001Okay, calling this meeting open at 5:03. Uh, Miss Ellinger, are there any speakers wishing to address the board? >> President Bruno, there is not. >> All right, we're going to close at 503 to close session returning at 6:50. All right, we are recating from close. It's 6:19. Uh, we have a guest. He's going to lead us in the pledge of allegiance. Scout Darren Tang. We all join us in the flag salute. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and it stands under all. >> Well done. Was strong. Thank you, Darren. Uh there is no report from close. We're going to start with item seven, approval of the agenda and consent agenda. >> Uh there have been no changes. >> We have a motion to approve the agenda and consent
002agenda. >> I move that we approve the agenda and consent agenda. >> Second. Uh any opposed? Everyone in favor please say >> I preference. >> And there are no abstensions. Uh the agenda is approved. Item number eight, speakers wishing to address the board. The board appreciates and supports stakeholder input at our meetings. Engagement by members of the public in civic matters is a cornerstone of our democracy. The board has established guidelines for its meeting so that we're able to conduct the meeting effectively and efficiently. Within these guidelines, members of the public have the ability to address the board. To submit a question or comment, speakers are asked to complete the speaker card by the start of the open session at 6:15. If you have not already done so, you may see Miss Ellinger for a
003speaker card at this time. During the meeting, speakers will be called upon to make their comment. If you're addressing the board on an agenda item, we will call on you to provide your comment before the board discusses that agend item on the agenda. If you're addressing the board on a non-aggenda item, we will take those comments at this time. Please be aware that the provisions of the Brown Act prohibit the board from acting on our on or discussing non-aggenda item matters at this meeting. Public comment are limited to three minutes per person per topic. There'll be a timer on the screen. Um, I'll be gentle if I have to cut you off. Miss Ellinger, are there any speakers wishing to address the board? President Bruno, we have one speaker, Lin McVey, vice president from BRSFA.
004>> Come on up. >> Hello. >> Nice to see you. >> My name is Lynn McBay and I'm the vice president of the BR SFA. It's my first year part of the executive board. Um, I currently teach at Rollston Middle School. Um, I'm a sixth grade English teacher and I teach sixth and seventh grade study skills this year. In the past, I've also uh taught seventh and eighth grade remedial English and um I was the ELD teacher for sixth through 8th grade for five years in the district. I was a reading specialist with Chin Pay for a long while and on the safety committee and sunshine committee which is always a lot of fun of course um as you um so I'm honored to speak here at the board meeting for the first time in
005this role as you may know each time our union speaks at these meetings we share a glow and grow the things going well and the places we hope to improve together in the past we've talked about professional development as part of our process and tonight I'd like to continue that that conversation. I've been working closely with Jane Pay to support and strengthen the collaboration between the district and the union around our January professional development. It has truly been encouraging to see how open and consistent our communication has become. We've been building trust, listening to each other, and focusing on the shared goal of improving teaching and learning. Once again, this year, each site had the chance to work directly with its principal and teachers to decide what will be offered in January. From everything I've
006seen, sites have collaborated thoughtfully and created sessions that will genuinely interest and support staff. That level of ownership and partnership is exactly what makes the PDS the professional developments meaningful. So, we hope to uh continue growing our PD days so they're not just time on the calendar, but impactful learning experiences that teachers truly feel support them in their classroom practice because of the because at the end of the day, our shared goal district and union alike is always what is best for our students. Thank you. Thanks. And there are no more speakers. Item nine, the board of trustees report. Anyone like to get us started? >> Uh, yes, I'll go first. Thank you, President Bruno. Um, so the majority of the board um attended CSBA's annual conference um last week in Sacramento. Um, and so
007I just wanted to share kind of the um I don't know, a couple of highlights from that trip. Um really I think one of the best parts obviously we go to hear um in-depth conversation about many different topics and so there were several sessions that um I found very interesting and um kind of just reminded me of like why why I wanted to be on the school board in the first place and and um gave me a lot of things to to do more research on and look into on my own. So, I'm excited to get into some of those things. Um, I took several notes that I will be referring back to. Um, but I I also think that one of the best parts of going to the conference is just to um have
008that time with other people who are on school boards. Maybe not our school board, although that time was also great. Um, but to see other people from other communities um that are also on the school board and and getting a chance to connect with them as well. So, that's it for me. Thank you. >> All right. Um, like an I participated in the CSBA conference and honestly the conference was uh very thoughtprovoking and offered a lot of valuable perspectives from administrators, superintendent, um, teachers, educational lawyers, policy makers. um and hearing directly from those um those individuals working across the educational landscape um really really reinforced the complexity of all the decisions that we make and the impact that it has upon our community um and really the importance of the thoughtful and informed of of
009thoughtful and informed governance overall. I look forward to bringing all of these newly found insights into our board work and thank you so much for the opportunity. >> I would just add echo my colleagues and just also thank the district for the opportunity to have um professional development in this way to help us advance our governance skills and just be supportive of us growing as trustees and and as individuals as we tackle policy issues. the advancement of AI and other areas that we want to learn. But my the one impression I that I came away with was the the overall theme of trust and commitment. And I think all these issues were saying whether it was a special ed workshop or something around loneliness and the effect of um social media on children and and
010and how loneliness is increased. It's the trust and commitment that when you have two parties or two different thoughts, whether it's again teachers and administrators or just parents and everything that we're a community and ultimately we work through this through our trust of each other and building the bonds of commitment. Um, and I think if you have those as central pieces, you can kind of work through and any avoid any misunderstandings or just work through like more of a bipartisan I guess approach or a balanced approach to to thought and dialogue. So I think I agree that those are the corner founders found you know the bedrock of what we need and what we have here. But I also encourage us just to always think about like how to facilitate more of that trust and
011commitment. Um so that was my takeaway. Thank you. >> Um not much to report. Um I did I was able to attend the uh winter concert at Rston last night. Um, so, uh, congratulations and thanks to the music teachers at Rston and, uh, congratulations and thanks to all the students, uh, who performed in orchestra, band, and choir and, um, yeah, just looking forward to, uh, well-rested, you know, a well-resting vacation. And, um, having the microphones is still is still something to get used to, but anyway. Um, yeah. And uh I want to make sure that I reserve some time uh to recognize um outgoing President Bruno when we do our reorganization. >> Uh thank you. First off, shout out to our tech team. These microphones are awesome. Um I don't have much. I was also
012at the conference. Um I will say uh I'm looking forward to also hopefully kind of restful breaks and celebration for everybody administrators, teachers, board members. Um I had a lot of fun at the conference with you all and so appreciation of that. Um lots of things to celebrate coming up. Just want to shout those out. So kind of you know Christmas I think Hanukkah is coming up pretty soon this week. Yeah. Um, New Year's Solstice, Queenia Day, Boxing Day. Uh, yeah, it's a thing. Look it up. Google it, Siri. Uh, also take some time this weekend and head outside at night and check out the Jimnid meteor showers. Just going to throw that out there. Um, and then also, uh, shout out to people who are powering through the cold and still walking to school.
013That was pretty cool this morning. There's still a pretty good crowd out there while we all just looking at our breath. Um, that's my report. Item number 10, superintendent report. >> Uh, good evening board. Uh, so like most of you, I spent my week at CSBA uh, last week and I'll just say uh, the takeaway for me is always um, how a conference like AEC helps um, our governance team um, connect and it's really that connection that happens uh, there at CSBA. and uh a little bit selfish. You get to see a little view into other school boards and other districts. And uh when I get that view, oftentimes I'm uh feel really good about the work that we're doing uh the collaboration that is happening here at the Deis uh the unity that happens
014not only amongst our board uh but across our district. Um, and the end result is is great things for kids, and I truly believe we're doing good things for kids. So, uh, thank you for your commitment and your time. Um, and I look forward to next year's CSBA as well. >> Thank you, Superintendent Dara. You can, uh, stay off mute. Item number 11, middle school alignment survey. >> Great. Uh, perfect. I think I can see it from here. My eyes are definitely starting to catch up for me. Uh so I will also look at it on my computer as I go along. Um good evening board again. Uh tonight we're here to discuss uh the middle school alignment uh survey data. Uh the survey as you'll recall went out uh about a month or so
015ago. Uh we've been working hard to uh look at the data uh make some summary um uh summary uh views of of the data that we found. Um, and today I'll be putting it into context uh hopefully for us for our future discussions. See we go. Perfect. Uh, so tonight I'll start by setting context. Uh, do a little bit of background information. What led us to the survey? Um, I'll do a brief survey overview uh some of the uh stats uh behind the survey, what we found uh in the data highlights section. Uh and then I'll close with uh kind of our next steps and our path forward. Uh the last piece there that you'll see is the appendex uh which is the full survey results. Um in slides I think it's 25 through 50.
