001Arena. You know. Alright. Agenda. Item one. I call the regular meeting of the South Burlington School Board to order on Wednesday, September 4.th At so one Pm. Agenda. Item, 2. Student spotlight from Rick Marcott, Central School Street, naming Committee. That you can't guess where they are. Alright, I'll just come in and I'll I'll frame this for you. And then I'm not sure, Rick, Mark, Central school students come on over. I would. I'm wondering if you wanna come on over here. We've got some microphones here, so I wanna make sure that we can hear you. I can just and This is Nichols. We have a flage. Oh, everybody with a slide show is. Would you like? Some of us can use these microphone? And alright, we can do this. Well, I'm glad that we have some
002new board members and I want to thank you all for being here today. This is something we've been looking forward to for quite some time, and it's a momentous occasion. And without further ado, I'm gonna turn it over to the people who we really want to hear from so I'm gonna turn it to. PAL Mcdonald to kick us off. Thank you. Hello! Everybody! Turn the sun. I think it's on. It's for the online. Okay? Well, hello, everybody. My name is Lisa Mcdonald. I am the principal at Ricardo School. Was an awesome students to tell you about a project that we kept working on for an entire year. Last year. So I would like to let you know that. When I 1st became the principal I wanted to be a good neighbor, so I went to
003the City Council meeting to introduce myself. And while I was there I asked for things like stop signs and flashing lights and signs to show that on Market Street people should be slow when they should look up the children on Market Street. Well, during that meeting. One of our community members, Monica. Came onto the zoom call, and she said. Do you know that when we started this project in the city. It was decided that the Rick Mark Central School students. Would be able to name the street. And I thought, Wow, what a great project for our school. So last year we took on the project of learning how to mainstream. Learning about the history behind naming streets. And eventually we came up with a name for our school driveway, which will tell you about today.
004But first.st Let's take a look at our slideshow. Oh, no. Doesn't it smell like you need me. Is it putting it on. I can't do anything. We'll just take a pause. Why don't we? Why don't we start with our introductions? Because I would like you to know who my students are here today? We're gonna start with our 5th graders and make sure you speak into the microphone. So people at home can hear us. Sierra. My name is Sierra. And I got the. My name is live. I am in Mr. Laplace. My name is Camilla, and I'm in. Miss out, please. 5th grade. I mean this one, I promise. My name is Katie, and I'm in Western grade, and I love to. Hi! My name's goforce class, and I'm my 5th grade, and I like to
005play sports. My name is Ben. My name is. On! And I think I'm very good at baseball and soccer. My name is Ryan, and I am in class. My name is Quinn. My name's Karen and Miss Sound. My name is Mason. I'm a Mr. Good class, and I like to swim, but so. And we have a committee member who is on our zoom. Call her name is. And she's in 3rd grade. So last year these students were second, 3, rd and 4th grade. They are one year older, and there's a picture of us practicing out in the hallway tonight. The picture here. I was gonna go backwards. No, I'm not gonna get fancy. I'm going to just forward the slides for me. I think I need a new battery. Thank you. Nick. Yeah, alright. So
006last Tuesday night we went to the planning commission. We participated in city government. And this is what we asked. We, the students of the mark on Central School. Formally requested that the school drive be officially named. Today we'll explain how we came to this different. Alright! Last slide. Okay. Those are always. You want to come in once. We had agreement. Great storm that is. Blue refers in our classes. Voting. And who in our school voted. Everyone, everybody, everyone voted at our school right? All right. So we wanna tell you that the city. Planners gave us a bunch of rules that we had to follow. For naming the the road, but before we could name the road we had to do some studying, so what we did as a school was. We looked at all of
007the hallways in our school and we decided to name each hallway a street name. And our students were so creative. They're gonna tell you. How we named some of our hallways, and if you come to our school you will see these street signs all over our school. So people would like to begin. Let's start with 5th grade. Meaning the street. This avenue, because the center and the 5th grader is, in the sense. We named History kind of court, because on that street there's a care closet. With food and extra clothes for people who need it. I think. We need one of our hallways because everybody is somebody at Uncle Central School. We need one along. Central Woman. Who was named after the. When the 1st principal in our school was to be called Central School.
008Why not? We need one, should we. Way. Mr. Day was a really. Or and part of our school, and also he's been teaching. Here for 30 years. We need one of our street library lane, because. It's right next to the library, and whenever you pass by it the library is right next to it. We named our street Market. Morning. We need one screen detail of it, because Mrs. Been a very important part of our community. She was there since my mom was born. How many years is that everybody? So right from the beginning we named one of our hallways to teleo drive. Okay? Next slide, please. All right. These were the rules that they gave us. And I'm just gonna call on students. And you tell me what you think these rules mean. So. Who
009remembers how long, how many letters are! Street could have. Let me see, Nora, how many letters. 10 to 1210 to 12, and Nora, hold on! What if our name that we came up with was too long? How did we make it fit the sign. Used to abbreviations. Right? We learned about abbreviations. Okay, another question is, Let's see. We had to talk about. We had to name something that had correct history. And we couldn't name anything after a business or a brand. Camille, do you want to tell us why. For example, what if we named our street Starbucks Road and someone in the morning? They're tired and they wanna go get themselves some Starbucks. So they put Starbucks in the GPS, and they don't see the ropes and they tap on the Starbucks road. They drive.
010All the way to our school. Our school is not serve us. We had to tell the truth and have correct history. Okay, another one was, I have something up there that says the planners get to choose. We got to vote on a name that we liked. But what is what is that about? What do I mean that the planners got to. Choose Roman. It's like it has to be important and serious and yes, important. Who are the planners, Quinn? Who are they? They were, they. Remember. On Tuesday night we went to that meeting. You got this. I remember those people at the front. What did they do when we asked them to name our street, the tailor drive. What did they have to do? They had to vote. Okay? So then, the city planning commission.
011Got the final say. Alright! Okay, everybody. Let's go to next slide. Nick. All right. These are some pictures of us at work. We had 24 people on our committee, and every once in a while we would have a committee meeting during the school day. So we gotta misclass a little right. But our our students spoke to their classmates and got ideas for naming our street. And some of these names were different from our hallways. So who would like to say who would like to explain a very creative and unique name that we came up with? But it didn't make the balance. Alright! Let's let's have live. Tell us about that. Well, some of the 5th graders decided that the name dust, pan, drive. But I don't think it made, because what they said was, it
012was very dusty. But the construction made our playground very dusty. And so that's what they remember, since. They were very young, like Sierra. What's another one. Land who wanted to name the street Moumo Lane, which grade was that. 3.rd Why did you want to move as a road. So we considered it all right. Who else remembers the name Ryan, and didn't wait until the final dream. So Learners Wayne was one of the top 3 names that ended up being on our ballot. Nick, could you pass the month forward? And you can see some of the other pictures? Here's more of our committee members. What's another really unique name that you came up with Nora. Education drive. It makes sense right? We. There's education on that road. And let's do one more. Let's think of one
013of our really creative ones. You can see some of the names up on the on the screen. When what's 1 that you thought was creative? Like. There was learners. Main would definitely took off, but it never. Waiting for the ball right like it was very popular, but it didn't make it to the final 3. Alright! Thanks for that, do you. I liked cool street. How about you? That was a good one, right? One more lift. Otter, and. And you know what? There was one that was really cute. And I just wanna say, because it was one of my favorites. It was wave way. And I said to the second graders, Why do you wanna call the street wave. Do you remember, Cameron? Can you? Do you remember Ronan. Cause. It's. Everyone's late. Everyone weighs, they
014said, when we come to school in the morning, Mrs. Mcdon, you come onto the street, and at the end of the day. What is Mrs. Mcdee? Do I go home with your parents and on the buses? But that one didn't make the top 3 either. Let's fast forward and see. Oh, there's our. Who likes to talk about our ballots that everybody in the school got to use to make a vote. How about? I? Don't wanna miss anybody. Did you wanna say anything? You've been. Quiet. How about Mason this time. We've got one in the school voted, and then we counted the votes and ended up with the failure. Teleo drive got the most amount of votes when it looks like you. Wanna say something else about this. Elementary. I've never took off either. Elementary when.
015No. So it was between Learners Lane and to Tellio drive. Next slide. Oh, look at this beautiful photo! This is a photo of the detilios, and I like the School Board to know a little bit more about this family. As you know, Mrs. Who surprised me by coming today. She's here with her husband, Mr. She has been our main office assistant for 44 years she has guided our families, our students, and our staff for that long, and we think that naming the street patilio drive. Will continue in our history to help guide people to our school. Mrs. Detilio's husband is Kennyo. He was in our fire department as a captain for. 30 36 years. I've got my numbers. Mrs. Ransom is up there in the white dress. She has been a teacher at our school
016for 23 years. Their son Brad. Has been a captain in the fire department for more than 20 years, and their daughter-in-law Sarah, has been in the police department for 20 years, and South Burlington. So we think it's a very fitting name to call our school driveway to Tello drive. Carol. We went to the school. We went to the Commission. We asked them to vote in our favor, and what happens. We did it. The Rmcs school drive is officially named. Now we will take questions. Thank you for listening to our presentation. The picture up there is the group that went to the City Planning Commission and. We'd like to know if any of you have questions for our students. Thank you. Guys, this is a really great presentation, very entertaining. I think the School Board could
017take some notes on engagement. A lot of your jokes were very good. Questions for this committee. I just want to say, Thank you very much. You guys did a wonderful job. And this is a wonderful presentation. It's very hard to get up and speak in front of people, and you all did an excellent job. Thank you. And sometimes we take public comment. Do we have anyone like to ask any questions or comments from the public for our committee here. Does it have to be for the committee or. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, well. I was gonna say, thank you to Lisa for the opportunity to give chance to be her and get engaged in a specific way like this is such an instructional exercise, and it's been a lot of fun. I think. I talked to you
018and thank you to the support. You're inviting the kids here today. I've got a couple on my bus, too. Hi. I look forward to the student spotlight like crazy. Right? It's my favorite thing about board meetings, and I miss you all summer long, and I'm so happy to have you all here. I wanna thank each and every one of you. I'm so proud of you, all of your learning, and you are so thoughtful, and you're sharing and it was, it was such a highlight to have you here. Principal Mcdonald. Thank you for all of your work. To make Rick Mark a safer place for our kids and our families and our community members. Sue. I could cry right now, but it would be the second time today. As a rule, I don't cry, but I
019am gonna come and give you a hug. I won't make you stand to be recognized, but. Truly so appreciative of of all that you do, and I want to thank you all for being here, folks, you're welcome to say and watch the board meeting. You're welcome to head home, please. Do what works best for you. And I wanna say, as an open invitation, love having. Folks, families, kids, all kinds of people at our board meetings. And thank you for supporting your kids and being here tonight. Appreciate you. There's just one more announcement. We are working with them, planning, and the city to. Gentlemen, we're working with the city and the planning commission. To. Have an event. Where the sign gets unveiled to the community, and the whole school participate in that, and you'd be invited
020to speak as well, too. I know you'll have it in yours, but we'll make sure that we. Tell everyone so that we can be there, for you know I'm just hoping for big scissors again. What do you think the chances are. Yeah, all right, students, I'm very proud of you. I'll see you tomorrow. Okay. I'd like to know? Yeah. Yeah, I was just wondering if maybe. Yes. Alrighty! Yeah. Agenda. Item 3 is announcements the agenda. Do we have any announcements? And then it's the agenda this evening. Tessa or Laura. Do you guys have any announcements or amendments. Alright. Then we'll move on to agenda. Item, 4 comments from the public. This is the communities opportunity to share feedback and concerns with the board. We ask that you keep your comments 2 to 3 min, and if
021you refrain from using the information that would identify a specific person. Please raise your hand in the room or use the zoom raised hand feature. We will only use the online chat to manage any tech issues. We are not able to take action on any issues brought to us during public comment. However, any board member may suggest tonight that the issue or questions be added to a future agenda for discussion. We may also delegate addressing issues to our superintendent's, and it is always helpful if you can email us a copy of your comments for all. So With that said, Do we have any public comment items? Not on the agenda. Please come up and state your name for the record. Please. Hi James Kirkrick. School bus driver. I just wanted to bring a couple things
022to the attention of you guys. 1st and foremost. Thank you very much for the increase that you have given the drivers. I I think. That's gonna make a big difference for our department. It's it's very big, and I know more needs to be done for other support staff. That's that's hopefully on the agenda for the board. Also we the mechanic, desperately, which I'm sure you know. We do have some issues with some of the buses that really need. You know. Some attention, and we're hoping we get one very soon. The other thing, which is very important. Communication between our department and. Whoever that you guys are. Needs to be a little bit better with our department, because, being that we're not in the schools. Any of the schools were in a separate building. I'll give
023you an example. I'm a triple E driver. And. We were informed yesterday that. Triple day off was changed from Fridays to Wednesdays. And most of us drivers and transportation people make appointments on Fridays due to that. And so finding out yesterday that today was the day off, not Fridays. We have, you know, some bus drivers and monitors that have appointments like on Friday. So. You know, I just wanna say better communication. I think the transportation department should be notified the same time. Everyone else is not. We shouldn't be the last to find out. Because it does affect us. Our. Our supervisor found out, because a bus driver found out from a parent. That's how it happened this time. So. You know, I just think it's it's we're a very important. Critical department, and I think
024it just needs to be better. Notification, I guess, for all of us. It makes our job easier, too. And I think that's it. Don't use my green on it. The other public comes in the room for items not on the agenda. One. So that we will move to agenda. Item, 5, focus on student learning student representative for 14. Alright. The High School musical is this year. Auditions are happening today tomorrow after school, and there are posters in the hallways of the High school. With the QR code to sign up for auditions. Yeah. And the Vermont pride is also coming up and tells queer, straight alliance invites everyone in the tunnel community to march with them. The parade is on Sunday, September 8, th from 11 Am. To 2 Pm. And for more information, there's a
025meeting tomorrow, September 5, th and Mr. Carlson's room, which is Room 2 36. And then Ali and I also wanted to give a brief update on how we thought cellphone policy was going and so cell phone homes today. So I actually haven't experienced using those yet. But teachers have been instructing us to just keep phones in backpacks. And I can only speak for my junior and Senior level classes. But I think implementation has been going really well, and I've seen very few. So. Finally, since don't have access to text or calls during class period, we'd like to highlight that students and parents can contact the front office at Burlington High School, with any messages for students at 802-65-2700 one, and they can also reach the attendance office at 8 0. 2, 6, 5, 2, 7.
