001Okay, it's November 13th at uh 5:00 PM. We'll call this meeting to order. We will start off with the pledge of allegiance. >> Right hand over your hearts. and begin. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. >> You have any public comments today? All right. You'll figure out. So first of all I'd like to welcome Mr. John Fenergrass. He is from Power School. Um he is here to give us a little presentation very short presentation on the HR software and to answer some questions for us. >> So give him just a second and he will be allowed to um show his slides. >> There you go. Okay, John,
002can you hear us? >> I can. Thank you very much for having us tonight. >> All right. So, thank you again for your time. Um, wanted to ask you a couple of questions to help us understand the how we can use and how power school can support us. So I want to give you a couple of scenarios and then I'll hand it off to you so that you can answer those scenarios for us as you go. So my question to you the first one is um AB2534s those are something that you that through your software would be taken care of. My question is we ran into a situation where we had an employee who did not disclose all the information. Um so how do we prevent that from happening? So that would be my first
003question I'd like for you to address as you're doing. Um my other question for you is um once so if an if we have a candidate who'd like to apply they go to ed join how do they get to apply if they go to edjoin using powers school >> excellent all right thank you very much for those two questions I'll absolutely address those I'm going to share just a couple of slides it's going to address them as well. Right? We're going to talk just show a couple of things that will uh talk about some of the other features and benefits for the uh actual dulce uh school district as well. So uh again, thank you for having us tonight. I'm going to see if I can press the magic button and make the slides work.
004Um one second there, that should do it. Um, well, it's not yet. One moment. John, you should have an option that it says share in the middle in the bottom. >> Yeah, I'm getting the option. It's not allowing me to pull up this document. So, we'll figure out how to get there. There it is. Got it. All right, >> there we go. >> Can you guys see that? Okay. >> Yes. >> All right. So um with Akin tracking and with records really the combination the two solutions that we're talking about doing uh let's talk about AB2534 first um and then follow up with um uh how we partner with Ed Join how other districts in California are using Edjoin along with what we do with applicant tracking. What you see on the screen now is
005really a listing of uh a number of the features that are built into applicant tracking. The very first one you there that that you see there is employment history verification. So that one along with background screening that can be automated as well. Those processes are done automatically uh set up in the process and the interview in the interview and application process when your district chooses to have them set up. Uh and that can actually be at different times for different types of applications. If you want to do them all at the front, that's great. If you want to wait until later in the process for some of them, you can do that just as well. Right. So, what our what our partner districts in California that are using this already are doing is they're automating
006the employment history. They're automating the background screening and both of those draw from the applications that the candidates uh fill out, right? They they build a profile and that that information is drawn from it. Then what we include in that application pro uh process is an addestation form that basically says that all of the information that's here on my application is complete, thorough, and true. And if if there is anything that's found out in that process that has not been included, it's automatic grounds for termination. Right? So typically in the districts again that that are using it that's enough to make sure that everything every box is checked every employer is done right. So the real benefit to you guys is those processes are automated. So, as soon as those that that uh that application
007um is submitted for a position, you can begin that process of verifying their their their employment, seeing if there's any egregious or or you know, unacceptable behavior. Uh and then rule out people as you need to do that. Um that's a that's a very quick process. Uh and again with the automation it gives you that uh it also gives you that that paper trail to be able to come back to anybody on the on the outside any stakeholders and say this is how we support this process. Does that answer that question pretty well for you guys? >> Yes. Thank you. >> Beautiful. So the second point or the second question you asked is candidates go to Edjoin how do they apply? So our partner districts in California that are using our applicant tracking solution. Basically
008what we do is we embed a link in Edjoin. So it's it's no different than what you're doing today. That link just takes you instead of to the Edjoin application, it takes you to our application. And that application uh it's got a much higher level of of user friendliness. the the the user interface has been updated and it gives you the access then in the application to all of the the things that you see in front of you now. So um all the automation all this the automated scheduling all the background checks and everything else as well as integrating uh with the onboarding process that we'll be talking about um and and even having information available to import export to your ERP system to your record system and things like that. So what you really
