001[laughter] We're live. >> Just going to wait till 6 o'clock. >> Did you see one [clears throat] of the Budweiser commercials? It's going to have the Budweiser and American Eagle. >> I saw the previews to it. Call this meeting to order of the Silver Lake Joint Number One School District at 6 PM. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance led by our Boy Scouts. >> Algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. >> Thank you guys. [laughter] >> We will go roll call. Mr. Hamilton >> present. >> Mrs. Gallich. >> Mr. Hurst >> present. >> Myself. Mr. Jantil is here. Please note Mr. Hopkins is absent this evening. Um, open meeting compliance
002check. >> Check. >> All right. Uh, we will open the floor up to public comments. >> Anything? [laughter] All right, fair enough. Uh then we will move on to the approval of the uh consent agenda. Um Vicki and I noted beforehand we are going to pull out item A, the approve uh schoolboard meeting minutes as they were not included in the packet for us to review prior to. So we'll push those to the uh February meeting. Um so we will be approving items B and C in the consent agenda item. Any questions or is there a motion? I'll make a motion to approve. >> Motion by Galich. >> A second. >> Second by Hamilton. All those in favor? >> I >> opposed. Motion carries. Uh moving on to item 7A, new business discussion and possible
003approval. Item A, the 2627 school calendar. >> All right. Um, [snorts] I wanted to little uh we'll we'll uh the transition as a new uh district administrator delayed this a little bit, but I'm glad I did because I wanted to align it with Wilmont's. So, you're going to see some similarities. Um, as you look at this calendar, a couple highlights just so everyone's aware. Um, we have uh Miss Zachary and I set the the the back the new teacher orientation on the 19th. We're going to keep that flexible. We just put that as a holding pattern. You can see that we have three inservice dates with back to school night being on the 26th. The start of school is the 1st, which is the earliest we can start. Um, just some trend, just some themes
004here just so the board and the public is aware. Um you will see us concluding school on May 27th uh before Memorial Day. Uh we are still by doing that we are still within um the minute allocation for middle school and it does allow for 4.4 uh inclement weather days. The there was a reason behind of that one. was going to save us some dollars and cents um not only on fuel but some employee hourly costs but in addition you'll see that we recaptured some dates and times we reduce the number of early releases and inservice day especially in May and September the reason for that is simply one September and and May are chaotic anyway so let's not add more chaos and second of all in my onboarding meetings with hourly employees Um it
005was a point of frustration and real heartfelt sadness that um the the expansion of inservice days and uh early releases impacted their paycheck. So we felt like to make sure their voice was heard that that was part of our decision. Um we still have those sporadically throughout. Uh and then a couple other highlights are we aligned with Wilmont's calendar to ensure our spring break and winter break are the same. In addition, our January and February inservice days are the same, which allows us to possibly do some vertical alignment, which I know our middle school teachers have asked for. Uh the teachers will have two additional flex days that we'll work through, which I believe has been standard practice. >> Yeah, I think it's been st standard practice. Um And other than that, you can see
006where the trimester days are at. Um, other this will also allow us, we've already started this discussion. It won't be for this year because of construction, but the following year um the summer of 2027, we are looking to create an expanded uh summer school program with the additional time and it gives us some flexibility to do some more unique things. So, and for everybody who's listening, um, summer school is we do get reimbursed on our revenue limit for FTEES, which is how we calculate our enrollment. So, those dollars go on top of the FTE calculation, which increas increases our revenue limit, which other than there's a handful of ways to do that, but that is one way, and we want to take advantage of that tool. >> Excellent. >> Any questions? I'd just like to
007say I really like the calendar. I like getting out earlier. The fewer early release days I think makes it easier on the parents. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Any other questions? If not, is there a motion to approve the calendar as it's presented? >> Some move. >> Motion by G. Is there a second? >> Second by Hamilton. All those in favor? >> I. >> Four eyes. Any opposed? Motion carries. Moving on to 7B, the approval of 2627 open enrollment numbers as stated in board policy 5513 and state statute 18.51581 uh space determinations. >> Okay. Every year um the state requires uh districts to approve and align policy to open enrollment space determinations. Um this year we went through it. I worked collaboratively with uh with Miss Youngbud and Miss Zachary on these. Um we did
008um for the regular education you're going to see in parentheses. These are our current enrollments and then projected enrollments. Um this is obviously we're anticipating 46, but it's you know we'll see if it's easy to project previous uh grade levels as they advance to the next one. You'll see and that we did increase and just put a threshold. This doesn't mean these are going to be the class sizes and we can revisit at that time. But for space determination, we did want I we did choose to add uh put the limit 4K through 5 at 25 and then 6 through 8 at 27. The reason we did that is this allows us um we can't go back on it. So I mean we could but but that would require board action. We wanted to allow
009for expanded open enrollment. If you calculate this, this is about a hund this is this is about a million dollars if every student came in. So that's why we designed it. Again, as districts look at um decrease in enrollment, especially resident and um the uh uh bianual budget um not expanding the revenue limit authority based on CPI. Districts need to be creative and use tools that are available to them to increase their revenue opportunities. So this is how we're doing it. So that is the space determination for regular ad enrollment. The other the other aspect we have to approve and review is the special education open enrollment determination. Um in the past um our district would just put a number and then determine based on that number. DPI based on on my uh in Courtney's
010uh review would like a more detailed process. This is best practice. to use the Wisconsin what is it? >> Uh Wisconsin administrators for um special educ or special student services. >> Yep. So they have an actual rubric that you calculate. So you're spacing your space determination is not based on students, individual students, but it's based on need using a rubric and a calculation based on the level. And you'll see how these numbers make sense. She's handing out the individual rubric. Um, I appreciate our special ed team, our school psych and and Courtney for every student, our IEP case managers went through and completed this rubric. As you can see on the bottom, there's a uh I'm sorry um there's a score level of min minimum, moderate, extensive or comprehensive. Those numbers go from one to
