5/5/2026: School Board Meeting

001Good evening. We'll call the Tuesday, May 5th, ASD school board meeting to order. The time is 6:33 p.m. Present in the boardroom are members Higgins, Lessons, Donley, Jacobs, uh, Hollowman, and Bellamy. Present online is member Wilson. Uh member lessons, would you please lead us in the flag salute and then uh read our land acknowledgement of to stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. We acknowledge that we gather here today on the traditional lands of the Denina people of Upper Cook Inlet. For thousands of years, the Dina people have been and continue to be the stewards of this land. ASD is committed to diversity and inclusion, and it is with honor and respect that we recognize all indigenous people who live and learn in our community. Thank you, member lessons. We

002want to welcome you to our meeting and thank you for attending and supporting the work of the Anchorage School District and this board. The board thanks students, parents, teachers, staff, school business partners, and the entire community for your investment in our district with your time, your talent, and your tax dollars. We have in front of us uh a agenda. uh would entertain a motion to approve the agenda as drafted. >> Mr. President, I move to amend the agenda. Would we need to approve it first? >> We did have a motion to approve first and then we can um accept amendments. So, is there a motion to approve the agenda as drafted first? >> Mr. President, I move to approve the agenda as drafted. >> Second. >> Okay. Motion made by member Lessons um to approve

003the agenda and seconded by member Higgins. And then I'm hearing member lessons, you have an amendment to the agenda. >> I do. Thank you. I move to amend the agenda with the following changes. Move the superintendent update to occur immediately after goal monitoring. Second, move to postpone item H7 ASD memorandum 148 indefinitely. It's a motion to move the superintendent update uh to effectively item G1 and then a motion to postpone indefinitely AC memorandum number 148 board policy revisions to BP540 student nutrition and physical activity. Um is there a second to this amendment? >> Second. >> Motion seconded by member Higgins. U member lessons, would you like to speak to um either element of your motion? >> Thank you. I would like to speak to item um H7 ASD memorandum 148. It has to do with

004a revision to the student nutrition and physical activity policy which has been rendered moot by the board's prior action to restore the middle school model which is the 7 period day. So there is no longer an urgent need for the 26 27th school year to restructure policy in response to budget crises when it comes to our middle school curricular offerings of physical education and health, excuse me, of physical education. >> Thank you. And then the other element of the U motion I'll speak to. Um I think the goal was to move the superintendent update up earlier in the meeting. Um that was not something we had time to do before the meeting was published. Um so uh if there's no other discussion, we will have a voice vote to um like I'll ask if there's

005apologies. I'm going to ask if there's any opposition to adopting the amendment to the agenda first. Seeing none, that amendment is adopted. Is there any opposition to adopting our amended agenda? Seeing none, the agenda is adopted as amended. Okay, we'll move on to section B of our uh agenda tonight, which is the adjournment siny die of the 2025 2026 school board. Um we have two members leaving our body as their service is ending and we have two new members coming on. um just want to acknowledge their service and allow uh the board an opportunity to comment on the past year as well as um to honor the service of members Hollowman and Donley who'll be leaving this body uh in this meeting shortly. Uh I'll open the comments um and intentionally skip members Donley and

006Hollowman until the very end. Uh we'll start with member Bellamy. >> So thank you Mr. Chair. Um, I've known um, member Hollowman forever. Um, and actually, if the truth be told, I actually work with member Donley's mother when I first came into the school district as a very young thing. So, having the opportunity to work with them in this capacity on this board uh, just has been a delight. most times most times with both these guys because they can be pretty feisty. But they have kids at the core of their heart. And while these last few years have been just unspeakably difficult, um just a weight of of what we the things we've had to deal with. Uh they've never given up, neither one of them. So, I just want to express my absolute gratitude

007for your service. Uh, I know Andy's been counting the days. He's been counting the meetings off. He's been checking them off like since uh, you know, one more to go, two more to go. So, and I know you're going to miss us. And Dave, I know that your kids are graduating. you you you served throughout that whole uh part of their life before that but especially when they were in middle school and high school and that's got to be special. So that you are going to um end this part this chapter and start another chapter with them. So I think that's pretty that's pretty cool as well. So with that guys I just want to say thank you. I wish you the best. Uh and when you come in the boardroom, just remember there is

008a decorum that everyone must follow. Uh but we want you to come back as often as you can. Thank you. >> Thank you, Member Bellamy. We'll go to Member Higgins. >> Thank you. I've I've known Andy quite a while. Um I know his background with education is extensive. You know, educ teacher president of the teachers union. And I remember that when I was on the school board earlier and then nine years now with the Anchor school board. Uh that is such a tremendous dedication to the Anchor school district and to the students here uh is just tremendous and I have always appreciated his perspective of of issues and bringing it in and he always brings it back to what's best for the kids and that's what I think everybody needs to be doing and he

009does it very he does an excellent job with it. He's also a peacekeeper. I will say that to him as well. He's had to with me on the board. What can I tell you uh within that and and Dave is kind of a special role with me because on the board um I would n I would think some of his motions he would do it to me and that was kind of a we we wouldn't tell each other we wouldn't acknowledge that we're doing it to each other. Uh but he just he's out there with the issues. He's very upfront. He says, "Why come the board can't challenge things? Why can't we change things? Why can't we modify the budget?" I remember that when we first came in. What's the limitation on this? And and

010he and I have pretty been in agreement on that kind of stuff. And that has really uh been important to me. We never got away to the halibet fishing, but we were going to. Uh but I appreciate the fact that you really care about what you were doing here. You want your voice heard. You want to make a difference. And you would challenge things when you saw it without question. You just jump into it. And that's what I I I think is is great for any any board member to take a lot of pride in. And you did a great job of it, Dave. I really appreciate it. Uh I still won't acknowledge publicly. I know you when we go we're separated. I'll do that for you, too. Uh but it is it is really

011I've really enjoyed working with you. Thank you. Okay, Member Higgins, we'll go to Member Wilson online. >> Yes, thank you. I I think each of us brings our perspective and our experience to our position and I really appreciate that both Andy and Dave have um have brought their experience and their perspective. Andy very much as a a classroom educator and Dave very much as a previous legislator and and knowing um the the rules of u of legislative etiquette and and all the way down the line [laughter] Dave you know you know the rules very very well. Um Robert's rules of order is is part of part of your repertoire. Um, so I appreciate that both of you have really come bringing your perspective, bringing your experience, trying to advocate for kids, each of us in

012in our own way. Um, and I really appreciate your service. So I I'm excited that you have a little more time on your hands and I hope you really have the opportunity to enjoy that. >> Thank you, Member Wilson. We'll go to Member Lessons. >> Thanks. Um, I wanted to express my gratitude to member Hollowman and member Donley. First, as a parent, you guys have been board members for me as a mom for the majority of the time that I've been a parent in the school district. So, thank you for all of the effort that you have put into um my kids education and 40,000 some odd other kids educations. Um, that matters. Um, as a community member, you listened to me when I was sitting out in the audience. That mattered. Thank you for

013that. And as a board member, it's been a total privilege um to learn from you from your deep years of experience on this body and in the legislature. um member Donley and from your years as an educator, member Hollowman, and you have brought and conveyed and I will leave with um your fundamental commitments to decency and character. So, thank you. On a lighter note, I'm a pretty good snack packer and you're going to go on to a new journey. And if you'll indulge without respect to any particular brands, I do want to share that they'll be well equipped with um some breakup brittle uh as you're breaking up from the board. Um hold on is something labeled field trip. Um, time for a field trip is a can of recess. Uh, that's an important thing

014to take with you. And, um, oh, this was, uh, is an that's it. I mean, that's really kind of you walk out and that's it. Um, and a little bit of, uh, a little bit of leisure. Um, so you deserve all these things and if you ever come back, here's a bag of popcorn. You can sit in the back and we won't judge you. Um, so thank you and I hope uh I hope these treat you well. >> Thank you, member lessons. Um, >> for the record, member Hollowman said he would have left sooner uh if he knew he was getting treats. Okay. Um, we'll go to Dr. Bryant, then I will um close us out before we head to members uh Donley and Hollowman for comments. Well, first off, I want to thank you,

015Member Donley, and thank you, Member Hollowman, for your years of service to the Anchorage School District. And I didn't realize how hard this would be for me until I'm actually in the moment. But, you know, I take a step back and I realize that I only know ASD with you all in it. You're all I [laughter] know. Um, so it's hard for me. And, you know, when I reflect back on the past four years with the two of you, I I've realized that you're two of the people who have shown me the most what it means to be a public servant because you've modeled that over so many years. and in many ways what it means to be an Alaskan, which was a really tough thing to have to learn moving here from Texas. But

016you both taught me that if you show up and you bring your heart to the work, you can earn trust in this community. You can make a difference in this community. And I've seen you do that throughout your careers. And you've really taught me lessons that I'm going to take with me for a really long time. So, just thank you for everything that you've done for ASD. We're really lucky to have you in our community. >> Thank you, Dr. Brian. Um, I'll close this out uh for board members speaking before we allow members Donley and Hollowman to speak. Um, I'll start with Member Donley who um I had the pleasure of sitting next to my very first meeting and uh I I want to state for the record and member Donley, this is also going

017on my resume um that at some point you stated uh in our three years sitting next to each other that you enjoyed sitting next to me and um I I I could not accept a higher honor. Uh, I mean this sincerely when I state that you made me a better board member. You required me to be prepared. You required me to articulate my points and um you made me think more broadly and outside the box. And so um I will forever be in your debt for making me a better board member and better at my job. Um I I don't know where your public service journey continues. I have a feeling um it is far from over. and um but I hope you get to take some time off first before you get uh drafted

018into some sort of service again. So, thank you for everything you've done for ASD. Um transitioning to member Hollowman, I remember sitting um with you, member Hullman, and um having coffee with you and asking what you thought uh about the process for running for the board and um we exchanged ideas. You were willing to serve as a mentor for me my first few years on the board. Um, I commend you for um your your depth of knowledge, your um institutional commitment and your and most importantly your ability to tell someone that they are completely and utterly wrong and still maintain their respect um through the entire conversation. Um yeah, I I appreciate your service and I know our community does too. Um ASD is better because you chose to continue serving after you left the

019classroom. So, thank you. Uh with that said, the board administration have collaborated to facilitate a certificate uh acknowledging and honoring your service. So I'm going to ask uh member Bellamy to give those to you now. And I'll ask the audience uh to celebrate you both with a round of applause uh while you receive those certificates. Um, with with the board uh recognition complete, aides from member Donley and Hollowman, the only restriction I'll place on uh you both is that we do need to gave out at 11:59 p.m. Um, and so we'll start with member Donley if you have any comments before the board adjourns signing day. >> Thank you for the last time, Mr. President. Um, so I ran for the school board nine years ago because my twin school was being treated unfairly by

020the district and parents there at the time were being forced to pay for our own textbooks without any district support. And all we wanted was textbook funding equal to what other schools were receiving at Northern Lights ABC. And we did get that accomplished uh in the first year I was here. Um, Northern Lights ABC used Sax and Math and Spalding we read reading very successfully in my years of ad advocacy on this board for those curriculums originated with my twins experience with those excellent curriculums and I continue to believe they should be expanded to more schools rather than just the more common core curricul curriculums that have been much less successful in other schools. The most important achievement I believe during my time here uh includes the repeal of the no retention policy this district

021had for almost 20 years by replacing it with a what is in the best interest of the student policy on retention. I think that's going to pay dividends going forward for the next decades. The adoption of the community workforce agreement policy is another accomplishment that is benefiting students in our community that the board has uh moved forward. And I also look forward to the successful imple implementation of themies of Anchorage and encourage you to do everything you can to make that successful. I'm really optimistic about the long-term success of that program. Um, I do join Supreme Court Justice Thomas in some of his recent war warnings about some of the aspects of progressivism uh within the United States as being in conflict with the foundational principles of the Declaration of Independence. And back when the

022declaration was written, um, they drew on Judeo-Christian principles and the founders articulated a radically new view of government, a view that proclaimed that all human beings possess inherent rights and that government can only recognize, respect, and protect those rights, not grant or remove them. Um the declaration states, "We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal and they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent to the govern." And Justice Thomas pointed out that this revolutionary American doctrine is implemented through the US Constitution whose separations of powers and federalism create a republic governed by laws, not a democracy governed by majority vote.

023In 1787, as the constitutional convention adjourned, Benjamin Franklin was asked what sort of government the delegates had created, and Franklin responded, "A republic if you can keep it." Justice Thomas referred to Federalist number 10 that proposed the idea that the great threat to our rights come from the majority faction. Human history teaches us alas that numerical majorities frequently seek to control government and use the state to violate the rights of minorities. And some progressive ideas unfortunately are anything but truly progressive today as they do not respect free speech by their opponents while constantly referring to our nation as a democracy and not a constitutional republic which was what it is. Specific examples uh recently uh when this board went a wrong direction in not allowing speaking before moving amendments and not recording motions in the

024minutes if they did not have a second. Both these actions ran contrary to Robert's rule's order, and I'm glad they were corrected, and those have been fixed for future board members. Additionally, not allowing parents to read from questionable books in school libraries at a schoolboard meeting was also a mistake. Then there was the listing of radical Marxist critical race theory books as resources on our school district website without any disclaimer while refusing to list any books in opposition to critical race theory. That was a mistake also and it was eventually corrected as the failure of the school board to timely reopen schools after COVID remains a warning that we should never be forgotten. This district stayed closed five times as long as the national average that year because of the pressure that seriously damaged our

025students future. So we need to really defend the schools from that kind of closure without excellent excellent proved reasons to do so. Many European nations did not close their elementary schools and no injury was suffered by their students. At the time I strongly questioned and objected to the justification matrix used by the district to initially close our schools. And it was several months later that the state ordered the district to stop using that matrix because it was not appropriate for schools. as it was intended only for nursing homes and senior facilities and we know that the children were not as susceptible to COVID uh as seniors. Nationally, the current and constantly repeated misstatements that the United States is a democracy continues to be extremely concerning to me. We need a national crash course in civics.

