WSD Board Meeting, Regular, April 14 2025

001Good evening everyone. Why would it is exciting to see so many people that we get to honor to start our meeting this evening. Um for those of you who may know what an instant challenge is, there may or may not be one coming up. So, you'll definitely want to be focused and listening carefully on any direction you guys. Yeah, serious stuff. I call the April 14th, 2025 school board meeting to order. It is 6:04 p.m. We are in conference room C of the Fiser Administration building at 12121 West North Avenue. Miss Summers, please call the RO. Mr. Morris here. Dr. Ho, here. Mr. Wigger here. Dr. Worley, here. Miss Himer Rand here, Mr. Meyer here, Dr. Jessa Banker here. We do have forum this evening and thank you everyone for being here. Uh we begin

002with several recognitions. Uh the first is a recognition of Josh Williams for donation to Bright Low Field. Um Bright Low Field is just behind us um in front of the audience behind the board. Uh Dr. Greens, can I ask you to share a little bit about the the name Bright Low Field and where that comes from and anything you want to share about this donation? Phil Brightlo was a courageous, beloved assistant principal at Woles who unfortunately was shot and murdered while protecting students um during his job here in Wal Tulsa. And we've named a community gathering place Red Blo after him. few years ago his family came um to just share with us that it means a great deal to their family that the field is named after Dale. That is the that's the genesis

003of the the field being named after Mr. Brightlo. He was someone who loved all of his students and um I think in a in an era where people view administration as something that is distant and far away, I think Mr. Brightlo is a shining example of those people um in those positions mean something to children and to our community. Thank you. Um Josh Williams, who I believe is in the audience with us this evening, um I could recognize the Eagle Scout attire. Um has as part of your project, do you want to share come to the microphone and just really briefly share what your project is and what you're donating? Um, I plan to build four benches along the pathway so people have enough um, elderly people and people who may not be able to

004walk all the way to the baseball fields. I'm also a part of the Waltosa West baseball team. So, that's another reason why this is important to me. Uh, and I plan to build a sign honoring uh, Mr. Brightlo under or right next to the American flag just because currently there is nothing there kind of explaining why the field is named after him. and I think it's really important. Thank you uh for this incredible contribution to our community. Before we move on, Josh, I just have to say that um I've seen a lot of Eagle Scout projects in my my experience in time. This is the most touching. Um, when I read what you were donating, I I was moved and I hope the community heard him correctly. He's going to build the benches. Uh, which

005is just fascinating. Um, but thank you. Mr. Brightlo's son, uh, is a superintendent. He was here a few years ago and, um, I will, if you don't mind, when you're done, I want to make sure that the family is aware of this and I'll pass it on. But thank you for a fantastic gift to our community. and I hope it's an awesome baseball season as well. Um, we will next be recognizing state qualifying Destination Imagation teams. Uh, and Destination Imagination Film Challenge participants. For those of you listening in the room or listening online, Destination Imagination is particularly outstanding at naming their teams. I'm going to do my very best to not screw these up. Um, so I'll read and share a little bit about the awards. Congratulations to the two Wawaossa School District teams that

006participated in the first ever Destination Imagination Film Challenge. Quote, stealing the show unquote. In an award ceremony streamed on Thursday, December 12th, the team from Roosevelt Elementary took second place at the elementary level for their film The Great Nugget Caper, and received the best award for storytelling. Team Film from Tossa East placed first in the secondary category for The Heist of Larv and won the award for best cinematography. The East team was also singled out by a panel of film professionals from Story Experiential to receive the evening's highest honor honor, the Critics's Choice Award. Congratulations to both of those teams. We are also so proud of the 24 Watossa school district teams that participated in the Wisconsin Southeast regional tournament on March 15th. Special congratulations go to the 12 TOSSA teams that placed in the

007top three in their challenge and age level. All of these teams advanced to the Wisconsin State Tournament on April 5th in Sun Prairie. The first team, the cheesy Beef Stick Boys. They are from Lincoln and performed in the technical. Second team is llamas in pajamas from Lincoln in the scientific. Creative Galaxy Explorers from Lincoln in the scientific. This one's good. Hackin Alpacas making bacon. Wilson W Stem Longfellow and Scientific. Rainbow pets floating through space. Longfellow in ridiculously random brilliant bunch. Jefferson Lincoln Washington and Engineering Circuit Circus Whitman Engineering No Fuzzy Urban Puppies Wilson Improv. The Wonder Bubbles from Lincoln in the Fine Arts. I've been trying to figure out exactly where this name came from for the last week. If anyone can send me an email, let me know. I'd be really curious. Gloria, Whitman

008Scientific. It's got to be a good story there. The crafty kids from Roosevelt in Engineering and going solo longfield SC scientific long. Can each of the young steam focused students rise and bow? and can each of the team managers rise and get a little applause as well. Congratulations to all of you. I'm glad no one got hopefully permanently injured with hot glue guns or anything else. That you had a lot of fun and you learned and persevered and made some good friends. Congratulations to all of you. At some school board meetings that would be enough, but not tonight. We are also recognizing our scholastic art and writing award winners from our secondary schools. Um, Dr. Means, can I turn to you? Can you share a little bit about the degree that you know what these

009awards are and kind of the level of gravitas? Okay. Your national um evaluated uh pieces of art that have been submitted by our our art teachers. Our art teachers work with our students to decide what pieces of art would qualify uh for this this pretty technical and also very um strenuous evaluation process. And so to be recognized uh through this process is it's it's quite an accomplishment. Um, I will read off the names of several of these. Some of the if you look around the room, uh, a lot of I think all of these pieces are former students artwork. Um, and so throughout, uh, the district offices, you'll see a lot of really neat pieces. Um, I was able to look through all of these as were my board colleagues. Uh, this was sent out

010to the district uh, leadership and just an incredible amount of talent. Uh congratulations to the art teachers and instructors uh and everybody who is helping do both the writing preparing students to be excellent writers to be incredible artists creating space for them and the families that support them in these endeavors. Our first one from Longfellow Middle School received the silver key. Priscilla Skyberg Greer um from and I'll read through a few and then pause and you can feel free to clap and cheer and whatever you want. Wawaossa West High School for portfolio awards. Kinley Schmidbower and Sophia Sherry for Silver Key. Evelyn Canavan and Mason Carus. Also for Silver Key, Anna Peckerin, Jorel Peterson, and Ka Sinski. Honorable mention to Kalista Elbert, Felix Picaro, and El Evelyn Anavan from Wawsa East High School for Gold

011Key. Sarah Heimroll, Sophie Ericson, Jillian Rotor, Chris Preszinski, Allison Andrews, Theo Martin, and Joey Isbel. for silver for silver key. Leysa Leash, Emma Kmmyer, Owen O'Neal, Audrey Paxton, Sophie Ericson, Abby Caizer, Kaylee Swinton, Eddie Meyer, Louie Kchner, Lucy, sorry, Lucy Kchner, Anette Hol, Maline Hers, Alex Stober, Eva Schultz, Cat Saffric, Lucy Kchner for a six- piece portfolio, and Chloe Brzinski for a six- piece portfolio. For honorable mention, Sophie Bersbach, Henry Blanchard, Isabelle B. for three awards. Evelyn Eder, Sophie Ericson, Lucia Vienn, Theo Martin, Kylie Brown, Eddie Meyer, Lucy Kchner for three awards, Maline Ko, Ashlin Patch, Cyrus Lucarelli, Eva Schultz, Kaylee Swinton, Sylvia Zner, Cat Safick for two awards, Maline Hitters, Mave Bradway, Jackie Brown, Ryan Kramer, Gainner, Gloria Pabone, Isa Tambolini, Allison Andrews for six piece portfolio. Kamaya Webster for six piece portfolio. Mia

012Rio. Carmen Velier Eris Aras and Rain Wendell. A big congratulations to all of you. Uh are any of our artists or writers in the room this evening? They're in the hall. Are they do they want to come in so we can cheer for them all? Oh, the transition transition. Oh, let's We should ask them to come in. Can all of our artists come in the room? And I apologize so much. It's line all the way across. You can take over art everywhere. Congratulations to all of our members. I would just want to add that um I believe that one of the calling cards of the school district in addition to what we do academically is what we do in the arts both visual and performing arts. And your accomplishments are uh very impressive. We're very

013proud that you're continuing a tradition that we believe deeply in in making sure that we have a platform where students can express themselves in different mediums. So congratulations again everyone who is also very busy and has lots of activities. If you have to step out you're welcome to. We are next going to take we'll pause about two minutes and then we'll do our winter student athletes. Congratulations everyone. Congratulations on Please let me start public comment. [Music] That's a crazy amount of parents. T-shirt that says Coach Julia on the back. I understand. Yeah, this demonstrates how much like parent involvement you have in this community. It's impressive. Um, for the board and the community, we have one more group to honor, but they are they were asked to be here at about 6:35. So, what I'm

014going to do is ask for a motion to do our first 15 minutes of public comment now. Then we'll break to do um the honor the last group and then we'll come back and do our final 15 minutes. So moved. May I have a second? Second. Any more discussion? Seeing none, please call the Mr. Morris. Yes. Dr. Ho, yes. Mr. Wier, yes. Dr. Worley, yes. Miss Hammer Rand, yes. Mr. Meyer, yes. Dr. Jessing, yes. Um, thank you all for your flexibility. Um, we will move forward with 15 minutes of uh, public comment and then we'll do our final 15 minutes after honoring our winter athletes. Is there any public comment this evening? Feel like it'd be really funny if there wasn't. Hi everybody. I didn't uh write anything down this time. What I would like

015to say is kind of in front of the board but more to my community in general or the community in general. I want to talk about the intrad district transfer policy that will be coming up for discussion at some point here and uh staffing decisions and how all of that stuff is going to play out. So, what I basically want to do is connect the decision that the board made last October about open enrollment to the way that in district transfers work. Uh, the community voted to approve a referendum of $64.4 million, an operating referendum to cover a projected deficit that didn't include the cost of drawing down open enrollment. As a result, we're going to face a $ 1.5 million shortfall every year for the next four years, assuming that we continue like a

016100% draw down of open enrollment uh in each of the foregoing years. That's going to create tremendous pressure on staffing. You're going to see a lot of individual classrooms that are sort of waffling. I'm like, is our fourth grade class going to have 29 students or if that gets at one more student, are we going to be able to split into two sections of 15? We're going to see schools having to make decisions about whether to try to uh put fifth and fifth graders into the same classroom and you know do three sections like that. And it's going to be happening every year for the next four years unless uh we make some sorts of policy changes. A couple of things could happen. We could sort of restrict voluntary intradist transfers uh or at least

017limit that. Basically, we've made ourselves less choicy by voting to draw down open enrollment. That also has to apply to us in the district to some degree if we're going to maintain all the elementary schools that we have basically voted to maintain. Or we could more gradually draw down open enrollment than we already are. Say by like 15% a year instead of by 100% in order to maintain some of that staffing flexibility. But I just want to put those issues out there because this is going to be a topic of conversation in the community and whatever we do, I do not love the idea of coming to the school board and asking you to take things away from my neighborhood. I would like to get buy in and a decision about what kind of district

018we want to be, how choicy we want to be, all that kind of stuff before uh it has to come down from the board. I don't know if that was three minutes, but that's Thank you. Oh, and as if I do have a little bit more time to Mr. Meyer, Dr. Hoy, Dr. Jess Anger, I think this is your last meeting. I just wanted to say thank you so much for your service. I know how difficult it is and Mr. Meyer, 20 plus years on the board. Really sincerely, thank you for serving. He would like to have as much time, sir. [Music] Um, let me quickly read and I won't take any time away from you. I normally always read the public comment and I failed to do so in my exuberance this evening. Members

019of the Wawaossa School Board value the input of students, parents, and staff members and community members. The board's regularly scheduled meetings provide an opportunity for opinions and concerns to be expressed publicly. The board values all comments and will respectfully consider this input and decision-making. The board requests that individuals limit their comment on each item three minutes. Following any comment, an individual board member may respond on the issue raised. However, it is not the intent of the public comment portion of the agenda for the board to enter and be made with a member or members of the community. Because non-aggenda items are not publicly posted in advance, no action will be taken on public comment regarding non-aggenda items this evening. Um, just a quick comment. Thank you. Um, Mr. Morris, if you can, and I know

020there was someone else and thank you for your patience. Hi, uh, Katherine Hudson. I have three kids at Washington and I'm the PTA president there. Um I am coming to speak in regards to the staffing proposal that was um put out. I understand that we are in a tough position in terms of finances that it's not necessarily financially responsible to have classes of less than 15 students. Unfortunately, on the flip side, that means that we're ending up with classes of 27 and 28 5-year-olds, which is also not ideal and is not a great learning environment for our students. Um, that being said, the part that I'm the most concerned about and that I would ask the board to challenge the district on is the August 15th deadline. Um, in the staffing proposal, it said that

021after August 15th, no matter how many students are enrolled, they will not add an additional section. Rather, they would give an aid. I feel that this date is extremely early for anyone who has kids that they're enrolling in school. you know that you don't know what you don't know when it's your first child, right? You this date has not been put out to the community at all. So, families are not aware of this. There are many families that are still moving in August and trying to figure out where their kids are going to school, what documents they need in order to register their students for school. and especially with our youngest learners, our JK and SK kids. I think that that date of August 15th is much too early to say we're not going to

022add additional teachers. Um I can speak for myself, my my own kid, I did not my oldest, I did not register until like the week before school started. I didn't know honestly that it was so important to register early. And even in talking to my neighbors um and people people who already have kids in school at Washington who have incoming JK kids, they're like, "Wait a second. Why is it so important to register by August 15th? No one told us this." I have not seen this date put out anywhere previously before I saw this staffing proposal. Um that being said, it kind of speaks to a larger issue that I think we have as a district is that the core problem is resident enrollment. And I think that the board needs to be asking the

023district what they're going to be doing to increase our resident enrollment. I think that we really need to start thinking creatively in terms of reaching out to families that did not choose to enroll their kids in JK. Why are you not enrolling your kids in the district or JK and SK especially? Um, and then also what can we do to reach out to people in our community to make sure that they know about the great things that are happening in our schools because right now I just think there's this lack there's this void, right? That we just assume people will enroll in public school, but we are we're um kind of we're competing with private schools, right? So, we need to really focus our efforts on what is it that we like how do we

024increase that resident enrollment? How do we make sure that people know about KOSA public schools and why they should um enroll their kids? So, the two things I would ask the board just to challenge our district administrators on or that August 15th deadline, maybe I think pushing it to September 1st, fine. After September 1st in the first day of school, we know that there won't be a lot more kids enrolling. Um and then again, what are we going to do so that this does not continue to be an issue? Let's not act, let's not be reactive, but proactive. Thank you. Thank you. Uh my name is Emily Belad. I'm um a Jefferson parent, also the PTA president there. Um speaking today from more of a personal perspective. Um I want to start by first expressing

025my gratitude for all of the board members here today, but particularly those of you whose terms will be ending after today. Um, as my personal involvement in advocacy has grown deeper over the years, I find myself so often reminding other people that I interact with that this role of a schoolboard member is filled by regular people doing extraordinary work. There's no scripts people are following. There's no secret agenda and there's certainly no big payday, but it's an incredibly important job and a great bears great responsibility and you all have my deep appreciation and my deepest gratitude. So, thank you for your time, your service to us and our students and our entire community. Um, I'm going to comment today though in specific regards to the staffing plan that's being presented before you. Um, and the

026non-negotiable requirement listed within that says class classes must have a minimum of 30 students to afford them two sections. A unilateral requirement without further consideration of what got us here is not in line with the ideals of this district nor the desires of the community. I'll be succinct. Jefferson has been systematically disadvantaged by policy. And now, in the name of unilateral equity, we're paying a greater price. The decisions of this board and the boards that have come before you and the policies put forth by this administration and the administrations before you have put our students at a disadvantage. It's beyond time that policy 5120 regarding interdist transfers is due for further analysis and consideration. This year alone, Jefferson saw about 28 students utilize IDT and an additional 44 students utilize choice to another school at