0260 0 2, or the email Sbhs attendance. Alright. Next, we have agenda. Item 6, which is our discussion items. 1st for discussion. We have the finance committee applications. We're closed 5 days ago. How's it going. We have some fantastic candidates. I also had some folks who read Tim's article, and I've trickled in some questions. So they. They wanna know more about the position. We are still looking for some positions. We still have 3 slots open. But is is a encouraging group. And I'm excited to. And you default with these 2 folks that follow questions. And I think we're pretty close. So if there's somebody who is still interested, and I remember somebody mentioning a student, possibly. There are slots available. If you're still interested, and we'll be scheduling that 1st meeting. Once I get a
027little more confirmation of So at this time. Sorry at this time you're kind of accepting applications on a rolling basis until the spots are filled. I I thought that we you know, we kind of. Figure going into this that just going into the school year, people are focused on. Get the school year started. And now the folks are starting to read paper and see the articles. Interest is starting to pick up. So even we receive. These 3 questions, Paul, after the application here closed. So. Unless there's a. A reason why we wanna shut off if we sell some spots open. I I think that would provide a richer experience for everything. Would it be helpful? An announcement for the High School? So it'd be broadcasting. During the school day to students. I prefer to. I
028think that would be, I think. You know, last time we discussed this the Board was really supportive of having a student. Rep, I think it's incredibly important. Every time we've had a vote, and our students have shared. Kind of their perspective on, hey? What this actually means. It's been really powerful to the community. I would love it if you could do that, and should. Should they? Should folks reach out to Tim and Chris email? Got their contact information that would be awesome to get a student on board. And. Love it. Nick. Thank you. Great question. Any other updates. This time Finance Committee. Great. I'm excited about it. Next we have school tours. So board members should have received an email from, I think, last week with some school tour options for board members. Council, city,
029council, legislators. Okay? And so for board purposes, board member know who's going to which ones, if you're going because we don't have more than 2 board members present at any of the visits. It does look like we have. People signing up to go to the school. So that's great. Anything else. Looking forward to it. It's a great way to bring city counselors and legislators. Lawmakers, State reps State senators into our schools. It's an opportunity where we can share about some of the conditions, some of the needs. I think when people are in our schools and they're seeing some of the things that we're talking about, and they're brought to life with real human faces. I'll never forget taking then Secretary of Ed around our buildings. And he saw water dripping from a ceiling into a
030Kitty Pool, and he was astounded. Right? So these things are so important. So I look forward to these every year, and some 3rd year of doing this always have great attendance. I think it's a great way to strengthen the city Council as well. You know we've got to work together. Serve one community? So as we continue to face. Challenges with associated with and funding modifications. You know, I think the emphasis that if we're one community it's 1 pocket book is increasingly important. Grateful to have folks participating. Signing up. The tours are on September 16, th 18, th and 26. So we'll give you a recap and let you know how that goes. And I hope to see some of you students in in those tours. So say, Hi, if you see us, and then you
031can. You know we're talking about so pretty good. Thanks. Alright. Next, we have the cell phone policy development. And just for clarity sake, the way that. Discussion around this will go is the board will have discussion first, st and then we will open it up to public comment. Just so. There's clarity for that. So board members, I shared with you a timeline that I drafted. For a. A policy development process. And this is very much a draft. And I'm looking forward to your feedback on what you think. So far. So possible for me to share my screen. Yeah. Okay. So. So my point or purpose here is to create clarity with our community about the process. If we decide to move forward with. Cell phone and. That our policy a cell phone policy that would
032likely work as a ban in our district. Please wait and do have thoughts. So in bold. Got it. So in bold. I have dates that would be regular board meetings. And so I'm thinking that these are either discussion topics, or. Actions or reviews that we can take at board meetings, and then in regular typeface, it would be other things that we are doing to engage our community. And really, this. Process that I made very closely follows the Vsba's guidelines for policy process. And then I looked to include. Community engagement activities that are considered in thin and thick engagement. So like thin engagement would be a survey that's posted, and thick engagement would be like community forums where community members can come and share their opinions. Beyond, just board room board meetings. And the thought there
033is that community forums can be scheduled at alternate times on just Wednesday night, in case this time really doesn't work for a large. Portion of our community. So I have. We kind of started talking about this when we were monitoring the report on the 21.st And then tonight I thought we could consider whether we need to have a policy banning cell phones. Between now and our next meeting. I could post a link to a brief survey, and if we do want to move forward with the survey like word feedback on what that survey should cover. Laura, you and Elaine have a listening session scheduled for the 11, th and so I thought, perhaps you, if people aren't coming with their own topics. This could be a topic that this would be great. Yeah, I would
034encourage people to come for that right. Then, on the 18th I figured we could continue. If we want to move forward with the policy. Perhaps our October article could be about this topic. Our October OP article. And then I specifically left time in between October. And January. Just basically. So we can see how much engagement do we get? How contentious is this. Are you going to be in our community? And do we need to schedule more community engagement between October and January? So giving us that space. To decide. With the With the actual drafting and reviewing policy being in the winter and the overall goal of implementing a possible policy for the next school year. I also chatted with Violet this week, asking if there would be a way to. Get data back from teachers
035and administrators about how, between now and January, the operational policy that the superintendent has put in place. Are working like, what's the feedback from teachers? Is it sufficient? Do we need more? So I'd love to just 1st talk about this timeline, hear your feedback, and then, after. The discussion topic really should tonight be. Do we need to consider a policy banning cell phones or. Is the operational change that we have. Currently sufficient. And we can table this discussion for another time. That's kind of the 2 pieces I think we need to discuss tonight. And so what do you think about the timing. Can I start? I'll start so, Mike, on the 20 second, you have draft policy based on community values. Are you saying, start a draft. I'm I was confused on that, or are
036you saying we will have a draft available by January second. Yeah, I was thinking that we would look at model policies around the country and draft our policy based on what's important to our community and the input from our superintendent. That would be writing by the 20 second. Or are we starting that process on the phone? That's like starting that process start. Okay? So that what you're saying is we would begin drafting policy based on community values and input. Around the 20 second. That's what we would be looking to do. And then, looking at the timeline, I I struggle with Review and adoption. In the March timeframe. We all know it's probably going to be a difficult budget season and I'm not sure if if waiting. For adoption of this policy until after we get
037we get further on in the spring may be more appropriate, but I also understand. You know it's a double edged sword, so. If this isn't i i i think maybe we have to. Just kind of feel it out as we get into the early parts of the winter. To decide is this where we want to expend energy. In the March timeframe, or do we push it out? I don't think there's a hard date at this point, but I also, as you mentioned, we potentially will have a new board members. So if we do bring on board members. In the March timeframe. Then I think we should definitely push it out further. So they have an opportunity to provide input on it. You know Tim, I Looked at this with such optimism, thinking. Can meeting day
038is will be over and done by the 12, th and so we can carry on with regular board business. But yes, of course, I think your point on there's no key. But maybe that asterisk right? There is really, indicating based on results of town meeting, day. Well, and I mean realistically, would this policy have infrastructure needs? Would it have. Operational costs tied to the policy that needs to be considered. So maybe it makes sense to. Have our new budget in mind when we pass it went, and if we were to pass this it would be culturally cultural. And you know, we wouldn't be buying more, you know. Well, I mean, maybe we'd be buying more cell phone boxes. But. I think the big pieces here is to prepare staff and students and families for possible
039changes, heading into the New Year. I think if folks left the school year knowing that a change like this is or isn't going to happen with support the transition and and just having folks feel more prepared and successful, and and ready to make a. You know, this is a significant modification. So I appreciate Tim's comments on March, and I think, having this decision made prior to the end of the school year. Is also important. I, yeah, and. I think getting the teacher feedback is. I think that probably the most critical. Element of this. I mean that this is the number one complaint of teachers and. And regardless of like. What you may or may not think with cell phones. But when you have 25 kids in room who are getting 30 notifications, you know, every
040half hour. That is wildly, I mean, if nothing I mean, that's just. Disruptive. So, the other thing being on the Sba They wanted to, the Sba decided not to support a cell phone. And the main reason is. Because. We just didn't want to put this in the backs of teachers. It's not fair. It's not fair. It's a societal issue. It's And it. It's the the job is hard enough as it is, and you're trying to teach kids. And if now you're you're doing this battle like that battle has got to be taken on. By someone else. So that that's my my main concern. That. So I guess we like Gracie and Allie. You said it's going. Far as you know. Like, you know. No one's run from the building, so maybe, like in a month
041we do a survey. And and and just ask, like, what, what do you think this is working? Is this a good step? What do you think. Well, I do have actually a lot of thoughts about whether or not we should consider this policy. But. The way I drafted this timeline was to have a lot of the heavy lifting of conversation and crafting of community values and listening before budget season. And then the actual, more. Bureaucratic process of just. Crossing the t's and dotting the eyes and making sure the policy looks good, being in the spring, and. My thought is that at that point it will be less. About, should we or should we not? How big should the policy be? That sort of feedback will be collected, and then in the spring, it will be
042more of a. This is the policy. Let's read it. Let's have a short discussion. But at that point. Most of the thoughts would be processed if that makes sense so. That said. We will certainly have new board members in March because of. We're expanding our board at that time from 5 to 7, so there's no way. We won't have new Board members, and I've been thinking about that. In advance about. The plan to onboard and change whatever practices we need to change and. I still don't think it's fair to ask somebody, on their 1st or second meeting to vote on. Policy, so. As this Po. As this timeline stands before we get into the discussion about whether or not we should have it. Can I just get the feedback of like. Are we good with
043this? Is this. Yeah. The only clarification I would make is based on what you just said. And I I think this is and I wouldn't want to see this sort of. Kind of meander out there, and we kind of we're not getting a lot of feedback, we are. We aren't. Let's kind of, you know, forget about it, I think the community deserves, and the Administration deserves a response from the board as to whether we move forward or not. With this, so I would say that we look at the 20 second as our go forward on whether we implement a policy. So everybody knows what what the Board's decision is on that, because it looks like we're going to do a lot of data collection. A lot of room in. Up, until then. But then I'm
044not sure operationally. Do we vote on coming forward and saying, Yes, we're going to adopt a policy. Let's move forward at that point. But that way we'd have a clear line in the sand, as what we are going to do regarding this issue. And everybody's on board are clear with what the board is. So that would be my only recommendation is still. Yeah, identify that in the timeline. So we know. But community engagement. I think this is where I community listening. Is this educators in the building like, what do you mean by community. I guess to me that would be like a community listening session, because I just don't see anywhere like what do what does admin? Think? What does teachers think like. I I don't know from the superintendent, right like. That's supposed to
045be reported out in our policy. That information will be reported through Violet. And. Community engagement sessions is our community members, the owners of the schools telling the Board what's important to them. So our lane as a board is to listen to the community at large, not to like, go into the schools and and talk to teachers or students. No, that's not what I'm saying. Like, when when is that? When is that information coming to us? That's what I'm wondering, because I I just don't. I think. That's why I just don't know where that falls in the that September 11th community listening session is the regular listening session right for you and Elaine. Is that right? Yes, so I would love to put that in my newsletter with, you know, if it's okay with you, because.