026Nothing about the founding of this nation indicates a preference for a democracy instead of a constitutional republic. Pure democracies universally fail as majorities eventually abuse their power to take wealth and rights away from minorities. We are very lucky to live in a constitutional republic here in America. As for Anchorage, I believe it would be a good move to start begin to elect schoolboard members by districts similar to the assembly. I think that would ensure fair representation of especially separated parts [snorts] of the city such as Eagle River Chooak. There's also needs to be a fair system for deciding school closures with greater public participation. And I hope this board can work with the assembly to achieve that. In closing, I thank the voters of my hometown for allowing me to serve them for 25 years

027in elected office and wish the new school board great success in maximizing the educational success of Anchorage students. And thank you very very much for your kind remarks. >> Thank you, Member Donley. member yours. >> Thank you. Um I do want to start by thanking a number of people that are here tonight that do not normally attend schoolboard meetings and a few that do but are here especially because it is my sendoff night. Um and I do want to thank everyone on the board um for the the tenor of their service which I think has been focused on making ASD work as best it can. Um there are lots of challenges. Um we have disagreed at times about the right steps to take but motive uh has always been something that we never had to

028worry about. And I will say other boards and other cities that's not the case. I think Anchorage has been well served that way. I have been thinking a while about this day and it always seemed pretty far off and then suddenly it arrives. There's an overlapping retirement concern among both politicians and teachers and I am both of those. It turns out tonight is the last time that I speak and people have to listen to me. Overall, I think this will be good for both of us to move on. On thinking about tonight, I had some flashbacks. Um, I did some ser subbing and worked as a migrant education tutor in 1994. In the spring of 1994, I student taught at Hansu Middle School where member Bellamy was assistant principal already. So, I I'm not sure

029that makes you like 112 at some. Okay, [laughter] I might not get out of here, but um this well over 30 years ago. Uh, and I actually retired 10 years ago from the district. It has all been a long time. Uh, but but it has been a great time through all of it. The one statistic that startled me most was that when I decided to run for president of AEA in 2011, I started coming to ASD board meetings regularly. And when I took that office in 2012, I attended all of them. There was a little gap in the last half of 2016, but otherwise I've been to almost every ASD board meeting for the past 14 years, and that does feel like a very long time. I'm not sure how to feel about that. I

030do owe some thanks to former member Jeff Freriedman who encouraged me to run and for letting me know the meetings are more fun when you get to vote and that is the true. Despite having watched meetings closely for about five years before joining, there was still a lot to learn about the board, about board members, how they think about teaching and educators. Uh, it has been great and challenging and educational, painful at times with some occasional wins. I feel like I'm almost ready to start doing a good job at this at this point. Um, education was a second career for me. I still think of myself as a mechanic, although I'm badly out of practice. I liked the idea of teaching. I liked working with students. I had a long period of working with adults

031and I was tired of that. Education seemed like a decent career to be here to be in in Anchorage. Being in schools, you can bring changes to how you I'm sorry, but being in schools can bring changes to how you look at things. And it did for me. When you spend time in classrooms, you see what it means to children. You see them grow and change. You see them engage to be sure. Some of our kids show up ready. Some show up worried, frightened, some are overwhelmed. The job of creating the atmosphere where every child can relax and be included and be considered is difficult but very rewarding and you realize that public schools are the only place this happens. We take everyone on a normal day. No one else does that. I would offer

032to the board this is not something board members get to participate in directly. We don't get to work with students as board members. We have some control over the resources at hand and what must be covered in lessons and other things. But the real work falls to the staff in our buildings, the people that know our children by their names, not by numbers and not by quantities, but as individuals. I would hope that as you move forward, you keep that in mind. You can enable or make it more difficult, but our decisions are about adults and then we count on those adults to carry out the mission of the board and of the district. The question before you going forward is what can you do that is best for the adults and creates the right

033settings for our students. I think it has changed dramatically and I would offer this to you. The most important thing going forward is to advocate for public education even more than some of the governance responsibilities. They still matter and have to be done, but without advocacy, before long, you won't have anything to govern. That is different from just doing your best at being a board member. We are truly at a crisis point that will take us in one direction or another. And sadly, our connection with the Anchorage public is at a low point. It's not entirely our fault, though we had a hand in it, but it is the reality. I commend some of the efforts from the administration for public relations. I see more videos on different platforms letting public see some of the

034things that are happening all through the year, what our students are engaged in and what they can do. I think we need to bring back the student and staff recognitions before every meeting that we had up until co. I suggested that during my year as board president and ret in retrospect, I wish I'd pushed on it harder. It does make the meetings longer. It does mean that someone is tasked with choosing who we can bring in and who we cannot. But it does mean that in every meeting, groups of students and parents get to engage with the board in a in a good way, in a positive way. And the board gets to see some of our students, some of our very best students up close. I would urge the board to go back to

035our previous way of handling action items where only very routine items like the personnel report and minute approvals are on the consent agenda and everything else being an individual action item. Again, it would lengthen meetings some, but it makes it very clear to the public when the right moment to speak to something they're concerned about will be. And it sets a topic aside so it can be spoken to individually rather than as a mix at the beginning. or right now for people that don't closely follow our meetings and that's a lot of people. It's hard to figure out. This would mimic the assembly practice in a good way and it promotes the engagement of the public. I'd urge the board to speak to the public more individually. For me, that's been a lot of social

036media. Meetings and social groups are not what they used to be before 2020. This is a way of communicating now that does reach people. For those of you still in active groups that actually come together in person, that's a better way. I've kind of dropped out of that myself except for community council meetings. Occasionally, we have a reason to be at chamber lunchons or AEDC meetings. I would urge the board and staff. Don't sit together. Fan out. Meet people there that you don't know and talk to them. These are highdensity voter populations and people with influence. Mingle with them with a purpose. I'll admit there are meetings and community council meetings. I'm a little tapped out most weeks, but I've gotten to some school events in the evening and I hope to do a few

037more next year. It's a large load to add to people that are on the board. But I would say to you right now at this point is where our city and state are at, nothing matters more than connecting with people where they are at. If we do that and succeed, I hope the future board can spend more time on refining programs and staffing up rather than down and staffing ones that are working and bringing on new and better ideas to Anchorage rather than the constant cycle we've been in of having to trim and reduce and occasionally amputate. What we're going through is draining. It hurts us. It hurts our kids. It hurts our towns. It hurts our district. I spent a lot of time thinking and rethinking our current situation that has read led to

038some very upset families and an existing injunction. There are several things out of our control that make the budget cycle tense. And with the falling student numbers and falling revenue, they're even more tense. I would urge the board in the future to consider that in this recent time period, January to February, where the budgets really seen and understood and approved to be careful about non-revocable changes. I do wish we had left sports at high school and middle school on the table. While I agree they matter hugely to a large number of students, they could have been put on hold and they could have been brought back in late July or early August even. I feel that on some things that we needed more time, we rushed and they are decisions that cannot easily be undone,

039if at all. Our bond package failed by 550 votes. Our staff levy failed by 450 votes. If fewer than 300 people out of the 65,000 that voted had decided yes instead of no, both of those would have passed and our situation today would be far different. 300 people is not a lot. To be fair, there was a lot stacked against us. The economics for a lot of people are difficult right now. There's a lot of concern about failing so services and misuse of funds. Very few people in this town get what they see as a direct personal benefit from a bond package or a levy to hire teachers. And yet 32,000 people were with us anyway. Give a few dozen people a happy reason to come here each meeting. Put 15 minutes between the executive

040session and the main meeting for board members to mingle with the public. Chat with a couple of people you don't know online or in person from time to time. When you see a vacuum of knowledge about the school district, fill it in. You don't even have to tr to try to sell people or convince them. Just inform them. You won't win over someone each time. That's not what it's about. I never really meant to be all that involved beyond my school and my classroom. When I got hired, my goal was to try to have a great classroom and do well by my students, period. Never wanted to be a principal or anything higher. Definitely did not want to be an assistant principal. But here and there, oh man, I know I know that's where you

041have to start, but it it looks like a terrible job. But here and there, I saw what I felt like was an opportunity to do a little more and have a little more impact, and it worked out okay. I have to say I feel like I've come to the end of a very long journey and found myself far far from home. And that's okay. It has been a marvelous trip. To my building level and classroom colleagues, I have to say being among you all has been a great honor. As a group, I have met so many great people there doing great work for all the right reasons. To my cohorts on the board and to the staff here at the Ed Center, I'm honored to have been part of it all and hope I've helped.

042I know there have been times when I've been a speed bump or a pain and I'm sorry about that. So it goes. When I look at my time in education on the board, overwhelmingly over 30 years, I felt I was always among people that were trying to do the right things for the right reasons. To be sure, there were some other people around also, but the density of folks that were here at it every morning and on into the night, good people trying hard and as will always be mix with mixed results. It's a very difficult job. The density has always been good people trying to do the right things and I thank all of you for that. The overwhelming thing to me about Anchorage and Alaska when I came here over 40 years ago

043was that you could immerse yourself, engage, and make things happen. People respected talent and hard work. You could choose to be part of it. Going forward, you need to infuse that feeling back into the citizens here when they think about the Anchorage School District. Your classroom teachers are doing it. They don't need a fancy program. They don't need too many layers of things laid on them. They need some supervision, some coordination, and some support. When someone is doing well, please help spread that down the hall and across town. Doesn't have to come from far away or outside. We have talent here. We need to focus here. The economics are demanding it, as are our citizens, and it's what our students need. Thank you. It's been long, tedious, exhausting, and marvelous. Thank you. >> I need

044>> We get to wait now. Uh to answer your question, Member Hollowman, yes, you can leave very soon, just not quite yet. Um [clears throat] we have one last action that um we need this board to take. At this point, we would uh we can entertain a motion to adjourn the 2025 2026 school board signed die. >> I move to adjourn the 2025 2026 school board session signed die. >> I second the motion. >> Motion made by member Hollowman, seconded by member Donley. Is there any opposition? We are adjourned. Thank you. The meeting uh will now go to Dr. Bryan. >> Good evening. Uh this brings us to item C1 as superintendent of the Anchorage School District and temporary chair of the meeting. We call the meeting back to order. And at this time, I

045would ask for Chief uh Alaska rather Alaska Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Henderson to administer the oath of office to swear in our newly elected board members. Raise your right hand and repeat after me. I I state your name. >> I Paul Mcdana. >> I Rachel Blley. Do solemnly swear >> Do solemnly swear >> that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States >> that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States >> and the Constitution of the State of Alaska >> and the Constitution of the State of Alaska >> and that I will honest honestly, faithfully, and impartially discharge my duties >> and that I will honestly, faithfully, and impartially discharge my duties >> as a school board member to the best of my ability. as a school board

046member to the best of my ability. >> Congratulations and thank you for your service. >> Congratulations to our new school board members, member Mcdana and member Blakesley. At this time, I will ask for a 10-minute at ease for uh notoriization of paperwork and for pictures. I would ask for board members to be back on our seats in 10 minutes at 7:21 p.m. War members, if you could make your way back to the dis please. member Wilson online. >> Great. So, we have everybody. We're waiting for Rachel. >> All right. So, we are just about ready to resume our regular meeting. All right, I am tracking that we have all members present at the dis and member Wilson online. So given that I call this meeting back to order. We will move to item D, organization

047of the 2627 school board. So to be clear on this process, I will be walking through nominations and voting on all officer positions that are listed on this agenda. We will begin with the office of the president. So I will accept nominations from the floor for the position of school board president. Do I have any nom nominations for the office of schoolboard president? >> Member Mcdana. >> Uh yeah, I move Carl Jacobs. Uh member Carl Jacobs for the office of the president of the board. >> Member Jacobs, do you accept this nomination? >> I do. >> Member Jacobs has accepted the nomination for office of the president. Are there any additional nominations for board president? Seeing none, member Jacobs has been elected president. I will now move on to the office of the vice president.

