WSD Board Meeting, Regular, August 11, 2025

001All right. Good evening, everyone. Um, I call the August 11th, 2025 school board meeting to order. It is 6:02 p.m. We are in room C of the Fiser Administration building at 12121 West North Avenue. Miss Summers, please call the role. Miss Bzinski here. Mr. Bower here. Miss Bach here. Mr. Morris here. Miss Himemer Rand here. Dr. Worley here. Mr. Wier >> here. >> All right. So, um, if I may have just a moment, I just want to reflect that our our district and our community have been through a lot the last few days. Um, I want to especially as district-wise thank Dr. Means for all of your leadership through some very traumatic um, loss of a loss of a student. um now families with their and neighbors and um of all ages across the community

002um losing things within their homes um cars just a lot of stress that's going on and so as we start this meeting I wanted to acknowledge that sense of loss that that many people may be working through so um on that note or on a new note um we could move to uh item number two the superintendent update for August 925 live. >> Thank you, Dr. Worley. And um I think that is the right tone and tenor for this update. I'll be very succinct because there's uh a lot of good news that we want to share. Uh I want to start by uh giving a very high level overview of what Mr. Pinion will provide in a few minutes with our positive people and family supports report. I remember vividly a few years ago when

003we were having struggles with young people coming back from COVID and there were a lot of physical fights. There were a lot of disregulated students and we were at a crossroads as a community. Um there were some who were saying discipline students more, kick students out. Um and and we have disciplined more. We've had more expulsion hearings. This board has had more expulsion sharings um than than the the previous boards, but we've done it with care. We've done it with compassion. I want to thank Mr. Pinion. Um and you're going to meet his entire team in a few minutes, but we've also done it with a lot of support. There's been a lot of discussion around the added staff. While we have added deans of students, we've added uh SEAL or social emotional learning specialists.

004We've added mental health specialists. We believe that those strategies have helped with the the positive reports you and data you're going to hear in a few minutes. So, I just want to thank all of our leaders in the area of people and family supports. That's counselors, that's social workers, that's um all the different people who are helping wrap their arms around our our families and our kids. But I don't want to steal Mr. Pinion's uh thunder either. So, I I'll I'll stop there. I want to thank uh all of our principles um and Miss uh Zelazowski and Miss Claybour. Our teacher retention rate as of today is 90.8%. Uh so we continue to trend at that 90 um percent rate for the entire district. Um this is the time of the year, however, in the

005last three weeks where it gets really volatile. Um and um there are uh offers made by school districts that are as they uh as they said in one of the American uh cinematic classics they school districts make offers that teachers cannot refuse um in terms of finances. And so it'll be um it'll be really difficult for us these last three weeks if there's an offer made. This is typically the time where a school district will offer more than what they need to because they're trying to finalize their their their staffing. Um we are having um particular challenges in hiring spa Spanish teachers and special education teachers. Uh so to that end, Miss Elazoski is taking the leadership role of hosting a job fair next week um where our principles will have an opportunity to uh

006bring in candidates. We are uh we will advertise more throughout this week. Uh we will make offers on site um for qualified candidates. Um and I want to thank Miss Elazoski for her um her willingness to to pivot very quickly to to make that process happen. So again, we're proud of the 90.8% 8% um retention rate, but we're also um aware of the fact that this is now the time period where school districts will make really sizable uh offers and uh they will make offers that in some cases people cannot refuse. >> Uh later this evening, you'll hear about the strategic planning process. I think one of the most gratifying uh moments for me since being in the district as superintendent was watching the board um really engage around the work that you are charged

007with in terms of ensuring that the mission and vision of our school district is aligned with where you want the district to go. Um and so I'm really excited that you will have an opportunity to unpack that later uh this evening. And uh finally, I want to thank um our buildings and ground staff. Uh they're the unsung heroes many way in many ways. Last yesterday, less less than 24 hours ago, uh we had our team um interrupting their weekends coming into the facilities to give an analysis of where we are um with um all of our facilities. I think the most uh significant damage took place at Walto Tulsa West with the theater um area. Uh Mr. Lef Fountain is keeping us updated. We may have to transfer. We typically have our opening day ceremonies

008at Tulsa West u for all of our staff. We may have to move um that that ceremony uh this year uh which will cause a lot of traffic um problems. We're going to wait to see. Uh we've said we'll we'll we'll kind of we'll do a touch base point on Thursday um and and see where we are at that point. Um we also saw a lot of damage at Wilson >> [clears throat] >> uh W Stem, a lot of water intake um at that school. Um and so there's a lot of repair that needs to take place there. Uh there's been a lot of news coverage on the impact that has occurred at Hart Park. I want to thank uh Mr. Andrew Thompson, our athletic director at Tulsa East. he's already made a pivot. Um,

009a lot of our home games that were scheduled for Heart Park have been uh scheduled for Tulsa West. And so, we're we're really proud of the partnership that we have with Tulsa West. Good thing we have a turf field there, so the the field can uh take that beating and take the week after week um uh usage. Um, but a lot of people put their uh hands together. I want to also thank Laura Gistler. You'll hear from Laura a little a little bit later. She was part of an emergency call that the city of Walto Tulsa conducted to make sure that there was shelter for families if they needed it. Um they did not need to use our buildings, but we were prepared to support our community if need be. >> Thank you, Tom. >>

010Thank you very much. >> A couple other Sorry to be a little more succinct. >> No, no, no. I used pause. I thought you were done. Please continue. >> Um annual registration. Every year we have annual registration. We made registration uh available earlier than normal this year. We opened it up on July 15th. Um to date, we have 65.4% of our families that we expected to come back [clears throat] to school, registered, and ready to go. Um it's I've been working with our PTA area council president, all the other PTAs and PTOs. It's really critical that we get the word out that people register. Um and in particular our secondary schools are they tend to register slowly. Um so it's really important if we can get those registrations going um quickly that would be helpful

011to Miss Elazonski again because we're tracking class sizes. The class sizes are determined ultimately by the registrations. And so um if we can uh all rally together as a community to make that happen that would be great. Our focus this year is every student, every story is our priority. Um when we do our jobs well as as the caretakers and the adults in the organization, all students are able to fulfill uh their promise and we fulfill our organizational promise of uh of providing a strong public education. If there's any call to action in this uh superintendent update, it is uh that our community continue to rally around the family of Darren Wy um and Miss McKenzie, his mom. Um I want to make the formal announcement that uh Darren's um memorial service will be this

012Friday um at 300 PM at Niki's funeral and cremation services on 48th in Burlai. I don't want to make the presumption that everyone in the audience watching either online or or in person know but we it's a pretty uh tragic moment when we lose a young person in our school community. Um we know the family well. They are a lovely family. Darren has been with us since JK. In fact, uh Dr. Marble was his principal. Um it has hit us all hard. Um it is a tragedy. I think it puts um not only this loss but the the impact to so many of our citizens and homes with the the water and the water damage just puts things in perspective. We we can all disagree. We all have different opinions, but we're we're in this

013because we care about people. We care about humans. We don't want to dehumanize anyone. Um and we want to make sure that we we rally around one another. That's what you're going to hear tonight through our people and family supports report. That's what Darren stood for. He he had a great smile. He was a great kid. Um, one of my personal friends as a parent in the Waltosa West community, uh, said, "Boy, he's just such a respectful, good kid." Um, Sarah Dianich, who was his principal at Whitman, commented on how he lit up the room, how his classmates adored him. Um, and he's the reason why we do this work. And so as adults, as we continue to try to strive to get better and and no one's all the way right, no one's always

014correct. We can always improve, but I hope we never lose sight of why we do this work. We do it because of kids like Darren and his family. The family um is leaning on our school district right now. So, I'm asking our school system, our school community to rally around them and and so, uh, if you can, if you can, if you have time to be at the service on Friday at 3 p.m., we will post it in case board members, we always do this in with these types of, um, situations, we'll post it just in case. Um, but we just we want to be there on this Friday, but candidly, we want to be there for the rest of their duration of this family's time in our school system. They still have children at

015Madison. They still have students at at West. Uh, we want to we want to just rally around them, not just on Friday, but always remember them. Um, so I I uh thank you for allowing me some time to talk about Darren a little bit and how special of a student he was. Um, I'll conclude with this about him. outside of Miss Ganage um office is a some artwork that he did that um if you see it is beautiful and it uh it's just fantastic and I think it it it shows who he was. He was a bright light and um his light is not distinguished in this district. we will always remember him. Um, and we will always advocate for kids like him in our system. Families, make sure you're having conversations with your students

016about safe routes during the last few weeks of summer. Please continue to have crucial conversations with your students around safe routes to school. I know the timing of this message is is a is a hard turn. Um, but we have a history in this community of losing young people near our train tracks and and it we have to stop and and so please please make sure you have those conversations. I want to uh conclude by thanking Dr. Pharaoh Hansen. um she took the lead in coordinating um our support team and making sure that there were people present um at Madison Whitman and West throughout the weekend. We had families uh utilize those services. Um the the West van uh it has gathered this evening. Uh they'll gather again on uh Wednesday. Just keep the family

017in your thoughts. Keep the Madison Whitman West community in your thoughts. Um, but the mom um wanted me to deliver this message. She doesn't want any memorial near any railroad tracks. She doesn't want kids anywhere near a railroad track. Um, Mr. Gala uh and then in the district we're working on um finding a appropriate memorial site on the campus at Tulsa less where kids can be safe and when we finalize that space we'll we'll announce it. U but I know mom wanted me to deliver that message very clearly. Um so as Dr. Worley said um I think very heavy um update but at the same time I think it shows the importance of why we are here and why you do the work that you do. So thank you so much for the opportunity. That's

018the conclusion of my report. >> Thank you Dr. Means. >> Sorry I was at the band event that he was watching to so it's it's been a hard few days. Tonight is a general meeting um which means that we take public comment on agenda and non-aggenda items and we welcome that both in the room and virtually. I will proceed to read our um policy on public comment. I'm going to read still read the long version because we want to make sure that those who are new to the meeting um always have the opportunity uh to hear this. So, policy 0167.3 public comment at board meetings. Members of the board value the input of students, parents, staff members, and community members. The board's regularly scheduled meetings provide an opportunity for opinions and concerns to be expressed

019publicly. The board values all comments and will respectfully consider this input in decision-making. The board will take public comment on both non-aggenda items and agenda items at each regular board meeting and may take public comment during special board meetings. The public comment period will occur near the beginning of the meeting and shall not exceed 30 minutes in length unless extended by the presiding officer or a vote of the board. Individuals must limit their comments to three minutes. Participants must be recognized by the presiding officer and will be requested to preface their comments by an announcement of their name. [gasps] Public comments submitted submitted to the schoolboard email address by 10:00 a.m. on the day of the meeting of the board will be added to the online meeting documents to become part of public record. Emmailed

020public comments must include the name of the person submitting the comment. All public comments shall be directed to the presiding officer. No person may address or question board members individually or direct statements, comments, or questions to staff or other meeting participants. Board members are obligated to follow the Wisconsin open meeting law, which requires advanced notification to the community of the board's intent to discuss and or take action on an item. If a public comment concerns an item that is not on the current meeting agenda, board members may not respond other than to thank acknowledge the speaker for their input. The presiding officer may limit the number of times a speaker may comment on the same topic. Interrupt, warn, or terminate a public comment when the statement is too lengthy. Directed to anyone other than the

021board presiding officer, obscene or disorderly. Requests any individual to leave the meeting when that person engages in conduct which is disorderly. Requests the assistance of law enforcement officers and or security officials in the removal of a disorderly person when that person's conduct interferes with the orderly progress of the meeting. Call for a recess or an adjournment to another time when disorderly conduct so interferes with the orderly conduct of the meeting as to warrant such action. Wave these rules with the approval of the board when necessary for the protection of privacy or the administration of the board's business. Recording, filming, or photographing board meetings is permitted. The person operating the equipment should contact the superintendent prior to the board meeting to review the possible placement of the equipment and must agree to abide by the following

022conditions. No obstructions are created between the board and the audience. No interviews are conducted in a meeting room while the board is in session. No commentary, adjustment of equipment, or positioning of operators is made that would distract either the board or the members of the audience or otherwise disrupt the meeting while the board is in session. The board encourages all residents to be well informed about school affairs. Therefore, regular board meetings are livereamed and the recorded schoolboard meetings are available for viewing online on the district's website. Executive sessions and inservices for board members are not recorded tonight. I'll note that's been our practice the last few meetings. Mr. Bower has agreed to keep track of the three minutes using the yellow card which will um let me know when you have 30 seconds left and

023the red card when your time is up. And Mr. Morris is keeping track of um the full 30 minutes. Okay, we are ready for public comment. We invite first any public comment in the room. If so, please step to the mic and share your name. Okay, I'm not seeing any public comment in the room. Let me pop over. >> There's one. There's one. >> We have one hand raised. >> If you could call on that, please, and unmute them. Thank you. Heather >> Burke, you have the microphone. Hi. Uh, my name is Heather Berg. Um, in the summer of 2022, I sat in the back of that boardroom until almost midnight with my three kids waiting to hear an update on special education. When we got to the board meeting, the room was so full,

024people were waiting in the hallway. But by the time I got to the mic, it was after 11:00 and there were more people sitting in front of me than behind me. Last year, we faced the potential of school closures. referendums were brought to the table and there were members of the community who stepped up to pass those referendums specifically focusing on spo supporting students with disabilities. But while everyone was speaking for us, it felt like no one was speaking with us. And as soon as the referendum passed, the community who supported us seemed to go silent. You cannot show up to support people, make us start to feel seen and heard, give us hope, and then go silent as soon as you get what you want, and then wonder why we are angry, record meetings,

025hire attorneys, or just give up. We're hurt. I'm hurt. I feel used. I feel disposable. All of the support and the connections I thought I had at the building level, the district level, and within the community is gone. And that harm won't show up in the data the board is presented with, but it shows up in mine. Between the 2023 24 and 2425 school years, my child with disabilities saw an approximately 110% increase in minor behavior referrals and a 400% increase in majors. Last year, he missed 15 days of school and racked up 58 tardies. That doesn't include the unknown number of times he skipped class, which apparently nobody knew about. My son confessed it to me shortly after the year ended. And when I mentioned it to the school, there really wasn't any concern

026about him, where he was, or if he missed any minutes in his IEP. And as I talked to my son about his behavior, I always focused on the connections with staff. And it's a point that's called out in the last page of the executive summary of tonight's presentation. When I asked who he connected with at school, he said no one. And he didn't want to anymore because as soon as he gets comfortable with someone, they leave. I asked who in his life hasn't left and without hesitation he said you. Mom. I'm not just a parent to my kids. I'm their safe person. But I'm only one person. I'm trying to pour into three incredible young people while nobody is pouring into me. And I am left with little time to pour into myself while also

027processing the grief of feeling abandoned by this community. If I can't be fully present for my kids, if they don't have adult connections in the building, you get things like behavior and attendance issues. We talk so much about educating the whole child holistically, but that cannot occur without consideration for the adults our children go home to. Showing up for students with disabilities cannot be an occasional performance. It must be a sustained commitment. I need more than words during a presentation or a vote. As angry and as hurt as I am, I still want to have conversations and make this a better place for everyone, for our kids. We need people who showed up to stay. We need you to speak with us. We need you to keep showing up every day so that we don't

028end up feeling like a burden or that we are carrying this alone. >> Thank you. >> There are no more hands raised. Okay, we'll turn to the room. We have a um public comment in the room. Please go ahead. >> Good evening. My name is Chris Marker of the 2030 task force. Tonight, I want to talk about a policy that gives the person being complained about the power to decide if your complaint overreaches you and why that's a governance problem this board needs to fix. After months of silence, we finally got a response last week. Not here, but when a parent raised the issue at Madison Elementary. In his reply, the superintendent said the proper governance route for concerns raised by the 2030 task force is policy 9130 and noted that no one has filed

029a complaint through it. Apparently, 70 whistleblowers, multiple independent reports spanning hundreds of pages, DPI findings, media coverage, and endless witness testimony aren't enough to overcome mighty 9130. Sorry, task force. You forgot to complete the right form and file the right paperwork. But here's the problem. LC 9130 is revised in April requires that nearly all public complaints whether about operations staff or leadership be routed to the superintendent for consideration before they can ever reach this board. On paper, there's a fifth level appeal. In practice, the gatekeeping power sits squarely with the very person under scrutiny, the same person many in this community have called more than once to remove through termination proceedings. That is a textbook case of administrative capture where the very office that should be accountable controls and filters the flow of information about

030itself and is carefully documented in the XCore reports as a major source of Wavos's governance collapse. It's not hypothetical. It's structural and it under undermines both public trust in this board's own oversight role. The board has the authority to bypass 9130 and the task force has called so many times to the superintendent's termination proceedings that we no longer recognize him as a credible party in matters complaint. In fact, our communications now go directly to this board and oversight authorities for that reason. I'm asking the board tonight to take two immediate steps. Number one, suspend 9130 routing for any complaint involving the superintendent or senior leadership. Number two, establish a direct intake process for those complaints to reach the board without being filtered by the subject of the complaint. The lady who just spoke a moment

031ago may be such a person who submitted a complaint. We're not sure that's actually reaching this board. If this board is serious about accountability and transparency, the first step is ensuring the public can bring concerns to you, not hand them to the person they're about. Anything less leaves the public and this board trapped in a closed loop of control. And let's be clear, there's already amount of evidence showing many people have followed the path of 9130. Any suggestion otherwise is contradicted by the public record. Because if this board won't fix the process, then the process will keep failing the people you serve, just as it is failing hundreds of children, families, and taxpayers across this district. In summary, no complaint process can be legitimate if it makes the subject of the complaint the gatekeeper. And

032that's exactly what policy 9130 does. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> So, this is the last call for any public comment. Okay, we have another one in the room. Thank you, >> members of the board. Derek Godley. Uh it is almost three months to the day since the 2030 task force uh released its first report. And I wanted to take stock of where we're at with a couple of claims that it makes. The big overarching claim, not the one that was just mentioned, uh has been that Wawatoss is experiencing catastrophic governance collapse. Basic pattern of mismanagement both at the level of the board and at the level of the administration. one that is actively trashing a once enviable school system and endangering its future. I think Dr. Murker and the task force have been focused

033on exactly the right indicators of such a collapse, mainly in the form of constituents voting with their feet. Staff fleeing toxic work environments, families selling their homes and moving elsewhere, parents open and rolling out or signing up for private schools. I think these are exactly the places where we'd expect to see a pattern of collapse emerging. 3 months in, I am not seeing evidence of this pattern as a pattern. Home sales in Tulsa between the beginning of April this year and the end of June are almost identical to the April to June periods over the last 5 years. Staff are leaving, of course, and some of them are leaving with feelings of anger and disrespect. And more on that in a second, but I'm not seeing any indication that teachers are fleeing in a way

034that indictes the district level as opposed to specific building levels. I've lost my place. We have to remember that there are a thousand employees of this district and almost 600 teachers. If we are retaining 90% of teachers, that means that we are losing 60 from the district. Enrollment numbers at this point in the summer are right around where they usually are at this time of the year. I am not trying to say with all of this that everything is fine in the district. It is really hard for me as a former teacher to read the testimonies of educators who are leaving in anger uh who feel that they've been bullied or disrespected or simply disregarded by administrators at the building level and at the district level. It's hard for me to hear parent [clears throat]

035comments like the ones we just heard about special ed failures. It's hard for me to see the disparities in outcomes across racial lines that we see. That stuff is difficult. It indicates that there are problems in this district. But thinking about teachers in particular, I want to encourage Wabatossa teachers at large to join the union. It isn't right that teachers should experience professional disrespect. It also isn't right that they should need [clears throat] parents and community members to fight their battles. >> Solarity seconds. >> The best educational setting for our community's kids, I think, is one in which there is a balance of trust among parents, educational leaders, teachers, scout leaders, coaches, and so on. I worry that teachers have too little power of voice right now and that when community members and parents have

036to step into the breach, it's not solving that problem adequately. Thank you. >> Thank you. I don't see any other hands online or public comment in the room, so we will at this point close public comment. Thank you to everyone who has shared their concerns this evening. Our next work is to move to the consent agenda. Um I I actually plan to pull something from the agenda or request it um to be pulled. So I don't know if there's anyone else, but I would like to pull policy 2431 um intercolastic athletics. >> I have some questions um on the very end. It's the employee handbook XX 2025 2026 WSD employee handbook and then I had one question on Y employee transition. >> Are these questions that could be valuable for us to talk of as

037a group? >> I would think so. >> Then let's let's add that to polling it as well. >> Sarah, you got that? >> Yep. >> Okay. I also have a couple things and they're they're related and there are two policies. um GG which is 6152 and HH which which is 6152.01 >> number I asked for XX and Y >> and what are the policy numbers? Uh >> they are not policies they are that's right there. Okay. Okay. So, Sarah, you have a big task here. Um, we will we will read we'll go ahead and read all the ones that are going to be pulled. Then we will um go ahead and move on the consent agenda everything that is left and then we'll proceed through the pulled ones in the order that they appear on

038the agenda. >> Thank you. Okay. So I read through this. Okay. >> Um, no I think I read through this. Okay. So get back to my notes for the motive. Unfortunately on the other side of the paper um Dr. Worley has um asked to pull 2431. Mr. Bower has asked to pull XX and Y. And um um Miss Bzinski has asked to couple 61 52 and 6152.01. Um the they would be removed for separate discussion and action. >> If there are no objections, >> it is recommended that the school board approve the remainder of the consent agenda and I so move. >> Thank you. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Phil. Miss Summers, please call the role. >> Miss Bzinski, >> yes. Mr. Bower, >> yes. >> Miss Faul, >> yes.