046I think what I'm hearing you say is like the. Really so many of our teachers, our community members, and our guardians right? And they. So I think i i i think I understand what you're both saying, and I think. Absolutely. Teachers can go to that, and I think, you know we'll advertise it. I'll put in my newsletter and I want to do additional. You know, it sounds like. You know, our student reps are, gonna do a plan for surveying students, and I'll do one staff, and I'll share that. I'll do a survey for sure, and I I think that. The Forum pieces of having you know anyone in the community staff included students on at your listening session. Okay. Everybody. Right now as an idea, I have January 8th listed as a time where the
047superintendent and perhaps the students could plan to report out survey data that they've prepared. But if that time, if that date seems wonky, just let me know. This doesn't have to be concrete, and my hope, though, is that. Perhaps we could publish this other part of the website, so that if people are interested in the topic, they can see where in the process we are so holding like generally to these dates would be great. Okay, that date works for me. Okay. I'll probably survey before the early winter break, and you know. Get everything organized and together. Over the recess. And we can work together. You think that would be a good time for students to be taking a survey or. But, like culturally, do you think people checked out and not willing to take a
048survey? Or and it would be better when they get back, or before they leave. Or maybe you want to think about it. I'm so sorry. January 8, th and I'm not sure off the top of my head where that falls in the winter break. But I'm sure it's following. Zoom the winter break. Yeah. I think. If it's falling to break, that should be fine, and students will have a good amount of time or operational benefits. To have it so that. Nice, of. Okay. Any further. Comments or edits to the timeline I have identify in the timeline where we would decide whether or not we're moving forward with a policy or not. Anything else. Timeline and stress. I can't do this is like a living document like you can change it. Just initial reaction was. There's
049a lot of work for a policy like it. I just. My initial reaction was like. I hope that the superintendent feels the power to Deploy operational but like, so, I'm just, I'm just trying to understand what would be different policy versus operations. Is it. Is it kind of shifting like up like. This is. This is bigger than Violet like this really needs to be the board to kind of ratify this. Like. Is there? Should we move up this timeline so that we. Would that be beneficial to put in place. Mason, but alone. I mean. Let's wrap this up by. Yeah. That's a good question. And I think we kind of got that question last week, which was, what's the difference between a board policy and a superintendent's operational policy. Or or that what the superintendent
050is able to do within the executive limitations. And, like my personal philosophy, is that policy does not dictate culture. But it protects culture, and it'll end. Culture will change whether it wants to or not. But policy should not stay outdated. It should live and breathe with the culture. I I was. Trying to talk through my own thoughts about this with people that are close to me, that I know very well, and I was being misunderstood. Time and again. So I'm gonna try to say before I share my thoughts, that. I so far in my research, and very much in favor of getting cell phones out of the classrooms. Like. That's my personal view. That said. I think we have a responsibility as a board. To to think about the ramifications of a policy that we
051would put in place. Because once we make it, we will have to go through a whole process to change it, whereas I think the superintendent and the administration have a little bit more leeway with operations. They can say, Okay, this isn't working. Let's meet. Let's change it. Done. I think that we owe it to our community to go through the policy process with integrity and. I have questions about a band that are. Are they effective? Because we can decree any policy we'd like. That doesn't mean that it's gonna operationally work out the way they intended. And I'm wondering if. I'm wondering if they're effective. I'm wondering if the data is. True scientific data or subjective anecdotal experience. And I'm wondering if. Not engaging students in the process of the cultural change could possibly further disengage
052them from the school community, because, frankly, any rule that we could come up with a student can find a way around. We've all been teenagers. We've all been kids, and when we want to do something we are determined, and figure out how right so like an easy example is. The. With the cell phone and the cell phone. How many students already have a dummy phone to put in that cell phone home so that they can still have their cell phone, which does put on the teachers. To enforce the policy. And so I just want. I want to make this decision with real data and with. Long-term lens. Because once we make the policy it is bigger than the superintendent. It's the community telling the Board and the Board making a policy that says this is
053how our district will operate. And since we have the ability, and we are already this year. Trying this operational change that will be real feedback for us, and how this would work in our district. And I think that, having discussions. The the other thing is, and all of my time on this board I have never had such unanimous feedback like. I am literally only hearing from one side, which is incredible. But also very. Rare, and I it. What it does give me pause is, what is the other side of the coin? Because we're not even addressing the other side of the court, because nobody's bringing it up, and we at least owe it to the process. To. Find out what the objections are, and make sure that we are Cognizant of them and still moving
054forward with the band. Because we believe it's what's best and that it's what will be effective. And I just. I think about if students are not. Feeling connected and feeling like they're in favor of this change. They're feeling something, perhaps, is being taken from them. And then they are spending their creative energy coming up with ways around the rules. And then they're getting into the consequence process. Or, I mean, what could could that potentially just further disengage them, and then. Like parents who have the resources to have conversations with their kids. And and perhaps engage them. Some of our students won't have, or and some of our parents won't have those resources. So I just want to be thinking about is our policy bands like this effective. I don't want to just drop on the
055bandwagon, because it's what everyone's doing. And Are we really considering? Is this an opportunity to bring our students into the process and and help them teach us and teach themselves how to regulate their own cell phone, use. I just think we have some opportunities here, and I don't want us to miss them, because we rush too fast with the process. So that's I hope. I hope I'm being understood literally. My best friend was like, so you don't. So you think cell phone should be like. That's not what I'm saying. You might also be very overthinking this. I've been collecting phones for 9 years. Okay. There's maybe then in all those years a couple of kids with dummy phones. It's it's pretty rare. It. I mean, it does happen. And I and I always. I always
056find them like, what is this? You know? It's pretty obvious, like whatever. And you know. For the most part kids are fine with it. I mean, it's no I mean in my classroom. Yeah. No. In the class, and Mongo like I'm the one that's in charge. What I say. And I, and it's. In order for me to teach you Spanish. I cannot have you over there doing bad things. And I do always explain the why. I just get very little. I've gotten very little pushback. But a lot of teachers are afraid to do because it they just don't want one more fight. You know, you've got a classroom with. So I have a class of 20 kids over 50% have all kinds of needs and challenges, and I have to. Where all these. And if
057I now have to fight about the cell phone. I mean, it's just like one distraction after another. So I think what I'm saying is, I think this. I think, Allie and Graciana, I. You can tell us, but I don't think it's gonna be us. Terrible. I mean, I don't think it's gonna be as bad. So. I'll pop and jump in here because 1st what what I really haven't heard, and I know there's a lot of. This could potentially be emotional. Right? 1st of all, we have very different ages that we need to consider. If you consider our ends policy as we prep students to exit our our. School. I. I agree with Chelsea that the students have to be involved at the upper levels in any decision, right? Whether. If if we do nothing else,
058what I don't think we can do at the upper levels to say this is how it's going to be for you right? You need to be involved because. These are cell phones. This is a ubiquitous device. This is not something where we can. Keep it from you until you exit and go to freshman. You know you're in college right? The other thing I'm not hearing. Is what the real problem is. Here. So I've heard we've had testimony where, you know, kids are short attention, national surveys, etc, etc. What I don't know is is that a problem in South? The other problem is. What you're saying is different. From a problem perspective. Because what I'm hearing is some teachers is the problem that teachers aren't given the authority to to do it in their classroom. They're
059not given the backup. This is the number one complaint nation. Wide. About. So when I I'm I'm kind of shocked that, like the problem is, we can't get kids attention. And we have to change our curriculum because of that, and we can't do certain things. I mean, I like, I don't like. I guess I'm not explaining myself. No, no, I I think I understand. But I want a clear definition of what the problem is, because it's the problem that in in South Burlington that teachers don't have. The tools they need to control and understand. If we implement a policy around this. And 1st of all, I hate the word, Dan. I think we need to talk about more than just a band, and it's got to be more than cell phones. Because there are any
060number of electronic devices that we should take into consideration. The the. If we implement a band, what we're really saying is, we are going to constrain the superintendent to certain actions. Right. That's what the policy is doing right now. There is literally no policy, so. Operationally, the superintendent can implement whatever is appropriate. If we come in as a board and say, this is how it's going to work. My question is, what does that really solving that we are able to solve right now. Are, we are, we. Better empowering teachers to control their classrooms through policy. I don't know. This is why I'm saying I I haven't heard a clear problem here. Just other than we've got to get them out of a classrooms. And I'm not understanding why that isn't happening today, or what's preventing
061that from happening today. And what a policy would do to rectify that. So that that's my, that's my question. I have no problem. And I I've read a lot of policies around from other schools. And actually kind of jumped out of the State, looked at a lot of stuff. And a lot of them are kind of wishy, and nothing that I think, is quite aware. I see policy coming in is we are going to constrain the superintendent to certain actions. And I just wanna make sure that if we're going to do that. We are. We are like, Chelsea said. We're not unintentionally creating consequences that we would say we've got to consider kids on Ieps. We've got to consider any number of issues. Before we simply implement some sort of, you know, downright band. So.
062And, culturally speaking, you know, I'll just speak broadly here on a national level. We're seeing this word fan right being used. And and you're right. It's brought in cell phones. It's it's smart watches. It's all sorts of devices. And I think what this gets at is a larger focus on systems and structures. So and it's not focused on personnel. Right. So say there was anyone in this chair that I happen to sit in today. If where there is a policy, it is a a district community aboard initiative rather than based on, you know, one person operationalizing something. So, for instance, as just for folks that you know, listening to understand the distinction between what we're talking about here. Should I decide tomorrow? Phones are back. The board, however, strongly feel. Technically would have no venue
063for modifying that right? So if if the board you know, felt. We do need restrictions. This is a way to ensure that that happens through policy, regardless of personnel. Right? Just so, you know, for the books trying to understand. We're conflating a few things here. You know, we have conversations about policy, and what is the lane and what is the operationalization of it. So that's the distinction between the 2. And I think that's what we're seeing in a larger. Context, nationally, is large districts making this decision. And it's and it. And it doesn't rely on their leadership to to enforce You know. I'll speak to the the piece about empowering teachers. You know I I. Firmly believe every one of our administrators wants to do this. And I've talked to our high school and middle
064school admin team in our elementary. And you know, I was at the High School staff meeting when the High School Admin team shared with teachers. You know, this is how we're gonna support you. You know, it's 1. Ask again. And then administration supports. One thing that we've learned and talking to our neighbors about implementation is that supporting teachers is actually essential and that we must be critical. I think our teams are doing a great job on that. And That consistency, we know is critical at the onset. You know, our our teachers and our staff are number one resource to support learning and our students, which is why we're here. So that's been our big focus. And You know I don't have anything but anecdotal data. So far. But you know, let go. Chelsea said. I've
065heard from a lot of teachers parents and guardians. Who are really supportive of this, and I've heard from one parent who isn't, and I invited them to attend this conversation so that they can, you know, share perspective. That's different than the one that we might hear as well. Thanks. Okay. See anything so far. The only thing I wanted to bring up was going up. Tim was talking about. I think one main concern that I've been hearing a lot. Just from the idea of having a total ban on cell phones is the idea that in society now we do have to worry about lockdowns and that sort of situation, and it's being able to contact parents or guardians in that situation. So I think that would just be one main thing to try to keep in
066mind. And talking. I think it needs to be in the back of our minds. I think it's an important piece like. And I'm sure our superintendent can inform us. But. The conversation about that. I think that that will be a flip side of the point is that some parents. And students. Have a lot of comfort, knowing that they have that ability to connect I think that we also need to weigh the. Risks and costs of cell phones in classrooms against the. Possible benefit of that ever happening right? So. I think it's just worth the conversation, and ultimately I think that. You know, asking why are we. I think we owe it. That's our job as board members. And I'm actually really excited about this. I feel like it's 1 of the 1st times since I've
067been on the board where we are, super. Super is not a very professional word, but we're focused on policy. That's what the Board is supposed to be doing. We're not supposed to be reacting to fires and figuring out how to put them out. And I'm really proud of us for getting to this point. And. Whether we decide to move forward with policy or not. I think the process is what we are supposed to be doing. This like this is a concern in our community, and this is what we're supposed to be spending our time doing. Any further board discussion at this time before I move to public comment. I'm looking forward to hearing more from Laura. This is a topic you speak a passion on, and. But yeah, you have experience and. I'd love to
068learn more about that throughout this engagement, and hearing from folks that. You know the learning processes It's hard to be present and mindful when you're having a device. How do you deliver a good educational value, I and but like when Ally just mentioned the The the use of outside the learning environment. Now, it's like, okay, well. Are we getting inside the entire building, or is it importing environment. So if there's some nuances to it. You need to flush out so. We very much still need 10. As part of right, these are skills. Our students are gonna need to understand how to use technology. Another point, you know. I think, with any sort of policy, there's always the legal reasons for us to support students who's individualized. Educational plans require technology or 504 plans, right? Like,
069we know that some of our students, and nurses, use cell phones to to track blood sugar. Right? We know that they're individualized educational plans. That have listening to music as a part of their plan, right? So we're always gonna have to You know. Look at this with reason. And I, you know, even if there was a ban, you know, there's a lot of language community members, teachers, email me daily at this point, hey, did you see what this district is doing and what that district? And they're always responsive to students, you know, rights and needs that are protected by law. So wanted to mention that as well. There was Actually, I think it was yesterday, a podcast. That just came up, called. It was on the Daily, which I believe is affiliated with the New
070York Times, and it was, you know, the push to ban cell phones. And you know there are some states that. It's kind of shocking they have bipartisan on like statewide. Pushing policy. Some governors are issuing orders to just like immediately ban cell phones in schools. Some schools. It's a, it's not a long, podcast I felt like it was well done in the sense that it does. We know. I felt there's some history. There's some timeline. One school was talking about how they hired guards who drive around on golf carts to police cell phones so like. I'm not saying that's what's gonna happen. What I am saying is like for them like it's not. I'm not do that anyway. My point is. That just copying what everyone else is doing is not. Following the process with
071integrity. And so I'm just trying to say, like, let's have integrity in this process. Anyway, I'll just make one. Minor comment. So. I'll date myself. I mean I. Had my formative years in the seventies. Well before cell phone. So all of that. And I can tell you that. I, I, I banning cell phones potentially. Resolve, one issue, but. We're not going to resolve issues around isolation around bullying harassment, inattentive students, distractions in such simply by alright Banning, I don't. I I don't believe in that. I think it's just a path we don't want to go down. And you know, haven't grown up in the era where this stuff wasn't around. I can tell you that if I'd had a cell phone. Wow! What an amazing device they are amazing devices. And used appropriately, they they