048I will accept nominations from the floor for the position of school board vice president. >> Mr. Chair. >> Uh, yes. For vice president, [laughter] >> that'd be you. for vice president. I nominate Kelly Lessons. >> Okay. Um, member Lessons, you accept this nomination for vice president? >> I do. >> Okay. Uh, are there any other nominations for vice president? Seeing none, um, member lessons is vice president of the school board. We will now move on to the position of clerk. Are there any nominations for clerk? >> Uh, Mr. Sure. I would nominate Marggo Bellamy as clerk. >> Okay. Um, member Belly, do you accept the position? Do you accept the nomination for the clerk position? >> Are there any other nominations for position of clerk? Seeing none, member Bellamy is clerk. Lastly, um, I will

049accept nominations for office of treasurer. >> Mr. Chair, I nominate member Blakesley for treasurer. Member Blakesley, do you accept this nomination? >> Yes. >> Are there any other nominations for the position of treasurer? Seeing none, uh, member Blakesley is treasurer. So, I will go ahead and announce the full slate of officers. Serving as president is Mr. Carl Jacobs. Serving as vice president is member Kelly Lessons. Serving as clerk is member Marggo Bellamy. and serving as treasurer is uh member Blakesley. So, congratulations. And now that our elections are over, I will hand off the gavl to our school board president, Carl Jacobs. >> Thank you, Dr. Bryant. Thank you to our board. At this point, we're going to take a fiveminute recess to realign board members with their seats. We'll be right back. All right, we'll

050call ourselves back to order at 7:34 p.m. We're on to section um E of our agenda, the board uh community reports. Um we don't have our student representative with us tonight. Um so we'll move on and then move to board conference and committee reports um for the public certification as we have new members of the board reorganized our committees and our new communications chair is Margot Bellamy. Our new finance committee chair um is member Rachel Blleyley. Our new governance committee chair is member Paul Mcdana. Um, at this point, if there's any board uh or committee chair um who uh board conference or committee chair who wishes to make a report or make comments, now would be the time. Seeing none, member Mcdana. >> Uh thank you, Mr. Chair, Mr. President. Um yeah, I I am

051honored to be a new board member and to have the role of governance chair. Um, really what this potential opportunity gives us is to look at the things that have made ASD stuck for the last couple years, which are things that helped me get motivated to run for office. And I'm very proud to be able to communicate through the committee and set the agenda with my two fellow members, member Lessons and Member Bellamy. Um, and we're really focused on helping get ASD unstuck. um issues like curriculum changes that need to be fixed and issues like right sizing where people are saying we need a standard and that's something that we can work on in the committee. So thank you to to the body for asking me to step up for the governance chair. I'm very

052honored. >> Thank you member Mcdana. I see member Blley. Yeah, I'll just say something because member Mcdana said something um and I'll be really quick, but um likewise very grateful for the opportunity and I'm honored both to be on this board and to be serving you all as the public. I have been in that seat advocating for my daughter's school and for um the interests of my own children. So um I know where you're sitting and I hope that I can um channel all of your input into helping inform decisions that are um the best for all of our kids. And I think from the finance committee perspective, obviously there's a lot of stuff um happening with the funding crisis that we're in and I think that this position um does require some creative um

053problem solving. I think uh in in really rapid times um and we'll likely uh we'll be meeting soon. So, uh, I I am grateful and looking forward to doing what I can. >> Thank you. I see member Bellamine. >> Well, with the newbies talking, I have to say something. Anyway, um, welcome Paul and welcome uh, Rachel. Uh, so I, as the uh, clerk, I do serve as a chair of uh, communications. And one of the things I'm really proud about, I'm actually taking that over from member uh Wilson. Um so, and I'm sure she's still going to be involved, but uh I just want to uh continue uh getting the good word out about all things that are good about ASD uh and hearing back on things that can be better. So, uh, working with

054the comm's department and working with the committee, uh, to make that happen and, uh, acknowledging some of the great work that's happening, um, not just in in in in on our board or in committee, but throughout our district. I think that's very, very important. So, I am I continue to be ready to serve. Thank you. >> Thank you to all of our committee chairs. Um, that completes community reports. We'll move on to goal monitoring. Um Dr. Bryant, we have uh one item, guardrail number four, ensuring available mental health services. Um would do you wish to make a report at this time? >> Uh thank you, Mr. President. So this evening before the board is guardrail 4 um which is the superintendent will not operate elementary schools without mental health services. So with our new board

055members who are very familiar with this process, just for the benefit of the public, I want to explain um what the guardrail is versus a goal. So as you may have been following, the board has three goals. one on math, one on early literacy, and one on college career life readiness. The guard rails are essentially based off of the community's values, and they represent what I, as the superintendent, cannot do, shall not do in pursuit of the district's goals. So, these represent the guardrails that were established with the board several years ago in collaboration with a robust community input. And uh this guardrail has to do with mental health services. And in this report, you'll see that there are a couple of sections because with each guardrail, we also have interim guardrails. The board owns

056the guard rail and the superintendent owns the interim guardrails. These interim guard rails make sure that we're on track to fulfill the community's vision that's represented in the guardrail. So the way that we handle guard rail reports is rather than going through a PowerPoint like we do with the formal goals, we really open the floor to board members to ask any questions you might have having had the opportunity to read this guardrail report over the past couple of weeks. So I'm joined by one of our cabinet members, Dr. Diana Beltran and her team that are able to speak to any technical or programmatic questions members might have about this particular report. So, with all of that context said, I will just go ahead and open the floor to board member questions. >> Are there board

057questions, board member questions for the superintendent regarding the guard rail number four report? >> Member Bing. Um, I just had to find my questions. So, I think one of my questions had to do with I think now that we have all of our schools have at least a 0.5 uh um counselor or to for support. Um, I I just worry about I wonder what is your thought about what how will we be impacted given our fiscal climate? Are we going to be able to hold on to that? I know we're not going to be able to expand. >> Thank you for that question. Um, I I first want to introduce ourselves uh specifically for our new board members. My name is Diana Beltran and I'm the senior director of mental health and student supports. And

058beside me is Allison Love Lace and she's a director um within the mental health um program. Um, and Ellie Susso is actually our director that oversees our counselor. So, we're here on her behalf because she is out of the country right now. Um, we do anticipate and hope that this remains um a priority for the board and as a guard rail so that we can continue to maintain um and prioritize funding uh for this guardrail. And then to clarify my expectation to the team, when we create the budget, particularly for FY28, we need to budget positions for this guardrail and we'll leave it to the board if you'd like to modify that guardrail or change your expectations. >> Followup rebell. >> Yes. Can you just for the benefit of our new our new board members

059and people who might not have had the opportunity to hear this a similar discussion, can you just connect um the mental health supports PBIS? How does all that talk a little bit about how that how those things benefit our kids? >> Yeah. Um that's a good question. Our district utilizes the MTSS framework, multi-tered system of support. And on on one side of that uh framework is the access of behavioral supports. And as data is showing us that students are requiring additional supports um that at least 80 student 80% of our students are uh responding well to our tier one universal supports around behavioral, mental health and social supports. Um then we may need additional support at a tier 2 level. And so we um have schoolwide classroom school teams that are analyzing data on the

060behavioral side to implement um certain tier one and tier 2 systems and interventions that we have in place. the integrated mental health clinicians in integrated um mental health is also integrated into the PBIS to ensure that there's mental health promotion happening and wellness happening alongside with offering behavioral supports into our schools. >> And so the framework that we're utilizing for behavioral supports is our PBIS framework which is positive behavior interventions and supports. >> Thank you. Member McDonald. >> Uh, thank you, Mr. President. Um, my question is in response to the the changes over the last few months to nurses, which I believe we do not specifically specify as mental health providers, but there's a significant interplay between our nursing staff and our counselors and mental health clinicians or specialists, not clinicians. Um, could you speak

061to the ways that we are able to shore up the lack of additional nursing time in the schools or is this going to be a risk that we need to assess more closely later? >> Thank you for that question, Mr. Mcdana. We don't have a complete answer for you at this time, but I will tell you that for the nursing regional model, we do have a task force and it is now being supported by our project management office as well. And so I am taking down note of your question and that way we can add it to uh the work we're doing within project management. So you're you're you're concerned about um the reduction of nurses and their support with mental health in terms of the work that they do as nurses. >> It's kind

062of a both ways where um the nurses will be less available. they they often do screening or they often do the emergency call or um usually when a kid needs something there's there's a responder and it's just the first adult available and the nurses in an elementary school are often the only staff without an immediate job right now. So um I think it's how does this impact nurses an additional strain on them and how does this impact the counselors in getting access to the children that need their services. Okay. >> Then um I'll flag for member Mcdana and for the benefit of the full board on page seven of the report, you'll see the breakdown as to the resources that we categorize as being attributed to mental health. But um my ask of the board

063is that when we go into our retreat in June, this could be one of the areas that we redis whether or not nurses play a role within our guardrail framework. But as they currently stand, that's how they're currently defined. Uh, member Bellamy, do you have an additional question? >> Just to follow. Yeah. Relative to our partnerships, I think it's page page six. Um, so are all these agencies in one or more schools or are they in all of our schools? like the partners, our partnerships on page six, top of page six. >> Uh they're in the schools that are listed >> and status >> not Oh, just the ones that are limited just to those. >> Correct. >> Thank you. >> Do we think we're going to expand? I think these are all the partners

064in town, right? Pretty much. Um >> yes, the goal is to expand with at least one more school. The the goal is 13. >> Okay. >> Correct. And we have 12 right now. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> I'm done. Thank you. >> But I would add in there um that not in we want to sustain the program, right? >> So our goal is to sustain. And so as you can see Ally put in there uh two different ways that we're trying to sustain the program. We have a letter of intent for the RHTP grant and then also we're going uh we're looking at applying again for project aare >> and as we as we speak now we anticipate having all this all those.5 positions filled next year. >> Yes, >> we have the bodies.

065>> Yes. >> Great. Thank you. We >> we have I think one unfilled position right now. >> Thank you member Melanie U. Member Wilson, >> I really appreciate the uh partnerships that we have with the agencies that are listed. Is there any concern of u lack of continued funding for any of those? Have any of like VA Providence um any of those folks stated that there are any concerns about their future funding? >> I think um thank you for that question, Member Wesson. think um I want to say that Alli has been working very closely with them. They are hoping that we are able to retain funding with the grants that we're applying for, but they're also um figuring out how they can sustain the program if we're unable to secure any of the grants.

066um it's their goal to stay with us, but we just don't know what it's going to look like um until funding is secured based on when we actually get the money. >> You have any followup, member Wilson? >> I do not. Thank you. >> Okay. Um I just wanted to address with the team where we're currently at with ratio. Um we don't have uh at least I think we have a a ratio selected ratio of um a 0.5 for every elementary school. We don't have a student to counselor ratio. Um the National School Counselors Association has a 250 to1 recommendation. Um I have a feeling across the board in the district we are far from that that metric. Um, so if you could confirm that and then um indicate I guess if it would be

067administration's preference that we adhere to something more closely if resources existed and allowed us to do so. >> I think that goes back to the work that Dr. Bryant uh referenced for our board retreat. Um, you're correct. We have 0.5 um for each elementary school. So it just depends on the population at each elementary school. Uh when it comes to secondary, there is a hope of a 300 to one, but it really just depends on funding and where we are. Um as a district with our current fiscal um issues. So, >> and I'll just add that aspirationally if resources were no issue whatsoever, we would aspire to meet that ratio. But I want to be cleareyed about the challenges ahead that we face that revenue does not look unlimited and it is going to be

068a genuine trade-off if the board were to implement that ratio because there's only a finite amount of dollars. So we'd have to make that trade. So the challenge that we have as a governing team is are we able to make that trade and if not to what extent can we invest in our counselors? >> Thank you Dr. Brighton. Thank you team. I asked the question specifically because I know that with downward budget pressure um the resource scarce environment everything is going to be scrutinized and I um I know that the conversation about reductions in this area have come up before um with prior iterations of this board and um I personally am not supportive of moving the direction uh towards less resource allocation in this area. So, I wanted to put that on the record

069there. And I for one, I'm happy to have the conversation um at a work session, retreat, at whatever venue because I I do view nurses as a part of the solution. Um it's just the experience I have as a therapeutic foster parent bolsters that fact very clearly. Um we'll go to member Mcdana. Yeah, just to carry that conversation, um I see from the report there are basically only three types of funding sources to receive mental like that we're currently budgeting. Um so in other words, this is not a solution that discretionary grants could just solve. Is that right? And so this is like a long-term revenue solution. There there's nothing else that we have that's like short stop gap or anything like that in the budget. Okay. I think for the record they're shaking their

070heads. No, >> I'm sorry. I'm saying no. And and just for your information, when you're looking at how it's funded and you see Title One, a Title One school has the option to pay for additional um time with the counselor, but it's really based on their comprehensive needs assessment and what the overall needs of that school is. And so you'll see, for example, Airport Heights um added an additional point4 because that came out of their comprehensive needs assessment for their title funding. >> Member Higgins. >> Yeah, I just want to make comment. I I attended a um U presentation by workplace violence type thing associated with schools after a difficult incident at South that people may remember. Um and what they promoted to us was that the counselor is more important than security. Uh your

071intervention is is better then rather than reaction is what it comes down to and the counselor being critical to avoid a a real crisis at the school. So um I know we're going to have tough choices all the way through it. Uh, and if we can't do what we need to do or want to do, uh, that's fine, but it's doesn't mean it's a good outcome. And that's all I want to say because the counselors do such an important job in our school. >> Thank you, Member Higgins. Seeing no other questions from the board, uh, we'll consider this uh, guardrail report reviewed. Any closing comments, Dr. Bryant? >> No, thank you. I look forward to our retreat. >> Perfect. Thank you, Member Bellamy. But wanted to thank you guys because I don't think I sent

072my questions in ahead of time and you guys filled it all of them just perfectly. Thank you. >> Okay, thank you. We'll move on to public comment. Apologies. We reorganized our agenda and I'm looking at my paper copy. Uh we'll move on to our superintendent update. Dr. Brand the floor is yours. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Uh so I first of all welcome to our two new school board members. Um I am very excited for the opportunity to work alongside you during a truly um important moment for ASD. So typically um with new board members coming in and it's graduation season, I would use this time to tell the community about some of the exciting things happening. We're about to enter really um positive time. We'll be buzzing with graduations and ceremonies and all of

