001Good evening. We are reconvening our meeting as the board was just meeting in close session. >> I move the board of education approve the agenda as submitted. >> Second. >> It's been moved and seconded that the board of education approve the agenda as submitted. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? That motion carries. I forgot to say I, but I do vote in favor of the agenda. Okay, so we're gonna turn it over to Superintendent Hawkins to lead us through an update on the strategic plan. Well, good evening everyone. I love that there's a whole crowd of people and I know you're all going to stay till the very end, right Charlie? >> For the pizza. Um, so as you know, um, the district, um, we
002put together a new strategic plan that will sunset in 2029. And our theme for that is ready for you. And I think we've really worked hard to live that model for all of our kids every single day. And a lot of that is because of the work that all of you are doing out in the crowd for us each and every day in buildings, in in all the different um, content areas and everything that you do in your leadership. So, I appreciate all of you. Um, tonight, this is our second report out for the year. So, as you know, we do this three times a year. We have our priority initiatives. We report out for that in the fall. We do it again here in the winter. And then in the spring, we do our
003last report out for our priority initiatives for each and every year. Um, as you remember, those priority initiatives have a status update that you can look at. And if you've all had the packet, you can see what those status updates look like. So, um, it either shows that these initiatives are started, they're on track, maybe they're on hold, they're completed, they're operational, or sometimes we end up cancelling some. So, um, that doesn't happen very often, but that is an option because sometimes, you know, we might get something started and then know that it's no longer um, in the best interest of our students. So to get started tonight, we have a whole lot of people here that want to talk to you because the board just listened to me for a whole hour. So they're
004like, "Bring us some people." So I'm really happy that you're going to be able to hear from people that are actually doing a lot of this work um with our students in our classrooms across the district. And so um tonight, because we like to be very fair and when people come and tell us stories, we like to try to accommodate. So, we have a couple people that need to go to a music concert um because their children are performing tonight. And so, if it's okay with you, I do know how to do math even though we're going to talk about that right now. Um we are going to start with priority number three. So, we're going to go a little bit out of order tonight so we can get them to their concert so they
005can be good moms, right? Is that how it works? Um so as you know we look at our priorities and under each of those priorities we have um initiatives that we're working on throughout um the school year. So three is to provide an optimal learning environment through honing instructional knowledge of educators to engage students in their learning of skills and content. And so if you look at 3.1 that's the priority initiative of teach to heal. And like I had said in our closed session, that will be a report out in our May session from all the buildings that are currently in the first phase of Teach to Heal in our district. So today we're going to focus on 3.2. So I think I have a couple ladies that would like to come up and give
006us an update. So Angie >> and Bethany, we welcome you. >> Please introduce yourself. Not awkward at all. >> Okay. I'm put in the middle. Okay. I'm Angie Breitbach. I'm educational support team for secondary math and science. I've been in the district 22 years. Most of those I spent teaching physics at Hemstead. My name is Bethany Smith. I'm educational support team for elementary math and science. This is my 11th year in the district. Most of those teaching second grade at Marshall. The last time I saw you, I promised I'd bring you math the next time. So that's tonight. So we're going to look at priority initiative 3.2. >> All right. And we're going to do math. That's what I was told. >> Wait, wait, before we start. >> Yes. >> Teachers, I need some help.
007>> Don't worry, they're doing it, too. >> They don't have a choice. Those poor souls, they they came tonight. So what we're going to do, I need everyone to stand up. >> Included. They're just part of math. We're going to count off by seven. >> Mr. Cool, you're going to start. Okay. >> No. >> You're one. >> Oh, two. >> Three. >> Four. >> Five. Six. >> Seven. >> One. >> Yes. >> You two are not participating. Okay. So, we'll go two, three, four, >> five. >> Then we go down the back road. >> Six. >> Seven. One. >> Two. Three. >> Five. >> Six. >> Seven. >> One. Two, >> three, >> four, five, >> five, >> six, >> seven, >> one, two, three. Okay. So, if you are a Where do we put
008one? One is here. You're going to find your white book. One is here. Two, three, four. Seven is all the way over here. So, go ahead and go. Whatever number you >> He's not counting, >> right? >> Gotcha. >> All right. Wow. I'm having troubles. Teacher of the year. Where am I? >> So, I'm hoping >> What number did I say? >> Just grab it. Just hold that mic while you're >> So, I'm hoping you just felt the energy vibe in this room go up because you were all laughing and talking. What we're trying to do with math instruction is get kids engaged because how often do we hear, "I hate math. I'm not a math person." Everybody is a math person. Okay. So, we're gonna do a lesson similar to what we do. We're
009only gonna do one problem, though. >> Beth, do you want to reveal the problem? >> Mike, can you reveal the problem? >> Our problem tonight comes from our new elementary curriculum. I Ready? So, it's all about grilled kebabs. So, Sweet Tea is the chef at Star's Kitchen. He takes notes about an order of grilled kebabs. So what we know is that we have to make between 400 and 500 kebabs. We need three types, chicken, beef, and vegetable. And we have to make the same number of each kind of kebab. So how many of each kind should Chef Star make? You have to show why your numbers work. And there is a rule. The rule is whoever is holding the marker and writing cannot talk. The other people have to tell that person what to write.