009get in doing this and this is what our partners have told us um two things. You get the benefit of having the Edjoin familiarity and the job board that they have there in the state of California. But then you also get access to our job board which is actually nationwide. Um and with that nationwide job board, you just get an expansive number of candidates um because we partner as well uh with Indeed. So the districts in California and other states that are using it, what they're finding almost immediately is a dramatic increase in the number of classified applicants that they get because of that Indeed link. Right? So teachers in California know Ed join uh teachers uh across the country know power school and and our job board which is called schoolpring. Right? But the
010people that you're hiring for those classified positions, a electrician, a carpenter, somebody that would do food service or custodial positions, they don't necessarily know Ed join, but they do know indeed, right? So that we have seen dramatic up upticks in the number of those applicants uh really at districts in California and across the country. So those are the two questions that you asked so far. based on what you see on the screen. Are there any other questions that you would like us to address? >> Um, I want to be sure that we also address the keeping track of the documentation that the employees need to present because for example, we found an employee who's been with us close to 10 years that never completed the form for their life insurance. if something were to have
011happened to them during that time, we didn't have that documentation. So, I want to see how you address that also, please. >> Sure. So, once we get to the end of the application process and you have identified the candidate or candidates that you're going to hire, with one click of a button, it's called begin hire, uh, we actually create their employee profile. And with that employee pro profile becomes there. Um I'm going skip over a couple of slides here to get to it. Um there you you skip to uh I'm sorry. What it will do is it creates the onboarding profile and in that onboarding profile it it gives you a list of all the tasks that have to be done for onboarding and as you can see on the screen there then all of
012the employees that are going through the hiring process. So, this is completely automated. Uh, we've actually updated uh our software to be able to even reproduce documents like insurance enrollment forms. So, now all your employees literally can do every document and every task they need to do online before they come and see you. It's a huge time savings for them. It's a huge time savings for your team. Makes the process go more quickly. And in today's um today's employment environment, if things aren't easy and quick, employees are just less apt to do them, right? So, we wanted to make it quick and easy. But you can kind of see on the screen there, it's kind of a a you know, kind of an eye chart, so you can't read it necessarily, but it's a list
013of all the tasks and once those tasks are completed online, then they're checked off. This is a that's updated in real time. Um so your your hiring team uh whether it's your HR team, whether it's principles, administrators, whoever you give access to the to in the system, they can see at a glance where their employees are in the process. System can give reminders if you need to nudge somebody. Some of our partner districts have even found some internal kind of stopping points where information is getting to a certain point and then it's not moving forward. So they've been able to alleviate some of those uh to speed up the process as well. So um it really is one of my favorite parts of onboarding and records. It's just that ability to manage a process, have
014real-time information, push it through as much as you need to. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Other questions I can ask answer for you guys? >> As far as employee records, are you retaining those or will we retain that all the records for their employees? Yeah, those are your records, right? So if in you know for whatever reason in five years or 10 years from now uh you move to a different system or you want to bring it all back in house or whatever uh it's a very simple process for us to download not only the data but any documents that have been stored there as well. Our storage is with uh Amazon Web Services. So literally crunch all you want. We can store more. Um but yeah, those are your that's that's your information that
015those are your forms. So you you retain access to them. When you say we retain access to them, do you guys also retain access to them throughout its life or? >> Yeah. So, we don't we don't delete anything. So, if there are forms that uh you have to keep, you know, from a mandated standpoint for a certain amount of time, you can do that. If our partner districts choose to delete forms along the way, you can do that. We don't delete anything ever. So, um, that's just it's it's just a better way for us to do things is to make sure that we have access to all of it. We've got unlimited storage and and ability to do that. So, uh, but if you do want to, you know, not retain documents after seven years,
016if an employee leaves, what have you, you have the ability to to delete those at any time. >> Okay. So, I have a number of questions. Let's start with staff. >> Okay. >> Um, I I have a comment here. Um the employee that I have 20% management in is the superintendent. I have no management interest in any other employee of any part of the organization and my contact with staff would tend to be student related as a parent. I may run into people at a at at some function and say hi and and have fun with people, but at no time do I give staff direction. uh and they don't give people direction without uh a a majority of the other board members to make a quorum and we would not give direction here tonight.