016You can actually go into the survey. You can see uh the exact responses to each of the questions uh that were asked um as well as the uh free response items. There's links uh to view that data as well. Uh it was important to me to be transparent with our data uh and share with our community everything that was shared with us. Uh so tonight I'm going to start by kind of sharing uh our question. Uh we started talking a couple months ago about enrollment uh looking at the impact on our middle schools and really our question uh that's that our survey is guiding is should we consider uh transitioning from two TK8 uh schools uh to one and this is um made complex uh because the sustainability of three middle schools is becoming um
017increasingly less feasible. Uh we have approximately 290 fewer students in six years. Uh both si the size of our small schools um are under capacity at this point in time. Uh you see the enrollment right there. Uh Rston has uh no space available at sixth grade. Nesbbit 33 and Sanpiper uh 45 spaces. Our school model inherently comes with more costs. Um it's complicated by lower enrollment and demand. Um and while finances aren't a motivating factor, um we we do have an obligation to look at that uh as we move forward uh with ourru structural deficit. I noticed in our survey there was uh some question about the models. How are we defining a comprehensive model and how are we defining a small school model? Um our comprehensive middle school model that we've been referring to
018is Rston. It's your traditional uh middle school environment. When we talk about our TK and uh K8 uh school models, we're talking about Sandpiper and Nesbbit. The other thing that I want to draw attention to is um neither model um is better than the other model. Uh both models have their strengths, both models have their challenges. Uh we pride ourselves in providing the just right fit uh for each of our students and our families. and our goal is to continue to do that. Uh but I I bring this forth just to uh point out some of the strengths and challenges um that we see in in both models uh so that people can um weigh those out. So today's conversation uh is really looking at what our next steps is starting the conversation and what
019our next steps uh should be. uh this decision that'll likely take place um in February is driven by a number of factors um leading to just a few outcomes, right? We're we're looking at things like um ease and access uh for our students. We're looking at financial feasibility. We're looking at enrollment related concerns. Uh we are working with our community to see their desire and requesting their input. After we take a look at all these things, there's four um possible decision points. One is we stay status quo. We we keep two um small schools and we keep one comprehensive um rston. Um or we look at reducing to one middle school uh uh one comprehensive rston and one smaller school um Nesbbit or Sandpiper. And the fourth um option out there that does loom and
020I feel it's important to bring it up is is do we move towards two um middle school programs uh not not big rston and not small um small school. Do we move to two somewhere in the middle? Um, and I will say if we were to think that we need to go down that uh fourth path there, that would require a much more uh complex um uh engagement uh with our community. It would involve um uh impacting more than just our middle school. So, I just want to put that out that that fourth um solution is not one that can be done this year for implementation next year. talking timeline. Um, as I shared, January is going to be our community outreach. It's our in-person sessions to meet with our community uh to hear their
021thoughts, their hopes, their desires when it comes to our middle school environment. Um, information about that has already gone out to our community and will be uh continue to go out um as as we uh near those sessions. uh February, the board would need to make a decision if we intend to make a change for the 26 27 school year. Um and then um as typical uh we do our school selection survey for current fifth graders as they transition. That would happen after the board's decision in February. Um before I move into the survey, I do want to just call out that um the survey is is simply a survey. It's a data representation of everybody who took the survey. It's by no means exhaustive. Um and uh it's numerical. Sometimes numbers um are easy
022to digest, sometimes they're difficult to digest. I do want to point out that um anytime we're talking about a topic uh similar to this about changes uh in a program, there is an emotional side to it as well that our numbers don't tell. Uh so I just want to call that out. I know um our teachers, our staff are working incredibly hard to provide amazing opportunities for all of our kids um at all of our schools. So a couple of things uh about the survey s survey was in the field November 3rd through November 10th uh roughly a week there uh we had uh 118 responses uh and it was a representative sample when we look at responses from schools we had a good number of families for each of our schools um uh uh
023responding uh which was a good sign. Uh I will note that when you get into the survey details um it's important to note because the N number the number of folks who uh responded to the question is in there and the details uh but sometimes uh there was uh it was a responsive survey. So when you said you had an elementary school schooler in our district, you got elementary school questions too. If you said no to that, it skipped that section. So So just to note as people are are reviewing. So some of our takeaways uh what we noticed in summary um respondents mentioned desire for strong academic programs um strong academic performance electives preparation for high school um in their ideal middle school model. Uh while the data showed a slight uh favor towards
024two middle schools instead of three, there are still meaningful portions of respondents who needed more information. You'll see that as we go through the data. Uh despite that, respondents were still about four times more likely to choose um Rston as their school choice over San Piper and Nesbbit. Um and overall, respondents wanted more clarity on potential decisions at play uh and wanted more information on potential what potential uh new alignment uh might look like for them. So, let's jump into the data highlights. So, I'm going to just start with the open-ended question. In folks's own words, uh what makes uh middle school feel like a great choice? Um much of what we have guessed probably. Strong academics, excellent teachers and leadership, safety, support, and inclusion, opportunities for well-rounded programs, uh community and belonging. And you're
025going to see as I click through these next couple slides that this resonates across the board. Uh in the um um asking how important uh certain aspects uh were to the middle school experience. Uh there was actually a pretty narrow range on a scale of of one to four 2.32 to 3.7. Uh a bunch of different aspects. uh academic programs ranked, school reputation, school culture and climate uh advancing learning, extracurricular opportunities uh were the top five. You can in the appendix you can see how each one uh was rated. But um the one thing I would note about this this question is you know academic or school reputation. Well, what does that really mean? It was all determined by the view of the individual, right? school reputation should could be great programs and great climate
026and high rankings. Right? So, uh this just gives us a window into what people are thinking. Again, summarizing respondents prioritize academic outcomes, fully funded programs, and electives as priorities in in case of realignment. You can see that in those two graphs. Uh strong preparation for high school. Um and I'm like I that's even in strong academic performance um on both of those potential outcomes um and values um ranked um highest. We uh a when we asked about the future of middle school programs and folks to describe their reaction uh to the idea of moving uh to two smaller programs, a meaningful portion of our community is open to that idea of moving to two programs uh with again many needing more information. So you can kind of see how uh the data uh played out
027there. Um it seems like a majority is open uh to moving to two programs. So this was uh not my favorite question. Um partially because um in some of the feedback the responses um that we noted uh there was one question or one option comprehensive middle school and one standalone middle school. I learned that people interpreted that um a couple of different ways. Actually, when the survey was in the field, I actually had somebody um reach out and say, "Hey, can can we talk about this this one question?" And uh so in terms of looking at the data for that question, it makes it a little bit complicated, but we are able to say that despite some confusion on those definitions, uh respondents recognize that a change from our status quo is needed. Right? You
028can see that uh in the graph that um the dark blue there the staying with the current configuration only 23% um indicated that staying with the current configuration um is is needed. Again there's a a big portion almost 25% uh saying they wanted some more information. We asked uh families about which model uh best reflects their desires for education in BRSSD, a comprehensive model or a smaller TKEA model. Uh the community, the truth is the community sees both models um of school as important to have in our district. You can see that from our data. Um the comprehensive middle school is about 50%. Those unsure was a small sliver. Um, and then there was uh quite a few with both models and some feeling that we should have more TK8s. And um with that said,
029uh when we asked about middle school programs, elementary um folks um uh where they they were looking, uh generally a majority of respondents uh would choose to send their students uh to Rston about four times uh compared to Nesbbit and Sam Piper. And with that, um, we also recognize that that decision, uh, for many is likely to be already set. We asked elementary school, uh, families, um, uh, how how, um, uh, did they think that their their, uh, preference would change over time and, uh, a vast majority said it was had already been set. Want to I can pause. Um when we're looking at this one, two, three, four, are those grade levels or >> uh no it was um uh you know what I should have put that uh four was uh I am
030very confident uh that uh my preference will remain. >> Got it. Thank you. >> So there's a lot of positive that was happening in our survey. Um regardless um of the school uh the district feels confident that any of our middle schools provide a high quality education and experience to all. Uh the qu two questions um the one in the uh green how well do you feel uh your child's school has uh made them feel their act has met sorry we're missing a t met their academic and social emotional needs. uh in green you can see extremely well uh a four majority there. Um and how well do you think your child was prepared for high school? Again um high on threes and fours. So all of our middle schools regardless of which middle school
031um you attended um are providing or or are attending um are providing a high quality experience. I'll go ahead and start to close with uh some of the open-ended responses um at the end. Uh they reinforce the trends from previous questions that asked for ample communication around decision and equity focused and a proper plan for implementation. These were the the questions. Is there anything you'd like to tell us or anything you'd like us to know? uh they wanted again to tell us strong teachers and staff uh school climate uh enrichment electives uh school size and placement. We heard a lot of comments in those areas and again anywhere you've seen bubbles uh in this presentation or in the next one. Um you can actually go click on those um links. These are just summary um
032points. And then finally, anything else uh we that our community would like to tell us? Uh again, a focus on communication. Um tell us what you're thinking. Uh keep us in the loop as you're thinking about it. Um and involve us in the conversation. Uh the idea of equity, stability, student experience, um options, and guaranteed enrollment. There was a lot of comments about that um moving forward and we hope to clarify those. Some of those things um at this point in time is just too early uh to tell. Uh the final section is really next steps uh and kind of a summary. Um January uh when we come back in January uh we do uh start the community outreach. Um we have two special board meetings, a regular board meeting uh scheduled in the month
033of January. The two special board meetings are really designed uh for us to do a similar presentation like we're doing today uh but allow um our community to talk um with us and share their thoughts um and opinions um in an open format. Um we'll be advertising that uh two ways. uh we'll encourage our community if they want to share their thoughts um in person to join us at those town hall style uh special board meetings on January 8th and January 21st. Um all these events are also uh streamed via YouTube. Uh so we want to make sure that they have access uh to hear it from home. And then finally, that bottom piece, um, in addition to attending, uh, or live streaming any of the sessions, anybody can feel comfortable emailing feedback at brssd.org.
034Um, we will receive um, uh, that email and that input. Um, and it's our commitment to make sure that that information uh, gets provided to the board. Um, since we started this process, uh, we've had a handful of um, folks email feedback. Um, I did provide that to the board as well and I will do that um on a regular basis as we we move through uh January. And with that, I just want to reiterate kind of our timeline. Again, January is that outreach, that in-person consultation um where we're trying to understand what perceptions our families have um about our middle school so that we can make uh the decision that's in the best interests of our students and our district um moving forward. Um February is the timeline uh where the board will need
035to make a decision um if it's to impact uh the 26 27 school year. And again in the spring uh is when our our fifth grade families will start to make uh their middle school preferences. And I'm not going to click through it, but just kind of show folks um question by question um a lot of the same because I pulled those slides up. But then you see um uh the link on the right side that that'll take families to the um free response um and provide more detail. And with that I'm happy to answer any questions the board may have. >> So if we go back to Oh, thank you Dan for putting together this survey. Um, if we go back to that first slide, the one around should BRS SD consider transitioning from
036two TK K8 schools to one. Um, I note that Rson has zero seats available. Nesbbit has 33 available. Sandpiper has 45 available. However, if we do the math and we want to pull the Sandpiper students, we'll say take the Sandpiper students, put them all into Nesbbit or Nesbbit students all into Sandpiper, they don't we don't necessarily have the capacity, right? Because Relson's at zero. So, how would we reconcile that? >> Uh, good qu. So, um, uh, those are the seats available. So every year, every spring, um we take a look at what we call position control, uh where we're anticipating the number of students that are going to be enrolled at a specific school. Um and we uh do our calculations to understand what the staffing needs to to match and the facilities that need
037to match. Um that's why our timing and our process um is important, right? We can't um wait till June to make the decision. So, um, uh, any decision would need to to we'd make some adjustments in staffing. Um, and presumably there's going to be some level of choice. If we do consolidate uh to one TK, there's going to be presumably some choice. Um, some students would likely go maybe to the other small school. Some students may transfer up to Rston. um that would be all decided uh at at the time of the decisions. >> So to clarify if I'm understanding you right um when we say rson for example is that capacity we're not saying it's physical capacity it's just current staffing >> that is correct >> so we can increase that capacity and therefore
038accommodate more students at rston if needed. >> That is correct. Uh historically um rston used to be our only middle school. Um I was never here during that time. Uh I want to say 10 12 years ago I think that transition happened. Um RST was um pushing between 13 and400 kiddos. >> And um going along with um Trustee uh Tang's uh question which I thought was a really good question. Um, so along those lines too, just to just to clarify, um, Nesbbit and Sandpiper, it may not be as easy, but either of them could have more middle school students than even the seats available >> if if we made that decision. >> Uh, that is correct. there is space in either of our small schools uh to absorb uh the need. >> Thank you. So
039um if if you know hypothetically everyone um who is currently at uh Nesbbit or Sandpiper uh wanted to stay at a small middle school and there was only one small middle school. Theoretically we could accommodate everybody. It would be tight, but uh we would do our best to accommodate everybody. Yes, the the hope is and and quite frankly with with two small schools um they are both in a place um where they have kiddos but um the scale um is really hard, right? They're they're divided amongst two small schools. So the hope is um I think that we'd have a strong interest um in scaling um a single small school that it would um both provide the educational opportunity that we're looking to provide at our TK8s um and as well as uh be feasible
040uh from a um a maintenance uh type situation sustainability Um, thank you Dan for the presentation and thank you um, Trusty Northrup and Trusty Tang for your thoughtful questions. I have several questions so if I'm you know if any of them are off base let me know. Um, so when when the model to have the smaller schools was looked at, do we know if the community was specifically interested in a K8 or TK8 school at that time? >> I so I wasn't here at that point in time. Um my understanding is uh the TK8 K8 model um was brought on board uh to meet a capacity concern um because um Rston had exceeded its capacity. >> Okay. Thank you. Um and then another question. Um so if there was consolidation between because currently we have
041one TK8 and one K8. Is there any thought to if if the TK8 is transitioned, would we then like what about the TK class? Where does the TK class go? would that move to the other middle school and that would then become a TK8 or would we have a K8 and then we would take >> uh thank you for that clarification. I think that's an important distinction. Um we are only looking at making an adjustment at six, seven and eight. So uh uh K the K uh K and TK classes would stay put and stay status quo. We would continue to have TK at uh Sandpiper. Uh we would continue to start uh K at NESP. >> Okay. And there's no um opportunity to discuss that during this time. We're only discussing six through eight.