039>> Mr. Morris, >> yes. >> Miss Hammer Rollins, >> yes. >> Dr. Worley, >> yes. >> Mr. Wadier, >> yes. >> Okay. So, um, we should now take these in orders. So um I think the one I pulled is the first one then the order. So that is um L approve policy 2431 intercolastic athletics. Um I wanted to pull this so that I could make a comment and decide whether I might not vote for it. Um, I wanted to explain what my concern is. It relates um to uh some outreach that I had a few months ago from community members um regarding um the decision of the WIAA um to create a new policy participation policy for transgender student athletes. It is, I think, in conflict with our other policy that we just passed and

040updated um on um on inclusivity in the district. I also want to mention I did some research on this because I I wanted to learn more about it. um uh also being a parent of many student athletes um and knowing many um what I found so the WIAA policy allows transgender students to practice with their choice of team but not to compete. Um at the same time um we don't have a Wisconsin law. So the most the places where this has been the case with athletic associations there is it's state law that is um putting this in place. However, our state has not passed a law um to uh to prevent transgender athletes from participating in high school sports. I also just the last thing I'll mention when I did a bunch of of reading

041and also listening to um to people in the community is that you know it's it's very important. I think it's something that we need a better discussion of to try to figure out as a district. Um, I recognize that we may be um at an interesting point where maybe perhaps um and policy can tell me we actually have to have this policy um on the books. I don't I think that we're supposed to concur with WIAA, but I just wanted to say that part of what what is being discussed and and why this hasn't passed legislators in all states is that there um and and they're very there's some very good examples of transgender athletes, but there aren't very many. When you look at the percentage of transgender athletes um nationally, it's extremely tiny. Um

042and so uh I just am very uncomfortable um between the fact that our state has not moved in that direction. Um and that the that uh the WIA has taken the step on its own um to make to pass this policy which I believe they did in February. Um that to go ahead and pass one that is out of alignment um with our state policy. And I would also propose at this point is out of alignment with some of our our at least one of our policies in this district. So I just wanted to share that and and let you know what my research had brought up and the concerns that I'm feeling about um putting this having this go through the consent agenda. info. If I'm reading this, right, it would be kind of

043in the middle of the first page where we're saying the board further adopts those eligibility standards set by prostitution of WIAA. Is that that clause that >> Yeah. >> So that that's the clause that is binding agent here? >> I think so. we might want to look into it more because when I looked at I was trying to research it the eligibility statement that is up there for 2526 doesn't mention this policy but this policy was passed so I I just wanted us to slow down a little bit because we don't I don't I mean it's a great question that's exactly what I was looking at and when I went and read the eligibility standards I didn't see this but at the same time like I said I'd had um people reach out to me

044and um I'd also done some individual research on this So kind of yes and no. That is the clause that is the challenge. But there's not it's not directly stated in eligibility at this point. >> Which other policy um would this then be in direct compl with? >> Yeah, I got my pages all out of order. We just Oh, um non-discrimination and access to equal educational opportunity. So that's 2260 2260. And again, I don't have step-by-step analysis of that, but I it did step stick out to me because we were reading both of them this time. >> So would the correct remedy would be to send it back to policy to review, take a look at that, and then come back with recommendations whether to keep or um to keep the current wording. and then

045uh we pass or not pass it as is or what would be the next steps here? >> Question. >> I think that's up to the board to decide because this is a this was a second read. So, we have to decide whether we want to take action on it tonight or um send it back to policy and gather more information. Yeah, I think it's a place of gathering more information because I think if we I'm wondering how like taking out such a clause would in our like what affects our students our athletes abilities to participate. >> We need to research that. >> So we got to find all of that out. Okay. The other side of that would be what happens if we don't have a policy that adheres us to the WIAA and what

046happens to let's say football, right? Or the uh both sports, >> right? And I that's exactly I think that it's important to us to to research that and figure it out. That was my my request. Or we can go ahead and put it through and people who want to can choose to vote against it. We have those choices. in the absence of if we take no action Senate or if our action is to send it back to policy um it reverts in a school starts it reverts to whatever form it's in record that's that's what we follow and um does that version have the same same binding like are the same concerns >> well I think so but this is when it's on the agenda uh it hasn't been on the agenda to discuss since

047this other policy um was passed by WIAA. >> I guess what what I'm getting at is I want to make sure regardless of what we decide here um that fall student athletes are >> absolutely true compete and do what they um do best. >> Dr. Me and sister opinion, do you have thoughts? No thoughts >> on the this doesn't mess up eligibility for that. I think that's what the board is asking is if we delay on this is this something that we are >> Can you hear is this working? >> Yeah. No delay is just not working. Um I would say just of note the old policy from 2009. So slowing down I think is okay. It would be good to be really informed if what potential consequences would be if things were removed, redacted,

048changed in the policy itself. I'm not as well verssed in all things Wisconsin interassic athletic association, but there could be some real impact, right, to that that you'd want to study beforehand. >> Absolutely. >> And we would default um to Mr. Wier's point to the 2009 version. >> Okay. >> I'm not asking the board to mess up athletes experiences. I just think that I wanted us to have this be be knowledgeable about what we're deciding on. >> Good. Go ahead. >> I Yeah. Well, just asking the question there of of where we we revert back to the 2009 uh policy there. Do we know I guess we haven't looked at it because we haven't seen it probably in quite some time. Just make sure that we're not taking anything away. Um that may cause any

049kind of detriment there not being updated [clears throat] in even further terms. If it were updated back in like 2018 or 2015, I might have less pause. But going back to 2009, like that was a completely different world based on where Neil has brought this to where it's at for 2021 with us being 2025. >> I don't you're not putting your we're not putting student athletes at risk. I think you can slow things down and Dr. Worley's consideration around the language in terms of adopting the eligibility standards by set by the constitution of the WIAA is something that you may need to consider. Yeah, >> the WIAA prides itself in being they will call themselves a membership organization which means they believe that the change of their organization should happen within the membership itself. So

050this is the appropriate step to talk directly with the WIA potentially to say you have concerns. Um there have not been a lot of school systems that have voiced outwardly concerns around the impact to all student athletes across the state. Um so I I think this is a to be candid with you I think it's a courageous step but I would say it's just one step. Um, so [clears throat] even if you pause on this policy of 2431, it is still critical for the board to then consider what else are you prepared to say and do in the form of resolutions and or or very public discussions with the Wisconsin Intercolastic Athletic Association. So this is just step one, but it's an appropriate step because that's how we govern ourselves. We govern ourselves through policy.

051Jason, >> no one there. [clears throat] Any questions? I'd like to make a motion that we hold u house 2431 and send it back to policy for further review. >> Thank you. I don't think that we have to have do we have to have a motion? >> I don't think so. I think we just don't Yeah, we just don't take action on it. But but no, but thank you for being willing to offer that and thank you for the consideration. Again, I don't have a lot of the answers and I just want us to to pay attention to it and and see where it takes us. >> Thank you, Miss Bzinski. Your next Okay, so the policies that I called in our um in our consent agenda pack, they're backto back. It's policy 6152, letter

052GG. Let's take that one first. >> Okay. Um, this is about fees and fees, fines, and charges. And, um, community member brought something to my attention. It got me thinking about our conversation about equity and being advocates for for parents and families. Um, so where is that? It talks about in collection of fees and fines. That second paragraph um the sec second sentence says in the event the above Kate coercive action does not result in the fee or fine being collected. The board authorizes the superintendent or designate to take the student and or students parents um to small claims court for collection. I recognize that it says may um or that it authorizes not that it that it mandates that. I'm wondering if there's language that can be put in there. I think that our

053we have people in our district who work with families to take intervening steps before before going there. But I would like to make sure it's very that it's clear in there that this is a last resort action and only only as as really necessary. Um I think there's some different wording that could be offered in there. Does anyone have wording here or do we want this one to go back to policy? And is there a timeline of this for Mr. Pinion for the start of the school year? That >> this was one of Mr. Eker's policies. However, I believe there wouldn't be any harm in in paying attention, pushing it back to policy and seeing if we can come up because you are correct. I know I've been involved in cases where there are intervening

054steps and try to support um for any kind of drastic measure like that would be taken. Yeah. So, I would like that the policy really reflects the type of approach that we take so that that continues in our anybody's absence. >> Should we then um just give the say take some time to figure out what that is? >> Yes. Can we do that? >> Oh, absolutely. Again, we just won't take action on it tonight. >> Great. Thank you. Um and then the I know so sorry, Liz. >> That's right. Uh Mr. Eckers talked about this in finance committee. Um, and I think he's aligned at least with our values with yeah, >> taking it slow and having that be something that is like absolutely the last step that we would take with families and parents.

055And I don't think we actually take it or haven't in a very long time. So, just for some clarity since he's out, but I think putting it bringing it back to policy so he can speak for himself is a good idea. >> Yeah. And I think so, too. If it's not something I mean, it's not saying we don't want it on the possibility, but um, it comes up pretty fast. I appreciate you raising um that point and then also um we have to remember people read the policies without talking to us being in the room and don't necessarily have access to all this conversation and this might just really um make the district appear unapproachable. So >> thank you for raising that up and asking for for changes. >> Yeah, sure. And so are we're

056okay to take that one back? >> You can take that one back. >> Okay. So then the one right after that in um so that's HH6152.01 01. And I I'm appreciative that we do have our next policy being about a waiver of school fees and fines and that it's not just based on um free or reduced lunch eligibility or you know just that there's an uh that it says like letter E other good and just reasons as determined by the business office. Um the what the part that I'm wondering about that was brought to my attention is the process for asking for that um is an individual uh procedures for resolution of disputes. An individual who cannot pay school fees or fines may write a letter requesting waiver to the superintendent. Um, and I'm thinking

057about people who might find themselves in difficult positions. I don't know if the superintendent is necess should necessarily be their point person and if we can consider um other AB does it need to be a formal letter? Could it be if I'm if I am a parent who's already in communication with staff at my school, can that staff member, perhaps it's a counselor, advocate for me and work with the with the office? What like or is there somebody Dr. Means? I don't know if these letters are appropriate going directly to you or >> a larger uh issue of when we say superintendent or does it need what do we mean right >> you know is is it the big s superintendent or small s superintendent no I I think it would be intimidating to have

058to write that type of letter to the superintendent um I think there are ways we can work this through but I I remember vividly and I know you and Miss Bach know that we we had a really big conversation on what what does that need mean and and so often in polic policy. It may say superintendent, but in most cases it means there's a need. That's how a school system functions. So, we would love to have the ability to come back and say, >> um, you know, there's a lot I mean, I'm looking over at Mr. Opinion's way, but I mean, there's ways where we can identify the social worker connected to the school. I mean, there's a lot of different more um >> I I'll use the word more intimate ways at the school

059level that can make this more uh confidential, >> make it more um >> yeah, >> you know, more navigable, you know, you can navigate it better. So, yes, there's language. I think if you you took it off this agenda as you have >> and allow Mr. Pinion and um Dr. Hansen and I to work on some language that could be more user friendly. We would be happy to do so. >> Okay. Board members, do you concur? That's a good step. Thank you very much. Um, when you're working on I've noticed that because the is completely crossed out, there's not it's it it then goes from C to E. So, you might just want to take a look at that. I think it should just be BC and then the final one ends up being D.

060I'm sorry. Under um eligibility standards. Oh, >> okay. Thank you. >> That's why focus zero focus on my the list. >> Okay. So, I just I also want to thank everyone for we'll get to the the next two ones. these particular ones that were raised really came from community comment and I want to appreciate the community for um reaching out to the board um and talking with us about policy because that's the kind of work that we need to be doing as a board listening to the community and working on policy with their guidance >> really helps me understand perspectives that are just different than mine so yeah that was helpful >> thank you okay so um Mr. Ber, we're going to move to the two that you have um asked for further discussion on.

061>> The first one would be >> the employee head >> access, right? >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Um just a quick point of order for L, GG, or HH. Do we have to take do we have to acknowledge that we are sending it back? Do we have to take a vote or anything better? Just >> I think for the minute sake it would be helpful. >> Okay. Because just if we don't take any action at all, would that then be >> you would have to do digging. So I think if you just put it in your and I'm looking at Miss Summers. I think if we had some type of motion that just identified those three that are that are being taken. >> When I last asked I saw her head go like this.

062>> Oh, it might have been something different. That was just to discuss them. But if you want to act and say they'll we're not >> no action taken. >> We're not denying the changes. We're just not taking action. We're going to discuss. >> So does that just go in the minutes or do we need to take a vote on that? Because it's voting on a non-action seems >> I have noted it in the minutes. I would defer to Dr. >> If we can if we can just note it in the minutes, I think that will >> and it'll go in the tracking sheet as well too. That's what we've typically done is just say that it did not come up, that it did not um actually get voted on. >> And we have that a

063a round two of a policy. We always have the choice to take action or not. Okay. Thank you for asking that. So, not a formal motion, >> formal thing, but right >> just making Yes. Please go ahead. >> Lovely. Thank you so much. Um so, for the employee handbook, um I would recommend that we go ahead and pass it. I just wanted to make sure that we pointed out uh some of the changes uh that were uh in this employee handbook as opposed to other employee handbooks. Um, namely in addition, not only does it outline the grievance process, which is a more formal, my understanding is, and I'll ask Zelaskki here in a second, is a more formal um operation, but also a problem resolution and complaints process in uh the handbook um which is

064a request that was made of me months ago now before I was even on the board. So, uh, Miss Alzoski, would you be willing to kind of voice why we made that change and how what sort of [clears throat] effects does it have in the HR process if we don't follow these sorts of procedures? >> Sure. Um so uh prior to the addition of the problem resolution and complaint um section um of the employee handbook uh we had um several um uh opportunities for employees to have their concerns heard. One specifically related to grievances which dealt with um issues or matters of employee safety as well as discipline and termination. So again very discreet specific topics as well as discrimination and harassment very discreet um very discreet topics. The addition of the problem resolution and

065complaint um expectation and and I would say process is to make sure that employees uh are clear about where they should take complaints, how they are reviewed um and what resources available to them. The part of the challenge has been that I you know I think um at the board level um at the community level you know we've heard commentary about um employees experiences at our schools that sound very concerning and those concerns have not you know [clears throat] the majority of those concerns have not come forward um through the human resources division or through employment practices to be addressed. and we want to be able to address all employee concerns in an appropriate manner. Um, and we're hopeful that the addition of this process within the employee handbook makes all employees aware that they

066do have access to share their concerns um and how we will um how we will appropriately follow up with them. >> Miss Elzoski, if I may expand, >> please. >> Thank you. So, uh, Mr. Bower, your requests along with uh vice president IM Rollin and board president Worley were mounting in terms of board members asking Miss Elazoski and I to develop some type of language in the handbook to address employee an employees ability to navigate a complaint or disagreement within the workplace. We always had a grievance procedure within the handbook. We always had a grievance procedure. However, when issues of conflict between a supervisor, a direct supervisor, and the employee happens, unless the the direct supervisor is guilty of egregiously violating employment law, a grievance is really hard to to follow through and to resolve

067disagreement. What we're finding when employees indicate that they are dissatisfied with their direct supervisor is typically a a misalignment and a disagreement between that employee and their supervisor. I want to note the district is a large organization. As as noted, we we employ over nearly a thousand employees, a little over 600 teachers. To presume that every teacher will be in alignment with their principal is not a safe presumption. That that's just not how a school works. But what we always believe in and it starts with policy 9130. The only way you can resolve a problem is by going to the direct source where you have the problem. We say that in that policy if a parent has a problem with their their students teacher. We don't want the parent to go to the principal or

068to come to the superintendent or the board. We want the parent to go to the teacher and talk it through with the teacher. The same holds true and actually is even elevated more when it when there's a disagreement among professionals. It's really it's really critical that we can model for our students that as professionals and as adults we can sit down and and air our our complaints and try to find some level of resolution. And resolution does not have to be um a a a win for one side and a loss for the other. Um it doesn't have to mean eliminating one person or another. It means listening to each other's perspectives and you may not get everything that you want. Um, and [clears throat] so what we've done based on the the council from