017So along those lines, um I'm not big on making decisions about what tools staff needs to do their job. That said, it strikes me that you look just like me, sir. And so I remember you and I think I recall this being on the agenda before. >> Yes, sir. >> And it's it this is the exact same software. >> It's uh it's almost the exact same software. >> So, outside of improvements to your >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. So, I I'm going to be on staff right now. So, I I seem to recall that somehow this became a board discussion about issues with staff and somehow this didn't get get the light of day. >> No, it was taken off of the agenda. >> But it seemed to me that there was a live discussion.
018>> I believe there was right Dr. Yes. >> Okay. Would would we agree? I don't want to put the chairperson on board on on on in a spotlight here, but unless I'm naive, the idea is that we would come out here feeling okay about this or not? >> That's my idea. >> Okay. So, that said, the first question I have with staff, does this software pro promote reductions in staff? >> No. >> Okay. Uh by reduction in staff, I want you to think about this. Let's say that we have a certain number of people in HR and um and uh we wouldn't find ourel if someone retired and decided to go somewhere else that currently helps process uh onboarding and recruiting that we wouldn't see a situation where we would age a position because we
019really don't need someone there to the point where we said after a year and a half we you know 39 months whatever it is we we don't need that that this software would help promote that kind of tactic. >> No, it would not. >> Okay. John did indicate he mentioned HRT team of one. Okay. Just so um again I don't want to put you on um on in the spotlight here as director of HR. I'm very familiar with HR directors. This is the first decent conversation I've ever had with one. Does the current methodology of doing this impede timeliness of recruitment process? >> Yes. >> Does it impede efficiency? >> It can because of the fact that it's like you it's literally I have everything in files and I have to pull the forms for
020each employee and you know sometimes it's like okay did did they miss one? Did they not see this? And you don't catch that until you're inputting information into the system and it's like, oh, I don't have this. Then you have to track that employee down who is now started and you have to stay on top of them to get those forms where this would keep track of everything and you would see that before you get to where it's your first day. >> Do you see that the current process could impede access to a potential candidate pool? potential being the key word. Would this expand your access to a candidate pool? >> I believe it would, especially being partnered with Indeed because it's going to be more people that are seeing the job openings that we
021have. >> Okay. Does the current process, this is a tricky question, I'm going read between the lines. Does the current process impede candidate ownership of employment history and revelation of facts? Currently, yes, it can where because of what they add to the application, it should eliminate that pro that potential for not everything being put out there on the application because it specifically will tell them if it's found that you did not disclose everything, it's grounds for termination. >> So, let's say within the job description, which I think goes through the board. >> Mhm. Yes. >> Okay. So, we wouldn't we wouldn't find oursel updating job descriptions in the office for um say an interest of say I want to put my daughter in the legal position as soon as she graduate. So, all of this
022job descriptions are board approved. >> Correct. >> Uh and if there's modification to them, they would come to the board. >> Yes, sir. >> Before they're posted. >> Yes. >> Good. So, let's say I'm going through this and I see that I don't have a required. There's there's desired and required >> and I'm a person that's filling this out. When it comes to that checkbox, I would have the ability to say, uh, no, I don't have that. Or I could look at it and say, yeah, this isn't for me. So by looking at the application and by checking the boxes the candidate could do a self evaluation as to whether or not I am a candidate a good candidate for this job or even to take the next step and say the next time I
023see a job like this I think that I would benefit from this or this >> correct >> is that possible doppelganger or Mr. doppelganger. Is that accurate where where someone could look at it and say, "I'm just not the right fit or I need some additional training or is that is that a valid theory?" >> Yeah, that's correct. We've actually made a couple of updates on the candidates's ability to look at a position, save it for later, uh whether it's something they want to apply to a year from now or just a week from now because they're busy doing whatever. We've updated that capability that also allows uh you guys the ability to see applications that are in process or in progress as well. >> Okay. So, um, so likewise, if I had a problem
024somewhere else >> and there was a there was, you know, a question on there, I could at that time self-determine that, yeah, this one probably isn't for me rather than to carry on with the process and hope that I I understand how difficult it is for someone to get on the phone and ask someone else and try to read between the lines of what they're not telling you. in the old, you know, yeah, I can they were employed here and that's all they say. Um, are there vendor back to you? Are there any bots in your built into your program that make determinations that could be >> thought of? Is that something staff should have decided and not the the programming? No, there's not there's no uh if you're referring to AI or anything like