042>> Uh that is that's uh our our concern at hand is the middle school model. Okay. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Um then a another question for the students that are enrolled at NESBIT. Um do they have to be in the IB program if they go to Nesbbit? >> Uh Nesbbit's uh middle years program uh 68 is a uh certified middleear's IB program. Um uh it is the only option uh for middle schoolers at NESBIT. Um I do want to say uh one thing about that program. Uh that program does have a transition um program in high school. Um uh Sequoia does offer the IB high school program in which students can graduate also with an IB diploma um from the high school program. So there is that pathway. >> Thank you. And um I
043know that at Sam Piper that has the design thinking um kind of special special interest. Is that something that you think if we did consolidate middle schools and we had Sanpiper kind of move into Nesbbit, would the design thinking program also be available and moved over as an option or would they all have to do IB? Yeah, I think there's there's elements uh there's programmatic elements I think that are very similar between an I IB program and a design thinking model. Uh specifically um I don't want to say projectbased side but they're more projectbased. They're a little bit more interdisiplinary. There's a little bit more um thought. Um the IV is a standalone IV program that follows um rigorous IV guidelines. Um so would we move um one model into the other or vice versa?
044Um probably not. Are there elements of both models uh that overlap? I would say absolutely. >> Okay. Um yes. So I guess then just for clarification um so if we did then say have Rston and then have a K8 at NESBIT and a TK5 at Sam Piper. What you're saying is that anyone who goes to NESBIT would be in the IB program. >> That is correct. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yes. >> Oh yeah. Um, just to follow on, so if we were to move on the flip side, if Nesbit, we took Nesmet and made that a K5 and went to Sanpiper as a TK8, would that mean we would keep just the design thinking program at Sandpiper or would we move the IB pro because I know Desmond went through a lot in order
045to get that set in place. Would we be moving that IV program over to Sam Piper? And at that point, what would happen to the design thinking portion or the IV program? Yeah, I would um uh probably uh encourage our board to really think about um the configuration um and then allow the um what or the specialty uh to follow um and and decide on the format um and then we decide on the what and the how. So, so yes, and uh there's probably a lot more to that. >> Sorry, I just want to clarify just for my own understanding. Um I guess I wasn't under the impression that the IB program is at NESBIT. >> That's correct. >> Okay. So like if Nesbbit if we decided hypothetically that Nesbbit is no longer a 6
046through8 program do we have to then re like go through the whole process again to become certified? >> Uh we would have to work with IB to see um about transitioning that. Um yes likely we would have to go through some reertification. >> Okay. Thank you. Sorry, I I I wasn't done, so pardon. Um, I just had a question about transportation and I know that like we don't have buses currently. Um, but if there is a need and say, you know, there's a family at one of the smaller middle schools and now there's only one, you know, whichever one, and now there's families who they cannot get their kids to school. Um we we have to then provide transportation. Is that correct? >> Um we we do not provide transportation as a district. Uh we
047we uh provide required transportation for students with special needs. Um we are reliant on SAMR uh to provide district transportation um up and down RST. Um we do have um a very very small sliver of transportation that we do um have to support um families on an as needed basis and it's um utilizing our uh um uh the transportation provided under the Tinsley transfer program. Uh so we have a little bit uh but generally speaking no we rely on SAMR. Um but SAMR does work with us. They work closely with schools uh to ensure that uh school needs are met. They're actually really good with their school routes. Um we would work with them uh to make sure currently currently SAMR runs service up Rston. They start in Redwood up they start in the morning
048in Redwood Shores and they go up to Rston with stops along the way. Um in the afternoon they start in R at rston and they go down the hill. So, um, regardless of the configuration, we would work with SAM trans. >> So, right now, so, so there really shouldn't be a concern because, sorry, I I I guess I was under the impression that the SAMR was only servicing Rston Middle School and so that's not the case. >> I SAM Trans starts at uh No, so SAMR starts in Redwood Shores uh and it makes stops um all the way along Rston. So, like for example, like if somebody was in Redwood Shores, they could take a SAM Trans bus and they could get off at Nesbbit. >> Correct. >> Okay, great. Thank you. >> Um, okay.
049So, I think this is my final question. I'm so sorry. Unless somebody else asks a question that sparks something. Um, so there was there was some concern um about um people that were not non-English speakers or English is not their first language. um and confusion with the survey. Um is there any plans to take a look at that or um I just want to make sure that we're very transparent that we're we're making sure that everybody has had the chance to comment and and a chance to understand the materials if um if they didn't understand. >> AB: Absolutely. Uh and that's um exactly why we have our January um uh town hall um at special board meetings. Uh we want our community to be able to come out and make sure um that their voice
050is heard. Um I also invite um anybody to submit comments, feedback. Um that's the um probably easiest way to uh share your comments outside of the context of any question. Um you can really just tell us how you feel. >> Thanks, Dan. Um do we have any um kind of like uh translators or anything available for people? >> You know, it's I will say technology is our friend um in those areas. Um uh we have the resource. I'll just say we have the resources because I've used it in this way. Uh to uh AI is pretty good at uh doing language translation. Um, and they can send it to us in any language and we can pretty much translate it via uh Google Translate and whatnot. >> Okay, great. And I just hopefully people know
051that this is an available service. Can we say that maybe I mean are we going to do any other like like when we do the mailers? I know you already sent it and I'm so sorry I didn't think about this beforehand, but like it would be great to just have a note that like or maybe in an like we could translate into some other >> um I want to say so actually I do have a a so in parent square and I'm going to look back to to Jerome uh in Parent Square there's actually a feature where parents can set their language. So my hope is that um communication that's going home is already being translated. Am I correct on that drum? >> Okay. Thank you. >> That's great. I didn't know that. Thank you
052so much. No problem. Appreciate it. >> Can I piggy back though? One thing you said that was interesting was, you know, the English language learners maybe not being able to uh have have the survey in their their native languages best. Obviously, there's we're a diverse community. There's a lot of native languages. But were they able I didn't hear I didn't think I heard a direct response. Were are they were they able to access the survey in anything other than English? Was it or was it the ability like you're mentioning to be able by them to to translate it as they received it? >> Uh so the survey was only put out in in English but Jer I'm going to look towards Jerome. Jerome uh within the Google survey um is there translatable features on the
053parent side? So it um parents would likely already have that set up within their Google. >> Yeah. Um uh so director Simon said that um there are and drum kind of yell up to me if I'm I'm misspeaking. Um there are features within the Google platform that if you are um speaking a language other than what's being projected on the screen, it can autorate um for you. Is that correct? >> Can I bring in this? >> So you open it up at the top of the page and it translates the form for you. Yes. >> Great. >> Thank you. Sorry, I had another question. Um, back at the presentation, you had given us four options. >> Um, one status quo what we are, two, one where we have Nesbbit and Rston and the second where
054we have Rson and Sandpiper. And then four, you had said that two middle school programs with two smaller comprehensive programs would um impact more than just our middle schools and that it would require a lot more effort. Just to entertain that hypothetical scenario, can you give me a small picture of what that might look like and the effort involved and the amount of support within the community that that would require? >> Sure. Uh so if we decided to go to a model where we did not have a giant middle school and smaller middle schools, presumably our 1,200 or so kids uh would be split into two. So roughly two 600 student schools. Um we would need a facility that would hold 600 students. um that would require us to make an adjustment for the K5
055or TK5 students at that school, finding a new placement um as well as ensuring that we have um middle school facilities uh for those 600 kids. >> So to clarify, it would involve shutting down elementary school in order to turn that into a middle school. >> That's the only way you would have space for 600. >> Thank you. >> Yes. Um, hence, uh, I want to be very clear that is not a one-year or several month, um, uh, decision. That's a much longer decision. Um, it would require us to look at boundaries. Um, where who decides where a where is that middle school? Um, and once you find the location for it, where are the boundaries for it? Um, and then that's the logistics. Um, the one thing that I think our survey is telling
056us is that our community desires um, choice and flexibility and options and we are able to um, have a lot of options at scale. When you have uh, the number of teachers at Rston that we have, there's a lot of options. All of those kiddos have to have electives, right? So we need teachers to teach all of those electives based on the number of credentials that they have with the number of student or teachers that they have. They can create a lot of different configurations which gives uh the diversity in that choice. As soon as we start to shrink that down um we lose um some of that flexibility and some of that choice. So, while two 600 schools might sound great, I'm not sure that it actually is what our our community is looking
057for, especially when we see a high preference for Rston because those two um equivalentsiz middle schools would actually be somewhere in the middle of what we have at both sides. So, uh it would all that to say is it would take a a lot longer uh to to do that decision. Um, and uh, I'll be totally transparent, I I don't know that it it is in our best interests um, to go down that route. >> So, just to be to clarify um, what you're saying, I'm hearing that if we were to go to a two smaller middle school option, we would end up basically needing to reduce the number of electives at any one given middle school and we would basically end up with fewer advanced courses. all those things that they mentioned in the
058survey that were really valuable about their middle school choice. >> I I would that's what I would anticipate because um scale gives you a lot of flexibility. >> Got it. >> Right. Scale gives you the flexibility. So the more kids, the more teachers, the more flexibility. >> Thank you. I had one more question. Is that okay? Um if we look at the survey question, respondents prioritized academic outcomes, fully funded programs and electives as priorities. Um that second chart says which outcomes >> or is the one right after this one? >> Yeah. So the one on the right um when we're talking about potential outcomes we you would want to see prioritized it says that ensuring that programs are fully funded and staffed um are we thinking that that means we want to make sure that
059we have like a fully functional performing arts for example or what does that >> it it honestly wasn't uh I can't tell you what each each um person was necessarily thinking um on the the left side there um uh aspects of middle school that they value most. >> So thinking about middle school that they value um as opposed to on the right side um it was if realignment happened um which outcomes would you most want to see prioritized? So, a little bit of um value and and if we did, what should we kind of thing um and and stronger academic uh uh and and ensuring programs are are fully funded um came up. Yeah, >> I I uh I and again there's there's elements of um reading into what people are are seeing, but um
060we are we are funding um ID, we are funding um you know different types of electives um so ensuring that those programs uh when they're launched are fully funded and continue to remain sustainable. So not like kind of sort of funding it but not like that. Okay. Thank you. >> Yeah. So one of the questions that kind of that I I think of is when so can you kind of talk a little bit to what the realignment process and the from the aspect of the perspective of the teacher especially with credentiing if one small school is closed down um and they're multi-credential versus single subject. >> Yes. Um so uh in the state of California in public schools you have to have specific credentials uh to to teach specific uh subject areas. There's a lot
061of nuances. Uh so there's it's not always a black and white um uh uh answer. Um middle school generally you have to have a single subject or an authorization in the subject area to teach a middle school environment. in a uh TK8 um setting, you have the flexibility to have a multiple subject uh credential to teach in that setting as well. Um and uh teachers often have multiple um credentials. So the one thing uh that I um am certain about and and um believe strongly is um while we may be changing the format of our programs and where they're housed um we still need teachers to teach our students. So um where our students go is where we will um need teachers and need to staff accordingly. Um, I do not believe that um this