01124 that is lo the those are these numbers and that's the calculation of individual students on that rubric which then crosswalks to the level that they're identified based on need. So that's how we manage our case load and open enrollment. Um the as we go through this um we we made sure that we did this based on case load projections. We currently have four special ed teachers. One is dedicated to a self-contained area, leaving us with three certified special ed teachers to manage the case loads. So, uh, we wanted to make sure that our open enrollment projections aligned with our current staffing and budget projections. Um, and this is and so we went through this in the end. Um, if you take a look and I can I'll just scroll through this. Please stop me
012if you have questions. But you can see that we've all areas and grade levels have been closed to zero uh open enrollment students. Self-contained program which is the program I mentioned also also closed. And then any other um contracted services per board policy which is cited here are also closed. Um, please note that we did um recently have some students a qualify and b we have two students that would be deemed per special ed as high need and high cost who will be coming back. So we had to monitor those costs also. So the rec the recommendation is to approve 95 regular special special education open enrollment seats. that is the maximum based on those grade levels. Doesn't mean if they all show up, that's a going to be a pretty good problem to have
013or situation to have, but it allows us the ability to grow our enrollment through the open enrollment portal and also increase our additional dollars on our budget. So, uh, our recommendation is to approve 95 regular special ed open enrollment seats and zero seats for students with disabilities for the 2627 school year. And the totals that that you showed us in the beginning, that includes all of the special education. >> That does not that is regular education only because we're we're recommending zero. Are you saying it includes special ed kids also? >> Yeah, that that is total enrollment. Yes, >> total enrollment. Okay. Yep. That's a great question, Vicki. >> And then the ones down below, the the cases closed because you already meet the level of number of kids that you >> that you have.
014I mean, we already have that many. So we we're not allowing any addition why they're closed. >> Yeah. Based on the level of need for the students that we have in the building. We set the case load maximum at like 20 points. And so the levels have different point values. Um and so we have a few of the case loads that fall a little bit under 20. However, we have one or two that are over. And so I'm not sure how we're going to staff across those grade levels. So it will even out next year once we start looking at staffing and how we're going to have the teachers teach across those grade levels. >> And we'd love to open those up, but these are just cost controlling measures that we're taking to make sure
015that >> we're falling within budget. >> So I guess that was my question because I think four 4K through first said was it about 27 points. >> Yeah, they're really >> the recommended is 20. So that would mean >> additional resources would have to be shifted or higher to >> and that includes the two moveins, correct? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. We have two that are in that that bubble and so one of those students would likely be put into the self-contained program because of the fact that they have so many >> um needs. But >> those are things that when we start looking at staffing how we'll have to figure out where that where those lie. >> An area that many districts will open up would be speech. >> But right now we're at
0161.2 two FTEEs for speech >> and we're at capacity >> because those are those students would have an IP. >> So that's >> so how does that case load? We have 27 direct the maximum is 20. How does that affect our staffing needs then? Are we going to have to increase? >> No, we're going to we're going to balance those case loads and move some of those that moves into the self-contained program. No, that's okay. >> That's okay. And it's hard because like how we've staffed um we've had the teachers because they're covering so many grade levels. We have three special ed teachers covering nine grade levels. So it would be ideal if I could say I have one per grade level and then we could have that conversation but they're spread over several. [snorts]
017So this year we have some that have crossed over two. So I have one teacher that's doing some second grade student and then I have another student that's doing some second grade student. So the so we've had to share and that's probably what's going to happen. And in context of special education funding, I don't mean to steal your thunder, Mr. Michael, but um the at the um state convention, the delegate assembly for the first time, 93% voted to raise the special ed funding cate the uh flow through categorical aid to the recommended was it 60%. >> Yes. >> They promised in this bianial budget 42 this year and 45 next year. But because it's a pool of money and then it's divvied up based on the number of students with disabilities that reimbursement amount is
018probably 35 if not lower right now. So that means then in our in our budget that is fund 27 every year we'll take money from fund 10 our general operating budget and then we move that over to fund 27. So that's we're just monitoring all budget accounts. >> Any other discussion or comments in regards to the uh [clears throat] open enrollment portion [snorts] space determinations? If not, at this time, I'd like to make a motion to approve 95 regular education open enrollment seats and zero seats for students with disabilities for the 2627 school year, which is based on the criteria outlined in the special education service matrix and outlined in schoolboard policy 5113 open enrollment program. >> I'll second. >> Second by Mr. Hurst. All those in favor? >> I. All opposed? None. Motion is
019approved. Moving on to reports. [snorts] Report number A, district administrator update. >> Yeah, a couple things I wanted to bring to your attention. Um, it's been a busy and fruitful uh month. Um, and uh we're we're currently this this week, I'm early next week, I'm trying to remember my calendar off top of my head, I will be meeting with PSI for the next phase of the referendum to review bids. So, that's coming up. I did want to highlight a couple things. At this point of our $7 million referendum, um there was $450,000 allocated for furniture upgrades. Those furniture upgrades uh Miss Zachary and I met with uh Brent Brener and our and our contract our service contract provider and we are reviewing those bids, going through everything. We have a nice detailed drawing and are