010So maybe you want to be strategic and who holds the marker. >> That's right. Chris B is not only >> All right, go ahead and go. >> How about you? So we decide >> 400. >> So we can go >> same number each time. So take one of the numbers divide it by three. >> So three groups of 15. Yeah. >> And you know, if you're working with you kids, you're going to have them start smaller. >> So they would probably start with like what we're familiar with just like 10. So starting with a slower process, a big academic word for numbers like one. You said the most I like. >> Yeah. >> So now we have to solve it. Go to an odd number. >> No, that's gonna be hard. split the numbers and
011go all the way >> and then that's just taking 13 total 420. >> So we rotated, right? So now >> I didn't know that was in the rules going back. It's called the system. >> Yeah, that's exactly >> the goal to have as many options to tell me. I'm going to give up. too much. >> You guys said this like wonder about 10 seconds to finish your discussion. All right, markers down here. >> And I want everybody to face the middle again >> and maybe look at a board that you can see from where you are. So maybe those two groups kind of look at each other's These three in here could look at each others and just see the different ways we approached this. >> I saw some people just plugging in numbers. I'm
012not going to make you explain your thinking. That's what we would do in the classroom. But I saw some people were plugging in numbers and like, oh, it didn't work for 100. Does it work for 150? I saw a bunch of people thinking 150, 15, 450. Perfect. But then we have to think, is that the only number that would work? This group over here I saw they're like we're going for the maximum. I think that's what this group over here had was the maximum. So we're doing 166 of each kind. >> Could we do a minimum? Could we save some money and just do the minimum number of kebabs we need? So hopefully this gave you a little flare of what math looks like in for sure in our middle school classrooms, some of our
013high school classrooms and elementary starting to hop on board with this with this trend. So, we appreciate your willingness to do some math with us. You can just leave your markers and stuff right there and go ahead and sit down. That was so fun. I love that. >> One thing that might keep you all up at night is that we did not give you an answer because there is not one correct answer. We're learning uh as teachers and we're helping our students learn that there is sometimes more than one way to solve a problem and there is sometimes not a right answer. There sometimes is a wrong answer but there's usually more than one right way to solve a problem. In the classroom after students solve this to extend their thinking what we would do
014is give them containers and say this container can fit 40. This container can fit 20 and we're going to give you three of each. How are you going to package your kebabs? So that's how we would extend their thinking and take this standard and deepen their knowledge. All right. House File 784, the Iowa Math Counts Act, is where a lot of our work has fallen this year. This is the statewide law designed to improve instruction in kindergarten through sixth grade math. Um, so three times a year we're required to screen our students. We use I Ready Diagnostic for that. And then any students who fall under the non-proficient or persistently at risk um designation, we are required to progress monitor them every other week as well as provide intervention. We share that intervention at conferences
015with families and make sure we update them um about how their students are progressing towards grade level uh proficiency. We also um are required per the law to provide evidence-based highquality math instruction. So that's why we encourage teachers to use the curriculum we provide and to follow the routines in that curriculum. We are also required to provide curriculum based professional learning. So uh the law tells us we have to do things like this with our teachers going forward, which is great because we want teachers to experience what it's like to be the math learner. And then families, um, we need to keep them engaged in conversations about their students, how they're doing in math, what we can do to continue strengthening math, and then what we're doing at school to continue strengthening their math skills.
016So, in terms of adoption, I I know you know already that I Ready Math will be in effect next year. That will be the roll out and we will have a middle school study starting next year. I know we're going to consider ready math just to see if it plays out nicely for that vertical articulation. We also have illustrative math at high school. So we all and which is what we have currently at middle school. So we want to kind of make sure we're keeping that articulation of skills and and curriculum in line with where we're at. Um so middle school will study next year, roll out the following year, high school start studying, and then their roll out. So it's nice sequential. And moving along to science because we do both. Um there was
017a new science release of standards. There really are not huge changes from the science standards we had before. It was more tweaks of language with the exception of middle school. Middle school is where we saw them moving standards from where they previously were placed. And so we're working on rolling that in. So sixth grade this year is implementing the new standards. Seventh grade will get their new standards next year. Eighth grade the following year. Otherwise, we would have had people duplicating standards and and units. So, we're still going to use our same curriculum that we have, Discovery AD. We're just shifting around units. Um, as we do that, most of our training has really just focused on best practices for science instruction, which is centering centering around a phenomenon, some thing that happens that we're
018trying to explain and then developing questions out from there. And then to go deeper in the standards now, there are new connections. So they have connections to Iowa, connections to careers, connections to ELA, and connections to math standards. So it's nice that especially elementary where they are teaching all of those standards with that one teacher, they can kind of go through and I can align it. Okay, this book here, this reading task with with what we're doing for science. This is our first year implementing our new science curriculum, Amplify. Uh we started in August with a training by the company. Um we also spent half a day with the A.E.A. learning about best practices in science instruction. In February and October, um we did a CLC session. Teachers had time to sort and plan and
019ask questions about the materials. um it's a lot to look through. So, they were given time to do that and prioritize what they wanted uh to put in front of their students. We're focusing on implementation with integrity. We know that there is a lot of material there and teachers do not have the minutes to teach it. And so, we are asking them to prioritize what they're going to teach in that material to make sure their students understand the content um but that they can fit it into their limited schedules. Our next step with Amplify is to adapt the assessments that they provide to fit our standardsbased grading system. We used what Amplify had this year um just so we could see how that system worked and now we're seeing the areas we need to make
020changes. So that's our next step with Amplify. And then here's our science adoption timeline. So elementary started Amplify this year. We're currently studying AP biology and AP chemistry. And I actually think they've selected their materials for next year. Those books are on an off schedule because they can only have uh copyright so many years old. They have to be basically the newer version of any text that we use to make sure it has the up and coming information. >> Am I okay? >> Yeah, you're good. >> Okay. Um in 2728 we don't have anything new rolling out or studying. So we really want to dig in there and focus on our teaching practices. We're doing that all along anyways with that curriculum based professional learning. That doesn't matter if it's math or science. That is
021the go-to right now. Um but our goal in 2728 would be really to dig into and focus on that. Then we have a high school study, high school roll out, middle school study, and middle school roll out. They're out in 29 and 30. >> And that's all we have for you. >> Any questions for them? >> I Bethany, I have a question. You're in charge of the elementary. Is there a lot of you any of the little um test that we did or whatever problem? Is there a lot of collaborative um large group conversation when these students these young learners learning math? >> Uh that is our goal to get them to this point. So this format that you saw is what our middle schools utilize. Our elementary schools we work towards that because that