069at least three of you in terms of adding this type of language of problem resolution and complaints in the handbook, we work with legal counsel to ensure that there is a professional way that people who are under contract or who are employed by the district have a way to air their complaints. That there's certain steps in which they can air those complaints. and we come to some level of resolution that that's what this that's what this this does. Um we in full transparency we explored the concept of having an independent hearing officer in this space and we were discouraged not to do it. We were discouraged not to do it because to have an to have an outside independent hearing officer come in and resolve the the the problems of your employees that is a

070sign of dysfunction. uh and from a human resources perspective that if we're unable to talk with one another then things have really have devolved and and have gone into a space that is not focused on what we're going to talk about a little later this evening um what our our mission and vision is all around. So we're proud of this addition on page 16 of the handbook where and I think it differentiates our handbook from other school systems. There are not many school systems that have a grievance process and also a problem resolution and complaint process. It was it was cited uh earlier this evening in public comment that we want people to join a union. Miss Ellowski and I I have gone to the union and said if there are complaints, if there are

071problems, we want to know about it and we want the union to be that mechanism in which they can they being teachers or employees can cite those those uh issues but everyone doesn't belong to the union. Uh and this employee handbook is for all employees. Um and so we're really proud of the language and the fact that we've made this uh a priority. >> Thank you. Um the follow-up question I have for that would be there is an HR process to resolve these complaints and to resolve grievances. What happens if we don't follow that process and we jump to immediately let's say firing someone or immediately punishing someone? What happens if we don't do that? >> Mr. Bower, I I apologize. Miss Elazoski is giving me giving me the look. I I I've advanced to

072an age now where I repeat myself and so I apologize. Uh as some of you may know, I'm a former director of human resources and so let me start, Miss Elazoski, and then you can finish. We work in a public sector environment. That means there are contracts that are governed by law um that employees have. We cannot be arbitrary and capriccious and fire people without due process. When people call for the firing of employees without following due process, we create exposure for our school system from a financial standpoint and from um all other legalities in terms of lawsuits. Um so simply put we have a process that we have to follow follow because we do issue public sector employees contracts that [clears throat] are governed by law. Um this is not the private sector where

073you can just and and candidly even in the private sector you just can't fire people. There's process. Um but the process is even more pronounced in the public sector with a public school system. Miss Elazoski, did I cover most of it? >> That's very accurate. Um, I would I would add that um uh because we are a public employment entity, we do have to consider our relationship with employees and respecting the rights of employees a little bit differently. That being said, we still want effective relationships with employees. you know, we are employees um of the organization and and we have a responsibility to um to interact with our employer in appropriate ways. And so the the the procedures that we have related to complaints, grievances, etc., they're all intended to help us work with employees

074to help support them in their employment and help them be successful. And so if we're not following practices appropriately, if employees are not following the processes appropriately, we probably aren't um aren't maintaining that effective employment relationship. >> May I just add one last component because I mentioned the fact that we're a public sector employer. We're also a learning organization. And so there are instances where we may there may be conflict. There may be a problem that needs to be resolved. And and and If we're unable as the the employees, as the adults in the organization to sit down with one another and model for the children that we serve and the families that we serve that we may come at things from a different perspective, but we all have the same goal. And so let's

075step back and think about a perspective and then grow together if we're unable. So, so beyond the legalities, beyond due process, beyond the fact that you just can't unilaterally fire people, when people say that, that means that they they don't understand employment law. But beyond all those different things, we're we're a learning institution. And so, we want to make sure that there are instances where we can listen to one another, air our grievances, and then grow together. That that is that's that's also something that we want to see happen. When we have problem resolution, problem resolution doesn't mean you eliminate the person across from you. What it means is we want to listen to one another and and I am out I'm a little out ahead of my skis here because I'm looking at the

076expert here. Uh Dr. Worley is is is has researched in this space. But problem resolution doesn't mean that you eliminate the person across the table from you. What it should mean especially in a school system is that we want to learn from one another and through that resolution process we can grow and evolve. That's in addition to due process and public sector and public engagement law. I have been waiting for two years to say this but thank you. >> Okay. So, um, we can take a motion. Would you like to offer that motion? >> I would like to offer a motion that we go ahead and pass um the or approve the employee handbook, please. >> Thank you, Mr. [clears throat] and Miss Bzinski. Thank you for sec seconding that. Miss Summers, could you call

077the role, please? >> Oh, okay. just as as technicality. So, the board may be updating our mission values and all that is listed in here. >> Good point. >> Um I don't know how critical this is though to get out to staff. I don't think we're voting on >> that until the 25th. So, just something I noticed. So, in the past when there's been an update to um to any of those sections that mirror board statements, we just update the document to reflect the approved the newly approved statement. >> Thank you, >> Miss Summers, please call the role. >> Miss Bzinski, >> yes. Mr. Bower, >> yes. >> Miss Faul, >> yes. >> Mr. Morris, >> yes. >> Miss Rolland, >> yes. >> Dr. Worley, >> yes. >> Mr. Wier, >> yes. >> And the

078motion carries. Thank you, Mr. Bower. Why? Why? >> Employee transaction. This one's very simple. Um fill rate. We talked about the retention rate or Dr. Means talked about the retention rate. Uh what's our current fill rate? >> Our current fill rate is just under 96% for teachers and it's about 92 93% for support staff. Um both of those will um will uh rapidly um approach probably about 99% for teachers and and we're targeting um above 97% uh for our um for our support staff. We did not track fill rates. Um we had our administrative team meetings last week uh in the 2022 23 school year, but I'm fairly certain that we are already above fill rates from the 2223 school year. Other comments or questions? >> No, that is it for me. I have a

079motion to approve >> any or other sorry. Okay, go ahead. >> I would offer a motion to approve Y employee transactions. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Bower. Um, do we have a second? >> Thank you, Mr. W. Um, Miss Summers, please call the role. >> Miss Bzinski? >> Yes. >> Mr. Bower? >> Yes. >> Miss Faul? >> Yes. >> Mr. Morris? >> Yes. >> Miss him Rand? >> Yes. >> Dr. Worley? >> Yes. >> Mr. Roier. >> Yes. >> And the motion carries. Okay. Thank you for all that conversation. We move on to um number five, strategic goal six, operations. Mr. Fountain Bel, please come on up. We're looking forward to hearing your reporting. A is construction manager recommendation secondary planning. Is it is the opacity in this folder? Got it right here. Okay, thank

080you. Good evening everybody. >> Good evening. >> Um kind of the uh second piece of the puzzle in the secondary planning efforts that the district's going forward. We already presented the discussion item of the architect firms P and Z design. Second piece of that puzzle is to bring for discussion to you the uh recommendation to enter an agreement with JH Findorf and Suns as a construction manager uh to support the uh the district in the secondary school uh facility planning efforts. Um the the attachment you see uh on the second page is our scoring analysis of uh the firms have submitted and replied to the RFP and in more detail uh the last page uh gives you a good understanding of uh the fees that were presented. Excuse me. I'm sorry. still getting discoveries from

081her rain. Uh, >> you're very tired from the weekend. Thank you for being here tonight. >> I'm just glad it's not raining anymore. Uh, >> need to stop raining. >> We're even at this hour of on Monday, we're we're finding other areas where water has gotten in. Um, I just had a call. Uh, so excuse me. Uh, so essentially we did send out uh the RFP to the four firms that responded to our 24 referendum work. uh and they're outlined there. And the fee breakdown asks for um a fee scenario in a dollar range for either deferred maintenance or significant remodeling and and new building construction. Um call must be important to keep calling. Um the uh the process did reveal that um two firms rose to the top that we took this further in

082an interview process with with the cabinet um to help us uh score each term appropriate each firm appropriately. essentially when you look at the fee structure that um both uh firms came down to that. Am I interrupting? So I'm sorry. Is everything okay? >> This is Dr. >> Apologize for the >> Maybe it's the person that's calling. >> The same person is calling you. essentially the two fees on the the two lowest fees proposed. Um when you work through fee scenarios as we describe um in the uh first page of this document on the bottom uh when you work through different scenarios of construction costs the fee the fee difference is relatively insignificant. Uh it really came down to what is the right fit for the district. So as you can see um in that

083scoring sheet where the cabinet was involved in the interview process while both firms were equal in both safety and uh fee and general condition cost. Uh the interview team felt very confident that the qualifications project approach work plan for the variety of projects that could happen. um and the over overall interview Findorf rose uh to the top as a recommendation. So that's what's presented to you tonight for consideration. Um the concept moving forward is that we would present the AIA contracts for the architects we previously discussed and for the construction manager firm at the next board meeting for an action item. Um, so with that being said, I did want to introduce uh two members from uh Findorf and their team. >> Hello. Is that okay? Hi everybody. My name is Chad Bathky with uh

084Findorf. I can tell you that our team is extremely excited to join your team and offer our support going forward. >> Good evening. Uh Dave Shimaleski. I'm a senior project manager with Vindorf. uh very excited to be part of the team and looking forward to a very successful project. >> Thank you >> and thank you all. >> Thank you both for being here. >> So is there any questions in particular that I could answer or or uh these fine gentlemen? I will add that um even pending a contract approval with Fendorf the and P and Zimmerman uh they have already engaged the district in some kickoff meetings of sort u and began to strategize how they can engage and support the ad hoc committee. I have a question. Um, could you just explain a little

085bit more about um the evaluation categories and what made Findorf rise to the top? >> I I think the overall I think both firms uh can do the work. I think there was agreement on that. But I think the there are some experiences. My my first take away from the interview was that there were some experiences that Findorf had. Uh I believe it was Madison Memorial >> at East, correct? >> Very similar facilities to Wulosa East. Uh landlocked older buildings. Uh, I think they demonstrated to the interview team an ability um to do significant construction and remodeling with uh with the least impact to the learning environment. And that was one thing that rolls to the top for for me in particular. Um, but overall I you know Dr. Means or someone else in the

086cabinet may have another takeaway from that but that was my biggest takeaway. That's what we talked about. So that's what my note said is they had more similarly more similar experience with the buildings and our district. >> Right. >> Another uh uh takeaway that I'm just coming to my mind too is their capacity overall was significantly different than BJS. And when we looked at we don't really know what could happen u potential referendum wise um knowing that there's a firm capable of taking on capacity was another important qualification. >> Miss Buck I I would say it was not an indictment on what VJS did not bring. It was more of the the the greater capacity that Fendor does bring and the uniqueness of to be candid. I mean, we've we've now gone through two different

087referendum projects with VJS have some level of a fresh perspective and look um will be necessary in supporting the ad hoc committee. Uh because Dr. Marble can attest to this, we have a lot of those community uh committee members who are asking the whatif questions and what's possible. And when you have a construction team that has a wider breath and depth and capacity, answering those questions will, I believe, um, allow the committee to be more creative um, and to come to a better um, solution or number of solutions to present to the board in January. that for me in terms of the presentation of the two companies in the cabinet meeting that that's what I took away as a decider something that differentiated Ben Northr >> that's very accurate I agree um I I think

088all I think there was just a general and that's why we in included the cabinet and did just didn't make it a Scott Eker and Kevin decision uh we felt it was important that we had uh the the right feel the right fit uh to work with that ad hoc committee because there will be some engagement and uh knowledge base that they will have uh to help support uh the discussions going forward. >> I guess just for the community I wanted to be clear that this doesn't mean we are expecting to go to a referendum. It doesn't mean anything other than we want experts in the room when we're talking about that possibility um with community members and right now in primary stages of working with the ad hoc committee. So I don't want anyone

089to see this um sort of agreement and then make the jump that we're bu rebuilding all four secondary schools. This is a very preliminary process and just making sure we have the right people at the table to help us make any future decisions. >> Thank you for mentioning that. I I probably could have spent a little more time >> emphasizing that, but it really is to in addition to support the secondary planning, they are the Bindorf group is going to support Zimmerman and their engineers to do another assessment of the four uh secondary schools. So, we'll take the original assessment from 2022, fresh eyes to that uh new fresh pricing um and uh better information for everybody for decision- making. So correct, it's just having that person that firm there or what could happen. >>

090So it sounds like they come with a lot of creativity but also the skill set to be able to help us determine what is actually possible and will help the committee to determine what's actually possible which is really important not to make promises of things that we can't actually do practically or financially. Any other board comments or questions? Okay. Well, thank you for bringing this. Thank you to the um Vidorf members for being here tonight and Fountain, thank you for giving us this ahead of time so we have consideration. >> Thank you. >> And I hope whatever that was that you were getting called to is not a big deal. >> You've had too many big deals over the last 24 hours already. You should say that. >> Thank you everybody. >> Thank you. >>

091So we now um move to um item number six on the agenda strategic goal four high quality staff letter A WSD employee health insurance plan 202526 presentation. Thank you Miss Elazoski for being here. again. Uh tonight um I bring uh to you a recommendation related to our employee benefits plan for the uh 20 uh 2526 school year. Uh in preparing for this recommendation, um we have um our division of human resources and the division of finance and operations have gotten on a regular cadence uh related to not only our monthly meetings with our employee health and wellness committee um but also have instituted um many opportunities during the school year for employees to learn more about all benefits, but specifically to engage in uh opportunities to learn more and ask questions related to health insurance

092in particular as it's the um the most significant um employee benefit that we provide. Um so you can see here the the topics that we offered this past year and the dates that we provided them on. Uh we did a combination of uh virtual sessions as well as then recordings of those meetings that employees could access if they weren't able to attend. um for our uh what we refer to as insurance experience over the course of this past year. Um uh as we know, we are self-insured. And so the the red line on this particular chart uh denotes uh what our costs of insurance would be uh if it was equally divided over every month. We however pay actual costs as they come in for medical and prescription um expenses. And so you can see

093that there is some volatility for monthtomonth. We also receive rebates uh through the um through the plan that we negotiated with our new prescription care um carrier CVS Caremark. And so there are some months uh that maybe the cost of the uh medical benefits um or medical expenses would be higher, but then they're offset by the quarterly rebates that come in um from the prescription plan. We also know that based on uh the past um several years that we are very consistent in terms of our most expensive months of the year, the very last three months of our plan year um which is different than our fiscal year. So July, um, August and September. Um, if you would look at our overall expenses, uh, through June, which is the month that we have the most

094recent reporting through, uh, we are exactly at 100% in terms of cost of claims for what was for what we would have budgeted if we were fully insured. Uh, again, as you can see from past years, then our trend has been that we have gone um over budget in the last three months of claims. Um when we um talked with employees uh in May, we were projecting a renewal increase of between 15 and 17%. That is predominantly based on the experience uh for this past school year thus far. Um and also the past uh two plan years where our expenses were were um uh [clears throat] significantly above that. Um we have implemented successful cost containment measures. Um but we know again based on these two prior years where we've run particularly poorly um that

095our expenses have been well above those that we predicted. When we met with employees uh in July we shared that um the renewal projection if if July, August and September run the same as they have these past years which we are predicting it will um our renewal will be 12%. Uh and we know that we budgeted uh in a total compensation package for employees 8% for an insurance uh increase that the district would be able to cover within its budget. Uh and that would allow us to offer employees an average of a 4% um increase on salary. So, um, our job then in, um, in working with our benefits consultant, USI, as well as, um, our, um, our employees was to devise a way to go ahead and come in with our renewal at 8%.

096Uh, this is, um, uh, just an overview of our current plan. Uh, last year we, um, initiated two plan options for employees. Plan option A, generally speaking, is a higher monthly premium contribution and a lower annual deductible. Plan option B is a lower monthly premium contribution and a higher deductible along with a deposit to um the employees health savings accounts because these are qualified highdeductible health plans. And then the third option which is not insurance um but a cash payment in lie of taking insurance. In order to be eligible for that, employees must demonstrate that they have access to other qualified coverage. In looking ahead at uh what would allow us to come in at an 8% uh increase for next year, again, which would be within the district's budget, uh we are proposing that

097we maintain uh the same uh premium contributions, so those monthly contributions that come out of employees paychecks, and that we actually increase uh deductibles. And so the um the deductible for option A would continue to be the lower cost deductible. Plan option B would be the higher deductible. And with this configuration, we have built in uh amounts to deposit to employees HSA accounts. So we really like the idea of of supporting employees in terms of starting to save money in those HSA accounts. Those funds actually have quadruple tax benefits because they're not uh taxed when we make the deposits for the employees. They're not taxed by the employee if they use them for qualified medical expenses. Um, and they there are tax advantages later on if employees leave those funds invested uh for later um

098uh for later qualifying medical costs. Um when we look at these options compared to other employers um including other Wisconsin public school districts, these plans actually um improve uh the competitiveness that we see offered by other employers um including Wisconsin public school districts. And so in terms of the plan value, uh we increase that value a little bit with the new configuration in this slide. Um this next slide specifically looks at the value of our plan when we compare other qualified highdeductible health plans. So again uh the new configuration uh improves um the value of that plan design. When we look at payroll contributions um by our plans um we have uh in each scenario uh we have one of our plans that's a little bit more expensive in terms of monthly payroll contributions than

099than the comparisons and one plan that's less expensive. Again, as we look at these comparisons, it is quite important to note that this is comparing our current plans to the current plans in other employers as well as our proposed plan to other employers. Other employers are also experiencing these same rate increases. And so we expect that when we're reviewing this next year at this time, when we're comparing apples to apples in terms of our current plan with the current plan at other employers, we will look even more competitive um because um industrywide there are significant health insurance increases for employers whether public or private sector. And finally, as we look at um total employee cost by plan type, again with the qualified highdeductible health plan, we look very favor favorable when we look at other

100employers in this in this context. Um I also as a request uh from employees, we also did some surveying of other local Milwaukee school districts who are listed on the bottom of this slide. Um you can see that uh in each of these categories we compared uh premiums uh premium contri or premium increases, employee premium contributions uh in network family deductibles and um salary increases in other public school districts. Um we are um at the average or below the high end um in in all respects um in terms of again these comparison areas. And we also looked at which school districts um offer HSA contributions. When we compare to these other school districts, only 10% of these 13 districts offer HSA contributions. And next year, uh if approved, we will for for every employee on

101our health plan. Wawaossa does not charge co-pays whereas almost twothirds of the other school districts in this comparison group. Um and the comparison group was sent to all um all uh CISA 1 school districts. And these are these are those who responded. Again, this was an informal survey done with other um HR peers. Um so um twothirds of other school districts um charge co-pays. Um co- insurance after the deductible is still charged by just under a third of other school districts. I was quite surprised to hear that of these comparison school districts, twothirds have employee health clinics, which again speaks to the range of services that districts are offering. Um and about half of other school districts offered cash in lie of insurance and were a bit above the average. Um just over one-third of

102other school districts um offer health insurance as a benefit for teachers in retirement. And it's important to note that the you know the just over one-third are working on phasing out that benefit whereas Wawaossa has maintained that benefit for all current employees and that is a conversation that we'll need to have in the future. Um when we look at uh the comparisons of plan A, the increases in costs for the proposed plan versus the current plan, at most um if an employee and their family meets their full deductible and pays their full premium contribution, the increased cost is going to be somewhere between $450 for a single plan and just over $920 for a family plan. Um that compares to um approximately the proposed salary increase for an average teacher salary. Um I recalculated it