062this decision um will um cause us to need to lay off teachers or anything like that. Um every year from year to year we have teachers that are moving are retiring. Um there's always uh some hiring that happens. Um and I think um the transfer process which actually is um dictated by contract and we would work closely with BRSFA on um is um finding uh if there was a need uh to make adjustments uh for our teaching staff um in a new location um potentially a new grade um it it all depends on credentiing and that's an intricate puzzle uh that we'll work with AHR and BRCFA on uh but the goal is um you I I I don't I I can't say that it's going to be 100% possible, but I want our teachers
063uh to teach where they're happy and they're excited to teach uh to the greatest extent possible. Um uh and we will do our best uh to honor those desires. Is it a guarantee? No. Um uh there's lots of constraints, but we we will do our best. Our teachers love the kids they teach and they love the schools they teach at. Um, it's super hard right now uh to be having these conversations for our uh staff at NESBIT and Sam Piper to be hearing these conversations, right? They are in limbo. Um but um this is is an important conversation uh that the board needs to to look at uh from from a number of different perspectives and it's not a judgment on what's happening at either of our two small schools um or the teachers teaching
064there. >> I agree. Um can I ask another or do you want to go ahead? Okay. Um you feel pretty good about the timeline with the first three scenarios. um being able to it seems like is it do is it an aggressive timeline or is there some good space in there to be able to uh to to start uh the new configuration and the new alignment if that's what we choose for the next year? Uh yes, there is sufficient space uh as uh so long as the board um makes a decision in the February time frame uh and feels comfortable doing that um we have the time that we need to do on the back end uh to do moves, transfers, school assignment um hence um potentially pushing out our middle school survey a little
065bit um a little bit further than we did in past years. To follow on with that, if we were to decide to go along with a re realignment scenario, would it be a suddenly the middle school just doesn't exist and we move everyone over? So like your sixth grader, seventh graders would all move to Rston or the other small middle school or would it be transitioning them out slowly as they go through? The current sixth graders would at least finish out eighth grade at one school or what what does that look like? Um I've I've uh so no decisions on that have been made. I think it's important that we make our primary decision first and then move from there. Um that said uh at first I think great let everybody transition. Um it it
066sounds good everybody um has their time in their program. Um it becomes really difficult for that in a couple of situations. Um the small school model is all built on uh uh seven teachers, six teachers and a rotating prep. Um so when you're graduating kids out and reducing those numbers, um it potentially becomes more difficult. Uh the second thing is is you transition eighth grade out then you have uh really a K um uh uh K K5 uh seven and eight. Uh maybe not so odd uh because you're just missing a grade in between. I think it's that following year when you have a very very small cohort and you're TK or K five and then eighth grade. I think that becomes um a little bit uh less desirable at that point. Uh so again,
067while no decisions have been made, I I think likely uh should we go that route, um it's it's a a change all at once. >> And sorry, I have so many questions you guys. Um, one more question around um, we had gotten feedback about from one of our parents that had mentioned that many people did not see or realize the importance of filling out the survey. And I know if if that's the case, right, would we have another opportunity to survey the population or the community before we make a decision and ideally after the special board meetings? >> Yeah, I think uh the board can absolutely decide if if you feel an additional uh survey is warranted. Um quite honestly um I think this is a representative survey meaning uh with with 4,000 roughly 4,000
068students and 1100 respondents give or take um that is uh more represented more representation than we have in the vast majority of surveys we do in the district. So, while it may not have captured everybody's specific thoughts, um it gives the board kind of a direction. And I think really that's um all the takeaway, the big takeaway. Like I I don't encourage the board to really digest, you know, 6% versus 8% versus like I think really it's the big takeaways that's most important for the board at this point. those kind of headlines on our slides. >> I I just wonder how many of the people responding really understand it as much as we as we go through this process. Right? So at the beginning there's a certain amount of information that they have that they
069know and then after a little bit more of these town halls where they get to ask questions, get to digest some of this information, would that change any thoughts or ideas or perceptions? And if the board would would uh like us to as part of their deliberation would like an additional survey, uh that's something we can absolutely entertain. >> Yeah, just a comment about that as well. I I feel like um because there were so many responses that said they needed more information. I I I feel like I would want to make sure that those people then could say like I went to the board meeting or I I looked at the information and now I understand because like if there is 30% of people who just need more information and then we don't know
070that they got the information, I I don't know that I would feel comfortable. Yeah, I definitely um I definitely noticed that a lot of respondents u in the survey said they needed more information and um I'm tending to think that like what we're doing with tonight and then with the sessions in January, that's where we're providing um the additional information. I think in our questions and our discussion, we've laid out some specifics that maybe weren't, you know, as clearly delineated. And so now um community members can think about that of like we said, you know, not not just just uh reiterate everything that we said, but um I would be hesitant to send another survey because um I believe that we would not get as high of a response rate and um I think that
071uh the response rate is pretty good compared to other surveys. And um if if we had a smaller response rate, then I think it would probably be less representative of of the entire community. >> Yeah, I think that's a good point. Thank you. Um Trusty Northrup, I I think from from my um kind of what I was thinking, and I don't know if you're in the same boat here, but I don't think it would be like the same survey. I think it would just be like after you know we've spent this time discussing and people had a chance to come do you feel like do you feel like you have enough information now not asking them to like actually make the answer the questions but just making sure that people understand it after hearing the
072information and I don't know if there's something we could do in that way where it's not really resending the survey but just kind of feeling that people >> shifting it >> understand one of the things I can say is um I personally am not viewing um uh our town halls and our board whatever we present at our regular board meeting as a one-stop shop uh meaning uh it's not going to be this it's probably not going to be the same presentation each time. Um I think as as part of our responsibility of being reflective um it's uh hearing concerns and trying to provide information uh for all of us uh to feel comfortable in making that decision when it comes. So, um, you know, I'm already thinking about, you know, when we're hearing public comment,
073how do we, um, go about, um, taking that and actually crunching it in some way, um, that provides us, um, you know, what are the things that we heard most about and then let's talk about that again next time. So, um, I will we'll try and work through that. Uh, but I but I think, um, the first January session will start uh, similar very similar to this presentation. Um probably pull in a couple other data points, maybe go into a little depth on a couple of our challenges, uh enrollment challenges. Um and then the future January meetings will will uh adjust based on what we hear the first one. >> I kind of go with >> Sorry. So I was thinking what trusty Northrup was saying that I think as a board we've collectively tried
074to put ourselves in the community shoes and ask questions that are relevant that we feel but also maybe are representative of the questions of the community if they were kind of here. We'll hear more of that in the town hall. So I kind of agree with that. I also like uh superintendent what Duo did with the the flyer putting the link to the survey. The question I've also received anecdotally, you know, stopped outside of these meetings is like you mentioned right people were didn't understand what the sur that the survey was kind of uh gathering information but also in in for this decision that that's forthcoming. Um but I think that we have all these points in made. I think what might be helpful about getting into the minutiae would be um summarizing that maybe
075into an area so that maybe all the information is present where they're going but then also trying to elevate the questions into either like common FAQs or or something some mechanism so that you know an engaged um community member could just go and try to get their questions answered in addition to obviously using the feedback mechanism. and that we set up. So I think that at the end I would hope that they would come to and be like I feel I have enough information between all these meetings and all the data points to to make a sound decision or at least feel confident that I have the trust in the district leadership that and the board that they're making a decision on on that represents my students my child's needs. I mean I'm hoping that
076that's the outcome of all of these town hall meetings. >> Uh trusty cost a couple things. One is I I appreciate the the reminder about an FAQ as we're hearing those questions that are coming up repeatedly and I think we'll definitely start to hear that in our town hall. Um how do we um coalate those and and provide responses uh for people to refer back to and I think um oftentimes we may have a question uh we may hear a question from our community that we don't have a response to. Um and that's okay. Uh that's that's information for us. Um the the final thing I do want to pe uh point out and if I I go back um to this piece uh here. Let's go back one more. Um community input and and
077desire is an important factor. Um as are several other important factors um in there. um enrollment. Um you know, while it it is a it is a a piece, um there's roughly about a $300,000 um uh uh cost uh for each of our small schools. Um and um you'll hear in a little bit in our our our uh interim report that we have a sizable deficit. Uh does it cure the deficit? No. It does it go towards could it go towards reducing it? Um yes. Um, do we have to do that um at this point in time? No. Um, but those are all important decisions the board uh needs to think about um as it relates uh to programs. And so lots of I guess my point is lots of factors. Yes. What our community
078is telling us and um enrollment study and um financials and um program feasibility. All of those things come into play. Um, Dan, just one thing for clarification. I don't know if I heard you wrong or if you misspoke. Did you say 30,000? >> 300. >> Okay. Yeah, >> 300. >> I was like, I thought I heard you say 3,000. I was like, that can't be right. Um, thank you. And then just a point on communication. Um, and and thank you for coming back here to to show that that's something our community desires. I feel like as as a board and as a district, we should do uh everything we can to be as transparent as possible. And so that's all I ask as far as the communications, just that we're being transparent and giving people
079the opportunity to, you know, come in here, get their questions answers. If it if they come to all the meetings and they still have questions, I just want it to be very clear that they can still ask those questions and send the feedback emails and things like that. >> Yeah. Um, I've, um, well, I can't guarantee I can do this for everybody who might want to, but, uh, thus far, anybody who's wanted to talk with me, who's who's called up with questions about the survey, I've had several conversations with folks, um, I've, um, had conversations with, uh, Nesbet staff, with San Piper staff. Um, and I'm I'm committed to to that communication. uh so as much as possible and um I'm going to reiterate um the survey data is all there uh verbatim cut and
080paste uh with a few redactions um to provide some aminity if a if a a teacher was mentioned uh but the spirit of the comment content uh comment really remains um there was a couple that were um I'll just say uh I want to say maybe one or two or three that that felt really overcritical. Uh so there was a few redactions in there but but very few redactions um in the research. We want people to see it. >> Did I ask a few? >> I don't have I don't think there's many. Um I I just want to make sure I I I heard this right. If if Nesbbit shrinks to a like whatever middle school was moved away, we would not reintroduce TK at that site. >> Uh there is no plan to. >>