073that work is going to happen. Um, and we have a lot to celebrate, but I want to pause that full report on where we're headed as a district because there is a more time-sensitive matter that I'd like to bring to the attention more to the public because the board was briefed on this um during executive session and this relates to the Campbell STEM litigation. I want to um be clear with the community in terms of where we're at. Um, this is specifically my reporting out the facts as I know it. Uh there was some new information that was provided to all parties involved in the litigation just moments before our first meeting of the afternoon and it's my responsibility to make sure that I report the facts so you know where we're at as a

074district on this topic and what you can expect in the coming weeks. So just to zoom out for one moment as many people are currently tracking um the uh school board made the decision to close Campbell STEM Elementary School and that decision was being cha or is currently being challenged in court by uh community members and parents affiliated with that school. So, um, at one of the outcomes of that litigation was a hearing that was held in recent weeks. And on Friday, uh, this past Friday, the district and board recently received an order from the courts to hold a public hearing by May 15th on one specific issue related to the Campbell STEM closure and thereby granted a preliminary injunction. So, I've been tracking some confusion in the community and I want to make sure

075that I share my perspective on what this means just factually as a district moving forward. So, essentially this injunction means that ASD will pause actions related to uh the Campbell STEM transition, the closure. Now, what the judge injunction means um is a pause. This injunction does not mean that the decision was overturned and that injunction does not mean that ASD is directed to move backwards. It just means we need to stop the processes related to this process until further notice. So many community members were wondering why the pause. Uh so if you read the long court filing that's all publicly available and we'll put this on our website, you'll note that there were several allegations made against the district and board um in a number of different areas and the judge ruled that many of

076the complaints from the plaintiffs are not likely to prevail. So this includes a claim that there was irreparable harm. The judge found that the plaintiffs are not likely to prevail on the notion of irreparable harm being an outcome of this decision. The judge also found that the request for the temporary restraining order is moot um on a number of things that that go into the specifics of the court filing and the judge also noted that the claim that there was not proper notice is not likely to prevail in court. So those are the matters in which the judge sided with the defendants which is the district. However, the judge did have a specific concern about a private grant to Campbell STEM um alleging that um the school board did not take into consideration these grants

077and um and therefore the decision to close the school may have been arbitrary because the claim was that the board was not aware of a grant that was allegedly allocated to Campbell STEM. So, my announcement is that the district formally requested that the judge reconsider that decision, and I want to be very clear why. But first, I want to provide some very new information. It came in at about 3:30 p.m. or so. It may not even be in the the media yet, but the judge has granted our request to reconsider the order, and a decision on that motion to reconsider will be made available likely on Thursday. That could change, but based off of what I knew as of about 3:30 p.m. Um, I have been informed that the judge is likely to make a

078decision one way or another on this issue on Thursday. So, the reason that the district recommended moving forward with a motion for reconsideration is because we feel that the courts may have overlooked important facts related to the compressed timeline that the judge had to to uh proceed to to rather complete the proceedings. Uh the judge seemed concerned that a possible private sector grant um was not factored into the school board's decisionmaking. And how did this come up? This came up because there were some members of the public that had um seemed to understand that there was a grant that was allocated to Campbell STEM. Um it did come up on the record from several schoolboard members and the judge reviewed that transcript and that is accurate. There were members of the public and schoolboard members

079that were unaware or curious if there was a grant that was allocated to Campbell and some felt that there was. But um I would like to share some information that I believe was missing from the judge's initial review and all of this information is not new. It's actually been on the record for quite some time. So actually um information about the grants that are being discussed um were made information about the grants were provided to the school board during our April 6th meeting. And for those of you that would like to go back, I would encourage you to um review the superintendent update that took place on April 6th during the school board's regular meeting. And it was actually during that time that administration clarified to the board and the public on the record that

080there was not a grant that was received for Campbell STEM. There was one award that was applied for that was not awarded to Campbell STEM and there was another grant to which the Campbell community had intended to apply for a grant but it was never applied for and therefore never awarded. So, the board was made aware of that information on April 6, and the judge was concerned that the school board had made a decision not having factored in that information. But another thing that you might realize if you look at the April 6th meeting is that the school board actually held a vote to reconsider the motion to reconsider the closure and that motion was unsuccessful. So in other words, the board upheld its previous decision fully knowing that there was not a grant allocated

081for Campbell STEM and therefore the our attorneys have advised to um ask the judge to reook at the entire record and to make a decision moving forward. But I want to be very clear to the public that there was never an awarded grant. Um, and the board was fully aware that there was not a grant that was awarded when the decision was made based off of information that I received from our grants office and information that we've reviewed. So, because the board expressly considered all available funding sources, the court's order was based in our viewpoint on an incomplete factual premise. So, we move for the court to reconsider its decision and what is next. So, we will await the judge's decision um that I expect will come around Thursday and we will fully intend to

082uphold the the will of the judge um based off of that ruling. And from there um if it is the judge's um direction that the board is to hold a hearing, we will do so. And if the board reviews the information and finds that the claims that the district is making that there was not a grant awarded to Campbell STEM is accurate and therefore there is not need for a hearing, we will make the community and the school board aware of what that looks like moving forward. But that is all the information I have. I'm just reporting out the facts as I understand them based off of our attorneys and I'm unable to answer very many additional questions beyond what I've just shared and beyond what the board was briefed by our attorneys during executive

083session. So that will conclude the report for those of you that would like to keep tabs on the outcome. We will ensure to put every single one of these court documents that I just referenced in their entirety on our right sizing website. So that's asdk12.org/wrightsizing. You can also access it on our hot topics page. So, I will end my remarks there. >> Thank you, Dr. Brian. Other questions for the superintendent? >> See, member Mcdana, >> I think I think I'll challenge to not be first next time, but um thank you for the update and I hope it answers a lot of public's questions. there was an interchange of words used that I caught and I want to make sure that there's an exact language of both or either or if they're interchangeable. Um because the

084basis of this uh restraining order to my understanding from the report is that there was a grant that was awarded to the school or allocated to the school and the update from the superintendent ended up using both um at different times during the update and awarded is means a government agency or a private group has declared they will give us money. allocated means we have sufficiently processed that through the bureaucratic matrix. Um is there in intent to use both words in the address or or um is or at this point can we answer materially if there was a grant awarded or allocated or if that even substantially matters? >> Thank you member Mcdana. And my understanding based off of guidance for from our grants office is that there were two grants being discussed. one was

085applied for and not awarded and there was another grant that was going to be applied for but was not successfully applied for and was not awarded. That was the intent of my statement. >> Um so to the superintendent's knowledge there have been no grants awarded to the school in this relevant time frame. >> I will ask my chief financial officer to clarify. >> That's correct. We went out I think we believe went after a grant and we did not get awarded for it and then the other one that we are going after was um we just stopped the process because it came the school got voted for closure so we didn't actually submit the application it was due in June I believe >> okay we'll go to member Blley >> yeah so on the question

086about the grant that was in the process of being applied for but then was halted Was there a timeline by which you would have received notification if the grant would have been awarded had you applied? Like when was the deadline to apply for it and when would you have found out? >> The deadline item was in June um of 26. I don't know when the actual award date would have come through. I believe it was a federal grant though >> and there was no time range. >> There may be an award time range. I would have to get that to you and a board connector or follow up with you. >> Okay. And then to Can I ask one more question? Do I have to press the button again? >> No, you can follow me.

087>> Oh, I'm learning. Okay. Okay. And also just to double confirm what I heard is that there was an intent to apply for the grant, but the reason that the process of applying was stopped is because the decision to close the school was made. So, um, is that is that correct? >> That would be accurate. Yes. >> Okay. Um, and I have one more question. >> Tree can follow up. >> Okay. My other follow-up question is, was this a grant that had been applied for and received by the district in the past for Campbell STEM or other similar programs? Had had there been a record of receiving similar or this type this specific grant? >> I don't believe so, but I'll follow up with you on that. I believe this is a really highly competitive

088grant as well. So, but I can get you more details on that. >> That would be great. just to know if it was a renewal or um if we were the process by which you know was it a grant that the district identified that it was going to apply for or was invited to apply for or had applied for and had a successful track record I think would be helpful information. >> Okay, I'll go to you >> member Mcdana. Um just a quick clarification during the So there was a several days to weeks period between the recommendation being drafted and the board deciding during that time. Did progress on writing that grant continue or was it effectively stopped as soon as the recommendation was drafted? >> I will have to get follow up with that

089too. I don't know exactly when the process stopped. Seeing no other questions, that completes the superintendent's report. Thank you, Dr. Bryant. Any closing remarks? >> Thank you. I look forward to returning for my next update for more broader updates on where we're headed as a district and how excited we are to work with our new board members to make the improvements we need to continue to fulfill our mission. >> Okay, we'll move on to public comment. Uh, welcome to the boards. the first opportunity for public comment this evening. Uh we've set aside a 1-hour time slot at the beginning of our meeting to hear from all members of the public if possible. Uh traditionally, public comments in excess of 1 hour are moved to the end of the meeting. Uh during public comment, board members

090will not answer questions or engage in discussion with members of the public. This is the public's time to speak and the board's time to listen. The board welcomes the public to observe and contribute to our meetings through their comments. Uh we need our meetings to be structured and civil and utilize Robert's rules of order uh to maintain civility in our meeting. That provisions of Robert's rules include but are not limited to please do not attack a speaker or member's motives. Please no profanity or foul language. Refrain from disturbing the meeting. Please no cheering, applause, outbursts, or waving of signs or posters. If you have handouts that you wish to share with the board, please give them to Miss Sullivan who's seated to my left. Um, additional details and information can be found at the handout

091uh located near the door uh regarding our audience participation. As usual, we'll begin with our student testifier uh who registered for tonight uh and their parent or guardian. We have Arya Neil and then Mike Neil. Please come forward. I need to put something that actually makes it work. We we limit things to two minutes when we have long list. Do we have a long list tonight? Do we go back to three minutes? What is the process here that we're going to >> Yeah, we have a cut off when we have a certain number of testifiers. Uh we've in the past we've limited testimony to two minutes so we can hear from everyone who wishes to testify at the start of the meeting and we don't have to go over an hour and move folks to

092the very end of our meeting. Thank you for the question. I'll take this as a point of information, I think, just for Robert's rule sake. Uh, welcome Arya. You have two minutes. Please begin when you're ready. >> Hi, my name is Arya. This is my fifth year at Campbell. As you know, Campbell with the first certified STEM school in Alaska. Also, I heard that if it closes, the certification will be passed on to Clatt, the senior director of Acradation, however you pronounce it, services for the Pacific region and at the Cognia. She said a SEM certification is based on a school's instructional practices and leadership, not the number of students. None of the staff members are going to work at CLAT. And as one of the students, I do not want Campbell to close. And

093here are a reason. Here's a reason why. My older sister went to Campbell and now she's in the highly gifted program at Rome. I want the other kids to have the same experience as me. >> Thank you for your testimony. Welcome. You have two minutes. Please begin when you're ready. >> Well, I'm I'm going to have to change some of my some of my testimony on the fly to respond to uh Dr. Bryant. I am uh one of the parents that is on the other side of of suing the school district on this. Uh first of all, the motion for reconsideration is not granted. It is expedited consideration for that motion, meaning that the judge understands that it's something that you guys are requesting to be taken quickly rather than talk to us as we've

094been asking since the beginning of this. So that's what I'm going to be doing tonight is starting back at the beginning. What was ruled on is is it really doesn't have anything to do with the grant. It has to do with arbitrary decision-m that it didn't it didn't use the same decision-m you've always used in the past. Uh when doing school closures, you had your November right sizing. You were you were comparing schools based on staffing effectiveness, utilization, school impacts, condition, cost effectiveness, growth, potential, alternative use. You had a score. When that happened, there were 16 schools above Campbell STEM that should have been closed in front of us. Two of them were. Seems to me that the only reason is is the bond debt reimbursement. You get to move that money around. But every

095time we've been given a reason, we can refute said reason. Our test scores are higher. Our utilization is higher. Our absenteeism is lower. Our maintenance is funded through last year's bond. Some of the members on this board asked for a bond last year from the voters which was given to them. And now now you're you're not going to use it the way that we said you could. No. All I can say I guess now is that uh [gasps] you got a long battle to earn back trust and uh not having public comments to us, not having a back and forth is not the way to do it. So whether the judge decides you have to or not, you should anyways. We deserve answers. >> Thank you for your testimony. Our next two community speakers to

096be heard are uh and I'll ask the public to uh please limit applause so we can hear from all speakers in a timely manner. Um our next two speakers are to be heard are Jenna Baldez and Sarah. It could be Frey. Please come forward if you could please pronounce your name for the record and then for my purposes and then begin your testimony. Welcome. You have two minutes. >> Sounds good. Okay. Can you hear me? Uh, it's Jenna Bald Divas and thank you so much. I put it on my phone. I should have written it out. Um, I wanted to start by saying thank you. This is a really hard time to be in public service. There are hard conversations and hard things happening all over. And I just want to say I appreciate you

097showing up and being part of those hard conversations because it is hard. Um, I wanted to share that I'm an ASD graduate, K12. Um, started Northwood Elementary, graduated from service and I had an excellent, excellent education with the ASD. Um, I became a TA right after I graduated where I was inspired to become a teacher and I was a teacher for 14 years with the ASD and I had an immensely rewarding career. Um, I come here tonight as a parent. My daughter is in first grade at the um, optional program at Bowman and she loves BOP. Um, she has excellent teachers who are dedicated to her becoming a self-directed lifelong learner. Um, as some of you know, last year in response to community demand, Bowman Optional started to expand their program and open additional lottery