022is very hard for younger learners. But we do a launch, explore, summarize format. So we launch, get their attention, make it really exciting. We explore. We want them to get their hands on the math and do something with it. And then we summarize, we come together as a whole group to do something similar to this so we can share strategies and the teacher can help them express their ideas because it is very very challenging for younger students. >> But that kind of is the goal to get them to speak up and not be afraid to write a wrong answer. At least speak out and attempt. >> Yeah. Our goal is that the teacher goes through the year talking less and less and less and the students talk more and more. So that's the goal every
023day. >> I don't know if this is the right uh question, but typically when we look at assessments, you know, one day a student take a test, anything can be in that child's world and they can do bad um or good. Do we talk out loud as a district on progress with students and then do we share that out loud with the board to show that hey we're seeing good growth for students? >> It's a great question. So I would say that one of our measurements is on growth. So we we you know when you look at our on our strategic plan at our back our final goals we want to show that a student has made growth in each and every area. So yeah, those are things that we do report out on. Um,
024and it just we usually do that in like ed programs or something like that. >> And we do because of the math counts act, we do have to keep track of any students who are on a tiered intervention, what is their growth, and that's why they have by bi-weekly progress monitoring. >> Okay. >> But I would say our schools are doing that all the time. I mean, I just had the privilege of being at uh Bryant for one of their data digs and they went in and they were, you know, really looking at each individual and seeing where their growth was, where didn't they grow and then how can we, you know, either look at instructing differently or, you know, that sort of thing. So, it was really a great process that they went through
025that I was invited to be a part of. When we look at our math ISASP data, we've seen the aggregated data at an ED programs meeting. What we haven't seen is the disagregated um data results. Just from a 10,000 foot view, where are the groups that we're most concerned about in terms of math progress as measured on that indicator? third grade females is the one that sticks out most to me. Um, an area that we need to focus is uh getting those third grade female students specifically um engaged in math class so that as they get older, get into middle school, high school, they continue to be um proficient in math scores. Um, of course, students with IEPs, that's an area we continue to work with. Um, but yeah, female math students in third grade
026is the one that sticks out in my world, >> not fourth or fifth. Well, they continue that trend, but something about third grade. Yep. >> Yeah. And then we see that continue through middle school. So, we actually were backtracking. We're like, why do we not have very many advanced >> um females in math in middle school? And we went back and it's something in third grade. >> That starts. >> We haven't figured out what it is yet. Then we'll write our book and we'll be bazillion something in third grade. >> So, what are we doing about that? Well, we're continuing to monitor their scores, continuing to look at that persistently at risk. We're continuing to intervene where students are. So, looking at the standards they're missing and addressing those gaps for them. >> And that
027is fortunately through Iowa Math Counts Act, that's what the law calls us to do. So, >> yeah. And I would say as they move on up into middle school, our coaches are really good about looking through their data. Did we miss anybody? Because it happens. Did we miss anybody? If teachers notice somebody that that probably should be accelerated, they kind of flag them and and we dig into them a little deeper. >> Well, thank you for coming tonight. I appreciate it. Go watch that concert. Thank you. >> And um board, as you know, um when you look at the bottom of that sheet um of priority number three, you can see on there the key actions that are taking place in each priority and then what those next steps are. And so we're not I'm
028not going to spend the time tonight to go through and read those at, you know, with all of you, but those are for you guys um to explore um after tonight's over. So we are going to go now back to priority number one. Okay. And priority number one is about strengthening the district's effort to engage families, students, and staff in various areas in student success focus initiatives. And so on this particular report out, we are going to look at 1.3 and Lisa Feltus is going to talk to us a little bit about our preschool offerings and how our research is going about best practices when it's when um for our earliest learners. So Lisa, thanks for being here tonight. >> Yes, thank you. Good evening everyone. Um I'm here to talk about 1.3. And so
029one of the things that I will say that we really focused our efforts around the strategic plan and exploring some unique early childhood options that we can offer in our community. Um the team is comprised of like crossdep departmental representatives. So we have people from our enrollment team, our finance, um our preschool lens, our elementary principles. So, a a large group bringing lots of levels of expertise to the table to really talk about a lot of the complexities about the different offerings that we we can offer our community. So, topics have um centered around programming that exist within our state and in our area and a lot of reach out to those communities saying like how does this work? What are your hours? what do you offer um students that are maybe there for a
030full day preschool program and looking at how that is different or or similar to what we currently have. Also, a lot of time spent on research and best practice and what the benefits are. So when we're looking at different preschool options and offerings as well as the possibility of a transitional kindergarten program, we're really digging in to what we know to be best practice to meet their needs because we know our youngest learners, if they're three and four, also if there's a full day, how do you do that without wearing out those young little cherubs um and doing it in a way that is very conducive to their future learning? Um, we've also been looking at our overall enrollment trends where we see enrollment happen as soon as we open those enrollment um, time periods
031for preschool as well as our kindergarten enrollment. We're looking at student needs. We know that our student needs and our community needs are ever changing and evolving. And so trying to keep a pulse on that to make sure that we're also offering um opportunities for all to meet their needs because we do talk a lot about all means all and we're going to live that by looking at what those needs are. So right now we've also looked at like cost analysis and finances. We need to continue to meet and dig even deeper. We know that like at first I was like oh this is going to be great. like we'll have an answer within a few months. It's not that simple. It's a very complex process because of all the different things that need to
032be considered. Um we'll continue looking at the needs of the community and our enrollment trends. We know we have declining enrollment, so we have to be very purposeful and strategic about how we offer um options for our earliest learners. So, we're going to continue to dig deeper into different programming options and look at possibilities within our Debuke Community School District sites and look at how we continue to do that in an efficient way, but also a way that meets the needs within our communities. So, stay tuned. That's all I have right now. We're in process. >> Do you have any questions for me, >> Lisa? um with these young learners, you know, they're like my 18-month-old granddaughter, she's like a sponge. They just you say something, they remember it, and it's just like, "Oh my
033god, I don't want to stop this." But then looking at sending those foury olds to a structured environment for, you know, all day, is that six hours, eight hours, you know, five hours. your professional opinion as elementary teachers, do you think that's too early or, you know, do we need to do that? I I'm just wonder. >> Sure. >> Well, that's why we're doing the research and that's why we're looking at programs and how they're structured. We know we would have to do things differently in a full day program, >> right? >> Um, than what is being offered in the two and a half hours that they're sitting in front of us right now. And some of that would be very structured. Some of that would be more um we know that play for young
034children research shows the need for that unstructured play but deliberate in a way that can be set up. So we that's why we need to do some more research to make sure that if we go down that road that we are putting programming in place that enhances their opportunities and not do anything detrimental because they are young and they do need play and rest and all those components. Snacks. >> Snacks. >> Yes. >> Yeah. Thank you. Yeah. It's a um it's kind of unknown. I I'd love for it to be successful, but I hope that we don't do it and then I mean I'm all for it, but that we do it and then fall back. Oh, that wasn't a good idea, you know? So, I'm sure you're going to be meaningful on the way
