001today that uh shout out to Zack Koba down at the elementary school who uh was able to receive a grant from I believe it was um American Heart Association to replace all balls in the uh physical education department. So kudos to him was much needed. So >> nice. I was very impressed with the middle school band at the homecoming parade for just having practiced a few times. Those seventh graders and eighth graders did really well. Good. >> Um Nick and I wanted to uh take an opportunity to thank Josh, Kurt, and an um they took us on a tour um last week and this week. Um they spent time with us during this um in our school visits. Normally we go once a year. Um this year Nick had the idea to go with the
002assistant principles and since there isn't one at middle school or um play we went with an um it was just really nice to see the buildings and just get a different perspective. Um they were able to tell us what was working well, what challenges they had. Um and we wanted to say thank you to the principles well as well because we talked to them. Um it was it was refreshing and I'm probably not going to paraphrase it as well as Nick did, but um it was really refreshing to hear that as hard as we are working um the board, the district, the teachers that there's they there was such a positive um uh feeling from who we toured with. You could see it with the teachers, the kids. So, there's a lot of negative in
003the world, but it seemed like we're we're we're turning a corner. And there was it was just really nice to see that all our hard work is is really paying off. >> Yeah, it was a very uplifting cup, three hours, whatever. Yeah. So, it was nice and >> just to reiterate, yes, it was it was a fresh perspective that we hadn't had for a while. So, that was I shame on me, but I don't really talk to the assistants that much, right? So, it was a good opportunity. Does anyone else have one? >> Yeah. I wanted to do a shout out to Allison Golki on um for all of her hard work and updates on the uh Berlin High School Hall of Fame website that she did to help me and um our team um
004all the updates and get us all current. So, all the categories are out there and all the winners are now updated and it's all out there. So, thank you Allison. Um, and also I wanted to shout out to MJ, the athletic trainer, um, our school and all our student athletes, um, on receiving the first team safe sports school award for the fourth consecutive year. So, way to go for our school and look for the banner. I'm assuming it'll be in the gym like it has been. So, that's a nice little accolade for our school. So, >> thank you. >> You want to do that? >> Anything else? Okay, great. We will move on to time to shine. >> All right. Um, so Berlin Middle School is up for time to shine. Um, one of the
005areas I wanted to highlight in our building um is the work that some of our special education staff do um on a daily basis. You know that we have one of our goals aligned to helping improve our students with disabilities. Um, you heard Ann speak about it last month. Um and so I felt like it'd be really nice to hear from a couple staff members all the work that they do. So within our building um we're structured in terms of departments and then some other um IEP driven needs like behaviors and things like that. So I have two staff members here at Kenwolf. Um he is part of the math department. So what that means is that he helps co-e um math for sixth, seventh, and eighth grade. In addition to he leads a class
006called PLT or personalized learning time that helps with the math driven goals. I also have Kirsten Hunt here. She is part of the ELA department. So she co-ees ELA for grades six, seven, and eight and then also leads a class called um personalized learning time in terms of ELA for those goals driven there. So, it's kind of just about giving awareness and education about how much um they work and how hard they work and collaborate um with staff and with our students to help make some growth and gains. Um you guys are aware when you look take a look at our data. Many times we've got some pretty large gaps and gains to be filled and made up with our students with disabilities. And so, they're here to talk about just what do they do
007on a daily basis that runs top to bottom of their day um and the work that they do specifically with all of our students. It's kind of interesting how we have it structured here because although our special education teachers do have their own um set of students that they case manage, they have to do a lot of collaboration in terms of math, ELA and then other like behavioral social specific type goals. So I am going to turn it over to Ken and Kirsten. >> As Khaled alluded to, we do co-eing and PLT personalized learning time. I do more of math and then um Kirstson does ELA um in math we pre-teach retach math topics um so I'm meeting with the grade level teachers weekly daily and what we're doing how we're doing it some of
008the kids that are struggling in math that I see how can we teach in a different way how can we connect to them um work on those language skills we use as web and the I ready data we have to identify by what skills they might need to work on. If it's multiplying fractions, if it's decimals, any of that stuff. Um, we do have it broken down by grade level. So, we don't combine like sixth graders and eighth graders together. It is each hour that we have a PLT, it is by grade level. Um, and we used I read web to determine where they need to be, how often they need to be for math. >> For ELA, it's similar. So we work on the lagging skills. It's also broken up by grade level and