072should be available. And I want to make sure that they are used appropriately in schools. That's what I'm saying. So. I also listen to that. Podcast. And I think 1 point that really stuck out to me. That they made is that there's really no minimal data to show what banning cell phones in schools does, just because it's such a new thing. And so I think that one way to present data and create more discussion between the board and students would be to show some sort of data about how. Cell phone or social media use Drastically impacts mental health or something like that. I think that would be a really nice way to inform students or just give students more resources. That kind of explain why the Board is doing. Can I ask what you thought
073since you listened to it? The guest on the Podcast, spoke about how she teaches a class in the summers, I believe, with high school students, and she has them pick an app on their phone and track their. Screen time on that specific app over a number of days and also ask them to investigate, how does this app attempt to keep your attention and keep you using it. And when you like, things are engaged with content, are you doing it because you actually like it, or because you feel compelled to, because it's your friend stuff things like that. And the purpose of the project is to help students. Have more self reflection, and like. Awareness over their own cell phone use. And I just think like. Particularly around topics of addiction. If you just try to
074force someone to do something that doesn't really seem effective. And if instead helping someone. Realize that this is what they like, whether it's what they want. But have those mindful experiences so that they're more like, I want buy-in from students. Frankly, I wanted like, if this is a cultural change, I just don't think that. 5 adults sitting at a table. May is going to create cultural change, and I think that what I'm trying to say is we have the opportunity for students to be a part of this process, and have it be meaningful. Change that you will take on with you after you leave. And maybe I'm starting to get outside of the Board room like, maybe that's the the. Role. But If we have this this ban, and then you go to college and
075nobody's telling you what to do with your cell phone. Have we really prepared you to be able to put your device down. Is that really ours policy. And I hope again that I'm not coming across as I want cell phones and classrooms. That's not really where I stand. But I. I'm trying to say, like, let's actually engage this process. About kind of recognizing their own screen and. I've yeah. I've never really thought of it like that. So I think that'd be cool if teachers were able to implement some sort of. Kind of self. Reflection is similar to that. Any other discussion at this time. With that we will open it up to public comments. So if you're in the room and you'd like to comment, please just raise your hand, and I'll point to you,
076and if you could come up. Yeah, I should have said with this. We have Sarah Pania here. Sarah is our district Nurse and in, you know, talking to a number of our health professionals about. Just the functional implementation on restrictions. I've asked that Sarah share some feedback from our school nurses. Do you wanna share your screen. No, that's okay. It's not that organized. Sorry. I don't know if this is. Bring that other mic over to you, Sarah. So one of these is a. In the room, Mike and the other is for the televised version, picking up. That's being filmed in the back room. So we all need 2 mics technically, which was hysterical watching. Did you see this mic was bounced down? The student was like. This mic doesn't work. The folks at home are
077really getting great audio of this. Yeah, I'm not gonna share my screen. I I do have some slides, though. So it's something. You know, we want to include information for the students. As far as mental health and public health concerns maybe do that, but I didn't think I had that much time. I'm here. As the District Nurse leader, to offer strong support for a man of cell phones in our schools on behalf of the nurses in our district. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, overuse of digital media in children, has a direct link to obesity, sleep, loss. Delays in learning and social skills, for mental health bullying problems and more. As these are public health concerns. We have school nurses play an important role in this conversation. We believe that we owe it to
078our students to model this. Positive Leadership. And many of these health concerns are directly related to the amount of hours that students are on. Digital media throughout the day. As a parent. I certainly struggle with this with my kids at home. I'm also the mother of Camila, who. Was on the name of the street and spoke about Starbucks. But. To me it's a relief as a parent think that they're going to be at school. I don't have to police the. The. Social media situation or the screen time. So it's just a constant. Struggle for all of us, and. In my opinion, it doesn't really have a place in the classroom. Just another point is the summer. The Surgeon General called the Mental Health Crisis among young People and emergency and noted social media, has emerged
079as an important contributor. A school nurses. We're seeing an alarming increase in health office visits related to mental health issues. And I mean, we're tagging in all the right people that we have in our district. But it is constant. It's a daily multiple school. Occurrence. I thought another thing that was interesting that Murphy said was one of the most important lessons he learned in medical school was that in an emergency. You don't have the luxury to wait for perfect information. You assess the available facts, and you use your best judgment. And you act quickly. So I think that sort of. Relates to. The discussion we were having about the timeline. I think we. So we're gonna need to make this call. I hold our school nurses. We. I discuss this issue many times with them
080in person. But I sent a Google form, and I would just like to share a few of the comments that came back on it. If that's okay. So it was unanimous that all the nurses in our school district agree that phone should be banned from the classroom. And Some of the thoughts were just from one of the nurses. I agree that cell phone should not be allowed during the school day, as they significantly distract students from learning. From a school nurses perspective. I've noticed that students often bypass the nurses office, communicating their sickness and symptoms directly to their parents. Instead. This practice not only disrupt the disrupts their focus on education, but also prevent students from learning to advocate for their own health needs. During the school day, and utilizing the proper channels. And it
081also just doesn't give us a chance. As nurses to. Assess the situation and see how we can meet their needs. Maybe they are struggling. Maybe they there is a mental health concern that we could Be alerted to. Another. Comment that I thought was. Interesting and Related to the question of a ban versus. Add. Looser situation. And but no cell phone policy is thoughtfully implemented. It can eliminate the power struggle between students and staff over phone usage. With a district wide policy. The expectation is clear, and staff are no longer seen as the bad guys. For enforcing the rules. Instead, the responsibility shifts to upholding a standard that everyone is aware of and must follow. Just another thing, we're counting. We're we're encountering several issues related to privacy and student behavior. Students barging in from the
082hall to video or photograph and injured friend. This also happens outside the office when someone is injured. The 1st thing peers do is take out their phone to capture the scene. Difficulty with self regulation when not using a device. Unsettling behavior, such as communicating with Peers via text, while in the help office. Which can exacerbate their distress. This includes engaging and help unhealthy conversations. We're coping through the phone. Distracted by the phone when we're trying to assess and educate and gather information. But. You know, this is really a public health concern, and I just wanted to point that out, because it's not only just a. Distraction or logistical issue. But there are real proven negative health effects to screen time. Can I ask, how many district nurses are there unanimous? How many people we have?
0838, including me. That see all of our students. Thanks. That's all. I. All I have. Special answers. Daddy any questions for Sarah. Please. So I'm. I'm stuck on the when we say bandwidth. So I I think it can be. What we want it to be. I think it just needs to be clear. So help. I mean, I think there's there's a few different ways. Actually think I haven't pulled up on that other computer but. Then use them information to About different ways that other schools have done this. But you know, I think right now, what we're doing is, students are putting their phones away in the classroom, and still able to use them. And the hallways and during study halls and that sort of thing, right? So. That seems like a fantastic 1st step. It
084definitely doesn't address the issue of. Injuries being filmed and those kind of things. But maybe, as you were saying, some education. Safe use of social media and cell phones and just. Respectful social behaviors. It's tricky, it's. You know, cell phones weren't a thing until I was a freshman or sophomore in college, so I wasn't in high school growing up with all this stuff, and I can't imagine. Having all of that to deal with. I think it sort of takes some of the pressure off the students to just know that it's not gonna be there. And like sort of lets them breathe. It doesn't really answer your question, but. What I heard. From my colleague Tim was, you know, more of a militant view of a band. And what I'm hearing from. What I. Seem to
085be distilling is. No, it's really like when I'm. Teaching. That's when it's most important. And I'm just trying to. Find out. I mean we I. I agree that that is the most important. Situation to have cell phones not be available. And that would also decrease the amount of time that students are on their phones during the school day, which is. Would be amazing. We have signs in the High School office at least right now. That says. Do not use your cell phone here. It's just an ask. We're not really backed up by anyone. But part of it is so people aren't filming other students just like when you're in a medical office. I mean, we probably actually, you know, there's actually laws that we have to. Be careful of with that stuff. But without, you
086know, the actual. Support from administration. It's hard to enforce when you're one person, the health office. And there's, you know, they pull out their phone. It's just hard to tell. That's. Happening. I i. Was the nurse at a freshman field trip at the Flynn Theater. Last fall, and I could not believe. That I it was almost every single student was on their cell phone the entire time during their performance. It was just. I mean, they were just taking selfies and playing. You know, on the different social media apps, and not actually engaged in any of this. Learning. So it's it's really, I just feel like. We need to take a stand as. You know. The grownups. In their lives, and. I think it's a great idea to get input from the kids and the community
087like sooner rather than later, because you may just get like an overwhelming. You know. Support. Sarah. I think if it's helpful, you are backed up by policy that students should not be filming other students and violating their privacy. We have a district policy that says. You fail, you should not fail to use methods of collecting, reviewing, transmitting, or storing information that fail to protect against improper access to the material elicited, but also fail to operate facilities with appropriate accessibility and privacy. And I would I would say, you're backed up by that policy. And I like all of the points that you're sharing. I don't think they. The discussion here is is our cell phones bad for student health. I don't think any of us have any questions about that. I think the question is. Is
088a ban going to be the. Recourse of action is that is that going to change the needle? Is that going to push. Anything for the students. I think that's what we're asking. It's not. I don't need any further evidence that cell phones are having a really negative impact on our students, right? Certainly, and on their learning. But is the band going to be? What actually changes something for them? What place do you think they have in the classroom? In a student's hand, while the teacher is. Doing their thing, but that's what I'm saying. I don't think they have a place in the classroom. But is the fan going to be? What takes the phone out of their hands in the classroom? Is the band going to be what teaches them when they go home? To
089try to get off of their phone and go to the park with a friend. Is like. Are, is a ban going to effectively teach students how to regulate themselves. I feel like it would give them an opportunity to connect with their teachers and connect with their peers, and maybe realize that there's more. The life. Then just being constantly staring at a device. I I truly believe that because I I think balance is huge in this discussion about. Like devices and device use like having. This is a discussion I have with my son. You have to have a balanced life like you can play video games, but you have to do more like you. Have more to offer this world. So I I do think it would be a fantastic 1st step, and. And just. Taking
090some of the pressure off the kids, cause I. I I think it's almost like. Anxiety provoking, I mean me myself to have those notifications going off all the time. If it's. Oh, I walk in the classroom. I put my phone in the box and then I'm here for class. There's I, I think, your response right now is reminding me truly of my best friends, who. I I was having this discussion with try to flesh out my thoughts before I came to this session. We are that we're on the same page. I agree with you like 100. What I'm what I'm asking is, will a policy on a piece of paper. Change, this. I think, to Sarah's point is, we don't. Gracie's point. We don't know yet, and it's a great question, and I think you
091know the the prudent piece for me, you know, as an you know, an instructional leader looking at the evidence evaluating the evidence that we do have. Is sufficient enough to have impose restrictions. And I and I don't know what this will bring. I do know that habit and consistency, our students. And you know, if we're so that you know that screen time impacts certainly. Affects who they are in our care. And I I think that's the I think that's sort of what your question is asking, and we don't know. Right. Yeah, I mean. We could be leaders and collecting this data. I mean, we're really good. If you don't mind, I'd like to ask. I'd like to one observation but one question. So when you say you have kids coming in, and they're filming, and
092you don't. You don't have the authority to tell them not to do that. What is preventing you from telling them not to do that, or to confiscating a device or. Something where it's completely intrusive like that. What now is present preventing you from doing that. So I mean if they bring it in film. I don't know that I have the authority to take their device. Do you guys have anything? Well, that's what I'm asking. We have right? I mean, if I. Was in that situation I would have you know I would go to the principal and have that conversation. But I think it's it's sort of a situation you're dealing with an emergency as the as the nurse in in this case that this nurse was describing, and that somebody comes in with their phone
093and is filming, and then takes off. Clear direction on how you can handle that situation. I don't think it's clear. It seems it seems, that the opinion of the staff is they're not supported when they're asked to take. You know, when they're asking students to put their phones away. So I guess my observation, then, is one of the if I'm looking for a problem statement, one of the problems I'm hearing that we would address through policy is clarification from the Board's perspective on appropriate on. On this type of authority that you should be given or. Yeah, to some extent. Right? You wanna hear it from the board and top down the other piece, too, that you know, teachers, I think in Genesis. So I'm gonna just take this one example and apply it broadly. Until
094we had the operational change. That cell phones are not allowed during instructional times. Teachers felt that there wasn't anything overarching the teachers I've heard from. I haven't done it. Expansive, you know. Certainly. I don't, you know. But the teachers that I've heard from. And community members have said, you know, there was no one had actually set up until these restrictions were both at the start of the school year. That they they that a teacher could say Put your phone away because there was nothing, you know, even from an operational side, saying that. So at this point I mean, there, there it is, backed up, and we've said as a district this is the decision. There will be restrictions during class times. You know, administration has shared with teachers. If you, you know, if your. Phones
095are going in cases. If they're not, you ask if it doesn't happen, ask twice in administration, will support at that time. So this is the 1st time there's been something that clear so. Everyone really knows. And again I have to say, I think at the high school and the middle school and at the elementary school. Our administrators have done a really good job of saying to teachers, this is our plan. And this is how I'm gonna support you. And that that piece is important. You know. It's We don't have the data on how it's going so far. It's a lot of anecdotal information. And in the case of that field trip. I believe the students were all asked to not be on their phones, but I. Like. Over a hundred students I like will boldly
096make that statement. We're all like on their phones. The entire time. And then what is. You know, like there was nothing in place saying phones weren't acceptable during those learning times. Which is a difference between then and now. So if we were. If we talk about developing policy. What we're talking about is from the board's perspective. The Administration to provide clear guidelines from the community's perspective on. How this, how these should be. I guess what I'm trying to identify. Yeah. So I think the difference between you know me as superintendent. I I have implemented operational changes. Students are still permitted to use, you know, the high school phones during hallways, lunch free periods. It's not there restrictions. It's not an elimination of time. It's really just looking at this instructional time. And What the Board
097would be doing through policy is saying, regardless of what staff we have. This is our belief in our values. And a cell phone. You know, the the word band doesn't have to be used here. Right? The board could implement a quote unquote cell phone policy and outline what? Exactly that looks like and it wouldn't hinge on one employee right. Thank you. Thanks. No questions for Sarah. Thank you. Sarah. Is there anyone online will finish up with our in-room comments, and then we'll move to all of our online. Like such a simple topic. But, man, there's a lot of nuance to this. I met my name's Alison Maya. So I jotted a couple things down. As I was listening to some of this, I wanna state that I would be in favor of a stricter policy.