027Wawaossa. That means there are over 70 Jefferson students at a different WSA school this year alone. That's two grade levels. These transfers do not correlate with academic performance. They don't correlate with teacher retention, behavior issues, or any other metric measurable metric. The only only notable correlation is new buildings and not new buildings. New buildings have greater number of students transferring in and older buildings like Jefferson that saw little to no upgrade have more students transferring out. Until we write some of the long-term systematic wrongs that have been done, we cannot demand unilateral equity. Until we do, some of our children and some of our teachers are paying a greater price than the rest. Thank you. Hi everyone. My name is Lindsay Eber and I have two kids at Jefferson. One's in first grade and one's

028in 4K. Um, I'm also here to kind of wrap a little bit of what everyone else was saying uh into like some common themes, but um next year my 4Ker may only have one class versus two um because of these potential staffing um there may be a staffing cut in the for the 5K teacher. Um but really what I'm kind of asking for two things. This is for th those who are staying and those who are incoming. Um, but really what we're looking for is more transparency. I'm someone who stays very informed and yet a lot of this stuff I'm kind of just hearing about, you know, I when I talk to Emily when we, you know, see each other at the playground or something like that. Um, knowing that this is happening because I

029know a lot of people have approached me and are like, "We just passed a referendum. How are we now cutting teachers like we set ourselves up for this?" So in the same vein, asking for creative solutions to complex problems, thinking outside the box as best as we can. And again, this is not acknowledging that you don't do that already, but I'm pushing us to do better because thinking about things versus just no open enrollment. Well, we're going to have consequences to that. There are going to be things that happen because of that. And now we have this $1.5 million we have to come up with every year since then. We value education. We value what you do here. We're here. We're supporting you. Help us help you be more transparent, please. And think outside the

030box. Think about intra district transfers. How do we kind of balance that with the open enrollment? Thinking about how we It doesn't have to be just like one or the other. Think about the August 15th date. think about um you know right now I know that it's a specific number of students that have to have two teachers versus one. Well, we know that not every student is the same and different students have different needs. So just because my son's class would have less students in it doesn't mean they don't have a lot of needs. So thinking outside the box to try to solve these problems and being transparent with why this is going on um with those who you know are interested which is all of us and again just like working with us to

031to be able to support you because what I worry is when these things keep coming up like hey we were there we were there for the referendum I was footing signs out there I was knocking on doors our community values that but I worry if we don't continue thinking thinking outside the box, thinking about these complex problems, thinking about the consequences to some of the decisions like the enroll open enrollment, we're going to lose that trust in the community. It's not that they don't value it, but we're going to lose it. So, anyway, I'll get off my soap box. Thank you for all that you do. Again, I know this is not easy and I appreciate what you do, but let's I know we can do better. So, thank you. Thank you. Mary Joe Randall.

032Um I've I've been in this room as um a parent now a grandparent, an employee, a long-term board member. Um I have lots of thoughts on on this enrollment and in particular the interd district chancer. But um that's not why I'm here tonight. Uh tonight I am here for my friend and former colleague on the board Mike Meyer um who is completing 22 years I believe. Mike um we agreed on a lot of things. We had some very um active disagreements over the years. But um I will say that Mike has always been an example of a student, excuse me, a servant leader. And um I appreciated his guidance, his counsel, um his time. Mike um was there for staff, parents, students, always. Um and I just am here to say thank you and I

033appreciate all of your work. Got probably time for one more before we honor our student athletes. Mr. Dr. Joseph Rainer. Yes. I I don't want us to lose too much space before you go to the next comments. I I want to have the ability to address a few items. [Music] One, the reason why we set the August 15th time frame for hiring or not hiring teachers is because in the field of education, when you hire late summer teachers, the quality of those individuals are not as strong as it is earlier in the summer. It's not that we're opposed to splitting those sections, but we have found that in some instances when we hire staff members later in the summer that the the consequence then is that we have performance issues on the back end and

034then it eventually hurts students. So that's number one. Number two, it is I think someone said earlier that these are complicated complex issues. It's even more complex when there is a strong call from the community to eliminate district administration to do things like generating more resident enrollment. We can't do everything. you on one hand people say reduce Fiser and reduce administration on the other hand people are asking we want more done with the people who are at Fiser and and and these are complicated complex issues. It would be advantageous to the types of things that people want from our community if there was also advocacy for all work groups in our district. Which leads me to the next item. This is a choice district and we're trying to untangle, as it was mentioned earlier, we're

035trying to untangle a history, decades long history of creating choice. Tomorrow night, I have a meeting with a group of parents who want to try they they want to maintain their charter school if possible. We have a monastery school downstairs. We have an interd district transfer policy that is very liberal and and that all happened not when I arrived that was here well before I was here and well before even Mr. Meyer even 22 years ago that policy 5120 was in place. So I share all these things to say I think we are trying to be as transparent as possible. The fact that we and I appreciate Miss Elazoski and I and our team, we discussed the fact that we place our principles in a very difficult spot when we try to hire late teachers

036because typically in the field of education when you hire when teachers are even available for a job in late August, that's a red flag in itself. Um, and the the one last thing I would say is this, because open enrollment was mentioned, within my first 90 days on this job, I had a community me. And I'll never forget, there was an open enrollment mother who said she did not feel like she was welcomed at Jefferson. If we're embracing open enrollment for the purity of open enrollment, then let's do it. But and I think that's going to it's going to require a community conversation because we took a a community survey and the community survey data was fairly clear. People said pull back on open enrollment. If we truly so when we talk about transparency then

037we have to talk about transparency in terms of why we want open enrollment as well. There's some schools in our district that when I look back on our resident numbers we've been back filling those schools to create numbers of sanctions for not just this past year but for for a long time. And so what I would just respectfully ask the community to think about is when we think about open enrollment, let's be transparent and also welcome all those families. Not because we want to create lower class sizes for our resident students, but because we truly believe in the mission of open enrollment. I share a lot of I share all of these different things to say that this is complex and none of us go into leadership to try to create the halves or have

038nots. We're trying to find artful ways of handling things that's before us. But that referendum that passed in November, it was not a panacea. It did not mean that we were never going to have any further financial issue. that that was never the promise. It was meant to tell our community that if we didn't pass the referendum, it would have been a lot worse, but it was never meant to say that we're going to always have the number of sections we always want. There's there will always with any staffing situation, there will always be a class that has a higher number than someone else. Always. And and and there's no dollar amount that will ever solve it. Thank you for the opportunity. I'm going to pause public comment at this time. Um we'll take another

039up to 15 minutes afterwards. Are any of our student athletes in the room with us or is anyone outside? Grab seats if you'd like. I don't think coach Mur let them sit down. So that'sough stuff. I were they weren't quiet in Green Bay a few weeks ago. I uh just before you was a small army of first through middle schoolers that were very excited and so there we were just commenting that you're much quieter than second graders maybe hopped up on post school candy. Um I'm going to go through uh several of our our winter student athletes. Uh, and what I would say is what an incredible year so far. Uh, the fall, it was an incredible sports season. Hard to beat all the great things happening across the district this fall. Winter certainly did.

040Um it I I remember sitting in December watching uh there was a back-to-back boys and girls basketball games at East and remember thinking are we watching two possible state championship teams in in this room. Um and it was really exciting to see it come to fruition. Um we have a couple teams uh that have uh young student athletes that are combined. Uh boys hockey is one of those teams. both Wawaossa East and Wawaossa West. Uh, and the boys hockey team also plays with several other teams on the west side of Milwaukee and the Metropolit area. They made it to the state tournament this year. Uh, student athletes that we want to honor from Kosa West are Brady Ferrell and Preston Slater. And from East, Jack Templeton, Colin Mayor, and Pierce Mayer. Congratulations. Our wrestling teams

041are also combined. Um, and from wrestling we have Mark from Wakosa West, Marcus Fletcher, Kira Simpson, Alli Baker, Adra, and then from East Advian Jones, and Nathan Milky. Congratulations. from our ski team. I mean, we have covered the gamut of just about everything today. Uh, from arts to writing to, uh, DI to wrestling and ski team is is a fun one to include. Uh, Jack Hanks, Wawaossa West. Uh, first time in the history of the school, the 2025 state champions, um, made a great run to Madison this year. Uh team members include Max Gagan, DJ Hennings, Jake Hansen, Steven Wright, Roman Long, Kase Mangum, Jake Ibracowski, Matthew Klosski, Messiah Chambers, Jaylen Brown, Kaden Parker, and William Mortal. Congratulations. and from Wawaossa East. Girls basketball. Um I have been telling folks I've never seen a team

042that remains so calm at all times. It's almost eerie that you never get two up and two down. Um it was fun to see the emotion come out after winning that game. Um the girls basketball team at Tossa East, the 2025 state champions. Uh, Coach Mary Merg, Malia Taylor, Emma Close, McKenzie Hawk, Lindia Kumbal, Kumbala, Satie Kubaki, Ellie Podulko, Ellie Depra, Abigail Gistler, Ma Litza, Cassie Kray, Evelyn Anzac, and Audrey Celinger, and Faith Trader Manager. Congratulations Do any of our state athletes want to share any memories from your time playing sports in WawaSa? You're welcome to pop up to the mic if there's anything you want to to reflect on or share or thank a coach or a teacher or parents. I would like I feel like Cassie Elise is gonna I would say my

043favorite memory was our West Salem trip that we took this year. Um I think we had a lot of fun like in the hotel. It was very crazy. Yeah. But I think it was a good bonding experience for everybody. It was really fun. Yeah, I would say that was also other than state, that was probably also my favorite. I think it like definitely got us ready for state cuz road trip and then practice and spend the night and state was so much fun. So I say those two. Yeah. Congratulations to all of you. It is so fun to watch our student athletes and our musicians and artists compete and do the things that you love. Uh and I know for parents it's always bittersweet because there comes a time where you if you don't go

044on to college and play that you you're done. And um it's just fun to see you continue to grow as young athletes uh and and do those do those things. any comments or anything my colleagues on the board want to share about these honors or those that we did before? I want to just thank all of our uh student athletes over both the fall and winter seasons. Um, as a former high school principal, I can tell you that I think when you have a good fall that starts the school year well, but those of you in the room as student athletes, you know, the winter season is the longest of the seasons. And there was a there was a lot to be proud of. Um, Dennis McBride could not contain himself when he found out

045that while East girls won the state championship, he was so proud. Um and uh this next week, Tuesday, he will be um again honoring another state championship team with our our boys uh team over at Waltosa West. But um the the sense of community pride that you've created and and we started the the meeting purposefully by identifying our because these are great students as well. They are truly the example student athletes. Um but what we do with creating a level of uh curiosity and imagination in our students through DI through the arts and the type of community pride that we create through athletic competition. It's just something we're very proud of. I would be remiss if I just didn't have I know coach is here. If coach M, if I know you probably didn't expect

046to say anything, but if you in talking with you, if you could just come up and talk about the specialness of this group. Um, I didn't even see her hiding back there. Oh, yeah. She's here. She's in the house. Um, yeah, I think this group was really special. Um, you know, every if you're a coach, every year is different. Every team's different, every season's different, much like a school year, right? And so going into the season there was a lot of expectations and that's something historically we have never really had expectations on us before. So um I told the girls at the beginning of the season either you own the pressure or the pressure owns you and that's something that we really lived by and you can tell they're just cool calm collected on the

047court. Um not too much for me on the sideline most times. Um but yeah this is a extraordinary team. um one of the best, maybe the best ever come through TOSA and they did it together and it was never a oneperson show. They're very selfless leaders. They're work hard in their academics. I think our team GPA combined was a 37 something. Um, so they're just great kids and as a parent, as a community member, obviously you want us to be great athletes, but they're also even better great people and I'm really proud of them and they know that and they're great representations for TOSA East. So, thank you. Last chance to give a speech. If not, have a great rest of your week. enjoy the long weekend and congratulate congratulations to all of the athletes

048who were able to join us this evening uh for your incredible accomplishments. We also I just as people are walking on we also had uh wrestlers who u qualified for state. I mean, there were just a lot of exemplary student athletes who qualified and and um did some amazing things u during the winter season. So, I just I want to make sure that we acknowledge not just the teams and the student athletes who captured the the press, but there were we had a lot of young people who did amazing things throughout throughout this last season. I think we may have someone who's actually here. Come on up. Come on up. I'll share your name and what how you what you accomplished this season. Uh, hi, I'm Ally Baker and I qualified for the 126 weight

049category for girls wrestling for state. Yes. We're so proud of you and I think you also had another teammate that that qualified for state as well. My friend Kira Simpson. Yes, it is. As you know, to to be a female wrestler and that that sport is is difficult enough, but to qualify for the state tournament is something that I knew happened and was very proud of. And um we just want to say thank you. you have to show a level of uh commitment to stay with the sport, but then the excellence that you demonstrated this year and your your your teammate demonstrated this year on behalf of our community is something that we're we're equally as proud as any state champion. The fact that you qual there are a lot of there are thousands of

050student athletes who participate every year and never qualify for state. The fact that you you you have that accomplishment is something that you should be very proud of. Thank you. Oh, thank you. Thank you. We are now going to return to the last half of our public comment. Uh Jamie, I don't see anybody whose hands are raised online. So, I'm going to go to Now I do see one. Uh we'll take our public comment online and then we'll come back to the room this evening. Okay, Todd, you have the microphone. All right. Uh, can you hear me? Yes. Okay. Um, I just wanted to kind of speak on a couple of comments that have have come earlier. Um, there's one about the community voting not to close elementary schools. I think that's absolutely false. There

051has been no such vote. I think any survey or anything like that. Certainly the 2075 task force indicated most of the or a majority of the community would be interested in at least exploring that. Um but it does it does seem like that's been tabled since uh communications went out to the two elementary schools that um are probably more likely than others uh to be closed and there was an uproar and that seemed to take elementary schools off the table. Um, but I don't believe there's been any certainly no vote, but I don't think any survey any indicators that that say outside of that that say that the community is completely uninterested in closing elementary schools. Um, also regarding open enrollment, um, there was feedback that we wanted open enrollment to be drawn down, not

052utilized as heavily as it was. Um, I can only speak for myself when I say this because the numbers dictated that the way we were using it was more costly than than was intended. Um, but at no point was I suggesting that open enrollment should be ended completely. I I was kind of surprised when I heard that it was a 100% draw down. Um, that doesn't make sense to me because that utilizing open enrollment to fill seats that would go empty without increasing uh the number of sections. um is is the what I view the purpose largely to be. Um are there other benefits to open enrollment? Sure. Um but from a financial perspective um I'm I'm kind of unclear as why we would draw down 100%. Um I think uh when we talked about,

053you know, someone questioned why we passed a referendum and and then we're turning around and cutting teachers. Um, I think I'm not alone in the community thinking part of that's because the district has priorities that are a skew from maybe what we feel they should be. Um, and that kind of ties into the comment that was made about getting resident students to enroll in public schools. I mean, again, it just I think a big part of that is is a disconnect between some of what the community wants and some of what the district and the board have indicated that they want. Um, I can tell you after this most recent school board election, our family is looking at at other options outside of the district. Um, because we don't feel like, frankly, our our what

054we think priorities should be um are even entertained. Um, we know for a fact at least one school board member uh doesn't believe she represents the whole district. Um, you have a schoolboard member that goes online And Mr. Kaylor, your time. Okay. Seeing no other hands raised online, any final comments in the room this evening. Let me say something from the policy committee perspective. I just want I just want to remind community and um board members that we have a policy about open enrollment and it follows the state rules that we must have a predictable legally we have to have a predictable and regular process to determine our numbers for open enrollment. We have to be consistent about it and people have to know what it is. And so um two years ago the policy