009then also use the I Ready and AS web data to decide and kind of help us determine who needs the PLT and maybe who doesn't need as much support or help with reading skills. So PLT ELA. So the regular structure is we have a starter activity that we do at the beginning of the class. Um we do two weeks of a reading activity and then we'll switch and do writing and we'll do switch off for two weeks from that. Just working on our oral fluency with the reading activity. Um at the beginning of the year I assessed each student in the classes to see where they are for phonics and like grouped them by their skill levels. Um and then we do our phonics groups. We do 95% phonics and then we also have the
010students do I ready my path lessons. I did pull some data to make little charts. So, the students that had PLT last year that are still at PLT this year, um, for the oral fluency scores, I just made a table charts, you can see that a lot of them made pretty good gains between last year and this year for oral fluency in PLT math. Um, instructors, I get a packet. Um, they get a warm-up. Typically, it's a what do you prefer kind of thing to kind of get their mind thinking. Then it's a question that applies to two categories that we progress monitor each week at Ames web. Um so it's a multi mental computation fluency and then a number comparison um fluency test and then we do some type of skill builder using a
011um I ready or one of those lighting skills is where we work on that and then we go to grade level topic and then the applied skills part is they get to practice it. I like to try to get groups together to work and they can talk through stuff using whiteboards and all different kinds of methods with that. Um, and then in the grade level topic stuff, I try to use simpler numbers so we can work on those mental math facts that might be lagging. [cough and clears throat] Um, and this is I pulled data from Ames web tracking and I already from the students we had last year from when we started to where we ended. Um, we kind of retoled and redid a little bit of the math PLT structure in about November.
012So, right as we took the winter diagnostics in both categories was right about the time that we changed the structure in PLT and really started to hone in on those lagging skills and then reteing and pre-teaching the grade level topics. And as a whole, we made a lot of jumps um and gains in each of those areas. Cool. Gi. >> Yeah. >> So, we plan well I plan with the ELA ELA teachers. We have our weekly meetings and then just meeting with them individually too when I have the time when they have the time. Um, so like I said, the weekly department meetings, the interactive behaviors equally in the classroom, and then usually for ELA, like there's a small portion at beginning of instruction, and then after the instruction's done, I might pull some students
013to work in a smaller group and kind of rego over some of the things that were taught to them during the class. >> In math, again, we meet with meet with the math teachers weekly in the departments. Um, a lot of times it winds up being a daily collaboration in in school and outside of school. We're exchanging ideas, thoughts, processes throughout um, the day. Um, seventh hour, the last hour of the day, the math department has time or is a prep period. And I think three out of five days of lead time, I'm with the math teachers and we're just talking about what's going well, what's not going well, how can we change this. Um, and then we share content between like PLT and math class. So, some of the stuff I'm doing in PLT,
014we're now using in the general education math class and it's helped really like connect the two. And the co-teer from special education isn't viewed as a different teacher. We're in there working side by side and we're both providing instruction to math class. Um, the other day in eighth grade math with Mr. Richie, we had a duel where he put a problem up up on the board and then we did it. Mr. Richie and I did it and we both had kind of talked about where some of the mistakes might be that we might do and then we had a student come up and do the problem and see which one was right and the class had to discuss what was going on um in the problem and which student or was a student right, was
015Mr. Richie right or was I right. Um so we both provide that um in in class instruction we're not separate, we're not divided and then even the behaviors equally. We've had some things where students are not following along. So, we'll have them come up and make the time up at lunch and we'll make sure that we're covering that and hold them accountable. And it's an equal partnership. Um, there's a lot of collaboration, a lot of effort that we're putting in to make that happen. And it does seem like more kids are buying in. It's not so much separated like, oh, we want to go with Mr. Wolf or we want to go with Mrs. hunt um to go to a separate setting or go do a small group activity. It's not those that group isn't
016for me. It's we want to be with those people and we're getting help and I'm getting called over by every student in the classroom. It's not just a student I would typically work with. Other than that, >> does anybody have any questions about how many students do you have in the PLT groups with you? >> It varies on grade level. Um, right now on the math side for seventh grade, I see about 10 to 12 different students. Sixth grade is eight. Eighth grades is about six. On the math side, >> it's pretty similar for the English side, too. In those numbers, >> those students rotate A days, B days, most of them, unless it's dictated that they need more math help. So, then they'll be in PLT both days. So, on B days, right now,