035a day is going to be structured, >> right? If we go down that road, we will be very deliberate and intentional about how that looks. >> And there's models you can look at. So models throughout the world. Yes. So we would really tap into our colleagues that are doing this work right now. Well, and I'll just jump in for a second um as part of that workg group because I think that really speaks to Lisa's point when she started about the complexity of young learners and also the complexity of um preferences of families and family situations and uh what you know families have for child care before and after school, what they have for preschool offerings. And so one of the complexities of the look of the overall early childhood picture is the fact that
036families and students are coming in from a variety of directions with a variety of needs. And so we try to take all of those things into account to say we know we have many students who are in before and after school care. Some are with us for a half day and they're going to another center for a day and there hundreds of other scenarios that that could be. So as part of that I think we've really tried to look at how do we maintain flexibility in our offerings while providing lots of ins and outs for programming that best meets what students need because every family is going to be in a different circumstance. Some will want that full day option, some will want to stay half day, some have before and after school. Some have
037the flexibility to pick up and drop off. And it really is looking at all those scenarios to say, how do we put that all together in a system that cohesively works to best meet families in whatever situation they come to us in? >> Lisa, is this an actual study that's going on? >> Yes. So, um, the our committee, our team started meeting. It's expanded. I will say we there were just a few of us back in May and then we realized how complex it is and how we need to bring more people in to get different lenses and perspectives on what we're doing. Um we've pulled a lot of research. We've talked to a lot of other districts to get some information about what's working, what their challenges are, how they have um done that
038lift so that when we make a decision, we have as much information as possible so we can effectively move forward. >> So are preschool teachers involved in the study or some preschool teachers? >> We have Lynn Glazer and Michelle Light are both as our lead teachers for preschool. They are involved. Yes. as well as Susan Mian um as the as the principal out at Seedlings and director for all of our preschool community centers. Um we have a team there's 17 of us on it right now. So as we dig deeper then that may look a little bit different. When we say we did make a decision to go down a certain road we would pull other individuals in to get their eyes on it and get their input to build that system. Right now we're
039just trying to navigate all the complex pieces that go with it. >> So the preschool teachers aren't directly involved yet in this but will be >> will be. Yes. Once a decision is if we make a decision to go down that road, then yes. >> If you're ever having a bad day, you get in the car and you go out to seedlings. >> Yes. >> And you won't be having a bad day any longer. I promise you. >> Yeah. Lots of hugs out there and um great things happening when you're out in that center. It's a great place to be. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thanks, Lisa. Thanks, Lisa. Okay, we'll go to priority number two. Priority number two is about deepening support for educators and systematizing collaboration to analyze, plan, and implement best practice
040instructional methods. And so tonight, we have different groups that are going to come up and talk to you from different grade levels um in our schools to talk about CLC's. And so CLC's are collaborative learning communities and >> Megan and Andrew are gonna talk to us from the high school perspective. So you guys can go ahead and introduce yourselves and thanks for being here today. >> Yeah, you want to go first? >> I'm Megan Capacious, instructional coach at Deuke Senior. Uh this is my 11th year in the district, all years at Senior. I started out in special education, then moved to English interventionist and now instructional coach. >> Hi, I'm Andrea Rendy. I'm the full-time instructional coach at Hemstead. Um, and I've been there since 2003. So, CLC's at the high school level. Um, we're
041going to kind of just talk about what the structure is and then what we do to support them. If you have any questions along the way, don't hesitate to interrupt. Um, our goal at the two traditional high schools is to try to have a daily CLC period around a course alike group. So maybe ninth grade English teachers teach it all day. They have their prep and then they have time to talk with the other ninth grade English teachers. It doesn't always work out perfectly. Sometimes they're with a group that just fits the schedule best, but for the most part it's what they teach for a majority of the day. Um those groups work through the teach assess cycle. So planning and preparing uh instructing uh building toward an assessment looking through those assessment results and
042then deciding interventions or reteing and then looping back through the cycle. Uh they can jump in at the cycle at any point. Maybe they have a new assessment and they're going to start with that and then work through the cycle as a result. Um and they also follow a pretty strong MTSS process which lends itself to the teach assess cycle. So just with the structure of a daily CLC uh Andrea and I are in there to help support the teachers in various aspects. A lot of it is for collaboration whether for example right now English at the high school level is going through a curriculum study year. So they're looking at a lot of different things and planning and having those conversations which are really great to have meaningful especially like Andrea said when it's
043those um teachers teaching those specific classes um as well as a time to talk about standards like social studies for example looking at those standards that they're going to be implementing and everything with the changes. They're analyzing data. So looking at tests, quizzes, talking about those formatives, you know, things that they might need to do, interventions that need to take place, then reviewing at the summitative, you know, what went well, what didn't go well, what changes possibly need to be made, um, different things like that. And then going along with, okay, an intervention did need to happen. What does that look like? Trying to divide and conquer within the group, which is great. they have that time together collaboratively to talk about and use our support times at the high school level to say, "Hey,
044I'm going to take this section of students that didn't do so well on this. I'm going to take this." Kind of really again using that divide and conquer, which is great. Um, and then also just talking about different needs or things that they need may need within as far as whether with our ELML students, student who may have an IEP or a 504, talking about those different needs that they may have or, you know, depending on the grade level. Hey, I had that student last year. What's something that worked? And then Andrea and I are in there to assist too to talk about different things. If they need assistance with something or we can otherwise figure out, we'll try and find them an answer for um different questions they may have. but really there to
045support each other too throughout the day. >> And so the goal is that we're there to support, but eventually gradually release as teams become independent each year. There's different groups coming together and they might need to stretch and grow depending on maybe who's new to that content area, who's new to the building or who's new to this CLC process and we might have to support a little more there. Um, as someone who is out of the classroom, I think this initiative makes me want to go back and teach with CLC's. Uh, if I had the opportunity when I was in the classroom full-time to have this every day. Um, I think I'd be a lot better of a teacher than what I was. Um, but I would have a new appreciation for colleagues and shared
046workload and truly collaborating. um which would make me more effective and probably more efficient. And we get a lot of feedback from teachers who are like this this has changed my outlook on a daily basis because I'm with other educators who maybe went through the same lesson. We're like, well, we totally whiffed that. Like, let's get back to the drawing board. And then you don't feel so alone like, oh, my poor planning resulted in a lesson that went arry. People are like, no, no, that didn't land for my kids either. So tomorrow let's try this or you know Brian did this thing last week I think we all should do it this week. Um and so while instructional coaches are there our goal is to guide sometimes a bit more silently as groups become more