025that, there's nothing in here that makes decisions for you. There are some things that you can rank candidates and there are things that can disqualify candidates, but those are things that are are set up by the district. So, you have control over that. There's nothing in the software that's going to make a decision for a human. So unless we're unless we're asked uh unless we ask pull me the top 90 uh the 90th percentile, the program just does not automatically sort through somehow and say these are most likely based on the job description, your top five candidates for the first interview round. >> Now it it can do that if that's how you set it up if you ask. >> Yep. it it can set it up to where it will show you based on
026specific criteria, whether that's experience or education or certifications. It can highlight those, but it's not going to exclude anybody and unless you set it up to exclude somebody based on the fact that you've seen them apply 25 times and you know that they're not a candidate. I mean, the system can do a lot of things for you, but again, it's only going to be it's only going to do the things that you ask it to do. >> Okay. Um, two questions about legal stuff. Um, are you aware of any um, actions that have been brought against the company in which people felt that the software unfairly excluded them from consideration? >> Uh, I am not aware of anything like that. We've been partnering with human resources departments and school districts for years. Um, and have
027human resources and legal departments uh so we evaluate every and all of the things that are included in our software programs to make sure that they meet all federal hiring standards. >> Okay. Um, is your are your records discoverable in a subpoena? um our records can be discoverable. Um we actually can set up and we do this not more from a legal side but at times when you when our district partner districts are audited you can actually set up a a persona and give permissions to an auditor to see the things that they need to see. So what I'm saying is let's say I wanted to name the district in an unfair hiring process and I named you as one of do one through 10. Have you ever been pressured outside of a district saying
028yeah go ahead and release this information to auditor having a third party come after you and want the records that the district would not give you or them. >> So I'm I'm not a lawyer and don't play with on TV. I'm not aware of a scenario like that. Um, you know, if there are legal questions that need to be uh taken a deeper dive into, we're happy to answer those. But, uh, in the time I've been here almost four years now, I haven't heard of a single case where somebody has sued to get access. Again, we give our partner districts as access to anything and everything in there. So, any any records that need to be accessed, they've got full ability to do that. Can you tell staff, can you tell me how long it's
029been since this contract was in front of the board and pulled off the agenda? >> Probably would be at least four months. >> at least four months. >> Six months. >> Yes. >> Okay. Um I would appreciate if you could find that out and email uh myself and the chair with that information as a followup. >> Okay. At the end of the contract, the data is delivered could be delivered in some common form that everybody might use like Excel. >> Correct. >> Good. Okay, I'm done. Thank you. >> I I do have a question. Uh >> yeah, >> John, on the first slide, one of the bullet points indicated reference checking. >> Yeah. >> What does that capacity look like within Power Support Group? >> Yeah. So automated uh reference checking in their profile uh
030that the the applicants create it gives a section for references. Um those references they ask for the you know contact information, email address, phone number. Um when your hiring team uh sets up the kind of the application process, again it's it's customizable where you would put the reference check in the application process. Some do at the beginning, some do it in the middle. It just depends on where you want to do it. Uh but wherever you put it, once you get to that step in the process, it's automatically triggered and those emails are sent out to uh to to whoever their references are. Uh and then your hiring team then has access to see where that is in process. Uh and can can send reminders, can send uh a second email request if that's what
031you want to do. uh a lot of our partner districts actually uh will turn around and nudge the candidate if they haven't gotten a response yet and say look you know we'd definitely like to move forward but your you know your reference hasn't responded yet. So u but you get to have that again just like the onboarding checklist it's a it's a hiring checklist that says hey this reference isn't complete yet. >> Thank you. >> Yep. >> Any other questions? John, thank you so much for your time. We appreciate it and I'll be reaching out to you. >> Yeah, thank you guys. And if if you do like me, if if you get off and and you forgot to ask that one question, please have it uh get to Jackie. We'll get that answer and
032make sure that you have all the information that you guys need. And thank you for having us tonight. >> Thank you. >> Is he he's gone? >> Yes. Okay. >> Um I my questions were were um far outside of what I'd typically be comfortable with asking staff with the superintendent as with the conditions that I described at the onset. But I think I asked some pretty serious questions and I'm going to be very careful here. Uh the one question I didn't ask the gentlemen or staff is uh since we started looking at a program like this, how many I'll leave it I'll leave that alone. You can finish that question yourself. So I'm in support of this. So am I think it's a good good deal. I don't understand how you've been doing it without
