001[snorts] To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands [clears throat] one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. That's That's not my appointment. Perfect. Okay, just so you know, the link isn't working to get online. [laughter] Were they >> or it says somebody hasn't somebody needs to let them in to the meeting. >> There's nobody hanging out here waiting for me to let them in. >> Sometimes you have to get out of it and get back in too. >> Okay, I'll put that right there. Thank you. >> Sorry. >> Huh? >> Sorry. >> Are we on Google? >> I'm on Google Meet. I don't know what everybody else is on, but >> I can get on YouTube. Okay. >> Okay. >> I that's I
002can't do anything about that. >> So you [clears throat] take away German word for most important sounds cool. Um, Cathy is the house. We are probably by coincidence system. We ended up being and for the most part were kind of the laidback group. We definitely aren't the ones standing out from the crowd, but we're more focused on what we enjoy independent. Um, specifically this month coming in front, you saw on the bulletin board this poster powered by play that we did a deal. If you bring in a picture of what you do in your free time, your hobby, whatever it is, then you get a candy. I don't know how many pictures we have out there right now, but I know there's pictures of kids in the shop. we have hanging out with our friends,
003whatever it is, that's kind of our main focus is our independent time and what we do and what we enjoy. Um, however, when we do get put in groups as a group of boys that most of us are team together, we all get along. We all work together really well. is trying to get along. Not a lot of arguing except for what's necessary. Um, so we got putting the reading, which is ideal when we did. We go essentially run something, do our thing. Today we did a little penguin deal. Uh each classroom had one or two of us in it and then high school and little kids and we had to teach a class essentially [clears throat] maybe read a poem. Not going to say I'm good at it, but I got a poem. Uh,
004I did the same. [laughter] There's not really any forms. We can do it. It's It works. Uh so for Panther Claus, we didn't really focus on the teamwork so much as things that encourage individual competition. Uh we did a glow stick hunt which was in houses. Turn all the lights off. Everyone had five glow sticks, their colors scattered. And it was entertaining. It was good. Not a lot. I was just found them all. I think only one ended up finding them all. Um, and then moving on, you see we have like cupcake decorating, all that. That's a lot of it based on what we still [snorts] do. [laughter] Uh, that sums up what we do. As you can see, we're not really very over the top. The hallways aren't decorated as exciting as they have
005been. We kind of just scratch by with what looks good, but when we do it, we do it right and make it look proper. We had one and it ended up not being a good fit for her. She didn't feel like she was really getting she could have a better time. >> [applause] [clears throat] >> Okay. I'll call you to uh please address the board with your comments and Miss Deb will have a time for you. We're going to do three minutes tonight. Thanks for tonight for my public comment, I actually for my words. so that they would be exact and I wouldn't go too long as a preacher. Almighty God, we acknowledge that you're the giver of wisdom, truth, and understanding. We come before you today aware of our limitations and are grateful for
006the responsibility entrusted to us, especially the care and formation of children whose shoes we present here. We ask that you would grant clarity of thought and sound judgment each person involved in this discussion. Where there are differences of opinion, give patience and humility. Where there's conviction, give gentleness and strength. Help us to listen well, to speak truthfully, and to act with. We ask for a spirit of peace in this room, not the absence of disagreement, but the presence of respect and self-control. Guard our words from anger, our motives from pride, and our decisions from fear. We recognize that every person here desires what is best for the students we serve. Grant us wisdom p to pursue what is right, the courage to do what is just, and grace toward one another as we work through
007challenging matters. We ask these things knowing that our wisdom comes from you and that we are accountable for how we speak and decide. Amen. Thank you. >> [laughter] [clears throat] >> I just wanted to address some more concerns that I had about the house system. Um as stated at the listening session, every student is required to participate [snorts] in the house. It has been my experience that there's a fine line between intention well-intentioned peer pressure and trying to you know basically trying to push someone to achieve their maximum potential and bullying or harassment. Um I feel that forcing students to be part of something that they don't wish to be involved in will create an environment where it's easy to cross the fine line into bullying and harassment of students to achieve the recognition and
008rewards from the school staff points for the house system. Not only does this create an undesirable environment for the students at the school, I feel it can leave the schools open to infractions of the Safe School Act and possible lawsuits. Um, it's not the same school as I went to. Um, just because of the way the judicial system works anymore. Um, I played on the girls junior high volleyball team because they didn't have enough for and yeah. So, um, with that being said, it's lawsuits are are very easy to come by and, um, and I would encourage people if you don't know about Harry Potter in Sheridan County, he sued the Sheron County School District number two for violation of his first amendment, I believe it was, and he won. may cost Sheran County School