020work working through that process. Um, we have spent to date, um, we have spent, uh, I'm looking. Hold on, Chris. We have spent, uh, 1,390 or 69,586. Uh, so we have 5,180,994.14 remaining. Those dollars, those expenditures went to lighting. um replace the boiler plant, gym door replacement, fencing, and card key access. In addition to to note, we put those 7 million those dollars in to an account in Eperan. And up until this point, that account has raised an interest amount of $59,169.13. 50. >> Do the phones do that though? Do the >> Yes. phone. >> Is that the card? Yes. Car key accident phones. I apologize. >> Okay. And then did we do the gym floor with that? Not just >> No, gym floor. We uh if I remember correctly, that was tax levy. That
021was part of the fun. That was fun. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Yep. So, right now, um we're going to start planning for summer. Um we have uh I've gone through this in a previous district. We have a lot to move out of our main office. Um, so we're starting to clean as we speak. Uh, for some people begrudgingly, um, because I don't know if you know this, but educators like to hold on to stuff. Um, [clears throat] I do not. Um, but, uh, so, uh, we will not be running a summer school program just because literally every side of our building is going to be touched throughout the summer. and from a safety concern, as much as it would benefit our community from a dollars and cents and offering that service to families, from the
022safety and security side, we just can't we can't make it work. So, um that's a referendum update um and current budget. Uh two two other things I have on here I just want to make everyone aware in case this item comes across or you hear about it. um for our building and grounds. Um there's been a couple areas that we that I've that I want a couple of contracts I want to add that uh are not in place that will benefit our preventative maintenance schedule and also just allow us to stay on top of all the needs of our district. Um we Mr. Schmallfelt and I met with uh Environmental Management Services EMC. Um they charge a contracted fee and then they basically are there to provide coaching and guidance on any asbestous removal, any
023preventive maintenance. It's a very thorough process and it's nice to have somebody come in and walk our building and identify areas. They also provide training videos that are required by the state for our custodial team from ladders and lifting and special ed from lifting and um so we're working on that contract. And then operation hero uh sounds really cool. Uh it is a software that allows um it's a ticketing software. So like in like with it if if one of our teachers has an issue they send a ticket type it into compunet copyet replies we can track the data on not only are we seeing themes but our what's our re what's our response to those tickets right we do not have that software right now here in at um at Riverview um operation hero
024is a software that allows us to do that in addition it has AI capabilities that allow us to uh track the the um maintenance schedule, the length of um the basically the life of some of our boilers and other mechanicals. So you can make you can make pe you can make orders right with companies right from it. It goes directly in there. You can send bids out from it. But the most important reasoning being is I I want to see our staff be able to rep respond and communicate to building maintenance issues and have those uh addressed and dealt with in a prompt manner. So we're looking at that. Uh tomorrow we have the Wisconsin School Safety Coordinator Association review. um that is a state organization for those of you who may not know Pat
025Fenomore who was the head of building and grounds in Kenosha for about bless you for about 25 years. He's a Bristol resident. He heads that up. Um it is retired law enforcement building and grounds um and school administrators who come in and do a thorough walkthrough of our building and they type up a report. It is in um it is in stat statute that the results of that are confidential and will be reviewed in close session with the board. So you you'll be looking forward to that. It's a I've used it I've been a part of a review twice in my previous district and it is thorough from having an independent group look at your entrance and egress to your parking to the state of your building to your halls to everything. So they do
026a thorough deep dive in it. >> Will officer Kirk be part of that? >> He is. It was a perfect onboarding for him. >> So I handed that over to him on June on January 6th. >> Nice. So it was good for him to get and collect all the information. So they ask [clears throat] on the front end for your crisis plans. They ask for your staffing demographics, basically age. Um they they asked for um your building size. They asked for um start time, end time, enrollment, anything you can think of. So that gave him the opportunity to kind of review that on the front end and get him on board. So it was a perfect timing. [snorts] Um we are starting an I Ready pilot. Um we have multiple data collection tools in this
027district. Some of them have been discussed here in the past like EXL. Um that's been at a at a at a strategic plan discussion. We are looking at you create purchasing but we're going to pilot it first a universal screener which will test our kids from basically was it kindergarten through um eighth grade or seventh grade. What's nice about I Ready is one the data you get from it is reliable under Wisconsin forward number one. Number two, it's a universal screener which is supported by act 20 and encouraged by the legislation from uh the state of Wisconsin which is also I read is on their list of approved uh screeners. Three, it gives our teachers tools like lesson plans that align to the data. So it'll support teachers in as they're as they're doing some
028of their small group stuff, they'll have specific lessons for small group based on their data. And the last piece which I know has been a discussion here is there is a there is a digital component but they only recommend a half hour per week per per content area right half hour per week. So that if you break that down and all our teachers are doing that in their groups that's 30 minutes by five is six minutes a day. [snorts] So that's 12 minutes total. So we're going to pilot it and see where it goes. >> I have a little bit of concern with this. Um, and one of the concerns I have is is the minimizing of the screen time. I mean, we're doing it already saying it's only half hour. >> Yep. >> It's