098seats for kindergarteners. Those seats have been cut this year. Um, reducing BOPS program numbers. I know that we that this is so big, right? This is state level. This is funding. These are all these pieces. I recognize that. Um, but I want to come and advocate for the kindergarteners in this optional program. um and advocate to continue to expand this um to expand BOP and look at the demand within our program. Look at the weight list, look at the data. Um I do that on behalf of actually all of the optional immersion charter programs that have high demands in our community. We have parents who want to be in our schools. Um and I worry as a community member that if we don't have these options, we're going to see more families leaving ASD. And

099I don't want that. I know what an excellent education I got. I know what an excellent education my students got and I want that. Um, but we need options in order to do that for some families to stay. So, thank you so much. >> Thank you for your testimony. Welcome. Uh, if you could please pronounce your name for the record and then you have two minutes. You can begin when you're ready. >> Good evening. My name is Sarah Frra. I feel I have a unique perspective in this room because I was a student of ASD, a former teacher with ASD, and now I'm a parent of two children in ASD. My husband and I chose Bowman Open optional program, also known as BOP, for our children because it feels like what I remember school feeling

100like when I was a kid in this district. Our teachers in BOP are phenomenal. The families are involved. The content of our children's studies is fantastic. To give you a real life example, just this last weekend, our program held its annual Seward C weekend where families come together to create amazing hands-on learning opportunities and community building outside of the classroom. I wish I could go into that more, but in short, BOP is an outstanding program and our lengthy weight list reflects that. I know we are in different times now from when I was a kid at Beayshore or a pink slipped teacher at Begage. The budget shortfall is staggering and the cuts are being felt by every family in this district and I do not envy the decisions you have to make. But I'm asking

101you tonight to reinstate the 25 lottery positions. First, the wait list for BOP, as I mentioned, is long. We currently have enough children on that list to fill an entire additional kindergarten class to capacity. We know that full schools with active populations are healthy schools. There are plenty of places in the district where classes are not at capacity, and it seems silly to me to penalize a thriving program to save a floundering one. Second, this current decision to take away those additional 25 spots in our lottery will create instability for our entire school. I'm struggling to see how having a full class of students would fall under a quote hold back position and I feel greater transparency is needed for these decisions. Third, the families waiting to get into Bowman need to go somewhere. I

102worry that ASD believes these kids will just end up somewhere else within the district and be fine with it. But I have to caution you. Parents are seeking out programs like ours and they're not interested in just any old school. I know families are leaving the district for homeschool programs, co-op programs, and private options. and losing families at this time when the defic the deficit is already at code red is one of the worst things that could happen for ASU right now. I believe in this district, this town, and in your creative solving problem the problem solving skills. Thank you. >> Thank you for your testimony. Um we had a telephonic speaker up next named Shane. We don't have anyone online, so I'll move to our next two testifiers who are in person by we

103have Jen Pudge and Colin Hempill. Please come forward. Welcome. Uh, you could two minutes please begin when you're ready. >> Hi, my name is Jen Pudge and I'm the parent of a second and third grader in the Bowman open optional program. I'm here because I'm deeply concerned about the ethical decision-making behind the lottery and staffing cuts to the Bowman open optional program. The district approved the expansion of BOP, encouraged families to choose it, and promoted its value. Families, including mine, made decisions based on those commitments. Removing the staffing needed to sustain that expansion is not a simple budget adjustment. It's a breach breach of trust. We have clear enrollment demand. We already have enough students for two kindergarten classes and more than 200 additional children are on the wait list. The question is whether to

104the district will honor the program families intentionally choose or disperse them into already strained classrooms. Additionally, we surveyed our 215 current BOP students. Five out of six families would choose another choice program or would leave the district for homeschool if their ch children if BOP were not an option. The truth is students will leave the district if choice programs are not an option. Because BOP is a school within a school, removing the lottery seats destabilizes far more than one room. It affects BOP as well as the neighborhood program SLC and sped preschool and Jed preschool programs all working together under Bowman's roof. It disrupts teaching teams and student cohorts. pillars of the group program. Both my children will be directly and negatively affected by this decision. Every Bowman student will be the holdback position was

105the staffing required to make expansion possible. Taking it away now creates inequity and instability for families who relied on the district's assurances. At its core, this decision signals that school choice is honored only when convenient for the district and that commitments can be reversed without explanation. It's not sustainable for a district facing enrollment challenges. I'm asking the district to restore the lottery spots and staffing needed for BOP. Lastly, it increasingly feels as though the district is being run like a business where children and families are reduced to numbers on a spreadsheet. Let me be clear, these decisions are being made on the backs of children. We have a responsibility to consider the broader impact and ensure our actions reflect the values and commitments we claim to uphold. Thank you. >> Thank you for your testimony.

106Welcome. You have two minutes. Please begin when you're ready. >> Good evening. My name is Colin Hempill and I am an ASD parent and a lifelong Alaskan. I'm here tonight speaking on behalf of the Bowman Open optional program at Bowman Elementary. My goal is to make it clear that the Anchorage School District cannot afford to lose this powerful academic asset. Bowman Elementary is an exemplary school that serves its neighborhood with opportunities that are rare in this state. BOP offers an educational model that helps students thrive through multi-age classrooms, team teaching, extreme family involvement, and student ownership of their own learning. It is unnerving that you are willing to eliminate student spots and teachers from a school that is fully occupied with a large weight list that offers highly sought-after programs that are thriving programs such

107as the open optional program, the prek and the special education program. It begs the question, what next? What does a school have to do to avoid closure? Doesn't seem like there's any basis on that. Cutting the number of students admitted into the next kindergarten class will start boop down a path similar to Campbell STEM. This is clearly a very unsuccessful approach. I'm curious to see what actions you take to restore the public's trust. The people that are using the lottery system aren't doing it because they are in love with ASD. The lottery system provides a resource to parents and allows the district to retain these children. This school district cannot afford to lose more kids. My daughter was fortunate to lot into the boot program in kindergarten. She is excellent excelling rapidly because of it.

108Her teachers can call her a role model. She has high test scores. was admitted into the Ignite program at an early age. She has even taken the time to write letters to you as members of this board. She has yet to receive a response. She is excelling academically and socially as a direct result of this program and its teachers, the school staff and principal provide an environment for our children to flourish. I invite all of the members of this board to publicly lay out how it is beneficial to cut these lottery numbers and cut them in half for the boot program. We're giving you the opportunity for dialogue to gain the trust of the public. When our voices as parents are not taken seriously, we are left with the reality of pulling our children from

109ASD altogether. And thank you for your testimony. Our next two committee speakers are Ann Marie Moran and Marie Jackman. >> Welcome. You have two minutes. Please begin when you're ready. >> Good evening. I want to begin by acknowledging the rules of decorum as stated on the district website. As members of the public, we are expected to be respectful, civil, and composed. We come prepared. We speak thoughtfully, and we conduct ourselves accordingly. In that spirit, I'm asking for the same respect in return. When families come to this microphone to speak about their children, especially their safety, we deserve to feel heard. Something as simple as eye contact and attentive listening matters. It shows that what we are saying is being taken seriously. Respect in this space should go both ways. I am the parent of a

110medically fragile child and since early February, I have been trying to understand how the high acuity nursing model will actually function in day-to-day practice. Not just in theory or broad summary shared through meetings and mass emails, but the in the actual conditions of a school day. I need to know how a rotating nurse model will operate in real time to determine whether my young child is safe at school. I have sent dozens of emails to senior leadership, asked detailed questions, and followed every appropriate channel. Each time I either received no response at all, or I am told that a task force will address it, or that details are coming later without ever receiving clear commitments, timelines, or any concrete details. Here we are in May, and there are still no answers. No one from ASD

111can tell me exactly how my son will safely be cared for during the school day. You have had months to work out the details of this model. Families like mine still have not been given a clear plan for how our medically fragile children will safely access their education. That plan is your responsibility and we are still waiting. Thank you. >> Thank you for your testimony. Welcome. You have two minutes. Please begin when you're ready. >> Hello. Before I begin, I want to express my appreciation for the difficulty of the current budget situation and the weight of the decisions being made by this group. My name is Marie Jackman and I'm a parent of two children in the Russian immersion program at Turnigan Elementary. I've appeared but numerous times before the school board over the last

112few years because of just how important this program is to my sons and our family. When my husband and I were making decisions about where to live and raise our family, I can say with absolute honesty that the quality of public schools and availability of immersion programs weighed heavily into our decision to stay in Anchorage. Instead of moving to the Matsu Valley where I was raised or to the Seattle area where we have family, we chose to stay here because of the option to enroll our children in the Turnigan Russian immersion program. I cannot emphasize enough how unique and valuable this program is to the families that participate. In our time at Turnigan, we have built close friendships and relationships, become a part of a community united by language and culture, and a community that

113show continues showing up for each other time and time again. This is the essence of what all school boards and cities should strive for in a school. Not just a place that provides an excellent education, which it does, but also a place that creates connections and builds civic engagement in during an increasingly divided time. I am dismayed to hear that the future of this program is still threatened due to staffing cuts made by to middle and high school teachers. I'm here to ask the board to please maintain all of the current teachers in the program. Due to the minimal staffing of the Russian immersion program already operates with, even the reduction of a single teacher or part of a position will threaten the future of this program. The existing Russian immersion middle and high school

114teacher has been cut to a point4 FTE. It will come as no surprise to the members of this school board that this teacher is unlikely to accept this position. I ask you to reconsider reinstate and retain the staffing needed to continue this program. I know I'm over time, but I want to say we made a commitment for a K through2 program when we signed up and chose to live in this community and we asked Antage School Board to honor its commitment to parents that signed up for a K through2 program. Thank you. Thank you for your testimony, Miss Jackman. Our next testifier is Heather Tipper. Please come forward. >> Welcome. You have two minutes. Please begin when you're ready. >> I got it. Thank you. >> Meant to be slightly less dramatic than that. Thank

115you for this opportunity. My name is Heather Oakland Tyber. I attended the Anchorage School District starting with Turnigan Elementary in 1989, ending at Stellar Secondary in 2002. I have always been proud of my public school education and especially be grateful to have experienced ASD's commitment to diversity and inclusion firsthand. My daughter now attends Turnigan in the Russian immersion program. Two of her classmates testified at a recent board meeting. When I have attended the 12th grade completion ceremony for the Russian immersion program, I have seen two dozen or so young adults that have been learning and growing together for 13 years. They are proud of their accomplishments and many of them are able to use their skill in rushing to obtain scholarships, internships, and job offers after graduation. These skills are increasingly in demand. In 10

116years, I want to see my daughter on that stage surrounded by her classmates. In order for this program to continue, I ask that you offer Nadesa Tess the only Russian teacher at Hest High a6 teaching position by splitting the ninth 10th grade Russian class into two separate classes. If Ms. Hess leaves, dozens of current immersion students will not be able to complete the program to which they have dedicated up to 11 12 years of academic effort. Please don't let that happen. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you for your testimony. Our next speaker is uh Telephonic. No, we don't have Amanda Thompson with us tonight. We'll move to Lauren Kelsey and Rosen Grady W. Please come forward. >> Welcome. You have two minutes. Please begin when you're ready. >> Thank you. Hello. My name

117is Lauren Kelsey. I'm a parent of two ASD students, Romeig and West, and also have been a member of the as a part of my role at the state physical activity and nutrition program, the department of health. I've been a community member on the ASD wellness team that was a part of looking at the wellness policy revisions in the last couple of years. Um I'm calling or I'm writing and I'm here to say um mainly thank you to the board over the years for all the actions you've taken to prioritize health and wellness of your students to welcome the new members and be interested in working with you in the years to come in maintaining these programs. I came earlier today to hear from our colleagues in the nutrition department and Dr. Cohen talking about

118some of the really great things they're doing around scratch cooking in elementary schools in um advancing the breakfast programs that we know get kids to school on time and help with your attendance issues. It's neat to see the work that has been done over the years. I'm really grateful to hear that um we know kids that are fed and their hunger issues are taken care of are better able to do well in school. Healthy kids learn better. Kids that move and have time for physical activity are more likely as well. So, I was glad to see that removing some of the middle school PE has been tabled for a little while. And I'm hoping as you look at your future um pieces as if additional information come in, another piece of the wellness policy is

119nutrition education in which your health educators are such a key piece to that. I know early on in our efforts, ASD was recognized with having dedicated staff and I'll hope you consider maintaining that as well. Thank you for your testimony. Welcome. You have two minutes. Please begin when you're ready. >> Hello everyone. Um, so my [clears throat] name is Rosen Grady White and I stand be before you. I sit before you as a mother and an advocate. And I'm here to speak honestly. Hopefully I don't get any side eyes. And I'm not speaking for all, but I am speaking for those I've heard from and trust me to have their voices heard. Black students, black families, and black educators in our district are not feeling safe. Um, not emotionally, not culturally, and too often, not

120even physically. Safety is knowing that when they advocate for their child, their voice will not be misinterpreted, label, or escalated. But right now, for black families, especially black mothers, black women, that is not our reality. We are experiencing microaggressions and we are being tone policed and too often when we show up with passion for our children it is seen as aggression instead of advocacy. And in today's political climate that matters because there is no clear order of operations before law enforcement is called on a parent. No required deescalation and no pause to check biases. Just perception just principal discretion. And that perception discretion is often shaped by stereotypes like the angry black woman. Biases is real and reputation representation alone does not remove it. You can be a person of color or connected to one