047independent and can lead themselves. And then we have teachers trying to adjust their schedule so they can swing in on their prep to a different CLC for a different course they teach. And so that collaborative spirit even extends beyond their structured day. So you know it's working when they're trying to build in opportunities to get more for other courses that they teach. >> And I would say too to piggyback off of Andrea just um coming from the special education world, a lot of our special education teachers are in those core meetings as well. So, just being able to be in there to have those conversations, but then also to potentially walk through just what an accommodation looks like or, hey, here's modifying this test. Just kind of showing the whole group just different ways to
048do it kind of opens the eyes in a lot of ways. >> Yeah. >> Any questions for us? >> We're just happy that the teachers have all this support. I think 25 30 years ago when you didn't have that and that new teacher felt so alone. >> That doesn't happen anymore. I hope. >> No, it's great. >> What are we not asking you about data that we should be asking you? H well I guess I would ask has like this improved the failure rate for high school students in nth grade English or most of our nth graders take algebra 1 which as much as we love you know our our moment today of a third grade assignment they don't love and it's a struggle. Um, so that's what I probably would ask about because that's
049something we keep at the forefront of the work so the CLC knows, hey, like what is our current failure rate? Um, how many of our kids? Let's name them because a percentage is just a percentage. Who is failing algebra 1 right now? Who is failing PS9, Chem, and why? and looking back through the data and having somebody else stand shoulder-to-shoulder with me. If I have seven failures and somebody else has two, they can be like, "Look, Andrea, these are because these assessments, what happened? Did they not take them? Were they not here? How can we go about remediating that so we really know what they don't know? And then let's figure it out together." Um, and that's something our teams do regularly, more often individualized. We try to set up parameters for them to do
050that at the school level on Friday mornings, but they can constantly be getting into PowerBI, seeing their own failure rates and having those discussions. But sames with kids who are just nailing it now. Are they bored? How are we serving them? Well, they've they got algebra 1. How else can we push them to extend those skills and even prepare them for the next school year? And I guess one more question. Are there ways to better engage students around the data to help teachers educate students better? >> Probably. There probably is. Like engagement is something they talk about a lot just generally speaking, but kids engaging in their own data or their own collective data is not something that I think we've broached from my memory. >> No. I mean teachers have talked about I I
051could be honest example for today uh a group just broke down kind of ethos p logos and an area they thought students were really going to struggle in uh they actually did really well in so they were going to take it back and say okay you guys did really well in this area but I don't know that we've ever had the students really kind of right broken down have them look at the data I mean our principles sometimes get on the PA system and try to rally students like right now we have x amounts of failures in our building so get to support time, fix those, you know, and the kids are always like, we have how many? What? And so that's a good moment, too. I'm glad that they think that, but just kind
052of that rally and cry like we got this support time. You've got teachers who are ready and willing to help. So, come access that and let's reduce those numbers. Just a side note, um, one of the things that I think my daughter was proudest of her last year when she went to Hemstead was the opportunity, which uh, was, you know, fairly under the radar compared to some of her other accomplishments in her senior year, but the ability to, um, help with mentorship and do some tutoring at the high school level. And so not all of the folks that are tutoring or receiving service from a peer student really want that recognition. And so but behind the scenes as a parent, like it felt really good um to help my child serve in that capacity. And
053I don't know if that would have come out without um the data behind like who's struggling, who's excelling, how can they um you know work together to get everybody to where they need to be. So >> yeah, we have a lot of budding educators. They've got bigger plans for themselves, but the way they can serve friends in class or during support time is definitely very helpful to the overall success rate of everyone. As I hear the two of you talk about CLC's, I think what a quantum leap forward it is to to have this kind of structure in place that is pedagogical collaboration and and monitoring, sharing of ideas around teaching and learning and student progress. I mean that is that is golden >> in terms of helping people grow. >> Yeah, good good job.
054Well, thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Now, we're going to hear from the middle school. >> Chris, are you solo on this one? >> I am soloing. I'm also here while my wife's home with an 864 2-year-old feeding them and bathing them. So, thank you for freeing me up. >> Are you going to stay for the whole meeting? >> This is my many vacations, so I'll take it. Um, my name is Chris Burke. This is my 19th year in the district, former math teacher, sixth year as an instructional coach all at Roosevelt. And I'm flanked by my compadres, Jesse Duvie, Linda Zelig, who are also instructional coaches, and then our fierce leader, Jeff Joel, as our principal. Um, our high school friends spoke a lot about the teach cycle, the framework that drives
055the work of our CLC's. Uh, we've done PLC for a long time in our district, professional learning communities, and words matter, intention matters. So, the shift to CLC, collaborative learning communities, that's not meant to be a misnomer. Um, we heard earlier, Lisa spoke of all means all, and a lot of that stems out of the work of our CLC's at Roosevelt. Um, we operate a bit different than the high schools do. So, we're afforded 45 minutes once per week based upon our calendar. That's either during teacher prep times, Friday mornings, or morning time during the week as is available to those individuals. Um, so a lot of flexibility and patience is important for our teacher teams because the structure of our time and our um staffing just does not afford us that kind of a
056luxury. But through it all, the focus is once again on that teach assess cycle, student outcomes. Um, I want to walk you through our most recent journey as far as a coaching crew, a a BLT as well. Uh, we'll go back in time to 25. Um, this spring, we surveyed our teachers across all CLC's independently first and asked them across these 11 dynamics, where would you rank yourself individually within your CLC? We took those scores and put them together to say, "Okay, CLC, here's how you rated yourself across these 11 different dimensions to get a feel for how they're spending their time using their resources and what their needs might be." Um, fast forward in time, we used that data to then structure a professional learning environment where we had cross dialogue that was heterogeneous.
057So, science with language arts with math with sped across grade level. The question being, what is it you're doing that helps you find success within your CLC? Um, former math teacher, too often those blinders are on and we get that group think going, right? Um, and so this allowed us to see practices outside our own that might translate to what is best for all students in all classrooms. um we lean a lot on the resources of solution tree um that's been available to us as coaches and admin over the course of the last few years through this journey of CLC's and within that 11 question survey they speak of the seven stages of a CLC anything from filling the time we're just getting things going to just planning planning planning um to reflecting on instruction
058like really having a holistic approach to our to our CLC's um we were able to take those solutions or those ideas and look for where the weaker points were. And I don't say weak points in a manner that's like we're not doing good work, but where's the best room for growth and that was as you mentioned data earlier focused on our common form of assessments. So how does that drive our instruction? How does that drive our intervention? So most recently we took those ideas from across CLC's, brought our CLC's back together and say Amy, what'd you learn? Mike, what'd you learn? Brian, what'd you learn? How can other ideas become practice and habit within our own CLC's? Um, and while those practices within CLC's are nice in theory, they have to happen in real time.