029only half hour. >> Except for there's been a ton of studies and they've been peer- reviewviewed and they've been repeated that show that the increased screen time is leading to a significant decline in in engaged learning. It's creating passive passive learners amongst our children. Um and those same studies show that we have seen a significant cognitive decline in our students. Our students nowadays are less cognitively capable than we were at the same age. Uh it's very very alarming and all of that data points to increased screen time. Now it's not just in the educational standpoint. It's also from personal computers, cell phones, tablets, um unrestricted time from it at home. But I have some serious reservations about going to I Ready because of the fact that it is computer-based. And certainly there are options to
030only use it limitedly, but that depends entirely on the educator to not because there are also options to lean on it almost exclusively. >> Yeah. Um and and I guess the other thing that I have concerns about with is that >> um where is the data from I Ready coming from? Where is all this data about I Ready and its success rates and its capability. >> Yeah, we can we can provide that. >> Well, I actually know it's kind of a it's kind of a rhetorical question because 90% of the data that comes from I Ready, right? That's about I Ready comes directly from I Ready. It has not been peer-reviewed. It has not been checked and uh independently studied to be verified. Um, and I have serious concerns based on the large decline in
031cognitive capability amongst students that we are enrolling in programs and spending money on programs and allowing teachers to get involved in programs that take away from their personal engagement with the student, which we know is effective at educating. with a program that is essentially um research. We're we're we're basically treating our students as experiments for an education model that we don't know is going to work or isn't. And we're trusting the people who are selling us this program to provide us with all the information that says that it's positive. Uh I I have serious serious reservations about it. I think that it needs to be looked at with much more scrutiny and I think that everybody on this board should be paying a lot more attention to the studies that are being done that show
032the impact of screen time on students and their ability to learn uh engagingly as opposed to passively. It's it's very very alarming. Well, I think the good news is like about I Ready is just like anything else or the good news about I Ready is unlike the other assessments we're doing right now and teachers are using there's very little reliability to the state report card and the forward testing whereas this is reliable. Well, I guess that brings back to my point though is is that we're again we're going back to relying on models that we have shown are not successful. >> Well, I think I think the good news is though is when you look at like think about this all of us, you went to Burlington, right? Okay. I don't know your favorite teacher
033who you had. I don't know about your experience at Wilma for those of us who are Panthers, but I had Tom Regal and other teachers, right? So, I would argue that a textbook back in the day had some of the same challenges as any other tool that we that we provide for teachers, right? It comes down to, as you said, how the teachers use that >> again. But correct but that but that doesn't address the main concern of of of the issue which is that >> the screens themselves are having a negative cognitive cognitive developmental impact on our students. Textbooks didn't have that. We all know that reading >> well not that we're aware of. >> Well no no no there's been tons of research that shows that reading is cognitively helpful and development. >>
034Maybe that was my mistake in Tom Regal's social studies class. >> Well I mean not to make light of it. That's I don't I don't want to pass over it. The fact of the matter is there's tons of data that shows that reading from textbooks, reading books, reading books from a library increases cognitive ability. >> But also remember, Joe, we don't have to use there's a ton of digital teacherled resources and Andrew can talk to him. We don't have to use the digital portion. I understand that. But my point is is that we're talking about, oh, we're only using it 30 minutes a day. But then that's also interesting that our staff is going to only use it for 30 minutes a day as opposed to looking on it for something more. >> 30 minutes
035a week. >> Well, I think I think the the response I would have to that is the board should entrust that the three of us sitting here ensure that that that there's agreed upon and that doesn't happen. And if and if if that because >> that's to me that's asking a lot based on based on >> I don't think I don't think it is because I can look at data. I can run reports and user usage data and I want to know too I mean I based on what I hear from at the state and national level right we've all heard about Mississippi and their gains in reading right and all of that comes down to they're looking at growth data and they're saying we want you grade level by a particular year and research
036says says by third grade we want every kid at grade level, right? So at the same time, how do we know right now that a kid's at grade level with reliability and fidelity at that level? So we triangulate data and we look at it right now. I think Andre can speak to that's difficult right now and and right now that's the only reason for the tool and we're going to pilot the additional resources that the teachers look which is another tool that teachers could take and take lessons and implement them in small group large group as the same time we keep scaling up our project based learning we're looking at advancing project lead the way which is a great STEM curriculum so if if this was just happening in a in a in a vacuum
037I can understand that concern. I think what we'll present you with the the feedback from the teachers who are just piloting the assessment and the the uh the tools for teacher lesson planning and we can make a determination. If the board says we don't want them using the digital portion, we're that's fine, but we haven't even got past this just the pilot. It's a free pilot. >> Isn't the isn't the main crux of the entire program with digital? I mean it's like 70% of the the entire program is digital. >> No, actually I think Go ahead. >> Yeah. So um so they the diagnostic is all digital. So they take the diagnostic and then that tells you the level where the child's at. >> Now when I was talking to them that what they'll what
038they have started now is it gives and it's great because we're doing we're pushing small groups. So it'll say, "Okay, the these kids all fell low in this standard. Here's a teacher lesson that you can do." So it's literally like a a a lesson the teacher can do. That doesn't mean the kids are on the computer. >> Yeah. >> So there is a part that does like Yeah. the assessment. >> Which is just like the ACT, the AP, right? >> Any other professional assessment people do. So the testing we just said done, the fast testing, the CBM math automaticity, all that stuff, that's all computer based testing. >> Not all of it. >> Fast. Well, okay. So the majority of this computer, >> but we're going to get rid of some of that stuff, too.