009District number two 156,000 or something. So I would just encourage the board to take that consideration of the mandatory participation. [applause] Is it all right if I go last? for real. [laughter] All right, [clears throat] I'll go third. Let me go. Sorry if you don't sometimes are good and sometimes they're bad and sometimes they're true and sometimes they're false. So good evening and uh thank you for letting us speak tonight. Um, you have the opportunity tonight to make some cute changes for the benefit of all the kids in your district to come forward and hopefully talk about what the school is lacking, the issues at hand, and why you as a district are losing kids and hopefully come together as a team and try to fix or at the very least address and recognize the
010issues that you have. It's been incredibly hard to see the school in such division, for the lack of a better word, in shambles. The school once had turn away kids for no other reason than we were full and we didn't have anyone for the out of district kids. The superintendent has a very black and white outlook without compromise. It's either you like what we're doing at this school or you can homeschool which was said in a meeting. There's no re-evaluating the situation or maybe we need to do what's best for all students. I feel you are seeing the reaction of that statement now. Our kids are not leaving this school because the school is upping the rigor which came out in the email. They are leaving because of how the school has handled the tough
011decisions. They feel unheard, unappreciated, and unseen in their education. Our client does not just lose kids and staff. This district is not a large district, nor should it be treated as one. In my 12 years on the board, I can't remember a time that we lost this many students or had a big turnover in staff that you guys have had. We lost a few students that went back to Buffalo after middle school, but nothing like we're seeing now. I feel our school has truly turned them to a place that once do what's best for the administration rather than what's best for all kids and their individual education. I feel you've lost an important bond between board, staff, students, administration, and parents with the communication that's not happening throughout the house system has its issues and
012I truly feel that your issues within the house system. Communication between your administration and your board is probably one of your largest concerns and I think there's hearing seeing and hearing about that right now. I've heard from most board members that they find out things from the public before the administration and and at no point should this happen. The board should be making the decisions from the recommendations from the superintendent. You as a board should always know what's going on in this building and why. I don't think that's [clears throat] happening right now. I've asked the board multiple times what your goal is for this school and I've not received an answer. So, I looked up. I would encourage you all to revisit that document and ask yourselves if this is happening. Uh your teachers,
013your instructional facilitator, which I don't know who that is right now. Um your admin and your students. I think you'll find a couple in here that you are falling short. As for the goal, I'm still unsure what it is and if you have steps you all put together as a team and you're taking those to reach the goal time and you have the best >> [applause] >> I am I can put my name on that. Oh, I did. Well, >> I will freshman high school. In all my years have I ever seen kids bleed like they left the last three years. And I have grandchildren that are probably suffering and have been getting school homeschool the last year. It's ridiculous. Something needs to be done here. As a board, you need to wake up and
014take care of it. It's ridiculous. You know, I got grandchildren that don't have. And I the house system, if they don't want to do it, they shouldn't have to do it. I'm sorry. It's just wrong. And we shouldn't even students. We can't afford to students. our kid. They used to beg to come to school. It's kind of an embarrassment. I have to say, but it's wrong. And you should know there's a problem. We've got board members in the home school and their children. There's something wrong with our system. And in all my years, has there ever been a superintendent that did not live in district? There was a reason for it. We have a principal and a superintendent both that don't live in district. What happens if something happens? There's nobody here. Like when the
015bus bar burn, there's nobody here. And stuff can happen. It's wrong. And if they're good enough to see our superintendent, our principal, they're good enough to live in our district. You see what our town was about before he ever does the job. You didn't like it, you should have been the job. That's what I [applause] HELLO. I just want to reiterate a little bit like you guys. [snorts] But my biggest concern is you guys how many kids? 64 68 something like that. And you're looking for a recalibration. I plan for a recalibration. If you guys aren't going to a recalibration in Cheyenne, you don't know who's on your recalibration boards, you will lose this board without any doubt. They're going to take the shelf away, which was a shelf. We had a shelf that we
016gave us extra. That shelf is going to protect us because we already fell underneath it. But you guys are going to lose a shelf this year. I don't even know what it costs to educate the students. And this school is way too small. And now that you lost all those kids, you guys set up the school for a big big jump by the end of this year. So that's all I have to say. Calibration is no laughing matter. We went there and we sat for days and days begging them not to take our school. And I don't know if you guys really at all. That's what I have to say. [applause] [clears throat and cough] >> [clears throat] >> These are references. I'm not going to cover everything. So, I'm going to talk about the