059They have to be actionable. A lot of that hinges upon the work of our house-based system. Nine houses across three grade levels. So, how do we use that time afforded to us? We call it extended learning time. There's wind time over at Washington. Um, things like that exist for us. But if our team, our house team is not on the same page, then how do we actually maximize that time? So most recently, we parttook in some instructional rounds. We brought some people together and said, "Okay, what practices do you see happening in real time?" And the goal then is take that those ideas, those practices, and bring them to the forefront to say, "Here's what's happening in real time that is landing, that is effective for all students." When I'm in the classroom, I'm not
060sure what's happening across the hall unnecessarily, let alone down on the basement floor. If I'm not aware of what I could be doing, it's hard for me to know where my blind spots currently exist. And so the idea was to highlight those areas of growth but also what is working for teachers in real time and then bring that back to our more recent professional learning journey which is to look at the types of interventions taking place. Look at student groupings the tiers look at the extension opportunities. Take those things and then bring them to the house team to say okay what are your practices? What are your routines your structures that allow this to happen? because good intentions die hard. If we don't have the structure that allows for these things to take place, then
061it's it's all for not in some situations. And so, more recently, it's how do we embolden our teacher teams through the data gathered year ago to say what do we now need? What do we now know? And how do we put that into effect um dayto day, week to week? Um so, that's where we're at right now with our CLC journey as far as professional learning is concerned. There's two-prong approach. There is the coachdriven conversations which is once every two weeks within CLC. There's also the long-term professional learning moving our entire building forward over time. >> It's great work. >> Any questions that you have? >> It's just very exciting. It's about growing teachers >> and and getting more results for kids. Um, you heard Andrea speak earlier about the excitement that comes out of
062this and how this applies back to the classroom. And the three of us are full release, Linda, Jesse, myself. But you can leave PL, you can leave a CLC with two things in mind. One is I wish I had that awareness x number of years ago, >> but two is I wish I could apply it right now with my kids in my classroom. >> Yeah. In your introduction, I think you forgot to mention, weren't you like a rising star at the state level or >> I won a beauty contest? >> Because the camera's on, I'm not going to touch that one. >> Congratulations on that one tonight. >> Well, thanks so much for being here, Chris. I appreciate it. >> Yep. You can keep me longer. There's still nothing bad, so >> Okay. Drive slow
063on the way home. >> Yeah. Thank you, Chris. Thanks. >> And then we have some elementary um folks that are here to share the elementary CLC process. >> Okay. >> Hi, I'm Charlie Schmeichel. I am a second grade teacher at Brian Elementary School. This is I think my 13th year in the district. I'm Becky Crispen. I'm a special education teacher at Bryant and working with fourth and fifth grade, but I have worked in the district um using my Strat 2 ID and using my Strat 2B. Um so, lots of experience with special ed. Um I'm Jen Fret. I am at Lincoln Elementary as a second grade teacher. I've been there for five years. Uh three as a title one teacher and now I'm in my second year as a second grade teacher. start. >> So,
064okay. Um, so at Lincoln, we have been working on our on uh working the CLC process um for the entire time that I've been at Lincoln. Uh we typically meet um one morning a week. It is us a time that that's our priority where we meet with our CLC's, which is usually a grade level team and then our support teachers, ELML, special education, they'll join a CLC that seems like it makes the most sense based on who they're serving at that time. We structure a lot of our conversations around the four big questions for the um for a CLC is, you know, what do we want the students to know and be able to learn? How will we know that they've learned it? What will we do if they haven't learned it? And what will
065we do if they already know it? So, this allows us to first of all gain a lot of clarity around what everyone at the grade level is expecting. So, you know, if I'm teaching something in my classroom, I'm expecting the same level level of rigor as my teaching partner is across the hall. And if we share students, they're expected to do the same things. It also clarifies it for our title one teachers so that she knows what is expected. So, she can support as she's doing some of her um interventions and things. She can help support us. We clarify it for our for our special education teachers, our ELML teacher. we're able to have those conversations to make sure that we are really paying attention to what every student needs and thinking about how we're
066going to track that. That second part of how are we going to know? We think about common formative assessments that we're going to share. So that way we can think about are they making the progress and then we've seen some really good um success with that because then now we can plug some of those holes that someone who maybe isn't getting it but also we've been able to really do some great extension work with our students that already have some of those skills so we can make sure we're pushing them ever higher. if you want to. >> So just to kind of add on to uh that you know what we do as a PLC is we follow kind of this process that we call it the KUD process. You know what we want the
067students to know what they'll understand what we want them to do in the end. And so as was mentioned the four big questions really help guide us through that process. When we look at standards we take a look at those standards. We say, "Hey, this is what we want our students to be able to do." Uh, we create our learning targets and hopefully like you'll see like those learning targets up on the board. I know, you know, my students I that I have my learning targets written right up on the front of the board. You know, just today we were doing a structured literacy lesson about vowel teams and long O. And so I hit on that learning target several times throughout the lesson within that like 20 25 minutes of where we're talking specifically
068about that sound or that vowel combination. Uh so that's a big part of it is having that learning target on the board and you know on the board and that's a big part of that engagement component that was asked about before is when our students know where those in those ideas are consistent and those learning targets are consistent. They know where to direct their attention. They also know to go back to that if they're ever wondering and they know that consistency is available to them, keeps them safe, keeps them knowledgeable and so that you know they're ready to go for the day. Um and then what we just talk about with that when I know myself and my partner Bobby are sitting down and we're sitting in within our um either after school meeting. We
069always meet on Thursday afternoons after school or then we also have our Friday morning times where we're working through our KUDS you know those big questions and we'll work with our instructional coaches about like you know as was said would def what where are they where are certain stu students discrepant uh where you know what are we going to do for these students that they already know the standard and we use the assessment data we use common inform common formative assessments in order to be able to determine detmine, you know, where they fall and we make a pathway for each one of those particular um questions. You know, what are we going to do for these students? So, it's really nice because it keeps our um so for like in math, we do like a
070workshop model or you know, we have our groups within reading. It keeps those groups fluid. They're not staying the same all the time. Students are kind of moving back and forth between groups based upon what they know so that they're getting that almost individualized instruction within those smaller group settings. So it really works out fantastic that way. Um I see a lot of confidence grow in students when we develop those um specific groups or when we work towards what they know and what they need to develop. So uh it works great that way. And then we like I said do common formative assessments. We've done instructional rounds. Uh we do observations of our other other teachers in the classrooms. And so it really allows us to collaborate. That collaborative piece is so important, you know,
071not teaching in isolation. You know, when I started teaching 20ome years ago, >> yeah. Um, there was a lot of isolation. And so this makes the work all the more fun when you're working as a team to solve, you know, where we need to go next with our students. So yeah. >> Yeah. And I can offer the special ed perspective on that. Um I've been in special ed for um yeah close to 15 17 years something like that and in elementary and at the beginning of my career there was a lot of isolation too like Charlie talked about. Um but now that we're in this process of the CLC's we have a structure in place where I can be involved as a special education teacher with the same students that the general education teachers are