055committee worked through um with the staff um and board members to have a approach that there would be either minimum class size, minimum numbers, mid or max and that we would have this consistent approach and setting the numbers each year. the staff would work on that and this and that each time year it is presented and so um I want to say it's not just this board suddenly decided not to have open enrollment we have a consistent approach and what we did decide to do is to go with the minimum this year um we have had a lot of open enrollment the community has spoken about that and concerns about that so we um as a board felt that the way that the that we wanted to draw down so if you look at a

056a zero number of seats this year. It's being calculated on the data that there just aren't spaces in the classrooms that we have. And absolutely, if we have years when there are spaces that will not immediately put us at risk to immediately create or very quickly create second classrooms, there will be open enrollment numbers. So, it's not that we changed our policy and got rid of open enrollment. And I just want people to be really clear about that. We have a lot of open enrollment commi compared to peers. I'm I'm a strong advocate of districts having it, but I felt we had to write the ship. And I think the policy committee felt that too. We had to get to a space where we could make these decisions and to start in that direction because

057of the numbers we have coming in and the numbers that we have staying because we don't take students out um partway through their time here. There aren't there are zero seats available. But that was carefully calculated through the policy and un and and in alignment with what DPI and the state law expects us to do. So I just want to be really clear that this wasn't like a shift change that we suddenly all had a different opinion um about what should happen. We're trying to be very consistent and transparent about how we set those open enrollment numbers each year. I Dr. Worley I thank you. I I think candidly your your comments are are very timely. I wanted to check in with Mr. opinion because can you recall we are agenda for this open enrollment

058discussion got to be a very long discussion and that there is the correct factual inaccuracies such as the notion that there was a 100% decision to 100% draw down open enrollment. We corrected that error and then the whole policy discussion about open enrollment is a very long conversation I and to be fair sigh right you know it you corrected the factual error it is not that's all I was trying to make people are choices involved complicated and we can talk about how we went from K5 to K6 and what that means. There's a lot a lot of things here and we could talk a long time and if we're going to talk about it we should talk a long time but we are in agenda for this tonight that you corrected factual errors. I I

059do appreciate that but Sai I know this would be a real long conversation. Oh I totally agree. I wasn't trying to start a conversation. I know that I'm just trying bringing more people in and then more people will need to talk and I'll be inclined to start talking and Lauren knows thank you name Lauren Bane I I I Mr. I don't want to start. I don't want to start. I just want to add that the policy committee worked with legal counsel. That's all I want to share. And that the way we were the the policy committee did the right work in modifying the open enrollment policy to make sure that we were following the legal way that it was supposed to be applied. So there to Dr. Willy's point, there is no new changes. We're

060simply following the way the state uh department of public uh instruction in the law is bestes to follow it now under the staffing plan discussion. Sure. Yes. Yeah. I'm sorry. Sorry. Just trying to help. Uh any final public comment this evening? Seeing none, I will close public comment. Thank you all. Uh we will now move into our consent agenda. Are there any items in the consent agenda which board members would like to remove for separate discussion action? Um not not to remove it, but uh I would ask if Dr. Worley would um explain um for the public uh why we have policy uh in the consent agenda and we are voting on that and could be multiple ones and uh we you know continue to get questions about how are all these things voted on

061all at once and in that consent agenda and just trying to again be transparent and make sure everyone understands the process that all these things go through before they get on that consent agenda. Great question. So, I'll make it really quick. Um, it's on the consent agenda because it went to the policy committee, the staff and or andor a community member and or somebody wanted it looked at or it needed to be looked at by changes in the law. It went to committee. Then it came here for what we call a first read. At the first read, board members had an opportunity. They had ahead of time. So, the community to comment on it. There were not comments. And so what we've been doing to try to get through the thousands and feels like thousands

062of policies that need to be updated, it's probably hundreds, but feels like thousands. Um is that we have been um and this is very standard um we have been then taking if there's no requests for changes and none come in before the next policy meeting, then we take that policy and put it on the consent agenda because we've heard nothing. We have a couple of examples tonight where the board didn't ask for anything at least one but something came in um in between. So it's always gone to committee then board for discussion with community aware and able to see it on the agenda and then back to committee and then um if it doesn't have comments by that point that would have us change anything then we would put it on the consent agenda. Any

063additional board comments or actually any additional request to possibly remove anything from the consent agenda? Seeing none, Mr. Morris. It is recommended that school board approve the consent agenda and I so move. Thank you. May I have a second? Second, Mr. Water. Any board discussion on the consent agenda? Is that a comment on the gifts? I don't know if anybody's seen it, but we had two students um two a former student and a current student who gave a gift this week or that was on the agenda for the week. So, I think that is a testament to how amazing our students are and how much um they appreciate their experiences in our district. Seeing no others, please call. Mr. Morris, yes. Dr. Hoy, yes. Mr. Wadier, yes. Dr. Bley, yes. Yes, Miss Himer Rand. Yes.

064Mr. Meyer, yes. Dr. Jesser, yes. And the consent agenda passes. Thank you all. Next up is number five, strategic goal for high quality staff. A presentation of preliminary 256 staffing plans, teacher and educational operational. Uh no for the community this is a uh presentation and discussion this evening. The board will not be taking any action. Good evening Miss Salasi. Um I'm pleased um to share with you um the preliminary staffing proposal for the 2526 school year. Um as um as we have in the past um a lot of work goes into um the um the proposal. Um it is the culmination of uh literally months of work with our principles uh with our um families going all the way back to student registration that takes place uh in January. Um and um the result is

065what we're bringing forward this evening. Um, please note that um the the preliminary proposal that's coming before you this evening still needs to um have its uh eyes dotted and tees crossed uh related to uh FTE connections with staff assignments that are still underway. Um, but I would also elevate um, you know, as we just spent some time talking about our interd district transfer policy um, that uh, Luke's team and the division of people and family supports um, has been um, a great support. Um, we've already met and reviewed um, quite a number of interdist transfer requests uh, not just elementary from across the district. Um and so what you're seeing this evening uh includes um uh much more work um in that regard than we've been able to provide in the past. Uh so

066to jump into um uh the presentation um really the the staffing proposal is based on a financial plan uh that we have in the organization and so a lot of work with Scott uh and Dr. means in terms of um uh what are we funding? Uh 70% of our budget um is um it goes towards uh the staff that educate our students. Um it also is um requiring us to have an academic plan. What are we offering for um academic programs and services? What does intervention look like? Um knowing that there are um a number of pieces of information that will finalize some staff assignments especially related to like academic specialists who provide intervention, things like that. So, um there are some pieces that are flexible and some pieces that are fairly well fixed. And

067then finally, um this leads us to our staffing, excuse me, our hiring plan for who we're bringing into the organization. Um what does that look like for next year as well? So, um so this brings together many pieces in the organization. Um in preparation uh for tonight's conversation, uh you had access to um the pre preliminary staffing plans for both teachers as well as support staff. Um there is much more information within those spreadsheets um that we'll flesh out and have access to as the process unfolds. Um and they're linked here as well. Um uh there have has already been quite a bit of conversation uh related to class sizes um and uh what that looks like not just for next year um but what is our uh theory of action related to class sizes

068and our class size ranges. How do we deploy staffing that is both um academically and socially emotionally supportive of students growing as well as financially responsible? Um uh this particular snapshot shows you last three years, what our actual class sizes have been and what the projected class size are uh right now for next year. Um as you can see um uh there is uh there's a slight increase actually at grade five um in terms of average class size um but really class sizes again what they're projected to be right now are less than or very comparable um to years previous from an elementary perspective. And then you see the same perspective um also at middle school and high school. Uh it's important to note that um middle school class sizes um enrollment is actually increasing

069a bit um and high school class sizes um are um are staying flat um at both at the high school level for at least for next year. And so you see very minimal change in class sizes even though we are making some adjustments with FTE. Um for from an FTE perspective um I was tasked with reducing 15 FTE. Uh this is generally how that FTE is divided. Uh obviously lower enrollment at the elementary level. Um secondary some reductions as well as districtwide again based on staffing changes and working with our academic performance and pup and family supports teams where the majority of our staff are. Um, next steps, as I mentioned, will be finalizing teacher assignments, um, uh, as well as then support staff assignments, um, looking at and bringing to you a proposal for

070employee compensation for the 2526 school year. Uh, then, uh, by miday, we'll be ready to go with teacher contracts and letters of reasonable assurance for our non-eing positions. Uh, and that should pretty well take us into the summer. Uh in the meantime, hiring vacant positions uh and working with our teams again just to finalize um all of the all of the uh the pieces that are important to our staff members along the way. So, I have a few follow-up questions. You said you were tasked with reducing 15 FTE. Why? Uh the 15 FTE reduction uh is a um a factor of uh reduced open enrollment seats and lower enrollment and b so that I would have a contingency of FTE um that I could deploy in areas of need as they developed over the summer.

071Thank you. and the concept of requiring a minimum a class minimum of of 15. Why why would a school district need to have a class-siz minimum? Um so class- size minimums um in in my experience in human resources are uh are both necessary um and very important not only at the elementary level um but at the secondary level as well. Um really the minimum class size is seen again from a financial standpoint, what the organization can st sustain uh based on its full financial perspective um and um also from an uh instructional uh learning standpoint um what it wants to offer um the the community um that we serve. And so in Wawaossa, small class sizes are important. Um uh board members may remember from this past fall um that uh we were we developed

072some comparisons with other Milwaukee area school districts. Wawaossa has the smallest class sizes of any surrounding school district. The smallest. Yes. Yes. Um a and um I would argue so the class size of 15 um is as small as I've seen uh in terms of my history in staffing school districts. Um and many organizations have class size minimums much higher than that. Um so a class size minimum of 20 uh for for SK JK is very reasonable in other organizations. Um but I we are operating with a class size minimum of 15. So it's as usual and customary to have some type of some type of minimum to just set sections. It would be it would be more odd if we did not have any uh minimum class size. We have to operate with some

073minimum class size to my question for now is this. But that 15 that's not for all classes. There are certain there's certain grade levels and courses where we go lowered than the 15. Could you please speak to that issue? Yep. So, we have identified in Wawaossa that um that JK classes that we would run at a minimum of 12, though that's not our preference. Um we will go ahead and run at a minimum of 12 or a total of 24 students um to offer two sections. Um at the secondary level um we refer to capstone courses where students have persisted through multiple levels of a course in order to reach a culminating experience. And so those class sizes uh we would also consider to be less than 15 to be able to offer for those

074particular students in in my 20some years in public school HR. Those are very typical and appropriate decisions to be making while each school district is going to set their threshold a bit differently. questions for my colleagues. Just a comment about the secondary offerings where enrollment might be less than 15 such as with the capstone classes and I can think of other types of courses as well that have become part of the wobbossa identity so to speak. If if we go, you know, if if we set a class size minimum in fifth grade, we don't eliminate all the fifth grades when we drop below the minimum. But in high school, if you eliminate a single section, we don't have that course anywhere anymore. And those students might choose to go to a different school system or

075to go to a private school. So we have to be very careful and I see that you are that we don't become sort of the proverbial pennywise and pound foolish that you know because we don't offer a section of something a single section with 12 kids. Well, we lose those 12 kids or some of them and multiply that times the four-year cycle and you start to see it could cost us more money than what we're saving. I my one of my final words here I do appreciate that you are taking that into consideration in order to sustain enrollment in the building as well which so class size there is not the only consideration sustaining enrollment in the high school is an important consideration as well and I see you are looking at that thank you

076thank you um Dr. means um president uh to anger. I guess I would add one piece. Um when I came to the Wawaossa school district um I can remember very vividly having conversations about like how our like how decisions were made related to staffing and I can remember Dr. Means in particular a conversation about class sizes. Um, I I introduced and recommended that we have staffing plans that demonstrate how class sizes compare across buildings and across grade levels and even at the secondary level. That was not something that existed um prior to the 2022 23 school year, at least not in recent memory. Now, I share that to say that um that I've I've had lots of conversations with families and principles and and school staff over time about what we decide class sizes are.

077Um I also again would um would just highlight the fact that um that the authenticity of what our class sizes are and um and and how they change and how they evolve over a hiring season or a school year planning season. that is something that I believe very much in as does our entire um leadership team. Um and those things were not always as readily available um as they are now. So I I do understand a bit why there's more conversation about that. I think there were greater discrepancies as I look back to see to see what class sizes were um before before I got started in terms of developing staffing plans. This is the most cohesive they have ever been. My first year here, we didn't have a document where a a parent could

078look at the staffing plan that we proposed. Now, Mr. Meyer and others in the audience may remember years ago there was something called a staffing book that was very similar to what has been. So, there was a history of that level of transparency. It wasn't here when I arrived. It definitely wasn't here when Miss Zazoski arrived. So, I appreciate the fact that there are more families who are paying attention and they have access to the information, but seven years ago, there was that the level of scrutiny that we are now able to provide to the stabbing plan wasn't even available um for for the community to to even dig into. So, thank you, Sarah, for your your diligence. And and also I want to thank the the principles u because this staffing and we didn't

079we didn't do justice to this but the staffing process starts technically as soon as the third Friday is over um and solidified in October. We start that process. This is this has been a long it we just didn't do it over the last month or so. This has been at least a six-month process. Um so I just want to start by thanking you. I really appreciate the thoughtfulness that you've given to the staffing plan. I know these are really tough decisions. Um, but I do think we have a call to also be fiscally responsible. Um, but I appreciate that there is some flexibility at the level of individual school and kind of being able to make some of those decisions about how they want to handle it if they're kind of on a on a

080cusp of one class size or another. Um, so there was some questions about how like how families will find out about this and the need to have families enroll as soon as possible or at least to enroll before mid August. So can you talk about how that information will get out um and if there are anything anything that like a community member or a PTO could do to help share that information? Sure. Um, I I am uh in answering all of your question, Dr. Hoy, I would start to get um get off my skis or ahead of my own skis because I'm not the expert in terms of communications in those things. Um, but um uh Jesse Tuttle, our communications director, um I know is um is working hard to go ahead and make sure

081that there are communications materials out um and that information is getting out. I I don't know all of what that looks like. I would highlight though that in the past three years there has been a much greater effort to make school registration and enrollment um much more widely known in the community. There are specific events that happen um in the winter. Um there is a registration push um over the summer. Those things were not in place uh a number of years ago. And so I think uh organizationally we are absolutely elevating those things for our community members. Um, Katherine, I um I appreciate your comments about registering the week before school. Had I not been a school employee when my kids were little, I wouldn't have known what to do either. Um, so um I

082think that um I know that there is great effort in that space. Dr. Means, if you want to comment more specifically. I have a couple items. One, we continue to try to work with our our our parent groups to let them know that registration is important. We're we're trying to move up to date. We've been working with uh with uh Miss Lindseay White, our our director of data analytics, but she also see oversees our registration process to get that information out sooner so people can do it online. Um but our building principles know they knew their numbers. They they know their numbers right now. In fact, I had a I had a meeting with a principal last week and Thursday who said to to me that that person understood where their numbers were and that

083it was just he was planning to go into the neighborhood and knock on doors. That principal said, "I understand what my numbers are and my plan is to go doortodoor." His request to me was not to give them another section. His request to me was I may need uh district swag um to to help people make a decision and I may need a district van. Everything else I'll take care of. And I think that's the level of partnership we're going to need. And again, I made the statement earlier. I understand that there isn't a home for district administrators. And so that in any district, that is the first place that people will go to and say, "Well, cut that place." But when people then the just position to that argument is, but then we want

084we we want a lot of different services from that same place. And you we can't do both. And so we would love to have more of a community ground swelling of of generating um resident enrollment, but we've just identified to administrators, we're cutting. We we just made those cuts. We've told those people that you will not have a job. And that's based on what the community told us they wanted to see happen. if we hadn't cut those positions, I could go to one of those two people to say, "We need help. This is your new job now." And and so those are those are the consequences when we when we make these these types of decisions. But that's a long answer to Dr. Hoy. Um I know that principles who are on that edge of

085of uh of resident enrollment, they are they're they're deciding to go doortodoor. And it's really important that we make registration um something that's important in our community that people register as soon as they can. Those are and Miss Tuttle to Miss Ellisk's point, Miss Tuttle will make sure that that message is loud and clear um so we can we can generate things. But I we have a district where we're going to have to shift and and the the the shift is we we've locked in on being a neighborhood school district for our elementary schools. So then that means our policies and how we we treat our the the number of staff members we dedicate to certain schools and how many special schools we all those different things. they tie into to one another because you

086draw off of one another and it it does create pockets of instability with staffing and and so when you when we look at numbers and we see that a school like Jefferson has 44 kids who are in the district they just go to different places that that is that's that's an entire grade level for a school of Jefferson size and and it's just not Jefferson I mean I can look Eisenhower has I think nearly 70 kids at Monasuri and it it's all around the district. I think what we have to stop doing is siphoning off one another and and and if we're going to if we're making the commitment to being a neighborhood school at the elementary level, then then let's live it. Um so that's a very long answer to a very succinct question

087that you I apologize. Well, I appreciate that. I I have a follow-up question and I think this is more specific for like our new students and primarily like JK students. We've talked before a lot about how do we get families to come here? How do we make sure they know? And I know you're doing like the lights on events and some of that which is great. I think one of the things we've talked about and I I just want to see if there's been any headway is how do we even know who's in our community to know to target them? So, it's not like we could say like everybody who has a three-year-old, let's send them a flyer. At least as of a year ago, we didn't know who had three-year-olds because we didn't have

088like a community database of our whole of all of Wawaossa. So, I'm just going to Where are we? Are we any closer with No. Okay. So, typically in most communities and communities that I've led in the past, there's a level of collaboration with the the city government in the school district to do some type of survey where you get a senses of your zero to four year olds in your community. Uh, I know that the city of Altosa has indicated that they're interested in some type of survey of that sort, but at at this point in time, we don't have a census of giving us the ability to account for some level of a projection of how many zero to foury old children live in Waltosa. Okay. And then this is more of a statement

089and it's really about those next steps that you talked about Miss Elazoski only because I won't be here by the time you get to those next steps which is um I ask that we think about how do we have transparency with our educators about their benefit pay plan and whether it might be in flux before they have to sign their contracts. I know sometime like it doesn't always line up timewise but at least if we can have transparency that there might be some changes coming. Thank you. Of course. Otherwise questions. As you were going through the projected um cuts to FTEES, my memory is that there was uh a number in elementary, a couple in secondary, and then one that was listed under district. Um can you help me understand exactly where that's coming from?

