
046as written here. SBSD Helpdesk: Or, Yeah, I already want to do that. SBSD Helpdesk: Oh, Bridget, yes. SBSD Helpdesk: Go ahead. Bridget Burkhardt: Thank you. Yeah, thank you so much for recognizing me a second time in the meeting. I appreciate it. One quick question I had is that the chair may ask for comments on action items before action is taken by the board. I just want to clarify when you guys are changing policy. And you're doing 1st and second reading. Are you counting 1st and second reading as action items on the agenda? I just want to make sure that the public doesn't end up in a situation where they don't feel like they can comment on Bridget Burkhardt: 1st and second reading, because it's not technically an action item for the night. But then you
047get to the night where you're taking action on something, and then they feel. Then they're kind of told. Well, we're taking action. We've talked about this 2 or 3 times already, and it's time for us to move this forward. I just want to make sure that it's clear that people can comment on 1st or second reading as the policy is, or the procedure, or whatever it is. Bridget Burkhardt: Really, the policy is being developed because procedures are more for the board and how it's going to do its own business. But policies are something that the whole community really should be concerned with. Yeah. SBSD Helpdesk: Thank you. So that's another. SBSD Helpdesk: So we could say, so this is actually, we're taking the Bsba's original thing which said that the public comment period was for
048things, not in the agenda. And we're flipping it. And we're saying the public comment period is when you should talk about any topic, including discussion items. SBSD Helpdesk: Because that's your opportunity. You don't get to discuss discussion items during discussion items. But you do get to do it during the public comment is it? Are people. So the motion fails unless people want to move forward SBSD Helpdesk: without this. But I think that's a very reasonable modification to clarify. SBSD Helpdesk: Does any. Okay? So the motion fails. I would entertain a motion to adopt the policy at Britain. SBSD Helpdesk: Enterprise policy as well. Yeah. SBSD Helpdesk: okay, do I have a second, any discussion. SBSD Helpdesk: but it's got their hands up. SBSD Helpdesk: Okay, is there anybody with their hands up? No, okay. All
049those in favor say, aye, II, SBSD Helpdesk: I. Okay. The motion passes great. That's everybody. SBSD Helpdesk: Okay. So the next item on our agenda is. SBSD Helpdesk: well, okay. So I realized that during the announcements and the amendments to the agenda. I forgot to amend the agenda to add a superintendent report, and Joe has in the past advised me that it's a situation like that. With the 2 thirds vote of the board we could amend the agenda and add something like a superintendent's report. SBSD Helpdesk: Say again, mid meeting. Yeah, that's what Joe advised me. So would. People would board members be amenable to amending the agenda to include a superintendent's report. Yes, yes, okay, great. So I think maybe what we'll do next is do the superintendent report, and then we'll proceed with
050superintendent vacancy after. SBSD Helpdesk: So thank you again. And I just wanted to share a little bit about myself, so that you all have a little information. I've been with the district for over 20 years. I've been in education for over 30 years. SBSD Helpdesk: And I'm really excited to SBSD Helpdesk: work with our district, moving it forward and continuing the good work we're gonna do. So. Thanks for that opportunity wanted to share a little bit about what's going on in our schools right now, because there's a lot, even though students well, students are in our buildings, but not as they typically would be SBSD Helpdesk: so wanted to just give a huge shout out to our building and facilities teams that have been working around the clock you may have recognized or seen, I
051think probably one of the most noticeable is the parking lots, and all of our schools look amazing. But that's not the only thing that's going on. There's painting, there's SBSD Helpdesk: the I don't want to give too much away, because in some of the schools, you know, we're kind of excited to have students enter the building and see what it's gonna look like when they come in. But the middle school has some significant changes going on. And there's been work done at every single one of our buildings. And today Central Office also had some work done so big, huge shout out to our facilities and maintenance crews who are working around the clock. SBSD Helpdesk: wanted to also mention, if you haven't heard, we have disc golf now behind the Middle school. So in partnership
052with the South Burlington Rec. Department and some passionate disc golf parents of South Burlington school districts, they got together, and we have a new golf disc area behind the middle school. So please check it out SBSD Helpdesk: and then I just wanted to mention at our last meeting I talked a lot about the great things that were happening with our SBSD Helpdesk: our students, who are in esy extended school year services, and our students who are at summer school wanted to mention that our middle and High School extended School Year program culminated with a barbecue last week, where the kids were cooking up food and serving not only folks in Central Office, their family members, but also our South Burlington firefighters. So it was a really great opportunity. SBSD Helpdesk: What I did was remiss
053in mentioning was that we also have schools out, which is a huge partnership with us, and I wanted to give a big shout out to Al Thompson and her crew of folks who are running SBSD Helpdesk: a day camp for our K. 8 kids. I'm sorry our K. 3 kids and track camps for our 4th through 8th graders. Alan or team support our students to ensure that they have access to not only daycare, that's fun, but camps that are engaging in our interest, based. So just a huge shout out to things that are happening here. Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: Does any board members have questions about the superintendent. Report SBSD Helpdesk: just the the disc off, so anybody can play whenever they want to. I don't have all the details, but they did. There is
054a, there's some information that they have been sent on that website as well. SBSD Helpdesk: Okay. So we'll move to the next the 1st discussion item, which is superintendent vacancy. SBSD Helpdesk: And I have a few updates to share there. SBSD Helpdesk: So 1st of all, we have executed a contract with the Vermont School Board Association to do the interim superintendent search with support from our internal Hr. Team, and the job will be posted by Monday, August 11, th so that will be going out, and then the interim, according to our timeline, which I'll also share, should be selected by the last week of September. SBSD Helpdesk: In accordance with our agreement with with Kristen. SBSD Helpdesk: We can also look at a community survey that we have ready to send out to collect SBSD
055Helpdesk: community feedback about the interim and then tonight, we do need to take motion to form a committee of people to be the screeners, be the screening committee to support the process. SBSD Helpdesk: So SBSD Helpdesk: before I share the timeline and look at the community survey. Is there any board comment on stuff so far. SBSD Helpdesk: Laura? Be sure to speak up. If SBSD Helpdesk: okay, can I ask a clarifying question? You said that that would be completed by the last week in September? SBSD Helpdesk: That yes, so I will share my screen. SBSD Helpdesk: This is the superintendent. Search timeline SBSD Helpdesk: and week of September 8th SBSD Helpdesk: we basically took the 6 6 weeks and we backed into a schedule. So we're going to be holding ourselves for that SBSD Helpdesk:
056or their mouth. Wrong? Yeah, thank you for that clarification. Yes, so there is a a full timeline. SBSD Helpdesk: I don't know if I want to go through it line by line, but we can. We're gonna create a web page SBSD Helpdesk: off of the School Board webpage that will hold documents like this. SBSD Helpdesk: And as you can see, as things are completed, our Vsba consultant, Elaine Pinckney will fill out the status. SBSD Helpdesk: So, as you can see here, we are currently here. Board approvals. We need to determine the makeup of the screening committee. You know. Accept this timeline, like we have to take formal action on that. But, like we, we have to look at this and say, it makes sense SBSD Helpdesk: and also review the stakeholder survey, which I can
057show in just a minute. SBSD Helpdesk: So I'm just gonna leave this on my screen. And then in about a minute I'm gonna page down and we'll look at the next page. SBSD Helpdesk: I like this. And you said, this is going to be made available on the website so folks can get in and be able to see this. Yeah, I would just say. Laura Williams: It'll be live, Jen, so that it will be. We'll update it as we go. SBSD Helpdesk: And we did just receive the letter from the Secretary of Education today authorizing SBSD Helpdesk: alright, I'm gonna scroll down to this administrator input section. SBSD Helpdesk: Did you have thoughts about when you would be doing that with the administrators? I just just being super mindful of that being SBSD Helpdesk: crazy,
058busy week. SBSD Helpdesk: My understanding is that Elaine has scheduled meetings with them over the next few days. SBSD Helpdesk: has has individually scheduled it with them. Yes, my understanding is that she reached out. Laura Williams: Yeah, I'm having trouble hearing. But I, yeah, are you talking about the principals? SBSD Helpdesk: Oh, yes, good point. So SBSD Helpdesk: maybe that is a little bit unclear. When I say, Administrator, what do you hear? I'm thinking of our principles. Okay? So yes, the the principals. This administrator input is SBSD Helpdesk: already initiated and scheduled. SBSD Helpdesk: You put in parenthesis there principles. So people know what you're talking about School Workspace SBSD Helpdesk: scroll down in here. SBSD Helpdesk: The one thing that Elaine wanted me to make clear was that she thinks that the screening committee
059needs to meet in person and should meet, for. SBSD Helpdesk: let's say, 2 h at the time. So that the team can gel and SBSD Helpdesk: So she wanted me to make that clear. SBSD Helpdesk: Will she also be reaching out to Central Office to put their input? SBSD Helpdesk: I imagine that she may have when she says Administrator she may have. I don't know. I'm unclear SBSD Helpdesk: about that. I imagine she should. SBSD Helpdesk: I think it would be important to reach out. SBSD Helpdesk: There's definitely Central Office representation on the screen. Right? SBSD Helpdesk: But you would recommend that I you want me to make sure that she does that. Okay, yes, we will. We will add that. SBSD Helpdesk: So central office input small amount. SBSD Helpdesk: And then it may have
060been already. But I'm thinking about community members. And how is that the survey that you're talking about that. That's how you get input, or are there community members? Yes. So that's a great segue to SBSD Helpdesk: Let me pull that up next. SBSD Helpdesk: This is this is not. It's not listed here, so I'm just, and oh. SBSD Helpdesk: so SBSD Helpdesk: then Laura and I met with SBSD Helpdesk: the Vsba and Elaine to kick this process off a couple of days ago, and something that we talked about recommending to the Board tonight was that the composition of the screening committee be SBSD Helpdesk: 3 board members, a principal nominated by the principals SBSD Helpdesk: Central Office administrator, nominated by the Central Office, the Hr. Director, and then one teacher recommended by the Teachers Association,
061one support staff recommended by the Support Staff Association, and then SBSD Helpdesk: sometimes, and certainly for the permanent search. SBSD Helpdesk: we would have a community member on the screening committee, however, we felt that, due to the short timeline, it would be better to have a community survey as a stand in for having a community member on the search committee. So that's the recommendation of the board. The Board could also say, no, we don't want that. We want a community member on the screening committee. SBSD Helpdesk: So this is the SBSD Helpdesk: this is basically the the motion that I'm going to make a little bit later to establish a screening committee. SBSD Helpdesk: And this would be the composition. SBSD Helpdesk: Hold on. SBSD Helpdesk: I. So when I think about Central Office, I
062would want you all to be thinking about not just the educational side, but also the disability side. And so I think that you may as well SBSD Helpdesk: 11 could like differentiate that, and actually have and and possibly have to. If I also SBSD Helpdesk: just broadly, that we should have a community in our office. SBSD Helpdesk: I know that the time is short. I think it's really important. But we did discuss it just SBSD Helpdesk: because of the we're down to 5 weeks screening, you know, and then selecting SBSD Helpdesk: community member would take up. So we felt the survey was the best way, and then, ashamed, said, I mean, we're absolutely gonna community. Remembers on SBSD Helpdesk: the committee for long term search. Sorry. SBSD Helpdesk: Wonder what it would, what it would
063look like to go ahead. Go ahead, SBSD Helpdesk: to try to get a community member on board like, what is there any way we can expedite that process, or you know, I don't have any experience with doing this myself, but maybe people who have, and before think of a way that we would be able to get a person on there. SBSD Helpdesk: quicker than 2. Yeah, I think. Yeah, go ahead. Sorry. Laura Williams: I was just gonna Dan. Dan said it. Well, I just wanted to reiterate that. That is the recommendation that we got because we are down now 5 weeks, and so that I do think that the community survey is really good. I hope everybody fills it out, and that when we go to do the long term. Search for the permanent. Yes,
064we will, we we will be able to do a more thorough job of getting community members on. So this is Laura Williams: this is more to expedite the the process. Because we are I. We are feeling a sense of urgency here. SBSD Helpdesk: Laura, can I ask you a question when you said that was the recommendation? Was that from Elaine. Laura Williams: Yes, that was from Elaine, and that it's just in her experience when she's had to do these in under a tight timeframe like ours that it's it's best to do the community survey. Encourage everybody to do it, and then, when we do the long term, we we can. Laura Williams: There will be more time to, you know. Laura Williams: to to do that process correctly. SBSD Helpdesk: More thoroughly SBSD Helpdesk: right.