033it. I I really don't. I mean even the businesses that we operate we have we use guests but it's all included into a package. You know you send it out and it's retained there. So I'm not sure why we haven't been doing this a long time ago, you know, so I'm in support of it. >> So just remember I asked very serious questions getting down way down in and deep in the ocean about how this would eliminate staff or reduced positions, real intentional perceived any of that. Um, I think that the I think that the subcommittee's recommendation out there will save a lot of unnecessary conversation, but people will do what they do. >> Great. >> All right, moving on. >> Okay, so the policies that we're looking at today, the first one is the
034district and school website. Um, it was lo last last adopted by the district in 2005. This is a recommendation from the California School Board Association. It was updated in June of 2025, so it's, you know, 20 years. Um, many of the things that it talks about is the design of the website. They want to be sure that the district website maintains consistency, that it has a professional appearance, and that it's easy to use for anyone who goes to the district website. It wants to be sure that there are no harmful materials that that is being monitored. Uh the the design needs to address accessibility of the district and school websites to individuals with disability including compatibility with commonly used assist assistive technologies. Um, it wants to be sure that telephone numbers um and home and
035email addresses for students, parents, and staff are never provided on the website. It also uh gives us a couple of options as far as student uh pictures being used on the website. And one of the options is that it can be published on the website unless the students parents or guardians has notified the district in writing to not release the students photograph without prior consent. So they may have said no, you can't release it, but that doesn't mean we're going to say no if you should ask, but we would have to be sure to get that written consent. The other option is that photographs of students would not be published on the district website accompanied by students name without written prior consent. So without the students name, yes, it could be published, but if you're
036going to also include the student's name, then we have to be sure that we have that authorizations. Um, and then personal information of board members is not to be published on the district website other than as it is now on the uh board of trustees page where it just shows your picture, your name, your term, and you give like just a little bio, but other than that specifically says you don't release, you know, like if what even what area you're living in any kind of personal information. So that is very explicitly spelled out in the new updated policy. Any questions on that policy? >> So does do we have to pick one of these options? Is it saying that we have to have a photograph option in the actual policy? >> It gives you the
037option to pick one or two. But remember what same as what we did with the um cell phone. We chose to go with both options. So we can make that decision or not make a specific option and just >> be sure that we have permission. >> I see problem with both options because if you got if on the first one if somebody puts a photo on of a student I don't know whether a game or whatever on the website >> and they didn't check to see if there's any type of form now you got a parent saying hey you know what we did do the form and now you breached that. The other option is still you still have liability because now if you um if you publish one right and let's see here publish
038with the district come by student's name without prior consent. So you have somebody just arbitrarily putting on the website again without checking now you still have liability. So I'm thinking how do we do it now? Is there no such thing as far as any policies looking at or no guidance on that? >> It's for social media pages and even on the website be even Instagram and Facebook. So, you know, I'll take photos being the pseudo communications person. Um, and then for the respective school site, I'll ask principles, the office secretaries, the clerks, can you take a look at which photos am I not not allowed to use and to upload as an image? And then they'll go ahead and make make sure that they go through the permission slips that have been provided. If if
039there is no permission slip, they'll even contact the parent to say, I know it's happened at Metallark. Can we use this? They're part of this group. Parent might say yes or no. If it's a no, then I'll go I'll either blur their face or camouflage it somehow and then use the image. But >> but if somebody looked up our policy right now as far as websites and student photographs, what are they going to actually see right now? >> It doesn't it doesn't >> doesn't show anything, right? So once we start showing this now they give now they have a tool to say hey you know what you know I got my kid on this website and I'm going to sign this this release form. So now you know what happens now now that we in
040violation of our own policy. >> So what I'm saying is >> if it's not requiring us to actually have this correct >> I'm more implying they're just leaving it out alto together so we don't have that future liability because once we put it in writing it's it's it's a done deal. >> It's recommended leverage. Um, with registration packets, all parents say um, photo release. So, it either says yes or no. That's a current practice and has been as long as I've been here. And then in Aries, you can print a list of all the students that have either yes or no. From a site level, what we have bigger concerns with is most parents don't have an issue with us utilizing it for our purposes, but our form is very generic and broad and so