098And I'd be supportive of that, and I would also be supportive of. Truncating the timeline down, because I think the more time we give people just with anything. It's just gonna delay. The progress of whatever direction the board ultimately decides to go, and I think this is. People have pretty strong opinions one way or the other, and can probably come to. We can hold them responsible for coming to you guys in a in a. Timely manner to provide that feedback. So I think a a couple of things one, we're gonna have implementation challenges. As with all policy. And It. Harking on. What Sarah said is, let's listen to the grownups. I think it's time that we hold. Students accountable in schools give the teachers the support that they need, and parents. Or who we're gonna
099rely on at home to decide what their digital plan is gonna be with their children. I don't think. And you can correct me if this is something that's in the ends policy. But I don't think it's the school. Boards. Purview to decide how to make kids better. Digital citizens while they're at home. I think it's a great byproduct. But I think what. What? This room's job is to decide what needs to take place during the learning hours, to make sure that our students are. Receiving the best education, and that they are safe, and they are well, and we're doing the best things for them. So Looking at this objectively. I think I heard mostly, but maybe not entirely, that we know cell phone uses a problem. But. Loneliness rates have doubled since 2,000 to the
100story about the when. I mean, that's something that takes place during the school hours. But maybe it's not in the classroom, so there's some wiggle room there. It's like the lunch room. It's like the hallways. I am incredibly supportive of taking cell phones out of the full school day, so that we can give. Kids a chance to be kids and to learn and to have tough conversations with each other in person and not over their devices or over social media. And just honestly like, I think, that there might be some relief. I'm looking to my high school students over here to nod at me or not, but I think that there might be some relief, and knowing, like. What you're referencing on the podcast I listen to as well, like, am I just doing this
101because I need to keep up with everybody else, and I need to like this because my friend liked it, and they're my friend, and I need to make sure they know that I still like them. And I have to respond to this notification because they text me 5 min ago. And if I don't respond and they're gonna think I don't like them if we give them all a chance to say like. There's like 7 or 8 h during the day where you don't even have to worry about that. You'd be a kid. And you focus on learning what you're gonna do with the rest of your life. And then when you go home. Okay, that's like, kind of all bets are off. Let's hope we taught you the best weekend during school. But it's not our job
102to decide what happens between the hours of. Reinvent, time. Okay, mental health. And sel, we know those are the big challenges. I think this completely is not gonna solve them. But it's gonna help us, and it's going to Help our teachers. And I think what's happening now probably, is that each teacher has their own tolerance level in in hearing some of the stories from Laura, and that's just hard to do anything consistently. When one teacher's like that it's not worth the fight, and the other teacher wants to be completely draconian with. With the. Not policy. They whatever we're calling this. So yeah, that I think it's really important work. And I really thank you guys for having a really harder than a thought conversation about this, because I do appreciate that there is some nuance
103that I think when you look at the research. And when you consider that this is a small portion of the day, and that's the biggest problem we have in our district is. Is a no brainer for me. Thank you very much. Yes, please come up again for the record. Name is Harris Strop. Thanks for having me. And I just wanted to say I'm really excited that this initiative is happening. I'm a local child, adolescent psychiatrist also resident. Some Brunton father and I've been practicing for the last 15 years. So I've kind of had a phone seat to see how this has been impacting kids emotionally. In fact, engaged mental health impacting kids, social skills. And it's I do everything that that those fears have said so far. The rates of suicidality. With the advent of
104social media are increased. The impact of cyber bullying on kids, mental health and suicidality and violence. There's a clear linkage there. I just want had some comments. I'm gonna try not to. Repeat anything. One thing I can I can say is that. You know, it really is an equity issue. And that You know, parents who have. The most education, and the most means are more able to safeguard their kids against. Full on digital addiction. They're able to send their kids to private schools where cell phones are not allowed. Pretty much any of them. They're able to Make their devices smart so that they can get pinged every time their kid were to turn their phone on. During school hours. Whereas other parents don't have that Ability. Especially, I think, about new Americans. And other parents
105are just trying to make ends meet. They don't have the opportunity to set such guardrails on the same builders for digital. For some kids School is the only time they're not plugged in. And and so I actually feel very strongly about the. And we'll call it a stricter policy. And we're cell phones are not available. In in between classes at lunchtime, at at recess, and in my opinion those periods are as. Critical part of schooling as our the classroom. For some kids. That's the only time they talk to other people. It's it's really, vitally important. How to deal with Emotions, learn how to deal with heartbreak, learn how to deal with criticism, and kids don't learn how to do that. They then act out and sometimes dangerous ways, as adults. I've you know I have
106a child. I was extremely impressed with the the swift policy, if you will. I love the idea that you know, devices are taken beginning of the day. Twice the return at the end of the day. If a child is found with the device and is taken by the teacher, and must be a. A parent must go to retrieve it. I think that's simple, and and I think it's I think it's excellent. I wanted. There was a discussion about the, you know, lockdowns, if you will. But God forbid! If there were a school shooter or something of that. Type of situation. The worst thing that could happen would be. A shooter, hearing, whispering, hearing, talking on the phone, hearing a phone buzz, hearing a phone ring. That that would not decrease the odds of that that
107student parishing. In my opinion. I I forget which one of you mentioned. You know we're not hearing the other side of this, you know. A big reason. Why is that? You know the social media lobbies not invited to this meeting? But you know. There literally are large forces that profit off of kids. Using their apps during school hours, and it might be sleeping. And and that's that's clear. As far as you know. Does. A band work. There is data that shows that when society. In municipalities, took action against smoking, banning, smoking in public restaurants, banning, smoking in bars. Airplanes, schools, places of work that smoking rates decreased. I've given a. I've led discussions on this topic at a number of schools over the last year, and one thing that I've heard from parents, and this
108comes from. A caring place is that, you know. My child might be. My child is anxious, my child is depressed, and and they need to have a cell phone in order to to reach me. I just you know I've conferred with. A number of my psychiatrists and therapists, colleagues, and I would say 99 is not 100 of therapists would say that Part of treatment, for such anxiety includes. Not being able to to reach out and being able to. Ask for help from from the school nurse maybe get hooked up with a therapist and then being able to to work on things, and that is the number one thing that will help with A child's autonomy. I? I happy to share some studies. There was a A really nice study done. Few years ago or so
109that showed they had kids taking exams. And half the kids did not have their cell phone. Half the kids had their cell phone. Turned off right sorry they have the same kids take an exam once without their cell phone in their possession. And then another time with their cell phone turned off on their desk, and even having a turned off distraction. And it's just. Just. It's it's a sign of the addiction. So. That's pretty much it. But if I could be of any help. Again. This is, you know, I'm I'm happy to to help in any way I can as a as a software and parent. Can I ask you, email, your comments and your resources to the Board for us to follow up? Because I I have some questions I'd like to ask But
110I'm also aware that it's 7 45. So we're running quite late. But I I think this conversation is important, and you might have some really valuable resources for us. So would you mind emailing some of this to us so we could follow up School board at Sp schools. I have not been doing a great job at keeping the time 2 to 3 min, because this is such a. I just, I'm just trying to say, like, we are getting pretty late on our agenda. So if we could try to not repeat anything and. Start looking at the 2 to 3 min Mark Gable, community members. 1st parent. First, st community, member, second. Unique lens of a bus driver. Wow! Gracie. I'm sorry, but I must disagree. I'm hearing a lot of complaints starting on my dinner table about
111cell phone. I didn't expect anybody to be happy about it. I think that's great. Pull off the Band-aid. You know, it's it's working. They're doing it. They're putting their phones away. So. I kind of have Kennedy last meeting about no cell phone Fridays on my bus. And it was kind of dismissed, and it shouldn't be. Because last year I had a 4th grade. Female student on my bus, sharing pornographic images, 4th grade. Okay. And the other kids came in and told me what was going on. So at that point I implemented my own policy for, and that was no cell phones on the elementary bus period. If you took them out. They ended up with me. And I was giving back to your parents when they got home. Okay. It. I think it's absolutely critical,
112and I think more. And the idea of getting. My now one child itself of her phone. For 8 HA day. God, please. Please do that. So lead by example. And along the lines of leading by example. Is absolutely critical that the teachers are leading by example, and their phone should be on that phone box. As well. And I realize that there are young parents, and occasionally there's an emergency. But, boy, if I got it, better be an emergency because the teachers aren't leaving by example, the students aren't gonna follow. Thank you. Aye. My name is Vicki Abrahams, and I agree with everything that's been said. Especially continuing the. Topic of healthy cell phone use within the parameters of. South Burlington School Department, including the bus, ride to and from school. I'll just. Kind of. I wrote
113just notes, so I'll just speak in notes instead of just to keep it brief. When Sarah was talking and sharing that story about The emergency that was happening, and a child coming in and taking pictures, or whatever. And there was a question about what can you do in that situation. The nurse's focused on that situation, and should never have to have. Their attention taken away. To deal with a cell phone. That is, in being inappropriately used. I I also believe that applies to the classrooms. The teachers are there trying to teach and to have their attention taken away from that. Very challenging task. To constantly. 1, 2, 1025 times within an hour session. Have to be. Dealing with cell phone use is not acceptable. I used to teach kindergarten one of the grades I used
114to teach, and we didn't allow kids to bring toys into school because it was distracting. It didn't have to be a School Board policy. It didn't. Put your toys away. Put your phones away. Just put your phones away. It's when did it become something more than. You know your favorite stuffed animal that became a distraction during morning. It isn't. It? Shouldn't be it's the same thing. It's yes, it's personal property. Shows the Stuffed Animal. It shouldn't be treated differently. It shouldn't be differently, just because it's a communication tool. 4. All those all these years before cell phones people communicated just fine. We had. The phone in the nurse's office, the phone in the main office now. We have these phones in classrooms, which is. I mean fantastic. You can communicate to the outside world from
115your classroom. That's great. So there really isn't a need in my eyes for cell phone use at all. At schools. But I don't believe in calling it a ban. I believe in creating the policy around. Healthy cell phone use at school. Or within the school day, which includes buses rather than you know. Ban sounds. Too formal, and 2 legal and. Inviting opposition. Versus. Again, my kindergarten. Teach your brain as. Voice, things in the positive instead of the negative. If you want a positive result. Even, you know, I was thinking, well, you know, the emergency situation and kids having emergencies. The doctor, gentlemen? Ha! I mean that was his response was perfect. We have to teach kids how to manage these. Emotions and feelings that come up with life. Circumstances. See is that. Oh! And then
116I also think this directly. Or has a direct connection to the amount of chromebook use also used within the district, and I think that varies teacher grade to grade school. But. If we're allowing cell phone time. And also the. Really heavily driven use of chromebooks. These kids are getting way. Too much screen time during the day. You know one of the 1st questions the pediatrician asks parents when you go in for A doctor visit is, how much screen time does your child get? And and I'm at the point now where I have to say I don't know how much they get at school. I think it's a few hours. But then, when when they're under. My supervision. This is what they get. And honestly, I think that's kind of sad. Because they're getting a lot