065We go back to your suggestion. How so? One person from Central office facilities, one person from Central Office. How would you characterize the other? I I just. I think you know the the position SBSD Helpdesk: right SBSD Helpdesk: very frequently with the folks there. So whether it's facilities maintenance it. And then the educational side as the other side. That may be. You know the business facilities, maintenance business side. It, that's all. 1 1 section, and then there's the whole educational side. So okay, so something like this one central office, educational side, one central office facilities SBSD Helpdesk: maintenance. And then that would would that be similar to this recommended by their coworkers. SBSD Helpdesk: I think if that's what you're doing across the board, then I think that that probably. Let's see. SBSD Helpdesk: I
066have a question, Shannon, for 3 board members. I mean this. This composition of this committee is going to kick off before we fill the Board Seat vacancy. Oh, that's a good clarification. So we went back to the Secretary of State materials on open meeting law, and we also asked our lawyers to review it and SBSD Helpdesk: quorum for the purposes of open meeting. Law does not change based on vacancies. So we are still at a free SBSD Helpdesk: we can still have 3 people. Yeah, yes, we. I had actually 2 conversations with Joe about it. That's really good clarification. Yeah, thank you. And I'm wondering if, like, maybe one of the Board members could be the lead of the survey results like I'd love if something on this composition, it says something like the results
067from the community survey or one of the board members surrogate. Yeah. SBSD Helpdesk: yeah, like a surrogate of the community survey. I just don't. You know. Somehow, I'd love to have it like SBSD Helpdesk: listed under the composition that community input is part of the selection. Laura Williams: Well, I think I think that the way Elaine explained it to us, Emily was. I hope I'm answering your question because I am having trouble hearing. So Seamus, Dan and I like all of you on the board. We were elected by the public. So you know we are the public, and we we do care so much about this district, and that Laura Williams: we are going to do our very best to represent the public. Laura Williams: So we we serve in as what was the word
068like. We we serve as the public voice, and people should be feel free to absolutely fill up that survey, send us emails. Laura Williams: and and again, this was, I mean, lane said this at least 3 times, because this is such a time, tight timeframe. Laura Williams: that it's that that we? We act as the the public voice? I don't know. Did I explain that? Well. SBSD Helpdesk: Understood. Yeah, no, you definitely did. And I appreciate Elaine's experience. And SBSD Helpdesk: I agree. I just wanted it to be represented as James kind of. SBSD Helpdesk: and also, Laura, I would say that we have not showed like me, and you and Dan were who were available at the time to meet with Elaine, but I would say that, like the question of which 3 Board
069members is still something that we should decide tonight. Laura Williams: No, no. Got it. Well, yeah, precisely. SBSD Helpdesk: And also we don't know who the we should. We should decide who the Board members are, because we need to do that together. But like we don't need to know who the principals nominees yet. That'll that'll happen, you know, over the next week or so. SBSD Helpdesk: Okay, so let me just switch over to the community survey. Would there be any way that we can get a student on that committee? Because we're technically not official board members? Are we allowed SBSD Helpdesk: great question. So it's not breaking over. It wouldn't break open meeting. Why, it wouldn't affect Forum. And also it brings up the point that this is not like a board committee. This is
070just a committee of people SBSD Helpdesk: charged with the authority to, as I said in that last document, nominate up to 3 people for consideration of other force. SBSD Helpdesk: I think that free might be a little, anyway. Okay, so now, I'm gonna share this SBSD Helpdesk: just wanted to say, that's so important. Thank you. What is the response to that? Could we have a student representative be part of the composition? So can we go back and edit that and add a student rep on it. Yeah, I will do that, you know, because of time it might be we should just choose right now. SBSD Helpdesk: Okay. So here is the form. SBSD Helpdesk: I have filled it out just to try it out. It says, who are you? SBSD Helpdesk: It says, what are
071attributes. Pick 3 SBSD Helpdesk: open minded, motivational, active listener, flexible, visionary. And it should be noted that every time somebody takes this the list is randomized, because otherwise it's kind of SBSD Helpdesk: so unifier, respectful. That's a different question from skills. SBSD Helpdesk: fiscal management, facility, stewardship, strategic planning, organizational capacity relationship building. SBSD Helpdesk: I think one thing I'm noticing here is that SBSD Helpdesk: were asked like if I was answering this for a permanent, I would answer it differently from an interim. So we need to be super careful we should SBSD Helpdesk: and I have a question when somebody has an opportunity. Oh, okay, it says there. So if they want to add their own, and it's up to 3, they could continue to add like up to 3 options. It looks like, is
072that right? SBSD Helpdesk: Yes. SBSD Helpdesk: S. SBSD Helpdesk: I wonder? Because we have a principle here, and I don't want to put her on the hot seat, but I have a question for Alyssa in regards to SBSD Helpdesk: these surveys, and if there's some some thoughts that you have SBSD Helpdesk: on, how we're going to get the best SBSD Helpdesk: input, and we also, I assume, are thinking about ensuring that these are different languages. SBSD Helpdesk: so I don't know. Those are just some of my thoughts, and while we have listed here I just thought it might be great to SBSD Helpdesk: see if she has any thoughts about how the surveys work best in her schools. SBSD Helpdesk: Glad to talk to them, especially with languages. SBSD Helpdesk: I'm Mr. Mcdonald, principal school.
073I'm glad you invited me up because I really couldn't see them. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah, surveys. We are all sending out our school newsletters right now. We're getting ready for the opening to school. These can go in every single schools. Newsletter Kristen is right, though. They need to be translated the forms so we can use talking points to send a message to families saying there is a survey to fill out for the superintendent. Search SBSD Helpdesk: but I don't know if they're gonna be able to open this this particular link and then have this Google form translated for them. SBSD Helpdesk: We do have people who can help others fill out the survey. When is the survey due? SBSD Helpdesk: It sounds like August 18.th Might be a little short. Yeah, that's a pretty quick turnaround.
074SBSD Helpdesk: So my, I know for a fact. My newsletter is going out tomorrow, and so people will be reading it over the weekend. SBSD Helpdesk: and they only they'll only have a week to fill it out. SBSD Helpdesk: Most of the principals were at the Vermont leadership, the Vermont Principals Association Leadership Academy this week, and they're just driving home tonight, or and some of them will be coming home tomorrow, so I'm not sure when they're set to send up their newsletters. SBSD Helpdesk: but I can reach out to them and say. SBSD Helpdesk: Can you please send out this communication with? SBSD Helpdesk: And we could send a dedicated soup like we could send out a dedicated school messenger SBSD Helpdesk: message to all families, even if we miss the opportunity. On the newsletter.