039Yeah. >> Well, so and I guess is if this is what we've been using and we've been using this in the past and then we had our other assessments that we use that would be our state report card that we've always >> been so proud of that we've seen a decline in that not everybody here agrees is the greatest metric to be using especially not exclusively. Uh but so I'm just looking at my own students and so I have the computer-based assessment which shows >> which one Joe >> uh this would be the uh CBM math automatic I'm sorry my pronunciation on this automaticity matic metaticity I don't know how to pronounce that word excuse me and then the CB CBM math cap and a math >> oh it's fast bridge >> yeah it's the
040it's the fast it's the fast testing Um, so all of her results come back as being significantly underneath um the average. Yet in her progress report under math, she's marked as meets grade level expectations at this time. >> Correct. >> And that's what we're finding with like fast >> that's exact that's what we're finding with fast bridge and as is required by the state. Yeah, >> but that's what we're finding with with with Fastbridge and EXL, which has been a concern. >> So, it brings me back to my original point, which is is we're depending on these things that have been provided by or or propped up by the state or by the Department of Education or some of these other um some of these other uh uh government agencies. And essentially, it's a failed
041model. It hasn't worked. We've got 30 years of data that shows precipitous decline. the entire time. >> Well, yet now here we are again investing more financial dollars in experiments. We don't know that these are going to work. We don't know that these have proven results and the data that >> Well, I can tell you I can tell you based on my child that they have great results. Well, I mean, all due respect that that's, you know, a little specific to just you, >> but but also I can look at I can look at the data that I saw from other districts >> on a on a how big of a how big of a of a you know range are we talking about? >> Are we talking the difference between >> are we talking
042about three years worth of data? Are we talking about four years worth of data or two years a decade worth of data? >> Yeah. Well, I mean >> well there's a lot of variables within a couple of years. >> Yeah. especially the last few years for education because there's been a lot of yeah >> crazy changes that are relatively unprecedented for education in the last four or five years. Correct. Anybody disagree with that with COVID and all the other things we that we've dealt with since then? So it's pretty difficult to use the last three four years as a >> solid parameter of anything. >> I I I I can only say this. This is a tool. It's going to we're going to not we're going to pilot it. It has things that based on
043your feedback in previous board meetings had and allows us to use to measure growth to ensure that our kids are growing. It align it's recommended through the legislation that was sponsored and supported by the state which came from other other states. It's an unfended mandate. >> We're we're we're beating a dead horse here. We've gone over all this again. It's I'll make >> Well, but it's in context of the conversation. I make the same point that these are all organizations that have propped us up for failure over the course of the last 30 years. >> Well, that yeah, that's I mean the the the insanity is to continue to do the same things over and over and expect a different result. Yeah. >> And to me that seems like that's what we're doing here. >>
044So yeah, we can move on. But I have a couple >> I was just gonna say does anyone else have any >> I have a couple >> comments or questions on that? >> You said that this pilot the pilot itself there's no financial >> just for you >> impact. Okay. And then through this program is it just the teachers that see the result or do you actually see like in summary >> how long that the teachers are utilizing this program? So you can actually see >> I can look at a usage report. >> You see somebody is >> Yep. We'll address it. >> You Okay. Yeah. >> And then is this program really meant to um enhance the teachers um development of their their um >> according to I already >> right but I mean
045that's why it's a pilot right? Sometimes you have to find out. But I think if we can actually see that data like how long they're really using it, if it's really set to the the time limit that Chris is saying. >> Yeah. And I do that with right now. >> I think um by by your own admission, some of the other programs are failing us. So, if we have another program, maybe they're it's a it's a program that maybe they're seeing where the deficit was in the other areas and maybe this will change it a little bit. But I don't if you don't try something, you don't really know if it's going to work. But I do agree with uh >> why are we experimenting on it with our kids though? Why don't we experiment
046out in controlled studies and get and get years worth of data that shows that it's effective instead of bringing in >> was the wrong word. Well, but that's what it is. I mean, that's what we're doing. We're experimenting with kids. >> But I also take issue with um I have through personal experience book learning um [clears throat] sorry Shantel, but my child went here and all through grade school it was never determined she had a reading problem, reading comprehension problem until she got into high school. But I tried to address it with the teachers here. She only had books to read out of to understand. And so I also see where my grandchildren use certain things on um their electronics and that and they already know where they're failing. They already they have like an
047instant gratification for it. And so for me, I feel like a failed parent because I didn't realize everything because she got good grades. I mean, she was a really good student, but her reading comprehension was horrible. And um nobody caught it here. Nobody caught it here. And so I I like the for me personally I like it where you're integrating some type of um digital learning with book learning. I do I like to read a book. I like to hold a book in my hand. And um but I also uh do things electronically too. >> Well, and I think the other side to this is like nobody would disagree that our kids are on as parents on screens too much. >> Way too much. And the board has other tools they could use to diminish
048that. >> Yeah. >> I mean, we could do that easily, right? I mean, we could start modeling that by having paper copies of our stuff, right? Instead of instead of going on a digital tool. All of us, you know, having our phones out. I mean, all of us agree on that. I mean, I don't think anybody's looking back and going. But there's also been benefits to technology. We're not our goal is not to add more technology to kids. Our goal is to have data to address reading and math concerns to ensure our kids are high school and and future ready because you're in the private sector and industry. I've talked to hundreds of employers. Not one of them said, "Boy, I wish my I wish my all of them said, "I wish our kids could