121and still cause harm through assumptions and tone policing. That is why racial biases and antibbiases bias training is not optional. It is necessary and I want to say this carefully. There are many of us who see these patterns who feel them but do not always feel safe speaking openly because when harm happens, black families often do not have the resources to defend ourselves. So instead of fighting, we disengage. We walk away. We move schools. We stay mute. And that is a loss. We want to partner, but we need to feel safe to do so. And I want to acknowledge this. There will be people who hear this and feel like this isn't their problem. Who feel like this does not reflect their experience or who do not believe that it aligns with their message and

122interpretation of equity and inclusion. But we need to remember who we are. Diversity matter. >> Thank you for your testimony. Our next two community speakers to be heard are Jackie Elton and Molly Sandival um Jackie Elton. Then we'll move to Molly Sandival Stiller who may be online with us. >> Welcome. You have two minutes. Please begin when you're ready. Good evening. Being an accountability partner for this district is very blatantly exhausting. In the opening statements of every one of these meetings during the land acknowledgement, the ASD reaffirms its commitment to diversity. However, in the last year, I along with other black mothers have experienced the opposite. It is no secret that I have very direct demeanor and speak with firm intent when addressing issues with the district. However, I'm always within my right in terms

123of my behavior. This year, in line with in line with the experience of some other black mothers in the district, I was called hostile during a meeting to simply bring up a complaint to a principal. Thankfully, I know how to dis deescalate and code switch in order to bring the situation to the administration prior to the principal's ability to retaliate against me or my child. This is unfortunately not the case for many other parents or many other black parents who may not be as equipped to navigate the adversity of microaggression. Code switching should not be a learned requirement when protecting one's child. Black women should not be should be able to stand up for ourselves or our children when mistreated without risking repercussion when allowing administrators to go unchecked when it comes to discrimination. Where

124this where is the commitment to understanding and diversity? Where is the accountability? My meeting was not the first meeting of this type. This year I am discovering a trend. The bottom line is that everyone wants to claim to be diverse and to champion said diversity until it's time to actually put action to the statement. I demand we do better or drop the act. Thank you for your testimony. Um my understanding is Molly Sandival Stellar is not with us online tonight. So we'll move to Susan Ritter and Heimwinger. Please come forward. Sorry. I Is it my turn or not? >> Yep. You're welcome. >> Mr. Ritter is first. So, Mr. Ritter, welcome. You have two minutes. Please begin when you're ready. >> Appreciate you go first. >> Why not? >> Okay. Thanks. >> So, Miss Ritter,

125welcome. You have two minutes. Please begin when you're ready. >> Hello. Good evening. Uh, members of the school board, Dr. Bryant. My name is Susan Ritter. I am a life skills teacher at West High School and I am finishing my 19th year with ASD. I would like to share two points with you tonight and I will be brief. PLC's please change how they are run. I suggest the focus be returned to support specific departments. I am a special education teacher and I would like to share PLC's with other special education teachers at West. This past quarter I was assigned to attend the mathematics department PLC's. I enjoyed connecting with the math teachers who I would not normally work with, but I was a fish out of water. I learned about calculus, algebra, geometry. I teach

126addition, subtraction, multiplication, and the dollar up skills. I would like to spend at least some PLC time with my co-ed my co-sp teachers so we can work on um issues that concern our department. Number two, safety in our schools. It is our number one priority. Correct. Students feel safe when they are in a trusting environment. This is the same for staff. I trust my co-workers and my administrators at West. I feel safe at West High School. However, I don't currently trust ASD and therefore I do not feel as safe as I should. Why, you may ask? The life skill students are the most vulnerable students in our schools. I am concerned for their safety because the nursing plan for all schools is unclear to non-existent at this time. How do you plan on ensuring the

127safety of our students in the upcoming school year? Our nurses need to be able to trust ASD and feel safe knowing they will be in the schools where they know their population. Remember, students feel safe when they know they can trust the adults in their lives. Thank you. Have a good evening. >> And thank you for your testimony. Welcome. You have two minutes. Please begin when you're ready. >> Members of the board. My name is Haim Winganger. I'm a public school uh graduate. I work as a medevac pilot. I've been 28 years in Alaska flight aircraft. My family lives in next to Campbell STEM. And you've all heard from me and my children and my wife and my family before. I'm testifying tonight because I still believe that we are allies that we want the

128sh that we share the same goals of raising strong people who are ready for the world and we want both our children and the schools to succeed. And somehow this has gotten really lost. The what you might not know about me is that I was be living next to the school and interacting. I was one of the parents to help certify Campbell as a Cogna certified school. It and I want you to know that it took two years. I want you to know that it took many many interviews and integrating the SLE classrooms into STEM. Everything from the gym class was uh was certified all the way through the English class and the leadership team and what I every part of this was involved. When you're talking about transferring the certification, it requires top down

129and every level. and to do this. And when you talk about dispersing Campbell STEM into three separate schools, you're literally ripping up what has been the hopes and dreams of an entire community and their homes and their families and their plannings, scattering them to the wind and hoping that somehow these roots will regrow. STEM is creativity. STEM is coming up with new solutions. It's not science, technology, engineering, and math that incorporates that. We have come to you with answers and answers and solutions and we haven't had the dialogue. And if you want to understand the lawsuit, it's to have the dialogue and understand that we are not your adversary. But it takes a stronger type of friend to say we believe that this decision is wrong. We believe that we want to help you along

130and we still want to work with you towards this towards keeping our school alive. Give us we can make we can restore trust. Thank you for your testimony. Our next two committee speakers are Terry Wood and Emily Ghart. >> Welcome. You have two minutes. Please begin when you're ready. >> Thank you. As always, I sit here to express my support of Campbell STEM Elementary. I'm dismayed about the vote to close and would like to update estimates that were given in the original information presented. It was stated that from Campbell 120, 80, and 40ome students would transfer to Willow Crest, Glattiswood, and Clap. As numbers currently sit, those schools will actually receive 80, 60, and 40ome respectively. Therefore, not moving the percent of capacity to the estimated rates. Um, have 60 students decided on other neighborhood

131schools, lottery schools, home schools, or private schools? That's one in four of the estimated moved students. I also have another concern, wholly different concern that I'd like to discuss. Recently, the board voted unanimously to approve a change in the calendar for the 2627 school year. At that time, board member Hollowman initially expressed concern over changing the calendar without going back to the committee designed to de develop it. Changes were voted on and made without any board members asking if there would be any financial impact. I haven't crunched the numbers, but this change would result in every nine-month totem employee being paid potentially being paid for a holiday they have never been paid for in the p in recent years or maybe ever, resulting in what I would guess is be a minimum expenditure of $120,000.

132Um, and I was very cautious when I was guessing at that calculation. It's probably much more. Um, as a board, I would encourage you to revisit the 2627 calendar to move the last teacher day to be no later than May 28th, which is the Friday prior to Memorial Day um to prevent that expense. Thank you. >> Thank you for your testimony. Welcome. You have two minutes. Please begin when you're ready. >> Hello. I am Emily Garheart, a mom of a first grader and a future kindergartener at Bowman Open Optional Program. I'd like to acknowledge the school board its dedication to support the best success possible for students across the school community and appreciate the time and care you are taking to listen to families during this difficult time. On behalf of our boot program, I

133feel strongly compelled to reiterate deep concerns regarding the decision to cut our student lottery seats by half as well as reducing staff staffing allocation. The decision was announced just moments before the lottery was scheduled to run, leaving our school leadership and families incredibly confused and frustrated, particularly as it came without justification or engagement with our school leadership or families before the action was made. What is most unclear is that the decision was placed upon a thriving and actively growing program that has a long-standing reputation for excellence, engaged parents, and students with strong educational outcomes. We have a robust and growing weight list of families willing to travel far from their neighborhood schools because they see the value in what our program offers. Limiting access to a successful program does not equal strengthening the district and

134other areas. Instead, the decision disrupts the structure of both our classes and learning model that threatens the long-term sustainability of the program, risking pushing more families away from the public education altogether. The school community deserves transparency and collaboration. We deserve reasons that support your decision-making and we certainly need district leadership to pay attention to what is working. Strong programs should be supported and replicated, not reduced without warning or community input. I respectfully request the board to restore the original planned kindergarten lottery seats and allow BOP to continue accepting weight listed families through the July lottery as well as align staffing allocations with demonstrated family demands and preserve educational choices that families across the district actively seek and value. Thank you for your time and consideration. >> Thank you for your testimony. Our next two committee

135speakers are Ioki and Cheryl Love Green. Welcome. You have two minutes. Please begin when you're ready. I'd like to use my time to uh issue an apology to the Anchorage School District community. Uh since November 4th, 2025, I've been involving myself in the Anchorage School Board meetings. During the past six months, I've testified several times during the Anchorage School Board meetings that I and I have submitted a substantial amount of written documentation to the Anchorage School Board. My demeanor towards Anchorage School Board and Anchorage School District Management has been less than polite and many my statements have been contradictory to the opinions of district management personnel who are highly credentialed and have several years experience in public education. I do not have a post-graduate degree in education, nor do I have much work experience in

136public public education. And yet I chose to audaciously criticize the highly educated and highly experienced status quo which is currently controlling the Anchorage School District. At this time I would like to sincerely and apologize uh to the entire Anchorage School District community for not taking these actions much sooner. Uh for too long I allowed ignorance, laziness, and stupidity to govern the public school system in my own city. I'd mistakenly assumed that schools in Anchorage were mostly being operated by efficiently by well-meaning, competent professionals who were making the appropriate adjustments and improvements to the educational programs on an as needed basis. I was profoundly mistaken in making these unfounded assumptions and I'm requesting that the Anchorage community please forgive my ignorance and neglect of the past. I haven't been in my ways and I plan to

137continue exposing the total foolishness which is governing our public school system indefinitely. Thank you. >> Thank you for your testimony. Welcome. You have two minutes. Please begin when you're ready. >> Hi, I'm Cheryl Love Green, retired ASD teacher and a resident of the Anchorage Municipality. I'm here for two reasons. First, I want to recognize Andy Hollowman for his public service. He started as a teacher and went on to become a union leader and then a schoolboard member. Throughout the years, in all of his roles, he put the students first. He believed in helping teachers and other educators provide the best education possible to their students. I appreciate all the hours and days he has put into that goal. Thank you to Andy. Second, I want to recognize the Anchorage School District's commitment to intellectual freedom.

138Thank you to all the librarians, staff, and teachers who work hard to keep our libraries open and provide appropriate books and other materials to students. Thank you for having a book challenge policy that is fair and addresses valid concerns while including community members and trained professionals in that process. Please continue that policy. Thank you. >> Thank you for your testimony. Our last two committee speakers are Molly Ro and William Baxter. >> Welcome. You have two minutes. Please begin when you're ready. >> Hello. Can you hear me? Okay. Um, my name is Molly Rocher and I am a parent of Campbell STEM students. I am here to speak on behalf of Campbell STEM. Um, but first I'm following you guys' lead on how you run your meetings and I wanted to make an announcement about Campbell

139STEM. This came in says, "Way to go, Campbell Club." Campbell Cubs. Over 66% of students K through fifth grade scored above or at grade level on MClass Endofear benchmark assessment in reading. This is up from middle of the year where we scored 49%. So 66% to 49%. That's up from. So really great job. you know, my kiddos were kind of nervous about their testing. Um, and then 34% of Campbell STEM students scored in the well below during the middle of the year. Not great. Uh, through hard work and STEM instruction, this area decreased significantly to 22% as measured by the end of the year. So, we're just so proud of our Campbell STEM students and the amazing amazing work that they have done. Our test scores are something that we have talked about numerous times.

140Um, regarding the decision, I I've watched, I've listened, I've observed all of the things and it I keep I feel like we're just you're so close, but we're we're missing the point. The point is how you make a decision matters. And how this decision was made was rushed. It was based on potentially inaccurate information. It was pushed through. It went against all of your other models. And that matters. Just because you're facing a horrible budget decision does not give you the right to ignore your own values, to ignore your own processes. We want transparency. We want accountability. We want to work with you, but we can't if we don't have the information. We can't if you don't engage with us. We are here. We are willing. We are ready to talk. But you have to

141engage. Not just, well, we have to listen to you for two minutes and then we don't have to hear anything you said. That's what the lawyer said. We just have to let you speak for two minutes. We don't have to listen or agree with anything you say. That was a little disheartening. I hope you can do better. We're here. >> Thank you for your testimony. Welcome. You have two minutes. Please begin when you're ready. >> I uh helped with Habitat and Humanity years ago. Helped build houses here in Anchorage. We have a Habitat store here where you can drop off lumber and stuff like that. I'm pushing Habitat Humanity in the valley because I think we need need that there. But we can also do I think it'd be good for the FFA kids to

142participate in the in this uh endeavor I'm trying to do. And I've talked to a lot of people. I've went over to to uh Lisa Mowsky's office talked to and get an appointment in that. So I I really I went to the FFA uh state convention a couple a couple weeks ago and it was really good and it was uh really uplifting. I support FFA. I spent a lot of money on supporting FFA. Thank you. >> Thank you for your testimony. That completes our public testimony for tonight. We'll move to um item now uh item I, our consent agenda. Is there a board member who wishes to pull an item from the consent agenda for discussion? Uh member lessons. I I would like to um I would like to pull memorandum 149 revisions to board

143policy 5041 health education. >> Okay. ASD memorandum number 149 will become action item J1. Member Mcdana. >> Um I would like to pull ASD memorandum 161 the personnel report. >> Okay. ASD memorandum number 161 will become action item J2. Is there any additional items to be pulled by the board? Seeing none, is there a motion to approve the consent agenda as amended? >> Mr. President, I move to approve the consent agenda as amended. >> Second. >> Motion was made by member lessons, seconded by member Higgins. I'm seeing no discussion. Can we have a voice vote to approve the consent agenda as amended, please? Member Bellamy. >> Yes. >> Member Blakeley. >> Yes. Member Wilson. >> Yes. Member Higgins. >> Yes. member lessons. >> Yes. >> Reddo. >> Yes. >> President Jacobs. >> Yes. >> Sorry.