075We just we still have a backup plan. But I do think that's a tight turn to only have. It's like 10 days. SBSD Helpdesk: What would we do that? I mean, if if it's possible, if our screening committee meeting number 2 is happening on 25, th SBSD Helpdesk: wondering if we could, if we could push it back to like 24 or so, and that gives us a day to collect some of the information and and integrate that SBSD Helpdesk: perhaps it's a fast turn. 24th of Sunday to the 20 second Friday. SBSD Helpdesk: I actually think people fill out surveys over the weekend, over the weekends. SBSD Helpdesk: Whoever is going to crunch that and get us SBSD Helpdesk: the info? Are they going to be able to work on it SBSD Helpdesk: to get
076it to us, or is it just gonna be automatically crunched and filled into us? SBSD Helpdesk: So sorry. So we're talking about the 24th is a Sunday. SBSD Helpdesk: and then we have supposedly meeting sometime in the 25.th SBSD Helpdesk: And so the question is like, should we have it be due on the 25, th and then assume that we're going to meet on the 27, th giving one day for somebody to process the numbers. Is that sufficient? Or do you think that we need to make it do earlier. SBSD Helpdesk: Somebody can show me how to do it. I'm gonna have any questions. Laura Williams: I think Elaine is gonna do that. I thought you might. SBSD Helpdesk: Unless people like a lot of people are like putting in other, it should do on
077its own it, or something. SBSD Helpdesk: just to make sure. Laura Williams: Woman. You are correct. That's exactly what it will do. SBSD Helpdesk: Well, yeah, it'll definitely create. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah. Excel spreadsheet. Laura Williams: And and I do think this is part of Elaine's Laura Williams: Part of what she will do is she will take this and present it to us. SBSD Helpdesk: And I wonder if she can collect it along the way. So it's not like a whole dump on the 25, th you know, people as people are filling it out that we possibly can send updates. SBSD Helpdesk: So to clarify, are we going to try to get SBSD Helpdesk: a link to the survey in all the schools newsletters. SBSD Helpdesk: I would think. Yes, but I think you need to
078have like a multi-pronged approach. I think it also needs to be available on websites, and then there could be communication and push it out on Instagram and all the social media platforms as well. And when you do the surveys multilingual. Have you like SBSD Helpdesk: like in chrome? You can like say, translate this page, do you expect? Do you say that that's not sufficient, and you have to have an explicitly translated version, or SBSD Helpdesk: I think that sometimes people SBSD Helpdesk: still need assistance from a liaison to access a survey. And since we're not in session. The liaisons are not as readily available. SBSD Helpdesk: so we may be able to have in the Newsletter, save if you need assistance, accessing survey or SBSD Helpdesk: someone to go through the survey with you. SBSD
079Helpdesk: Then please reach out to the principal, and we'll connect you with a liaison right? And so we could actually put, since this is for more than just the school community. SBSD Helpdesk: you know, we could have a, you know, insert translation offer here, because this is gonna go out to everybody. SBSD Helpdesk: And so they might just click into this. And this might be the 1st thing. So like, yeah, we have to have some kind of a you know SBSD Helpdesk: something there. Okay. SBSD Helpdesk: that same language, if you need assistance right? And so then maybe we can call upon one of the school liaisons even for somebody who's outside of the school community. SBSD Helpdesk: I mean, I don't think it's gonna happen a lot. But SBSD Helpdesk: we would have that
080option. Yeah, I think I think that would be a good option. Sometimes families just come to the school and ask the principal, can you help me with this? SBSD Helpdesk: And we'll have people, and especially SBSD Helpdesk: some people, are taking little vacations before school starts, but especially if you extend the deadline beyond next Friday. SBSD Helpdesk: Member, be here to and offer that time, you know, if you need help with this is the window when someone will be assigned office to be able to SBSD Helpdesk: open. SBSD Helpdesk: Okay, so it seems like this SBSD Helpdesk: when when we Kristen, when you asked, listen to come up. We had just been here looking at this question, which was, you know, skills. SBSD Helpdesk: Another question here is priorities. And listen. I think also, like,
081if you know. And you, if you have additions, sections, you think we should be also asking about there'd be a good time, because we do want to get the survey out, you know, as soon as possible. SBSD Helpdesk: May I add something as well, kind of backtracking SBSD Helpdesk: preview to something me and moment are going to talk about next meeting. During our announcements we have an idea about social media output from us, too. So that students can be getting a lot more information, because I know they have the family newsletter, you guys do. But oftentimes students don't look at that as often. So anyway, I think me and moment SBSD Helpdesk: could post this if once we discuss this with you guys next meeting with social media, so that students respond as well. SBSD
082Helpdesk: just because even if we have one person on the committee, I think, have them. Can you scroll up under that. For who you are? Do we have student? SBSD Helpdesk: Oh, yeah, okay, good. Any. I need to check more than one. SBSD Helpdesk: Yes, thanks, Janice. SBSD Helpdesk: Capture that same, though I was wondering, could we get SBSD Helpdesk: one of the school administrators to send it out to students in their email? Because. SBSD Helpdesk: if it's just going out to parents. Students might not, you know, might not be passed along to them SBSD Helpdesk: this morning, and we have 27 responses, so there'll be something. SBSD Helpdesk: Do you have a list of the students that you guys that you send messages to we, we can't personally send messages out. But, like the
083principals, have whole, like class of 2026, 2027. And they can send, like us class, wide email. SBSD Helpdesk: Then there's more questions. SBSD Helpdesk: background experience. I happen to receive some feedback that they think that people should differentiate between SBSD Helpdesk: a principal at a large school versus a small school. SBSD Helpdesk: I wouldn't want to buy that. SBSD Helpdesk: It's intentionally ambiguous, I guess I mean intentionally, not totally that, you know. For me. SBSD Helpdesk: 500 kids would be SBSD Helpdesk: unless you put a number. Yeah, but a number. What would you consider a large school? SBSD Helpdesk: That depends on the State? Well, our middle school is the largest middle school in the State, with more than 600 students. SBSD Helpdesk: and so I would say SBSD Helpdesk: 400 to a thousand is
084a larger school. We have many schools in the State with SBSD Helpdesk: a hundred, you know, a hundred or fewer, or maybe even, you know. SBSD Helpdesk: even up to 200, is equal to our smallest elementary school. So 2 or 3, 400. Laura Williams: I agree, like, minimum 400. SBSD Helpdesk: Think the largest school is probably 1,600. SBSD Helpdesk: So for Vermont 400 is a large pool, 400 SBSD Helpdesk: and then what are the biggest challenges facing the district. What else do you want us to know? SBSD Helpdesk: So it seems like, what would block this being released tomorrow? Is this question of translation. Do you have a standard list of languages that you offer? SBSD Helpdesk: There's something on the website where there's a pull down. SBSD Helpdesk: And let's say what 6, 7,
0858 different languages it automatically translates into. SBSD Helpdesk: we have that we also. But there there is more. And the amount of languages are actually number of families that that speak in a myriad of different languages. So I don't know. So you'll pick that or not. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah, I think, this is a Google form. So if Google translate, if they are savvy enough to SBSD Helpdesk: to SBSD Helpdesk: be able to use the translation feature, could we do something like if you, if we knew. Let's say that there were 15 languages in the district. SBSD Helpdesk: Couldn't we just have, you know? SBSD Helpdesk: You know, if you in Spanish, if you want help doing this in Spanish. Please contact your school. If you want help doing this in Cambodian, please contact your school.
086Don't help in Russian like we just put 5. We just put 15 lines of text here, one in each language that says, Talk to your school. SBSD Helpdesk: So I think that that's just something to be mindful of, I think maybe, like, you know, I think what I want to speak for you, Lisa. But I think what you're recommending is that if SBSD Helpdesk: if we know that Google translate a lot of families are SBSD Helpdesk: a lot of school families. I guess I don't. I shouldn't be speaking from community. But a lot of our school families now are are aware of the approach we translate. SBSD Helpdesk: And I can always make flashy with him. SBSD Helpdesk: Okay, so I guess the board is being asked to make a decision here, should we? SBSD
087Helpdesk: should we put something in like using the dropdown box on the website as a reference? Just put one line for every one of those languages and say, if you want support in this language, otherwise use Google, translate. SBSD Helpdesk: That would be an option. SBSD Helpdesk: Is there any way that we could like link a video with screen recording someone's screen going and like clicking Google, translate here and or like. SBSD Helpdesk: and showing the steps to do it. SBSD Helpdesk: Not where would that be? Or like on the website? Maybe SBSD Helpdesk: you can add a video. Okay, if you want to make that video, all 33. SBSD Helpdesk: Well, and then also say, you know, that's a great idea. And then also the backup of if still, you know, if you need
088assistance. Yeah, we're here. SBSD Helpdesk: And do you want to do that in all those languages that you said, it's on the SBSD Helpdesk: school. What's our district website? So okay. SBSD Helpdesk: insert language on Spst. I also wonder if the link supporting this is. SBSD Helpdesk: See. SBSD Helpdesk: this may be something you ask. She was the superintendent of a very big district. Right, you might be able to easily do this. There's over 15 languages. Yeah. So I mean, that's SBSD Helpdesk: that. Should that won't take up too much space, be able to just scroll past. It'll definitely SBSD Helpdesk: and Shane's may I make another suggestion? SBSD Helpdesk: Laptop? SBSD Helpdesk: So I I think it would be really helpful if you describe just briefly what intern superintendent means. SBSD Helpdesk: So maybe,
089for you know, just SBSD Helpdesk: short term for certain period of time, acting for so many months SBSD Helpdesk: or for the for the year. SBSD Helpdesk: There are times, yeah. And then maybe SBSD Helpdesk: there's somebody that board member. There's 16 languages on the SBSD Helpdesk: school district website that automatically translates the SBSD Helpdesk: district website into that language. Okay, so I'll put those. And so if you, if you guys have any suggestions about a better way of maybe just send it to me a better way of explaining what the difference between interim and acting and permanent. Do you need to explain the difference, or just explain what interim is? I think it might be confusing somebody who is inspired to SBSD Helpdesk: correct this. I think it's a very good point. And I
090think that, Bosch put in whatever somebody says. SBSD Helpdesk: I mean, you could do it that way and just put in parentheses Christian Romac, acting superintendent, medium term, and then put arrows like this is what we are filling right now. This position I don't know something like it's okay. Keep it. Keep it simple SBSD Helpdesk: through September. SBSD Helpdesk: Of course I do know that the the community is not SBSD Helpdesk: I've talked to several people who I had to clarify SBSD Helpdesk: what this process is, and I was so happy to. And I said, please tell everybody who else has questions about it, and tell them to call me because it's confusing, so I I don't know. I guess then I think it would be easier if we'll just stick with. This is what
091the interim is. SBSD Helpdesk: If you start explaining all those different things it could be in case of that. SBSD Helpdesk: yeah, follow up if you have more thoughts or something. Okay? So I think, let's go back to the motion. Here, let's add that we are having a student representative. SBSD Helpdesk: Thank you. Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: And SBSD Helpdesk: So at this point I think we should do the motion to SBSD Helpdesk: see if I have any more notes on what? SBSD Helpdesk: So I think we should do the monthly. SBSD Helpdesk: So I would entertain a motion to SBSD Helpdesk: create an interim superintendent screening committee that is charged with working collaboration with the consultant Elaine Pinckney, the Bsba. And our Hr. Team. SBSD Helpdesk: reviewing candidates, selecting candidates for interviews, determining finalists