090Whether it's administrators, workers in Fiser, what exactly that means for the district? Yeah. Uh thank you for the question. So um district level positions um one example is um a speech and language therapist. Um the number of students who qualify for speech and language services is substantially fewer for this next year than it has been in the past. So that decision was made with the um director of special education related to those services. Um another FTE or another position is um is a technology specialist um that we are we are not replacing. Um, another position again based on enrollment changes is a part-time school nurse. Um, and and then um uh another position uh again they're identified as district because they're the perspective on why we have those positions is like is districtwide enrollment or

091other reasons. Another another position is a school growth coordinator uh which is a a district level position that supports um the um instruction and intervention and academic um uh or uh growth development formerly gifted and talented services. Um so that position again is um a district level position that we are reducing to make room for the others. Thank you. You're welcome. Um on that same point in the proposal you have listed out the the district FTEES that will be cut. Um and Dr. means mentioned that there will be administrators in elementary and secondary. Um are all of those well first of all where are those administrators being cut? And second are all of those who aren't administrators are those direct teacher positions. Uh I'm going to start with the first part and then make sure

092I'm understanding the second part. Um, so the administrator reductions because of the nature of administrator contracts, um, they're different than teacher contracts. They're two-year contracts. And so, um, what the the work that has been done thus far is to go ahead and make those decisions and make those notifications to individuals who whose contracts extend through June of 2026. So, those positions will actually be reductions for the 2627 school year. um again just because of the nature of how the contracts work. So those will um uh those will be part of next year's planning for the following year. Um your second question um could could you try maybe rephrasing that for me? Yeah. So I guess if I understand this correctly, someone who is like a special education specialist is a district is considered a district

093rather than primary or secondary and I I would imagine other similar specialists um are also considered district. Would that therefore mean that all of these FTEEs counted for elementary and secondary are just traditional teachers? Thank you. Very good job of rephrasing. Um yes. Um in the uh the elementary and secondary reductions are um our teaching positions uh student facing of the district positions. Um, off the top of my head, um, I believe the only one that is studentf facing would be a speech and language therapist, but those are allocated at the district level. Um, not not assigned, you know, they follow specific students. The other positions are non- studentent facing. Okay. And then how do you determine when you when you have to cut like a certain number of FTEES like just looking at elementary

094and secondary, how do you determine um where to cut? Yeah. Um so I I would love to show you all of my spreadsheets. Um but but it's not it is also not just about spreadsheets as well. So um so we start there, right? So we looked at enrollment projections in January um to go ahead and meet the state compliance for determining open enrollment seats. So once once we do that um then I start using that enrollment projection to move forward. And so for instance um this past year I believe there were um 23 or 24 JK students for instance um at Jefferson. Um, and so we take that number and roll it up to SK. Uh, and then we look at the class size ranges for SK and say, okay, how many are persisting to

095next year? You know, what are the what are the ranges and how many sections are we going to need? Um, and part of why uh we're seeing some changes based on the numbers of sections is that um as uh students metriculate through grade levels, those thresholds for class sizes generally increase. And so for instance, you'd have a smaller threshold for SK than you would for fourth grade. Um so that that is part of the decision is just looking at how many students and then how many sections we're going to have and then doing that across all of our schools. So um many of those elementary FTE reductions are coming from those changes in what we what we predict to be class sizes that are generally fairly stable. Um but we do have some uh we

096tend to have some new enrollments over the summer uh at the secondary level. Um really it is um taking a look at um registrations from students um and looking at you know what courses they want to take and where and what we um what our theory of action is behind the class size. For instance, in working with our academic performance team and in working with our principles, we want to have um we want to prioritize smaller class sizes in grade level courses that all students move through like geometry or chemistry and biology. And so it's really planning around what students have registered for and where we prioritize those smaller class sizes. Thank you. Yeah, thanks for letting me let me just follow up. So when I when I taught when I was when I was

097a teacher, I taught what is called elective courses at the high school level. And so I realized that my my my employment to a certain degree was dependent on how many students signed up for a course. That's what happened at the high school level for many many many courses. Kids vote with their feet. They they vote and and then Miss Zeldoski and the two high school principles make that decision. That's number one. In terms of your question around and I don't want to belabor the district office component of things, but it's really interesting. One of the administrators that we've already given notice to and and have talked about their contract will not re be renewed. When we made that announcement, we received information from a group of of teachers that that person works with. And

098in essence, that group said, "How dare you cut this administrator?" And it was one of those it was one of those most challenging moments because we hear so often from the community, you need to reduce your administrators. Yet, I wish those those teachers would have been in the the public square saying, "No, you don't want to cut these people because now we don't have someone who's going to support us." The board received an anonymous letter from a social studies teacher in the district that said, "Wait a minute, you you cut one of those district teachers and we we had to reduce our we don't have the luxury of having a social studies coordinator anymore." And so now what we've done is we've we've asked our two English language arts coordinators to also take on social

099studies. Well, we heard from a social studies teacher who said, "Don't do that. We you you we don't want to lose that person." I'm sharing all of this to say when we ran into the the moment where it was recognized that we used more fun balance than we anticipated, it was in service of trying to serve everyone's needs. We can't serve everyone's needs. And in fact, the community said, "You should stop trying to serve everyone's needs. You're going to need to make some tough decisions." It is not fun for us to make these recommendations. We realize that there's always going to be a class or two that's that that is unfortunately not commensurate with what the average class size across the district is. And that's mainly because we have more elementary schools than most districts.

100And so to have the even distribution is really hard to do. And when you have limited staff at your central office, it does require then the teacher groups to maybe pick up more than what they should pick up. I was pleased to hear that that that group of teachers say, "Well, we don't want to lose this person. They they've been valuable to us." I wish they would have been in the public square a year ago or two years ago when the call was to strike down those people. So I share I share all this to say there are I've been I've been doing this for a while. I think I presented a staffing plan to Mr. Meyer 20 years ago. Um and 20 years ago there were pockets in our community that said the class

101size is too large. I there's never if there was a pristine staffing plan that we could always present we would come up with it. This is not a money issue. This is ultimately there will always every year be some type of hard decisions that we have to make. So Dr. Means, may I ask a question? Yes. Sincerely here. We have policies and I can't cite them chapter in verse here where we discourage our teachers from criticizing publicly what the school district is doing. And I'm not sure exactly how they're supposed to provide that feedback to you internally. So could you for future reference, how do our teachers give you feedback appropriately within our policies so that you know because I'm I'm not believing you. Our policies allow them to go to the public square and

102criticize what the board has done as teachers when we debated that here in this room and so that's a a done deal, whatever the rule is. But how do they let you know? Well, we received a letter. We We received one anonymous letter from And then we received a letter that was signed by an entire department. So, okay. Is that okay for them? That's what I'm asking. Is there What's an okay way for them to give you or miss feedback in a constructive positive way? Yes. So, that you have I mean, you might have to do what you have to do anyway, right? But at least just so we're clear about how they can give you that feedback. Abs. We welcome it as long as people when they enter the public square understand that we

103may give a so the response we're going to give a response. The response is not in a pjurative critical way. It's just if you put something on the table we need to respond to it and and so people understand when you enter the public square that doesn't mean that whatever you say then is just chapter and verse to use your line. That means there is a response and you may not like what you hear, but there's logic behind what we've put together. And then someone will may say, well, I disagree with your logic that you've used. The the the uniqueness of people who choose to go go into leadership is one in which it is a hard job. and and and so when people have ideas, I I welcome them to then pursue leadership. I

104if if your if your ideas are that strong and good, then you should go through the proper process of then pursuing and obtaining leadership positions that so then those ideas that you want to put on the table are offered. So I I I guess that the last thing I would share is because Mr. You're asking a really good question and I want to make sure that the public hears. Miss Zelazoski has just shared with you just shared that we start this process in January. So typically what's happening is that principles have a preliminary idea of what the staffing plan is going to look like somewhere around late February, March. Miss Zelazoski encourages principles to go to their faculties to say here's what we think is happening. this is what we think the stamping plan is

105going to look like. And so the process is not so much getting information to me or Sarah, it is also making sure that stamp are having those conversations with their principal and and and so that's the first line of communication and then the principles they share with us. Well, a prime example is is what Mr. Kern did. Mr. Kern had a really difficult situation. and he has a fourth grade section where he has 29 students and he has uh an incoming senior kindergarten with 22 I believe students 22 to 24 and so he went he worked with his faculty to say okay I can only split one everyone which one should I split should I split the senior kindergarten into two or should I split the the fourth grade into two I think that that

106was a master class of how you collaborate and create voice for staff and that his school leadership team gave him the the the council that they felt that we should split the fourth grade. That's what Sarah and I we don't ever want to be in a situation where we're we're making a decision so removed from a school. We want to empower our faculty and our principles to make those decisions. Want to go to Miss Summer. Um, I have a couple specific questions about just some of the numbers for class sizes at the different schools. So, Dr. M just said that there was a fourth grade that had 29 students, but if we use the you need to have 30 students to have two sections, I guess why was that even quote unquote on the table?

107If neither one of those two grades had 30 students. So, so what you're speaking to um is again some of the behind the scenes like flexibility that we try to provide. So whether it's the example of the fourth grade at Jefferson or an example of um like world language sections at the high school level. So, so part of what what we would um talk with and work through with principles is to say, okay, you know, you've got you've got some autonomy and some agency, you know, this is your total allocation. If you're if you're like weighing priorities, what are the options? In the case of Jefferson, um Mr. Kern prioritized splitting the fourth grade into two sections rather than having an additional 1.5 education assistant FTE. And so we created kind of that like you

108know like the um the the gives and the takes like what's the trade-off if you if this is more of a priority than something else. And and again that's one of many examples that we that we I work through with principles um and do every year. I'm assuming then that's the same for the SK class at Washington the 27. It is the rule but there's two. Yeah. Okay. And there's also a section at Wilson. Okay. Yep. I just think that's really important for the community to hear from you that it isn't, yes, the guidelines are 15 is that we would, you know, split it at 30, but I think it is really important that the community knows that you work really closely with the building principles who know their families and know their students that

109are in those classrooms. And 29, a group of 29 in this grade might be have way more needs than, you know, 29 in a different grade. So, um I think that's really important for people to know. Um and I thank you for doing that and giving the flexibility to our principles. Um and this is maybe more for Mr. Pinion. So, I reread the intra district policy and it seems like I'm not sure that that's where there needs to be a shift. Um like how would there be 70 students who are like in the Jefferson neighborhood and then not in Jefferson? Like how did that happen? So I don't have Isa. Oh okay. I don't have all of the school specific information. I can tell you though that the policy that speaks to interd district transfers

110and there's a couple of them that speak to it um really do say we are a choice district as long as there's space. Um so again I don't have all of the schools information at the ready but uh when we make those decisions you know int district transfers are due April 1. We have to send notifications by May 1st. We had a record number of them this year. I think because there's more visibility and information. I want to say the day we reviewed them I had 72 and I've probably had five or six come in since then across the district. Over 50 of those were elementary alone. Um so this is a very real concept that I am glad is kind of being highlighted and people are speaking to because it has rippling effects in

111different ways when it comes to Sarah's work, my work enrollment, uh the work of our staff and our assistants and it's uh there's just a lot of nuances and different pieces that affect that. Um, the last time I did a snapshot, which was essentially a global picture of all the the students in our system that were in a school other than where they lived, there was over 350 at that one snapshot. Um, so we're a choice school district. Um, would you support the board build like making this a more stringent policy then? Yes. Okay. cuz was this the one that we went back and forth several times? We've been through 5120 a lot. Um Okay. But so you would especially with I think it's hard to strike a balance because I also see many compelling

112reasons for transfer requests. Um and I hear a lot of difficult stories from families, right, about why they're requesting them. Can you make an exception? And it's rare unless there's a true safety confirm, you know, some in instance that's really compelling when we're past the cuto offs or the thresholds for allowing them. But there's many levels that aren't past the thresholds and it's just an automatic approval as well. So I lean heavily into the policies when it comes to that and then the accompanying administrative guidelines which we do have some ability and we have aligned those to updated class sizes. Um but it's I think people would be surprised how many different ways it impacts um our work and student situations while also having full compassion and understanding for families that have very good reasons

113for why they want to be in a different school. So Liz, if I may just um give an addendum, I think Mr. Pinion did an amazing job in answering and please know he's he's a measured man. You see how quickly he answered your question about the policy, but I digress. One layer is in district transfers. We had a total of 72 this year, brand new, but more came in past the deadlines. Oh. Oh boy. Okay. So the last time I knew it was 72. Of the 72, 50 were just at the elementary level. That's so many. Um so that's one layer. The second layer is then we do the district has a monastery school that we say apply and you can be in a you can be in a lottery to be part of that

114school. Then we have a charter school. And so when you take inner district transfers, a monastery school and then a ch a charter school, it creates the And then you then the fourth layer I would just offer to you is then we have more elementary schools than most suburban schools our size to have nine traditional small neighborhood schools. When you layer those four components onto it and we've made the the fifth and final layer is and we've made a commitment to have low class sizes. I think the community should embrace the fact that then we should just all say in the the name of transparency, we've chosen the most expensive model of education. We've chosen a very very expensive model and but and so when people talk about referendums, we may we may need more

115if this is the model that people are asking for or as we heard in the fall, people said to Mr. Eer and I and you've heard it at the finance committee meeting meetings or tighten up and make tough decisions. And so that that the era of making tough decisions and tightening up starts now with staffing. And I would add just to the point of it's an expensive model. We are spending a lot of time in our office at this point in the year looking at all of those IDTs processing all tuition waiverss and then you would typically be looking at all the open enrollment pieces. So it hits at a all sort of comes together and a confluence at this period. Um, but again, the short answer to your question is I would support a

116a very deep conversation and and a critical look at that policy to see where might be a healthier balance. Have you worked at in a district that you think has a healthier model for their just like for a starting point? I've been at my experiences I've been kind of on both ends of the extreme quite honestly. I've been in a system that was really hard line of we are not choice. You go to where you attend and it was very rare that there was ever an exception. And that I've been in systems similar to ours where it was if there was space we take you. Um Liz, I've been in a district where you consider the social emotional component of the child and their needs and that's the driving force behind an interd district transfer.