144Member Wilson. >> Did you not hear me? I voted. Yes. I'm so sorry. >> Thank you. Uh the consent agenda as amended is adopted by a vote of seven to zero. We will move on to our first action item J1 which is ASD memorandum number 149 revisions to BP 5041 health education. Uh is there a motion? >> I move to approve memorandum 149. Uh the recommend Okay. Move to approve memorandum 149. It is the Oops, I have the wrong one pulled up. Pardon me. Uh, it is the governance committee chair's recommendation that the school board approve recommended revisions to board policy 5041, health education. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Motion made by member lesson, seconded by member Higgins. Uh, member lesson, you pulled this item. >> Uh, I did and um I

145appreciate the chance to to do so. Um, we discussed this policy during the March governance committee meeting. It was a non-action item two weeks ago. Um, and really this is a product of our fiscal reality, right? We have to amend a policy to accommodate the fact that uh the delivery of health education has to fundamentally change because of changes to our specialist model and there doesn't seem to be a way around that. However, I think this presents an opportunity for more information about how health education will be delivered in FY27. And I would be delighted to hear more from the administration at this point or offer a motion to postpone for two weeks so that the administration could be more prepared. And I guess I would ask the superintendent what the preference might be. >>

146Mr. Gustoson, is your team prepared? Um, so we would request um two weeks so we can provide the board with a robust um presentation on this. >> Okay. Thank you. With that, Mr. President, I would move to postpone memorandum 149 to the May 19th meeting, regularly scheduled meeting. >> Second. Motion to postpone this item to a time certain of our regularly scheduled May 19th meeting has been made and seconded by member Bellamy. Apologies made and seconded by made by member lesson seconded by member Higgins. Um is there any additional discussion member Mcdana? Um yeah, I share member lessons's understanding and insight that the the fiscal situation is changing so fast that we really do have to take a deep look at health education. Um, I would encourage the body to reject the motion to postpone

147and rather um I would raise a motion to recommmit back to governance where we could have a more intimate and involved dialogue. um given the fact that middle school has gone through two seismic changes in just a month and the seven period schedule went to six periods that went back to seventh and there's a lot of changes even within the seven periods that we're still negotiating and I think even two weeks although I appreciate Dr. Bryant's willingness to be expedient. Um, I would think that members of the governance committee would like to sink their teeth into this policy and and find a way to represent um the things that middle school health should be doing like reproductive literacy and um students um awareness of pathogens and diseases and things like that. >> Member lessons. Yeah,

148I think thank you. I that is a plausible path forward and um I hadn't entertained that. I think one of the critical questions I have is actually really related to the elementary school delivery the pivot away from health teachers to a more dispersed model and we just we haven't heard a lot about that. So perhaps governance is a good chance to hear from that, but at the same time, this is a more public platform, which is why I thought that that would be an appropriate venue to have that conversation. >> Member Mcdana. >> Yeah, I see actually really no problem for the body to have the superintendent bring as much as the team can get in in just two weeks. We could also go through the motion to recommit at that time if it looks

149like it's still an insufficient discussion. >> Seeing no other discussion on the motion to postpone to a time certain of our next meeting on 519. Uh let's have a voice vote. >> Member Wilson. >> Yes. >> Member Mcdana? >> Yes. >> Member Higgins? >> Yes. >> Member Blakesley? Yes. Member Bellamy. >> Yes. >> Member Lessons. >> Yes. >> President Jacobs. >> Yes. >> Motion to postpone ESD memorandum number 149, revisions to BP541, health education uh to a time certain of our next meeting on 519 is adopted 7 to 0. That moves us to our section a second action item J2, the personnel report. Um this move uh this item was pulled by Amber Mcdana. Um, we need to have a motion to discuss first. Was there a motion uh on this item? >> Um, yeah,

150Mr. President, I move to um approve ASC memorandum 161. It is the administration's recommendation to the that the school board approve the attached personnel report. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Okay. Motion made by member Mcdana, seconded by member Higgins. U member Mcdana, you pull this item. Um yeah, this I think is more just for a point of public information. Um this personnel report contains a number of teachers that um it lists as current position Campbell STEM Elementary and then promotion or change position to various other sites. And um people have already asked me is this something that is going against the intent of the court given current legal action. So, I just wanted to pull this and give um the administration the chance to respond to those questions >> through the president.

151Um member Mcdana, I'd like to have our chief human resources officer, Mr. Marty Lang, provide some information to the board. >> You bet. Thank you, Dr. Bryant. Um member Mcdana, it is a good question and it's one that came up on our staff this afternoon and we were um somewhat uncertain as to the answer to that question. So, we reached out to our council. Um after reviewing it, our attorney um advised that they don't see any problem with the board approving this report tonight. Um the reassignments uh of Camel STEM teachers that are outlined in the report um happened on April 13th at the uh priority staffing event for schools that were impacted by right sizing. So in many ways, this report is just acknowledging an administrative reassignment that took place um several weeks ago.

152Um, and approving this report does not change anybody's status or understanding of their status currently. >> Uh, member McDonald doesn't answer your question. >> I have no further questions. Thank you. Understood. Um, member Higgins. >> Yeah. Uh, just for the board's just the general view. Um, we are required to approve a personnel report, but we're also prohibited from being involved in employment decisions below an executive. The municipality says that we can't be involved in anything below an executive. An executive is identified kind of my field uh as somebody who has policym and public advocacy responsibilities. This group over here qualifies, but most employees do not. Um and but we are required by state law to approve a personnel report. Uh a lot of school districts do not have the merit system principles. They are not

153prohibited from being involved from the board the same way we are. And there has been problems in the past the reason why they adopted this. Um I I would feel it is not going to make a difference in their what they're doing uh at all. And this does make an official action that says it's approved. I feel uncomfortable with that when we have a court order telling us to take no actions, further actions in regards to the closure of Campbell. They're proceeding forth. You know, what they've done, they've already done. Uh and that's not going to make a difference. I just don't want to vote for any action that uh while we have an attorney saying it's okay, the reading of the document says take no action. And this to me is action that is

154advancing the closure. It doesn't it's not going to slow us down and it's not going to speed us up. But I would like to propose I'm going to recommend that we postpone this till the next school board meeting. Um and at that time we will u I believe have an decision by the court and we can decide at that point in time. But I just don't want to be in contempt of court and understand the uh attorney uh review that it's not a big deal, but to me it is a big deal that we definitely follow what the court has asked for. So I'm moving that we delay this for one uh meeting. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Motion by member Higgins to postpone as memorandum number 161 personnel report to our

155May 19th meeting. seconded by member lessons. And I want to note for the boards and public's um edification that our board docs system is still logging members Hollowman and Donley um for now, but once we update our records, um they will be they will register the correct board member names. With that said, um is there additional discussion on the motion to postpone until 519? Seeing none, um can we have a voice vote? Member Jacobs, President Jacobs, I I have a question. >> Member Wilson. >> Um, so I just wanted to know from the administration, is is there anything that would that we would be holding up regarding personnel by pushing this to to our next meeting? >> Uh, Member Wilson, there is no impact by postponing um this report for approval on the next agenda.

156>> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay, it sounds like that resolved your question, Member Wilson. Thank you. Um, seeing no other discussion, we'll have a voice vote to postpone ASD memorandum number 161 until 519. >> Member Bellamy, >> yes. >> Member Higgins, >> yes. >> Member Wilson, >> yes. >> Member Blakesley, >> yes. >> Member Mcdana, >> yes. >> Member Lessons, >> yes. >> President Jacobs, >> yes. Memorandum number 161 is postponed to our next meeting by a vote of 7 to zero. That completes our action items for tonight. Uh we have one action item, one non-action item for tonight, AC memorandum number 159. If there's any board member interested in discussing this, uh we can do so. Otherwise, we will move on uh to the remainder of our agenda. Seeing no one in the queue,

157we will move to um school board and administration comments. Uh let's start with my left and go to member Blakesley. You are free to make remarks about any topic and um they we typically limit them to 10 minutes accord in accordance with Robert's rules. Um I say typically because a couple of our members took privilege at times but um in general please try to mind the time. Other than that you're welcome to speak on anything. Uh, sure. I I um I'll keep my comments short and sweet. It's my first board meeting. Um, I'm still learning how to press the button on and off and go through this uh agenda, but um I will just say to the families that have testified tonight, um I I empathize with your frustration and I will also just share

158that um I have felt similar feelings of frustration about processes related to choices um that that feel um that feel as if public input has not been adequately factored in and um I know that this discussion is going to continue on the board but um for the issue of Campbell STEM I do have a lot of additional questions so I do hope that we are going to proceed with a meeting um to air out some of those questions and and include a lot more public input um regardless of whether a decision is made by a judge sort of to the remarks that have been made tonight. Um, I do think that restoring public trust right now is of the utmost importance. And so I think that uh what I'm hopeful is that we will decide

159as a body to have that conversation publicly and soon regardless of whether or not we have to have it the following meeting. That's my that's my comments. >> Thank you, Member Blakesley. Um, we'll go to Member Belly. M >> M Mr. President. Um if I'm out of order, let me know. Um I am learning the the flow from this side of the day is um at what point at what point can members move to make uh call for a special meeting? Is that any time or is that at a specified time? Um, our bylaws indicate I believe only a special special meeting can be called uh by a majority of the board or by the board chair. Um, >> I'm asking to raise a motion. I mean, if I can do it now, I can

160just call the motion. >> I I it would not be in order now. Um, and um I think the only time it might have been in order was during setting our agenda. Um, I am happy to talk through with you offline um your interest in doing so and and try to facilitate um the desired outcome, but I at this point a motion to schedule a meeting um wouldn't be in order. We're talking about board member comments. >> Okay. Thank you for that. It that is my understanding mostly. Um uh I'm sure the president realizes I was not a member of the body when the agenda was set. So, thank you. >> Understood. Okay. Um, we'll go back to member comments. Member Bellamy. >> Thank you again. Welcome to our new board members. Uh, much gratitude

161and appreciation to our uh to both member Donley and uh member Hollowman. [sighs] Continue to um hear from families not just about I mean the list is pretty steady. Uh these are challenging times and uh the the one thing we agree on is that we want the best for our kids. These times don't make it easy. Uh and it's not it's uh frustrating I think for all of us. Uh and I I think that uh moving forward um we can do what whatever we can do better, whatever we can improve, it's not there is no resistance to it. Uh there is always opportunity, but I thank the families for coming out. I thank you for sharing your hearts and your minds. Uh, and I just um well, as difficult as it as it is, I

162absolutely I absolutely would like you to know each of you that all kids matter. Your kids matter and we we do we are doing the best we can and we can do better. Thank you. >> Um, thank you, Member Bellamy. We will go to um, Member Mcdana. Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I'm I'm honored and humbled to be up here. Um, I've been trying to keep track of the congratulations versus the condolences and see which side of that pie chart is winning. Um, and I'm practicing my CPR reps, making sure that I know how to resuscitate a school district because I think that's the the situation that all of us find ourselves in. Um, until about an hour ago, I was only ever on that side of the deis. So, this might be the first

163time you guys see my face instead of the back of my head. Um, the things that I heard tonight that spoke most loudly is people saying, "We want to work with you. The the public wants to work with the school board." And that's something that I really hold close. Um, and and I I'm committed to that. And I I said earlier I'm very grateful the board has invited me to be the chair of a of a committee because that's one of the tools we actually have to have structured or less structured dialogue and to be more productive about how we can fix the problems of ASD. Um, another thing important about me is my children are immersion children. And I'm not here to fight more for immersion than anything else. But what I understand is

164through the perspective of being an immersion parent, these are 12-year commitments and really they're lifelong commitments. And it's a commitment my son made years ago before anybody thought about Dunley vetos and budget cuts. And he's sticking with it. We are sticking with it. And to me, what we have to do is begin to restructure the way that these opportunities are always there and still always equitable and still always adequate. [clears throat] And I know that a single disruption can cause a lifetime of ripples. So my commitment is listening and how we make decisions really matters and that's those are really important parts of the dialogue that I'm hearing. Um, unfortunately I cannot I don't have the power in the way that rules are accorded that I can ask for a special meeting on the 15th,

165but I will use the voice from member comment to ask the president to call a special meeting before May 15th so that we can have this dialogue in the best ways that we can. And I know that's still a limit with Robert's rules and the way that all of these governing pieces work, but I am urging the president to consider his authority under the board bylaws to call that special meeting. Even if the court is no longer compelling it, I think that it's a it's a meeting that the community is is deserving. Um, so thank you everybody for asking me to serve and thank you to the the members here for serving with me. Thank you, Member Mcdana. I will go to Member um Wilson. >> So, I'll keep my comments short. Um I I