117of chromebook uses. That's another topic. But kind of. So Anyway, those are my thoughts. Thank you for listening. Move to online. And then The met. Could we please unmute. Hello! I got unmuted, but then I. Don't have a video. Can't hear any of you. Can you hear me? Yes, we can hear you. Okay, thank you. There we go. I got you back. Thank you. I keep losing you, though. So I want to 1st off. Say, thank you. As Violet knows In. Being. Having this new operational policy that has been instituted a total middle school. I was. Hardcore, in my opinion of you know, this is not right. This is not okay. I do appreciate. Seeing the different perspectives. And I'm really hoping that in making this policy. That you try to gain as much perspective
118as possible. I will try just really quick to kind of go over a few things. I come from many different hats. I've worked in law enforcement. I work in human services. I've been a behavioralist. I have done many different things. And I'm just gonna make. I've written notes. And I'm just gonna make some comments kind of on the perspectives that I've already heard as far as kind of. Hoping that everybody's open minded the opposite side. 1st the nurse. You know. I understand. This and the doctor. I understand the cyber bullying, but. My son. Got bullied at school, got his shoulder broken on the playground. That doesn't mean that I should. Put a ban on him going to school. That wouldn't solve the problem. So Banning and taking things away. To the answer to the teacher
119who was in the room. You know, we want to share a power with, not a power over, because all that will do is completely disengage those students more. They want to have a voice. And I think that. Yes, at some point in time. We're the adults, we should say, what goes. But my thing is is that I think this should be really student heavy in how they want to learn. Responsible cell phone use. Let's not punish the masses with a ban because of the few. Let's try to teach the few how to be accountable for their own cell phone uses. I don't think a policy is going to make a difference. To the person who said, You know. Let's take away their cell phone. You know, throughout the day, and then what they do from
1203 to 5, or before they go to bed. That's setting up your parents to fail. That is not a cohesive and collaborative across environmental solution for cell phones. Because then the child is going to spend all that time or get into a contentious relationship. Their parents. Isolate. Go into a spiral, a depression, and God forbid anything else. From there. Because they're going to be catching up on their phone. We want to make sure that you know I am all for. Restrictions. Don't get me wrong, and if it's not broke. Don't fix it. You have a chromebook policy, at least a Tuttle middle school. That is very clear. On what you can do, what you can't do, how many infractions. And then you turn around. And that's it. That's when you start those outcomes to talking
121to administrators and principals and parents, etc. You have a policy. Use that policy use how it's guided, because that is a policy that is very limited, very understood, very clear, very plain language, and very inclusive. To the bus driver, the bus driver. I understand what you're saying, and I understand that. That is a distraction for you, and you are keeping my child safe, and I appreciate that. However, this year last year I'm sorry my son got dropped off. We on the other side of town. And we had no idea where he was, and we were calling bus depots, and nobody was there, and I didn't know where my son was. So I understand that while before they get dropped off, don't bring them out while you're driving. But my son's still gonna need his. But
122I'm also not home when he gets home. Who are you going to give that cell phone to. And if you give it back to him, and you don't give it back to Johnny's, you give it back to Johnny's parents and not, Johnny. Then you're just making nuances, and you're making exceptions. We need to try to make this a consistent thing, too. My son is in special education. He uses his phone as a calming mechanism. For his anxiety that is written in his Iep. These are things that have already been written, and that he uses. My son has never, I have never been told. By a teacher, by a principal, by administrator, that my son has. Cell phone out. However, the 1st day of school. He was using educational time, being told to go to his
123locker. In his backpack. Then bring the cell phone that was already locked away in a place that it wasn't a distraction to. Then go to the last class of the day to go, distract that class, to then go open the box to put a cell phone in. If it was locked away, and it wasn't a problem, and it was in the locker. Fine. I am by no means not saying put restrictions. What I am saying is using the word ban is just going to disengage your students more because it's not going to be a power with. It's going to be a power over. And you are going to have a large population who is going to not be able or feel that they can trust people. My son openly turns around and says, Hey, mom,
124I want to tell him that I have my cell phone. And it's safe in my locker away from distractions. But yet he says. I don't have to. I can just lie to him, and I say, no, we don't want to promote or reinforce lying. To our teachers. But if we turn around and say, Oh, Nope! But you can't be honest, because you're gonna have a consequence. Even though you've never violated this policy before, you're gonna have a consequence. So why don't you just lie. I don't want to promote that for my child. You know. I agree with the nurse who talked in the beginning about there are some apps on the phones for people for medical purposes. Organizations, alarms, dictation for notes, for individuals who need. Notes being taken by mouth. If you're willing to
125supply them with the. Other technology that they'll use besides their phone. I say, the 9.8% increase in my budget should pay for it, and then that takes that out of there. So if you can come up with alternative. Support services or support technology that will help our children who are on ieps who need their cell phone. For that education, and to be included and inclusive in their education. Ben. Go for it. But those restrictions on there. You know, I'm gonna just try to read quickly. I think that you know I agree with the Hipaa Privacy Policy Act. I totally get that. I would hope that. Hipaa alone would hopefully give the nurses the authority to say, Hey, hipaa is a law. You can't have that in here, because it may violate my confidentiality. And I
126think you know this asking once and asking twice. Let's not spend our children's educational time when we do actually have them engaged. To try to call them out. You're going to create. Contention and animosity. Amongst students. If you make a 1 off for one student and not the other. So I asked that the restrictions be consistent. Be consistent for all. I agree with the doctor when he said. It should be equitable, absolutely. I just don't want this ban, and I agree. I don't think you should call it a band. It's not. Plain language, and all inclusive. I think that it may make the students. Chelsea. I understand what you're saying. I don't think a policy is going to solve this problem. I don't think there is one right answer. I think there's many perspectives. And
127I think that maybe looking at a policy that has. Restrictions. With an outcome based. I hate to use the word consequence, an outcome based policy. Might be the way to go, to be able to see everyone's perspective. Hold the student accountable. Hold the parents accountable. And hold the community accountable by writing a policy. That works for all perspectives. And like I said, if it's not broke, don't fix it. You have a chromebook policy already in place that no one. That I know of, at least in the community that I speak with. Is arguing, and maybe that's the same. When you institute for your cell phones. Thank you. Can we unmute? Share? Please. Hi! Good evening! Everybody! Thank you. I won't take a lot of your time. I'm really glad we're speaking on this topic, and
128I'm thrilled to see so much alignment. Between most of the comments tonight. Marty's a physician at Johns Hopkins. I worked with him when I was there. He's very well educated and spoken a public health official, and he talks about the dangers of these things. And I just wanted to address. I think it was Chelsea's comment where it was like, well, if we. If we put these bans on, our kids won't know how to deal with it down the road, and I just want to say that our brains are not. I'm a nurse. Our brains are not developed. To the point that they need to be our frontal lobes in high school to deal with some of these issues. There are a lot of things that our kids are going to face when they get to
129college. They're going to face drinking well, even in high school, right? That does not mean that they are ready to make these decisions on their own. I encourage the board, and I encourage all of us to take the stand as adults. I. I understand that we want to be inclusive and have student opinions here, but our kids are at risk, and this is a highly addictive substance. We all. We can all see that even myself. It's very hard. It's a highly addictive substance, and we, as adults, need to take a stand on this in terms of your conversation on the district. Wide policy versus operational changes. I mean, you know this as a board, a districtwide policy offers uniformity right? The district wide policy is going to ensure that all of the schools within the
130district enforce the same rules. Which helps in maintaining consistency and fairness across the board. It's going to offer clarity. We will have clear expectations for students, staff, and it will reduce confusion and potential conflicts that are already happening right now. At the high school level, at least until the they are able to operationalize it. It's not. It's not happening uniformly yet, and I know it's new. I know it will, but a district wide policy will happen will help with that. And finally, just the authority policies at the district level carry more weight. It will be helpful for teachers. And we're and and policy district wide policies are taken more seriously which can improve compliance. So. I just think we need to take a serious look at this in terms. You know, there's this, there's this
131mindset that you know everything's good in moderation. And I don't think that's true when it comes to phones for our kids. And that's it. Thank you guys, for your hard work on this. I'm excited for the dialogue. Thanks. Looks like, did you lower all hands? Or did you did? Okay, I just wanted to check because. I would like to wrap the conversation for this evening, but I do wanna just give anyone who's been waiting to speak opportunity in case. They were hoping to. Alright! Thank you all. I think at this time we're gonna move on to our next agenda item. Everyone's ready. Thank you so much. Agenda item. Oh! Sorry we need to move on to our next discussion. Item. Letter to the State regarding education funding I would like to just check in with
132the board. We were supposed to have. A place together for a brief recess at 7 40, and it is now 8 0. 5 Pm. Does the board want a quick recess now and then? We'll finish the rest of our meeting, or. Do this one. 5 or 10. But 5 min break and recess, and we'll come back at 8 11 Am. In. And are you able to turn Chelsea's video back on. Yeah, so it's not giving me the permission. Thanks. Yes, thank you. Thank you. Alright! We are back. So next, one for discussion is letter to the State regarding education, advocacy. I had hoped to have some drafts prepared for you, but I, as I was drafting just a letter to the city Council. I asked our. Director of Finance, our Senior Director of Finance for some
133input about this letter that I was drafting to the City Council, basically where I had the spot like. Should we ask the City Council to reappraise our property value in South Burlington, to try to give us the most accurate Cla. As we start to move forward in this budget process. And as with everything. And this is why the Finance Committee is so important, it's more complicated than that. And also. Incredibly unlikely that they would be able to accomplish that before we have to model this budget so. I don't have drafts to prepare, but what I would like to discuss is, who do we need to be sending letters to? And what do those letters need to say. I know that there are some other districts that are being impacted by the recent Ed funding formula.
134Change. They're being impacted. Similarly to how we are being impacted. And they're writing letters to the governor like. We saw some preliminary modeling. That to me is just really alarming. And I'm all for equity across schools. I'm not at all saying that I don't want any school to suffer, but it feels like, instead of solving the problem. We're moving the pain around. And the the way the pending currently stands. Our schools are gonna be injured like. So who do we need to be starting with our advocacy? Do we want to write a letter to the Governor? Do we want to write a letter to our legislators. What do we want this letter to say? They've got a couple of thoughts here. So. I'm gonna take some notes while you talk. I definitely believe. We should.
135Directly, engage the governor. I think. I think he was. Unjustly critical right at the start of this process, and. A tone that set us boards up. For a difficult budget season, regardless right. I understand this is, could be a political issue, and obviously but. For him to come out like he did last year, and basically suggest that everything should get voted down to set us up for failure. Right? And he said to wrong kind of message, so I think we should ensure that our legislators are aware of this perspective. You know. I also feel we should be definitely writing to our legislators along with the same topic. And here's my other point, I guess. Kind of making this up as I go. But the other thing I found. Really interesting last year was, how quickly.
136The legislature could actually respond. And if they're gonna leave us hanging this year when we're in just a critical situation. That I think you know a. A. Again, they should be prepared to come in, and if they have to adjust the law. To help us out. They should be able to do that because we we can't. I mean, we are looking at significant problems. And if all they're gonna do is, you know, fix the law when you know they're they're kind of worried about it and not we think it's gotta be 2 way street, I guess, is what I'm saying, and like making myself clear, or am I just like Ramble. Also the Commission on the Future of Public Education. So there's a steering committee on that which is Zoenders, the interim secretary of Ed.