072working with. And so we're working on the same goals. I know the learning targets they're going to be um doing that day or that week. I know what they're need to learn and where they need to go. I am then able to teach my students how to track their own data. They know where they're at. They know where they need to be to show their growth. And um it's been really power empowering like um giving me confidence to know, yeah, I know exactly where you need to be. So get going, buddy. You know, like get get to work because we all know where we need to be and where we want to go. >> This model, it just seems like from what everyone has shared, it's really keeping the students at the center. Like it's
073really about what students need, but also providing all of the teachers with the support that they need to do the best work for students. Like it's just really impressive. >> Yeah. >> And that support comes from each other. uh we always you know I like to go with the belief philosophy the wisdom's in the building or the wisdom's in the room and so that we're working to solve that problem together because we individually don't have all the answers so that collaborative piece is extremely important so and focus is on the student like you said >> with doing the collaborative um working with other teachers and coaches does that help if you would have a student that is you know needing or identifying different needs that maybe you're kind of blinded to if you're only in
074that classroom all day, not getting out to talk to others. You know, is this collaborative work in every level kind of help for you to think, oh, you know, now I see this student more because I'm collaborating. I'm talking with other teachers that are experts in the area and brought some more. It kind of opened my eyes to, you know, how I can help this student. Is am I the right? >> I mean, I most definitely agree with you. It it it really um once we've worked together as a team or once I've worked with say you know my partners or our instructional coaches and once you develop an understanding of maybe like a small group of students or a particular group of students that can only help benefit to um meeting the needs of
075that student and almost you know getting to know them better so that also we can not maybe take as much time and we know this path forward for the student. So, but yeah, I mean the collaboration piece is definitely a component that I think helps us with students. >> Yeah. >> Yep. >> Are we doing anything creative to better support our students with special needs? I I think always trying to always going into that cycle of um assessing and knowing where our students are at and then trying to plan towards their needs. I think as long as you continue to do that, you're focusing, especially in special ed, like I'm always focusing on the individual. And so I can see exactly where they need to be in class, help them feel successful in class, help
076them to feel that success. that is very um empowering for our students. Um not just special ed students but all students um they can see that they are growing. >> And I guess one more question as we think about just some of our most vulnerable. What do we not know that we need to be knowing about our our students who are in special needs from your perspective? Um I think they can um do more than do more. We can hold them to a high standard. Not higher than their peers, but we can hold them to a high standard. Um because that makes them feel like they can like they're a part of something and that they are growing and learning and being successful. >> Yeah, I think that's important. And not to get too political,
077you know, I think as you know, as we think about resources and trying to do the best we can with the tools that we have at times, those who are most vulnerable are the ones who get left behind, sometimes unconsciously. And so I just hope we don't lose sight on our most vulnerable. and and I hope and I know you guys will, you will continue to let us know what we don't know so that way we can best support all of our students, but specifically our most vulnerable. >> Thank you. >> Excellent. Thank you. >> Just to make things even, we do have another teacher of the year person. >> Charlie can't ignore Charlie. >> Don't ignore Charlie. Oh, yeah. He had the whole bus. I remember that. Well, um, not to put Charlie on
078the spot, but Charlie is also someone who's been tapped on the shoulder about getting an admin degree, right? And he's now in the admin, um, program. >> Awesome. >> So, as we talk about training or, you know, >> pulling up the next group, that's that's Charlie Schmeichel. So I mean just like one more piece to add to that is a lot of the work that we've been doing within those classes. This is you know straight in line with that like what I just said today is also things that I said in papers or in discussions and things like that too because it's it's work that's proven to be effective and it's work it's work that's proven to show you know growth in our students. So it's awesome. >> So thank you. Thanks for being here
079today. I appreciate it. Yes, you can leave. >> Like, well, we were thinking about him as a leader, but he left the meeting early, so I don't know. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Priority number four. Um, this one is about studying and implementing strategies to streamline operations in ways focused on student success. And um for this one 4.1 that is completed. That's when we knew that um that was the work we were doing on the bond referendum and unfortunately that did not pass and so that has been put to rest. Um 4.2 is further develop middle school efficiency plans to ensure a high quality experience for all. And I just want that one I think is one that we have started and we have lots of work to do in that in that in that
080priority yet to go this year. And so we have um been meeting internally um trying to figure out a timeline and about what's next for the district when we look at um where our efficiencies need to come and how can we accomplish that. Um, I'll give a shout out to um the TH editorial board for um the editorial that was put in the paper on Sunday, really stating exactly where our district is financially. And I think that's important piece for our community to know and understand. And there's going to be opportunities that are coming that is going to give our community opportunities to engage in the process and to be part of the decision that's next for our district. And I really hope that people take the time to get engaged, to get involved, and
081to make sure that their um that their thoughts, their feelings, their emotions are heard, but also that they can listen to where the district is currently and the things that we need to do to make sure that our students stay at the center and that we continue to offer the programming that all those students need. So more to will be coming on that. Um but it is started and there will be opportunities for our community to be engaged. So we're excited for those opportunities to come forward. And last but not least, we move to priority number five and that is around enhancing staff development that boers leadership opportunities and support staff retention and longevity. We know the importance of the people that are in our buildings because the people make the biggest difference with our
082kids. So, we are tonight going to be talking about 5.2 about developing a check-in program that looks at um our staff once they leave, you're kind of in that limbo, right? You have a mentor for two years, then that mentor um goes away and then what does that look like um for your development as as a teacher? So, introduce yourselves and thanks for being here tonight and waiting to be last. I appreciate it. >> Of course. Right. Uh, well, thanks for having us and allowing us to speak on our experience. My name is Emma Bonhover. I am a thirdyear teacher at Eisenhower >> and I am Kylie Unen, third grade teacher at Eisenhower >> and third year teaching as well. >> Before before we hand it over to I just want to kind of like
083all the work that we have done so far today talking about our different initiatives. I mean, that tells you why this is so important that we're looking at retention because there's a lot here. There's a lot on the plate and a teacher's job, it gets it gets more difficult every year. And just to share with you a couple of national statistics that are really important that the the stats are a little bit debatable. Uh but nationwide you're looking at 55% of new teachers within the first 5 years of employment switch occupations. 55%. And we and that's led us to take a closer look after all the things that we're asking them to do. We've got two this is the future of our teachers right here. We've got two rockstar teachers from Eisenhower that do a
084great job for us. And when I met with them, they gave such good insight as to what is the difference in that third year. Um, less than 15 of teachers that are leaving are leaving due to retirement. And these are kind of alarming numbers. So when we talk about it, like what do our numbers look like? So I can go I can't tell you this year's yet because we still haven't gotten to the end of the year. But if we're going back to last year, we had 55 new teachers. And out of those 55, we had four teachers that didn't return. So >> after one year. >> Yep. So we're doing we're doing something right now. It's time to to look a little deeper into that that data and see how far out we go.