049read, write, do math better, and I want to know which teachers are getting the highest growth rates. And I also want to know which ones aren't. >> And so so that's >> saying we're we're unable to do that without these digital platforms. >> Well, no, I mean to >> I I just But you you talked about the grades, the academic grades. There's a ton of research talking about the interrator reliability and can crosswalk between any assessment and and grades. I mean to assume grades are reliable is another deeper conversation we could have, right? I mean, I could I mean, I I I've been around some of the best leaders in education and one at Wilmont who came in and asked our band teacher, he says, "Show me your grade book." Well, music teachers, I'll just
050I'll just say at least at that time, every kid got an A. Right. So, are you saying that every xylophone player was the best? Well, I guess I guess I'm I'm not entirely sure where where because >> what I'm saying is you're you're comparing the grades with your your child the the reliability between grades and the assessment, the digital assessment. You're saying that there's there's there's not reliability there. They should mirror each other based on what you read. And I'm just saying I agree with you that grades are unreliable. All we're looking for is data to make sure that our kids can read and write. Even though my point was the opposite is is that the grades are more reliable than the assessments are reliable. That's where I'm getting at is that I don't think
051that the assessments, especially when you're talking about getting assessments to 4K, first grade, second grade kids who don't have any digital experience for the most part. And >> but now we can but now we can actually see which one and dig deeper into the students need to find out which one is accurate. So I think you know this kind this conversation kind of brings me back to one of the things you mentioned in the interview process, right? We're looking to get data in. >> Yeah. >> I mean that's that's the driver here. How do we get the data that we need to get our teachers going in the right directions for our students to make sure we're providing the best possible it doesn't sound like we're looking to create a crush for staff. It doesn't
052sound like we're looking to say here's a computer that you guys are going to sit on and do these lessons. Um, you know, again, to me, I I kind of side with Vicki. There's no cost um, initially outlay. I think it's important that we're looking for alternatives because again, EXL has been talked about as not the answer. So, um, at this point, I'm I'm in support of the IRA. >> Yeah, I the things that I like about this is a, it's free, so we can try it out. Um B the diagnostic tools these days from the medical industry to education just the the the technological advancements are so much more accurate. Not to say all of them are accurate but um I would be interested to see once we go through this pilot to compare
053some of the results to >> teacher assessments to some of the you know assessments that we got from the fast bridge and just see how things line up. I mean, if they're way off, then we'll know. Maybe this is >> And I know my predecessor was, you know, I mean, I think, you know, if I'm not mistaken, we had MAP for years, right? Is that correct, Andrea? >> Yeah. >> And then we we went away from MAP. >> Another one that was not really effective. >> Yeah. I I only know this, this is what I can speak to. I don't know any high performing districts that don't use some of these tools to make sure that their kids are proficient or at least at grade level in reading and writing. >> Right. I understand that
054because like you said, it's it's what's accepted throughout the state and throughout the educational field. But my point is is that ju just one plus one equals two. But just because 1 plus 1 equals two doesn't mean that 1 plus 1 plus 1 equals three in the same context. Just because they use those doesn't mean that those are the reasons that those are high performance. >> I'm not saying it's the only reason. Yeah. >> I mean there's there's a lot of other factors that are in play here. Some of them are social economics. Some of them are placement. Some of them are staff that are in place. I mean and and certainly those are far more impactful than just these systems because >> that data we have goes back >> and supersedes any of these
055systems that were in place prior. So we know that that's not actually a driving factor in the success rates in these places. It is just this thing that's become the norm in the field. So everybody has them. >> Well, I think you can be confident that when we make these decisions, we take in consideration of all of that. And I and I think having the experience in being in multiple districts and looking at what districts do well, what they don't do well, I'm pretty confident in saying that piloting this tool is the right decision to give us the metrics that we need to ensure all kids can read and do math. >> I'm not I'm not saying we shouldn't do the pilot. I agree with everybody's points. It's it's a free pilot. It gives us
056an opportunity to test out and see what it is. I'm not saying we shouldn't do it. I'm just saying that we should be extremely hypervigilant about it and that we should be extremely scrutinizing of the data that were presented about it because that data is not coming from third parties. That data is not coming from independent research. That data is not coming from peer-reviewed studies that back it up. It's coming from I Ready. And that's like trusting the snake oil salesman that his snake oil is going to cure you of your all your alils because he promises you. I'm sorry, but I just that's that's not that's not very intelligent uh about going about things in my opinion. >> And I would agree with you. I >> Well, I would I would hope you'd assume
057all of us are intelligent to make those decisions. >> It's it's not it's not about the level of intelligence. It's about the level of and we've I've heard a little bit of it here tonight of well this is what everybody does. This is what everybody does. So I mean it's you know it can't be bad because everybody's doing it. Well again that argument falls flat with me because what everybody is doing is seeing a precipitous decline in education rates and graduation rates for the last 30 40 years. So you can't sit here and spout to me that well everybody's doing it so it must work. Well no what everybody's doing clearly doesn't work. And I I'm not comfortable just sitting here saying, "Yep, let's just fall in line and keep going down that same path
058because hey, look how successful it's been." >> Well, the good news is other than this, we're not. I think that's why we're doing project- based learning, project leadway, looking at career connected learning models. >> Well, and as long as we stay down that path that we've identified that we want to go down and but I mean, obviously you guys are all aware that I have concerns that that's being being followed through anyways. >> When would when would this pilot begin? >> Geory. >> Yep. Um they're coming February 9th. We'll do a virtual training and then we're we'll do the diagnostic tool and then they're coming back the next Monday of inservice um just to train on like how to read the data like using the data points. >> So we're reading our own data. They're
