001His mom and dad owner >> like the hotels. >> Okay, we will go ahead and call this meeting to order. >> Hower >> here. Kent >> here. Me >> here. Lanky >> here. >> Ricewike >> here. >> Williams >> here. >> Young >> here. >> Do you have a quorum? >> Thank you. >> I would move to approve the agenda. >> Second. >> Okay. All those in favor? I >> I motion passes. >> District mission is to teach all and reach all the district vision will be a school district that brings learning to life for everyone. Our board mission is to partner with stakeholders to teach all and reach all through governance of board policy and operating protocol. >> Thank you. You are up. >> Yeah, since I wasn't here last time, mine might be
002a little bit longer, but first I want to I've been sick for a few weeks, but I can't let it go by without thanking the entire staff of the Urbandale schools. They have kept everything together. My team has kept everything together. All the teachers in the buildings, the building leaders, everybody, as good as we have, employees allowed me to take the time that I needed to take, which is more than I've ever taken. And my son's 24 and he's the last reason I took it. Um, so I appreciate that. I don't feel like that can be unsaid. Um, the school performance profiles were out. thought I had intended to talk about those last time. We'll have a more extensive conversation about those and I I don't know if you remember me saying that this is
003some of the best scores we've had in years. And I I believe every school has made improvements, but I have too that I I am so proud of Valyrias who is now a high performing school and the high school who has made so many gains and I don't think that can go unnoticed. Um again every school has done something fantastic but when we get uh I think it was November I can't remember in our last meeting I will be bringing some more detail of that if you didn't get the uplifting you or parent square there was some information information in there that you can click on that you can go in and and research as much as you're willing to dig into what those scores look like but very proud of our kids and our
004staff for getting them where they needed to be. um facilities. That was one thing. I do want to apologize to the community for having to cancel that first facil facility meeting. Um it is we are trying to reschedu it. So that's something I hope I'm able to get done by the end of the week so we can put an announcement out. But there are a few things that are out in the community that I think need to be clarified. Um there's some confusion about how long we've been in this building. When's the last time we've owned a building? And just to give some history, in 1985 we were in a house uh that the district owned behind Mstead. That was where the district office was. Um in 90 somewhere around '92 to '94 almost 33
005years ago is when we started paying rent and moved into a building off of Merl Hay. I can't remember the name. >> It was Merl Hay Tower. Moral High Tower >> across the street from the old Jensen property. >> Correct. From Jensen and we've been paying rent ever since. The current building that we're in. We moved in here in January of 2008. Um this is right now is the first time we've had an opportunity to own a building that we can put an a suitable AO into. We've not owned vacant property in all of these years. So, hence the reason this building here is been kind of hodge podgeed together. Um, clarifying also the purpose of this space here. If anybody ever went to one of the board meetings across the street, I don't know
006if we could hold 30 people in there as audience members. That was a complaint I received for almost two years that I was here that audience members wanted to come in and have opinions, but they didn't have anywhere to go and I have to limit the number of people and it was just an awful space. We had to set up a cell phone on a tripod. We didn't have the streaming services. That's one of the things that we do receive positive feedback on is being able to have somebody not be here but still be able to watch the meeting. Um, this room and the room behind us is also not just for board meetings. This is where we hold a lot of professional learning. Every every Thursday there's something going on in here with something
007that I'm involved in. And even beyond that, every day there's something happening in these rooms. This is where we bring teachers together to collaborate because we just don't have the space for the size of some of these groups. So, this is this is not a wasted space. Um, we could, there was a opinion that we could meet at schools and we could we I'm not going to lie, we could, but when we were meeting at schools, when we met at the high school for the mask meeting that happened my first year, the sound is not good. The feedback is not good. The the the clarity of what's happening is not good. The intimacy of the audience being here is not good. So, that's that's one of the reasons that we are not here. and when
008this space came up, that's why we took advantage of it. Um, next item, a rolling green status since we're talking about an AO. Um, right now there's some things that need to be done and some things that have been done to get the building ready for the winter. Um, if that building is going to get closed up, we had some landscaping that needed to be done. There were trees growing in the air conditioners that we had to have taken out. Um, that work has already been done. You might have seen a um dumpster there and that's to collect all of that. We have a small dumpster but there was too much to do. We have to continue to monitor the playground. There were pieces that um had to be removed for safety purposes. Um another
009uh problem was the air that flowed in the building. There was none. So now we have since been able to get some air flow in there. We didn't put an HVAC system in there because we're not going to spend that money until we know what we're doing. But the air will flow around there. The police department still uses it for um what's the word I'm looking for? Training. So, we're still able to accommodate that. Um but the the status of the building as far as the air is better. We checked out the roof. We were concerned that there might be a need to replace the roof or do some repairs to the roof and we didn't want the roof to become the next Jensen where it opened up and we had to demolish the building