103with some um with some of our more current um salary average numbers. Our average teacher salary is about $72,000. The average teacher increase would be about $2,500. Um just since I updated these slides, um again at um uh related to plan B, at most the increase in cost for a single plan is going to be just over $500. If employees meet the full deductible as well as the premium and for families, the increase in cost, it's going to be just over $1,000 compared to the same um $2,500 salary increase that we proposed. Now, in both of these examples, it is also possible if employees only pay the premium contribution and don't meet any of the deductible, they could be spending less money next year um because of the HSA deposits um with our uh with

104the health plan changes. Um one of the other changes um that we are making um based on the feedback that we've heard from employees is that we're going to change our plan year. We have a we have an off plan year. Um I I'm not I don't I'm not aware of another employer who offers an October 1 to September 30th plan year. Um and so in order for employees to leave one school year and know what their salaries and benefits costs will be in the next school year, we will we will offer a short plan year from October through June of 2026 and then start again July 1, 2026 with a plan year that matches our fiscal year July 1 to June 30th. Um there are a number of nuances with that short plan year

105in order to get on a fiscal year um medical plan um that I would be happy to answer questions about and and have done so for employees. Um but that's um that's very weedy as far as this high level conversation. Um, the last area I wanted to go ahead and share with you, an update is that last year we included an incentive for employees to maintain the lowest premium contribution if they had a primary care and preventive visit during the year, both for employees and spouses if they were on the health plan. Um, uh, the benefit to completing that preventive care visit is going to be $600 per employee and per spouse. Um, so employees will be charged either the 15 or 10% premium contributions each month and it would be again an extra $50

106per employee who didn't have that visit, an extra $50 for their spouse if they're on that plan who did not have that visit. So again, we're maintaining the lowest cost for employees who are making sure that they that their health is the best it can be, catching potential um medical issues early and having the lowest costs to go ahead and um and keep them healthy. And then uh if approved at our August 25th meeting, we would have benefits open enrollment from August 28th to September 10th. This would be another active enrollment where employees would have to confirm which plan they wanted and then we would do another active enrollment in May of 2026 for the new uh fiscal year plan year. >> Zoski, >> Dr. Means, >> do you mind just letting the board and

107the community know about the meeting that you Mr. Eker and I had last week with the Bulsa Education Association just from a clarity and transparency standpoint? >> Absolutely. Um, so we met uh in one of our um base wage negotiations bargaining sessions with representatives from the WEA. Um, and they asked to go ahead and review our medical plan information in terms of costs to date on the health plan, what our actual again, uh, per employee costs are, if that matches what we've budgeted, um, as well as, uh, which teachers are continuing from last year, the salaries that we've offered to new teachers who are replacing former teachers. um as well as the um the plan selections for employees who are continuing. Um what they described is that they were doing their due diligence to check

108to see um how much we had available um in both medical plan budget as well as salary budget. >> This is the equivalent of opening our books >> and we are we're happy to do so with our colleagues with the the Waltos Education Association. it is their responsibility to hold us accountable to make sure that the numbers we're sharing with you this evening that we share with people uh throughout the school year are accurate so then they can represent their membership appropriately. >> Uh we're we're uh pleased to be a partner with them. We do not take the request for data um lightly. Uh we we are gathering all of that information for them now so they can they can fulfill their due diligence. We met with them on Tuesday and they had that information

109by Friday afternoon. >> I just I wanted the board to know this. So, you know, when we do work with the WA very closely on a lot of different issues and this is a main one and again I want to make sure I think the phrase and and and the um the social pop culture uh vernacular is to give people their flowers right away. I want to give Li Liz Himeran her flowers. Um was it two years ago or maybe three years ago where this was presented almost I think it may have been on a consent agenda and and and listened wait stop this is a very important component to my role as a board member in ensuring that employees understand this benefit and and was asked a lot of hard questions on why [clears

110throat] is our our plan plan our plan year October to September? why why do we do things the way we do? So, I think through the union, through board questions, we've become even more transparent and I hope that the board recognize that Sarah's done a lot of hard work with our new insurance consultant um to to really try to improve the the benefits [clears throat] we offer. >> Thank you. I would give just a brief shout out to USI, our new benefits consultant. um they have been a great partner in terms of helping us to monitor not only um what our costs are but how it compares to our budget, how it compares year-over-year and helping us to plan for um uh the health insurance renewal. If you remember last year, I believe 4% was

111set aside in the budget for a cost increase which was not reflective of the experience that we had seen. So this year we budgeted 8% which allowed us a much better runway to mitigate that additional 4%. So we will get better and better at doing so and by promoting health with our employees um health and well-being um I we are going to continue to see our health plan run better um as we move forward. >> Thank you board members. Mr. Um first of all uh sir thank you and you presented a lot of this in our finance resource um to Liz and I and uh mostly I like I really want to say u how good and forward thinking the shift in plan year is. Um, we can all remember just a few months ago

112as as we heard a lot of community feedback of how are teachers supposed to sign contracts when they don't know >> what their actual employment cost is and if we're doing this that that takes that negative away. Correct. >> It does. Yes. >> Okay. And then my other question was uh just related to the um the uh pre uh primary preventative care incentive. >> Yeah. Um, so I think you said had said that that would be on a per paycheck basis or um as far as per employee and [clears throat] that they needed to have that done and once they did that they would it would be their paycheck would be increased >> uh or less deducted. Um, so the way it will work is that employees who have not met the requirement to have

113the preventive care visit um verified by their provider um their monthly cost will increase by $50 per employee and $50 per spouse. >> Then uh thank you for that. So then what's involved the timing for that? Does it go retroactive for I mean not everybody can get in to see the doctor the very first week of school. Like how are we handling that? Yep. Um, so, uh, I don't have the dates in front of me. Um, but, uh, for those of those of us, and, uh, I'm an employee on the health plan, too. Um, for those of us, um, who get our verification form from our medical provider, I think between July and the end of August, we'll actually qualify for the 2526 plan year as well as the 2627 plan year. because of the

114short plan year. Um some employees won't hit their one-year anniversary of their checkup um until into the plan year. Um and so that will be grandfathered. Um and then um and then other employees will need to go ahead and get the physical if if their last physical was between September and um September and uh uh June. Um then they'll get a new physical, but that will be within their annual calendar for being eligible for that. Then in the uh just a couple slides up on the cost comparison uh plan A and plan B where you're showing >> the difference it's going to affect the employee and um what we're averaging for budgeting. Um were these calculations including the HSA uh as part of it since I don't see a line item here? >> Yep. It

115is the um it is the net um let's see uh the net deductible. So if you look at the third row net deductible tier one um so so again um I used I use the lowest cost that we all have access to which is seeing a tier one provider which is the lowest employee cost and then the um the deductible minus the district's HSA contribution. >> Okay. So those numbers would be um assuming they would be actively using that HSA correct dollars and applying it >> you know perfectly for the >> and that's also why you see um on the second from the bottom row why the difference could actually employees could actually save money um because uh employees on plan A currently did not have an HSA contribution in the past um but employees

116could save money over their expenses this year um if they again don't meet that full deductible >> our our deductible levels do qualify for HSAs because I know I've seen in private sector HR where the levels that our deductibles are at would not qualify for HSA accounts. >> Um yes, they do qualify. Um, uh, pardon me for being in the weeds just a little bit, but one of the questions I I've received many times from employees is why are they having to meet the full deduct the full 12-month deductible if we're only having a short plan year? Um, and the reason for that um is that in order to have the high deductible health plan, we have to have the full deductible even if it is a short plan year. Um, and so in order

117to have those HSA benefits, it has to stay that way. So, >> thank you. >> Of course, >> there board members. Yes, Mr. Morris. >> Two questions, Mr. Ziloski. First one, I think it's pretty simple. Uh, the health insurance for retirees, is that for the retiree only? Does that include the Terry and their spouse? >> Um, uh, health insurance for retirees, if they're on a family plan at the time they retire, it could include their spouse and other dependents, uh, as long as they're under age 26 or otherwise qualify. And you said, I think in your notes there that the those remaining districts that are currently in there are phasing that out, but we don't have any plans too. >> We do not have we we have talked about the need to do that going

118forward. Um uh and we've uh reiterated multiple times the commitment that existing employees can still have access to that benefit. Um, but one of one of the things that I'm proposing with our next strategic plan is a um a collaborative work group to identify what would be the next best um retirement benefit or or for some employees, frankly, a more valuable retirement benefit than waiting until they're vested at age 57 with 20 plus years of service in. We we have a a new type of employee coming into the workforce and that's not going to work for everybody going forward. I think that's a at least when I when I do quick math if you were coming up on retire that's a very that's a significant benefit >> I just think of in my own household

119if we were of that retirement age and just thinking about spouses in in general healthcare is not getting any cheaper so I think people have to take that in consideration that that's a major benefit here that they're not going to get anywhere else >> correct >> uh second question on here when we look at the insurance premium increases at 4% to 8% here between last planned year and the renewal At what point does it become or does our forecasting model become unsustainable? Thinking of we we budgeted for an increase. We know that insurance is not going down anytime soon. >> But when [clears throat] do we fall off a cliff there at some point looking at that is it two years from now? Is it four years from now? Is it five or is it

120the next one? [clears throat] >> Um so I I appreciate the question. Um I would want to ask USI for some of their forecasting in terms of what they've seen other employers work with. I think one of one of my primary considerations is as we look to our um our competitors in terms of employing talent, we have to stay competitive with them. And so if if other employers are making changes to be able to maintain a plan that is that has this wide range of coverage, we're going to have to maintain something comparable to that. Um and so that so that's my short answer. we're going to have to stay competitive in terms of being able to get talent in employees. Um, and I think that's um, one of the other um, activities that I

121think will be important within our next strategic plan is to do some strategic benefits planning with USI and to start thinking about what are those next steps to keep us competitive. Um again one of the things we looked at this past year was an employee health clinic which has been successful in getting costs away from health plans and lowering the cost of health plans and other employers as long as employees use the clinic in lie of health care in some cases. Um so that's a that again we saw is very prevalent in in twothirds of the other school districts that completed that brief survey. Um so th those are some of the strategies that we're going to need to look at um to not fall off the cliff. And can I just follow up to

122that? Of those other districts, are they all self-insured or we an existing anomaly where fewer and fewer are still self-insured? >> Um, uh, interestingly, um, there is a mix of fully insured and self-insured. Some school districts have been self-insured and they're doing well financially from a self-insured standpoint. I know of a couple districts who have recently switched to self-insurance from being fully insured. Um, and and then there's typically there's a mix. Um it it often is very district specific and what their experience has been in the past. >> Thank you. >> Um I have a quick question. >> You talked about a employee health clinic. >> Um I know we don't have that yet, but is there a way the district is trying to educate employees about the possibility of doing that and the benefits

123to them? >> Uh yes. So the I think the first employee conversation uh that we had about health clinics was this past winter uh when we had an information session. We specifically talked about health clinics and then asked employees to provide some feedback to see you know who who would be willing to use a clinic for for primary care who would be willing to use a clinic for other things. Again the results of that survey did not indicate that financially it would be feasible to have a clinic in addition to paying for our health insurance. Um, but we're going to have to continue to go ahead and educate our employees, not only about health clinics, um, but based on some of the other long-term cost-saving strategies that are that are identified through our strategic planning

124process for benefits. Um, to continue to help employees become knowledgeable about how we maintain lowest possible costs for for not only the district um, but for us as employees on the health plan, what that can look like so that they can make um, informed decisions about their health care. So yes, absolutely a plan and we'll probably do that through more information sessions. Um a and I would say one of the partnerships that I've valued with our teachers association is that they promoted um the information sessions that we held in in July. Um I think we had um over a hundred employees participate um actively in the sessions um which is a record number for us. Yes, M. >> Um, just something to add uh to build on Mr. Morris's comment and question about sustainability. Um,

125I just looked this up real quick. Uh, my my perspective on it was, is it sustainable? I don't think so, but it has been for 20 years somehow. uh since 1996 between 1996 and 2024 health insurance premiums have gone up by 339%. And that same time frame inflation has only gone up by 90%. So somehow people like yourself are able to make it happen. Can they still three years, five years, 10 years? I I mean I'm in the same line of thinking view of how long can we how long can we keep this up and what what's the alternative. So I think we should be cognizant of that those stats. >> Yeah, there is um there is some um uh for for lack of a more technical term some push or some encouragement at the

126state level that all school districts would offer employees access to the um to the state's health insurance plan. Um that was something that uh way back in the you know 2011 2012 act 10 time frame that was discussed that certainly would be a strategy to have I mean to have a a group of of that size all all school district employees in Wisconsin you could certainly leverage a lot more with healthcare providers in that context. Yeah, I think I think now is the time to strategically plan for these coming up years in the future because it healthcare is as we all know has been extremely volatile in the last few years as far as being able to figure out costs and premiums and I would rather see something hashed out or at least a general

127plan so we know where we're going this board and the next board and so on and so forth. Thank you, >> Miss Rosinski. >> Um, yeah, thank you. You said that you met with WEA and you shared this information with them as well. >> Yes. >> What sort of response did you have? Did they have did what maybe concerns or questions did they raise? >> Um, I I I and Dr. means feel free to add. But um but the primary part of the discussion was wanting to go ahead and verify that based on the funds that we were making available for the health insurance increase as well as salaries that that there wasn't extra money somewhere that the costs are actually what the costs are. >> Okay. So no um the feedback has been that

128employee that even even from the health and wellness committee as well as from members or representatives of the union that we want to keep a competitive benefit. We want to try to keep costs down as much as we can. Um and we've really taken the direction um that employees have provided in terms of like you know the the reason for the um the plan design that was presented this evening that really came from the health and wellness committee who said do your best to keep costs low if if employees meet the full uh deductible as well as the premium and provide employees an option if they're not a good option if they're not going to meet the full deductible. Right? So I mean that was that was what gave us kind of our guard rails

129in terms of making you know what what recommendations to make coming forward. >> Miss Brzinski you're asking a great question. >> So preact 10 insurance renewal and the impact of insurance on the total compensation package for an employee was subject to bargaining. >> It was a subject to bargaining >> right >> post mandatory subject of bargaining. it was mandatory >> for public sector employees >> post act 10 organizations have had the ability to make unilateral changes >> and so that's why as as HR professionals in the public sector realm pre-act 10 and now post10 we really welcomed the the WA the wall to education association's request for that information that would have been what they requested of us last week was typical and normal uh information that we would have had to >> provide [clears

130throat] we were mandated to provide and so the request for it I think maybe they haven't had the ability to ask in a while they I we don't know but we didn't take any offense to it in fact we welcomed it and I think it I think it's healthy I think it's healthy that there's there's a clearing house if you will of the WA that's taking a look at the data Okay. Um and and we hope that it brings some level of of assurance to employees who are questioning the numbers to say well ours my association reviewed the numbers. It's just not Dr. Means and Sarah Zawazoski who is giving us the the information but our people have also run the numbers. I think there's also an added uh there's an added advantage in that

131their UNISER director and their their overall state organization we act has the ability to take our numbers and compare it to what they're seeing across the state and so if there's something that we're not seeing we welcome that opportunity to know where we can we can improve again um we I believe we have a very healthy and and good relationship with the wall host education association. But part of that that relationship isn't to just unilaterally acquies to what the management says. They should push us and they should question our numbers and we we we think that we uh we have a good team that's collecting those numbers and we welcome the analysis. >> Okay. >> Thank you board. Anything else before we close out? Okay. Thank you very much. Thank you for the thorough update.

132>> Yes, >> I would like to propose a seven minute rate. >> That would be 805. Come back. >> So, we're going to go to item number seven, strategic goal five, culture and community, division of pupil and family supports annual update. Thanks for being here. >> Good evening, school board and community. Um before I introduce our team, I just want to give them a very big shout out and thank you for the last four days. Um as always, they work very hard, but um especially so um in the light of events that have occurred the last four days. So just a really big thank you there. Um we have to my left director Stacy Clem. She's our director of special education. To my immediate right, somewhat of a new face for you, but Dr. Daryl

133Hansen. She's our director of student success who again has jumped right in has been um doing really great work in her first eight weeks, not even. And then uh director Laura Gisler is our director of school safety. And Shondaanda Holland, our director of diversity inclusion um is sad she couldn't be here tonight. She's dealing with some fallout of the um most recent rain. So she's working through that, but um certainly represented in what you viewed tonight in the foot presentation. One thing we wanted to call out is just the openness of the data that we have tonight. This is a good pace and cadence we've had with the board around behavior and discipline data. Hopefully those that have been on the board for some time as well as new ones will find the rhythm of

134seeing us every August and every February to review these data at a high level. You'll find useful and informative to the work that we're doing as well as the governance work that you are all doing as well. As with any pieces of data and you saw in the presentation the slide that we will always keep in there is the latter of inference. Meaning when you're looking at large sets of data such as these tonight, it is very easy and it's easy for teams as well um to not jump up that ladder, meaning jumping to hypotheses, jumping to assumptions and conclusions and action, but really taking a step back to look at these large sets. What do you notice? What do you wonder? And starting there, knowing there's teams diving much deeper into these for their

135planning and continuous improvement work. Also, I'd like to just highlight a couple quick things that are not only celebrations, but we must also balance that with some of the difficult um data that we will view for tonight or that you may have seen for tonight. Certainly, we must acknowledge and celebrate what's going well while facing and being very real and open about where things didn't go the way we wanted them to and what we're going to do about it. In starting with some of the celebrations you saw for tonight, um certainly we continue to see great consistency and improvements in the data itself, meaning accurate logging, timely logging, making sure we can count on the data that we're seeing in front of us. Flashback three years ago, there were spreadsheets, there were different pieces all

136over. It was not centralized. That is not our reality anymore. And we really believe that we can um make adequate comparisons now with our data quarter by quarter, semester by semester, year by year, etc. We saw a sustained increase in our attendance rate. That is a very hard measure to move yearbyear. As well as um even though a slight little uptick in some behavior, it really sustained the dramatic reduction we wanted to see sustained and that we were a little hesitant or worried about um that reduction from 22 to 23 to 23 24 was so great. We were really anxious and to see how this year would pan out. We were monitoring that monthly and that that big reduction was sustained which is what we wanted to see. Certainly we would like to see that

137come down 5% every year. Um we saw a nice decrease in the severity of major office discipline referrals. That was sort of a thread you saw throughout the data not only in the discipline but also in some of the highle administrative hearing data that is also sort of shown in different pieces throughout our work that you saw for tonight. Uh we see a slight trend down in our out of school and in school suspension use and a significant decrease in behaviors necessitating necessitating an administrative hearing or that pre-expulsion process. There was a very large decrease in the number of administrative hearings that I had to run this year. Again, indicating and substantiating that what we're seeing in the data for violent behaviors resulting in suspension or the significance of behaviors that we're seeing has come