081Okay. Um to hear that. And then uh I should have asked this months ago, but does this conversation have any impact on like the districting work we did? Uh no. Uh >> districtricting >> uh the trustee representation. No. Um that is not student dependent. It's population and voter registration >> dependent. >> Yep. Um looking at this survey and and and the work we've done and going forward and this is not me saying it needs to happen. I was just curious like are we seeing the um responses, opinions, feedback of either students or faculty? >> Uh we have not we have just done uh community uh feedback at this point. >> And is that part of it? Again, not saying there needs to be a survey, but like maybe site administrators are doing it or you
082feel like you've got your finger on the pulse. >> Yeah. Uh I'm going to go back to what I what I shared. Uh, I am totally um 100% confident that our teachers love their kids. >> Yeah. >> And love their schools. Um, and that's the feedback you're going to receive. Uh, don't move me. Don't change my program. I love what I do. I love being here. >> I meant um one, yes, thank you for saying that. And I I think yes, I'm glad that actually that got voice. uh I more meant just as people who have who see our district from different perspectives they may have again when I look at this slide of like what's important to you reputation or not and things like that I think it's another group of people who have
083an important and in whatever way to find it again I imagine our teachers might know how our students feel or again you may or your team may already know how our faculty feel despite the part where maybe it's a sense of time but just a part of like what information do you have you know um I imagine there might be teachers at Rston who would agree that small school has its impact in like that voice. >> Yeah. >> Anyway, I'm not trying to oversell that. It was just more of a >> I will say the way I've gone about that is really to make myself available to the two staffs. >> Sweet. And then uh this last one is actually maybe more of a recommendation than a question. Um when I look through the appendix
084and I see a slide, I like that you asked if people wanted more information. I like that she had like the transparency and letting them say I don't feel like I know enough is there. And then you have a slide that wasn't in your primary but is in the appendix that actually lists some of the like main questions you pulled out when people say I need more information. Slide 49 here says they wanted clarity on options timeline and process student and school impact program equity. I don't know where I stand on it like a ne necessity of a survey but I would say an email that answered those questions I think would go a long way even perhaps offered in either different languages or with a part being like translate this to get here is
085more information on our time in our process here is more information on equity here's what declining enrollment and how it impacts that I think if people are saying that's what I don't know rather than serving again or even saying come to this meeting you could just put something out that says here it And you do this, by the way, to be clear, this is not about you or your team, >> I just when I hear us talking about people clearly saying that they don't want it, again, I like that you actually quantified what it is I think they don't know. >> And I do think simply >> giving them that would be important. >> One of the things that I because I I read everything that came in in depth. Um, one of the things
086that I realized that um, people craved >> um, >> was to know what the end result is. >> Absolutely. >> And, um, uh, know what happens after a decision is made. >> Um, partially the decision needs to be made until for those things uh, to happen. So, um, recognizing that, I do appreciate and I think that's a combination of kind of that FAQ that's curated and reminding folks that, hey, the this is what we're hearing. This is what we're able to answer at this point in time or maybe this is a question we're getting all the time and the answer is to be determined. Um, >> right. >> Sometimes sometimes that's information and then directing folks. That's yeah because I think when you when you look at the like I think a thousand responses I
087agree is great but if you think of the number of students and the number of potential >> guardians and staff you're talking about upwards of 10,000 people like a thousand responses while great is is not and another survey might be less than that but if you know that that many have the answers that 1000 asked for I think that checks the box that's it anything else and that is that was a discussion item >> that was a discussion no actions do >> discussed. >> Um, >> thank you. >> Yeah, >> thank you. >> I I appreciate the board um engaging and having thoughtful conversation. Um, it is um, like I said, a heavy topic. >> It's an important topic to look at, but it it there is an emotional um, side to it. Uh, so
088thank you for engaging. >> Um, yes, thank you. Uh we're going to move to item 12, our 26 27 instructional calendar. Director East, >> good evening. What you have in front of you is another uh collaborative effort between BRSFA and the school district. Um this 2627 calendar closely mirrors that of Sequoia Union um matching start and end date and major holidays to uh the most extent possible except for a little creative thinking this year. Um the Thanksgiving holiday is now being proposed as a week long. Um great for families, great for staff. Um, and I think actually having a week long off, having the two days off, Monday and Tuesday, will help with attendance because a lot of families tend to take the whole week off anyway. So, I I see that as a posit
089positive. Um, so it's recommended that the board of trustees approve the 2627 instructional calendar. question. >> It might be um you mentioned that the Thanksgiving break you mentioned it was is that not consistent with Carl uh with Sequoia? >> It is not. >> And so >> theirs theirs is three days. >> So they go three days and they only have Thursday and Friday off >> or they will have Monday, Tuesday, >> Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. >> Usually Yeah. >> Oh, I thought Oh, sorry. I thought I thought that we matched we changed our Thanksgiving to match sequoas. >> No, no, that is the one difference. >> Oh, that's so interesting. >> The one major difference. >> Didn't they have the whole week off this past Thanksgiving? >> Oh. Oh. Oh, >> what do I know?
090Nothing. Um, so we don't have the same question then. Um, sorry. Sorry, Director Eburn. I was just curious and just wanting to make sure I I'm sure you guys already thought about all of this, but I'm just wondering like with Veterans Day as a holiday and then having that whole next week as all minimum days and then having the whole Thanksgiving week off, is there any concern with like the curriculum or anything like that? No, I think the the instructional days are the same um in total and um the moving the the conference days. I think the only there's a difference of two days there. So, it's not a a great shift. It's a slight shift. >> Okay. Well, on that note, then I move that we approve the Oh, sorry. I thought you were
091saying she can motion and discuss. >> So very happy to see Thanksgiving as a as a full week. I think that will be taken advantage of and I've I've heard through different avenues that like a a small request for it. Was that a a big kind of alignment push or was that kind of an really like a >> staff? Um it's actually what BRSFA wanted. >> Good. >> Um it wasn't an alignment um to Sequoia, but um I think everybody would enjoy having a full week off and it would help attendance. So, >> and then the conferences um the TK conferences through 8th >> what >> because that's usually um always seems to be I think they use Monday and Tuesday this year, right? >> Usually it would have been the 17th, 19th, 20th. >>
092Okay. So, so the 13th and 16th are taking that spot. >> It's just a two-day shift. >> Okay. >> But like you said, in terms of instructional days, >> same. So their worker around that new >> yeah it's it's the same um in total >> great the the calendar committee um always functions within the same parameters >> uh because a lot of the days are contractual um how many days we offer for conferences how many PD days so they're they're typically always working within >> the same number of days and ideas it's just how they them um and how federal holidays often fall that um allow us that little >> and um so the where the day came from or where it ended up was at the end of the year instead of um the
093last day being a Thursday, it's a Friday and the spring semester always needs more days in my opinion because of testing and other >> things. So >> yeah, >> it's kind of a good a good shift, you know, as a result of the Thanksgiving break. >> Yeah. >> I'm sorry. Can I ask one more? So in general, I'm always trying to figure out when people are I'm trying to figure out like what is like early dismissal days. Obviously, we have the Wednesday, the minimization day, >> and that's kind of set by contract, right? Is there any way um to know or do we have any for this calendar year? And how would we how would a parent be able to find out if a Friday was an early dismissal day or >> early dismissal day
094that we um are required to give for the contract is the Friday before Memorial Day. So that's May 28th and it's indicated on the calendar there. >> Um the other minimum days are conference days which are indicated. >> Uh and first day of school is always but I think the first day of school is a Wednesday so that's normal. >> That's great. I'm glad it's there because it's it's a hand this is a handy reference. Thank you. I move to >> this is why we have a great board. >> I move to approve the instructional calendar for 2627. >> Second. >> All in favor, please say I. I. >> Seeing as there are no nays or abstensions, the calendar is approved. Thank you. And it wouldn't be a board meeting without CBO Masumoto. Item number
09513, the FIS first interim fiscal solicy report. >> Good evening, trustees, and welcome back to the Reathon. >> First on today's agenda is the first interim U fiscal report. So, as always, I like to start off with Oh, can we have a slideshow, please? >> Well, while we get this resolved, um, I like to start off with a few big things you should know, right? So uh for the first interim again uh the first interim is an opportunity for us to get a first glance at how we think the budget's going to end up being at the end of the year. Um a lot of what informs kind of any budgetary changes is just how we are progressing on our total budget through the first half of the year. So the first interim is basically
096our expenditures from July 1st 2025 through the end of October. So that's essentially what we are using to help project how we're going to be at the end of the year. Um, as of right now, our budget uh has increased and so has our deficit from $5.3 million of a deficit to 6 I believe 6.2 right now. And the largest driver of that is our negotiations that have just finished. We have uh a larger cola or you know negotiated increase in the first year than the second year and that's reflected in the budget right now. Great. And now that we're back on, I will skip over a few slides which I've talked through already. Um, and this is essentially just a rehashing of what I said. Um, a lot of the changes is coming from
097the negotiations. And you know, also one point I'd like to talk about is the uh advent of the master budget this year. Uh, it's a term that I'll talk about more widely throughout our time. But um essentially we moved from a model where uh principles have to look up into our financial system uh to figure out how much money they've spent and which lines they have to spend against. Um and a model that we've started this year is we actually have a Google sheet that everyone can see and they can go into um of which I update monthly so people can see at a glance just how much money they spent against their different lines and hopefully uh in an effort to make it easier for people to spend their money. So, um, these are
098a few things I'll touch on in a little bit. Great. So, let's talk about revenues first. Um, long story short is not much has changed. Um, we received some few updated numbers. Uh, the biggest one here coming from the the state as to our property taxes. Uh, right now that's about a half a million dollar increase. But, uh, between what is known as P1, which is our first look at our property taxes, and P2, which is a secondary look, things may change. So it may go up, it may go down very slightly, but uh generally this is all par for the course. Nothing much has changed. Okay, I'd like to spend a little bit of time here on the expenditures because it's a little confusing. You may have heard me just say, well, the increase
099is in large part to the additional salary from the colon or negotiated increase. When you look at this slide here, you'll say, wait, but none of the salaries have really increased much. So what's going on, Ree? So let me explain. There's kind of two things that are counteracting here. One, our salaries have gone up as a resulting um as a result of our negotiations, right? But if you remember all the way back to April and May, we do this thing called budgeting on a full staffing approach. And what that means is we account for if all of our contractors from the prior year were actually brought in-house to help save us a little bit of money, right? So ultimately when that may or may not happen, right, we have to then move the salaries out
100from where they were in the salary lines into the contracted lines which is the 5,000 line. So as you can see here, that's why the services and other operating expenses line has gone up by roughly a million dollars while most of the classified certificated and salaries and benefits have kind of stayed the same if not decreased very slightly. So that's what's basically driving the change there. All in all, the real driver here behind all of this this numbers here is that we had a negotiated increase and that's ultimately driving the increase in budget. Okay, so this is a slide that I love and I'm sure you'll see it a million more times. This is just comparing how much we've spent this given year compared to prior years and it is benchmarking against our initial budget.