117And I think that is the compromise. Luke Luke is absolutely correct. I think what's happening right now is that our policy just simply says if you have space, you have access. and and that feels too open. I I want to make sure that we're staying on this agenda item. I know there's some touch points there, but I I I want to draw us back from deep discussion of policy on this. Other board comments or questions. Um just uh looking through the staffing plan document too. I'm just curious because there are other other people that have have said that they want this. Uh I see the line you have in about uh principles have the ability to modify their staffing plan to include a multi-age grouping. Um has has any more thought been put into that

118or or has have any principles decided to uh to look into that further and go that route or are they going more for the traditional methods that we've talked about so far? Uh definitely the choices are are more traditional methods. Um, I think that in in districts that I've seen uh consider a multi-age option, uh, it involves like uh more support and engagement with like an academic performance team. And so if we would have principles that would want to consider that, I think there are many more considerations um than than making that decision. where so far it's been easier to say, okay, um I I can trade out the education assistance for the teacher FTE. And we've made the commitment that if we ultimately get the student enrollment to warrant, you know, the the number

119of sections that we have, we would we would add back the um the support staff FTE as well. And this is the type of flexibility we give to our secondary principles that we've started to give to our elementary principles this year. So, so I think to unpack it a little bit more and I think our high school students can attest to this, what what Mr. Gala or Dr. Plank have the ability to do is they can say, "Well, we're going to only run four sections of Spanish, but we're going to run six sections of French." I mean, and I'm just coming up with examples. They have that flexibility to play with their overall staffing plan. We we felt that we needed to empower not only the principles but we know our principles back to Mr.

120Meyer's point will then speak with staff so then there's true staff voice in the decisions that are made because we don't want to be in a position where we are making decisions about a school community without their voice. Um and I think our principles have really embraced the opportunity. I think Washington made a decision around how they wanted you to utilize their staff. Wilson uh did the same and and and Jefferson. So, we're really proud of our our principles being the the the facilitators of some tough discussions. Just one last question. Um and I and I know this is probably just for bringing the topic up to ask that be discussed later. Um so, we we've called oursel call ourselves a choice school. Heard a little bit of it. What what would it look like

121if we said we're not going to be a choice school and how does that ultimately like if we went and took those steps? Not not that I'm supporting it. I'm just asking the questions of well we say we're this but if we're the opposite what is we model that out what does that look like? Um and I don't need an answer on it but just to think about all the different options available. I'm gonna ask that that be agenda by a future board president. It is a different topic. Yeah, it is. Um, we've covered a lot of ground. A couple things that I want to summarize um that I think are are highlights to this that touch on the staffing plan topic. And I will say in my time on the board before Misellei and

122Dr. means got here. The staffing was set up truly and and I don't and I would say without transparency, but it was done quietly following whatever process was followed and you never really heard about it. And so this is really different and this gives a lot of a lot of things for people to to look at, to be frustrated with. It's a lot easier to do this in some ways if you're just doing it quietly behind the scenes. And you'd find out usually in Jan or August, is there fewer sections? This would happen every year at Roosevelt. Are we a three section uh class now? Are we a two section? It would kind of vascate back and forth in some sections. And so I I I applaud the district for making this more of a

123public conversation. um a few things that I think we do we do need to figure out that I would ask that be agenda to be looked at and how these interplay together because in some ways the policies may make perfect sense uh in isolation but the interplay of them makes things challenging. Um, one is open enrollment. And tonight we heard from folks who wanted to have open enrollment to do exactly what we what we discussed we didn't want to do. And I understand why they want to do it, which was let's add a few more students so we can have two sections. Our goal with open enrollment is to do it to avoid that because we don't want to add the extra cost involved. So that's a complicated thing because I understand why you'd want

124to advocate as a parent. I totally get it. and the budget of it. It it it it's a complic that's a it's a sticky wicket of sorts. Um the boundary line changes which will begin this year are affecting Eisenhower and Underwood because that boundary line change went into effect. Um, it'll begin affecting more schools over time because they will be rolling through with the goal of all elementary schools shifting from some being a three section schools down to all of them being no more than two section schools to allow sixth grade to move from middle school to elementary school. So that policy and kind of like taking a look at the that the interaction between the boundary line changes, the adjustments and open enrollment and does the board pick the minimum, mid or max of

125those policies because max will look different in two section schools than it will in possible three or two depending on. um what are the financial challenges of the referendum? And so how do we how do we navigate where as as the board moves forward of prioritizing where do you want to invest the funds? And the question that keeps coming up in my mind is if we were to invest in maximizing student outcomes, I would want to know as a future board member, are our investments driving students thriving in our classrooms, students achieving to their maximum potential. There's no doubt multiple ways to do that, but whatever staffing plan I have would want to see, I would I would invite uh Dr. means and Miss Alzoski and uh Dr. Marble to center that of the we

126believe this will drive student outcomes and achievement. We've got all the policies and stuff too and I think as people get more comfortable with it know the policies they'll understand those but all the policies I hope will align with driving those outcomes and achievement. Um and I think what we heard tonight in some ways and Dr. Means you've been beating this drum a lot this evening. We we know we can't do everything we want to do. And so whenever we make difficult decisions about staffing, about where we put our resources, that we're doing that with the goal of maximizing that every kid can thrive in our schools. Um, and I I don't think you can ever do that quite easily at the board level with a scalpel. you can do some you can set things

127up but to give tools to the administrators and I was happy to hear kind of the the principal discretion Mr. Meer, I I I agree with your there needs to be ongoing looking for places for feedback loops so that we're all thinking about this and we're all on the same page. Uh no matter the the location, people are in the organization. Ultimately, these decisions are made by people in certain seats, but all of us are better prepared to make those decisions if we're best informed by the whole community and everyone else. Um, I think the last thing I would I would say is um I hope parents continue to advocate uh for their kids. Um, and I hope in my time on the board that when we've had a lot of folks come out on

128something and and the one tonight that came up was uh open enrollment that I remember talking as a board member about we're going to have to cut a lot of positions if we're not doing this. And that's okay if that's what the community wants, but we have to be prepared for it. And so this is the first staffing plan of many that we'll see and Mr. Gotautly, Dr. Gotly spoke about it early that we will see us having to cut positions. The boards, future boards don't always have to determine where do we go, but if the roll back continues, if the community wants to do that, we will offer less to resident students. And that open enrollment allowed us to offer more to our resident students. And it's a it's a there's there's again no

129right and wrong answers, but the interplay of these policies and state funding and budget uh is complicated. And I wish my future board colleagues, those who are continuing, those who are joining the board, uh all my best. Keep listening, be humble. There is no right answer. Um but be keep being serious and uh listen to as many voices as you can. Dr. just of anger. I would be remiss if I just didn't I I appreciate the interplay of open enrollment boundary line changes which happened the 2930 school year um and and and just what are we doing to drive academic results because that's ultimately what you've charged us to do. you've the this current board you the the makeup of this current board you've asked our team to invest in a staffing plan that would

130get the best results for academic achievement and and so if there are other other goals that a future board wants you know it'll be important for that board to say it um but I want to just go back to open aromic just quickly in that I want to say something that I said maybe a year and a half ago go which is we're we have to be careful when we discuss open enrollment because in Walto Tulsa more so than other places I've been we talk about open enrollment as if these are children who are faceless and they are dollar signs only and that we are going to leverage the program then as a as a way to open up sections or to ultimately achieve what we want to achieve for our resident students. And if

131you recall, I made the statement that if we're going to invest in open enrollment, then I will have to ask the board to give us funds to then also support those children and their families because it's not fair to ask young people from other communities to come to our school district so we can split a class. But then they they they just they they drown in academic underperformance and they drown in a space of being constantly disciplined. So I I think the interplay of all three are really important. You made a substantial set of decisions on October 28th, 2024. this board as you sit for your final time together. That was a significant set of work that you did and and the the consequences of it is we are now setting a staffing plan. I'll

132stay on topic here. Um we have now set a staffing plan based on the direction you gave us on October 28th. Um and future boards may want to shift um those directions, but it we we have we taken we've taken heed to the the call of making tough decisions and being fiscally prudent to to to make tough decisions and to be fiscally prudent result in making decisions where we can't satisfy everyone's desires. But we we we're I don't want us to get caught up in the places where we can't meet the the the the wishes of people. Generally speaking, let's not lose the headline. Generally speaking, we have we still have the lowest class sizes in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. I wish we could say that for every class, but in the overall we still

133have very low class sizes and we're staffing our schools extremely well. Is is that a fair summary, Miss Elazoski? Accurate. Thank you. Any final comments before I move us to the next topic? Dr. Willie, I'll give you the last word. Just keep it um quick. I want to thank you for a very comprehensive plan but also for um uh the staff working through the flexibility. So because I um I remember from previous um budget years that you know we set a budget and then we need more staff and you don't have that flexibility or we don't stick with our budget that we set. And I just think that's really important that we set those aside. Um, and of course I'm sure that if we end up not using them for emergency that we'll use them

134to enhance student experiences in the classroom, but we just can't make that commitment yet. Is that a fair fair way to think about it? Yes. Okay. Yeah. Zoski, thank you. I continue to be impressed by the work of you and your team. Dr. Jose, two. Yeah. Uh let's uh take let's take two minutes which will mean five. Um and then we'll come back and do a couple quick policies. Thank you. any colleague any updates on this one? All right, so we have here on policy 3131 reduction in staff. Uh and we've had a couple of of notes here, but uh most recently we didn't have any requests for any changes, but then from the 47 policy committee notes, we had a community member raised concerns about the new language removing rights for the staff. uh

135and what we noted here is the four criteria points that are uh that would be added to the employee handbook and that this policy could be tied back in in reference to the employee handbook and the administrative guidelines. So those are the ABCD that are crossed out. Um they don't we just think they didn't they don't really they do better in the handbook than they do in a policy. So, um the concern that was raised up by a community member um was that um that the staff doesn't have the same, you know, access to raise questions. So, so this is what we discussed at the last policy meeting and where we landed um on it. And of course, there's opportunity for further discussion on that tonight. I guess I to me it seems better to

136have it in the policy and not just in the handbook and the um administrative guidelines. Um I always just think about like we all trust Dr. Means but we need to make policies for whoever's sitting in that seat. So to me having it's not a ton more information but I do think it gives the staff a more of a feeling that this isn't an arbitrary decision if we have to reduce staff that there's a clearly defining policy and a guideline. Um, so I would um I would move to add those unless there's like other conversations. Miss what? Oh, think I think we're probably all talking the same uh comments and and the I'm looking for clarification. Um so one thing that was was brought up to me um was that a minor edit that clarifies

137that the superintendent follow the administrative guidelines um would would add it into this policy um kind of shore it up a little bit more. Um it's I think we're saying Dr. Orly if I'm if I understood you right that is what you're saying but it's it's kind of implied but not explicitly stated in here. Is that is that correct or am I say that again? um that the concept the like the statement that um so the superintendent's being given um broad broad guidelines or loose or broad guidelines I guess here and it was asked if just a little bit of extra language specifying that superintendent would follow um uh follow the the administrative guidelines um in in the in the handbook or I guess wherever that guidance is is is there. It just doesn't say

138it in the policy. Just when I when I read through it, I'm I'm reading through it as as really it's just superintendent will do what is deemed appropriate, which is which is fine. But where where does that appropriate come from? Um I'm sorry I missed the earlier part of the discussion. Uh I appreciated the brief break. Um, as I'm unpacking the recommended language, I I think one um one connection that I would make is that um um when when staff members are questioning a decision made by the organization like through a grievance process, the standard for the grievance process is if something is in the best interest of the district. Um and so and so I would make the connection between this language um as well as the grievance process language. Those are aligned in

139terms of like again making choices related to staffing. Um whether or not uh we list the factors um in board policy or um in the handbook uh I would say it would be handbook and administrative guidelines. Um, I mean, I we we'll we'll use those same processes to make decisions. Um, we would always in making those decisions want to have our decision be defensible. And so, um, and so being able to point to what those decisions are being made of, if we did want to list them in policy, I probably would have some recommendations for, um, for the wording of them and probably wouldn't go with, you know, would recommend something in alternative to what's here. Um, if that's the route we wanted to go, I I think you better stated through what I was

140trying to get across is just that the I would like to see a sentence in there stating where where it's defined. Yeah. So, if it's if it's being pulled together from another policy post administrative guidelines, let's just explicitly say that so that way like the policy is super clear and and it's very defensible. Yeah. um because regardless of what handbook and the guidelines are um the policy says to follow those. So if if changes need to be made they can be and everyone and all staff are made aware of it how and why and yeah what to expect. Exact. I mean, exactly. I would I would assume you have a process for um for distributing and getting new signatures on employee handbooks each year and things like that. Yep. Uh and uh so we've, you

141know, we just talked about the the 15 FTE reduction. Um we had to employ um some consideration for how we would make those decisions um leading up to where we are at right now. And so, um, absolutely, um, it it has created the opportunity to go ahead and be, um, decisive and, um, and be authentic about why we're making decisions like that. So, either way we would go, we're not I mean, we're going to use the same factors to make the decision. Would it be fair that the to think that I mean, it this could be regarded without those listed as more power or it could be regarded as more flexibility. And I'm wondering if you could um speak to because you said the these might not be the only wording that that you would

142want in there if you had to have wording that what we're looking for here is to maximize um the fit of the employees to the district. So what would be the what are there disadvantages that you see in listing out um the the criteria? Um uh so for example um item B performance of employees based on performance evaluations um and then C input from direct supervisors. Um uh one example would be um in the past uh one of the criteria that we've looked at in terms of making making reduction decisions are for example um the employees contributions to the school and or department and or district. And so that might not fall within one of those categories, but I think there could be an, you know, an example of how something to capture that. I

143think the one of the downsides or the limitations, Dr. Worley, as you pointed out, is um is how it's worded right now, the performance of employees based on performance evaluations. Well, there are a lot of other ways we look at employee performance that might not fit under the performance evaluation. I would just want to make sure our wording was inclusive. Not that we're not trying to be um uh like uh plain spoken about about where we're getting information from. Um but we also want to make sure that we're not creating an unreasonable expectation or an unreasonable perspective on on how we're gathering information. Um so I I maybe I can help u on that. I I'm really just looking looking for like the the words uh reduction considering all factors that's that's fine and I

144agree that that's that's flexible but I would I would love to see after that you know such as policy so and so employee handbook uh administrative guidelines etc defined by leave it leave the the tighten it up so that people understand what what are those factors? I'd like to know what they are. Um so here's an example of them, but they're not fast and steady. They still leave some flexibility. Um who knows what the future holds. So to be fair to what you want to do, it's going to be really hard to word this here tonight because whatever words you want or decide to exclude for me always, it's helpful to be able to think about it for a while. But if you want to decide this tonight and make motions to amend, it's kind

145of shooting from the hip because it's really first read then something we haven't even seen before we got here to start putting more words in. Although the options are laid out here, this is true. So, I'm just advocating for caution and care if if if it's that important that you want to look at this and be really careful with the words, then we don't have to act on this tonight. We can't we can send this back to policy again. We don't have to all these considerations and then maybe forward the draft to the board well early before, you know. I I don't know. Right. I think the board didn't have as much time to think about this because this didn't come from the board. This came from public comment. It's a complicated thing and to

146be putting words down here tonight and be really sure we got it right. You know, you know, may I enter I would entertain a motion to refer this back to the policy committee for review and update. I'd like to make a motion to Can that be added to the motion on the floor or do it even with Maybe with a motion to defer to defer. Yeah, I think we should. I think we're if we're all in agreement. Okay. Yes. And if there's something that happens later, I think you don't usually have two motions. But are you asking for a motion to refer back to committee? So moved. Second. And I think you moved. Jason just moved it. I'll give you the second. Sure. Sure. [Music] Um call the Mr. Morris. Yes. Dr. Hoy, yes. Mr.