017library. I'm a little bit different focus than some other people here tonight. Um, So, I'm gonna go through as much as I can. Are you ready? >> So, I'm here tonight to request that no more of our previously dedicated library space be transformed into a room for other uses. I just I just want to hold the phone a little bit um before the voices of students, parents, staff, and community [clears throat] members can be heard. Um I want a school library bringing full books for our children. [snorts] Um effective September 1st, 2025, Cher County Public Library in full ownership, cataloging and management of the current Cher County School District number three. That day, my child witnessed a trailer pull up in a library being full of books being boxed up and our library. It broke
018his heart. He came home and said, "Mom, they took all the books with me." He's not the only child, but I gave the board a list of um concerns um questions. After speaking with Mr. from the Sheran County Library. I can see that there are gaps in communication and expectations from school staff, board of trustees, parents, and the community in the county library. We need to get to the bottom of those gaps and figure it out. Um, I have concerns that the use of digital searching for books will lead to the use will lead to digital reading of books. Digital reading of books brings several problems including added screen time which comes with a mountain of different issues and a reduction in comprehension reduction in retention of information and the list could go on and
019on. I'm going to read from a few publications until I run out of time. Um those publications were given to the board members. If anybody else would like a copy I'm more than willing to share. This one's from the school library saved my life. In an overscheduled world, the space can be hard to find. Pain is something recording speaks to the urgent need to create restorative niches in our overwhelmingly busy schedules and workplaces. Busy school work. What school library see? After all, the school library is all about access of books. It's it's about the library. the one one's best advocate for getting those books into the hands of children. Many children for many children the school library is their only access to books and without it they're missing out on an entire universe of learning
020and creativity and imagination. I have more I want to read that a library could be the school's recovery engine. Kids who've shut down in the classroom often take their first step forward in the library because it [cough] gives them room to breathe and try again without feeling a lot more [clears throat] but I do have a meeting schedule um with Mr. Christensen on Monday. [applause] [clears throat] That's it. I just want to piggy back on what Chris said. I did that last night meeting and I were you celebration last night and I watched one, two, three, four, five of you all get a dumb look on your face. And I don't say that in a negative connotation, but you all got a oh my god calibration. What is that? I've never heard that look or
021heard that word before look on your face when this man mentioned that. You know how terrifying that was for me as a parent. I stand up here and talk on behalf of every kid in this school whose parents are sitting at home wondering at night, what are our kids going to do next year? Because I don't think any of you have a China idea in hell what's happening in our school. Do you guys know how scary it is? There was just out there with me. What is the elevation meeting? Literally I kind of went wake up and smell the roses. Get your heads out of the clouds and pay attention. This woman is serious. When he tells you it's not that big a deal that the legislature won't close our school, >> that you're going
022to get final vote. Pardon my language, but big ass >> You're not. They are. school board legis and read it to you. He works for you. You direct him. You set the policy. He is in charge with putting it to work. You don't do what he says. He does what you say. Quit working for him. Start being the boss. Man up. pull your big girl panties and big boy shorts up and do your job because we're tired of having to come here and tell you to get your head out of your butt. Do you allow your kids to get away with acting like this at home because we're all scared? Every single one of us. You're going to graduate 11 kids this spring. How many is that going to leave me in the high school
023next spring? >> Because right now you've got what? 24. >> 21. How many eighth graders you going to bring up? How many? You guys should know this number. This is a test. How many eighth graders are you bringing up? How many? >> Put your heads down here. Every one of you. >> [applause] >> Can you speak up so we can all hear you please? This is over [cough and clears throat] percentile. So 56%. Sorry%. When it comes to reading [snorts] that growth is a little bit higher in we have had conversation that when our students are performing as highly as they are that ability to drive higher growth is it's tough when it's what happens with the math test it adapts to students are reading what happens quickly when they start taking that test they
024start being presented assessment questions that are likely to be content that they haven't necessarily been exposed to in class. So back there our students are team grow and see that every one of our classrooms is performing above 50% across the school and we've got one that was lower in growth this fall students and parents justice instruction questions. This is >> this [clears throat] is a comparison to the last. So it shows where we were where where we are right now. And this is if you'd like to discuss. Okay, I just want to beginning of the year and middle of the year looking at what this is demonstrating is really what we consider students that are needing a visual plan. regard to their instruction and yellow students that are probably located. This is our kindergarten class.