017I have the bulk of the students. So, then we do more of that grade level topic and then the opposite days, I'm aiming at some of those lating skills that those students need more math help in. So, are they um they're in that PLT with you like in the schedule? It's not a flexible in andout. >> Um we have power hours for each grade level. So, instead of them being in the power hour with their peers, we use the PLT time. That's their power hours. They come in and get that more direct instruction. They don't have as much freedoms. And we say, "Hey, if your goal is," we put goals on it. Your goal is to be with your peers and show me your knowledge. because a lot of them I think have just not
018given the effort and math side. So try to get them to just buy in a little bit more and there's getting more and more pride and more confidence. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions? >> How do you determine which kids get to be with you two or what's what's the criteria there? >> Um we look at Ames Web um to start if they're under like that 26 percentile is what they consider average. So for under that we're looking at do they need the PLT are they showing the lang skills and we look at I ready and we collaborate with like the math teacher and other case managers. So one thing like with AS web so our students with IEPs take both I ready and as web diagnostic um and Ames web is is used
019across the country norm reference for math and for reading um but then our students with IEPs they as web progress monitor meaning they're taking like quick assessments every two weeks so both Ken and Kirsten have like up-to-date information to see where they're at what's going on and although it sounds like it's an arduous process like students may not like it at least provides them like up-to-date information and then the students are also part of like that process too of how they can continue to personalize like those skills in PLT and then talk settings. So >> yeah, I do math with the progress monitoring. I actually do it weekly with both topics and the kids are always like, "Hey, how did I do on did I do better?" Like they're buying in and I show them
020their scores and their trends and they're very bought into trying to do better and then like I explain what's going on. Um, we only do really oral reading fluency with ELA, so there's not as much opportunity. But with math, that can drive a couple days of instruction. Where are we missing something or what's the next area to go to because there's so much we can touch on and help with math. >> Any other questions? Thank you. This was very informative. Thanks. [applause] Okay. So, we don't have any um audience conversation today. So, we'll move into Colleen. Where did you Sorry. Um [laughter] I wanted to make sure I was talking about the right thing. Um so, we're going to do the BMS academic and behavioral continuous improvement plan update. >> Sure. Um, so thanks my
021special ed people like it's super easy for adults to get in front of students. It's not easy to get in front of adults. Um, so when I asked them they're like okay we don't really want to but like they also were like okay but we it is important for us to talk about those two individuals like I said like they have to team with um not only ELA but like the grade levels and each other. And so it's just it's been a nice process to see how um they've evolved and and I'm just really proud of them that even just coming here to speak with you guys. So all right. Um so BL Middle School, I know you guys just kind of heard us speak a little bit, so I'm just going to kind of
022do some quick highlights in terms of like our goals and things where they're at. So you know that we have once again this year our 100% growth um stretch growth goals in terms of I Ready. Um, I provided you with this data information. We don't have necessarily our students where they're at in terms of the progress towards those stretch growth goals. We will get that in the winter time once they diagnostic again. But this is just kind of giving you again like the information on where we um are at in terms of proficiency levels at the start of the year. Um, I talked about previously too how we have had some growth from last year to this year where our students kind of ended up. Um what's really you know interesting to see is right
023we know we have a couple months off in the summer so we can talk about summer slide. Um we can talk about like just students intrinsic motivation of where they're coming in at. Um but also just to like getting students that motivation of like why it's important um to show how they're doing and how like how well they can actually do to help with power hour in terms of groups and where they get placed at. Um also in terms of reading um our ELA department um did a group goal for this year too, right? So we have our building goals that we look at but then um teachers have to set their own goals SOS throughout the year. Um and in our building we do them departmentwide and I kind of let that be something
024that is ground up from our staff. I don't necessarily direct it. I say like I think it'd be great when you have more hands to [clears throat] lift goals as departments or as grade levels. Um but I'll leave it up to you. So all my departments are building goals together. So for reading, for example, um they did they came up with a really nice goal and they're focused in on like reading or spelling and vocabulary and it's kind of scaffolded with the idea that um in sixth grade as we really start to hone in on some of that spelling capacity where you can kind of see we'll help build up vocabulary. So, at the beginning of the year, we got a little bit more of that red. Um, and then the more we build in