147Wier, yes. Dr. Worley, yes. Miss Hammer Roland, yes. Mr. Meyer, yes. Dr. Jessa Banker, yes. And that is referred back to the policy committee. Uh, as always, I would encourage folks to reach out to the policy committee if you have anything specific to the meeting on the 28th, but it'll only be an hour long because we have four member inductions at five that day. So, we will get through what we can get through. Thank you. Uh, next policy is I think I've lost my 324 3214. It is recommended that the school board approve policy 3214 staff gifts and I so move. Have a second. Second. Thank you. All right. So, policy 3214, staff gifts. Uh, this started back in January with policy committee notes, uh, where we had an updated update to the policy by

148Miss Elazoski highlighting, uh, the definition nominal. During that reading, uh, it came forward to February's meeting where we had uh, several questions from the board specific to this policy uh, where we uh, were referred back to reviewing this again back there. And based on some of Mr. opinions teams uh notes that gave us some additional information regarding the policy that refers back to the student handbook. And so the board suggested adding the definition of nominal value related to policy 3230 which is $25 per student per instance and from our most recent committee meeting. uh we added that policy uh committee added that language and the staff members and with the guidance that staff members are encouraged to seek advice from HR as appropriate and that was specifically because we went through some of the discussions

149that you all had about what if there's 20 students in a class and you know they so so we we went through a lot of the scenarios that came up last time and made up some additional ones as well and this seemed like um the best way to have both a clear policy but one that would be flexible. Um, and protect the staff as well. That's part of our bill. Any board comments or questions this morning? Seeing none, please go. Mr. Morris, yes. Dr. Hoy, yes. Mr. Wier, yes. Dr. Worley, yes. Miss Hammer Rand, yes. Mr. Meyer, yes. Dr. Jesser, yes. That item passes. Next up is second reading and or action to approve 3230 ethics and conflict of interest. It is recommended that the school board approved policy 3230 ethics and conflict of interest.

150And I so move I have a second. Thank you, Dr. Morley. And so as we move to policy 3230, ethics and conflict of interest. Uh and similar this was a new policy and then coming forward the board suggested adding the definition again of nominal value to the policy of $25 per student per instance and per the last committee meeting the language was added per instance and a cross reference to policy 3214. Any board discussion on this item? I have a question. Um does our district have like an annual reporting that staff does in terms of conflict of interest? So like at medical college every year I have to attest that I I don't have any conflicts of interest. I work in accreditation. So everybody I work with and or has to do a disclosure like

151all the time. So does our district or do school districts typically have that process? No. Or is it sort of just like honor? That wouldn't be bad, but we No, that's not that's not what we do. Typically the the uh employee handbook like authorization process would like would qualify is that employees are made aware that they need to disclose something if something comes up throughout the day. Yep. Thank you. Y suggestion. Seeing no other comments or questions please call. Mr. Morris. Yes. Dr. White. Yes. Mr. Wadier. Yes. Dr. Yes. Miss Rand, yes. Mr. Meyer, yes. Dr. Jessa Banger, yes. And this item passes. Our fourth and final item for action this evening for policies is policy 3281, personal property of staff members. It is recommended that the school board approve policy 3281, personal property of

152staff members. And I so move. May I have a second? Second. Thank you. Any questions or comments on this item? Seeing none, please call the RO. Mr. Morris, yes. Dr. Hoy, yes. Mr. Wadier, yes. Dr. Worley, yes. Miss Hammer Roland, yes. Mr. Meyer, yes. Dr. Desabinger, yes. And this item passes. Uh, next we have three readings of policies that are the first reading. First is policy 5518 cell phones and elect electronic communication. All right. On this one, policy 5518, cell phones and electronic commun communication devices. Uh this is rescending a redundant policy or this is we want just one cell phone policy to work on. Sorry to jump in, Phil. That's all we want. We want we want to do one and we we wanted to work with the one that covers more than just

153cell phones. So let no one be worried that we're getting rid of our cell phone policy. Um I want to be absolutely clear that's not what this is asking. This is asking that we concentrate on the other policy that we have on electronic devices. Um and so this would inend that policy merging the two into a single policy that we'd work then on the other taking the language. Um and that one that one covers more kinds of electronic devices and it's actually the last one that we've worked on. Um, so we're just trying to clarify not to have two um running around and then there's a whole um conversation around what the other one will include that's been started. This one can I make a I guess it's not this for clarity. Both are on

154the books right now. Um so we're saying we don't need this one even right now. There's no revisions to the other one and we're going to talk about the other one in more detail in a minute. Thanks for adding that. Yeah. With that being said, if everyone's comfortable, we'll move on to the next one. All right. Policy 5136, personal communication devices. And so this one for the uh committee notes. Uh Mr. Pinion had reviewed the survey results from the cell phone survey and bringing to the committee of stakeholders. Uh there is collaborative nature in here to basically review the and work on the policy and administrative guidelines. So there wouldn't be different rules for different grade levels. Um in that some of the recommendations that were provided also by Dr. Means uh was adding the

155definition of what a way is. Um one of the stakeholders had asked about personal devices other than cell phones and we recommended defining that. Uh so in there when we look at this bylaw 01000 it defines personal communication devices or PCDs as many things not just phones computers, laptops, tablets, e-readers, cell phones, mobile phones, smartphones and other web enabled devices. Watches. smart watches, whether it's not just an Apple Watch or whatever that smart device may be because we do see really at all levels, you know, probably K4 forward that they have some some have devices everywhere. Um, and so in there adding that option C edits adds that language that if a PCD is brought to onto the district property, it must be stored away from a student's person such as in the student's assigned

156locker, a cell phone locker, uh, backpacks, purses, or similar items carried by the student, which may not be used for such used as such storage. The backpacks, purses, and similar items cannot be used for storage. Correct. Mr. Pion has a comment. All right, I have a lot for this one. This is going um I want to make sure in full transparency and we are working in this title to publish the results of the survey as well. I want to start with data um in terms of the journey we've been on with the community on the topic of cell phones and schools. Um we had a communitywide book study that kind of dove into the anxious generation text, unpacked a lot of the research as well as spoke to some of the research that isn't represented

157in that text as well. So I'm going to give you four groups of survey results. um and kind of bucket them into two categories. We asked the similar questions to all stakeholder groups and that was either a version of off your person which is how this is currently written meaning the phone is physically off of the individual or the student. Um and there were three iterations of that. One was bell to bell meaning from beginning to the end of day. One was bell to bell bell to bell but allow the students to have it during lunch. and one was bellto bell but allow the students to have it at lunch and passing time. So that's bucket of off your person. There was also a bucket of status quo meaning kind of where out of sight

158policy. You can have it on you but just not don't have it out. Um the the two categories in that bucket were out status quo as it is. The second was status quo but increase enforcement or reinforcement of that policy. We'll start with the book study participants which was just 37 people. Uh and I'm going to represent the two two buckets. uh in the numbers. This is likely a biased sample, right? Because people joined the study for a specific reason, but 95% of that group asked for an off-person policy. Then we go to staff. We surveyed or we asked all staff to complete the survey. 217 staff filled it out. Um 84% of staff wanted an off your policy. We surveyed families. 966 um community me or parents and guardians filled it out. Yeah, brace

159yourself students. Um we'll get to the student results are very different. The families of 966 um about 71% wanted an off-year policy, meaning 29% said some version of status quo. 333 secondary students completed the survey and um 73ish% 73% wanted a version of status quo and about 27% wanted a version of off your person. We've pulled a lot of themes from the comments. We had thousands of comments between these four groups um and we're summarizing those. That's part of what we're just kind of making sure we've got um accurate representation of the comments and we'll work on making sure this is all visible. We want to make sure people that build it out get to see those results. But that is sort of the general survey results. Know that my division myself is particularly poised

160depending on sort of the direction this is going to pull an ad hoc committee of students likely would tap on students sitting here at this table. Um teachers, parents, and administration to operationalize this to really answer the question of where does the phone go? What happens when it's not there? uh in a very clear learning process um that isn't strictly, you know, punitive um but a natural process there. Um to delineate admin versus teacher responsibility in that and then to work through other nuances as it relates to students with disabilities health plans, making sure we've made paths that we need to make available for students, as well as any implications around like sports clubs, activities that might have been accustomed to texting groups um during that time. So I don't feel comfortable if this is

161the direction to do that in isolation. That needs to be a collective making those decisions and working through those processes. But the recommendation and the policy that's in front of you is stemming from survey results in a lot of community conversations around this topic. Some of the just real quickly, some of the themes that came up in our conversation had to do with the particularly difficult um work of if you had a cell phone, someone student had a cell phone during passing time in lunch, how difficult it would be to take it back away um and enforce that um and once that reconnection happens. So I think that's where you see some discrepancies a little bit changes in the data but um how difficult that would be from an administrative side and the administrative investment

162we would be making um in that and then um in all fairness another theme that came up was just a discussion of how how we are communicating with students whether that's parents or sometimes staff um is moving them towards their cell phones rather than you know using email where they can get it on their Chromebook and some of the ways that we would that and the third theme that really came up was the importance that this wouldn't be like you know uh you like put in like cold turkey like this is it's all suddenly like all going to change and all this disruption but there has to be participation and planning um there have to be a a scaffolding of how you get and work with the student that um is feeling dependent on that

163cell on what you do um with them. And also some of us have raised the importance of making sure we're not expanding disproportionality um in terms of access to cell phones. Um one example of that discussion was at one point we talked about could a student have it in their car and we said well no not all students have cars and so and not all students have off-campus the ability to go in the parking lot. So how unfair would that be if some students could have it you know tucked in their car and go out and use it where other students wouldn't be able to. That's just sort of some of the themes that came up um in in that and we expect this to be a robust and multi-session type of discussion as needed

164for the district. So this is just introducing the concept but then all those conversations are going to happen before this comes to back to the board for sign for well this would be the initial read of it. Again, I I'm sort of I'm sort of stuck in this place of how much do I pull people and and spend time, energy, and resources um in in a busy time, which is always what's I need to get the handbook edits for students by the end of June for sure at the latest for the for the 20 for the next iteration of the handbook. Um to be clear because we want to be able to spell out what that looks like. Many districts have done this already around us, uh, in Wisconsin, across the nation. We do expect

165an extinction burst at first. Anytime you change, you know, an expectation widely, um, you have to work through that burst before it becomes the new normal. Um, I think working with our students is going to be really important and our families as well. Um, so if this were to move forward, we would be, you know, really trying to do a lot of collaboration and then communication as we launch into the school year with students and families and staff. Um, but this is a big culture shift. So your plan is to put that together. Well, that's where I'm sort of like gota I got it rolling a little bit here on paper, but I haven't officially scheduled sessions and meetings because I would hate to put all of this energy of collective stakeholders if the end

166result I mean the policy is not the guideline. So, I think the board must wrestle with the general idea of pros and cons and impact of cell phones in schools. As we know, there's ample research out The only thing I would add is that I met with our two high school principles today and we're to emphasize what Mr. Pinion just shared, we are in a holding pattern. Um I ideally the board would act on the policy and then Mr. Pinion would assemble a team to figure out how to implement and that's what I meant by over time. I mean they need our guidance and then they know what to bring those students staff. Mr. Gala for example pointed out Dr. Early that they don't have enough lockers for every student to have their own individual

167lockers. So there's there's pairing of lockers. So the concept of we would have to pay attention to the language of just can't put it in a locker, you know. So there's little things but the the principles are indicating that they are ready to adjust once they know what the policyy's going to be. Uh so it's it's one of those chicken or the egg and I think what Mr. opinion and our principles are are stating they want to know from the board first and then they will respond accordingly. So I won't be here obviously because this is my last regular board meeting but I will leave you with this question. If other school districts have done this, can you tell us what is the effect on what achievement effects correlate? Well, not effect is not correlation.

168What changes in achievement correlate with a policy like this, right? I mean, that that's what we're really supposed to be about here. And if it's a tough thing to do, if it's painful, but achievement goes up, that's our job to make those tough decisions. I would hope that if other school districts have done this, maybe they have some indication about what has happened with their achievement indicators after they've implemented a policy like this. May I? There are actually several published uh peer-reviewed research studies that show the return on investment academically as a result of this move. Can I ask those to be shared with um Yep. And the book cites numerous of them as well. So the study we did speaks to a lot of the bulk and bodies of research around this as well

169as mental health. I mean that's the that's the focus in the beginning half of the book is just the mental health impacts for developing brains. um second to academic gains and also behavioral. So I I leave you with this is what a hard decision looks like. Not popular but it's good for the kids if if what you say you know once everybody's seen these studies and things like that. Mr. any are there any studies that are in opposition of that that there are ways to utilize the technology to increase achievement there? Because I'm just thinking of I've got friends that are teachers in Germany and in China and they utilize it. It's a almost an education shift in how they do it. that starts obviously at home as well as after they leave the classroom

170because what we instill in school changes that 30 minutes before they come to the school and it changes immediately when that bell ends and it goes to the dinner table when everybody's got their phone out there when they're at the restaurant every phone and their screen or tablet. But are there ways that we could be a better at lighthouse district looking at how do we push this even further forward and say we utilize these things that enhance and enrich the learning experience and improve educational outcomes by engaging. There are certainly studies and this is one of the flaws and fair criticisms of the text is that it's it's representing the majority of one side of the research. There are certainly studies that talk about benefits of technology. Um, I might argue that what you're speaking

171to, though really inspiring and and aspirational, could also create equity issues if we're leaning so heavily into students personal devices. Uh, and this expectation or this assumption that everyone um just has one and that's not the case. I would agree. My kids aren't getting them till like 17, but we did have to we had to commit to our old because of his his sports and other years. We committed to one version of a smartwatch and then that evolved into the Apple Watch, but it's it has caused us to have significant education on how we use our smartwatch. And obviously there's more things that we had to do to learn as adults on all the parameters and all the same things and all the guidelines and how things that we to do at home. So they

172just know this is kind of common practice, not what they learn from their friend or how everybody else uses it, but how we utilize education. Absolutely. We're already working regardless of where this policy goes. We've found that we are not doing a good job educating children on how to use their personal devices. So, we already have, excuse me, the coordinator of our library media specialists involved to really take a look at our digital citizenship lessons and see where and how can we improve responsible use of social media of personal cell phones because that is not a strong point in those lessons at all. Um, as well as just overall technology use. And then second to that, we're also looping in our instructional technologies coordinator to also take a look at kind of assessing the landscape

173of okay, these are small screens. How are the big screens utilized across uh the system as well? Um and in assessing screen time and all those things. I think the difference is one is more personal, right? One is district provided. uh we ensure equitable access there versus one is personal and a gateway to a lot more outlets if you will um than is allowed on a district device. The only thing I would kudos to everything that Mr. um Pinion shared and I think is a great question Mr. Morris. The only other thing I would just ask the board to consider is that it's always better for local government to make a decision before state government intervenes. Um, and I I think we want to try to preserve our educational environment prior to a legislator from

174another portion of the state. I won't name a area, but uh we want to take control of our own environment. We think that we have the right educators who will make the adjustment once you make a decision. To Mr. Myer's point, we we may have to make a tough decision, but we our recommendation is that we we need to regain some level of um decor to our academic environment. I'm not leaning into any choice. I'm just leaving you. Whatever the data says correlates with better achievement. Yes. If it's a tough decision or not, that's what needs to be. We're ready to make a tough decision. as we've discussed all night uh here there there's tough decisions ahead of us but we do believe that um other districts have done this we can do it too