041it includes like newspapers and things like that. Um like the AV press or you know the actual dose news etc. And so where where we're seeing a actual parent questions at the site level is that parents are okay with us using it like in our school newsletter or things like that, but they want to know if it's going to go outside of >> that use. And so we actually would from a site level would like to see our form specify district use versus outside use so that it gives parents the options to say yes, the district can use it. I have no problem with you guys using it, but if it goes outside, then I want to be notified. >> How do we check these forms once once the parent signs it, turns it in
042back to the district, where do they go and how does a teacher or somebody other staff have access to that form to be able to say, "Hey, you know what? Let me check if that person's on here." >> Is it something that's readily available for everybody to pull up and >> so it's a field in Aries that says either yes or no for photos? >> Yeah, I like having that form that you're talking about and continue to do that. I just don't want it written down in the policy somewhere where you know they can also pull it up. I mean that form is always good to have but >> I don't know what what's your thoughts on it? >> Okay, I'm going to describe a situation completely theoretical. Let's say you have a nationwide something
043or other where they shut down the schools and let's say at some point they decide to do a limited uh the students start coming back and let's say that the criteria for those students is that they have the worst grades meaning they're a title student a title one student. So now instead of us having this thing that requires a mask, we're sorting people by their disability, by their intellectual disability, and then we don't even think about that. And we're going to bring everybody back to the high school and we're going to have everybody come in from the parent groups and take a bunch of pictures and say, "There's Tammy." And everyone as cognitively limited as her. Yay. They're coming back to school. And the kids with the least potential get to come back to school
044first while your kid is over here languishing. Does this sound familiar to anyone? And so I have to get on the phone and go, "What are you doing?" And we're going to have the cameras going and we're going to have all kinds of gay go team. Yeah. No, they're saying is imagine that. I I I personally I mean I would I wouldn't I don't think we should publish student news. We don't. >> Right. >> Yeah. No, >> I don't even think >> Yeah. But how is my kid going to be singled out to be the most favorite kid that shows up in the newspaper and on the television every week so I get the scholarship? Well, he doesn't. There's this is rife with problems. Um, next thing when we publish stuff, all I got to
045do is rightclick and paste it to my Instagram page and goes, "There's my kid and the kid in the background." I don't know what to do. Um, I would think that we might table this and we would give a presentation to the board about um, couple other things. What I'm really interested in is this uniformity across sites. Some sites have always been better than others. Um, some sites keep their calendars up, some sites don't. There, it's been a lot better now. Um, some sites understand the importance of covering things like CAC and things like that. Um, I would really like somebody to sit down with the IT people and say, "What amount of your time? I'm not auditing anyone but what amount of time do you have and what are your capabilities to build add
046maintain and keep the information current I would like to see basically a presentation that says this is the flowchart of how that work happens and realistically what can I team do sometimes it's better to keep it simple and just click on things but it becomes really easy to just add documents on and then you've got this big long list as things dump into archives does you know how does all that work and what's the workflow look like on that so I think it is is a big part of this and just kind of an overview of what um website maintenance looks like and how it's coordinated and I think you bring this in and kind of get open board discussion what do you think >> yeah I mean I like every single all the other
047um all the other things mentioned in this new policy update it's just this I would take this out for me I would take that out and I would do the same thing that you're already doing at the site level and then >> which which we can do because this is the recommendation from CSBA but it doesn't mean you have to accept every single >> we can do we can do generally more restrictive correct >> and not less correct >> correct >> if you don't I I'm just saying that I think a presentation at some point would be nice and focus under it. If you need a recommendation, I would agree with the chair that we would leave as is and not have to introduce this language because I I don't think it protects anybody and
048Mrs. urg for the presentation information item we could we could start off by, you know, what we have in place right now as far as practice the documents. >> I don't think there's an urgency to this. Okay. Yes, sir. >> Moving on. Okay. So the next one is recognition of religious beliefs and customs and this is for both policy and regulation. Um the biggest changes is that the inspection will be consistent with the adopted instructional materials of and state standards. You must treat all religion and religious convictions including non-belief with fairness and respect. that the use of religious symbols that are part of a religious holiday is permitted as a teaching aid or resource provided that such symbols are displayed as an example of cultural and religious heritage of the holiday and temporary in nature.