059just showing us how to >> gather it and then Okay. >> Yeah. and and the data that's being gathered will it also reflect on like how effective a teacher is? Well, it'll show the data that it'll show the data that says which teachers are getting >> which teachers are moving students most >> moving students most because you'll be able to look at fall and like if we if we went you know any any universal screener >> yeah tipulates three times a year >> three times a year just like we did with Matt >> and this is the metric that I want to know I mean what metric are they using to determine what moves a student >> well it's a very important question >> no I and and and understand look I I think I
060mean again I'm I'm certainly not an educational expert, right? Um obviously we've gone round and round. We understand you have concerns. It sounds like we're going to do a soft roll out of this with the pilot in February. Um [cough] and [clears throat] I'm certainly not trying to make light of your concerns, but I don't think we're going to accomplish or get to the end of where you want to be tonight. >> No, no, I'm not looking to come to an end. I'm raising all the concerns so they're they're all on record and we all are aware that they're here. I mean, I won't leave anything off the table because I have some serious reservations about it. >> Have Have you looked for research? I've [clears throat] >> That's why I That's where I determined
061that 90% of all the data on I Ready comes from I Ready? >> I mean, I I >> And if you start to look into the cognitive studies that have been done on the impact of screen time on students, regardless of whether it's for educational purposes or for assessment purposes, it's the actual >> it's the actual digital format in which the kids are taking information. And I mean, >> so we say 30 minutes a week of education, >> but we also have to take into account that >> we have no control over what other digital screen time these kids take in. And it Mike just said it and that is the correct statistic is two hours of screen time has a serious negative impact to the cognitive ability and the developmental ability particularly in young
062minds and that is what we are dealing with here as young minds. Minds that have not had the ability to develop. Yes, we all use screens and we will continue. Luke, I agree with your point. We cannot get away from technology, we cannot escape it as adults, but just like alcohol and just like tobacco, as adults, we have developed brains, developed minds that know how to properly manage, take in, and balance our use of those things. >> These students do not. We are reprogramming, rewiring their brains with the screen time. And we have no control over what they do outside of the school. for us to be contributing to it at any level is so detrimental. It's so detrimental and and and the data that is out there is astronomical. It's overwhelming and education is
063ignoring it outright. And we did it this last board meeting where I brought up multiple points and nobody addressed those questions. All they did was make excuses about how they're using it differently, but nobody addressed the underlying question of what are we doing to the brains of our students. Nobody addressed that. And we haven't tonight either. In fact, we've done the same thing. We've swept it under the rug. >> I mean, how do we I mean, I'm not a doctor, so how do I know what it's doing to the brain? >> Well, as I said, there's a ton of data. You can go out and research. I mean, Mike, you know, you said before about you're not you're not you're you're not a professional in education. Well, all due respect, you and I have been
064on the board for a very long time, and we should have done a lot of homework, and we should be pretty well verssed on education and and what's involved with it and what's going on with it. Uh I don't we have an obligation to be >> I I don't disagree with you. Um but I guess I'll go back to what Chris had said, right? It's our job to trust the academic leaders that we put in charge question, right? Um trust but verify type of situation. But um if we're being told by Chris, Andrew, and Courtney that it's going to be minimal six minutes a day or 30 minutes a week, we've got to trust that they're going to monitor that and hold people accountable and it's going to be the tool that they say it's
065going to be. And I think there's other areas when we're talking about this minuscule of time in a given year. >> Well, again, here we are. Here we're are minimizing it. >> No, I'm not I'm not a small I'm just quantifying it. >> If we're doing 30 minutes a week, >> nobody said we were. We just we just said that that was >> that's the baseline, right? That's what we talked about was 30 minutes. >> That's the limit if you chose to use that. >> That's all we said. Well, my concern is is that like I said, >> no, and I'm acknowledging your concerns by saying >> be if we look at the 178 days the kids are here for seven and a half hours. I would love to be able to, you know, control
066what they do outside of here, but that's not something I can and parents are empowered to make the best decision for their kids outside of this time. >> And we're empowered to make the best decision for >> I agree with you. And what I'm saying is there's other areas where screen time is more prevalent or use that we can also address too if that was a conversation. >> Well, exactly. I mean that can >> so that Yeah. So I think >> 4K student had centers the other day and they weren't learning anything about computers. They had a story read to them digitally from the laptop. Three stories from a laptop. The entire centers. They didn't learn anything about how to use a computer. They didn't learn anything about how to operate the system. They had
067story time from a computer. That is an inappropriate use of our computers for our 4K students in my opinion. >> Yeah. And in and please in the future let us know. We'll have that conversation. >> Any other comments on I Ready policy or pilot? Sorry. >> Um budget development. Just wanted to starting the next year's budget. Um tenatively they're looking at a potential CPI right around 2.6 6 2.7. It's been fluctuating a little bit, but that's ballpark. And then OPEB update. We are um we are meeting, we met with two board members last week or last week. Last week went over it. >> Um I've met with Vicki prior to that. I've met with our consultant and our business manager consultant. And I think we have a pretty sound policy fiscally that's going to thread
068the needle to not only, you know, uh, align with our strategic plan of not only recruiting, retaining staff, but also to save some additional dollars and cents from our current plan. As our uh, accountant said, our entire um, revenue limit is occupied by our OPED liability. So, uh, I think we we're feeling pretty good about that. So, schoolboard celebrations and recognitions, anything? >> Uh, so for me, I would just talk about the uh obviously the state convention. Um, always interesting. Uh, my first time back in a couple years. Um,worked with several administrators, other schoolboard members. Um, sat with the Union Grove School Board members at the uh, delegate convention. Um, and then obviously I was talking to Vicki premeating. Um, Chris and I had the opportunity to see Ann Marie Anderson. She was one of