175but Mr. opinion. I think the general statement, I don't want to lose the headline of his statement. The sooner we can make a decision in this boardroom, the sooner he can then collaborate with students, with families, and with our administrators to ensure that the implementation of this is um done with some level of understanding. Um my request would be uh we have three board members who will be making this decision. you know, two are here tonight, one may be online, that if there's not another first reading with that full board, that something is done to make sure that those board members have an opportunity for review and feedback one-on-one with the administration or in some other venue so that if it goes to a second reading that they have had ample opportunity for review and

176discussion. They could come to policy on the 28th if they have time. We'd love it. I know that's a sh I would be happy to uh and we get the information to them. I guess that would lead to me. What is the guidance of the folks who are here? What else do you want us to discuss or look into? Because right now we don't have um specific feedback that would be helpful to our next policy. Um, so in terms of like adding more to our administrative staff and our teachers, so if it's uh belltoell, then do we need to buy more of those cell phone lockers or is the assumption that they just won't bring it to school? No. So I think it's an opportunity if it goes that direction to repurpose. So it gives

177some choice. You have a personal locker. Yes, it's shared maybe, you know, or we repurpose and have hubs. I mean this is a this is a question that the committee will wrestle with but I think there's a couple options in a one one of which is getting more return on that initial investment of the cell phone markers. That was my next question like why like to me it is important to update this policy but really where I think it um the shortcoming is not being nothing is really being it's not being enforced with Fidelity. Some of my daughter's teachers email me when she has her cell phone out and others and and she'll tell me which you know. So I think the most important part is like how are we going to really institutionalize whatever

178the board comes up with. I agree and I would say we've heard some feedback from some staff that said they believe this kind of policy will be easier to enforce because it is fully just off of your person versus right now buzzing in their backpacks in their pockets and and so they get into the struggle. And again, there will be a learning curve for everyone um until it becomes just the way things are done. West Dallas, Grafton, Elmer, I mean districts have done this already. Well, we have so the cell phone lockers that we purchased I think last school year, two years ago. Um are there enough cubbies for one for each student because I don't right now they're like in individual classrooms, right? We have to reassess what's left, what's not damaged, but there

179are um lots of them. So maybe that what we lack are the personal they all drop it off the sharing. This is where some choice might get away from maybe like it's in their pocket and then yeah I would encourage the board to stay as high level as possible on this because it's so easy to want to go into all of these nuances which I get it's it's the like you said the the failing would be in implement like that's where it's going to matter. Um but I think the conversation healthier here is is this a direction you all want to go in? Generally speaking what we could do just from a governance standpoint we will commit if you make if you move forward with changing the policy annually the division of people and family

180supports brings data to the board in August. We would bring back to you the administrative guidelines and how we're going to implement in August. So then you aren't in a space of wondering so how are they going to do this? So Mr. Pinion and his team and I will make sure that we we we would commit to you that we would bring that. But I think there's a level of anxiousness among our students, among our administrators, because I think the other thing that I've been communicating since this conversation has emerged is that the message I'm hearing from the community, which is going to be really difficult to implement, which is we don't want to put teachers in the middle being the cell phone police. That's an administrative job. And and while I understand that in

181in in a statement, I I want to work with our administrators on how to make that practical. Um you know, so that's and so we we agree um philosophically on that statement. How to actually make that happen is something that we need we need a runway to start discussing it now. When you've already touched on like it we have to get parents to buy into this too and I want to go to Mr. here and then maybe to our students too. Yeah. Two suggestions uh for m for Mr. Pinion. I would one suggestion two things on the opposite end of the spectrum for this. Um I would really like to see you bring in someone from it on the ad hoc committee. Um we in the last finance and resource meeting um we were told

182that roughly 70% of the network bandwidth is being used up by personal communications devices not staff devices not Chromebooks. Um and we have a we if we hit 100% we get gridlock. Um so uh Mr. What's here? I'm I'm sorry to interject, but it wasn't 70% of bandwidth. Uh we do police that it's the computing resources on the wireless network. Same same kind of uh theory behind it though. We if if we hit our cap with that um we have problems. So, and we we already know from the subcommittee meetings that we need we need time for it to push other things out. So, uh there's there's that just to think about future proofing. And then secondly, um uh I don't know what the how it's currently implemented, but um two factor multifactor authentication on

183students devices. most of the stuff in private sector, you're asked to use your personal cell phone to give that two-actor authentication, if we're not allowing those phones, uh what are we going to do in place of that? Because I certainly wouldn't feel comfortable leaving any my devices with only a username and password protecting it. So that's just bring it in. Yeah, they're already looped in. Yep. Yeah. Perfect. They're at our meeting. Um Jamie has a lot of information. Three three different thoughts. Um one I struggle with allow some of the language in here feels would be one step too far. There's some comments about not having things on campus after school hours that um I am I would not I I will not be voting on this but I would not be supportive of having

184both open campus and not allowing students to have a phone available to them at lunch. They may need to check on appointments or do other things. Um and and I am okay with the variation between element I think I heard that there would be no variation across any grade levels. I would be very comfortable with variations between elementary, middle, and high school policies. Um, whatever those those may be, but I I I struggle a little bit with that lunch hour time, though. I'm not dug in there, but I think that that's one that deserves additional examination by the administration and future board. Any other Dr. Height? Um just again not voting on this but just to say that I very strongly support this um using like my mental health cap that this is a bell-to-bell

185policy is probably the most likely to be successful. Um to cause the least amount of frustration because getting something back in the middle of the day and you get your like dopamine hit in the middle of the day is not going to be beneficial. um it's going to be really hard to take it away for the next class. Um and I guess I would argue if people have things they have to know or do then probably we should be using email the oldfashioned way. Sorry guys. The school office. Call the school office. Yeah. Back to the oldfashioned way. These issues have been worked through and I think what Mr. So Mr. opinion what he's not saying is the sooner he has the ability to start having the discussions we've c we have been talking with

186our colleagues who have implemented this policy in other places they have strategies um but Dr. Worley has said something from the onset from this conversation and Mr. opinion. I believe this as well. It's really important for us to have student voice on how we implement. It's not so much if we're we're not seeking to get permission from the students. However, we really do believe it's important for them to have a voice on how it can be implemented in a way where it doesn't feel like it's a step too far, where they do have voice. Um, and where it is, um, and I think it's going to be ongoing for the for the next year to two years. We want to come back and continue to ask our students and our parents and our administrators to

187work together. I think the one theme from tonight is while we have to make tough decisions, that doesn't mean that it has to be adversarial. It doesn't have to be divisive, but we all just have to understand when you're running a an organization this size, there will there is natural to have different opinions. But let's come to the table together to figure out how we can we can coexist. I'm going to note that it's nine o'clock. We've got this board meeting that we're wrapping up and then there's a policy committee after legislative advocacy. Legislative advocacy. I'd like to have a hard stop on both of those at 10. I think part of the problem with this policy is um like what Dr. Jessanger noted is how inflexible this is. Um, and I would also ask

188like if districts like the comparable districts that have been referenced also have are as similar in the flexible classes that are and periods that students are able to use such as open campus launch, absi, things of those sorts. I mean, or like we even have students that attend east in the morning and then go to west and like or is this functioning like this? Is this common practice in these other districts? And then also I understand that like we'd like to look at this at a high level datadriven um perspective but to some degree like this subjective experience um of these students even though it may be marginal is still important. Um so I don't I don't know if there is an answer to that but I that is a concern of mine and something

189I do question in addition to all of course from a student perspective um I'm not a fan of this truly noted um we wouldn't we would be surprised if there was um and I'm not trying to be flip at it For many of our high school students in particular, you have been in a learning environment where there has been a high level of freedom with a personal device your entire secondary career. And so for us to introduce any language that would restrict that that type of freedom, we your response and your reaction is appropriate and I think we need to hear it. And I think that's why we have collectively said whatever happens with the policy, we want to make sure that it is not we're not toned up to your needs uh moving forward

190and also um preparation for college because no one's going to like if some people go to college no one's going to like sit and babysit you and stuff. So I think if we don't put this in like then I think it would help us. one more student comment. Yeah. Um there's a lot of thoughts, many of which are not going to be said because uh it's more of a committee thing and ad uh and I I think strongly that if uh let me start at the beginning. Uh I I actually do agree pretty strongly with the idea of putting in uh a a vastly different understanding of how smartphones exist in school. At the same time, I know that I am a uh strong minority in the student body on that. And I also know

191that there are certain things that certainly I would not be comfortable with. Um no question for people who are um going to be uh in open campus. If you are driving somewhere, some people need directions. And the also other fact is if you're in a vehicle and something happens, you need to call people. Um, and that's not something I'm going to want to use my school Chromebook email with hotspot for. Um so um there's a couple of my I think the biggest concern that I have beyond just if you I I think you should look into this but you need to have students involved and when you come out of here with something you better be ready to sell it um because it's not going to be an easy sell and um I think the

192biggest concern from a student perspective is that there are in general great there are so many exceptions and this is I think why um in basically every uh room that I was in the phone lockers didn't really work it was all right everybody put your phones in okay first day we're done but then the next day oh hey I need to coordinate with a parent who's picking me up uh I need to um do this separate thing and then it gets to the point of Oh, um, we're doing individual work. Can we listen to music? And that's where maybe you starting to get to that gray area. But the point is there's so many exceptions or possible exceptions uh that teacher discretion some sometimes feels like it's inevitable. Um, and when that and when you

193get this teacher discretion, you're putting teachers in the line of fire on this and you're also um just making it very hard for everybody to understand what the policy is. So, generally get the students involved in this conversation. It's okay to make the unpopular decision, but make sure it's the right one and that you're willing to stand by it and to gather information about how it goes. If I may add, frankly, like this is I can't think of a more difficult thing to enforce like this. We we tried phone lockers for the past two years and same thing first week of school. We tried it second semester the first year. No, like this is I think as close to uninforcable as possible unless you have a dean of students in every classroom and and then

194you get into I think this is why you have to have the bell-to- bell because what has been tried is not working because unfortunately it has to be policed by each and every teacher. You need to have a universal policy. Unfortunately, if you all could go back in time and tell your classmates that that might have been helpful but too late. Yeah. So, just a point of clarification. This is not taking a phone away from you when you're in your car driving to launch or whatever. It's saying that when you come onto campus, you need to store it in an approved space. It doesn't say when you're driving your car. So, it doesn't say you can't have one. Um, and open campus is you can leave campus. It doesn't say you can't have it while

195you're on open campus. that says that when you come on the school grounds then it needs to be stored in one of the and and I think that's right right now we have a list um I mean there was a a time when as I mentioned that the draft had a car in it and I just point out that the inequities um of some students having cars and others not some being able to park um so so maybe the parking places won't be as popular um after this they might want to park in the neighborhood. So and also the schools have different so at west there's a lot and at east there isn't right. So that isn't taking away you being able to use it um when you're outside and off the school grounds. Um

196and I have to say I was kind of in a similar space headwise Dr. address some of anger when I came into the meeting, but looking at the data and then thinking about what we were asking um staff to do um at the end of lunch period um and knowing as a parent how hard it is to do that in my own household. Um, I just thought about the overwhelming amount of learning time that would go into trying to move from either fourth or fifth period into fifth or sixth period. And so that's where I ended up really thinking differently and also seeing I mean I understand the students don't don't want it gone. I'm not surprised the data about that, but I am going to continue to advocate and I think the administration is

197looking at this too is to how to make the students as involved as possible in developing um how this rolls out within the framework that the board decides. I think the language we would want to use is that we don't want to do it to students. We want to do it and implement with students and and so that that's our commitment. Mr. Meyer, so just some quick things. Yes, there is a change management component to this that corporations will tell you there's this this is what we're going to do, but we have to manage the change in a way that people accept it. Okay, true. Secondly, I don't see how anything but fell the bell works because it's going to put discretion and judgment and conflict into the whole day and then it just doesn't

198work. But third thing is intuitively I started out against anything like this and I'm no expert and expert stuff needs to be brought in for the decision but everything I've come to understand about brain science about intellectual development about emotional development about cultural development about even development of like personal values news is being stunted by these devices in front of people all day long. And we it's just we're like depriving these young people of all of these things, intellectual, emotional, cultural, even moral development because they aren't interacting as people. They're they're using these devices and it needs to be stopped sometime in their life to give them a foothold in their brains to be something more than a person attached to a device. Thanks to if we went to the old fashioned way and I

199had to email my mom something about important. Basically, first of all, she has three other kids. She has two other kids at two different schools and she wouldn't see it right away. So that could be struggle for some parents too. Like emails in their, you know, inbox a lot and they don't have the time to do it. Second of all is like what about safety? If there's like an emergency, you want to notify your parent cuz you're really nervous and I have anxiety. So some people have that. So there's responses. Uh and I I just I want to put on the table we appreciate these questions. I think we've thought through them, but we also want to create a space where they can be heard and truly deliberated and discussed, but please know that Mr.

200Pinion and his team um have thought through a lot of these types of questions and are prepared to engage. Um might I suggest some obviously clear communication on this issue. Um so the we've gotten some feedback from as the policy committee. uh one thing I would underline is whe how balance if this needs to move through relatively quickly and what I would say the adoption of any policy the faster you move it through the more time you're going to take implementing it so you want to take your time now or do you want to take your time later successful implementation on the back end will take the same amount of time either way but I think getting particularly students on board understanding Why? So that you're doing it with not to. And then also how

201you want to navigate the trend the the theiness of first reading with this board either second first reading with the next board or something and then our second reading. However you we do have a meeting next Tuesday. There's there's different ways to think about that. So I would just ask that you do so thoughtfully and I have no doubt that we do have a meeting scheduled for next week Tuesday. No board members. Nope. The policy doesn't meet before that. I don't think the policy committee would meet. We'd have to post a policy committee meeting and so it feels like the next board needs to I think so too. Sounds good. We're going to go. You get to final comment. Um just two uh short things. I would not uh I I understand the importance of

202moving quickly. I do not think it's wise to try and implement something in the remainder of this academic year. No. I just want to be clear. Next year that has to go in the student handbook and that have to be done previous to the year and that's why we need to move quickly. So that's done by June. Exactly. We would like to get Yeah. We try to publish the handbooks and have every revision in by June of June. Okay. Again, I think just the conversation is helpful for me. It'll probably be worth me at least kind of starting the ad hoc um and getting that conversation rolling because I'm seeing in hearing a lot of the need. Yes. So I appreciate just the open conversation. This is a without subject. So if anyone thinks of

203other things, please reach out with public comment to um board members um and know that this is scheduled for the policy committee agenda meeting for the 28th um to look at uh comments and then it comes back and as we know tonight from practice that newly seated board could decide to send it back to policy again for more wording. May I say one final thing please? I want to be clear too that this is not I mean we are trying to be responsive to stakeholders in general and and bulks of research. Um so just kind of want to put that out there that this we have heard a call repeatedly in a drum beat around this um since I got here. We are going to move into policy 7310 disposition of personal property. No, this

204is a hot button issue across the district. No doubt. It's not. It's not. Anything from our policy? It doesn't affect very much to be quite honest. It's a very It's a policy we need to have, but it doesn't have a lot of implications. It's DPI. There's language in it from DPI that has recommended how we dispose of it's updated um material or property that was purchased through grants. Just to I having read the the draft the idea of personal property in the law there's real property and personal property. This is when when this says personal property, it doesn't mean you know district personal property, not your personal property. It doesn't mean Yeah. individual person, you know, personal like my home or whatever. It means stuff that's not real estate. Yes, sir. That the school that

205that's what you mean by personal. I I knew that, but I just wanted to be sure that it's it's a the name is a legal term of art and not a cultural term of art, so to speak. Okay, that's the definitions at the start of the policy, not the any discussion on this item policy committee, thank you for your work. uh you continue to be impressive as we march through a whole lot of I think you said billions of policies. It feels like and we haven't even started on administrative guidelines yet. Bless you. Uh may the force be with you. Um, the next item is underneath board governance action to formally request that the policy committee take up at their next committee meeting to revise policy 5430 class rank to include courses that would receive

206weighted grades not limited to advanced placement courses, dual enrollment courses taken by high school students at postsecary institutions and public policy special emphasis absy to ensure that the policy is in place starting with the 2526 school year. Um, Dr. It is recommended that the school board formally request that the policy committee take up at their next committee meeting to revise policy 5430 class rank to include courses that will receive weighted grades not limited to advanced placement courses dual enrollment courses taken by high school students at post-secary institutions and American public policy special emphasis to ensure that the policy is in place starting with the 2526 school year And I so move. May I have a second? Second. Thank you. Um, so some quick framing for this. Um, I placed this on the agenda um because

207it's a topic that I wanted to discuss before I stepped off of the board. Um, this could go a whole lot of different ways. It could be referred back with no action requested. Uh, the policy committee, uh, as Dr. Worly articulated, is planning on taking this up. I'm not sure you'll get to the 28th because I know that you've got a lot of stuff on your agenda and you've got a limited time. Um, my reasoning for pulling this forward, um, I have gone through several steps as a board member to continue to try to find ways to advocate for finding ways to encourage and promote uh, learning opportunities, increasing rigor, encouraging students to participate and engage in things that I think are transformative learning experiences. uh and the weighted grade component is I think one

208tool to enforce some of those behaviors. I think um ultimately the future board will need to to decide on kind of all the different things and Mr. Meyer I think you're you're this has come up a few times tonight. I know I articulated you articulated a few others have whatever leads to better student outcomes I hope this and the future board always lean into that. Um, but I want to encourage to I want to encourage students to do hard things and I want to encourage them to take some risks in doing hard things. And if that means they don't get an A, they get an A minus or a B+. That's okay because they struggled with something that they that was that was was hard to do. So that was my reason for doing this.