025our spelling, we build in our vocabulary, then ultimately we're going to help increase our overall comprehension um in both literature andformational text. So, they kind of did a nice job of like scaffolding in sixth grade spelling. Um, seventh grade has a lot of vocabulary and eighth grade kind of has got that nice mix of vocab, but also comprehension to help really continue to push and move forward with the progress. um in terms of our building goals and just overall growth of students too. Um and I'll kind of also mention to like Ken and Kirsten along with the rest of our special education department, they set their own goal on top of being part of their department goals um of looking at phonics and they're currently like going through some more PD about the science of
026reading and phonics and which ultimately helps with our building wide goals and scaffolding in with the LA math department. Um, same thing for math. Um, just kind of where we were at at the start of the year. We've had some growth from last year into this year where students are coming at. Um, just kind of as a reminder to when students take the diagnostic test, it's um where they're performing in terms of like the standards at the end of the year, right? So when we come in and students are in sixth grade and they're performing in fifth grade, that's kind of what we would anticipate, but we want to see them grow by the time we get to winter and then by the time we get to the end of the year too. Math department
027um was focusing very similarly to ELA about kind of scaffolding by grade level um in terms of numbers and operations. Um, so you can kind of see at the top numbers and operations where we project oursel as a building at the start of the year. Numbers and operations was a goal that we had set a couple years ago too at Berlin Middle School. Something that we just want to continuously work on. Um, so they're kind of scaffolding from looking at like fact fluency, so building a fat fluency time at the start of class. Um, and then continuing their way up even all the way into math. So, it was interesting to see that both math and ELA kind of scaffolded a a goal like that together, but they didn't like do it in tandem. They
028just came up with this um on their own organically, which I thought was really kind of cool and interesting. They spend a lot of time together too now um almost like on a daily basis like just talking and looking at things and collaborating and and looking at the processes that they have going on in their classes. So >> Colleen, what what is like the average for what would you expect to see from for green at the start of the year? Like 20%ish. >> Yeah. Yeah. I would say like a quarter, a little more than that. So about 25%. So we're like we're we're getting there. Yeah. You know, um I think like we'll talk about, you know, always like the more we continue to strengthen our instruction students from Clay from my building from my
029building up to the high school, right? We're going to look at those beginning of the year um projections to look a little bit stronger to your point like 20 25%. So um and then our goal in terms of our students with disabilities and aims with benchmark. So we focused in on just like the reading composits. Um and they've again too felt really strongly like the more we focus in on our reading that's going to help support math because one of the trends that we are noticing um with our students and students with disabilities um when they get to some of those more word type problems they get stuck a little bit. Um it's a little bit harder right when you look at equation type math it's very much more concrete no matter what type of
030learning you have. But when you start embedding um narratives or other words around that, it just challenges students more and especially our students that have a little bit more gaps. So they are focusing on that reading composite. We want to um get 100% of our students to that kind of average percentile which is 26 to 74th where our baseline started off here at the beginning of the year is 18.5% of our students with IEPs um are in that average percentile. Um, if we back up to last year, the baseline was about 11% at the start of the year. By the end of the year, we were at 38%. Um, so obviously didn't meet the goal, but we had some growth. Um, now that you guys kind of hear from our experts in the house, the
031ones that are working on it, they've got some really nice plans in place that I I do believe we're going to have some growth around. And then again, like I said, our special education team is focusing on phonics this year. They're currently in the process of doing some PD together. Um, we meet every Friday morning at 7 a.m. Um, and so just working through those pieces to help support that overall. >> Can I What PD are you doing? >> We have like an online module. Um, >> is it campus? >> Yes. >> Yep. So, it's been kind of like really good for them to work through that too because I think when we they wanted to have to be around them like fantastic. Like you want to learn more to help support that. So, >>
032does anybody have any other questions? >> Absolutely. >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> I'm almost done. >> No, no, you weren't moving the screen, so >> I didn't want to let all of a sudden go if someone has another question. sometime um our turn our goal is that we wanted to have 87% of our students having 01 majors in next path. Um our baseline was 82.9 from last year. So currently we have 94% of our students at Bur Middle School have no major referrals. Um so I think that's a celebration for us. Um we've been in school for two months. Um and so right everyone talks about honeymoon phases. honeymoon phases last a little less time in middle school because they just are excitable and eager to showcase their personalities. Um, and we're starting to get