138down over the years. That also substantiates the anecdotal information we hear from principles about they're able to tend to other things that maybe they wouldn't have because there's not as many big incidents that they're working through. Um, we continue to see a positive trend in students feeling safe at school from the baseline of winter of 2022. Um, one thing I really want to highlight is that our intentional teaming, planning processes in our professional learning to proactively support students and to notice things before they become bigger problems is working. Uh, this results in increased supports to students. It has resulted in significantly fewer special education evaluations which was trending up for many many years. this was the first year that trend broke and engagement of our team members through the SST process when we're really identifying

139needs and layering on interventions and supports. That's been a really big cornerstone of our work the last several years and that then increases opportunities for targeted support and social emotional um services or small groups for students. So I say all that as the celebrations things we want to keep seeing um the fruits of our labor and our work especially all that all the work of our staff that carry out a lot of these um in terms of teaming working directly with students opportunities. Our biggest opportunity which is no surprise if you read or reviewed the presentation tonight is around our disproportionality. This was not easy to see to look at. We have invested so much work as a district that prides ourselves around equity and doing right and giving students what they need when they

140need it regardless of what they look like, who they are. Um, that created a very large moment of pause in terms of what are we doing, what are our buildings doing, how are we looking at this, and what is not working because the state and the federal government monitor those measures as well with us. We've worked very closely with DPI. They've been proud and have given us praise around our work in that space. um have used us as an example for other districts when they're struggling yet we're not seeing the dial move. We want to see a 0.25 reduction every year where the federal joint joint federal notification is monitoring us is specifically on that OSS slide. So that is where I mean even though we're paying attention to all groups in in all categories

141that is the area we really work closely with the state and DPI around as well as CISA. Uh we will be reconducting a root cause analysis around all things disproportionality this fall to really unpack that with a bigger team uh representation of teachers um school staff etc. And then that is connected to our coordinated early intervening services called CIS budget. We have a budget specifically to target dispro um and we may look at how we're using those funds and what needs to be done differently to see a change in that number. We also recently teamed with our administrators um last week we had three days of training with them and this was a common thread uh when we met with them on Thursday about alternative to suspension. Not that suspensions don't serve a place when

142they need to for safety, for planning. Um, but we are not utilizing to the degree we should be some of our alternatives such as the administrative referral to the student and family assistance program such as carouselis warm handoffs and other pieces of restitution or or restorative types of work to for students to take perspectives, understand and repair the harm. So there are opportunities for us to do better there because when it comes to OSS that is the adult choice versus the discipline data you see or the behavior data you're seeing is a behavior right we can control that as much on the front end being proactive but we're making choices when it comes to that discipline and we need to take a hard look in the mirror and a hard look at the individual school

143data um to really unpack that deeper and we did that last week. Our call to action remains the same in all of this. Um, and that's really starts with mindsets. How are we approaching difficult circumstances? Are we approaching it as a deficit within the student, within the child, or are we approaching that from a place of what's happening in the environment? What can we do differently to get a different outcome? So, we will continue to push ourselves and our teams around that. We'll continue to work with the state around a lot of the pieces specific to disproportionality. I'm excited to do that root cause analysis to see where that leads us in terms of perhaps leveraging funds differently in a different way to get different outcomes. Um that's been a lot of our work. I

144feel like we're in a place now and happy to answer questions where the systems are in place. Now we need to monitor them, refine them, and ensure they're being followed with fidelity when it comes to identifying what's happening in a building. And then how do we plan around that proactively and reactively through those processes? be that pace sort of that classroom level or that student services team meeting when we really start identifying and layering on different interventions and progress monitoring them. And then I do want to just take one minute. We noticed an error in the slides that were published that we want to get fixed. And it was a simple data calculation error about recidivism. This is the accurate slide. This is not what's viewed in the presentation. There was an error from 2223.

145But these are students with multiple discipline referrals by year. Of course, we want to see that number coming down. And when we unpack this a little bit deeper, some of this is a result of increased enforcement of cell phones last year. When the enforcement uh increased, then there was a period of time where they saw more insubordination kind of jumping that number up. So that that included in the numbers of recidivism. I say all that as well with a caveat when we're in front of you in February. Um we might look at the data differently because of the cell phone policy. We don't know. We've heard, you know, hypo hypothesized different sides of that, but um we'll keep that in mind when we look at this data in February. So, I've done enough talking. I

146want to make sure we get to your questions. The floor is all yours. >> Board members, who would like to go first? >> I guess I can start. So, is there a code, specific code that you'll be able to use that easily pulls out cell phone >> related? There is a cell phone code that we added last year. >> Okay. Um, part of my concerns, really my only concern with the cell phone policy getting passed is because our larger discipline data does show that we're not proportionally disciplining our students. So, what are you doing to be proactive so that our black and brown students or students with special needs aren't being punished more for using a cell phone? So this is where it comes to not only on the front end being proactive, right? Engaging

147BSUs, engaging MEPA, which are have been done and are in the works as well, but this is where we can't lose sight of that SST process because not only will we notice it when we're running data monthly specific to that, that is then on the school level's obligation. If their individual building is seeing that disproportionality, again, not yes on the behavior side, but on the choice, the adult side. And if that's disproportionately applied for the same offense, that is the mechanism or the avenue in which that should be seen and observed. And then we have the check on our end as well as we're looking at that globally. >> Can you see specifically which staff person refers a student for out of school suspension or refers the student? >> Part of the they call it

148big five or big six. It's sort of a PBIS tenant is is talking about like where do the behaviors happen, who's having them, what types are happening, the location and setting that can also be looked at as is there a frequent referral and what intervention might need to be or learning or support might need to be deployed for that individual. >> And so you can see that for all of the >> that's more of a school level pass, but they can see that. Yes. >> Um I want to say thank you for your work on disproportionality. I know we are all disappointed when we see it not moving in the direction that we want it to. I want to be really clear to community members that this is something that's top of mind of every

149single staff person, every single board member um in this in this district. It's something we all care deeply about. Um so I want to just be very clear that this is these are reports you have been giving the board on a regular basis. Um, I was happy to hear that DPI has praised the approach of the Wawaossa School District. Um, that is part of um that's missing from the story that maybe is told about our district. So, yes, we know there's a problem, but we know there's a problem when we're doing the right things um in this time, what we think is right right now to to fix those. So, I was really appreciative to hear that. Um, the only other question I have is you said, oh, so the CIS is funded. Can you

150say what that actually? It's very complicated, but it's a coordinated comprehensive coordinated early intervening services. So, this is an option all districts have because we're [clears throat] identified, we're required, but it's a very small percentage of special ed funds actually that get slated specifically for um targeting dispro work and early identification. We have a few different categories we're identified under the suspensions being one of them. But the whole idea in Daryl's position, you know, as her former position as an MLSS coordinator was one of the funding mechanisms to really make sure that system of SST is not leaving things to chance, um, but is objective and fact-based and we're not letting students fall through and they're identifying and layering appropriately. With Darl's position coming out of there and not filling that, there are funds available

151for us to really look at, but it has to be connected to root cause. DPI has a lot of oversight in how that's managed. I work closely with the business office in making sure we are aligning to the root cause and using evidence-based interventions and strategies to target them. So it is not just a kitchen sink where you pull it's very easy for someone to say oh you see for that it is very aligned to dispro and what we've identified as the root. >> You can just pull it from another area of your budget and call it that is what I'm hearing. >> Yeah it's very intentional opinion. Can I >> can I be more direct to Miss Himer's question or statement? So when we use the the acronym SST that stands for student support

152team and that means that that we may ask teachers to be on an SST or student support team. So grass texts when we hear sometimes teachers say our time is not controlled by us. We're being asked to go to a lot of different meetings. These are the type of meetings that teachers are being asked to attend >> and IEPs >> or IEPs >> or Yeah. which not a lot but but sometimes yes. >> And so this is the this is the challenge intellectually that we have at the district level. We understand that teaching is really difficult and that we want to try to provide as much time, independent time that teachers can control as much as possible, but we're not we we don't believe we're asking teachers to engage in meetings that are meaningless, that

153these meetings are really important. You can see the affirmation, the head nods from the team. If we're asking teachers to either, and you'll hear this from Dr. Marvel next month in September, if we're either asking teachers to attend PACE meetings where teachers are planning curriculum or we're asking teachers to attend SST meetings where we're discussing students, that's we're we're not asking them to go to meetings that are uh meaningless. These are the meetings that we're asking them to attend. And so yes, this is a very independent profession. The the profession of of teaching is more independent than most. And but if you want us to be strategic and systemic in the work that we we've been charged to do, as you said, ma'am, um to close achievement gaps, that's really really important for us to

154have people attend. And and so I just I want to tee that up for your team because I know we hear the angst and and we feel the tension of teachers saying, "Boy, there's another meeting. I have to go to maybe a PACE meeting or SST meeting." But our principles and our leaders have they you view value in these meetings. Correct. >> And they're having payoff because we're having fewer special education referrals. We now have accurate data to make good decisions and we're serving children outside of special education with plans that are working because we aren't identifying children with disabilities. >> And this is the hard work of of coming back, of trying things, of failing forward, of trying again. And that ties back to the mindset call to action because it's about what environment

155we're fostering around a child, around a student, and not necessarily just what what's what's going on internally with that child. We are working and that's hard work and it can be you know tiring at times for especially for staff. Students are coming back challenging behaviors again but there are mechanisms not only to work through that but also to keep safety while we're doing that and our our data shows we are safer now than we were in past years. >> Two things and I'll move on because you're the leaders. One, if we do SST well, then all the teachers should wrap their arms around families. And then families who feel that they don't have a voice or they feel like they're not visible, they will become visible. If we do SST well, it shouldn't be about

156one person that a family or a parent connects with. But if we do SST well, then every child, as our our theme says, every student has a story and they become our priority. And it's not about the social capital of a parent who was able to get that student to the SST table because they pushed so hard. That's not a system we're designing. >> And so that's number one. And then number two, I just want like to state that as a learning institution, you said it well, Mr. Pinion, there are students, and some of you are are former educators, your current educators. There will be students who disagree with us and will blatantly defy our rules and we don't have the ability to just dismiss them or to kick them out and that that's not

157what we do. And so we try to model what we want to try to have with relationships with adults. We want to we want to be in that productive struggle of trying to understand their perspective and and finding a middle ground. But that middle ground, that's the hard work. It's easier. The easier pathway is just to say go away. We don't like you. And so since we don't like you, you're no longer here. And that's not what we do with our kids. >> And similarly, alternative suspensions are more work. Getting an admin referral to the SFP takes more work, takes more follow-up, but you are addressing a root cause. And it's shown in research to actually work. We know suspensions in isolation, again, they serve a place. We have to do them safe. like there

158are reasons for them, but in isolation they don't work and they can make especially students with disabilities their behavior worse >> and the community more unsafe. >> Yes, people. >> Great point. >> We like to um they're doing such good work. Um but we like to um really mention to our principles that equity work at the core consists of two two very different things. One, it is leaders. And it doesn't have to be a leader with a title, but leaders who disrupt systems and patterns that position certain norms and and and ways of behaving as superior and others as inferior. That's that's the first thing. You have to disrupt those systems and patterns. And the second thing of equity leadership is to create more opportunities, expand access, and improve outcomes. So we challenge our principles

159constantly. You're not an equity leader unless you're doing those two things. You can't. So you'll you'll hear us constantly in our 18 meeting say if you see the pattern that there are more kids of color being disciplined, then what are you doing to disrupt that that pattern? What do you you can't just simply say, yeah, that's that's the pattern. We're we're we're asking. So what are you doing to step in the middle of it and to disrupt it? and this team is helping principles with those strategies. >> Mr. W first just kind of what I gleaned from the data when I read it earlier today. Um, I just noticed the uh majors uh that you know I it's it's probably obvious that that secondary schools are going to be the source of most of most

160of the data points on here. Um, is there any inclination why the why east the has such a low number versus all the rest for the um I think it was the inschool. >> Sure. um in terms of major disciplus in school are you talking about the inschool suspension numbers? >> So we're working with all the secondary schools to amp up in school options. I'll say that once there's different barriers at different schools that they would site as as a you know that we're working through with them. I will also say West really cracked down uh differently on cell phones this year. So you'll see that represented when you dig down deeper into the data. I don't know if you want to speak teaming wise if there's anything else relevant that would be helpful. But

161Daryl, you know, as her previous role, we would push into schools when we saw outliers in different ways to support their mechanisms of how they're looking at their data, how they're problem solving, and layering interventions. So, I don't know if that's a direct answer other than there's a lot of different layers that might feed into that between barriers. I think we're past any mindset differences in years past for ISS now, just working through logistics to make that offering. This was actually elevated in our A team session last week, that specific question and wonder as we teamed high schools and middle schools together to look at this and really unpack it deeper. So that is something they're working on this year. Um and then again the the cell phone piece was marketkedly different at the two

162high schools in terms of the data around that. >> Anything else to add? So likely um since we probably are talking a lot about a lot of cell phone issues, enforcement was probably vastly different between East and the other three. >> Correct. >> Um because I would assume those would be probably a lot of the sources of eat in school suspensions. Um okay. And and that's great. And it sounds like you guys have a plan for um digging in and funneling in and trying to figure out um how we can continue to lower these numbers. Um and just one other comment. Uh I was really disheartened by the uh person that that was calling in for the public comment today. Believe uh Mr. Burke. Uh I it it really disheartens me when when I hear

163someone telling uh and and saying that I know you have implemented and I can say from personal experience I know you've implemented um great things in the last three years as far as the special education program um how you are conducting investigations and doing um doing discipline and I applaud you for that. Um, but there is a and and I won't disagree with her on this. Um there there is a vast feeling in the disabled community um of which my wife is also part of. Um and she's the one that gives me a lot of this information that um very much like the ref she described the referendum where the focus was highly on the let's say with community then the [clears throat] big thing happens then they they kind of feel invalidated and they

164feel um left out. speaking not from data points but from personal experience and and um hearing about it through other community members that they they do feel that they're being left out or other disconnected or you know now that the greater community has the thing that they need um they're having that feeling and I don't know the answer to any of it as to how to uh solve any of that. that's that's not what I'm here for. I'm just stressing that um I I see that too and I think there's just some room opportunity and room for us to uh reverse that feeling that those in that community are feeling. >> I would say and I'm going to have Director Clen weigh on this because she works very closely with our community of parents um

165who have students with varying degrees of disabilities. But I would too say you know if we're living our what will be likely our new our vision I mean mission every every student every day every story that goes the same for parents too. So if we have parents feeling and experiencing that that is telling us something even if it is more community- based um because we have invested and will continue to invest in building those bridges and relationships with our our disability community. But doc director works closely with the parent leaders group. I don't know if there's anything you kind of want to say if they're getting a similar feel what you're hearing, but um that certainly has our attention. >> Yeah, for sure. I I appreciate your sentiment for that and I I do hear

166that when I attend the WASSA or commissions for persons with disabilities. We also have a monthly meeting that I attend with our leaders. It's um a special ed parent community that um comes together. They meet individually and then they bring challenges to me. They bring questions that they have that they're experiencing. Um, and most of those challenges are not with what their um, lived experiences um, with their special education teams and the teachers that they're working and the services they're receiving. What you are speaking to definitely is the community feel and um, during referendum or during things like that um um, how their voice is used or not used. So, it's definitely something that I can bring back to them too if they have suggestions or recommendations. Um, I appreciate you bringing it forward, even

167the parents bringing it forward. Um, yeah, I think it's something that we all need to live into in our values as a community. Um, so yeah, it is difficult to hear and the sentiment is challenging to hear >> and not to uh to single them out or diminish the the other groups, but um to I mean typically that is what what I've gotten back from people I know in that community. And >> um I just that that caller uh that just kind of that sparked that thing inside of me to say, you know, you're right. Um >> yeah, we can do better. So >> and I'm sure you can. So thank you. >> Board members. I have a couple of kind of followups. So Mr. Mr. for what is I don't want to um spend

168too much more time on this but um I I share your value of inschool suspension compared to out of school suspension um and I'm also struck by the disproportionality um and that comes out of that when we look at the numbers of out of school suspensions and where they're landing which groups are getting those I think that's very very significant Um, and I appreciate the work you're doing and the trajectory um that you're working on. I think something at maybe the board level is to consider um what kind and at your own administrative level what kind of resources are needed um or reallocation of resources are needed in order to move towards more inschool suspensions. I look, for example, at the free and reduced lunch and I think about how in a sense how damaging

169an out of school suspension could be for um for a student who might not be eating at home. um you know so so I feel like where we can keep pushing on that and how we as a board um perhaps can be hopefully supportive of your work um in that direction if it's that we need to back you up and say absolutely yes we need more more work within the schools we need to figure out how to do this with the students not sending them um you know separate and then bringing them back um I know sometimes that's absolutely necessary but it still feels the numbers are are too high and I appreciate you noting that as well. >> Yeah. And the groups that then that are being isolated are the very ones that we

170need to make stronger in their belonging. So that goes to my that goes to my other point which is that so much of what's happening um oftentimes I would I would guess with some of these behaviors and based on what Jason was describing too um it there's these are the groups that have high levels of stigma >> and you know with that stigma that response to stigma if someone feels very low power um um and then they they face stigma then um the the kinds of behaviors that they might bring in response to that might seem out of alignment with the reaction that be that would be expected or thought of as respectful. Um and so uh somehow working working through when we face I think you have been when we see this happening let's

171not just think about um you know the behavior obviously we have to treat all students in in parallel but we also need to understand the universe and so you know and the other thing back to your discussion about conflict is that when conflict has happened a few times between people so like say between two students or between a teacher and a student um or an a subordinate student, they our brains create shortcuts. And so then the next time something happens, instead of going through the the small steps that you're trying to put into the policy, um if this has happened before, then the brain will immediately jump to I'm going to respond to this. So if a if a you know worst case scenario maybe a teacher a student feels like a teacher hasn't treated

172them quite the right way this time and and then they responded and it didn't and it comes again they might over time then take these shortcuts right to to higher level behaviors. Um so I don't know where that goes but I just feel like that these that that to put to put kids out of school unless it's absolutely necessary. So if we need more champion space, if we need more, you know, we if we need to be thinking in our our 712 discussions about what are those spaces going to look like um that help our our um our pre-teens and teens um be in school and adjust and start to learn that path of yes, I do belong. Um I am part of, you know, part of society. I think both in terms of behavior,

173mental health, they're all interwoven. Um we're going to see hopefully some additional pieces. So, so there's the approach and then there's also do you have an you know what what tools um do you need in spaces and supports? Be be thinking about that too. >> Appreciate that. >> Any other comments or questions? >> I have one just completely random. I made notes here. the SRO data, the calls for service there by grade level. What was the I guess at the very bottom there, the adult calls, that was just such a large number there. >> You want to take that one, Laura? >> Yeah, usually the adult calls are parents. >> Was it 169? It was >> which does show, you know, they're using that resource as well. Yes. Our parent. So they give a they