137Jennifer Samuelson, the State Board chair. Credulio, the Tax Commissioner and Senator, and Cummings, the Senate, appointee. The representative, Peter Conlon, Nicole Macea. But there's an additional, you know, Jane Nicholsner, Jeff Fanon, Elizabeth Jennings, Megan, Roy, John Castle, and all of our Olson. Who, I think, should definitely get communication. Here is they are the. The committee who's been charged with that 18 month. Study. I need to have a Vsba meeting tomorrow. And that was one of the questions I was gonna ask them, because they're they're advocating all the time. At the State House, so I'll send tomorrow. Yeah, like where they where we should focus what we should say. I think we need to work with our partners. City council, too. I mean, we're one community, one pocket book, and. You know, we've got this on
138the committee agenda. But you know, making sure that we're sharing really, clearly what we're what we're facing. And you know, how can the community work together to support our community during this very difficult budget season. So I think that these letters. Need to contain like hard facts on the modeling. We've done so far to demonstrate the level that we're talking about. And I think that My like some information about how our spending measures up to other districts to to basically show how I think. Efficient and. Not extra South Burlington has been with their money. To 1st give us credibility in all of these people's eyes is like reasonably. At. What words am I looking for. Money management that is effective and good and better than our neighbors in most cases. And then I think it
139also needs to contain. The realities of, if nothing changes. This is what we're looking at this year, and I don't think it's a stretch to say that, like I would question if we can operate our school safely on. On the budget that we would be able to pass. And again I'm really frustrated that. That we're pitting. Our community members who care about schools. But don't. Don't want to be. Don't want to have to move, to afford to live so it should. I just don't think that's where the. But the conversation should be like those starting off the people that need to be fighting for resources. But but those are just my thoughts, and I'm happy to try to draft something. But I wanna it's easier for me to get feedback from you now about what
140the letter should say, so that I can send it than to write something and then find out like. That's not at all what we're looking for. What was the catalyst for asking for the cli to realize? So being on the On the Tax Appeal Board, and having to deal with kind of the service on the city side, and kind of hearing that. So whenever you do a reappraisal. Right? So you you're reassessing the value with the revenue coming into the city is the same. So just what was the. What was the. Caddles for us, asking why? The ceilings? Because we're not controlling. Home prices were on control of the housing market. South Burlington, where they do a reappraisal. Still a desirable city, and. Were. Wealthy and we do not benefit from the new pupil. And
141that's a demographic problem. That's not. That's my problem. So yeah, the rationale was in the modeling that we learned about recently. The Cla. Dropping, I'll I'll just kind of read, and this is modeling that our administration has provided. Our models reflect that even a modest 5% drop in our current, all other factors remaining static, including yield and expenditures. The tax rate increase would be almost 13. If the Cla. Dropped by the same rate as it did between Fy. 24 and Fy. 25, which was 11.2, that tax rate increase would be over 20 with 0 increase in in expenditures. But so my, my thought was, we need like the most accurate, because even small percentage changes have. Huge impacts like. And so. I I understand. Is it the. Is it that we're saying that the appraisals
142that we have the common level appraisal amounts that we're being taxed on. We're saying that's inaccurate. And and the reappears would be more accurate. That was my thought. Like, what if it isn't? What if it's reflective of a market that it has changed in 3 years, and so, if we had a more accurate Cla. Could that benefit us? But I would say that the way I see it, Chris, is that. All things being equal, if our brand list is completely up to date. We can model our budget much better. We're not. We're not waiting to find out what Cla is going to be to suddenly get hit with this tremendous change in our tax rate. If we knew that our grand list in November was 100, but it should be. We would have a good
143idea, of what our budget could be, because we would have the tax rate is going to be exactly what we would think it would be. The problem is the way I see it is if the Cla comes in later, and it's much lower than we anticipate all the planning we've done basically gets thrown out the window because we now know our tax rate has changed to zoom and become more exorbitant than what we anticipated. So you're you're right. I think it's kind of this revenue neutral thing. But. But But it really prevents us from having a good idea of what the what the ultimate rates going to be, and communicating that. That makes sense. The only part I'm honored is. The Cla is changed because property is changed all the time. So that's Cla adjust
144for. Cities that aren't doing them for every period of time. So they yeah have to. Accurately. Do that, but. That, doesn't. We don't control The real estate market. And so there's There's also a flip side to that. When appropriate values, but. But some problem. We're we're only going up, and it's only going up because we have a habitual shortage. And I don't know. I just I wanna temper expectations that Appraisal values is. Like, we're not solving that problem. Right? We're not solving the problem, but it does impact our modeling and which impacts our budget which impacts. Eventually down the line. Riff notices and things like that. It's a really small piece of the puzzle. I just. And it's clearly so much more complicated than I'm making it out to be really But it, I. I
145thought it was like a. A great idea. And then I learned a little more. And I was like, Okay, here's another place where not. Cla, being an important input in the end of funding formula, is also being examined by the future of the Ed Commission. So you know there are, you know, the folks on that. Committee are also very. Attune to the fact that that's a significant factor in in budgets. And You know, as we look at 127 of the Cla. With 1011 point drops year, you know, back to back to back, and you know the double jeopardy that that has on South Burlington given. How we fared with the 127. Modifications. So in in drafting letters. What I'm hearing from the board is we'd like to send a letter to the Governor. We'd like
146to send a letter to the Commission on Future of the future of Public Education. If we want to send a letter to legislators like which ones. Because, you know, I'm saying, like the future of public education sounds like a really excellent place to get our points heard. But I I talked to legislators who have no idea what's going on with the funding, because they're not on that committee, and they're not, you know, Argentina. She's the center senator for Chip and Central. That's where she sent that week. But we're in charge of. Get information for our area. She's on that committee. So we're meeting tomorrow from like 5 to 5 30 that we would do that you probably like 30 to 7, so I think I can. I won't be able to. I can get information
147Thursday night. I just can't do it now, because I wanna wait until. She knows better than I do. So that that's that's that's I think. You know. I sent a letter as I shared with the Board with all of our local leaders and state senators. And I think that's really important. You know, we have a really positive relationship with those folks. And I think you know us sharing if we're gonna share, if you all are gonna share, and that as I have this week, you know, communication of this level of impact. I think it's, you know, important for our legislators and State senators to hear it directly from you. All. Okay. Okay. Any. Further input on this. On the board. I feel like I have some. Relatively strong directly to address something. And hopefully, by
148our next meeting like that'd be great, you know, waterfall and tax matrix. So I mean, I think those you can literally plug in. Yeah, you know, share any of that, so that my plan will be to have drafts prepared at our next meeting overview. Sounds good. We do have a member of the public who'd like to comment on this. Please. Hi! Can you hear me? Chelsea. Yes. Okay, thanks. I won't. I won't get into the Cla reappraisal. I don't really know. How that process is initiated, but I know there's a backlog of. Towns around the State that are kind of have fallen below the threshold, so the probability of. Folks to do that, and the expense associated with it is, that may be very prohibitive. As well as the time. But I did want to
149say smith and I had one of our bi monthly with a counselors last Saturday, and we had about 10 to 12. People show up. And I would say about 50% of the conversation. Was really geared around the tax burden. In South Burlington, and education funding in general. But also a number of residents, either. No longer, or have never had children in the school system, or folks with children in the school system who. Really, because of the tax burden. Are, really making decisions about potentially moving out of the area, but largely waiting for their kids to get through. You know, their their school career get to a certain pivot point. So that is a really significant concern it should be for all of us. And then the last thing I'd say is, there is an expectation
150in the community. And I would support You know, advocating with council to really. Present a united front to the Governor and to all of our legislatures around. The need and the impact of. Not doing something for cities like South Burlington. Thank you. And this is going to be on our discussion committee meeting, which is our next meeting, September 18.th So that will be really helpful. And for the record, if you didn't know that was Elizabeth City Councilor. Okay, are we ready to move on to our next discussion topic? Listening sessions. Laura, I think we have this one just as an opportunity for you to raise awareness to our community. Anyway, it's a really great space. I love the library, and 545 to 6 45, and so we'll keep. We can present it as people want
151to come and share more about a cell phone. I'll just take notes. And and I will, and. I also encourage people. You still have. Positions for the Finance Committee available. Encourage that to. So, yeah, so, hopefully. Yeah, people come, it'll it'll be great school start. I think people might be more. And I will plan post that on our temperature. I did send out a tiny email after my regular update. We have 2 postings per month, and I'm trying to use those about a week in advance of each of our meetings to tell the community about what sort of things they might be interested in. Tuning in about. So I'm gonna plan to put your listening session as just a calendar posting. And then in my in my like update ahead of the meeting. I'll make
152sure it's included as part of that like this month. Our meeting is the 4, th and it falls on a Wednesday, and when I went to post it last Wednesday. We were still in August, and so I couldn't post meeting until. I couldn't even attempt to post anything until the first, st which means it got this one second, which is not a week in advance. I'll try and get. Better on that. Alright. Anything else for discussion items. Alright. Let's move on. Agenda. Item, 7 superintendents report. It's really important. I I'd like to highlight simply a transportation update tonight. And Jean Murray Clark, our operations director. Is kind enough to be here. I'd like to invite her to share some details. She and her team have been doing a lot of incredible I think a lot
153of progress has been made. And I also wanna pre, thank and appreciation to the many parents. And guardians committee members who reached out. Just helping us where they've noticed problems of. Feedback concerns ideas, and for in the moment you know, needs this is all I'm selling. Please contact Hyatt Jamie is going to say her cell phone number. I'm gonna pull up that phone number so that we can share that but I'll Provide that when you give me the queue during your your information sharing so. Gee! Welcome! I feel like I was here not that long ago, but I also feel like a lot has changed since the last time I was here. So I invited me to join remotely, and I said, I'm gonna be there in person unless you really want me to not
154be there in person. And having been a board member, I recognize that, and having worked here for 3 months. This isn't. This is a hot topic. I didn't realize cell phone usage was why everybody was here. And I'm. Surprised. I'm not being roasted, but grateful to be here with you all this evening, so. What I wanted. The biggest thing that I wanted to talk about is. The driver situation, because last time I was here was after you folks approved the change in the pay structure for the drivers, so. Just to give a little bit of a recap. And I said the last time I was here we're gonna start the school year in a worse situation than we ended the school year, and I just wanted to qualify that a little bit for folks. So
155at the end of the June school year we had 2 drivers that retired. Over the summer we had 2 more drivers that resigned. And then we had one additional driver that resigned literally the day before classes began. So we began the new school year with a total loss of. 5 additional drivers. From I don't know exactly how many you had in the previous school year. Since then. We have hired 3 new drivers that will be quick to license. So these are 3 folks that either. Most of them previously has the bus endorsement and don't currently have it. So there is an onboarding process as it relates to background checks of the fingerprinting that the other Hr. Process they normally have to go through. But in addition to that, as a driver, they have to go
156through the dot physical. They have to go through the drug screen. There! There's a longer set of steps. If they previously held the endorsement, they will also go through a day long. Saturday bus clinic. And then they'll take whatever they feel ready. They'll set up an appointment to take that test, become licensed for some of these folks who previously were bus drivers, or one, I'll share with you as a long haul truck driver, but a truck driver for many, many years. Tired of sleeping in that little bunk in the back of his cab. So those folks they're they're gonna be fast, you know, and when I say, fast. I think, in our world that's going to be like a couple of weeks. 2 weeks is what I think. We did have one person who retired
157in June who has decided to rejoin the team, which I'm incredibly grateful for. And actually that person said to me. I just want to come back in and be a subriver. I kind of want to cherry. Pick what you need me to do or what I want to do. And about 3 days in, and they reach back out to me and said. Holy mackerel. You need me. And so I'm gonna come back in as a full-time driver. So incredibly grateful for that retiree to return. We also have another former employee who left a couple of years ago, who has came, who came back and like was Johnny on the spot. Did this dot physical the day he dropped off his application, did all his onboarding like he is our. He was driving on the 1st
158day of the school year. So that was really great. We had one driver that we hired in the spring before I got here, who has been doing his training, didn't work for us during the summer with family, etc. He is scheduled to take his test on September 16, th so. For those of you keeping track at home. That's 3 brand new people, one returning, one former employee returning, and one current employee who hopefully will be licensed before the end of month. I told him that we're all really hopeful. He's gonna pass, and we're gonna have like a big party with cake and balloons or something when he passes. The other thing that I've been doing is getting a lot of interest and applicants from folks that have never been a bus driver before, but has
159one as one person left me a voicemail. This can't be rocket science. I'm sure I could figure this out, and I'm really excited to have those folks join the team. Those folks have never driven before likely are a longer timeframe and getting to that licensure than. Some of these other folks who previously were licensed so. We are bringing those folks on board as what we call drivers, or substitute drivers, knowing that they won't all make it to licensure for a wide variety of reasons. A. They. What they think the environment is like on a school bus is not really what it's like on a school bus. It's harder than they. You drive. The bus is harder like who the heck knows, like. There's just the likelihood that they're not all gonna make it to the
160finish line. So they're coming in as sub drivers when when those of them that get to the finish line and have the licensure will all. Make a decision together as to if they want to be a full-time driver with us, if they want to be. To continue to just be a sub driver, and I'll just pick up like field trips and athletic events, and so forth. I have had a couple of folks out. Who are in the pipeline. They're of the 7 who are interested are interested, who want to be. Like one is actually a substitute teacher, a retired police officer, and he said, I don't want to drive a route every day, but I'll I'll take the kids to the basketball game right? So, having to add those folks to the to the staff
161list and the team as well. So of the 7 that we're hiring in as trainees. Oh, it's sorry there's so many of them. It's really hard for me to keep track. It is, and it's like, how many are there I'm like, I don't even know like, and my partners on the Hr. Team are really very helpful and helping us get through the these. Get these folks on board as quickly as we can. So we're in the process of onboarding. 5 brand new employees as trainees. Never been a driver's 5 of those folks in the pipeline. There are additional 7 who have applied that I just haven't connected with yet, because they haven't returned my phone call because I just got their application today, like, there's a variety of like, I got 2 applications just today.