025You see from the beginning of year first grade class, second grade class, third grade class, fourth grade class, fifth grade class, third grade, and sixth grade class. together instruction from yellow fantastic first grade class. We have one student from class. Great class. Sixth grade students start [clears throat] questions. There are I I think the general thing here is that for the last two or three years we've seen pretty much across the board grow lower bas and now that most of our students are a higher baseline they start to be able to paint areas and see holes in curriculum and our teachers are really dig. So, going to go over system changes that we are going to have later this year with the house system. We are going to pause points. Um house leaders fall directly
026back onto staff. The student leaders are going to pull back. Um, panther is going to happen once a month with our elementary and um, houses will still have their month to decorate and to present lunch and um, we are voting committee which you have already been contacted in regards to participating on that committee. Um, so we'll coordinate to set up a time for this and a few changes, but we might go somewhere being appreciate the conversation we had. conversation is that a a gap as transition couple employees retiring employees taking positions I've been working with all staff kind of build a plan for how to post got fully there haven't opportunities like going into great but we had a opportunity to fulltime something that we've been discussing a little bit and so far what we've
027got is a person that's able to cover classes Whether it's for discretionary aid staff have taken off a couple hours which we have not had in the past and cover most of the submates for building. In addition to that, this this person has taken a lead in really driving our relationship with Sher County Public Library to where it's going to get to that what we envision sign library and also looking forward to serving some of the gaps that we were seeing the business office that had us concerned around any issues with not having separation making sure we've got separation there as well. I foresee being a position that we're able to see if it's a good fit, see if something if it is working and be very nimble with regard to what we utilize it.
028that as we move into the summer position that would have very very similarities. No, it's just >> a few of them. Is that possible? >> Yeah. last days. >> She's here. She's here every day, but not Yeah. been able to get our teachers to last students in there. Um I tried tried as much as possible to make that something but inevitably you forget a resource. We got something that you got a student that's not task. Um this this is uh providing this cap library to have students students working [snorts] also you know overseen by somebody that's seeing them more more often or throughout the days and able to [snorts] provide them assistance. I think we're seeing more on task behavior from students with their college classes stud. And then in addition here public library programming
029with the local town as well as relationship the larger branch securing books in the library she's in there the teachers can be in a classroom again. A lot of your sons available the most there's a good potential or is this one taking account some of the To me, it looks like we have all these subs that are on our list and now we have a full-time sub that is taking away from in some things the other subs and these other subs have been with us and to me it's kind of a slap on the face and as far as the duties in the office I'm still a designated full time or a half individual know what's going on in the office in order to make successfully and you look in our library and all the
030the all the shelves are gone. I mean, we have the shelves around the edge with two books on it. So, if that is such a successful mess, what's going on? All the shelves are gone that were in there. There's there's shelves around the edges, but there's no book shelves anymore. So, how is this I we do need the library. I I'll be the first to librarian lot, but I don't see where this is happening. [applause] >> [clears throat] >> It's invisit. [cough] [clears throat] way into our library. >> I saw we're up to [clears throat] Yeah, the time started. That's that sounds again library and and that's the biggest piece that I'm going to discuss now is we have right now we've got questions and that is a piece that this position is really pushing
031to right now pushing staff If you identify which students couple especially the past month numbers in the library has been occurring. I [clears throat and cough] feel that's an important best make sure we got different books available for students. I do I do think that the numbers of the number of books checked out this year is we don't have great data from the last couple years because a lot of times students books number of books checked out and especially students that are taking good library time library instruction at our public library for We are gonna move next week. [clears throat] [snorts] >> Yeah, that's one one started out with while they've got an employee there. We're able to push that employee further into the day. service, but >> that is an increase in previous years.