174need a home visit parent a call >> or to call about a concern that you know any any version of that. >> In this case we have a new SRO that will be welcoming this year. Correct. >> Sir Kelsey >> will be joining us >> two weeks. >> Is that an addition to or >> we'll have Yeah. West. We have west and east and then we'll have one that will flow between the middle schools >> with a promise that >> maybe a fourth in January >> fully staffed. >> So to your point was there's a promise that we'll get back to I think the last time we had four SRO was my first year. >> Yeah, I was I was just looking at a presentation where I had four. >> It's been a while. >>

175No one's fault. The the department's had some staffing challenges as well. They've been unable to fill position the biggest challenge. [clears throat] >> We don't say this as >> no and then they have injuries and then those people are >> they can't but >> we're excited. We're excited about that. We're excited. >> And just one final thought as we're wrapping up is I'd like to also acknowledge and thank the board for the structure that we have. I know in a year's time this will look a little bit different but director Clem I mean all the directors would not be able to concentrate and focus the work that the the way they do and be as supportive without the structure that we have here in this division. So thank you for that. >> Just one question

176um you talked about challenges uh after school supervision and filling quality student supervisor positions. I'm just, you've probably thought about this a lot. Have we utilized the rec department to maybe find employees to help with maybe more after school type things? >> So, there's a great opportunity right now with rec kind of having new leadership and exploring what after school can look like in general because we're leaning so heavily into right at school. We're really the only public district in Wisconsin that uses that system. So, I think that alone is going to lend to other opportunities. The gap we have with student supervisors honestly comes down to the work and the pay. That that seems to be what we hear. I know that's been on the radar as well as HR. You you saw kind

177of the increases across the board that have happened. Um we have given principles some leniency to say if you are having failures at filling positions, you can take two positions and create a dean or create something else supportive. So there are options principles have when they find themselves stuck in the um filling of of a specific position like that. So Miss Bach East has taken that for example. They know that they can't fill four student supervisor vacancies. So they said of the four, we know we have two vacancies. We can get a higher quality candidate if we go out and get a second dean. And with a second dean now we can manage and and supervise our school in a more effective way. So I know that east just last week I was in the

178process of uh interviewing for two dean positions and they had a very healthy candidate pool. Both Dr. Hansen and Skler were part of that interview process >> and with the full expectation that that that only increases our ability to offer ISS and make sure we're still providing all of the expectations and supportive pieces because that dean can sometimes have a stigma of disciplinarian but that is not the expectation. >> I just thought of something. So, is our district unique in that we sort of like kick the kids out of our buildings right away at the end of the day? I know like when I pick up my daughter at East, there's like announcements like 10 minutes after the school day. Like if you're not here for a specific activity, like you have to go. It's

179>> not unique from my perspective. It's more of a safety issue that I've experienced in most behind. >> Yeah, we might have been a while. We would hang out at school. We didn't have something else to do. So I'm just what opportunities are we giving youth then after school? So if they can't be in the building unless there's something organized to do how are we giving them those opportunities so that they can be doing high quality. >> I mean I would honestly say this district would rival most in terms of the amount of opportunities we do have for students that are structured and supervised after school. pretty robust. >> I would say it is >> most children are not allowed to be in the schools unsupervised after school. >> We I think our challenge has

180been our facilities are so dated that you're unable to um close off certain hallways. Most school systems they the you can close off certain hallways and then you can create a gathering place for students. Since we don't have that type of capability with our facilities, those types of announcements have to be made. I think from a governance standpoint, one thing that I would just ask you to think about, um, most secondary schools have some type of activities director or and I'm looking to our our our chief of talent here, or the athletic director is athletic director, activities director, then that position is an administrative position. So we have not made the I would say the full investment in that space. So if you have a full administrative position that is also athletics and activities now

181that person has the ability to ensure that students feel like they have a place um in some type of club or after school activity. >> Is it fair to say that that might be more where we stand out from other districts? >> That's where we're the outlier that we have not we have not made that type of investment. We don't have this is an example directors in south pen middle school either >> right >> we do we have athletic directors at the middle school level but there is a it's a >> it's very stipended position on top of >> well if this is something >> we're going to add to our strategic plan is increasing >> um participation for certain groups in after school activities. something for sure for the board and team to think

182about like where are we giving the resources. I just think you know young people need something to I'm a bored children make poor choices. >> The research will show you that period after school when parents are still working is some of the most risky time. >> How do we fill that gap without making them feel like they have no place to eat? >> Yeah. And just uh for an example, West pushed kids that weren't there for an activity into the Trojan room with a student supervisor. It lasted one week and no one stayed because they didn't have a free-for-all. >> Yeah. >> They were centralized into one location and then they're like, "We're not staying anymore." So, >> yeah. We also don't provide transportation so we don't have like there's more hanging out and >>

183kids on east side can walk to the village for them like a lot of times on the west side it's a little bit different just because >> yeah there's a library for long a lot I do >> sure >> pieces but >> yeah I think opening up brainstorming with the rec department and with the school leaders makes a lot of sense to see what what could possibly happen um you know And we do offer a lot. Sometimes the feedback from the youth is is but you're not offering what I'm interested in. So I don't know how to how to get around that. Right. So um >> but but we do appreciate the many many many teachers who step up to to do something after school and provide an opportunity for students. Yes, Mrs. If we're

184not talking about after schools still um so I was going back to um or looking at slide 20 and thinking about the SST these school support teams and you talked about Mr. opinion about um using data to decide the direction of those conversations and which student may at those meetings. Are you talking about specific students who are raising um raising concerns or just talk tell us a little bit more please about how these SSTs work. >> Sure. I think this is a great one to cue Dr. Hansen up for. this was central to her work the last two years and certainly what she'll be leading this year as well. >> Excellent. >> So, so one of the primary missions we've had over the last couple of years is to be strategic in what data is

185being examined and how you're going about looking at that data. So right now the push has been to have it be team- based decision-making so that we're all as a collective group on the student support team looking together at data and then looking at bits of data certain pieces that we're seeing would trigger support for you and going about it in a sort of a systematic way. So for example, we will pull the team will pull and look at attendance data, grade data, um ODR suspensions of all students in the building, including students with special needs. Nobody is exempt from the analysis and then determining which students then are are rising to a certain level of concern >> based on like a set criteria and then implementing some kind of support for them. >> Okay,

186fantastic. So >> that describe Did I answer? >> Yeah. No, that that makes a lot of sense. So, I'm thinking about um going back again, Mr. Ro to call that we had during o um open comment. If a student has a lot of minor behavior referrals, is that also are those minor behavior referrals al also perhaps part of the data that that come to the table? Um, I'm just thinking about wondering about poss possible pieces that might or might not be part of conversations. >> We we stipulated that it needed to be team- based decision-m. We stipulated that it needed to be data driven decision-m but then we allowed different to determine what data they want to look at and the thresholds that they want to set for social emotional needs. So, for example, um

187one building might say if you have two minors, then that triggers you for support. Another building might say you had six minors and that might trigger you for support. So, there was some some latitude in the buildings to look at their data and their population to determine which which pieces of data carried the most kind of weight or analysis. I don't know if that answers your question necessarily. >> I think there's also a piece of the data accuracy that we have been really pushing for and historically people were not reporting their minor behaviors in our in our information systems. They were having all these little spreadsheets all over. So we had no way to track whether or not minors were happening to even trigger us to have those conversations. >> We have really pushed a

188behavior is a behavior. It's data and it helps us make good decisions. So we have really pushed all behavior regardless student with disability or not that you are tracking a behavior so we can make good informed decisions around that that wasn't happening a couple years ago. I would say that has just been more of our conversation in recent days. So, >> so integrity of data which is I think what you're raising which is why we left some latitude for the buildings to decide like if they knew as a building we're not that strong and collecting minors information on our students then we didn't want that to uh trip up who they might be identifying then >> and this is pointing out a really good point of multi-level systems support MLSS work is multi-year work over

189and over to that level of like you're understanding the nuances and then you're learning more you're trying things on if you will and then you start refining it year by year by year. >> Kind of getting a flavor of that right now. >> Yeah. Because we don't want these bars to come down just simply because we're put we're reporting less information. Correct. >> We want we really want behaviors to change. >> Last year was the first time we really got a good sense of the number of interventions behaviorally because they focused on academics really heavily the last couple of years and then this last year we kind of shifted that MLSS work to behavior. So this last year was even the first year we could name how many students are getting check-in checkout are getting

190a social emotional behavioral group. Um so that's good progress as well. >> And again this is where systemically as an institution four years ago we weren't having SST meetings. We we were we wasn't even having these discussions. And so for staff members who are saying this feels tight. This feels like an an intrusion on my time that I I didn't have to have these meetings before. And now I'm being asked to either plan with my team around curriculum or have conversations about data and students. We understand that that's that may feel there's a tension organizationally, but we think that that's healthy and we want people to kind of articulate to us how can we help you feel more comfortable in this space because if we do this work well, we know based on the data

191that we're seeing, we can help kids and we can we can uh make sure that the curriculum that's being delivered is um being delivered with fidelity, that it is standardsbased, that it's that we're helping families and students. It it is a change um but we think it's a healthy change and and a change that every other school system uh is required to do and they're are doing it now. It's just that we were late to the best practice um utilization of these strategies. >> Okay. >> And [clears throat] parents should have access to that data, right? Like they weren't they weren't recording the data and they would say, "Well, they have special education. We aren't going to record it." like no we record all data because we want to improve the data for all of

192our students. So um that is it I it it is expected that the data recorded would be higher because we're now saying no you're recording it and we want everybody to know so we can act and do something about >> so even if a behavior is a manifestation of a of a disability we're still going to put that that data into >> data is data >> this data is data >> no we should all still be improving that >> so then and when we come together with our SST the purpose is to better by create better systems of support for individual students. >> Yeah. And ultimately, yeah, I it gets back to your point um uh about out of school suspension versus in school suspension. It's the adult response to what we're looking at in

193the data. So if we're seeing that this pocket of students has a need around this then we need to as an adult say okay it's time for us to run a group around um peer conflict for example right if we are seeing that we have a number of students that are having that challenge then our adult response to that needs to be instruction around it or would check and check out we would analyze this group of students that they have the skills but they need more motivation and incentive to continue to apply those skills. So, it's analyzing the data and then assigning an intervention that is aligned with what that student or groups of students need. >> Is the intervention ever focused on um adult behaviors? >> Yes. So, [clears throat] so part part of

194it is often >> I'm an educator. I know I sometimes people tell sit across SSD from me and tell me, you know, Sarah, maybe you could consider this. >> Yeah. >> And I appreciate that, you know. So we're kind of working um both systems like this, right? We have the student success roadmap which is our universal system of support around all students social emotional needs. It includes trauma-informed care and and informed and uh restorative practices as well as PBIS tenants. So while we're working on developing interventions for select group of students that are struggling in our system, we're also pushing on at the same time each school's development of their student success roadmap. So that is kind of getting at sort of the universal supports, our environmental um classrooms, our teaching practices and things like

195that. So that's kind of coming here. >> At the same time, we can't necessarily wait for a student who is cropping up in that environment and and not respond to them. >> So we're pushing both ways. Does that make sense or >> Yeah. No, that's and I I ask that um because of what some community community members have come in asked me about or expressed me as as frustrations. Um when when it seems their perception is that their kids are asked to change and the the um the adults aren't necessarily also being asked to change. That's their these per parents perceptions. I'm not there. This is third party information for me. So take it for that. Um but I want to honor that >> that I think that's the tension we're feeling in the organization

196to a certain degree. We >> Miss Clim and I have this conversation often where if a if there's a student um with a with an individual education plan who inside that plan it states that they're going to demonstrate a certain behavior. If that student is then suspended for that behavior, we we hit the brakes and we say, "Wait a minute. It this we know where the student is starting from. What did the adults do differently to respond to the student?" And and that is that creates tension to Dr. Hans as well. That creates tension on both sides of the organization. It creates tension for the adults because they feel like we're kind of pointing the finger at them and we're not, >> right? >> We we we're providing support. we're providing professional growth so they

197can address those students and at the same time we're feeling tension on the student side of making sure that we serve them better. That that's what we're feeling right now. But what we what we have decided not to do, we're not going to blame students. >> We're not going to blame kids for the the the journey that they have to travel. Some kids are learning how to manage a certain learning environment. they're learning how to manage their behaviors in certain ways. We believe as the adults, we need to pivot and meet their needs. Um that that's our job. We believe that when adult professional practices change, then student outcomes change. We firmly believe it. Uh and we don't believe that there's a shortcut to it. And and I te that up for your team to

198weigh. >> Yeah. And I would be remiss like change is hard for everyone, children and adults especially, right? We may be more fixed as adults. So, we like, you know, we do things this way. But I'll be remiss if I didn't give a shout out and and bring in Dr. Marble's team in all of this, too, because there are strong connections to all of what we're talking about here to good instruction and the instructional framework and the culturally responsive learning environment strategies that are embedded within that. And then we have instructional coaches, coaching, you know, this is all connected then to E and how we evaluate. I mean, there are so many threads here to both of our divisions that we also team very closely with in this work. some brass tax if there's a

199high school if there's a school principal that says there's a group of kids who get to class late every day and so now we're ready to suspend them. This team is saying no time out. What what strategies did you put in place if you knew that those students are going to be late? If you know they're they're the students. They're the kids. If you know that they're going to be late, have you put strategies in place to position adults there? Have you tried to talk with them? Have you reached out to parents? We're going down a laundry list of things that we're saying what are the interventions you've put in place as the adults to to get to a place where we're not implementing that type of disciplinary um consequence the same and we we

200are applying that type of logic in everything we do. So I'm looking at Miss Gistler for example with our afterchool activities we've seen a decrease in the behaviors of students because we're being proactive. we're starting. So, she sits down with the athletic directors and she's saying, "So, how can we position our supervisors? How do we make sure that they're in certain places?" And it's not that they're they're they're in a place where they're trying to be disciplinarians. They're trying to create relationships with the kids. So then when they do have to ask them to move from a certain situation or move from a certain position, they're not they're not doing it because they're being told to do it. They're doing it because a relationship was built. And so, but that takes time and it takes

201a certain disposition. Yeah. >> We we we talked about this last week when we were at the Madison uh uh family meeting. It takes a certain disposition of the educators to say we're willing to adjust and grow um and learn something new in in service of making sure that children and families who are who feel under reppresented are better represented. Yeah. Thank you. >> Did we answer all your questions? >> Oh, I'll keep asking questions all night. No, I won't. Um I I really I Okay, one follow-up question. Sorry. Um when an SS the SST is maybe talking about a um a particular child, at what point is the parent informed of these conversations or how what is that? because you're leading us into the the next journey that we're going to go on. >>

202I love it. >> So, so part of what SST has been focusing on uh for the last two years. One is to um look at look for patterns and groups of students so that we can be efficient and effective and to have several interventions. We have four that are standardized that we want to have availability in all buildings and to um I want to say get the most bang for our buck, right? Like check-in checkout is an evidence-based intervention. It's it's quick. It's easy. We can look at a group of data and we can say, "Oh, these 15 kids, we need to get them started on check-in checkout." Right? Can be happen very quickly. Right? So, part of SST has been working on looking for groups and patterns of students that need a certain support.

203Right? I think where you're heading down to, and I think this is where you're headed, is what we have not systematized yet is when we need those more in-depth conversations about Daryl as a student and as a learner. I might need a 30, 45 minute conversation because we've tried check-in, checkout, or we've tried an SEB group for Daryl and we're still seeing a number of behaviors cropping up. So, at that point, then we need the whole, you know, team put together. We need a parent at the table and more in-depth conversation about an individual child. That is going to be what's called our child study team where we're having in-depth conversations about one child that might need something more than the broader sweet group based interventions >> and that has been happening organically and naturally

204in SST. But that's part of the issue is you cannot sustain all of those things she just spoke about in one collaborative structure. Most districts have something, you know, another layer like that deep of a child study team to go deeper for tier three. We've been trying to do it all all in SST and and you can't, >> right? There's only so many minutes in a day. >> And I should correct one thing, too. Parents are informed and aware of check and checkout and an SEB group. They're aware of that, but we don't need them necessarily at the table for an in-depth conversation if we're trying that lower level or a tier 2 level of support for that student, >> right? So they're aware and they're they're knowing that we're doing that when we need

205to really dig in. We need a parent at the table. We standardize that. >> Fantastic. Thank you. >> Seeing no further comments or questions, thank you very much for your report and your um engagement tonight. >> Thank you, Dr. Worley for letting this team. They're they're doing good work and self. We appreciate the opportunity. Okay. So, we move on to work governance item number eight, first reading of the 2025 2028 strategic plan. Um, Mrs. F, thanks for being here. Uh, who's uh who's leading off here? Are are you going to lead off on this? And >> I can re give us a little recap. Um so we had a really uh nice introduction to the plan last week Monday here uh in the meeting space and uh with the board's proposed revisions um to adopt

206the north star as a mission statement and then to lead with um a more succinct um powerful vision um encompassing all of our community. Um those revisions are on the new graphic that I just handed to you and was available in Boardox as well. Um, we also took the priority areas of leadership and instruction because the goals are so tightly tied together. Just that's how the plan unfolded and the metrics that accompany them. That's been condensed as well. Um, those are the major revisions and we uploaded um all of that too to the executive summary. So, I'm I'm happy to entertain any further questions. Um, but board members, you've had a little bit of time to reflect on our work. Um, anything else that that you would like to ask, add or raise at this

207point? >> It's just about >> um revisiting the mission and the vision conversation that we had last week. Um, and I think I was I started to keep count and then I lost count the number of times that we touched on how stress inducing it is for anyone to go through any sort of changes. If we focus on adult practices improve, if adult practices improve, then student outcomes improve. We are literally going up to other professionals and saying, "Hey Sarah, did you think about trying this one thing in an SSD meeting?" Right? We are doing all of these different things. The tightening up and the work that this board did last week for the vision and the mission is going to uh exacerbate that because the one of the unique things about the situation in

208Tosa now is that the board is pushing on Dr. Means. Dr. Means is pushing on his cabinet. The cabinet is pushing on the principles and the principles are pushing on the teachers, right? All excellent work, all rooted in policy, all with excellent intentions, but it is very stress inducing. So the thing that I want to point out is acknowledging that and to encourage not only our community, the community at large who doesn't necessarily see there are eight people currently in the attendees section. That is very stressful work that we're asking all of the levels to work on. So give each other grace, give each other patience, give each other understanding that this is what is happening. And that goes all the way down the line from us to means to means all the way down

209is that this is very hard work. This is very stressful and this needs to be acknowledged as we go through things. Um the question I would have on this are what sort of tools do we have in place to help our professionals become better whether it is things that we already have in place or continuing on. Is there anything else that we have missed that we haven't already touched on in this threehour conversation that we've been having? I think we've had most of those come to light in terms of the resources in time. One of the biggest mechanisms we have for the improvement of practice is educator effectiveness. So when that is done well, practice does improve and teachers receive timely, specific and actionable feedback from their evaluators. We have dedicated collaborative planning time at

210all levels so teachers can work together to plan highquality instruction for their students and respond to the student data that they're gathering in their own classrooms. There's a ton of research that says when teachers are planning together, they feel more efficacious and students reap that benefit. We have professional learning structures embedded into our calendar and we have instructional coaches who support the work. There is a there's a host of resources for our staff. That doesn't mean the work isn't hard. That doesn't mean at times it's not stressful, but it is the right work and is the work we're called to do by our vision. And if we're going to eliminate the disproportionate outcomes we see academically and behaviorally, then this is what we need to do. >> Thank you. >> Miss Hong, >> I agree

211with you. I think everybody in this room agrees with you. Um, how do we, to Mr. Bower's point, still support a a staff person who feels like that all of those things you just listed, they don't see them all as supportive? Like, how do we give them like I think we talked about like the bow during our meeting like how do we do you understand my question? >> I understand the question. Um the answer's probably not short, >> but I think it starts with creating connections at the leadership level. So our principles have a large task of taking here's the district plan, here's how we've distilled that into our school growth plan, and here are the measured actions and the timeline for improvement in our building. So we feel we all in this room feel

212a ton of urgency to do better and our data calls us to do that. Our families are asking us to do that. that our students are asking us to do that. So, but improvement in small increments turns into large improvement over time. So, when a teacher get has an observation from their evaluator and they're given a suggestion is perhaps next time might you try this order of events that's not a large scale improvement effort. That's feedback for improvement on very small scale. And when that's applied consistently over time, we see practice shift. Are the educators hearing that message on a regular and consistent basis? Like so they see the the the value of all of the work because sometimes if you don't think that those things are valuable then it doesn't seem like a resource.