092and recommending finalists to the board or repost them in position. SBSD Helpdesk: So I'll note that in that motion I didn't say recommending 3 finalists or 5 finals left undefined. How many finalists to send us SBSD Helpdesk: cool? SBSD Helpdesk: Do I have a SBSD Helpdesk: for the second one? SBSD Helpdesk: Is there any discussion? Does anybody want a limit or a goal? Create 5 participants? SBSD Helpdesk: Well, I think, just recommendations. Then we can go through and decide, or whoever's on the board. The committee don't have to talk to every SBSD Helpdesk: okay and Daisy. So we're deciding in the motion whether we should specify how many should be recommended to us. Do you think we should specifically charge the board and say, You may only give us 3. Or should we say, if
093you've got 22 people, you're not going to SBSD Helpdesk: 24, which we've only had 80. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah, anyway, we can have 2 student representatives. My thought around that is that it can be hard to bounce ideas back and forth over email if you don't have someone that like you can easily talk to like having 2 representatives on schoolwork, for example, like any moment can talk about things here because we don't see guys outside of the setting. Is that a reasonable request? SBSD Helpdesk: So that sorry I've blanked for a minute to discuss? Laura Williams: You're talking about the actual committee. SBSD Helpdesk: Okay. And I realize that probably the motion should cover the whole SBSD Helpdesk: composition too. But I think that that's probably so actually let me restart, so the motion fails. Sorry
094about that. SBSD Helpdesk: So I would entertain a motion to create an interim superintendent screening committee SBSD Helpdesk: charged with working collaboration with the consultant Elaine Pinckney, the Vermont School Board Association, and our Hr. Team to review candidates, select candidates for interviews, determine finalists SBSD Helpdesk: and recommend finalists to the Board or repost the position, and whose composition would be 3 board members who are expected to represent views presented by the Community Survey, one principal as recommended by the principal team, one central office staffer from the educational side, as recommended by coworkers, one central Office staffer on the facilities maintenance business it side as recommended by their coworkers. SBSD Helpdesk: one teacher as recommended by the Teachers Association, one support staff as recommended by the Support Staff Association, 2 student representatives SBSD Helpdesk: and the
095Hr. Director and the superintendent. SBSD Helpdesk: Right? SBSD Helpdesk: And yeah, that makes sense. Yeah. SBSD Helpdesk: so I think that that is a complete motion. If somebody wants to. SBSD Helpdesk: Sure. SBSD Helpdesk: Yes. Laura Williams: I will move. SBSD Helpdesk: Okay, go ahead a second. SBSD Helpdesk: And in session. SBSD Helpdesk: Fitzgerald one. This was not one for action, so I'm confused now when SBSD Helpdesk: public participation is allowed. But my very brief comment is this. SBSD Helpdesk: individuals put in this interim role is going to be responsible for this year's budget development and communication to the community. So I would highly recommend, including community representatives. Because the screening committee you've identified is really exclusively of employees of the district and 2 students SBSD Helpdesk: and other than community surveys which people will
096self select in on a very limited timeframe. There is no community representation, and I don't know. I had recommended before, including the city manager in some capacity, so I would highly recommend that as well in some part of this process. SBSD Helpdesk: So I'd be happy to let the motion die, and then add a few more people to this. SBSD Helpdesk: like we could say city manager. Laura Williams: And James, when are we gonna choose, like the 3 people on the board, is that is that part of, or we just doing Laura Williams: perfect. SBSD Helpdesk: After we do this, after we charge the committee, we can say who's on it. Laura Williams: Okay, got it, got it. SBSD Helpdesk: City manager or assistant city manager. Laura Williams: Again. I do have to go back
097to what Elaine recommended, and that is time is time is of the essence we are going to be having so many meetings. There are 2 h we need everybody in this committee to commit, and Laura Williams: I do want to defer. To Elaine's expertise. We have hired her. And this was this was the list of people that she gave us. So I think if the if it gets too long, it's going to be an unwieldy committee. I think, she said, really no more than I think it was about 7 people, because then it because again, we are on a tight timeline, which is not our fault. It is what is, it's this is the situation we've been presented with. Laura Williams: So, anyway, that's my comment. SBSD Helpdesk: As a Bspa state. You know, we don't
098move it down 5 weeks then. SBSD Helpdesk: So now we're gonna have to come up with a process screen to new members. SBSD Helpdesk: We simply don't have the time. If we want to meet a 5 week deadline right. Laura Williams: And the committee, as we have it listed here, is just according to Elaine, is too big. SBSD Helpdesk: So I wanted to clarify a couple of points. So Kristen just mentioned to me, one thing that we could consider doing is SBSD Helpdesk: waiting until next week to form this. And then the other point of clarification was that I did ask Joe if it was okay to make a motion like this, and he said it was even though this is not like taking action on a policy. And so he said, it was okay
099to take action. So we're not taking action on this. We're just making a motion. Laura Williams: Then, Seamus, what if that's a great suggestion? What if we just chose the the Board members tonight? And then we we move this to next week, as Kristen suggested. SBSD Helpdesk: So 1st of all, I don't have a SBSD Helpdesk: open meeting lot concern about making this motion, because Joe has given me specific advice that that this would be acceptable. I think I'm concerned that Elaine is expecting us to give her a committee charge as soon as possible. And, SBSD Helpdesk: I'm concerned that if we leave it open until next week, then we can't, for example, take action to find this SBSD Helpdesk: community member. If we want to amend the motion to include that, and we can't
100ask Jesse to be on the committee and and stuff like that. So I do have concerns about SBSD Helpdesk: pushing out the decision on the composition itself. SBSD Helpdesk: So I guess the current motion does not include city manager or the assistant or the community member, and we're still in the discussion phase. So would anybody like to advocate for City Manager community member. Laura Williams: I'm going to go back to what Elaine says, and again we have hired her, and she is highly recommended from the Vermont School Board Association Laura Williams: and that yeah, we. Laura Williams: I'm not opposed to a community member. It's just that that's going to take us into probably 2 2 more weeks before we do that. And so I. SBSD Helpdesk: You can just start randomly calling people off
101the ground lesson. And just so, you know, there are 2 attendees that have their hands raised. Oh, great! Yes, let's listen. Laura Williams: I know, but we're in board discussion right now. And so I Laura Williams: again I did take notes. When Elaine was was talking, she said a smaller group, people that could commit. Laura Williams: And yeah, okay. SBSD Helpdesk: So. SBSD Helpdesk: I think that I want to allow people to make comments on this because of the ambiguity of the current guidelines for public comment and state that comments can be made during the discussion of an agenda item. SBSD Helpdesk: And so I would say, Let's listen SBSD Helpdesk: to what so would you I I can't see the list right now. SBSD Helpdesk: Yes, please go ahead. SBSD Helpdesk: Would you recognize.
102Kate Jarvis: Hi, there! Kate Jarvis: Can you turn that down, Tim? Kate Jarvis: I greatly appreciate this one, too. Kate Jarvis: It's showing I greatly appreciate the opportunity to speak when Kate Jarvis: I know you're in the middle of a bunch of things. I just. Kate Jarvis: I'm concerned about not having a community member, especially a parent or caregiver beyond the committee. I totally understand what Laura is saying about. You know you want the committee to be sort of smaller and nimble, and able to move ahead with the process. But I really feel like it could be a mistake not to have a community member, especially a parent or caregiver. Kate Jarvis: because you might not be able to get a long term superintendent. The interim might become a long term superintendent, and I just
103feel like if you don't have parent or caregiver input from the get go. That could be a problem. Kate Jarvis: Thank you very much for your time. SBSD Helpdesk: Would you recognize Diane Bugby? SBSD Helpdesk: Thank you. Diane Bugbee: Hi, thank you. I appreciate the ability to comment on this, and I Diane Bugbee: totally respect Elaine and and her experience in this process. I do have a concern about the expedited process and the return rate on a survey and getting it out to parents, caregivers, other community members at a time when you are going to be, if you haven't already started building a budget for next year, and I just want to put that out there. It's almost like it would be Diane Bugbee: you would want both, and you would also want the survey
104for a long term superintendent, and Diane Bugbee: I don't know what people's capacity is to complete 2 surveys. So I just want to put that out there. Diane Bugbee: I also would be happy to. I'm not a current caregiver or parent, but I had 3. I have 3 adult children who went through the district. I've been on different interview committees for teachers and other roles within the district. Diane Bugbee: I've been a board member for 4 years, and I'm pretty engaged in what's happening in the school district, so Diane Bugbee: I'm happy to submit a resume if you end up considering that you would like to go the route of a community member. But you know, and if it's not me, it should be someone, because you also need to engage with the community around
105the budget and not including them in the role as important as a superintendent is concerning. Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: The one thought that occurred to me while SBSD Helpdesk: we were hearing comments is, we might, if if the idea is that board members represent views SBSD Helpdesk: from the community. We could also get that kind of concentrated representation if we ask, like City Council members to be on the board SBSD Helpdesk: or to be on the committee so we could ask, you know, 2 2 City Council members to join in, and then we wouldn't have to go out and pick a community member, because we could just go to that limited set of people and say, Hey, the 2 of you be willing to join us on this. SBSD Helpdesk: and you know, one thing
106I will say is, I think, that you know, recognizing the Vsba's position to keep this nipple, I think we also need to look back at some of the discontent we've had across the district with not doing a thorough superintendent search previously, and the concern from the community with that, and I think that it is important to ensure that we do have adequate engagement this time around. SBSD Helpdesk: I wouldn't say I mean, I I think you know it's it's tough. We are under a very tight timeframe, but I think we need to SBSD Helpdesk: be aware of that. SBSD Helpdesk: So he kept the dates of when folks need to be available, delete them. SBSD Helpdesk: You work. So you work around those dates. SBSD Helpdesk: So if someone. SBSD Helpdesk: for instance, Diane was
107able to, you know, she would be able to say yes, I can. So if we work it around the timeframe SBSD Helpdesk: that might be helpful, because. SBSD Helpdesk: you know, that's going to help him to the folks that are going to be available. SBSD Helpdesk: She's going to submit a resume. But then, if other people, then we're doing a search for committee member, I don't know that we need to. Yeah, but I mean, that would be the fair way to do it. So. SBSD Helpdesk: for lack of a better way of putting it. SBSD Helpdesk: Say, let's offend everybody. But you know, if, because what we would actually be doing is we'd have to have a search for the SBSD Helpdesk: community member for this committee, and that's going to take up more time.