033into the season, too, where you've got holidays and things coming up and different scheduling. Um, but most of our students are doing exactly what we want them to be doing. So, it's a good thing. And then I just was trying to finish up with a couple different pieces of our targets in terms of like a district-wide. So our attendance, I put our trends of where we're at in attendance and then chronic absenteeism. So like how many students are showing up on a daily basis. Um right now we're at 93.9%. The absenteeism, um we're at about 22.1%. Um, we've talked about this a lot that still it's getting students um, coming to school and staying in school. One of the trends that we've been noticing this week is that students have been getting picked up early
034and just talking with my office. I'm like, what is going on right now? And someone brought up like, well, maybe families are taking kids out for trick-or-treating from the different communities. I'm like, you know, I never even thought of that because my kids trick-or-treating [clears throat] like even in eighth grade. So, I'm like maybe that is the trend. But it's just I think trying to continue to push out like information about like staying in school for the full time period and every single minute is really really important to us even when we start our days and just getting them into the routines and the more we're here the more we have touch points. Um so you know just always an ask of you guys too being on the community is like really propelling that like
035attendance piece and trying to like I think mitigate how many times you take vacations or different days around that. Um it's really good for our kids to be in like five days with a stable schedule. So >> So the second one, the chronic absenteeism, that'd be 22% at this point of the year miss 10% of the days so far that they had. >> Yeah. >> Yep. Which is a lot at this point in the year. A lot. Um you know, some of it is it could be like medical illnesses and sometimes it's just you get calls for parents calling in for a mental health day or it's, you know, a birthday or they want to spend time with them or they just don't want to come to school and I think there's just a struggle
036right with parents of like how do I do those battles with my kids and I can't make them come to school and so yeah it's a it's a continued problem so um and then our participation extracurriculars so so far this school year we've offered cross country for grades six through eight football for grades seven and eight volleyball for grades seven and eight bulked up bison which is our after school um like a weightlifting fitness program which is for grades seven and eight student council is grades six through eight robotics is six through eight Pokemon board club is 6 through eight and champion times is 6 through eight so right now we're sitting at 61% of our students at B middle school are participating in some form of extracurriculars um which is a good start we
037ended the last year with 81% so we know as the year continues um more kids start to like pick up the interest. Like some of our clubs actually don't start until the beginning of October or just a couple weeks ago. And sometimes you get more kids to spread the word or want to be part of it. Um and then we'll continue to add on to this percentage and trying to really just bolster kids being part of our our school community too. So [clears throat] any questions for me? >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. Okay. So, we'll move on to number nine, the public hearing on requests for the DPI waiver pursuant to Wisconsin state. >> Yep. I'll I'll leave these next two, nine and 10. So, this was brought up to the policy committee already.
038It's the second year in a row that we have gone through the waiver process with DPI. Just as a reminder to the board to do, there's a series of things that you can ask for a waiver from DPI. The way that works is once we like talk through it with the board like in a committee the board has to vote um then the board president clerk sign it and I sign it once you vote for it um after the public hearing. We'll talk about that in a second and then it goes to DPI. They they do the final approval. So last year we had to do a waiver and we're not changing the wording on the waiver this year but the waiver is for the Wisconsin Guarantee Act. So, as a reminder, there's a couple
039different ways that kids now can get kind of automatically into the UW college system. Um, the Wisconsin guarantee is the top 10% of kids automatically get into any W campus other than WMadison that has its own kind of criteria. And the state kind of lays out how that 10% is determined, which is essentially GPA. and we because of the LA system we have a little more complicated uh process because otherwise you could in theory have more than 10% because there's no way to break those ties. So just as a reminder what this is about. So the waiver allows us to have a series of tie breakers um using various factors such as besides great points such as the ACT scores, ACT subc scores um and LA points as well as um potential participation in extracurricular
040activities which usually we don't get to that and um last year though the board approved it and DPI approved it and so this year um we're asking for the same thing from the board to approve that so we Mass DPI's approval. Um this this part is nine which is a public hearing. So by state requirements to ask the board for waiver we have to first have a public hearing which is this section. So if there's anybody in the public here [laughter] including the board has further questions about this waiver. Now is your chance. Doesn't sound like it unless somebody's right up. Okay Scott [laughter] it's like there's lots of questions. You're free to ask questions Scott. It's one of those rare moments where in a board meeting you don't have that like two minutes or