213It seems like more work, busy work, whatever you want to. So is the messaging to all of the staff aligned with what you just said on a regular basis? I think we can always probably do a better job, but we just were with our administrative team for three days last week and feedback from them indicates that there's a level of clarity and coherence that they're taking back to their building. So, I trust that that will happen and we have a new strategic plan to launch and it's a great opportunity to level set and create the coherence and when people see how the different aspects of the work fit into the larger system, it's not as overwhelming because it makes sense. It's logical. May may I add an addendum which is uh I like to ask

214a question that I'll ask next week Monday at our new teacher orientation which is what brought you to Wal Tulsa what what drew you to Wal Tulsa and typically people will say it's our values they will say it's our values and our commitment to equity work is all the work that you just heard the people and family support team just mentioned the the supports that we have from a curricular standpoint and that we've we've planted a flag to say that we want to be that unique bellweather school system in America that closes the achievement gap. We're we're a very unique school system where we haven't made the pendulum shift where we are a minority majority district, but we have enough students of color and we still have a large middle class and uh uh population,

215resident population where we can be very special if we have educators who are truly committed to doing really difficult work around closing achievement gaps. Most achievement gaps are not closed organically. They're they're closed through systems. And the systems we put in place are systems that most to Mr. P's point, they're systems that most school systems are nonchalant about. They're they're because they're they're it's typically educators will push back on some of them. Um we're not implementing the these systems because we dislike the adults in the organization. we're we're implementing the systems because we care that much about the kids in the system and that's the language we we're utilizing. We're seeing greater retention with teachers who are new to us because of those values. And so we continue to go back to the values that

216we we believe in and we believe that if we do this work back to the conversation that Sarah had with the team just a few minutes ago the SST example is a prime example in the past if you had certain social capital in the organization then your child received what he or she or they needed to have. We're saying no we want to make sure we serve all children. that's harder to do. And so that that this is what this strategic plan represents. We try to make sure uh Dr. Marble and I talk about the fact when we put together the calendar that there's enough time because I think if I'm just putting my teacher hat back on when I was just a just a social studies teacher, the the the the resource that was

217the most valuable to me is when an administrator was not giving me professional development. um when they were not telling me this is what I needed to learn, but I could just have time in my classroom to kind of figure things out on my own. Um that I was not mandated to meet with the other members of my department that I could just I I say we miss Elzoski's heard me say this. I say that our my superintendent teacher advisory council all the time. I used to love when I could come in my jeans and my sweatshirt. I can turn on my music and I had the day in my classroom. I felt refreshed. I felt new. And so what we try to do in addition to all the support that Miss Botch talked about,

218we try to candidly [clears throat] we try to get out of teachers way uh every once in a while, but we we know that we have to balance it with making sure that we're doing our due diligence and giving them the support and building capacity. That's that's a hard balance, >> but I I hope that answers the question a little bit. >> Yeah, thank you. >> Any other comments and questions, thoughts on the strategic plan? >> Just I have a comment and it's just a thought or something that just kind of sparked when you said it, Dr. Means of having this vision of being this bellweather organization, school district, and this lighthouse district nationally like being at that level. Yes. When we strive for that, do we miss a mark there where we're we've jumped

219over the hurdle of being that in Wisconsin first the region? Because I just make sure that when we make these decisions, we create these plans that we're comparing apples to apples. me being not being from here but moving intentionally twice to get into the school district to go to the best schools to make the decisions to have to make make fewer decisions for my kids than I would have to make if I lived 6 milesi down the road before I moved >> eight years ago or how long that was ago in there and a lot of other people do as well they want to move to the district for the schools lots of great things going on I think some of the things that I hear in the community are you get this yester year

220of what the schools used to be that everybody remembers and they want to stay the same. We know we're changing and growing in those places, but I want to make sure that we're keeping in the vision there. All things we're doing that we're setting ourselves up because the social comparison comes in when we compare amongst districts. We know the neighbor next door that compares to that we may or may not be like because we're not exactly the same. But when we look and go beyond that at the national level, are we making decisions there that are not being the best Wisconsin school, the best school that are is is and I believe we are one of those, but is that very very clear to not only our community, but for all the people that are

221that use us as that example and not just because we are different that we're a little more a little bolder in saying the things that we do, you know, whether it's legislatively or or have a different stance, but they look at us as that's an urban suburban school that does have a lot more black and brown kids. It's okay for them. They can they can do that because they're in that group versus how do we really make sure that our vision sets the stage for what goes on in the place where we're going to be measured here in the state of Wisconsin, not worried about any anywhere else. That makes sense. >> It does. Um, what I would let me start by saying we have a student population that's either African-American, Latino, Hispanic, or two

222or more or identifies as two or more races. That percent that percentage is 34.7%. That makes us one of the most that let's just put that in a in a category. As Mr. Ecker pointed out in the budget hearing, we're also one of the wealthiest school systems in the state. So typically, you don't find this connection of a fairly high diverse population and a wealthy community at the same time. So that makes us unique. I appreciate your question, Mr. Morris, of wait a minute, you want to be a White House district nationally. Why don't you start regionally? And I think that's what we're trying to do. We we believe we know we've looked around the nation there are not a a lot of school districts like Wall Tulsa in terms of our demographics. We're still

223a fairly affluent majority white school system that has changed significantly in the last 20 years uh demographically and and so when we say we want to be a [clears throat] lighthouse district that is not only for the metropolitan area but it's also for the state and for the nation. We know that Wisconsin has some of the worst achievement gaps in the nation. And so we I what we haven't said boldly and I think the strategic plan does hit and I think your modifications to the mission and vision does hit is that we wall of Tulsa is in the epicenter of this equity work. We're in it. we're if if you're going to engage around educational discussions in our community, you have to you have to understand that there's a lot of inequities that we've been

224trying to rectify through the building of systems. So, what you just heard um from the people in family supports team is that they're trying to fix inequities that we knew were present in the organization and we just ignored them because that was just the way we did things. You're going to hear we always like to say that August is Mr. Pinion and people and family supports and in September is always Dr. memorable time in in division of academic performance the they will both tell you if you talk to them online or offline there were no systems in place when they came in um they came in so we knew that if we had a chance to build a system and and we built the system from scratch if we were going to build a system

225from scratch not only did we want to build a system that was a lighthouse district for the region and for the state but if we're going to do it well then let's do it nationally as well. And and I think we're if we just stay consistent, if we stay true to what this vision and mission and theory of action says and understand that we want to be responsive to adults, that we're just not dismissing their needs and that we need to find that that safety valve. Um but ultimately we care about our kids and that this is the work that we have to do. This is what we have to commit to. This is there there's no I've seen school districts that claim that they're equity districts and they do the easy work by giving

226their teachers uh basil um for for teaching ELA or they they give them turnkey curriculum and they don't make them think in terms of collaborating with their their partners or you just simply create uh off-ramps by having large alternative schools. I we know what the tricks are. Um what you're hearing from us tonight is that we believe that if we build the professional capacity of everyone in the system, then that's going to elevate it's going to elevate the service delivery model for people. And and it's taken, if I may have a moment of of of uh of opportunity here. There's been a lot of discussion in our community about what people don't like and and the tension that they feel and we haven't been authentic enough in saying that the the tension that people are

227are articulating or the things that they say that they don't like nothing egregious or illegal or or or anything has happened to any staff member. So when I hear language like whistleblowers and and and other things, there's nothing to blow the whistle on. This is this is this is the work that that teachers are being asked to do across the state of Wisconsin through educator effectiveness. [clears throat] Was it expected in Waltosa in the past? It was not. And is that a change? Yes. And as Mr. B said and that was the directive that was was given to me upon hire that we wanted to close achievement gaps and we wanted to reassume our position of being a strong school system. So when I'm in the community and I hear people say well we used

228to be one of the best school districts in the state. Yes we were and that was during the time where there used to be curriculum coordinators. At some point in Waltosa history, in the name of reducing costs, we reduced curriculum coordinators and that then meant that every teacher became their own individual curriculum coordinator. And so that so we were actually saying we wanted to be this equity district and we were perpetuating in. And so what we've done is we put systems in place. I am proud of the work that our team does. And when I say our team, I mean teachers who are committed to the values of our system and I'm proud of the work that we've put in place and we have not mistreated anyone. Is it hard work? It was hard work

229when I was a teacher 30 years ago. It was hard to be a teacher then. Teaching is a really stressful job. Um, and it's even more stressful when you work in an organization that is not acquiescing to the the the social capital of the loud people, but you are defending all children. That that makes the work even harder. But I'm proud of the fact that we stand by our values. And those values mean that we want to have a strong school system for every child, no matter what zip code they're from or or what what race they are from. That we're going to really work hard. That is a that's frankly that's why we are a lighthouse district because there are not a lot of school systems that speak that boldly about the work that

230we're trying to do. Um just I guess I'm very excited about this plan. I think that um it was really beneficial to me to have a role to play in developing it um as a new board member especially. But um I think it's very lofty and challenging, but it's really it's focused and I think we have a lot of the structures and systems in place already to that were set up to be successful in it. Uh and I trust that um we have smart people in place to make changes and add new things as we need to. Um I think it's really important that we get buyin from everyone in the district from um you know parents community members and teachers from everyone um but when I look at it and what what will be

231required for success and my experience as a teacher is I taught in different districts throughout the country and I taught in the nonchalant districts like Dr. means talked about and in districts where there were high expectations and we were having meetings and pace type meetings and things like that and I felt more confident as a teacher that I was doing good work in the districts that required more from me. So um coming out of those meetings and discussing things with my colleagues I went in my classroom and was a lot more effective as a teacher. So I think is is it's harder. It's more work, but I like to doing a good job at my work, too. So I think that that's maybe a good way to get better buyin from teachers is hopefully they

232can see the benefit to those extra things that they're doing. >> I I I'll agree, Miss Bach there. I think the big picture there that I think the communic community [clears throat] I think they have a hard time seeing. I I don't know if they're looking for the tangible. It's I think everybody's looking for when we do all this, this is great. You talk about systems, structures, what do I see? How do I see it? Especially if it's I live here, my kids already through it or they're just starting or they're ending. I think everybody gets that mindset because I've, you know, between our surrounding school districts, I get the one thing like this toast is never going to be one of these blue ribbon schools. People have figured out you do these things, you

233get this thing. What we're talking about the strategic plan is so much more than that. It's beyond that thing. You can have that and put on your wall. But we've created the mission vision and the values that set us apart from all of that because it's something that's far more sustainable because it takes us to the next levels and where what we do with it. Then it's not just we did it all and now we got the thing and everybody's happy because we can promote and say we got this blue ribbon. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I think that's how people judge what's going on and the effectiveness of what we're building and what's being that's going to be built from here forward is that it's that tangible outcome that's beyond just

234the students that they see. Now, I think it's hard for people to grasp. So I think to to Heidi's point there is that that communication and making sure that this is not just the gospel but that people really are ingrained and really understand all that it took to get here what it's going to take to get through all this to make sure that this actually lives and is sustainable. I think that's the the hardest part of this lift. >> So that ultimate buy in >> I I agree and and when you couple So yes and when you couple that with what Mr. Ber kicked us off with which is he acknowledges it. He stated [clears throat] it. Let's just state it again. Please. I'm going to I'm going to use a normal collaboration and try

235to re uh paraphrase. So the community has placed a high level of pressure on the board to see results. The board then has said to their one employee, the superintendent, we want to see results. I have then taken your message and have worked with our leadership team to say we need to receive results and it continues to go throughout the organization. We have to reconcile I think what what Mr. Bower has said for for clarity sake and I think you're saying the same thing to a certain degree Mr. remorse is that the community has to come to grips with the fact that you we can't have those tangible things without hard work and and putting things into motion. If you do, it is artificial and it is not real. And typically in school districts that

236is actually perpetuating inequity because those are the people who are benefiting from those spaces are those who have the social capital. They were going to prosper within that system. Anyway, what we are saying is that our value I should say you your mission state your mission statement your vision statement is saying if we do this for all children we do become that white house district but we also acknowledge it comes with people who have to be aligned with our values and having a certain disposition of it's going to be it's going to be work. I wouldn't say it's going to be hard work because I frankly I've been in a lot of school districts that are considered high achieving school districts in Wisconsin. They are doing the same things we're asking our teachers to do

237right now. I want to be >> I think that is the one Thank you for giving me the opportunity to make that statement. I've been in school districts that people will say those are strong school systems. I've worked there. I've led those districts. the the things that we're asking teachers to do for the first time in Waltosa are the things that those teachers have been doing for decades, decades. So, is it new to our staff? Yes. But when staff members circumvent process and don't go to HR to share their complaints, when they they when we we exacerbate and we use inflated language and inflammatory language to state what the problem is, you are actually hurting the district. You are actually not engaged in trying to improve it. It's almost as if you're trying to hoard

238certain opportunities to ensure that certain children get what they need to get. This plan is saying, "No, we want it for all." So, it's it's a it's a bold if it's a bold strategic plan based on what the community has and you're in the community. you you hear is what the community has said that they want is what I've heard what the community says it it wants and so we're just we're executing on what has been requested Dr. to follow that up be have teed me up a little bit. I tried to look at this through a very simple lens. Um before previous strategic plan if you plotted I probably can't see it but if you plotted students versus achievement you we had a very up and down all over the place curve. The strategic

239plan, first one was put in place and its goal was to get us into a bell curve of achievement. The new strategic plan to me is to alter the bell curve to shift it over to make it higher. Simple statistics driving are the results that we're looking for. And I can't boil it down any simpler than that or anybody else, but I maybe I think the other uh new board members probably heard a lot of the same things, but during campaign phase heard a lot of we're we're destroying and getting rid of all of these great programs. And this wasn't how it was when I was back in school. and um you know and of course it's not it's it's 20 30 years they've been um and I think what what you've done and what

240we're continuing to do here is is excellent and it's slowly but methodically pushing us into a spot where we are going to have a much higher aggregate amount of intelligent uh students students and graduates and citizens. Then we would if we went back several years ago where it was kind of whoever got the best treatment, whoever had the most social capital, whoever um whoever worked the hardest, whoever take your pick. Um this is this is driven in data and practices. And um Mr. so much. I I applaud your work on it and I think uh like you said uh it was this is this is a very lofty uh plan but I think it can be done and I think that's the result we're going to see from it. Mr. Roier, I I want to

241tee you up. You've also mentioned because you mentioned it during our our session last week. There's a phrase from the private sector where you can have two of three things. You you've highlighted that because I think it goes along with this conversation. Uh yeah, it's it's not my own. Uh I've heard it said many different ways, but to the extent of good, fast, and cheap, pick two. If you have all three, you can have all three, but it is going to be unsustainable. At some point, you're going to fall off a cliff. and you're never going to be able to get back up. So, the longer the better we can go or just picking two of those and zoning in on those, you can switch them around year to year, but picking two and focusing

242on them will yield the best results typically. So, if you if if the community wants us to get this in place really fast, and they definitely said they want it to be really good, it is not going to be cheap. what they've given us right now would not be enough for us to do that. Um, flip it around the other way. If they want it to be cheaper so we don't have to have a referendum, well then what are you going to sacrifice? Uh, how fast we get it done or how good it is. You want it to still be good. It's going to take us a long long time. So that's that's my analogy I use for things all the time and I've not really found a case where that doesn't fit or apply

243is not true. [clears throat] >> Okay. Why don't we just close out by saying that I think our hope as a board is that every stakeholder will find their spot in this plan. Um that they'll they'll get to know it. um see it as a guide. And so whether you're a a parent, a resident, a um a student who uh comes to the district but doesn't live here, a parent of such student, an employee, keep going on a list, an administrator, staff member, the goal is to find your place where you're going to help us to um achieve this vision um and to stick to our mission as we move towards that vision. That's really I in conclusion I've this is my fifth strategic plan that I've been involved with as a superintendent. I've never

244had a board as definitive as you were during your session last Monday and saying here's here's what we believe. This is what we believe our vision should be and this is what we believe our mission should be. And you you you may say well we were just saying what we believe. This is our values. I just want to share with you this is my fifth time around doing this um and and with good boards. This is the most definitive and I think that's what Miss Fch was trying to say earlier. While we did a lot of the building of certain components of what we're supposed to do, the the component that is the governance driven side of things was is not mistakable. It is is clarity. It is intentional and uh when we get that

245level of clarity and intentionality then that drive that that gives us the freedom to do our work well. So thank you. >> Thank you. Okay. In discussion this does come up for a vote at the next meeting. So very helpful and committee members of course are welcome to reach out and ask questions and um communicate with us about this. Um okay so we move to item number nine second readings and or action to approve policies. These are policies the board has discussed once before. Um and uh I would be glad uh to have them very briefly teed up by the a policy committee member and then um for any what we're looking at here I mean you can also look at the policy cadence chart um and then we will go through the process of

246um motion discussion motion second and discussion. So the first one that comes up is the second reading of a policy 3425.05 covered administrative assistant benefits and I believe if correct me if I'm wrong that wasn't the meeting that it went back to committee based upon a request from Miss Silzowski to to make edits. Are there is there anything else that we should be noticing? >> Yeah. No. Um there were a couple of language changes and like there was an 11month employee still on there that um right was taken off in that class. >> No one in that classification. So updates some technical wording updates as well. >> Okay. Thank you. Um let's get the motion in the second then and we'll see if there's any further discussion. Um, Chris, >> it is recommended that the

247school board approve policy 342505 covered administrative assistant benefits. And I so move. >> Thank you. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Mr. Morris. Um, are there any questions or comments? Any discussion before we move to a vote? Okay, seeing none, um, Miss Summers, could you call the role, please? Miss Bzinski, >> yes. Mr. Bower, >> yes. Miss Bach, >> yes. >> Mr. Morris, >> yes. >> Miss Hammer Rolland, >> yes. >> Dr. Worley, >> yes. >> Mr. Wadier, >> yes. >> And the motion carries. Thank you. So, we'll move on to letter B, second reading or action to approve policy 511, eligibility of resident, non-resident students. Um I believe this was uh Miss Heimer Roland, you wanted some you had pointed out a language change that needed to be made there

248and so we we did that in part B and then just some yeah updating of language to go along with changes that we're making in all our policies. So I would note just a technical LM N is crossed out. So will we be switching all of the letters below that? Then this is under >> that's second time you noticed that. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> I believe once the changes are processed it auto. >> Right. That's what I assumed. >> Okay. >> But I can notify do Dr. Zen. >> Okay. Let's have the motion and second and then we'll see if there's any other discussion before we vote. >> It is recommended that the school board approve policy 511 eligibility of resident non-resident students and I so move. >> May I have a second? >>

249Second. >> Thank you Mr. Bower. Um discussion questions making change suggestions. >> So board members especially no wants to know if you did still see something you wanted to try to make an amendment to this would be the time to bring that up to Okay, seeing none. Miss Summers, please call the role. >> Miss Pzinski, >> yes. >> Mr. Bower, >> yes. >> Miss Bach, >> yes. >> Mr. Morris. >> Yes. >> Miss him Rolland. >> Yes. >> Dr. Worley. >> Yes. >> Mr. Wadier. >> Yes. >> And the motion carries. Can we move on to C second reading or action to approve policy 5120 assignment within the district for resident students. This might be known as the most most often raised policy. Um at least in the time that I've been on the board.