108SBSD Helpdesk: So either my opinion is, we go with SBSD Helpdesk: what the Vspa. Has said is small committee. The board members represent the community SBSD Helpdesk: we had to or wanted to. We could include city manager assistance to say somebody from the city Council to represent SBSD Helpdesk: what SBSD Helpdesk: I'm not trying to exclude community members. But we don't have the time search for a community member to sit on the committee absolutely on for the so long term. But for the interim. We don't have that time. Why don't we try to convince 2 City Council members to join us as another form of representation? SBSD Helpdesk: Well, once you put it, City council, city manager, assistant city manager, 2 members for that event group of SBSD Helpdesk: well, the reason that I'm saying
1092 City Council members which I have no idea if they would actually agree to this, but is that they are elected representatives. And so you could argue that they represent both the caregiver, parent community, and also the non-school twins. SBSD Helpdesk: and we would not have to do a search for them, because there's only 6, or however many there are SBSD Helpdesk: right. But say, 2 more available. That's what I'm saying, if you want, but we can also. But we don't have to include them on the same line, because, let's say, the 2 are available, and Jesse says I would love to also do it. And then we say, Okay, Jesse joins, you know. Keep in mind, too, that you've got board members who are also parents and caregivers with students that are right. Now,
110we're also likely officials that are representing. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah, what you're saying, Jen, because I agree. I felt that way, too. I really want this to be a open, open, transparent something that everyone can feel good about how the process has gone from the beginning. But then I also hear what you're saying, and if we were to just pick 2 random people. SBSD Helpdesk: then there could be concern that. Why were those people pick chosen? Did SBSD Helpdesk: are they, you know, somehow related? So so then, if you would know the fair way to do it is to collect people who are interested and go through it. Be strictly. SBSD Helpdesk: and I think that for right now, honestly, my gut feeling is with the clock ticking. We've got to make a decision, and we
111got to move on. And I'm just saying that, like as part of the discussion I hear it. I I get all of this feedback. But I think we've got to say this is an interim, and that's where we're gonna have that more engagement with this other. SBSD Helpdesk: What I heard was what the community was upset with. The last time was not the interim, but the fact that they would go where they they didn't do the long term search, which was. SBSD Helpdesk: I want to say, promise that was the community was led to believe there's going to be a long term search. And then that wasn't done. That's where the problem was, as I understood. And we're not going to do that absolutely. Going to do the long term search right? So I would
112recommend. So I think I can actually make an emotion to amend. SBSD Helpdesk: I would like recommend, or I would entertain, a motion to amend the current motion SBSD Helpdesk: that adds to the already described Motion City Manager and 2 City Council members. Of course, if they're willing to, the list of people on this to address questions about representation, and also about efficiency, and then for the for the permanent. I think we would. SBSD Helpdesk: you know, commit to having a community process to finding community members who can serve on the board. Or there's already a system for that. I mean, I've gotten emails before about being on the, you know, search for principal and stuff like that. So we do have a way of doing that. But it will take to do. It's a
113fair SBSD Helpdesk: way. It'll take a long process. Yeah, Google has their SBSD Helpdesk: So we recognize Christ's Parkard. Fritz Burkhardt: Hello! Are you able to hear me at this point. SBSD Helpdesk: Yes. Fritz Burkhardt: Okay, brilliant. Thank you very much. Thank you for your attention. I am very concerned about the exclusion of community members, because I do think it is very important. Fritz Burkhardt: even if it takes a little bit longer. I think you need to be able to get community. Input I'm also very concerned about including the city manager and 2 city council members. Specifically, there are times where the school district and the city are in competition for tax capacity of the residents, and I do not necessarily believe that the people who I am voting for Fritz Burkhardt: for city Councilor,
114even though I may want them running the city. I do not want them also running the school. Fritz Burkhardt: and so I don't think it's appropriate to have cut out Fritz Burkhardt: the 2 community members, and even from the room that you have. It sounds like you have some wonderful people who are interested in being involved. There are many people who call in. If you were to ask for resumes Fritz Burkhardt: by your August 13th Board meeting, and and even start trying to make selections on that date. I imagine you would have people who would actually meet that date. So it wouldn't slow down your process. And you would be able to get the community. Input I Fritz Burkhardt: I'm worried because it sounds from some of this discussion as if Fritz Burkhardt: there are
115some people on the board Fritz Burkhardt: do not want community input. And that's not a situation that I think you want to be in going forward. Thank you for your time. SBSD Helpdesk: Thanks. And and, Kate, I'm sorry, but I think the SBSD Helpdesk: I guess. Did you comment on this particular round of discussion? Okay, so maybe if we have another round of motions, then I would allow you to talk then. SBSD Helpdesk: so I I just. I have a comment about what we just heard. I I would suggest that, like we could add. SBSD Helpdesk: 1st of all, I think that the concern about representation SBSD Helpdesk: I would be more concerned about selecting people who are not elected than people who are elected because they're just. You know, these people have been on
116the ballot. But I I think we could also say, you know community member, parent caregiver. SBSD Helpdesk: And then we could say, if you know, selectable SBSD Helpdesk: by a date, you know, August 18.th SBSD Helpdesk: And then, you know non school, and then we could do what Fred suggested, and have a on. SBSD Helpdesk: and then, if we don't, if we can't get them selected, then they won't sit. How do we select them? And I? And I think it's important to go back and to defer to the experts on this. And we've got to work through that. And I think you know, part of our decision right now is we need to make make a decision, and we got to move forward right? Like I'm waiting for Laura to weigh in as she left.
117Go ahead. I was just thinking the issue of not having a community. Input won't this group be SBSD Helpdesk: acting based upon the community survey and the results from that? If everyone in this group is already saying, our main focus is ensuring that we find a superintendent that follows these top 3, or whatever service and top 3 things that the community chose. Then in theory, would it this all be like, will there be community input either way? Yes, like, if these SBSD Helpdesk: please take a week to try and do a survey in the search for 2 community members that would be hard. And there's no other way to really have a fair way of getting people in our community members in. Well, that's the whole purpose of doing the community survey, although I do
118really respect the point that SBSD Helpdesk: it will be easy to criticize this process. So if we, if we neglect to put, you know, like, if we're already hearing the feedback that it sounds like we don't want to hear from the community. I I just don't want to lose those famous political points because we didn't, you know. And so I think like. And you brought a good point just now a moment about how will we actually select this person? I think we could say that we will have interviews on the August 13th meeting SBSD Helpdesk: for anybody who want, you know, like the we could take action on August 13th to select these people among those who have. SBSD Helpdesk: So this is kind of a maximalist list, right? SBSD Helpdesk: But I think we
119have to realize, too, that we're not going to make everybody happy. And that's just a fact. And we still have to make decisions. And we still have to move forward, and we still have to be cognizant of the fact that we have until the middle of September in order to fill this role period. That is important clarification that our contract we have to make the decision and we have to make. And you're not always going to make people happy. That's just the reality of it. But that's a dangerous thing. SBSD Helpdesk: Because of our history, I would say I would say, I would rather focus on finding SBSD Helpdesk: possibility of finding 2 community members. Then I see manager and council members. I think if I like the way you wrote it here, if we
120can find them by that time. I say, we do like everything we can to try to get those community members on that board before the decision or my community before the decision. But I also will agree with Laura. We don't need this to be a very large. So right now you have a lot of stakeholder groups represented SBSD Helpdesk: 1112, I mean, they're not without the people in blue. SBSD Helpdesk: So do I hear that people are not interested inviting the city manager and the 2 city council members. Is that not something? People are interested. I might suggest that just as a SBSD Helpdesk: they are people who know a lot about city. I'm saying, we have to call this list because it's so long. SBSD Helpdesk: Think the community members outweigh the city manager
121in this particular, although they are not elected and they are not representative. But I think that's sort of the point SBSD Helpdesk: is that they represent a voice that SBSD Helpdesk: maybe he's not feeling hurt right now. I don't think they're mutually exclusive. I think we could SBSD Helpdesk: potentially have all these because some of these people are not going to be available for the meeting. It's a question for? Well, because maybe one meeting somebody's available, the next meeting, somebody else available. And so then you have an average of one person available. SBSD Helpdesk: I wouldn't. I wouldn't. I would want whoever's in SBSD Helpdesk: whoever's doing this to be able to attend all of it, because I think that's really important. Everybody needs to hear economic. I think that's important. I think it's important
122that that SBSD Helpdesk: that we invite the city manager and the assistant. And again, if you're looking at your timeframe. And you're making the decisions based on your timeframe. You're saying these are the dates. We're going to do this. So maybe Dan's not available that day. So he's not and you know, maybe Emily is available. So you're going to say, view the dates. These are the times we're going to do it. We want all these people, we recognize that we're going to do our best to SBSD Helpdesk: make sure that we have all these people and maybe not everybody can accept. And as far as figuring out community, that's a that's a trickier piece, I think. SBSD Helpdesk: You know, having people come to a board meeting is hard for some people. Again. You're also
123working within a really tight timeframe. So I'm not necessarily helping you so much on that piece of it. But I am suggesting that that while this looks like a big. SBSD Helpdesk: a large amount of people, this is a large position should be vested in it, and if we can get all these people at the table. Then I think it's what they can do. SBSD Helpdesk: So, okay, so the motion that we are discussing goes all the way down to active superintendent, and we could at this point make a sub motion to add any of those bullet points or not. So would anybody like to propose something that people have SBSD Helpdesk: pretty good like, I said, I'm not trying to exclude community members. SBSD Helpdesk: I'm following the advice of the people that we
124hired SBSD Helpdesk: to help us with this process. SBSD Helpdesk: I absolutely want community members on the search for permanent superintendent. But we have 5 weeks now. SBSD Helpdesk: and you're going to take time screening community members SBSD Helpdesk: to be on the committee, and that's going to take their time. SBSD Helpdesk: That's my concern. My concern is that we don't have somebody selected because we are SBSD Helpdesk: taking additional time to select people to sit on the committee. We need the person SBSD Helpdesk: we need to make our choice by September 12, th I mean. And let's just go down that road for a minute. If we say we're going to have community members, what does that look like? When are we soliciting their input right now. Is that properly warned? How is that