041three minutes at the beginning. All right. So, if there's no other questions about that at this point, we can move to number 10, which is consideration for action. So, we're looking for a motion from a board member saying uh that we can move forward with this. I will move to approve of the action to for the waiver. >> I'll second it. Any other discussion? >> [snorts] >> I'm just curious like do you know how on that scale did you have to go past number one? >> That is a great question. I wish Brian was here to answer that. I believe um I don't believe they really they had to go past the ACT scores so far. Um but it could happen right especially as more go into the LA points and less emphasis. We don't
042have a weighted GPA system so that doesn't allow that either. So good question. Oh, just as a follow-up to since this is a discussion point, one thing that came out of the committee was we want to make sure this is public and transparent to our students and families. So, Brian, who's working on that, it'll be on the student services page of the high school web page very soon. Uh, but going into next year when they revise their annual revising of the student handbook, it will be embedded in there. So, these same rules will be annually going forward will be in the student handbook for high school which is also on the web page. So that's how it's shared. It was shared to students and families like via email, but we want to make sure it's
043also on the website. >> So any other discussion? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed? Motion carried. So we'll move to number 11, the 2025 2026 budget resolution. So, if you remember correctly at last week's committee meeting, um the total that I brought to you for expenditures and revenue was that 20,415,865. That number did not change from last week. What changed was how the expenditures in the functions there were some changes. So if you compare last Wednesday's to what we saw tonight, there will be some changes in the function, but the total amount of expenditures and total amount of revenues did not change in fund 10. Are there any further questions of me on that budget that was presented? I just have a clarifying question. Is it so the state aid truly went
044down like $1.1 million? kind of missed that last week. Yeah. >> Yeah. So, if if you remember last week, I explained that your aid is based upon your expenses from the year fiscal year before. So, we had less shared aid this year because the expenditures went down last year because we cut already starting last year and again this year. Um, but the other factor that plays into that is we are more equalized property value heavy. Like we went up 10 point some percent compared to the state average at 8 something%. And so when your equalization property taxes go up, coupled with not having as much expenditures, your aid will go down. And so you have to get it somewhere to make up for that, which is the taxpayers in your levy. >> Does that help
045explain that? >> Yeah. No, I just want that I think it's an important point for us to know the months ahead. >> Any other questions on the budget? If not, then we need to have a motion to approve the budget. >> I will move to approve the budget as presented. >> I'll second. >> Any other discussion? >> All in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed? Motion carried. So, we'll move on to the levy resolution. >> Okay. So, the levy did not change um the revenue limit worksheet. I took one last look this morning because they can change on a daily basis, but we were at the same. So, our levy um requested is $7,713,338. And I had gone over how that was split between fund 10, fund 3839, and fund 80 at our annual
046budget hearing. So if you have questions, now would be the time to discuss them. There's no questions. We need a motion. >> Yes, please. >> I'll make a motion. >> I'll second it. >> Any other discussion? >> All in favor say I. >> I. opposed. Motion carried. >> So, we'll move Well, you probably don't have a financial >> Well, I just have um I mean, I don't have much financial [clears throat] information to share, but um to mark on your calendars, our next financial infrastructure committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 19th at 5:00. So, that is before our regular meeting again. Um I just want to bring that to your attention. and it should be on your calendar. But that's all I have for you tonight. I think I shared enough. >> Okay. Well,
047then we'll move on to EMTT. >> Awesome. I just have a couple quick things. Um first of all, a reminder to the board that we have um I have my staff advisory council twice a month or once a month. Um so today before our meetings I had my my monthly staff advisory council but we have a special meeting with them that board members are um invited to which is next Wednesday at 3:45. So November 5th and I think right now unless things changed the two of us >> it's Katherine and Nick but we can have up to four. So if any other board member or two >> this group is is is not available. >> Oh not available. Okay. >> All right. Um, but it's good just for the public to know that like we're
048getting trying to have close some feedback loops with our staff and we'll have other opportunities in the future. Um, when I brought it up last time and then today, they're they're eager to have board members there um to share and to give some feedback. >> Well, Nick has to send the question out. >> He'll just email myself. [laughter] >> Did we share what did we put that in? What the question was? >> Did I? >> I don't think you did. No, we did. >> We did. >> No. >> Anyway, so they'll work out a question unless you want to >> I think the question is just going to go back to that staff question in the goal, right? The board's doing what it takes to make the district successful. >> That's just going to drill