166want to welcome our two new board members and um thank you again to um Andy and I can't even say member anymore. So, Andy and Dave for um their their service to the board. Thanks. >> Thank you. We'll move to member Higgins. >> Thank you. Um again, thank you for everybody that came out to speak. Um I have been asked repeatedly, how did we get to this position uh in regards to closing schools? What has transpired? Um so I'm going to answer the question. Uh, one of the comments that the superintendent made when he when raised his concerns is that before he became superintendent, there were schools closed. But when you look at why they were closed, it's a lot different. You close a school on base because you have special needs kids and the

167parents can't go there because the parents sometimes have special opportunities too or issues or things where they can't get clearance. And so those schools, those SBBS schools, they moved out away from there to close that and that became an IT place. And moving is a different ballgame. Uh shortly after the superintendent came in, he recommended five school closures. Um I have and all the school closures visited every school that was being proposed and I have never seen a school where the school was talked to, walked through, did things that just I didn't would I like. We had the first meetings at those schools. It was pretty hostile towards closing the schools which you know you would expect and as a result now those school meetings are not at the school. They do them someplace else

168and you learn a little bit. We closed one school and we had, you know, an effort to close seven schools. We closed a couple. I think the most revealing information was when Bear Valley was proposed and when the superintendent pulled it off, he made a comment that he didn't know it was being used so much by the community and all that. I'm going, how can you select it without knowing that? How can you look at what these things are doing? And that's how I feel about Campbell, too. How do you how can you select it without looking at the school because it affects the kids. These parents are passionate for their kids and they should be. Uh so we closed a couple of schools. We moved things around. Then we came up to the the

169end of last year. We had two schools looked at that was Fire Lake and Lake Otis. And in the discussion with the administration, I pointed out that every every uh student that transferred to the optional program that expanded it reduce our budget, the budget for all the other schools by 10,500. You've got fire uh you got Eagle Academy over a 100 people out there and they think it could go 150. So that's a million dollars and if enough transfer that would wipe out any of the savings. So the savings aren't there. And then when you go with the savings year one it reduces because class sizes get you know schools gets larger it gets smaller and so there's the savings or a lot of it's an illusion I mean and I'll explain that a little

170bit further in just a minute. Then fast forward to this year before February 9th, there were, and I verified this, a couple of meetings with the superintendent and the board president with individual school board members in regards to right sizing. I hate that term. I've never seen a right sizing recommendation as an alternative to closing the schools. So, I'm not sure. We talked about child care. We got 8,000, but I've never seen any recommendation which I consider right sizing at all. but it's a good buzzword. So, we had those two meetings and I don't know what was said or what was communicated during that uh during that meeting. But then on February 9th came out with a plan that's very rapid. Superintendent has little no time to go ahead and make a recommendation to close

171the school. And then we go back to the three schools. We've got Fire Lake again. We've got um Lake Otis. And I got to tell you, that was an emotional presentation. the the the the school board uh the school stu the student representative in this board did what I think was one of the most spectacular presentations sharing her personal life in regards to closing a school with a title one school. I mean it was moving to me and I will that's puts her in a category all by herself. So we end up with those three schools. It's quickly done. We I I don't see any movement in there and it was done. Um I I don't agree that $2.6 million is realistic at all. Took a very short time after that. We came in for

172$200 to $300,000 for moving stuff. Not all of it with that, but it should have been backed away. I think there's going to be some uh issues with the schools they're moving to. And there are some other issues, but it's it's a sales job in my book. I'm not uncomfortable. I'm not comfortable with that at all. So, we end up going with that approach to close these three schools. I don't think any communications from the parents really affected the outcome. They had four votes. We had three opposed it. We the community has referred to us as the majority minority now. And I think we deserve that. I what really gives me is we've got a mayor. Give give France credit. She came out asking us not to do it. We're going to be hurting the

173community. We're going to be doing this. Please consider this. and and and so the board twice brought it up. Let's reconsider it. And twice it was 43. No movement. Nothing at all. I don't think anything that was processing uh the STEM program transferring that to another school. I'm sorry, but when we build a greenhouse for that school, that doesn't make it a STEM school. Okay? It's the parents. I mean, not the it's the parents, but it's the teachers who have the dedication has worked on that. It's the staffing there. We're not we to build that from scratch. It's not going to just simply be placed and then most of the students they only part of them are even going there and the rest are going to other schools. So the opportunity is not there. It

174devastating. So that's how this thing moved forward. We've had the assembly uh in here and they were upset over it and they kind of they talked it out. Didn't want to do this. Why didn't you pick other schools? And I remember one of the comments being, well, we're looking at them for right sizing. I don't know what the hell that means here, but we had, and you were absolutely correct, the presentation that said, what about all these other schools that were considered to be a higher um, you know, more appropriate to be cut? No discussions, no nothing, and no consideration. It was selected by administration. The board just saluted it. I'm upset over it. And then you see the assembly vote 7 to5 to approve our budget as a statement in regards to I think

175they're upset over what's been done. We had testimony one after the other saying I'm not voting for for bonds and for support be if you're going to pull out after we vote and take it away. I mean it came across real clear. I couldn't help but listen. Um and so that was an important issue that was done but it didn't make a difference. So they talk about you know we get to 2.6 million which is not going to be that much using it to recall some nurses and some this and you know some sports. We lose at the ballot $90 million. Whoa. We've got 11.8 that would have been operational funds. We could have brought all teachers back with that money. We could have done the Ignite program. those kids need it. We could have

176done uh the highly gifted uh program, maintained it. We could have done the sports completely. We could have done a lot of things. We lost public trust and we're not doing anything right now to regain it. That's how I see it. And that is where the problem is at. Don't get me in trouble. Wait, give me a second. [laughter] But but that's where we are. We're not gaining it back. And we've heard from the the mayor, like I said, mayor of France, your hero. What you did coming out fighting for the community. I have a lot of respect for that. The assembly always has supported the funding for this school. The mayor tried to get it so that we can get that one-time increase to to to make to to address these issues, but we

177didn't get anywhere with it because the board is inflexible on the issue. And spite of all the comments, we never look at options. We never got a right sizing thing. We never got anything. So, you know, where does that leave us now? When we got the court decision, I'm not going to go there. Whatever they decide, we have to deal with that. The the the board always has the ability to say we need to gain trust. Let's reconsider this. But I don't know if that will happen. I got to tell you, you got two fantastic new school board members. But where we go from there, uh, I don't know. But the other part going forward is where are we going to be going? Well, next year we're not cutting out any more schools. They said

178it's election year. You got all kind of stuff. The ne following year, look out. So, we're cutting cutting back on on on um um boom. I like that name. That was kind of cool. Boom. And optional. Okay. We're cutting back class. And I don't I haven't heard an argument that we really save any money because we it's still we're going to be full. They got a whole bunch of people within that. I see the change with the boundaries for Ali. What is that going to accomplish? It just shrinks that school down in size is going to make it hard for parents now going to that French program to be able to continue who are in that area. Where do I think that leads? We got to look for closing schools throughout the whole district. I'd

179be nervous in that area. I have a recommendation for you, Campbell. Regardless what comes out, I would recommend you got a charter school application. Uh u Bowman optional probably the same thing. And and ali look out. We right now are focused not on saying this is best for kids. We're saying we got less kids. We have to close the school. Superintendent talked about truth and transparency. I've seen none in regards to closing schools. None. And I've got and I do not trust where we're going in two years. You because it will be a new board at that point in time. You got three board members up for for election next year. But within that, I think the charter school option gives you more control and takes it away from this board and this administration. And

180I think you're better off. I don't think we're going to be attacking charter schools. Now, now Kentucky has a program that basically provides some provisions like that to all their schools I've heard and I'm going to do research on it. But I'm telling you that right now in my experience of what's going on, you need to look at options to protect yourself. Maybe a charter school with Campbell STEM, maybe we can you put it out there and the school's open after this year. If we if the court system is not successful, claim it back. I am I am unhappy with what we've done because I don't hear us saying one, what is the best option for kids? We're just saying how do we close schools? That's not what we're here for. We're here for kids.

181And I'll just close with this to to all the to all the parents out there who have done so much. Y'all are heroes to your kids. You your your love for your kids. You care for them. You want the very best for them. You're you're making phone calls, but nobody's answering. You're doing what you think is critical for your kids. And how can the board not listen with compassion to what you're trying to say? At least understand that issue. >> Higgins, you need to uh be careful not to impugn me. >> Thank you, mayor, and thank you to the assembly. Thank you. >> Okay. Uh member lessons, the floor is yours. Um well last last meeting I looked to my left and I followed member Higgins and this meeting I followed member Higgins to the

182side of the dis and now I'm following you to my right. >> Uh so we're we're stuck together and that's um and I appreciate that. I appreciate your passion. I appreciate the commitment that you bring to every meeting and um and I echo uh really echo your sentiments and other board members sentiments welcoming um our new members uh Blakesley and Mcdana to the board. Um, I appreciate the questions that you bring, your um, energy and I am um, really thrilled about the leadership roles that you will be taking as governance and finance committee chairs. Um, I am reluctant but happy to relinquish the finance committee uh, chair to member Blakesley. Um, it's been a remarkable five years that I've been in that position. And for me, I didn't give a finance committee chair update because

183I'm not the finance chair anymore. But I do think it's important for community members to be aware of um a conversation at our last finance committee meeting, which was April 23rd, and we began to review the FY28 budget deficit. So, this speaks to some of the concerns that um Superintendent Bryant raised, you know, earlier this evening. But, but in short, the latest projections um have grown. Um it's now about a $44.7 million deficit for next year. We're going to have extraordinarily hard decisions to make. We'll need to talk about nurses. We'll need to talk about counselors. I have a personal belief that we're going to need to talk about um right sizing whether we like it or not because we already see that schools are and I think this is most true at the secondary

184level. Schools are at a high degree of risk of not being able to provide the electives, the language offerings, the fine arts offerings, um the core coursework, the remedial coursework, the graduation requirements that students need. when we cut teachers due to class to PTR increases and we reduce the number of FTE positions let's say at west we heard from the Russian immersion uh somebody testifying about Russian immersion a principal only has so many positions to allocate and when you when you cut those positions by four or 14 or whoever you know 20% I don't know um those principles have to make the heart-wrenching decisions to prioritize the core classes students need to cross the graduation finish line. And that means that opportunities like um it like language, like yearbook, like um higher level math courses,

185um the things that will make students eligible for the Alaska Performance Scholarship, um the things that students come to school for, right? Those things are at extreme risk with a budget deficit for the 2728 school year well well north of $40 million at this point. So, um I appreciate that there needs to be a process, but I think that our fiscal reality is going to make us need to confront some very hard choices um very soon if we receive onetime funds. How much do we use immediately to stop the bleeding? How much do we save to stop the bleeding from next year? Right? What is what is the most ethical thing that we can do for our students and our community? So, um member Blakesley, welcome to the finance committee chair. I will be there

186in the committee cheering you on and happy to work with and collaborate with you and um and our community and our staff and um our education allies in the legislature. Um so thank you. >> Thank you, member lessons. Um these my comments I want to welcome members Mcdana and Blakesley. Um I am grateful that you're stepping into positions of leadership and um I have an ask uh for um our finance committee chair. Um that's one of your first actions in the role should be to consider calling um a special meeting or um potentially um having a very robust agenda and act and and being prepared to act quickly on your regularly scheduled meeting to discuss and implement a um a recommended spending plan for reoccurring uh new revenue. Um, and that's I'm intentionally stating that

187reoccurring revenue is is the is the preferred path that I think the board should take because it is not too late for the legislature to generate um adopt and pass legislation uh which provides us um new and reoccurring revenue. Um the state has the resources or uh should be able to generate those resources with enough political courage. Um, and if we are able to have that new revenue, um, we can invest in things like reducing class sizes and restoring programs and, um, avoiding some of the really harsh cuts that we've talked about tonight. um in an in a scenario where um the legislature fails it to do its job again um as it has for year after year and doesn't adequately maintain our system of public education. we will be stuck in a scenario where

188um like we have for months where we see individuals um well-meaning members of our public advocating for programs that are successful, popular, that matter to students across our municipality um but are also by default uh advocating against the programs of their neighbors and the prior testifiers. Um we should not have to pick winners and losers. um cutting $90 million from our budget um this most recent fiscal year um was a a damning and inexcusable indictment on our legislaturator's fail failure to adequately maintain our system of public education. And that work of cutting um is far from over. And um if the legislature doesn't act, I I I I'm afraid that members Mcdana and Blakeley will will be joining us in another exercise of what can we do without and how can we do the least

189harm to students instead of being aspirational and um going beyond looking for efficiencies and um recognizing that there's only so much u room in that area for growth. Um, with that said, I I want to express appreciation and honor for um uh the board choosing myself as chair. Um, it is my job to facilitate the the will of the majority of this board and I will continue that work. Um, I am happy to partner with anyone at the local or state level. Um, and obviously anyone on this board um to move ASD forward and I'm looking forward to the the year ahead and I think we have a great slate of officers. We have a great set of committee chairs and we have seven individuals that truly um intend to to mean the me the

190best for our students and um I am grateful for your partnership in this work. With that said, I would uh completes our business for tonight and I would entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> Mr. Chair, I move to adjurnn. >> Second. >> Motion made by member Bellamy, seconded by member Mcdana. Saying no opposition, we are adjourned at 9:34