125information? I mean, now you're looking at? It's going to be next week before it goes out. SBSD Helpdesk: or the week after that, before it goes out. You see what I mean, and it's like it just starts moving along. And I just feel like, so you get 5 people who submit their SBSD Helpdesk: then we have to interview them. That's why I would advocate for. And again, I have no idea if the city councilors would actually be interested, but they are pre approved by the voters they have been through. They have been validated. SBSD Helpdesk: you know. They have interests that are, they are. Their job is to represent people. And so I think that that's the you know, between the 3 elected Board members and 2 City Council members. I think you could make
126an argument in the newspaper that we are representing the city. Now, I think, from a like a superficial point of view, it might be even better in terms of like SBSD Helpdesk: feeling that people feeling that we're representing them if we have additional community members. But I agree that it puts a major sand in the SBSD Helpdesk: cogs to get it to get things done in time. It's not the extra work that would be SBSD Helpdesk: necessary selected people. It's it's fine. SBSD Helpdesk: but I don't see anything wrong leaving it on there as trying to do. I mean, it's very dated on there. Could I ask if you're doing the interview on the 13th right next board meeting. If you work this out. What the idea was right had the interview, and then. SBSD
127Helpdesk: either SBSD Helpdesk: after the interviews. Go into like executive session, or something like that, deliberate on that, and then have an answer that day. I don't know if that's feasible, just like we do for the School Board. But the thing is, somebody's going to complain that there wasn't proper notification. We're basically making a note better that we try SBSD Helpdesk: and and have and have someone on that committee, even SBSD Helpdesk: that that's the best we can do at this point in terms of just timeline. So maybe what you do is you provide this information, and she and Elaine can begin progressing. This and the committee may be expanded. The composition of that committee may be expanded. SBSD Helpdesk: I think ultimately it may be difficult. I think Elaine would prefer attendance by everybody
128at all meetings, but that may be practically impossible, and so I think that we should just say, Well, we're relaxing that a little bit. And you're, you know, you're gonna get 90% attendance. And then we just have a larger group. Okay? So, for example, I would entertain a motion to add all 4 of these bullet points. SBSD Helpdesk: You know, we shouldn't say it like that. But to add the city manager, city manager, 2 city council members, if available, a community member from the parent caregiver community, it's selectable. By August 18, th and a community member from the non school community is selectable by August 18.th That would be a SBSD Helpdesk: that'd be the Max Post SBSD Helpdesk: said. Before you know if you get people that aren't attending or can attend all the
129meetings they're going. They're gonna make a decision SBSD Helpdesk: without all the information. SBSD Helpdesk: You know, it's important for people. You're going to come in to be there for everything. Well, but democracy functions on majorities not necessarily a consensus. SBSD Helpdesk: so I don't think it's I don't think that it's I don't view it as like a big procedural problem. If not, everybody is there for everybody like we can function. If we're missing a member? Maybe not if we're missing 2 members, certainly not when we only have 5. But we can probably operate with SBSD Helpdesk: okay. So I would entertain a motion to add all 4, I would entertain a motion to add only the community members. I'd entertain a motion to do. Only the city manager and the 2 city Council members,
130or we could just say SBSD Helpdesk: no more discussion. This is the final list. SBSD Helpdesk: I I don't think I can make a motion, so if it was up. If I could make a motion, it would be for all 4, SBSD Helpdesk: all the points, and SBSD Helpdesk: with the understanding that people would not be, we would not expect a meeting to include every single person every time. Can we say all 4, with no further discussion at this time, so that we can move on. SBSD Helpdesk: You mean you want to. So I would entertain a motion to add the city manager or assistant city manager to city Council members, a community member for the parent caregiver, if selectable by August 18, th and a community member from the non-school community, if selectable. By
131August 18th I would entertain a motion to that. Add that to the existing motion. SBSD Helpdesk: Go ahead, Simon. SBSD Helpdesk: Nothing. SBSD Helpdesk: Second and discussion. Sub discussion. SBSD Helpdesk: The only. Ca, the only thing that I would add to that is that this initial composition of the list be provided now and then any subsequent members could be added SBSD Helpdesk: at such time when they're selected, or whatever. Right? So we can start moving. So the 4 highlighted. SBSD Helpdesk: if possible. SBSD Helpdesk: Well, everybody, 4 groups, if possible. I think everybody is, if possible. You know. I mean, we're going to get 3 board members. We're going to get one principal essential laws, everybody that wasn't highlighted. We're going to get SBSD Helpdesk: yes, agreeable, correct. If I identify if selectable by August
13218.th SBSD Helpdesk: Okay, so then, is that August 18, th okay? Or would that be August 13? th SBSD Helpdesk: Well, August 18th is when the 1st meeting would be, and so like we could decide. So the interview has to be on the 13, th because we don't have another unless we have another special meeting, which I don't think we want to do. Let's recognize Bridget. SBSD Helpdesk: Sorry, Kate. Bridget Burkhardt: Thank you for recognizing me. I appreciate it by your logic. If you're looking for people who have been elected who are actually representing people. Bridget Burkhardt: There are 5 legislators from South Burlington, and a Senator who have all been elected by folks, and 3 of those House members are also former School board members who have not been through a superintendent search, but
133who have been through many searches for administrators. So I'm confused. Why, city Council is the direction that you're going. Bridget Burkhardt: and I would just sort of echo my husband's previous comments about the concern about the the current city council has a great makeup, and the current city manager is amazing, but it's a sort of dangerous precedent to set, I think, for having the city council be deeply involved in hiring folks within the school district, and that's all I'll say. SBSD Helpdesk: Would a sender represent only self relative? No, so. Bridget Burkhardt: A Senator. This, the current Senator, is also a parent in South Burlington, so he represents a broader space, but he was elected as South Burlington folks did vote for him, but he is also a parent of one alumna and 2 children
134currently in the school district. SBSD Helpdesk: And then House members would they be? SBSD Helpdesk: How many House members are specific to South Burlington? Bridget Burkhardt: All 5 of them are specific to South Burlington. I am the odd one that has a tiny corner of Williston, but the majority of the folks that I represent are in South Burlington. So about 3 quarters of my constituents are in South Burlington, and one quarter are in the southwest corner of Williston, but the other 4 School Board members, including Brian and Martin, who were on the School Board, represent only South Burlington, so we were all elected by South Burlingtonians. Bridget Burkhardt: No way. SBSD Helpdesk: We go back to that? If agreeable, there would have to be a selection process there as well like, how would they come
135forward? SBSD Helpdesk: Could be the same, recommended. They figure it out. SBSD Helpdesk: Then you're not gonna get 2 seats, 2 spots, but that's an arsenal. SBSD Helpdesk: although I don't know. These guys won't necessarily all agree with each other. So SBSD Helpdesk: so I think, are people concerned about this issue of city councilors should not be involved with SBSD Helpdesk: with deciding things for the school district. I, personally am not concerned about that, because I think that city councilors are representatives of the community, and this is not like a. This committee scope is very small. It's only to recommend finalists. So I, personally am okay with that. SBSD Helpdesk: And again, it gets us to concentrate a representation. SBSD Helpdesk: I mean that it seems like a good idea. So she I don't. I
136don't really know. I don't really have about whether that would be a good idea or a bad idea. But I mean, I also know that Violet on the police officer or chief. So you know, we work together, and then, you know, he's saying that would be a good idea. SBSD Helpdesk: I confirm that that was your advice, that you think city councils are a good thing. Yeah, so. But that doesn't extend to city council. Necessarily. There's, you know, through. If people are worried about SBSD Helpdesk: their elected officials, at whatever level. It's not what their city council or their State rep or State Senate. You know there's really not much difference. So I think maybe what we're saying is that we will put out a request to city councilors, the House members, and the Senators,
137and ask them if they are interested and kind of treat them in the same way as the community members. SBSD Helpdesk: There's a kind of a concentrated meeting in order. SBSD Helpdesk: Many people have won. SBSD Helpdesk: So I think the current SBSD Helpdesk: the current sub motion is city manager to city councilors, if agreeable community member, community members. So we've now changed that. So should we let that die and start new? SBSD Helpdesk: Yes, sounds like we should let that die. So this is what the current motion is for everything selected off screen. SBSD Helpdesk: So now the question is, do we want to add SBSD Helpdesk: any of these are not available. SBSD Helpdesk: I believe that we add them up. SBSD Helpdesk: Okay, so I'm going to clarify the motion. So the
138sub motion is to amend the existing motion to add the city manager and the assistant city manager, if agreeable. SBSD Helpdesk: 2 city councilors or house members or senators, if selectable. By August 18th a community member from the parent caregiver community, if selectable by August 18, th and a community member from the non-school community, if selectable by August 18.th SBSD Helpdesk: So any discussion. SBSD Helpdesk: All is in favor. SBSD Helpdesk: Hi! SBSD Helpdesk: Don't think we can for us. So difficult. SBSD Helpdesk: Died. SBSD Helpdesk: Did you both guessed or no? SBSD Helpdesk: Let's do a roll call alright, Jen. No, no pressure, no rush awesome, all right. SBSD Helpdesk: and no rush, no pressure. SBSD Helpdesk: Leave them as long as you want to decide. SBSD Helpdesk: Why would it die said, because
139there's only 3 of us and we're survived. SBSD Helpdesk: I SBSD Helpdesk: all right. The motion passes. So we now have a charged interim superintendent screening committee that includes stakeholders from a wide variety of SBSD Helpdesk: of the community right now. SBSD Helpdesk: Okay, so is there any more discussion on the superintendent? Vacancy? SBSD Helpdesk: My one, I actually do have something. SBSD Helpdesk: So I am concerned that this SBSD Helpdesk: survey does not collect any kind of demographics. SBSD Helpdesk: and we might want to consider asking people to self report age. SBSD Helpdesk: boy SBSD Helpdesk: because I think that if we got a bunch of surveys back and we only had one person who was retired, then we would say that it was not representative enough, and we'd have to go back and
140push harder. SBSD Helpdesk: So all I'm proposing here is like a thing here that you could ask you could ask for. SBSD Helpdesk: Give a race? You could ask. I mean, there's so many other things it doesn't really matter SBSD Helpdesk: what their age is. I think it does, because if you SBSD Helpdesk: and only send this out like, let's say that we forget to send this out to an effective channel to the retired community, and then we only get responses from the school community, and then we only discover that later that we only took input from and ages. Age is like the best predictor of whether somebody is in the school community. And what are you going to do? SBSD Helpdesk: You're gonna send a survey out again. Well, we'll just say, you know,
141we did not get enough responses from people under the age of 25 and above the age of 65. And so we need to go on TV, I don't know. Would we then disregard the past survey? No, just keep, keep it open. SBSD Helpdesk: That SBSD Helpdesk: again. It was a concern that I had with the budgeting survey. That's why I bring it up now is that if we don't, we in the budgeting survey they didn't get demographics. And so it's unclear to me that the budgeting survey from tossant has SBSD Helpdesk: is proof is like convincingly representative. You just want to ask like their age. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah. And and also even option, for, like, I don't, I'd rather not say, Yeah. SBSD Helpdesk: I mean, I just the only concern that I have is