101So this is benchmarking against the $5.3 million deficit number that we had introduced for the original budget. And as you can see that dark blue line of where we are right now is higher than that which is why our forecast is a higher deficit. Right? And again we've just explained why that is. Now part of this is also being driven by the master budget. And why is that the case? So because of the master budget right now, typically you would expect people to be about a third through their money, you know, at this point of the school year. Well, as you can see from the chart up here, actually our schools are almost at about 40%. While our central office is about 29%. And this kind of means two things. One, uh, for the central
102office side, it means that we're actually at probably slightly underbudget on that front, which is a good thing. And two, it means for the schools that they're actually spending more of their money at this point through the year. And that's a good thing, right? Because that means that more of the money that is meant to get in kids' hands are getting in their hands sooner rather than later, right? The worst thing that we want is we get to April, which at the end of April typically or the beginning of May is when we stop school uh schools spending. Basically, we put a a hard cap on them to make sure that they get all their materials in time because there's a lead time uh once they put in a purchase to actually once they receive
103it. So, realistically, they're having between August when they first start and the end of April to spend everything. So, if they follow by the oh, it's a third of the way through the school year, they're going to get to April and they're going to get to May and they're going to have budget left over. I don't want that. I want them to spend the money that I'm allocating to them because I want that money into our students hands, into their programs, into their classrooms. So again, this is a thing that's also slightly driving some of our increased costs at this point through the year, but it's a good thing. Okay, so let's talk about the the multi-year projections here. Um, again, I think it's important to just show the slide every time. We know what's
104happening. We've run surpluses in the past. We're running deficits right now. But given that, I would like to preempt just in case there are any questions about how what we had just talked about might affect this right here. Um, I'd like to say right now, even without any changes, this shows that we'll be able to close the deficit. Right? So again, although it is not necessary for us to make any changes right now in regards to our budget, you know, anything that we may do with potential, you know, realignment or consolidation would help this and would help it close a little bit faster. But again, even without that, we should be able to close the structural deficit with still some reserves left over for safety uh and to make sure that we meet all of
105our cash flow demands. All right, next steps. Lots of boxes. One simple thing. We're starting to budget for next year. That is the main thing that I'd like to harp on right now. The goal here for us is we want to make sure that budgets are in principal's hands either right before winter break or as soon as we come back from break. And the reason is we want the principles to help decide on their budget sooner rather than later. One, so we can help them. and two, if there are any real personnel changes that need to happen, we can get ahead of the ball. The worst thing that can happen is we decide on some of these budgetary things specifically around people too late in the school year. Once you get to May, once you
106get to April, sorry, I went backwards in months. You know, you start to run into people who have already been poached, right? Those people who are already looking for their jobs for the next year. They have already they may have already signed with another school district. We want to be there first to make sure that we get the best talent consistently for our kids. So the earlier that we can start our budgetary process, the better. And that is why we are starting to budget right now. We're working on the numbers for next year. We're meeting um as a central office to figure out what that could look like. Um and again, you know, some of these decisions will also come out to play in February with whatever happens with our middle schools, but there's still
107a lot of work that we can do right now and that's all the work we're trying to get done. Great. And with that, I seed my time. Any questions? >> I just had one question. You said that you like to have the um budget um before the break. Could you just clarify which break? >> Oh, winter break. >> I had I had a question about the hiring of teachers at the beginning of the year. Are we hiring just based on what like what we know about retiring teachers or is it just that or do we know anything else? How I guess how far in advance teachers have to give notice? >> So through our last set of negotiations for teachers, we are now offering uh a bonus if teachers let us know a little bit
108earlier um if they are retiring. So if we believe let's just say for example right it's a a class of something that we mean to offer in the next school year music right we can then go and do a onetoone right we can start looking for a music teacher as soon as possible in terms of the general education teachers right again then it specifically comes down to what credential did they have is that something that we need a specific credential for if so great then we can get into the market sooner and you know as we think about kind of other teachers Maybe there are more of them out there or maybe we don't know if we will need them. That's something that's we have to just keep talking about, right? So, I think it's
109trying to control for the variables that we can control as soon as possible. Sorry, that that was kind of a roundabout way of answering that question. >> Thank you. >> So, thank you for this report. What sounds like it was really good that you changed the behavior or that the principles just kind of started early on that kind of process of budgeting thinking if they're at 40%. So is that kind of been like a kind of a good trend from previous years and how how did they kind of like what like what was it that uh was like the magic or to help with the behavior change? I think it's just accessibility. You know, for better or worse, our financial system is not the easiest to use or to navigate. >> And to make matters
110worse, we switched financial systems this year, and it's actually even harder to access the data. >> Um, not that people won't be able to get it eventually, but just right now, it's not that easy. And even in our previous system, you'd have to go through a bunch of keystrokes. you needed to know the formatting of how you put it in to get your specific codes that you had and how much money was in each of them. So, all I'm trying to do is just make it more accessible for them, right? Because ultimately, our principles want to adhere to their budgets, right? And they want to know how much they have and how much they have left. And in my opinion, if I can help them make it more transparent, I can help them be more
111strategic, right? For example, if someone um at my last district, one of our principles wanted a mural, right? And he said, "Well, okay, I have $10,000 of budget in this line, but I actually don't need that. We don't need these specific materials that I was thinking. We have something else that covers it. Can I then use that money and reallocate it to actually get a muralist to come out and paint this really nice mural across um you know, the front office to show our our school's history?" And so ultimately that line of thinking led the mural to be done over one of the breaks and so you can enjoy it sooner, right? >> Um instead of oh getting to the end of the year, oh shoot, I have $10,000 left. What should I do with
112it? A you know what? I could have had a mural list but I'm not going to be here this summer so I'm not going to put it into play right now. >> Right? That's the kind of thing that I'm hoping to to to help drive by putting putting the money in their hands and really making it accessible as possible. >> Great. Great. I think it will help. Um there was a slide which I think it was a breakdown and it had something with sped um sped um comment. Yeah. So it's interesting that that's there because one of the special education workshops that I attended over the conference there was a few participants board other board members that were just saying how much that sped budget for them has increased and represented a very big part
113of their overall budget and how they were really finding it challenging um to kind of offer the services. And and so I I guess my question is is with with sped, would you say that that it seems like we're in line with previous years? And has do you have any again off the top of your head, do you feel like that part of the budget is been consistent or has it been growing or what? >> That part of the budget has definitely been growing, right? And there's kind of two factors that make it complicated. Ultimately, it comes down to the special education maintenance of effort. And what that means is you need to essentially spend the same amount per pupil for specifically special education students on a year-to-year basis, >> if not increase that amount,
114right? You can't go below or else you don't pass these tests and >> essentially a bunch of people get mad at you. Um, and because of that, right, and our sped population as a percentage of our total students has been increasing the last couple of years. For example, between 2023 24 and 2425, we saw an increase of, I believe it was 11 students, right? And as of right now, it looks like we've increased a few more as well, but that's something that we're budgeting for. Um, and we're trying to keep that intact, that maintenance of effort intact. Um but it just takes a it's a lot of work by us by the business team and also the special education team to just make sure that you know there aren't any crazy costs that are happening
115and you know where it makes sense we find economies of scale but at the same time right special education is a little bit of it's a little bit uncertain. You just don't know exactly which students are going to walk through your door and we have to provide adequate services for each one of them um regardless of what that may be. Right. And I think that's probably the experience that a lot of districts are having, including us, right, is you just don't know. Sometimes you may have students that require, you know, less additional supports than others. Some years you may have just one student that comes in, but that one student requires a lot of additional supports. So ultimately it's it's a little bit of a balancing act, but you know the trend that we've been
116seeing across at least San Monteo County is that the the proportion of special education students as a percentage of our total students is is just slightly creeping up over time. So it's something we're keeping an eye on and it's definitely a cost driver. >> Thank you. Thank you for that background. Um question on this slide actually for books and supplies. Why why the difference there? I don't know if you answered that earlier. >> Yeah. Uh some of the books and supplies lines are also just from people switching between oh I had originally allocated money for uh this specific like I wanted to buy CDs or um software which is actually a 5,000 line and I actually want to buy these specific supplies which are 4,000 line. So ultimately it balances out but it's just a
117difference between people moving things between the lines. >> Yeah. Okay. Then on um one of the next slides uh when you talked about uh people being at uh schools being at 40% that one this one uh and this is maybe you have an answer too but what's what's ideal at this rate like do you have a guidance for schools so you're like hey at in December you should be at 60%. Or or is it kind of really up to them? >> My only guidance is that you should not be over 100% at this point. Yeah. Yeah, >> relative to like this year's dollars like uh and maybe my question is about the future. So I imagine with what the way you explained it earlier like when it gets to April if they were out still
118at 40 you might be like what's going on and I guess like what does that look like? >> You know I think in a world which there's no strategy involved >> right I think by now you would want to see them at 30% 33% and as of April you want to see them close to 100%. But unfortunately, expenses are not linear, right? >> You may see, >> for example, some of the schools are waiting for a big field trip that they're doing later this year, right? And so that's going to be a lump sum of expenses, right? And then they have one more field trip. That's another lump sum of expenses, right? Unfortunately, expenditures for schools are not linear. It's not like I'm buying $5,000 of books every month. I'm trying to do this initiative.
119I'm going to spend $5,000. I'll do it this month. I may not spend another $5,000 on books for the next six months, right? So, unfortunately, it's not really like a this is the way it should go. Um, the only thing is when I talk to them, I want to make sure that they're spending their money strategically, right? And they know what they want to spend their money on. It's not just a hey, I hit next year and I have $100,000. I'm just going to spend it however I see fit. No, let's sit down. Let's have a plan. Let's make sure it adheres to our LCAP. and how can I best help you purchase these things when you need it? >> Gotcha. And then maybe I'm assuming this to be true. Just got to ask it.