049And the district shall notify parents or guardians that they may via written request opt their students out of instruction based on their religious beliefs. And if that were to happen, the student should be given some other opportunity of instruction. It's not like okay, you know, you don't get to participate in this and you know, you do offer them something different in the place. >> That's for the policy. >> That language is in the health education policy. That's up for you tonight. >> Yeah, looks like there's need to add that >> um for the regulation. The difference is specifically talks about the fact that if you are teaching any kind of religious studies that you know it's part of history. So you're to approach the religion is academic and not devotional when you're teaching that the
050goal is for student awareness of religion in historical and contemporary societies. That you cannot press students to accept one religion over the other. You're just teaching in general. Um, the schools may include the study of religion as part of the history and social science curriculum, but the practice of religion may not be sponsored. And students may be exposed to and educated about a diversity of religious views and beliefs, but a particular view or belief may not be imposed, nor may any one religion be promoted or denigrated. and staff shall make um all efforts to be sure that they don't have one-time activities, whether it be a field trip, a awards ceremony, or anything like that on a major religious holiday, regardless of what religion, because everybody knows what the different religious holidays are, to offer
051the opportunity to all students to be able to participate in these one-time activities. Those are the biggest changes in the religious beliefs, policy, and regulation. So, the issue that you had earlier that we talked about as far as the um the staff not wanting to participate in a certain um like you know holidays Halloween or whatever. Um what do we have as a district for that staff member during that time? Do we stop the activities in that classroom or do you replace that that that staff for that day? Is there something in place that we have already to um be sympathetic to maybe somebody who is not that goes against their religious beliefs? I mean, I don't know how often it comes up. I mean, you guys know more than I do, but I mean,
052things do come up sometimes in schools usually the students will be reassigned to another class. We usually ask the student, is there a class maybe you have extra work or you're working? Well, I'm I'm referring to the staff, the actual staff member because I haven't ever heard about that until recently, but I'm talking about the staff. >> Okay. I'm so sorry. >> So, if we're doing everyone's doing a Halloween stuff for Halloween, I haven't seen that happen, but again, >> I mean, for a for a holiday. >> For a holiday. >> I mean, if we're for religious holidays, sometimes staff take off. >> Yeah. >> I mean, and we would get a sub. We've had requests in the past where you know this is a religious holiday but it's not let's say a nationwide holiday
053and this is a time that I would like to go ahead and take off and then you know we'll connect them with HR to see okay you know what what would apply here as far as you know notating that as an absence day >> okay because I mean there's a lot of people out there some people don't celebrate holiday some people don't celebrate Christmas so long as we understand that and have somewhere to place them instead of saying hey no you know what you're going to stay in the classroom you're going to teach this you're going to do your Christmas things and disregard your your belief. So >> when it comes through, we just treat it individually and then direct them to HR say these are these are your options if you want to do
054if you do want to take a day off or you want to be say outside of the classroom. It's usually day off. I would usually it's a day off. >> I won't mention which site but a couple from one site and so we kind of direct them to try to say this is what you could actually utilize >> because if the law is that if it is their religious holiday they're entitled to take that day off. If it's not one that is federally recognized as a holiday, they can take the day off as a PM day. >> Okay. >> Is what's offered. I mean, the students actually can do that too. Those are now students absences. >> Oh, really? >> All the major holidays. Is that what you're talking about? >> Jewish holidays, religion holiday,
055right? Um, Indian holidays. >> There's a lot more leeway. There's you get excused absence now for their their parents are in one of the services in their home. The kids that used to be excused that's considered an excused absence now. >> What do you mean by in the services >> like in the army or the marine? Oh really? >> Yeah. And so say they're on duty and they are home for and the student obviously I haven't seen it for months but just kids now >> can you know if you call say that your you know your dad >> back employment. Hey here. Yeah that makes sense. you know, because they might be and but now that's under law that that's an because we're mandated by law too of what we're allowed to excuse >> and