142that it derails SBSD Helpdesk: us or in the process, because now we've got to circle back and get more information. And could that be delaying what we need to do? But I think there's an 80% chance that the demographics are going to come out just fine. And so in that case, you know, it's fine. But in the 20% chance that we don't get anybody under the age of 25 in here, which I don't think is going to happen like. And also that lets us have the legitimacy to say the Community survey had a wide representation. SBSD Helpdesk: I'm not concerned about the under 25. I'd be concerned. More would be over 60 or 70? Sure. SBSD Helpdesk: So I. So is it okay with everybody? If I add an age survey to question to this,
143why? Just age? SBSD Helpdesk: Because it's like. SBSD Helpdesk: could that be perceived as problem? Why, you're only asking agent, or do you have children in the district? SBSD Helpdesk: I guess, up above, yeah, you could just say for me. So we no connection to this direct SBSD Helpdesk: that might work SBSD Helpdesk: that makes sense. No children in schools not employed by the district. SBSD Helpdesk: and you have to have a limit 1 min. SBSD Helpdesk: Then you could be a student caregiver. Then you might wanna yeah. SBSD Helpdesk: Student, Caregiver slash unit. SBSD Helpdesk: That would give me the information I needed. If we had a ton of people who checked community members, no children, schools not employed by the district, I'd be happy. That actually gets it better. Yes, you're right. If it
144does get it better. SBSD Helpdesk: so we don't need the agent. We don't. I don't think we need the H. 9 SBSD Helpdesk: great any other thoughts about superintendent vacancy. SBSD Helpdesk: All right. Next item on the agenda is school board vacancies. SBSD Helpdesk: The only reason. The only thing I think we need to say about this is that there is an application form on the SBSD Helpdesk: School Board website, and we encourage people to think of their friends and neighbors who might be good candidates for the School Board, and that they should apply. If not you, then who do you know? Do you have any indication of who has applied so far or where we stand with that. So far we've got 2 applications. SBSD Helpdesk: Oh, and it's open for another Rico. SBSD
145Helpdesk: It's open for 11 days, and these are pacific pacific positions that potentially will. SBSD Helpdesk: they will be done to be done in March right? Something you could get. So this might be the next way SBSD Helpdesk: to get involved for a short time and see if that's something that you want to do. So I think that's just another point. Yeah, I think I read in the other paper. There was a little blurb about it, and it wasn't quite clear in that word when I read it made it seem like you had to do full terms, and people were replacing. So I just want to make sure it's really clear that it's just until March SBSD Helpdesk: and you can also SBSD Helpdesk: right if you would like to to fill that seat permanently
146for the rest of the term. But I know we have an ad going in. We do have an ad going in, and we'll be sure I haven't finalized the ad yet, so we can be clear point to people that they are. You know it's a trial period in some ways. SBSD Helpdesk: any other discussion on school board vacancies. SBSD Helpdesk: And just to be clear, we're gonna be doing the SBSD Helpdesk: interviews, not usually sleep. Only number 18. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah. So if you do apply, or if you know of somebody who should apply, and you convince them that we would be talking to them in open session on August 20.th SBSD Helpdesk: I'm sorry I hate to circle back to this. When is this going to go out? This this bulk? SBSD Helpdesk: This
147is going to be finalized and distributed. You're going to talk to Elaine tomorrow. Yes, and insert that information. And then it's going to be going out sooner after. Okay. SBSD Helpdesk: just wanted to make sure. SBSD Helpdesk: Okay, we'll move on to discussion. Item C, policy 2.9 amendment. No discipline for contacting the board. This is the second reading. SBSD Helpdesk: So I'm gonna pull that up. SBSD Helpdesk: And I have on this screen 2 versions of it, first, st the version that was discussed on July 7, th and then, in response to feedback. A modified version for discussion today. Now, this has not been seen by anybody on the board, and this has not been, and this was drafted by our lawyers. So this is SBSD Helpdesk: my suggestion to our lawyer for open discussion
148now, and I want to address what it's for. SBSD Helpdesk: So I'll give 2 examples. SBSD Helpdesk: I think that it's important that SBSD Helpdesk: staff members be able to give us feedback about our governance policy. SBSD Helpdesk: With our current governance policy and its executive limitations. The superintendent who is governed by the ends plus the executive limitations, would be perfectly within their rights. To say, No, you, as my subordinate, may not address the Board, related to our governance policy that would be completely allowed and legitimate. SBSD Helpdesk: Another example is addressing the Board about budgetary considerations, alternatives to proposals made by the superintendent. SBSD Helpdesk: According to our current governance policy SBSD Helpdesk: ends plus executive limitations. The superintendent could tell any subordinate. Do not tell the Board your idea, and SBSD Helpdesk: so
149the new text is, attempting to be very pinpointed that we are looking for SBSD Helpdesk: matters of general educational interest. SBSD Helpdesk: Related to district policies and procedures, including possibly with respect to budgetary allocations. But then things that yeah. So that that would be my introduction to this to this policy amendment proposal. SBSD Helpdesk: and I and I'll and I'll read it. SBSD Helpdesk: So I move that the policy governance resolution adopted by this board of School directors be amended by adding subsection 10 SBSD Helpdesk: to section 2.9 communication support to the Board to read as follows. SBSD Helpdesk: except with respect to complaints of protected characteristics, discrimination against the superintendent, and or complaints or grievances under the district's collective bargaining agreements or personnel policy, manual which shall be processed in accordance with those separately
150adopted district procedures, the superintendent shall not prevent or interfere with the right by any district employee to address the Board orally, or in writing with respect to any matter of general educational interest. SBSD Helpdesk: or as to district policies or procedures, including providing advice to the Board with respect to budgetary allocations. However, the exercise of this right by an employee shall not create any form of immunity from disciplinary or corrective action in the event of bad conduct or poor performance. There should be no retaliation against the district employee who has properly exercised this right SBSD Helpdesk: that could be written a little bit more clear. SBSD Helpdesk: I think that's a little tough to. To digest honestly SBSD Helpdesk: sounds like a lot of legalese. SBSD Helpdesk: But in the end, what does it mean?
151SBSD Helpdesk: What are you thinking? Well, I mean, I like the that's part of the reason that I I like the the clarity of the language in version one. SBSD Helpdesk: So I guess the question is, how does version 2 differ from version one. So SBSD Helpdesk: the difference is that version one might be read to imply that you can SBSD Helpdesk: talk about whatever you want to the board, and there will be no. SBSD Helpdesk: no action can be taken against you for doing that SBSD Helpdesk: which is wrong, because, like, you know, there's all sorts of things that you could tell somebody that are not protected. Speech. Right? SBSD Helpdesk: So you had. The lawyer looked over you and he wrote it. He wrote this. SBSD Helpdesk: and it was designed to fit
152within the existing policy governance, because, you know, policy governance has to be consistent across the entire set of policies. And so this is essentially designed to be a carve out SBSD Helpdesk: that makes a specific executive limitation SBSD Helpdesk: with respect to any matter of educational interest. SBSD Helpdesk: or as to district policies or procedures, including budgetary allocations. It's like a carve out that you cannot be told not to talk about that which, under our current policies, the superintendent is 100 allowed to do. They can say you are my support net. You are not allowed to talk about this, and SBSD Helpdesk: that's the matter that I think Verizon. SBSD Helpdesk: and of course you know. SBSD Helpdesk: a superintendent could come in and look at this and say, I'm not going to work in
153a district that does this. I want total control over what my support is saying. SBSD Helpdesk: And then that superintendent would have a problem with this SBSD Helpdesk: just can't stop looking at it. So. Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: It is a lot of work. So, but to your point, Seamus. SBSD Helpdesk: about wanting to make sure that we are open to being able to hear things, but also that the superintendent is maintaining the chain of command. SBSD Helpdesk: The you know, the second to last line here feels like it's sort of. SBSD Helpdesk: Thank you, put in place, that it's still, you know, this is selective, and this is, you know, SBSD Helpdesk: to the command is still in place, so SBSD Helpdesk: I could imagine that an incoming superintendent would. SBSD Helpdesk: appreciative of
154the further clarification in this second word journey version. SBSD Helpdesk: Alright! SBSD Helpdesk: That's good thing that I heard SBSD Helpdesk: dogs. SBSD Helpdesk: I wanna just go back to. SBSD Helpdesk: I have some pretty significant concerns about this, and it's not because I jumped in that SBSD Helpdesk: folks should be able to comment. SBSD Helpdesk: I I think that we have. We have a procedure already. We have a policy already, I by SBSD Helpdesk: and unclear on what? What the goal of this is, because SBSD Helpdesk: I think it's already in place. SBSD Helpdesk: and I think that what's going to come from this? SBSD Helpdesk: Yes, I think potentially, you might do more harm to everybody. SBSD Helpdesk: I have questions about how to be monitored and questions about when people come and
155say things. Is there an expectation that that so I think one of the the challenges we have is that when SBSD Helpdesk: when people have want something done, there's a difference between being current and between something being done, or we may hear you, and the answer may not SBSD Helpdesk: still be the answer that you necessarily want. SBSD Helpdesk: And so I just concerned about the level of confusion that this is going to add, and what is what? What's our what's our plan? SBSD Helpdesk: how do we monitor it? And and where we go with the information? So I think there's 2 things. That SBSD Helpdesk: thank you for those comments. I think. First, st it does impose an additional burden on the board to follow our code of conduct which specifies that we have
156to basically SBSD Helpdesk: only pay attention to things that we should be paying attention to. So I agree that it does incur, of course, an additional burden, and SBSD Helpdesk: That is SBSD Helpdesk: only one of the concerns in that area that I I agree, exist. I would say that, on the other hand, I have specific SBSD Helpdesk: written knowledge of 2 cases where SBSD Helpdesk: district employees with with decades of experience were ordered by the superintendent to not bring up SBSD Helpdesk: matters of general educational interest, district policies and procedures and advice regarding budgetary allocations, and I want to say that when those employees were ordered to not speak to the board about those things. The superintendent was completely within her rights, and I do not SBSD Helpdesk: do not judge that superintendent in
157any way negatively, for having exercise those SBSD Helpdesk: powers that the Board had given her. What I'm doing with this is, I'm saying, you know, if you want to pull as a gag order. I'll call the gag order. I'm saying there is no SBSD Helpdesk: there's an executive limitation that there shall be no gag orders. SBSD Helpdesk: 2 subordinates regarding any matter of general educational interest, district policies, or procedures, and advice to the Board with respect to budgetary allocations. But that does return us to this 1st concern, which is, that means that more people are going to talk right, that more people are going to, you know, in the middle of the budget process there's going to be something that the superintendent believes is the right thing to do, and some subordinate who doesn't agree