049in and say >> I verbally shared that today. Yeah, they felt like that was a good place to start. So, >> are we going to give them some [laughter] areas? So, I mean, or is it just going to be open-ended? Well, it's based on that survey, so it probably be good to be open-ended. >> I mean, we can start with teams. >> Yeah. >> I mean, odds are you'll probably revisit it the next time the board's invited again. >> I would recommend I'll be there, but I won't be facilitating, but they're very used to like the plus minus delta sort of format. So, you could even say like clearly it's not all positive or negative, right? Nothing is. So, you can say like, "Hey, what what do you say it's doing well? How do we
050support staff and what decisions we're making and support staff and students and maybe what things are not as pleased with or is not going as well and then what will are sort of specific changes or ideas for suggestions. That's probably how I'd format it. That way you can always start with like what things are going okay and I think that you can do that with two or three items if you want but that would be the primary one. I think you're also mentioning talking reminding them about the board goals that you're trying to address and if there's something you want to dig deeper >> the action steps you mean? >> Yeah. Action steps. So >> um another just reminders about the musical. So I always like sharing that. Um so we're doing sus high school
051is doing susical this year. It's 13th through the 15th. And uh new this year we're pushing out some different type of communication methods with the community. We have door hangers that have been printed and students and some adults are going to share those on doors in the community. Um, and we have some yard signs we're doing. So, um, it's not just to get people. We want to fill all those seats and the kids put so much time and the adults put so much time into preparing musicals and plays and concerts and athletic events. So, it's it's great to get those seats filled. So, we encourage um, everyone board and staff our day two complimentary tickets again. So that's going out in the next couple days by Friday for sure. You can start signing up I
052think starting Monday official. But actually I think the staff and and board ones are available right away and fill up those seats. So it should be a lot of fun. And it's a familyfriendly musical so you can bring either your grandkids or little kids or neighbors. So um it's great neighbors >> or neighbors right Kathine. You have neighbors. >> Yes I do. [laughter] And then the final one, um, this both for the board, but I do put this in your update, but also for the public since, um, press is here, a reminder where we're at with our property sales. So, we did have a nice, um, sound off for the board and and for me, our work together that was in the last paper, we appreciate that. And it was about the sale of the
053property. And uh I've heard that from others verbally, but it was great to see that in the paper, which is essentially we're looking uh everywhere for resources and opportunities uh to use the taxpayer dollars wisely. um that you know we've identified that there are some piece of property two of them in particular the one by Walmart the school forest there and the one out on sherair street that's farmland that are not currently really helping our kids in a dramatic way and are definitely we're sitting on some dollars there that we could invest differently for future needs and the the sound off highlighted that so that's a good decision thank you board for making that decision so the next step um we are working on appraisals. Um, those will be professionally done and wrapped up by
054probably the end of November, the latest. I've secured a local attorney, John Blazel, that will be helping assist the board when we get to actual offers that are on the table. So, just as a reminder, once offers start arriving, which will probably be earliest as to late November, December, um then if we we will have a closed session where the board can then discuss those and um as needed, we'll have our attorney there if like we feel like we're at that point. Um if we counter or we accept an offer then uh we'll work with that individual or group but also then our attorney Jaza will help us with the drafting the paperwork getting all the eyes dotted and tees crossed. So we're moving right along. Signs have been are being printed up um with
055help of the printing part of the Berlin Journal and those signs will go up very soon probably next week just to again get the word out coming soon. And uh yeah, we'll see where this goes. The board, just as a reminder to the public, does not have to accept any offer, right? You get to that point and say like, you know what, we're gonna hold on it or we don't have a great offer. But um it's it's good to have these opportunities before us. And I think it will help um put a endowment kind of together through the fund for future capital expenses, ongoing projects that we need to get done that um we can use those dollars for instead of um taking out of our general budget. Mike, did you have any more question
056on the on the signs and the land sale? >> No, I just uh was concerned about uh you putting up the signs without having appraisal first. Um what how are you going to respond to people that say I'm interested in what you're asking? >> Great question. >> So they'll essentially be like coming soon. In fact, I'll probably have that on like as a little corner thing. Um, so if anybody and people are reaching out already and what I'm saying is we don't have until the appraisal is done, which they understand completely. We're not putting a value on them until that point. Um, however, it's important for them to know these are coming soon. Kind of like other you see sometimes on a house is for sale coming soon. May not be on Zillow yet or