120Uh when a school ends the year with leftover, it doesn't roll into the next year. They just start with the same number. >> Nope. It does not roll over to the next year. Um previously we had a practice where a little bit of funds, I believe a couple thousand would roll over. But um my personal budget philosophy is I want you to spend the money you have in a given year and if you do not spend it unfortunately that's that you just didn't have a usage for it. I'm going to take it back as savings for the district and you'll get your new allocation in the next year. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions? >> Thank you. Um yeah, I'm just looking at uh sorry I had it. Um the slide 11. Um this
121is this is more of just a positive comment compliment. um is I just really appreciate um Ree that you've been able to do this in in uh in conjunction with our superintendent and the rest of our staff um to kind of um you know use that that surplus and put us in a position where um even if we're spending more than we have in revenue that year. Um, to the to the average community member, they're not going to see any effect of that. And I think that's I think that's really really uh commendable. Um, I know we're a relatively small district um and it tends to be larger districts that you hear about who are uh facing hard times. Um but still I think even with a smaller district it takes a lot of um
122careful planning and um thinking ahead obviously. Um so anyway, so I I really really do appreciate that that we are we're not in in our time uh in my time on the board in the three years I've been on the board. Um and again just hearing in the news from different districts that have had to make tough decisions um we are we are in a strong place financially. So thank you for that. Um so um and then so this is may sound contradictory. Um that being said, with the with the budget uh overall being absolutely amazing, um I'm wondering about this uh for working on the 2627 budget, the working with budget owners uh to develop their budgets. I'm wondering if we could have a little more detail on like how much is being spent
123on like different curriculum things like that, how much is um and I know in different in different points it it we see it. Um and I definitely want to empower the principles to make decisions for their schools that make the most sense. But I also want the board to be able to have input into that. And I um and again, I know this is not our full-time job and uh you and your staff are are doing it as your full-time job and doing an amazing job of it. Um, but I think just as part of as representatives of the community, um, I'd like to be able to know a little bit more of like, okay, you know, I'm just throwing a number out here. we spent $300,000 on science curriculum or something like that so
124that we can and that can be um something that we then potentially discuss as a board of okay well maybe we want to spend more on math curriculum or ELA curriculum anyway and I'm I'm I'm digressing now but um just just uh I guess my request is um yeah as you're devel developing the budgets. Um, if we could get a little bit more detail of where where are their questions and right like for salary it's it's decided by negotiations. So there's not really it's there's not really any, you know, leeway there. But for the things that are discretionary, just having more of a conversation. >> Yeah, understood. Um, I think one of the easiest ways to do that is um, we can start sharing the master budget with you. You know, I don't think it
125has all of our budgets on it and none of that is private data, right? Like that is something that each of the principles can see across um, each of the different sites. They can see what everyone else is spending on. Um, and I, you know, I think yes, understood and I think we can make that happen. And I also just, you know, want to point out that our principles don't act in a silo. right? They're not budgeting in a silo. They're also working with assistant superintendent who superintendent Dvoir, right? To make sure that their aim for the next year is aligned with the things we are doing. If we have a pilot, we want to do things in support of that pilot, right? We are pushing that all forward together. Um so just know that
126you know yes we can make that uh more public and we can definitely um keep you locked step in that process and also you know understood we are we are trying to move things forward as a district and not just as individual schools. >> Any other questions on this item? >> I can just make a comment. Um, uh, CBO Matsumoto is a little bit modest. Um, getting a budget as a principal before winter break, uh, is like, what? What are you talking about? We're getting a B before like that's a that's a pretty huge, um, shift. It means as a principal I know what I'm getting next year in the middle of this year so that I can already start planning and making um decisions now uh thinking about my school plan which you guys
127actually just approved for this year right um already uh for next year. So that is is a huge uh piece. Um, CBO Matsumoto is building on uh former CBO Bao's work to educate principles and our staff on how to read a budget, how to develop a budget string, how to put together um, uh, a plan for spending that's thoughtful. Um, and now he's been able to create the tools that uh, give that visibility um, to our principles. Right. Uh so I I commend uh CBO lotsoto on that for good a lot of good work. Thank you. >> You're here. >> On that note, may I have a motion to approve the first interim uh solveny report. >> I move to approve the first interim financial uh fiscal solveny report. >> Second. >> All in favor,
128please say I. >> I. Seeing as there are no nays and extensions, the first interim fiscal office report is approved. But he's not going anywhere. >> Item number 14, uh, appointment of members to measure I, measure P, independent citizens B bond oversight committee. Continue the recent thought. >> Good evening, trustees. Uh, welcome to leg two. Um when we passed our bond program um as part of it we are required to have a bond oversight committee. Um given that we have two open bonds right now measure I and measure P uh we have elected to go with one aggregate u bond oversight committee. Um members of this committee uh can serve two-year terms up to twice. Um so we have a few members uh that terms have expired but given that we have just uh combined
129into one large bond oversight committee uh it felt right to just formally appoint all the people who have rolled over from the measure I committee to the joint measure imp committee uh here. So ultimately there are uh up to seven people uh that can be on this committee if not a few more. Um but the members of this committee have to qualify under certain um different descriptors. Uh so as of right now this is the formalized um roles that each of those members are currently playing. Um so the goal for today would be to ask for a motion to approve um the appointment of these current five members uh to the bond oversight committee. Yes. Sorry. So I know sometimes the affiliations can be challenging finding representation. Did we um find representation? Are all like
130do you need to fill every affiliation or is it just you know you want to kind of have that diversity? >> Uh essentially you do need to fill the affiliations. There's basically five uh specific affiliations and then there's two at large who can be any member of the community. So as you can see currently we are occupying both at large which means there's a few specific designations that we are missing. Um again if you know anyone who is a member of a local business organization or a senior citizens organization specifically ARP which is the largest senior citizens organization um please send them my way if they're interested in hearing more about our bond program. >> Thank you. I just wanted to uh thank the members who have served and are um continuing to serve on
131the oversight committee. um I don't know if they're listening um but uh I do know a lot of these uh individuals from different contexts and um really appreciate uh community members getting involved um and and uh helping um sorry helping helping uh fulfill the the terms of what the voters approved of that we have an independent oversight committee. Thank you. >> If there is no other discussion, may I have a motion to appoint the following people on the committee? Tim H, Ryan L., Serena S., Adele D, and Matthew D. >> So moved. Second. >> All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Seeing as there are no names or abstensions, they are approved. Thank you if you're watching. Um, should I say that full names? >> All right. Item number 15, the moment you've
132been waiting for. Uh, resolution number 2025-26-5, measure I series A refunding. >> Good evening again, trustees. Um, it's split into two different items on here for legal purposes, but really I will talk about them as just one. we have an opportunity to refinance the measure I series A and B funds, but just think of it as we have the opportunity to refinance Measure I once more. Um, and further save our taxpayers even more money. So, if you'll remember, um, was it about a year ago, maybe? Wow, only six months ago. Um, we refinanced Measure I and at that point that had saved our taxpayers approximately $750,000 over the life of the the payments of the bond. um we have another opportunity to go out into the market and refinance again. Currently rates are relatively favorable
133um but still volatile. The long story short is that we officially these bonds can be sold in August of next year. But if you decide to take the rates that are currently out there, we can take them while paying a little bit of a fee. So that kind of eats into ultimately the percentage that we are currently getting. Now, as of right now, it looks like we could be somewhere in the range of $500 to $700,000 again of savings, but um ultimately that could change. It could go up, it could go down, and this is the final time that we will be able to refinance these bonds. So, time is on our side, but we're just trying to keep the window open for as long as possible. These two items here give us the authorization
134to go into the market and start exploring whether or not it makes the most sense for us to do it now or to do it later. Ultimately, our goal is to save our taxpayers as much money as possible. If it makes most sense to go into the market now and save roughly $500 to $700,000 because we don't think it's going to get any better in the near future, we will do that. If it makes sense to wait a little bit longer in the hopes of finding better savings for our taxpayers, we will do that. But this just gives us the authorization to have all those options at play. >> Items open for discussion. >> Just a comment. Just wanted to say thank you for the responsibility and uh finding these ways to save our taxpayers
135money. I'm sure that everybody appreciates that work. So, thank you. >> Of course. Just to clarify, if we were to approve this item, what we would be doing is saying you can go out and refinance, but you said you can't refinance until August. >> So ultimately, it just means we can't actually sell the bonds until August. We can take the rate right now and quote unquote sell it, but it wouldn't actually be physically sold until August. Does that make sense? So we would sell it essentially and get put into escrow and then escrow charges a fee to hold the money until it can actually be done in August. >> So there would be would how much risk is there in that process? Is would there be a chance of anything happening in August that would
136solve and sudden make us lose all our money? >> That that is what we would look into right after this authorization. Does it make sense for us to wait until August? Do we think race will get more favorable then or should we do it now? And even with us doing it now, does it make more sense to just take those small incremental costs of holding it in escrow? Because it essentially comes down to the the old uh is a bird in the hand worth two in the bush kind of thing. Um but that's a decision we'll make and we'll talk with our um bond adviserss Keegent and also um the rest of the the bond underwriting team to make uh to see whether or not that makes the most sense. >> Okay. >> So we're
137not approving go >> you're not approving? Yes. You're just approving us to go and explore and ultimately if it makes sense we'll come back to you with another resolution of we would like to go and actually buy these bonds right now at this specific rate. >> Got it. Thank you. And the spe the the specifics for this opportunity is because interest rate environment is going down like the Fed just cut the uh the interest rate by a quarter point. So it's is that is that what the impetus is? It's >> exactly our our bond advisors uh came to us saying there's an opportunity for you to potentially refinance one more time right now. Even with the additional cost, you would still save some money. So that's not a bad idea. Um, but again, it all
138we're trying to do is get ahead of the eight-ball here. >> Great. >> Please do. >> Um, I move to approve resol resolution number 202526-5, measure I, series A refunding. >> Second. >> All in favor, please say I. >> I. Seeing as there are no nays and abstensions, uh item 15 is approved. Item 16, you're going to present again. >> Uh there's nothing to add unless uh you have any further questions. >> So item 16 is now open for discussion if it's necessary. >> Take it. I move to approve resolution number 202526-5 measure I series A re or series B refunding >> second. >> All in favor please say I. >> I. >> Seeing as there are no nays and abstensions. Item 16 is also approved. Now item 17. My name is there. Are you