250Mr. Pinion, you have a lot of patience with us. Um are we with you? Um, uh, anything you want to anything we want to tee up before we do this? >> For me, I'd just like to add we heard all the feedback and tried to incorporate it from the last time we reviewed this the initial time and it was very helpful both from a formatting and content perspective. >> Okay, go ahead for the motion. >> It is recommended that the school board approved policy 5120 assignment with district for resident students and I so move. >> May I have a second? Second. >> Thank you, Miss Hammer. Um, is there any discussion? >> Dr. Worley, you pointed out that the language representing the boundary change that the board uh made last October on October 28 should

251be reflected for both Eisenhower and Underwood. you the board last October 28th did make that adjustment, >> right? So, we've um it doesn't reflect that. >> It does not reflect that. >> So, I I did um over the weekend when I was reading it, I realized that um the boundary change for Eisenhower and or Underwood is not reflected um in this. >> I think it's neighborhood 11, 12, and 13. >> Yeah, I went back and looked at everything and tried to double check it. It's really the North Avenue instead of Watertown Plank Road. And then there might >> So that was a great catch. I >> some other details. >> So I don't know if we want to just make an amendment to this at the time that and that we make sure it aligns

252with the boundary change language that was already passed and then we don't have to go into the specific wording. >> That would be a great amendment. Yes. Okay. Thank you. >> Well, I will um offer uh that amendment. So in that process, we would first vote on the amendment and then we would move to vote on the entire motion. So I'm going to um move that we amend this um document is presented to make sure it incorporates the boundary change boundary changes with Eisenhower and Underwood that has already been um passed by the board. Um >> I'll second. >> Second. Thank you, Miss Holand. Uh Miss Summers, can you call the role? >> Miss Bzinski. >> Yes. Mr. Boward, >> yes. >> Miss Bo, >> yes. >> Mr. Morris, >> yes. >> Miss Hammer Rand,

253>> yes. >> Dr. Worley, >> yes. >> Mr. Wier, >> yes. >> The motion carries. Thank you. So, now we can move to the um amended version of this document, the intend intention of the amendment. Um and was there anything else? Thank you for reminding me that. Okay. So, not hearing anything else. Um, we have the amendment and we have the amended document changed and seconded and the motion on the floor for this for this document. Um, Miss um, Miss Summers, can you call the role, please? >> Miss Preszenski, >> yes. >> Mr. Bower, >> yes. >> Miss Bach, >> yes. >> Mr. Morris, >> yes. >> Miss Hammer Rolland, >> yes. >> Dr. Worley, >> yes. >> Mr. Wier, >> yes. >> The motion carries. Um we just appreciate the ways that community members

254have reached out about this particular um issue. Thank you Mr. Pinion for all the work in your office and policy committee um for helping us continue to shape and improve this particular policy. Um we're some of us are just laughing because I think in the time that Mr. Morris and I were on we might have seen it four times something like that. We lost we lost track but it's an is as you know that means it's a pivotal policy in our district um and it really shapes um who we are and what we do. >> Um so we will move on to um letter D uh second reading andor action to approve policy 6210 fiscal planning. >> It is recommended that the school board approve policy 6210 fal planning and I move >> second. Uh,

255thank you, Mr. Morris. Um, anything policy committee or um others that we need to pay attention to here? Uh, I think this is just one of those those practices that are now going to be in place. We've seen that that re people create reports with the information they have and they bring them forward and it's just very it's a call for transparency. So, it's nice. >> Excellent. Thank you. Yes. >> Like to note that I was a freshman in high school and last time this policy was not [laughter] true. >> Well, you know, you're young, so >> um Okay. So, not hearing any further discussion or concern. Um Miss Emers, please call the role. >> Miss Bzinski, >> yes. >> Mr. Bower, >> yes. >> Miss Bach, >> yes. >> Mr. Morris, >> yes. >>

256Miss Hammer Rollins, >> yes. >> Dr. Worley, >> yes. >> Mr. Roier. >> Yes. >> So the motion carries. >> So now we move to letter E, second reading or action to approve policy 6235 fund balance. >> It is recommended that the school board approve policy 6235 fund balance. And I so move. >> May I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Miss Bach. Um, anything we should know about this? Excellent. Um, we appreciate having this clear and structured um for us going forward. Uh, hearing no um other comments or concerns. Miss Summers, please call the role. >> Miss Bzinski, >> yes. >> Mr. Bower, yes. >> Miss Bach, yes. >> Mr. Morris, yes. Miss Rolland, yes. Dr. Worley, yes. >> Mr. Worth, >> yes. The motion carries. So, we have just a little

257bit left here. We're really close to the light at the end of the tunnel. Um, we will move to first readings of policies. Um, we will do this uh by encouraging you to have it open, noting the green spaces. Um if a policy committee member wants to tee anything up for this uh we're starting with um 0141.1 student representation at board meetings. >> I think one thing that we if I may policy committee members one thing that we noticed from an administrative standpoint is under B we have we can do a better job in prepping our student board reps um before meetings. Um and we identified it as administration. Um we believe that the relationship between high school principles and their their students is really helpful. Uh it it's also um beneficial to us that

258our two high school principles once served at district level positions. So they understand they understand the the development of a forward agenda and how to work through those items. So, um, we we we think we can better serve our students that way. >> There's some type of preparation. Um, typically board student board reps are receiving the materials the day of just with the community. So, we have to also work we have to we have to work that system up as well because we're not positioning them for success. So, that was the one big change we we discussed. Despite all that, they asked some of the most >> they do a really nice story. >> Interesting and challenging questions, but but >> I ran into them yesterday on a wall. It was very >> They were

259so good. They just keep getting better. I get excited each year because each year from my time, they just get better and better. I don't know where we get them from, but they're wonderful. >> Great interview process. >> Are there any requests for changes to what is here? >> I just have a question. Sure. Did you um I'm assuming the answer is yes, but making sure did you talk to the two high school principles about this change? >> No, >> this is something that we will spend. >> Okay. >> And the students will have a capacity. Is this part is this going to be part of the questions that we ask? I mean, it's probably a h I mean, I can imagine they could put them in sort of a half. We don't view it

260as it could be something as simple as catching your principal at lunch. Okay? >> You know, we're we're not viewing this as a formal sit down with the principal as a half hour. It could be >> I view it as and I did this all the time with students when I was a high school principal. You you kind of pull them over and say, "So, Lyn, I was looking at the board agenda for this this uh coming meeting, and here's the two items that that's going to really be big items." And then you have a dialogue with those students. >> I'm supportive. I just want to make sure all the players are understand. What >> I've noticed, Miss Himeran, what I've noticed is that every year at graduation, our student reps are also our student

261leaders in other capacities. And so our principles are interfacing with both student leaders and and >> they're they're in contact. Perfect. Thank you. >> Yes. Good question. Okay. So, um this unless something comes up between now and the next meeting, this would come back on the consent agenda. Um okay. So, um letter B 10B, review policy 6800, system of accounting. Yeah 54 is the the main system that most public school systems have to utilize. I think you'll notice in green one of the bigger items uh is that [clears throat] we have to just make sure that we designate the design in areas where there is truly um functions that that does not rest with the superintendent and not give the community the we don't want to give the impression that the superintendent is actually overseeing

262uh general provisions on running the financial house of the the organization. >> I think we at the policy committee level we discussed the fact that maybe Neola and it was it was good that Dr. Zimmen even mentioned that he's he's seen this in other districts that years ago people recognized that the title superintendent meant or designate you didn't have to you did not have to be that explicit to say it but I think in today's environment being more explicit around who does what uh is beneficial. [clears throat] >> Any comments or questions from board members? request for changes. Okay. And that one too looks like it will go through the consent agenda unless we hear something in between meetings. Um policy 7440.01 video surveillance and electronic monitoring. There weren't significant changes to this one. >>

263I agree. >> Yes. >> It's too bad that Miss Gistler is not here. I think the big the headline for this policy is that we identify 21 days >> 21 days >> for the retention of uh video. >> Okay. >> Was that not specified before? >> I think there was a range. We said something like seven to 30 days. >> That's said previously was seven to 30 days and now it's a >> it's quite a broad range. Yeah. So now going what Dr. Means, this is just a general observation here. Does this policy this is a this is all new, right? Yeah. This this is all I say 2023. I'm just thinking of the the recent news and surveillance in our one of the schools to the east of us further east. >> Yes. um

264that this protects all parties inside the district, all students here based on how this is written from the state perspective. >> We believe it does. I think we have a twoe window where we can follow up on on your question, Mr. Morris, and have our legal counsel just review it one more time. Um but our first analysis of the language, yes, it is sufficient. >> Okay. >> But we'll follow up and I was just making eye contact with Mr. Pinion. Mr. Pinion if we can make contact with legal counsel. >> So depending on the outcome of legal counsel, this will um come will come back regardless but how it comes back depending on whether legal counsel makes recommendations. >> Thank you for elevating them. >> Thank you. So, we go to we are on D.

265Well, I was just making sure I have it up next. 7440.02 smart monitoring equipment. Do we currently use any of the do we use smart monitors? >> Okay, then I asked up to if we choose to. >> Okay, >> random question on this one and I'm looking here and I sure didn't hear. Are there is there an actual definition for smart sensor technology beyond this? Like this like the way that this is like environmental in here, but can this be other smart tools? We think of the the world of AI that we're in and video facial recognition. All these other things are those smart tools. [clears throat] >> Might need a special specific paragraph on something like that if we're going to include that as a smart tool. about our policies with our personal >>

266because he talks about the the process of environmental information but there is facial recognition >> tools out there now. >> Not that we're using any of them. >> No, we're not using it but uh um I think that definition is something we can look into. Anything else? >> Is this a new This is a new policy. Is it a new Neiola policy? >> Are there other school districts that are currently >> Yes. >> using there there are other districts who are using the the smart monitoring >> with the the vape the vape uh >> tool. It says 2023. I'm always leerary with allowing us to give too much information to law enforcement. So >> that just makes me a little nervous, but I'm sure it's covered in our SRO agreement and >> we definitely want

267to make sure >> I want to make sure >> staying within boundaries of what we've already agreed to with the SRO's law enforcement. So are you suggesting a change to this or are you >> not necessarily just making sure that it aligns with the other policies that go along with it. So RS memorandum of understanding and then I don't policy number. >> Yeah. Okay. So you're looking at that second >> Dr. Dr. Worley. Um this is Jamie director of technology. Uh I I was involved with Dr. Zimmer in helping develop that one as well and the intent behind it truly is for environmental monitoring. Uh other things like facial recognition fall under other categories like AI and uh video security. The definition that's added there was one that we researched and inserted in there so

268that it was specifically addressing environmental systems monitoring of uh air quality you know etc. >> Excellent. Thank you for adding that. So it seems like it's a narrow definition um and the lining. >> Yeah, it's it's more more designed to um there are some security features in there, right? Of course, vape um uh vape sensors would cover that, but there's a lot of operational smart sensors that we use in technology and facilities, you know, just like temperature controls, air quality, etc. And and this policy is designed to cover those. >> Yes. So, as we look at ways to increase our efficiency >> in terms of energy, that's we're doing it at home. we do in the schools. Thank you, Mr. Price, for >> I also don't want this moping or vaping to be perfectly right

269there that >> well that that's very helpful at least for true environmental things that we're talking about devices and not necessarily student things. I think where it called me was the uh information obtained through smart sensor devices maybe used to identify intruders and persons. That's what led me to think is like are these things more that are identifying tracking >> kind of those other elements versus a water sensor or a a CO2 sensor near a bathroom that can catch you know >> the only thing that might clarify that would be possibly the title smart monitoring equipment for you know that might make it even it's I'm not saying we have to do that but it would be one way to make it a little clearer that it's not all inclusive I I think the green

270line really does. But if our minds are wandering as we read it, then one option would be so it could be like smart monitoring equipment for um environmental information or something like that. >> Let the policy committee chew on that >> guide us. Okay. >> Thank you. Yeah, absolutely. So, E, letter E, um, policy 7440.03, small unmanned aircraft systems, >> drones, the Jamie Price special, but this is uh acknowledging the use of drones during high school athletic events and other activities. And and it has to it full circle comes back to at the beginning of the meeting. It has to align with WIA rule >> which I think this this governing body will have larger conversations in the next coming weeks and months ahead. >> So this is only pertaining athletics not at like graduation.

271>> Well WIA has WIA has uh specific rules that we have to adhere to around the use of drones. They're they're very specific around what you can and cannot do. So that's why it it it highlights the WIA in particular, but it's just not athletic events. It's any it's graduation, those types of things. >> Yeah. So it like in that first paragraph there, it's it's saying generally can't use drones unless you have permission. >> So just a question, it's very specific. If the drones are used during high school athletic activities and/or events, we're committing to not using drones at middle school events. Does the andor events qualifies >> the high school? Not >> no. That's a fair I think the way I read that green section, but I would defer to the policy committee. The

272way I read it is if it's going to be used during a high school athletic event, the WIAA has specific rules that we have to follow in their space. But if we wanted to uh use a drone for a Longfellow Whitman soccer game, we can use it as long as there's permission granted before um use and and there are no rules that that are dictating what we can and cannot do um like it is with high school athletics. >> Okay. >> So the WIAA is specific to high school athletics. So that's why it's high school. >> Yeah. >> And and their rules are very restrictive. >> Yeah. Yes. >> So if it's something else, what's the policy that covers drone use >> elsewhere? >> It Yeah. So the so that I think what's the policy

273that covers drone use is in that first paragraph saying it's not permissible unless you have permission. And then in addition to that, if it's for a high school athletic event, >> it has to also meet W. Yeah, >> thank you. That makes it much clearer. >> Good. Yes. >> Doesn't sound like there's a request for changes. I >> think we can all trust superintendent to make good choices regarding the bill. >> Yes. >> Trust the internal administrator for all those things to make. That's always in the sky. Mr. uh Mr. Price on that one. >> I think Jamie, you've used the drone for graduation in the past, have you not, sir? >> Uh, actually, no, we didn't. We did look into it. Um but at the time there was a covenant from the city of

274Wabatossa that we couldn't and that's actually why we added that line at the end to this policy or other applicable government regulations to ensure that we [clears throat] we leave ourselves or we leave room for the city of Wawaossa to also you know be be part of the decision on whether we can use them or not. But we did look at it and unfortunately we couldn't. >> Thank you Jamie. >> All right. Thank you. So we move to letter F review policy 7530.01 cell phone allowance. This is a financial not a discussion of allowing cell phones. anything we need to know, comments or questions from >> I could add one here. I believe one of the reasons it was changed from administration to district staff are there are other qualifications such as nurses that might

275need a phone that aren't administrator by title. >> Thank you. Okay, not hearing any requests for changes. Um, we will move on to our letter G. Our last one for the evening. I wanted to say that make sure I was right. Um, policy 7530.0 02 staff and school officials use of personal communication devices. Any comments or questions from the board? This was basically to make sure that employees that use their personal cell phones to conduct any business those according to um state requirements, >> maintain the documents they need to, the communications they need to and and also yes also makes clear what happens when that employee leaves the district. >> How many employees get a district issued cell phone >> or device? Do they get computers or laptops? >> Everyone receives a a laptop. >>

276To Mr. opinion uh uh point. We initially started uh passing out uh district cell phones to administrators and quickly realized we have a number of employees who are not administrators who should also have a cell phone like in school nurses and others. I I don't have a an actual number of how many people district phone. >> Okay. >> I'm not objecting to that. I don't think anybody should have to use a actually to do business to be fair. I just was wondering when they need that help. >> Okay. >> Uh sorry for jumping in but um this pol this this policy doesn't cover it's not really discussing district issued phones though. >> This is more about personal devices. >> So truly personal communication devices. >> Thank you for that clarification. >> Okay. Well, then >>

277but I do think that's one that staff need to continue to be reminded of. Um, so if you're using your own cell phone to text a parent, >> You have to retain that. And so maybe consider what how much you do with your own cell phone. >> And so that may that may Thank you, Sarah. So that may we make it to a point where we are issuing cell phones to special education teachers for example. So then you can be in better contact with families. So >> okay well on to um number 11 adjourn. Um the time is 1010. Um may I have a motion to adjurnn? Oh, Sarah. >> Hi. Thank you. >> Well, there I move to adjourn. >> May I have a second? Second. >> Thank you, Mr. Wy. >> Miss, please

278call the role. >> Mr. Pinski, >> yes. >> Mr. Bower, >> yes. >> Miss Bach, >> yes. >> Mr. Morris, >> yes. >> Miss Hammer Rand, >> yes. >> Dr. Worley, >> yes. >> Mr. Wadier, >> yes. >> Motion carries. Thank you all for your work tonight. Thank you.