158is going to say, Well, I really think that we should have SBSD Helpdesk: sold off the school buses. SBSD Helpdesk: you know, and the purpose of this is to improve the functioning of policy governance by allowing for that information flow and if I didn't have specific cases that I know about where this was done, I guess I would feel it's less urgent. SBSD Helpdesk: and particularly, because then not only was that information shared, but also the language in there that people could be subject to termination period. SBSD Helpdesk: which was very concerning to see that. SBSD Helpdesk: can I? Just for clarity? Just because I think it's important as we're having this conversation because it fun SBSD Helpdesk: again, I think that goes back to oh. SBSD Helpdesk: this is information that you've heard. But
159that wasn't investigated or wasn't. So that's how I know. Okay, so the back and forth SBSD Helpdesk: I have that you're right. The only evidence I have for this is direct emails from the superintendent. Okay. SBSD Helpdesk: because I just think that again, that I I it. SBSD Helpdesk: It's much like the the agenda that I I wonder if we're creating more and making you know, I I understand that the idea is that we want to ensure that folks have the opportunity to speak whether it's we're discussing the agenda, which I'm not trying to do or we're discussing SBSD Helpdesk: how folks can give information. I just SBSD Helpdesk: I I think we have a procedure for that. And I think this is is opening up. SBSD Helpdesk: Okay, significant issues that could come that
160that SBSD Helpdesk: that those folks are so your direct SBSD Helpdesk: your superintendent, the superintendent, needs to address the folks that are there. There's procedure in place that affords that it doesn't mean they can't speak. SBSD Helpdesk: And I'm just I'm concerned where where this goes. SBSD Helpdesk: In particular, when folks are, gonna I mean, and and rightly. So they're going to advocate for their for their programs. When we're talking budget seasons, they're gonna advocate for the things that they want. And I get that, and then are we going to then set people up against each other? So SBSD Helpdesk: you know, I came to the board meeting, and I talked about my class. SBSD Helpdesk: And so you all listened to it and said, You know what I think we should put that back
161in. But somebody else didn't come back and advocate for their bus. So is it any less or more important? I don't know. I just. I think we have something in place, and I think we're opening up. SBSD Helpdesk: Right? Yeah. I think that another way to to put this is that I think it would be surprising to the community if they knew that SBSD Helpdesk: If they knew that SBSD Helpdesk: the superintendent would order a subordinate not to speak on a particular subject, and then take disciplinary action. If the employee SBSD Helpdesk: nevertheless spoke out about it, and of course there is 1st amendment protection for matters of public concern. So then, you know, the action would be taken against this employee. And then this employee could say, Well, that's a wrongful termination, because this
162was actually protected speech, because it was a matter of public concern. But I think again. It would be surprising to the community if they knew that, like. SBSD Helpdesk: you know, they're. SBSD Helpdesk: you know, the people who've been at the district the longest, which I recognize that you're one of those people. Could be ordered not to speak about something, and I think that SBSD Helpdesk: if policy governance had shown to have been a flawless, perfect system, and that all information was properly and completely transmitted through that single point of contact. To the superintendent, then I would say that this would be unnecessary, but I think that the material evidence, in my opinion, and of course this is for the force. Consideration SBSD Helpdesk: is that that single point of contact was not sufficient for
163information. Flow. SBSD Helpdesk: So one of the things that I was out there as a the acting superintendent it was. SBSD Helpdesk: I don't have all the information. I don't have all the the ways that I'd like to be able to support decision making. But I really like so I SBSD Helpdesk: we'll just put that out there. Yes, I would. I would. SBSD Helpdesk: I would love an opportunity to research this further and to be able to provide you better feedback that'd be great SBSD Helpdesk: there any other or comments with this. SBSD Helpdesk: The only thing I would say is that if there is a way to tighten up that language and make it a little bit clearer. Yeah, that would probably be helpful as well. Yeah. And we're not rushing on this. This
164is not worn for the 13.th No. SBSD Helpdesk: and and I do appreciate what you said first, st because I think that makes a lot of sense. But I I think that if we proceed with this, I can consider SBSD Helpdesk: my other thought about this is that this is the kind of thing. If you're going to modify policy governance, you should do it before somebody signs up SBSD Helpdesk: to operate under policy governance with us. So like ideally, this either is confirmed, proved, or rejected before the interim superintendent. Right? SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah. SBSD Helpdesk: Or SBSD Helpdesk: right, I don't wanna rush it. SBSD Helpdesk: And we had a tight timeline given time, very safe, friendly. SBSD Helpdesk: Great. Any other discussion on this. SBSD Helpdesk: Okay, so the last discussion item we have
165here is School Board work assignments, and the purpose of putting this on the agenda is that if there is content. If there are things that we want each other to do, we should talk about it in public. SBSD Helpdesk: So does anybody have any stuff that they want to do, or other people to do SBSD Helpdesk: that we should not problem. SBSD Helpdesk: Well, I mean, I think it was removed from the agenda thing for the 13.th But there were a number of items that we had discussed. SBSD Helpdesk: I mean, you talked about racing, I think, getting kind of a work plan for the board that we could have out there is really important, I think, having we've talked about. That's kind of overarching. But then there's also the scorecard that we talked about
166where we're pulling together what I see that as being having monitoring reports, having that stuff visible SBSD Helpdesk: and accessible on the website. So people can see where where that information is, because right now, that's not really out there. That's that's, I think, one of the big ticket items. You know, committees. SBSD Helpdesk: particularly like public engagement committees and others that we could perhaps craft. Yeah, I mean, but I think a lot of that falls under the this overarching race. If we can get that established, and then you can put in there. Okay, who's going to be doing what and who's on point for what? And who's responsible? Accounted accountable, consulted, informed on those different topics, I think really helpful just to see the big picture, to have some organization on what we do. SBSD
167Helpdesk: Okay? So I think maybe that is a good segue into it's is there any SBSD Helpdesk: so we're allowed to do SBSD Helpdesk: scheduling and agenda planning, you know, outside of public meetings. So we don't technically have to do it right now. But is there anything that? SBSD Helpdesk: So I guess I'm interpreting School Board work assignments, as also allowing us to do a little bit of scheduling. Is there anything that is missing SBSD Helpdesk: from, or that you want added to the August 20th SBSD Helpdesk: board meeting. Is there anything that you definitely want to cover? Like, for example, we have received immediate feedback that they would like to see? All of the monitoring reports in a single thread on our website. So like we could say for the August 20th meeting discussion
168item on SBSD Helpdesk: the scorecard, August 20, th or August 13, th 13th is full. 13.th Okay. SBSD Helpdesk: yeah, that would say August 20.th SBSD Helpdesk: So is there anything other any other enter? I know one thing, Dan, you're interested in SBSD Helpdesk: is the contracts. SBSD Helpdesk: Right? Yeah, we need to get all the contracts, you know. SBSD Helpdesk: Oh, no. Sorry. SBSD Helpdesk: So maybe like a a discussion item on SBSD Helpdesk: things that should be added to the website like Scorecard like. And that's where I think that Racy is kind of like. I look at that as being a map of what we need to do, and that would be one of the things if you looked at. I think one of the things that I had sent to you regarding
169what would be built out on that. It's. SBSD Helpdesk: you know, information post, you know, negotiation updates, there would be website updates which could include the contracts. There's the formation of different committees. If you're doing public engagement student, representative committees like all of these things, it's just the work plan. And like, put everything out there so that we have strategy for what we're working towards one of them is a strategic improvement plan. I know Burlington has one. Ours was updated in 2,007. SBSD Helpdesk: So that's like you, you just. It's probably not normally your domain. You know what the Burlington SBSD Helpdesk: Proven plan is. It? It would be nice. Would you look into that and see what that, what that entails? SBSD Helpdesk: If you have any suggestions for more information that we can
170provide to both. SBSD Helpdesk: I mean, I just think it would help to have like. This is what the boards were really working on instead of like, okay, there's these monitoring reports. But these are some of the other things that they're doing right, and we would have to make it compatible with. SBSD Helpdesk: you know, open meeting law like, you know, there would have to be a clear. You know, this thing that is SBSD Helpdesk: supposedly being worked on. Here's the meeting where it's warned for, and all that stuff. So okay, so I'm my takeaway from this is that on the August 20th meeting SBSD Helpdesk: if we have time, we could have a discussion of adding some content to the website, such as policy monitoring scorecard, such as school board, scorecard. Yeah, and like,
171potentially contracts. Yeah. SBSD Helpdesk: scripts, I mean teachers and sports that contracts. Oh, wow. SBSD Helpdesk: yeah. But it would be good to get historical ones. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah, something like that. SBSD Helpdesk: Alright. SBSD Helpdesk: Any other thoughts about work that we should be doing SBSD Helpdesk: well. You mentioned it earlier. Are we going to select Board members for the committee? SBSD Helpdesk: Yes, that is interesting point. SBSD Helpdesk: Pandora's see, I guess maybe we don't have to until next week. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah, you don't have to until next week over here, you guys can. Are they going to? SBSD Helpdesk: It was all included. SBSD Helpdesk: Or are we gonna have a process for that? So just want to know? We are moved off the agenda item. That's the only issue SBSD Helpdesk:
172appropriate. SBSD Helpdesk: I think it's kind of important to get those dates figured out SBSD Helpdesk: and then so for anyone who is gonna be on that. SBSD Helpdesk: maybe I know we're off the agenda. I'm just saying, before you choose anyone, I think. Maybe like, as Chris had SBSD Helpdesk: suggested, getting those dates lined up. So when you send out the doodle. Yeah. SBSD Helpdesk: like a scheduling like that says, like, are you available? Can you just do it? SBSD Helpdesk: We just pick the date. That's my recommendation to pick up this. Yeah, have a interesting see? SBSD Helpdesk: So and that way we can help, we can figure out the other people here that SBSD Helpdesk: filter. I'll stop talking that down to the comments. SBSD Helpdesk: alright. So, og, 20, we're gonna
173do SBSD Helpdesk: solutions to website and then on. SBSD Helpdesk: And we also need to ask Elaine to schedule meetings so that we can ask people SBSD Helpdesk: want to be on the agenda whether they want to. SBSD Helpdesk: whether they can meet those community SBSD Helpdesk: so that we can ask people who want to be on the screening committee. SBSD Helpdesk: If they want to phone, if they're available, they're available. Okay? SBSD Helpdesk: Alright, any other thoughts on school board work assignments. SBSD Helpdesk: thing changes. Can you send me the poll? So I can make the video. SBSD Helpdesk: So you're okay with Shannon's Pool volunteering you to do that. SBSD Helpdesk: You're probably the most to death to doing something like that of anybody on the SBSD Helpdesk: data. SBSD Helpdesk: Don't assume
174that's an old hand that off so SBSD Helpdesk: alright. Well, then we'll move on. I would entertain a motion to adjourn that. A second second SBSD Helpdesk: and a discussion. SBSD Helpdesk: All right, all the favor SBSD Helpdesk: you know. SBSD Helpdesk: What are you doing?