139saying you're doing something? You should know your name, right? >> No. Well, uh, no. So, annual reorganization. >> So, the president gets to, um, pass the torch. Uh, but I'm gonna pause you there. I'm not going to let you pass it yet. >> Um, the board's not going to let you pass it yet. Uh I just I I want to take a moment uh just to recognize um President President Bruno um in his service. >> Pay attention >> as you're waiting uh as his for his service uh on the Belmont Redwood Shores School District School Board. Um uh you guys know that uh the president gets to have coffee with me a couple times a month. Uh and for Jackie it's at 7 in the morning uh before our days uh really get started. And
140I um want to say that I even though it's early uh I thoroughly enjoy those conversations with Jackie. Um most of the time we all of the time we talk about schoolboard work um but there's always elements of um what else is going on in life. Um as an administrator uh at NWEVA we um have a connection. We can talk about other stuff uh that's uh related to both of our work um and learn from each other. So, one of the things I value uh most about Jackie is um that thought partnership. Um and he asks some tough questions. Uh and it's those tough questions, I think, that really help you move along and go deeper in your work um and get um better in what you do. So, I thank you for asking those
141uh tough questions in a thoughtful and loving um way. And I truly mean that. Uh so the other thing that I think um is uh amazing awesome about Jackie um is he is um truly about being a human being um in everything uh that he does everything that I've seen uh the way he opens uh public comment and saying yes I might have to cut you off um but I still love you anyway right um how he um uh does his best to make sure that he's valuing and um recognizing um all of the different things that our community uh finds valuable and important. Um and then all of his questions I think each time uh come back uh to to what it means to be a human uh whether that's a as a as
142a teacher or as an administrator uh or as a student. The number of times he says but how are you? Um, and I think that's really important and um I I appreciate that. Uh, so I just want to say thank you uh for your service. Uh, as as Jim Howard would say, um, we're honored to present you with your trophy. um the the glass recognition uh heavy heavy heavy um uh to you and thanks of all of your service and I know some of your trustees like to also >> thank you. >> Um so uh Jackie, you have you have been an amazing uh president. Um it's really been a privilege uh to serve with you and trustee CS over the last three years and then uh with Trusty Deng and Trusty Tang over the
143past year and um I'd really like to recognize you of how um you've embodied uh each of your roles so well. Um, when you were vice president and I was president, I thought you uh were an amazing vice president. Um, for further in the future, not now, not tonight. I would love to be your vice president someday in the future. Uh, just to try to repay that support that you gave me when you were the vice president and I was the president. Um but anyway, um but also again as Superintendent Duara said as president that you um give your heart to the meeting and the public. Um you're so able skillfully to uh indicate to us which one of us is, you know, allowed to speak next. and um and you're uh you're content to
144let the discussion go and um have your opinion come in at the end. Um and so yeah, you're you're an amazing person, an amazing school board member, and I I try to make jokes occasionally. Um, so anyway, so I and uh I congratulations on ending your presidency and then I appreciate that you'll be down at this end of the table and then um you can be more of the like, you know, peanut gallery with me. Thank you. >> Oh, sorry, Jackie. I'm going to keep this short and sweet, but you have made my first year on the board so amazing and wonderful and light-hearted. I know we talk about a lot of really heavy things in this board meeting. So, or in in all of our board meetings. So, just knowing that you're there and
145that you care and that you approach everything, as Dan said, with great love as a human being is truly appreciated. And I really have enjoyed this first year on the board with you. Thank you for welcoming us and taking us to go golfing. It was wonderful. >> See, this is why I like to go first because now the things that I wanted to say have already been said and all I can do is say like I agree with my other trustees. But I do feel like yes, um I do feel like this was a very good um first year having you as president. I I felt very welcomed. I thought you did a great job of kind of like the bonding piece. Um, and also I feel very comfortable just rolling my window down and
146shouting out like, "Hey, President Bruno," like when I'm at NEZFIT and you're at NESF. >> So, um, it does happen. >> Anyway, I thank you for your service and appreciate all the work that you put into being president this year. Thank you. you. >> So, one of the things that I I I love most about President Bruno is is the empathy and how he keeps every student first and foremost. Um, and your perspective always gets me to rethink mine or supplement it and um and your advocacy. I think it's been great to have you as a thought partner and and more importantly it's been great to have you as a friend, a colleague and a fellow trustee. And so I just want to thank you for that leadership. Everyone has a different leadership style and
147luckily I have two um very distinct and successful leaders um to kind of model my my own style going on. And I honestly I didn't think you know I think you set a real precedent when you were clerk um and and how you like led that role. So, I didn't think you could do better than being a clerk in terms of like really embracing that role, but you really embraced the presidency. >> Appreciate it. >> Join. >> It's a really pivotal role and uh um >> do I need to give a speech? Speech. >> I I I'm not going to give a full speech. >> You all are awesome. >> Thanks. >> It has been a pleasure. I have learned a lot. um from all of you. Uh I have appreciated you accepting whatever questions
148or challenges I may have and and going along with my perhaps overly light-heartedness. Um and uh yeah. Yeah, it's been a blast. I am I so looking forward to sitting next to the Reathon. Uh and Kirsten, oh my gosh, it's going to be a party. Um >> yeah. Yeah, you may have lost me for a year of my attention. Um, and yeah, and we'll see what else is is happening on that side of the room. I we'll talk sometimes. I I will actually genuinely miss our morning coffees. Um, and we can still have those every now and then. >> Uh, am I supposed to read this recommendation? >> Uh, so I guess we can get back to agenda item 17. Yeah. >> Uh, yes, you can. >> It's all of you here. >> You can.
149Yeah, you can read the recommendation. >> All right. It is recommended that per per board bylaw 9100 and the tradition of rotating offices so that each board member has the opportunity to serve in each position. It is recommended that the board of trustees elect David to as president and Deng as vice president and Shelley Tang as the ineitable clerk position uh with the new officers taking office immediately. Immediately 100 signatures waiting for you. Yes. Trusty Northrup. >> I nominate David CS as president. >> You sure? >> Yes. >> Oh, do we do? >> Did you trust your each position? >> Okay. My best practice to do each position each position individually. So >> second. >> All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> There are no abstensions. Congratulations. Did you President Goss uh is
150there a nomination for vice president? >> Uh we should do we we should do uh sorry we should do a roll call vote. It's a roll call vote her policy I believe though. Uh Miss Ellinger would you mind calling a roll call vote please? >> Not at all. Trusty Northrup >> I. >> Trusty Tang >> I. >> Trusty Dang >> I. >> Trusty CS >> I. trustee >> for himself. >> I in the vote column >> go ahead. >> Um all eyes no nays. >> Correct. >> Passed. >> Next. >> It does say immediately. >> I'm just saying >> we did talk. If you wanted to continue it either way. >> Yeah. You can move on. >> I'm going to >> That's okay. >> Is there a nomination for vice president? >> I would like
151to nominate the esteemed and den for vice president. >> Second. I haven't seconded. So Oh, sure. >> It's been seconded. >> Okay. >> President second. >> I'll do the roll call vote again. Trusty Northrup. Hi. >> Trusty Tang. I. Trusty Deng. I. Trusty Bruno. I. Trusty CS. >> Is it the >> Hi, President President C. >> All right, we're gonna talk about this. >> Ask >> guys, focus. >> When's the performance review? >> So ridiculous. Um, >> is there a nomination for clerk? >> I nominate Shelley Tang for clerk. >> Second. All right, we'll do the roll call vote one more time. Trusty Northrup. >> Trustee Tang. >> Tang, >> trustee uh Deng >> I trust. >> President Trustee >> I >> CO and trustee Bruno >> I. >> All right, motion passed. And on
152that note, item 17 is approved. >> Yep. >> Is it okay if I continue for one more minute? >> Yeah. >> Thank you, President. >> We do have a tradition just for expedience of uh finishing out the meeting if it's so. Yeah. >> Uh thank you for your grace. Uh item 18. Uh we will uh appoint superintendent as secretary exe officio to the board. >> I would like to uh move to appoint the secretary to as our no the superintendent as our secretary. >> Did I say that right? >> Second as well. >> Uh no you can. >> All in favor please say I. I >> seeing as there are nays or abstensions, you continue to be secretary expio. Congratulations. >> Would you like to give a speech? >> Thank you. >> Item 19, uh,
153board representatives and liaison. >> Uh, great. Uh, uh, board, I'll go ahead and take this one. Um, there is two versions of the same document. Um if you miss Ellinger if you wouldn't mind uh bringing up um handout on the supporting documents. Um there's a couple last minute shifts and uh adjustments. Um uh this I believe is the uh last best draft of uh board representatives and liaison. Um uh that we've come up with. Uh I recommend that the board uh have discussion, make any adjustments uh and then uh move for approval of the 26 board representation and liaison. >> This is an item for discussion. Um if you have any questions, comments, concerns. So how for like item number 10 curriculum adoption how many ideally um trustees representations would you like for that? >>
154Um uh we have it as one person uh but it can be two if there's more interest >> if everybody I would love to also serve on that but I want to be cognizant of other people's interests. Okay. Thank you. >> Add that. >> I don't know if you actually wrote it or not. No. Discussion. >> Uh, do we have this as discussion or uh No. Uh, then my my apologies. I I asked for action. It doesn't It just needs to be discussion. >> Any other discussion? So can we add trust or president cost to >> uh we we will uh this is a PDF version we'll have to >> Got it. So if we were to move to approve this, it would be with President Cas as >> correct. Correct. We'll make that adjustment.
155>> I move to approve this. Oh, we don't have to approve. >> Uh we don't we don't have it as an action. We just have it as discussion. So it's fine. >> Awesome. Any further discussion? >> All right. We're going to move to item 20, board meeting schedule adoption, which is an action item. Um before you is uh our regular board meeting schedule which follows the same cadence. Uh there are a few dates that are asterisks that indicate that the meeting is scheduled on a different Thursday, the second Thursday. Uh that's strictly because there's a few items um because there uh for example uh the first interim report uh or second interim report has to be approved by March 15th. um the third Thursday would be too late and would require an additional meeting. Uh
156so we make an adjustment in those type of cases. Um each one of those is asterisks. Uh in a couple of cases um like the February it coincides with with break. Um so those those are the reasons those are adjusted. Recommend um approval. Uh the board of trustees approve the BRSSD board uh meeting schedule for the 2026 uh year as presented. Can I just ask? So, I know this year there was a little tricky with some of the um back to school nights. >> Was that reviewed or is that kind of do we want to adjust as needed? >> We will adjust as needed. Uh we are doing our best to make sure we get the information in principal's hands. Um honestly, sometimes there's there's little conflicts that come up, but we will um do
157our best to address that. >> Perfect. No further discussion. >> All right. I move to approve the 2026 board meeting schedule as presented. >> Second. >> All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Seeing as there are no Naz or abstensions, the board meeting schedule is approved. >> Uh future board uh meetings, item 21, uh we're showing three uh meetings. are January meetings. Uh January 8th and 21 are special board meetings uh designed to collect feedback and input regarding middle school. Uh January 15th uh primary items uh is a school spotlight will be Criyani. Uh we'll work to update the board on strategic plan. Uh there will be uh CSBA November board policy first reads um as well as uh a recommendation on management and confidential salary schedules uh as regular agenda items. All
158right, we made it. Uh we are not reconvening close. I call this meeting close at 8:39 p.m. >> There it is. >> I think we're we're talking for you as president. This butter.