162So Of those 7 that ha! That I haven't really connected with yet. One is the is a substitute teacher who wants to the retired police officer to our current employees. One said, I just want to drive. I don't want to drive a bus, but a happy drive for you, which is also helpful. And. Then that's. The info about the 7. Additionally, I'm working with. I have some partners within the district, and the athletic director of High School. Thinks that some of his coaches would really like to be become licensed bus drivers, which I think is really would be really helpful. He said to me, Marie, if we can get them licensed. Tip. Will you promise a vehicle to them? And I, said, Mike, my problem is not equipment. My problem is drivers. So if we
163can get them licensed. We'll get you a vehicle, you know. That's that's not the issue. So. So it's all good news. You know. So those are the parents that are watching, or now or later. I realized that this 1st week of school was a nightmare like we just you know, we had the 5 people that we were down. We lost this one person just before the the school year began. We had. Our good friend Mark, who had to be away for a few days, and then we had someone who's out with illness, and so that, like we went from bad to just dire and crippling situation. And clearly parents are wildly upset about that. And and I understand that as a parent myself. So one of the changes that we made to make the The
164cancellations a little more. Not palatable, but easier to deal with as a mom on a crazy morning. Try to get your kids out the door instead of doing the rolling cancellations where it's sort of like a surprise of is it? The Tuesday, this week or Thursday, which day is my bus cancel we've instituted, and we started this we put them in place at the end of the 1st week of classes. Standard cancellations. So, for instance, I think it's. 4 is cancel every Tuesday in the month of September. So that mom's no dad putting their kids on the bus, know? Okay, every Tuesday I have to come up with a plan for transportation for that kid. And I think that's actually feedback from some of our parents. And so I think. Having me in this position,
165being able to just have those conversations with parents and listen to those suggestions and working with the transportation team like, can we try this. And It seems to be really impactful and. I I shared with Violet. She sent me, you know. As likely, you know you've you've seen some of the communications from folks that were upset. Violet sent me a message from a parent, and said, You can call this person. I was like, I was in the middle of sending that person an email. But okay, I will call this parent. And. Eyes at the Violet. I got it from my desk, and I got a glass of water, and I prepared myself that this mom was going to yell at me. And that's okay, like she was not wrong. And I'm fine with her. Really.
166You know, airing her her grievance with me. And that is not even at all what happened? She was so grateful that I called and just wanted to kind of talk through the issue, and was grateful that I was willing to listen and try to like I. I am not a miracle worker, but I'm happy to give folks some of my time, and I. I have spoken to a few other parents, and that's really the answer that I've gotten. Not that they're. So mad. And they, you know, dislike me and dislike the transportation team. They love the bus drivers. They're so grateful for the bus drivers. They're just frustrated in the communication of how we are. Notifying them when we have cancellations and so we'll work through that. And so far so good. I haven't been
167at the State quite yet, so. Just a reminder like I said, the onboarding process for drivers onboarding process to work at a school district is not yeah, not a small process. So that will take time becoming a bus driver takes longer just because there are those extra parts of the puzzle, the drug screen, the dot fiscal and background check, and so forth, and then that real time training. So though we have some folks in the. Pipeline, you know. The solution is coming. It's just not quick. Unfortunately. And then the last thing I wanted to say is that Kathy, the transportation supervisor, just shared with me sort of the staffing list that she had for the last several year names and contact information. And I just did some quick numbers because. I have been told that.
168Before the the before the pandemic. We were in our heyday of bus drivers, so we had plenty of drivers that. Subs. All came in, and if no one called out, then they just rode on another person's bus to learn the route like it was like the best of times. So. Before. The pandemic is the 2019 20 school year. We had 21 bus drivers on the docket at that time. We started the 2025 school year with 12. So that's the situation that we walked into, and that I walked into, and that I'm trying to remedy. I really feel like we've got some good momentum. I really feel like we're going to come out of this. I'm incredibly hopeful. We'll get there. We're just not there yet to the communication. One of the things that I'm still
169learning are the different software systems that we use to communicate with families and communicate with administrators and so forth, and so. It's a pretty complex system. And I was sharing with Violet that I received her superintendent update last week on my work email and my personal email that I used as an applicant. And so I went to the personal email was like, well, I don't need this here. I will unsubscribe, and it gives me the choice to unsubscribe individually from all of these different topics, like. Did I wanna subscribe from the whole thing? Did I wanna subscribe from information about athletics, or you know, health and wellness or transportation? And so there's definitely some sort of a missing cog in our wheel this year, as it relates to communicating with our parents, particularly around text
170messaging. That we're still working on. Deciphering. However, one of the bigger things that I did notice as we worked with our data team to look at some particular parents, who is, you know, really. Out sending the alarm that they're not receiving text messages. Is these folks have not. Opted in to receiving text messages from the district. So they may have opted into getting. Cert messages, but they haven't opted into getting transportation. Transportation messages. So when a parent says. I used to get it, but I don't now. It's that's a generic. Response. And so it's hard for us to know, like, well, did you never have transportation last year? And this year you do, or it's it's kind of an individual case that we have to look into. But. For folks to opt into receiving text
171messages. There's a very simple process. And that has been shared on the district website. I'll have the school building administrator share that in their newsletters, and we'll we'll put it out in that newsletter as well. For folks to opt in. You can opt in a hundred times, and you're not gonna accidentally opt yourself out. It's a pretty simple process. So I think that's it. Or in the moment support. Yes. Please call Steph Hyatt, who's a real, live, wonderful, kind, helpful, human. And you can reach her directly at 8 0, 2, 3, 0 6, 7, 3. This does a really great member of the team. She sits at the high school and. Has the bus radio there. So and even just today, she said, a mom called me in tears. No bus came. She didn't have
172a way to get her child to school, so could just get on the horn right then, and we were able to remedy that situation pretty quickly. So she's really helpful for it in the moment response and. She's worked here a lot longer than I have, so she knows sort of the ways of the world so works for me, and I'm really grateful to have her as my right hand, woman, because she's saved me a lot already. So fte We're also having discussions. With the A. Again based on, you know, parent suggestions, modification of or the option to Flex staff time to open the elementary schools to allow students to come in at 7 50 rather than 8 0. 5. That 15 min. Designed to give us the ability to get middle school students. 2 school earlier,
173so. No, I was over there this morning. And it, you know, buses. Parents are dropping off late because students are feeling like, you know, there's nothing going on. This is important. And if we can get buses to correct and be there sooner. You know we're confident this is. The instructional time is happening. Kids are gonna be there. So another thing we're working on, obviously, we've got to. You know, have staff available to receive elementary students sooner. And working with on those pieces so number of details that are going to be worked out. But hopefully, we'll be able to share that information soon. I just wanna thank you, Jean Murray, and so Hi. And to Kathy John, all of our drivers for incredible amount of work. It's. It's something that every single day we're all putting
174a lot of time, energy, effort, and care into. And again, I want to thank all those folks for reaching out and sharing information. Email, [email protected] for those larger suggestions. Ideas feedback. One of the other things that's on my things I'd like to tackle a little later on is. The traffic patterns in our parking lots and the bus patterns and it's. Messy and kind of scary and sketchy, and so I I certainly don't have the solution to that. But it's clearly something that we need to address and I. We, the district, have kind of exacerbated the situation by our cancellations. And so then we're adding more parents to the parking lots and more. You know, high school kids are driving themselves and so forth so. I don't know what the solution is, but I want you
175to know that I'm definitely aware of that. And We'll we'll have to work on that for sometime in the future. So. Any questions I can answer. Yeah, question, just. I'm trying to have. I think, deeper understanding about the hiring process, because it's so easy to. Just want to hire people as quickly as possible, get drivers and buses. So we get kids to school. And I know that the hiring process for just a regular like building staff member. It is, I believe, a background check and fingerprinting correct. And so I would imagine, for drivers. It goes. It's that. Right back. They have to schedule a fingerprinting at the, and then I would assume there's also a check up their driving record right and the physical, the Department of Transportation Physical, that they have to get in
176and schedule that. And then the. Superintend. Colleagues and I were just discussing what we're seeing for delays, and we're seeing 3, 4 month delays for returns on fingerprinting, a lot of cases. So again, I mean, that's another piece where? You know, you've heard me. Or seen me in writing. Say to our legislators, clear some red tape for us here, and it's not to minimize the rigorous gates that I think are essential and need to be in place for children. But it's to expedite that. So what resources can put toward the facilitation of this very well documented bus shortage at this point in time. And you know, some of the things I've asked for are an increase in number of training. Sources. What? There's 3 or 4 in the entire state, and a driver has to
177bring their own bus to those. I mean, there's there's no training programs supported by the Ae and the drivers that license. They can't bring the bus. Somebody else has to bring. In order to try to get another driver trained, and it's all on the backs of school districts to staff and fund this training. So again. I I you know I'll continue to to ask this of our legislators and our reps, and of the agency of education. And at this point in time, I mean every single day. It seems like at this point. There's another article on. The dire state of transportation regarding school buses in particular in Vermont. Is it bigger. Yeah, this is a pretty comprehensive article. Yeah. And I mean. So I I think we need some support here. But that's for another
178day appreciate all you're doing. I mean, it's not important to the discussion. I'm just curious like in thinking about the applicant pool. What on your driving record would exclude you from being able to be a school bus driver like? Is it a speeding ticket. Is it. Like. You have to have a totally clean driving record. I don't know the answer to that. Because I only have brain capacity right now. Chelsea. But I think the answer to that is, it doesn't have to be perfectly clean. Many of the candidates that I've been working with so far are retired folks. Who. Say to me, I have a perfect. I've never been in an accident, so But there are something, I think, you know. If it's not egregious, it doesn't. It isn't a show stopper, but there are
179some things, and they could they could be there for a while that we still can't. Allow someone to become a driver with. We'll follow up with you on that when when I was in college I was a tutor counselor of a program for students. And part of my job description was transporting students in College issued, and these were large passenger vans, not like minivans, but. You know, 16 capacity, I think. And I had to go through a test, and there were members of staff who were not eligible to even take the test, because they had a speeding ticket and. I mean it makes sense, and I don't know if it's different. You know. Obviously, that's not a Cdl. And also you're asking a 20. 20, each person to drive around teenage children, so the standard
180should be pretty high. But I was just curious, cause it it takes time. This is all like logistical things that take time. And so the good news is, we have a few candidates who, I think, are going to sort of fast pass through some of that with the others. It is gonna take some time, because they just they need that time. And we need to. Respect that process and the training process and allow them to become good, safe drivers like there's a reason why we don't. Wanna I don't want you. Alright! Do we want to surpass the is that the end of the report. Yeah. Do we need another recess? Or do we want to know? Cause I'm I'm not gonna stay much. So the next item action. Item, 9, action items. We're monitoring 2.4.
181But. We're not actually taking, like the compliance action at this point. This is just a preliminary view for us. We, we take action on this policy when we get the audit review in. In March. So what I'd like to ask the Board is, has everyone to review the presentation prepared by Superintendent Nichols and Senior director of. Finance, Tim Jarvis. And maybe, instead of having and I I am shocked to see you here. Aren't you sick? Perhaps if board members have questions we can ask. Well, Tim is here, and if we don't have questions. Hit them on, and not do the whole presentation. Is is that okay, or. Yeah. Yeah, I I write. I review the report, Tim and I thought it was really well presented to slides are very clear, and I was writing down
182questions, and I got to one slide where you had answered all of the questions I had written down, based on the previous information you provided. I also appreciate that the explanation of the chart of accounts, the standardized accounts that that you included in the end those couple of slides that was very, very helpful and and quite explanatory. So I didn't have any questions. On the information itself. I thought it was very well presented. Thank you. And shocked. I was writing them down, and then I got to this one slide, and he explained why I was seeing what I was seeing. You know what I always enjoyed tiptimes just. Just for the people on phone. Yeah. So I'm not even bringing myself so long. I know we're we're an hour behind just a couple of updates.
183You know. 1st of all, we're we're the deck is reviewing information that is now over a year old, and. You know it was almost funny. I I thought putting the timeline in would be helpful. And then I realized that. We started the fiscal year 24 budget. Around this time. 2 years ago. And it seems