085Um but we set up a program where I I sent out a survey and then you get the survey information back to our teachers. what are some things that we could do? If the data is showing us that between that first and fifth year that we've got some crucial time here. So, our third-year teachers, they don't have a mentor. They're out of the mentoring program that was mandatory through the state of Iowa. Had some some solid experiences. There's ways we can improve on that, too. But, I've gotten so much good information and and I'll let these two ladies tell you all about it because uh they've been been great asset for us. So, go ahead. >> Yeah. Um we both have had the same mentor. Um and we both have experienced very similar situations within
086our three years of teaching, but um we thought the mentor program had great um assets. There were great um ideas behind it. Um but speaking from experience, both of us kind of felt when we did have something a question, we went to someone in our building. um our instructional coach, our team. Um it was just easier, right? It was more convenient. Um when you would meet once a week with your mentor, you got great feedback. But for more on the-ly questions, um having someone in the building um kind of just fit the part a little bit better for me. >> Uh resources were quicker to access. uh our teaching partners, they are familiar with the students. We are teaching the age level. Um that was something that we >> kind of had a difficulty with
087where some of the materials that we were getting were not for our grade and for the age level. >> Um another thing is just the the building and the rules and procedures. Knowing that coming from somebody inside the building is very beneficial. uh and not having that from our mentor at the time that was a very a very big challenge for me and my students in moving forward with student behavior and academics. >> Um another point that we wanted to bring up was also as a first year teacher or as a first year of somebody doing anything it is a challenge no matter what it is. >> Uh we can only speak to teaching because that is our career right now. um for that your first year, you know, you have your 45 minute prep
088time and oftentimes you are stretched very thin during that time meeting for MTSS, meeting once a week. >> We're discussing um lessons with your co-workers, right? Trying to get everything set up. >> Um and then once a week you met with your mentor um which kind of just felt like I have so much I need to be doing right now. Um, it was great when it was when you felt like you really needed to have a discussion with your mentor. Um, but some weeks, you know, you're you're kind of sitting good and you're just like, I you know what, I got this. Like I I already talked to my co-workers, you know, they helped me out. Um, and then your second year, you met once a week. Um, which then your second year, you're kind
089of figuring it out. Um, if I had a question, I would reach out to her. Um, but more than likely I would just reach out to our instructional coach or our team um to get that quicker feedback. Um, third year of teaching, I've always been kind of an independent like I kind of will reach out to my co-workers, navigate it, right, and I'm good to go. Um, obviously I rely on them, but um, so third year of teaching felt like, you know, I didn't necessarily need a mentor because I had the resources that I needed in my building. um you know there's easier access that way. Yeah. >> Immediate response time for sure. >> Do you think the CLC's have helped you as a third-year teacher? >> I think so. I think the time aspect
090of that is hard um as an elementary teacher. um meeting and looking that far ahead um planning your common formative assessments and doing all of that because a lot of it you're switching your lessons day by day with what you get done and what you need to retach and what you need to extend. Um but I do feel like it it is helping. Yeah. >> And you know also on top of you know everything else you're teaching multiple different subjects. So you're trying to do the formative assessments for all of this or you again you have your meetings during that time. So not often does that CLC time actually >> you know prove to its fullest potential because it is such a shortened window. >> Uh but when it does happen it is very collaborative
091and it is very helpful especially having veteran teachers on your side. >> Yeah. Absolutely. >> Excellent. >> Kudos to the school you're teaching in. That is awesome that you have these partners you feel comfortable approaching and they take the time >> and that's that's what we need more of. That's awesome. >> Yeah, >> that's the big part of that transition into that third year and beyond is is what kind of relationships have we built, you know, from amongst our staff members and not just from in in building but from school to school because you're both u have been involuntarily transferred and a second school. And so it's that sometimes when you're a new teacher that you you're you're getting bounced a little bit and so then that the the workload on that plate that we're
092talking about becomes even tougher to to bear sometimes. So >> and I will say um when you both of us have gotten moved. So when you have your mentor um your prep now is kind of designed to somewhat talk about like how things are going, but now you're at a new school, right? You have a lot on your plate to do. So that meeting was just like again I have so much I need to do. I'm at a brand new school trying to hold it together as best as I can. Um it just felt like kind of another thing sometimes. But >> um unless you guys have any questions, I'd like to say before we are done speaking, if you've ever heard the saying it takes a village, it is very true >> and it
093attests true every single day. Yeah. >> Uh we both have three teaching partners as well as ourselves and our instructional coach and our principal and you know whoever else is in the building. And >> a part of that is a mentor and a part of that mentor program is having that mentor easily accessible. >> Yeah. >> And having your village where you are, it makes it all that greater. >> And it makes it almost more real too, more meaningful when they have when they see you in the hallway. Um and you you know they're there. you know, they're there watching. Um, it's just it's more powerful, I think, than having being an elementary teacher, but having a middle school mentor or a high school mentor or who was a high school teacher or middle school
094teacher just didn't feel relatable at times, but >> a little disconnected. >> Yeah. >> Like you said, on the fly, you kind of like, okay, I need to know this now. I can't wait till Friday. >> Yeah. Especially when you're dealing with, you know, behaviors. You can't wait a week until your next meeting or two weeks from now. >> You need a resource. And >> yeah, >> thank you for being so honest in your presentation. >> Thank you. >> So, you guys ready to become mentors yet or? >> Maybe we'll give I actually just applied for my master's program. So, >> all right. >> Love to hear that. >> Yeah. >> Good job. >> Great job. >> Yeah. >> Same with Debuke schools, of course. >> Yeah. the conversations that have come from this have
095been invaluable and and especially the the the honest ones because I do I get some conversations that are >> just like you said I know that we're supposed to meet. I've got a lot of things to do. If we could speed this up that would be great and it's nice about it. But uh you know when you get an honest heartfelt conversation it goes a long way and it to help us better our programs that we have to retain our teachers that are doing such a good job. Well, and I just want to shout out you, Brian, because when you emailed us um scheduling a time to meet with your third year teachers one-on-one that I feel like your third year, you're kind of like, wait, I don't have my mentor. Like, yeah, I'm good.
096But knowing that we feel seen is also >> a really good feeling. So, thank you for that. >> You're welcome. Thank you. >> That's great. >> Well, good. Well, thank you for being here tonight. We really appreciate it. >> Absolutely. >> Thanks for sticking around. Yeah, right. Have a good night. >> And you don't have to stay any longer. >> Are you sure? There's pizza. >> So, that wraps up our um our priority initiative update uh for this evening. I really appreciate I think, you know, we're trying to bring the the strategic plan to life and I think when we get to hear from the people that are actually doing the work and doing the initiatives from the field, it's so valuable. And I love that you get to meet different uh people on the
097staff, get to hear from them and hear about their experiences. So again, I appreciate everybody that was here tonight. Um thanks for your great questions and we appreciate all the work that the board does as well um to make this success this strategic plan successful. So we're ready for you and we're ready to go home. Right. So well, thank you Amy and your team and everyone who came. We appreciate it. Um, it is very helpful for our learning and understanding what's going on to hear from you. And I know it's a lot of work to put it all together. So, thank you for that, too. Are there any other items? >> Any one last topic we want to talk about for a couple hours? >> No, I think we're good. >> Okay. Seeing none, then
098we are journal. >> Thank you.