032enough to package up their books on the get to the library the The other piece that I'm working with because when at the elementary level when we have a unit that's based on 30 books on that lot because we're learning about a topic And that's the piece that we we need to be better as a staff making sure that getting those library has been working. It's really that just building up and then I was going to ask you one of those one Thursdays like library time versus here in this library versus we need something those hours on >> [snorts] >> I I think that the seven college students a good good majority of them spend more time in our library than our case and I I want to give them accessible. Then I talked to
033the teacher and I asked her say, "How do you use library?" So she told me, she talked about a topic they were working on and that she asked for certain books and they were in this library and enjoyed the different books that they were able to put. >> Yeah. And I'd like I think that we've got the opportunity for that even if we identify this is my unit that's happened reach out to you and say hey got any requests you We have to make sure this >> Yeah. Yeah. [clears throat] Every every teacher's got their children liarian working. I think that I think that we discussed that it's really more a matter of just having books that students are and part of that as earlier especially at the elementary The students are very visual with
034regard to the book. What we've been trying to do is make sure that we've got those books. So that see title, picture, all the all the supposed attract. And there aren't as many books in the library as they're more readily accessible and And the idea was to have that that rotation so that they're changing changing books in the library and the students. They have like storytelling that I know we used to have a program and stuff like that and do we have anything like that? >> They they have that as part of the classrooms and that has started liarian time whether it's talking about also [clears throat] >> right now that's talked about it But their lib remod I just library understand that we're not doing book fairs anymore. >> I just know that was
035a really big deciding time for my kids and parents in Paris. Their kids miss that getting big money and coming and buying books. >> Yeah. And it's it's a really easy thing to do. prices on books. I have a question from the fact that especially last year [cough] it wasn't wasn't What we what we did last year had built funds to do it was two things. Multiple times throughout the year, we had students pick out books and a lot of books out that we participated in program called and that was all of our closer. And again, Um, will that be >> I I was told that today that I think that you What can you do to compensate up here? [cough and clears throat] There's a set date and time for walkroughs. kind of Um,
036time for our leadership governance retreat. talked about Saturday. >> [cough] >> I can do I can't do the next couple I can start the 31st that's going to be attended just Superintendent. You get done at 12:15. That's pretty specific. I think that would be for dinner. >> Yeah. >> Okay. [clears throat] Consent items. Second policies are second. Okay. Any other discussion? All in favor say I. I. Passes. action items. We get a motion to approve the district's business standards contract discussion. Thank [snorts] you for all your hard work. Motion passes. I am going to appoint policy review committee Gina policy review and policy review. Um, [clears throat] salary benefits review >> just mean we go up to Kelly and review committee will be dead and Kelly motion to approve all three of to approve second.
037Any discussion? Say I sign. Motion passes. Kelly [snorts] Motion to approve revisions to our 20267 2027 calendar as recommended by administration. Any discussion? What is this? information and then what do they ask being a week long one and once we got into discussion really first semester is already short. So they did decide to provide that break semester first and the two days that we needed to get there was that we had really really good feedback from service day last seme And about a couple times throughout the year as a service day, field trip day. Discussion passes [cough] have discussion. All right, motion passes. Motion to approve universal free school lunch. Universal free school lunch is reed by administration. tell you a discussion on this runown last meeting. We weren't quite sure how to handle the
038outstanding balances. So we had some stuff and Mr. Christensen and Mr. process. I'm gonna start ask it to think that's a prudent course of action. I think that this is this is a good to make Mr. and I had discussion today. Absolutely proud to come out with not just calibration. The recalibration process is in the middle of next week session potentially impactful budget. So any kind of I mean I think again just a lot of questions financially plus how certain situations like that. So I think we just kind of went too fast on the table and actually It's a good thing to >> Yeah. I mean, I like this idea. I think it could pause a minute and see where See what I said a lot rest something that we take this to what to
039discuss You have more information. >> [clears throat] >> Okay. I would encourage questions, discussion, not so much more. Should we do it? And last you guys asked us for the idea that's not to discussion. All right. motion to approve any discussion. Our committee decided that this was not really that discussion. Motion passes. We have removed the interastic activity participation policy. Um, and I just decided to have one [clears throat] in regards to FFA, what's in the FFA constitution and in regards to sports. I'll fall back on to what says what the constitution says and that will be interest from the board. I would just like to thank all the teachers and we're going to have a great second semester and I would really like to um tell the boys basketball team how I was the
040other day when we were playing Sher and there was an individual that needed some help making baskets. and our boys backed off baskets and that just shows how great you parents are like coaches and stuff. I was really impressed. It was just fantastic which is super helpful. I would like to first say we appreciate him comments. We do take a lot of notes and a lot of work. So don't think that this is going past us. Okay. And I also would just like to point out, in case you didn't know, this comes out in your mailbox and in the back there's a couple pages with stuff about the school system. It's got the uh releases this month is left. I don't know if she has it every month, every other month. But this was a
041good resource that I discovered just people come to our house. Thank you. I just want to thank our teachers for doing an excellent job. students on our map and results. You guys are doing awesome [snorts] work here. >> February meeting addition. Everybody So last night as a topic last night by November next year all districts and they graduation policy to include Department of Education and that profile graduate and all the feedback I listen that's our first step to listen I will share some information about chapter 3 I will share some information about graduation right now and graduate and like that next step with graduation students. >> Did you say that's the main topic for the listening session? >> Yeah. [clears throat] >> I thought you said last night that it was an open session. >>
042Yes. So then you're changing the topic then or >> Okay. I just wanted to clarify. Thank you. What is this?