057may not be out there. So, um, my my guess is the individuals that might be interested in these properties won't make a decision in 24 hours. are going to be thinking about like does this work in my development plan? Is this something I need to look around? Yeah. So, it really gives like a a runway for individuals to kind of get the word out and start thinking about things. And so, that's the main answer. Like I there's nothing that would hold anybody back from putting an offer on the table without even knowing, but very few people will offer who buy a piece of property without knowing kind of what you're asking, but it does occasionally happen. And uh so but it'll be it'll be essentially the shortest answer is it's a coming soon sort of
058thing. coming soon. These will be for sale and I'm sharing the rough timeline when we can determine that starting point um will be when those appraisals are done because we'll want we are responsible all of us board and I and Trisha and the whole district is responsible just like we talked about with the annual meeting in now to the taxpayers and so we want it's our obligation to get the top dollar we can from any asset that we own and that's where we'll start. Does that answer your question, Mike? >> Yes. Thank you. >> Okay. >> Yeah. One question that has come up with is so you [clears throat] we have collectively engaged or or have a contract with a farmer right for the farmland and there are there's language in there to allow us
059to get out of that contract but also we're by contract and ethically obligated to make sure that they're not putting money into future plants for like seed and other other materials for future planting in the spring. And so I'm working with them, make sure. So the sign won't go up till they know, they understand, but we also don't know the timeline offers and things. So, um, we'll work with them. They'll work with us. They'll work with a future owner of that land, I'm sure. But we're being respectful of what our obligations through that contract. >> Can we print off the sound off and make a mural? >> Yes. Or t-shirts? [laughter] >> Yeah. But it was it was very nice. And actually, it's from last week's paper, I believe. I encourage you to get the
060copy and read it because they did a very nice job of kind of summarizing what was in my article in the paper, but also they started with a little statement about, you know, not everybody in government gets positive like compliments, but we should also share them when they're due. And and I thought that was really nice because I think we all should learn that it's so easy for all of us to be critical of things. And sometimes it's also part to open our mouths and say positive things when when it's truthful. And they it was nice that they said shared that with the public. That's all I had for you. >> Okay. Thank you. Do you have anything, Nick? >> I do not. >> Okay. Does the community organization? >> Well, it's not just mine.
061It's any >> I can give another update on the boys and girls club. Um, the Berlin site hit an all-time attendance high of 130 children uh in a single day last week and they're consistently serving over 110 daily. And then a more specific update, an update on more specific program. I want to showcase the B-grade graduate program that the club has with Berlin Middle School and the high school. Many of us know Edie Riser and Ed's got a classroom in high school, but she's actually an employee of the Boys and Girls Club running the BG Great program. This program connects youth with a graduation specialists and uses weekly check-ins between the two for tutoring, goal setting, or addressing obstacles to academic achievement. Currently, the program in Berlin serves 28 youth with potentially three more joining
062in the future. Uh ED is averaging five meetings per student per week with a total of 382 meetings so far this year. >> Thank you. Um I gave my update at the annual meeting, but I just wanted um to recognize Nick uh for his commitment to our board communication. um he's working with EMTT and Allison um quite frequently to deliver timely and relevant information uh to our stakeholders and it's really appreciated because it's you know it's it's helping all of us and that was one of our goals and you know even like getting this uh question out to for the staff advisory um making sure that when we send the parent newsletters out that the board as we said in our goal is represented. So, um, I truly appreciate that and, um, I know it
063does take him some time to put that communication together. So, I just wanted to recognize that. And that's all I had. >> Do you mind if I add one thing? I just kind of forgot something, but kind of it goes to this piece about um, getting the good word out. >> Yes. So um last night I had the opportunity to attend the city of Berlin's uh strategic plan one of their like meetings and they had on the wall like a like the plus minus delta you know what are the successes in the city what are like some weaknesses or areas of opportunities and also what are some ideas and suggestions and I have to say from the school perspective there were a lot of post-it notes on the success side that they're proud of their
064schools so I thought that you should know that um that that there was a theme of those that were in attendance. There was a variety of people there um from different ages and backgrounds and there was there's a lot of positive um that I was hearing and what I was seeing on post notes. So >> great. >> I think that the work that you all are doing and we're collectively doing around getting the good word out and in a variety of different ways is um it's helping. So >> well thank you. Thank you for sharing that. If there's not anything else, I will entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> I'll make a motion. >> Second. >> All in favor say I. >> Opposed. Motion carried. Thank you everyone. You murderers.