209Uh, I wanted to bring it for more discussion to advocate in that direction. Um and certainly respect that we may not want to send anything back with the direction to the policy committee. It may just be a point of discussion here and nothing comes of it. But I want an agenda for that. And uh Dr. Willie, I I want to thank you for your email to the board. Um I was not able to stay later than a certain amount of time on the policy committee and they were not able to we were not able to interface at the same moment in time. So I I uh apologize if there was any disrespect shown to the work of your policy. That was not my intent, but I understand that could have been an exception. Thank you.

210And I and I would say that when you're in when we're in policy committee, um we do move things around. Unfortunately, one of our policy committee members was very ill um and not able to be there. I mean, really ill. Um and and so it was not able to be moved um to an earlier part of the meeting or even into the meeting because we did have a just the way it was ordered. um it was further down on the list um and we won't get into all the other things that happened but essentially I was running two meetings at the same time um the way we scheduled that meeting. So um I I do want to say that it is intentional. I think there is definitely um the possibility of talking about it at

211the next meeting even if there are a lot of policies because with two of us there we can actually vote to change the agenda order. When two of only one person is there we can't do that. Um, so we couldn't vote on anything um, at that time. The other thing I will want I do want to say is that when we first put this through, we had a discussion in policy. Um, and Phil may remember this differently than I do, but the the idea that um, we would do a district-wide scan of all the things that might fit under A through H. um and that we wanted to be very intentional about making sure that we were attending to all the different kinds of studies that our students in the district have in terms of

212going through waiting so that it's not a certain group of students that would have that and that that has been the plan as I understand it of the administrative um of the team um academic team um but that they're thinking and I and I checked this um at our last meeting with Dr. marble. The thinking was they wanted to get through a cycle and then do all the other courses. Um, but that doesn't mean as a board we can't say no, we want something different. Um, but I wanted just to share that that it's never been that these aren't to be considered. it's been that the timing um and whether or not the board wants to say we want a different timing versus the board saying we you know we we know you're going to

213get to this um when you have the data that you need in order to do it if that makes sense. Yeah. Um I think that there I like a lot of the idea of um going to a weighted GPA system. Um, I believe strongly in encouraging people to take uh an advanced placement course or a uh dual enrollment. I specifically chose to take an AP chemistry course and got as you said a B+ instead of uh a possible A and I do not regret that. Um uh I also want quick celebration. I do think that American public policy specialist is one of those courses that really does elevate in many ways. Um I don't know exactly how you choose what receives extra weight, but I I'm can tell you for a fact that from a

214a work standpoint, it certainly is there and I want to thank you for that being at least initially in there. And then the last thing I think the most important thing is um I'm a junior this year and there's a lot of confusion in our class um especially because it will affect us affect us most as to how our GPA will actually be calculated when we go to a weighted system in the future because right now I have three years of unweighted GPA and then if I go to a weighted GPA for the fourth year my GPA looks worse because um if I have a weighted point of clarification, right? This is past. Okay, a weighted GPA exists. Just so everybody know, we have a weighted GPA plan. We took those things into consideration as

215to when it's starting, right? And nowhere else in the policy are specific courses named. The idea is that those are in the administrative guidelines, right? the the categories is what we have so far. This is a request to actually put specific courses in but there are right now there already is a policy and unfortunately we don't have Dr. Marvel with us but Dr. Means maybe you can speak to this too. We went the intention was to go with at this point courses that have some level of verification. So if you want to think about that category like AP courses, right? Um well and I think AP dual enrollment and dual enrollment as a American public policy special special emphasis was not identified because there's an application process for that course and not everyone can take

216it and not everyone can take it and that the subjectivity of being selected for APS could sway some students having access to the course and other students not having access to the course. I it was just a few meetings ago, Mr. Meyer advocated to have two sections of APC because right now we only have one which means you you limit the number to 30. And so the the the logic behind the policy was to not identify these courses from an equity standpoint. The other component with the that that has been discussed is that when you consider some of the college courses, every student doesn't have access to take those courses. And so we we actually create more of a chasm um with some of this than than creating creating equity that we want to pursue.

217This will be fun. Counterpoint. Um postsecary courses are never cheaper than they are as a high school student. So it if if a student wants to save money and pursue a college degree, there's never any more time where it will be cheaper to them and their family than to do it while in high school. So for me, the equity component on that fades away. If you're only looking at equity from a very limited sliver of time, not for the overall experience of that student, it's most different. I'm going to argue that it's inequitable not to value the impact of the the time energy spent on any course and value and not value it more in the case of say ASI and so ASI is one of many ways that a student could get so there's

218a lot of AP courses that a student couldn't take because they haven't taken any classes so I We I know we've had this in your office. We've discussed and debated this many times. So I I I I as people think about this. This is why I have this conversation. The only thing I was It's so just because it's cheaper to get it in high school doesn't mean that every family has like $300 for their child to get. And when you're as a low income, if that's the barrier, there's lots of scholarships and grants available to that student when they're in college, not when they're in our buildings. I was just I just want to be careful about saying that. Yes, it is cheaper, but it's still for a lot of families a huge barrier. And

219we don't offer them in all areas of interest either. It's very limited options. I'm not against weighted grades. Waiting waiting waiting the GPA. We h we have to do it at this point because of the state laws, but we also have already decided as a board to do this. That's not what's on the table. I want to go back also and you asked the question of like is your GPA going to look goofy? Yes. I suspect that that will be noted in the transcript of we began waiting grades in in X area. When you apply to colleges, you're applying generally with a weighted and an unweighted GPA. And colleges are really looking at for admission just what courses you took and the grade you got in that course. They are in essence scrubbing any waiting.

220However, the waiting does count in determining automatic admission to Madison for the 5%. And to I think Lacrosse and Oclair for the 10%. And just to add to that, there might be one or two students where it made a difference, but Dr. Marvel told us that they did the math on our students and it's like not the impact is very very very small because rank noted but it's only very small right there will be someone I understand there will be but you can't transition without because even if you make these changes you're not fixing that problem just so that we're clear that doesn't fix that particular problem the one student who's the person who's the next in line who didn't get that option. There's always going to be a student who's next in line. I

221want to say my piece one last time and then I'll shut up for the rest of the night. I'm not usually the dominant, but I just really care about this one. Um I think what we always want to do is make make decisions that encourage students to do hard things and to put themselves in positions in classes that are that are challenging. I think we have to attend to all these other equity components, but I'm not sure. You know, it's almost like whatever we choose, then we have to figure out how do we do it in the most equitable way possible. It may not mean not duty. No, I will stop. Do we have the resources to provide to the staff that would have to do the work to do that scan at this time?

222No. So, we'd have to come up with more resources if we wanted to do it in an equitable way in terms of identifying all the possible courses um where students are putting in the extra work because that's the category um that is probably the most you know significant one to what you're talking about. I just have one. Uh, I just wanted to thank the uh clarification about the GPA stuff um and just say that's great that if there's a way for that to be communicated because really what we have heard on our end is oh we're waiting GPA now and we can't go back and retroactively wait your old ones which just reads to us as oh so now all of our grades just look weird and there's nothing we can do about it and

223it'll affect us down the line. I'm glad to hear it's not if there's just a way for some something other than Olivia and I go back into the student body and are yelling at the top of our lines. A good idea for us to go back because among other things, part of what we took into consideration was that we didn't put it in this year because classes had already been selected. And so at the point that we did that, it felt unfair to then say, well, now we're going to go back and tell you based on you can't move and you can't change, but here's what the pol. So that's the idea was that this would go into effect um next year because now it's people were more aware but it sounds like more could

224be or needs to be done to help students understand especially the ones you're the liinal group that is in between the two approaches. Yeah. the current sophomore and junior classes and the junior class especially the people who are taking the bulk of their APs this year and are gonna would in our understanding see those not be weighted are who I I feel most concerned about. But like just general transparency with freshman, sophomore, junior classes right now I think would be helpful. Um not that you haven't been transparent, but like maybe if there's a way to like send out a clarification email. Well, I know you don't handle the emails, but um I mean, just think about this, too. You rais a really good point, which is that if we do this, if we were to

225make this change now, would we put it into effect for the fall when people have already selected their classes or we talking like a year from now in terms of um putting specific courses? I think that's that's something that was important to us last year was to not put into effect and then have that people have regrets about what they had chosen. I thought Dr. Marble said that it was a certain graduating year is when it would serve that it so that way that the in it be the incoming freshmen are the ones who would correct that's what they proposed and that's not we pass differently. Well, we did we had pass starting next year. The proposal was to wait four years. Right. Okay. And you voted that was the initial recommendation. We didn't go.

226I'm I need clarification on what we're actually voting for here. I just heard Dr. Mean say something about no, we couldn't afford a scan. What is What is the scan we're talking about? So, the idea what the scan would be to look at all the possible courses, not take them course by course. We're voting on here. No, no. But I'm I'm raising up that that was what the policy committee when we first brought this um suggested that it would be good to have and the um admin the academic sure also said that they'd like to look at everything may we may end up back with this very same list. Okay. But the idea would be to So then also with the topic you just brought up about as we as it says the 25 26

227school year. We're not we're not voting on locking it in so that this is happening for that school year. We can The only thing you're being asked is you're actually being asked to vote on sending this back to the ask policy committee. Make sure to deal with it at their next meeting. That's basically what this is asking. Okay. Make sure I know what I'm voting on on this one. Which side? So if you vote on that then that means whatever happens on however we feel Phil and I will be at that meeting so that we can move it to the top of the agenda because it's or as we agendaize it we'll just put it first because it's in the list right I mean we we put we don't go in numerical order every time

228we go with what's needed um so we put higher in the meeting so that was already we knew this was important it's already planned. So, as far as what we're voting on then it's to send it to a committee. You have to take it up. We are not mandating an outcome from the committee. You That's not how I read this. Say we can't we can't figure this out this fast. We tried but no recommendation yet. Okay. Just so we're not I mean my point is it's already scheduled for the next meeting. Just so we're not painting you into a corner that you have to by mandate, right, come to a recommendation when you feel you're not ready to do. Okay. But it would then go back to the board for first read, then back for

229second read. The same it's being asked and that's where it's headed at this point. If changes are made, there's plenty of opportunities to review those. Even if we don't make changes, we if it's on next next agenda, we'll bring it back as a first read even if we've done nothing to it. Mr. Morris, yes. Dr. Ho, yes. Mr. Wier, yes. Dr. Worley, no. Miss Hammer Roland, yes. Mr. Meyer, yes. Dr. Jess, yes. that item is referred back to the policy. Thank you all. Um we are suddenly at the point of adjournment. Before I do, um want to thank you all as colleagues. Uh this is my ambassador to the board meeting. Uh I want to invite um anybody else have any good comments u means. Uh but I a couple of our public commenters started

230out as articulating. Uh this is a really challenging time to do board work. Uh and so thank you to everybody who has run for office for all of these that I've served with and those who I've served with before. Uh I wish all my best to those who continue to go on. I hope that uh whether it's the Northstar behind us, an updated Northstar that the new board engages, uh but that you continue to center students and their success so you can thrive and and reach their full potential. Uh to the student board members, thank you for being here um to sticking it up through tonight, but also to being here and contributing so much and uh speaking to students appreciate So, I um wish to say thank you to the voters of Wawaossa for

231trusting me for seven terms, 21 years to do this job. It has been um a great honor and a privilege. And so, thank you to Wosa. And that's all. I didn't know we were supposed to prepare comments. Um I mean thank you to my board members for making this a survivable experience. I am very proud of the work that we have done in in this room. Um I've really enjoyed working with you Dr. Means and with all of your amazing um administrative staff. Um I'm really honored to have the opportunity to make all of these really big decisions. And I also, my family is not in any way listening to this. Um, but I am really grateful to them for allowing me um to step away from my family for hours and hours and hours

232a month um to be here. Um, and I am so excited um to turn this over to our new board and I'm really excited to see what you all do next. I got to sign up. Thank you. Uh, it is Oh, no. Uh before before you conclude, I just I want to start by thanking Dr. Hoy. Um the level of insight and professionalism you've brought to the board has been significant and um you've given us pause. You've demonstrated what a board member is supposed to be. um you don't tell us with a sledgehammer what we should think, but you have been very gentle in saying, "Have you thought about this?" um and and that has impacted how we bring things and how we consider things. I'm more worried about what Lupin will do without you

233than than anything else. Um, it is rare for us to find someone in a profession and and and um and so I know that you've given him great counsel as well and um you you you've changed us. So, thank you. Dr. Jess anger, your tenure on the board has been significant. You you led the board through co you've um you've seen a lot. I I I um and and that culminated our October 28th board meeting where I think this board set the course, this group set the course for the district for the next 20 years. And so we appreciate your leadership. We appreciate the the the steady hand that you've provided through a lot of challenging times where the community has had to make some difficult decisions and your willingness to listen to the other

234perspective have um has been helpful. um you've you've asked us to pause and think about things and ultimately you've grounded us in what do we want um for our kids academically. I think the board northstar is something that will be a lasting legacy um that you you really pushed us to do. Um and it it always grounds it has grounded this board and we'll you know either the new board will revise the the northstar or keep the northstar but at least there is a north star something that most boards don't have and so thank you for your leadership and Mr. Michael E. Meyer. Um, I first met you in 2003 when you were considering running for the board. Um, then, um, your your commitment to children in Wal Tulsa and being an advocate for people

235who need a voice is something that is not it hasn't fallen short on me. I I know that you care deeply about this community and um we appreciate your service. Um it is I think is a testimony to not only Wulosa but also to you. We're not finding people serving 20 plus years on school boards anymore. Um, and so I just want to say thank you and and you you know there there are times where board members and your tenure, you don't see them the last few meetings that that you have followed through and have been committed to us um throughout this entire process. And so thank you um for your your your service and we can't say that enough. So, I have just a small token of of appreciation for you and your service.

236And hopefully people on online and those of you who have remained with us, if you could join me in giving these three fine people. is 9 43. Thank you very much, Dr. Um, truly an honor for service. Uh, may I have a motion to adjourn at 9:43? Move to adjourn. Seven. Miss Summers. Mr. Morris. Yes. Dr. Ho. Yes. Mr. Wadier. Yes. Dr. Worley. Yes. Miss Roland. Yes. Mr. Meyer. Yes. Dr. Jesser. Yes. We're turned.