069the keynote speakers. >> Really good. >> Um, probably one of the more powerful speakers I've seen. Did a really good job. And she's got a book um that she wrote that Chris and I both purchased at [laughter] the show. I was going to read it and Vicki had asked to read it afterwards. More than happy to share it if anybody else was interested. >> Um, the only comment that I would bring back from the state convention and it's obviously a year away. um for the delegate convention. Whoever is elected to attend next year, we as a board should meet prior um to align with how we want to vote on these policies that uh WASBY is advocating for. Um I think that's a clear miss on our part for you know both Brian and I
070for not doing that in the past. But um seeing some of the discussions and some of the topics uh I think it would benefit uh us to walk through the packet as a group um next year prior to someone attending make sure we understand what they're advocating for and at least have all our voices heard and whoever goes to represent does go represent. >> It's a good idea. >> I [clears throat] agree. >> That was all I had. >> I um was it last week that I was >> two weeks ago. >> Yeah. came in to um look at the different projects that they the students had presented. I think it was fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grade. And then there were different grades that came up. Um when I was there it was I
071think it was first graders, kindergarten that was coming through and some were in fourth grade. It was fascinating to sit and talk to the students. some of them, you know, a little apprehensive, not too sure about talking to this lady. She's asking questions that I don't even know about. >> But the very last young lady it was had to do with the bridge project that they did and I don't know if you familiar with it, but they built these bridges. And the last young lady was a phenomenal speaker. I don't know who she was, but she explained that in all the classes they um collaborated together. So, in math they did something having to do with the bridge project and in English they did where they wrote about it and they read about in history
072they learned about different bridges and then in science they were putting this all together. It was so interesting and it made me laugh because each one of them [laughter] told me that to make their bridge pass they had to have this teacher they had to it had to hold 250 pounds and this [laughter] teacher stood on it and then held it and it's like I'm not sure he wants you to tell me that all >> that was consistent [laughter] >> and it was so funny but it was interesting and for me the bridge project was interesting because my um in my past life worked in the public works and so we did a lot with bridges and things and so it was interesting to hear them speak about it and so I mean I asked
073questions because I knew about building bridges and things and so they were the one girl like looked at me and like I don't even know [laughter] and it made me laugh like okay it's a little too much for this I said but it was really cool. And then um I don't know which is the one where they were like inventing things. >> The thermal energy. >> Yeah. >> This one girl if she doesn't patent her idea. I don't know. >> Oh my god. Talking about >> has like an ice cube. >> Yeah. >> And you put it in your whatever and it heats it up. >> Instead of making it cold, it heats it up. It was like >> this is really phenomenal. And she did a good job explaining it too. She really I
074mean I'm not saying that only just the one but I was like that is so clever. And then there was another one where uh like they had a heated plow where they're scraping snow in that. >> I was like okay that's really clever. >> That's really clever. It was good. It's like >> what those that all those grades presented was for me being on the board. I was proud of our educators that that's what they what they put through >> and to hear the collaboration between the different grades. >> It made me really proud that day to walk out of here. I couldn't help but smile when I left here. So that's cool. Good to see you. Thank you for the invitation. >> Yeah, they're doing great things. They're doing great things. not not to
075skip over an agenda item, but then the cool thing is right after that, we scheduled those teachers >> to then collaborate with the next group of teachers to start doing peer coaching and guidance on expanding expanding that along with we're going to visit another project leadway school to add a STEM >> program that's all project based. >> So that was cool. >> It's cool stuff. >> In April 30th, we're doing another museum exhibit and it's going to be after school. So that was for the parents and everyone to come in. >> What time would that be? Do you guys know? >> Did we say 5 to 7? >> There was a time >> April 30th 5 to 7 roughly. >> Yeah. Yeah. I I remember reading that. >> So if you if you if this
076same group is there, it's really >> good work. >> And the kids get to decide like what project they want to display. So some kids will probably pick their thermal energy because they were like extremely excited about that and the bridges. So >> they'll be but then there'll be other projects that obviously along the way until April. So um kids have that autonomy to be able to pick which project they feel strongly about to present. >> I think with the thermal energy they had to do like a commercial with it and so >> it was interesting to listen to their commercials too. So, it was uh if you have the time and you come in with for that, that was very interesting. >> That's fun. It was great. >> Um any other celebration? Sorry. >>
077I want No, I just wanted to do I think we're a little bit past one month of Officer Kirk being with us. That's been talking with the kids. They're getting to know him and get getting to uh enjoy building that relationship. It seems like he's been a great addition so far. >> And another Bears fan in the building. So, that's not a bad >> He's done a good job of monitoring um traffic and those violators. So just just if you hear anything in the community, he has been having conversations with people. So >> just giving you a heads up >> in the morning and the afternoon. >> I'm just giving you a heads up. >> It's okay. We appreciate >> read between [laughter] appreciate >> along with the traffic monitoring. I now understand probably why
078we don't have that gate open in the back because I came to >> the common classic. the comic classic. And I actually came through that way, not ripping, but I came through that way and I parked back alongside the >> right outside that one door where the you can go down the sixth grade hallway. So when I left, I know I probably shouldn't have, but I still went out that because it was really cold and I so went out and honestly I nearly got hit by some lady that come ripping through there and I screamed so loud to slow down. I'm surprised that she didn't stop and like because it it startled me and she came through through the gate area and it's like really >> could the kids Yeah. >> anybody? Hey, I guess
079I have to see it firsthand. >> You're not bashful. >> No, that was bad. >> Any other uh celebrations or recognitions? >> Otherwise, the date of our next meeting will be February 24th uh 2026. I'd like to make a motion to adjourn to close session pursuant to [clears throat] uh 1985 [cough and laughter] 1F and 1985 1C. >> I'll second. >> Second by Joe. All those in favor? >> I I motion carries. We will now enter into close session. >> All right. >> Thank you.