056that that changed I want to say like two years ago. >> Gotcha. >> Yeah. >> So, back to the staff. Does the system have uh personal holiday or floating holiday? >> We don't. >> That would be one way to address it. Well, everybody does receive one day per month that they accumulate that can be used as a sick or or a PN day. And either way that they take it, they don't have to write down on the form the why. They don't have to tell us why they're taking that day off. So, they do have the option if they do not want to be here for that day for that, you know, to take it as a PN. And they don't have to explain the why. They just like I need the PNA. >> So
057the staff paid for literal time off at Christmas. >> Well, it's part of their So, you know, the three weeks they have off, it's considered part of their contract. So, they're paid like say $80,000 a year. That includes all your days off, >> right? >> Okay. So, but what I'm getting at is if I'm Christian, I get Christmas off. >> Correct. But if I'm not Christian, I get Christmas off. >> You mean as a religious holiday, >> just as part of winter? >> I'm navigating very carefully here. >> So So um I could say, well, I want to work that day because I'm of a different faith. >> Yes, but the difference is that it is a federally recognized holiday. And that's the key. uh when I when I researched all this because of it
058that was brought up by someone and that's what I found that it's it's a federal holiday so that's what everyone goes by. Now, yes, if you're not a Christian, if you are of another faith, yes, you're entitled to take the day off, but it specifically says in the law, it, you know, the the employer, whether it's a district, private sector, and requ will require you to take it as a sick day, vacation day, PN. So the argument that well everybody else got the day off but when it comes to national canday and he wants off that that that you've already had that day off. So across the board you've got that day off just like everybody else but you do have an option. Our work calls it personal holidays or floating holidays. That way you
059can do, you know, whatever you want. And that's kind of a way to say I I I want especially, but I get it. Um, good. Um, we just had a very frank discussion and it's on tape. I think we covered it deeply. So, if I go out there and say we had a very thorough discussion, it was on tape. If there are any questions, visit the uh policy and management subcommittee meetings. And I again I I think we should keyword um >> the agenda item so anyone could do a search on that. >> Thank you. >> Yeah it's been yeah >> so the last thing we have is bylaw uh which is governance standard. Again this was last updated by the district in 2007 and this is brand new. It just came out in September
060of this year. Um it discusses the the roles and responsibilities of the board and they want to be sure that the board is fulfilling its role uh by involving the community, parents, guardians, students and staff in regularly developing or updating a common vision. The adopting and updating of policies consistent with law and the district visions and goals. maintaining accountability for student learning by making sure that they continue to adopt new curriculum as it comes out and is monitoring sto uh student groups. Supporting the superintendent so that the vision, goal and policies of the district can be implemented. um conducting regular and timely evaluations of the superintendent based on vision, goals and performance of the district and ensuring that the super superintendent holds district personnel accountable. adopting a fiscally responsible budget, ensuring that a safe and
061appropriate educational environment is provided to all students and establishing a framework for the district's collective bargaining process and adopting responsible agreements and providing community leadership on educational issues and advocating on behalf of students and public education at the local, state, and federal levels. These really are things that the board is doing currently. that's just now putting it in writing, but these are all the things that you're already doing. Really? So, >> um, are we going to report out tonight? >> Yes. >> Do you have an issue if I read this? Should >> No, you got Hey, and then this will hit when? >> Um, it'll hit in December, sir. >> Okay. So, I'll read this tonight just so everybody has enough time. uh usually I don't know three days before the agenda is released to
062make comments maybe I would >> and that >> next week or next time is the what the dates next >> December 11th anything to add for that >> is there anything in particular you'd like me to find as far as updated policy specific ones >> I like I like the way staff is is selfguiding on this >> sir >> with that anybody Anything else? Okay. Is it 5551? I will adjourn this meeting.