010because right now the building is viable to build an AO there. And I got word today that right now what little roof repairs need to happen to get us through the next 12 months, 9 to 12 months are something we can do for a couple of thousand dollars. And I'm talking like four digits. not not your big numbers. So, I'm I'm pretty happy about that. We do need to get it ready for the winter. So, right now, Mike is figuring out what um cracks in the asphalt and the concrete we might have to seal because when you let snow get in and it gets wet and it freezes and heaves and all that. Um he doesn't think it's as much as we originally thought, but our preparation right now is to get that building ready
011to close up for the winter. We're not storing anything else there. One of Mike's also his one of his priorities is to get rid of some of the stuff that's in there that doesn't need to be there. So, we don't want to use it as kind of a a storage site um for things that we should not be holding on to anyway. Um and then the last thing is again we will reschedu the meeting and I hope to have that done with communication out by the end of the week so that families can come and talk about whatever questions they have. I also don't forget on our website there's a section dedicated to construction where you can submit questions in the FAQ section there's some history on why how we got where we are. Um
012but I would encourage people to go take a look at that so that they understand where we are with the whole process right now. Next month I or the end of this month, I will be bringing to you two options for um lease renewals for this building, a one year and a two-year. There's some benefits to the two-year as far as saving money. I don't think realistically we can get through with a year, but I'm going to let the board see both of them and you guys decide what you think. Um because we have to have someplace to be until more firm decisions are made. So, that's where we are. If there's any questions, I'd be happy to take them. Sorry, it was too long. >> I did hear some um comments about why we
013have two different rental units. Um, and I was on the board at the time and we were violating fire code by how many people we had in here. And so we didn't really have a choice on the space. And obviously there was a clinic in between there that had a lease. And so is this ideal? No. But we didn't really have an option as far as the fire department. >> That number was 15 by the way because I saw the contract today. >> Yes. That was my first year. >> Thank you. And I would like to applaud the board in 2008 for not trying to finance new construction during the housing crisis. I think that was a really smart move on their part. >> That was a bad year. >> Yes, it was. >> Kate
014and Sam, you're up. >> Yeah. So, we just wanted to talk give you guys an update because we had homecoming week last week. Um, and you know, last year everyone was a little upset when the street party and parade got cancelled because of the weather, but everything was back to normal this year. Um, student senates under some new leadership and everything went smoothly. And I mean, we're both on that and I can speak for that was e the easiest setup and tear down we've had because we were both at school pretty much on Thursday night helping out. But >> yeah, um, every year the process for homecoming just gets easier and easier and I feel like more people um, enjoy it each year even more. And um, things like um picking up the candy after
015the parade on the street. There was a group of students who helped out with that. Every year we just get processes that just make the uh process even more easier. >> Of course, we had powderpuff on and Iron Man on Monday and I heard the seniors won. I was not able to either, but lots of bragging about that. And then of course we had the homecoming game which went very well. Lots of school spirit happening. Um and then of course we had the dance on Saturday and from when I was there it was really fun. So >> was last year snow Um, there was a suspected thunderstorm that never happened. >> Severe storm. >> Well, we got we got to follow the weather, guys. I was just thinking if it was snow, how much better
016we are this year, but >> yes, >> I forgot the storm >> and everyone's just kind of recovering. I know I kind of felt like a zombie today and >> the whole school just kind of felt like >> I was super impressed, you guys, with how well Student Center did setting up. guys. I I helped with a little booth there and I was so impressed with how you guys got everything out and organized. It was you guys did a fantastic job. So, kudos to you. >> Great. Thank you. And on to our presentation. >> Well, good evening. Uh I'm coming to you tonight with a recommendation from administration to adjust the 2026 2027 academic calendars. Um and this was based on just the collaboration and planning that went into implementing this year's calendar and noticing
017something that contextually wasn't really apparent when we made the switch from late starts to full days. Um and that was in the past Karen Acres uh elementary uh has inter sessions throughout the year and those late starts we often missed those staff um from being part of those and so there were already modifications kind of being made to make sure that we weren't trying to pull all counselors together or all EL teachers together. Uh but now with the limited number of days that we have um it's become apparent when there's been a mismatch or when there are those mismatches uh that it's limiting limiting our ability to pull those staff uh together. And so um wanting to correct that for the upcoming school year uh so that we can maximize our time. Uh and so
018what we're proposing is that um on September 4th, this would apply to KA only. Uh they were scheduled to have a day off that day. Um but they would then shift that to be a professional learning day to match the traditional calendar and then their day off would be moved to September 8th, which is the day after Labor Day because traditionally they've had, I believe, the Friday off. Uh but then this year their professional learning day was the Tuesday after Labor Day. So students were still off but those days didn't line up with the tra traditional calendar. And then uh uh this would apply only to the traditional calendar, but October 9th uh would become a school day for the traditional calendar. And then the professional learning day that was scheduled to be on that
019day, October 9th, would move to November 9th, where KA has a profession professional day already scheduled that didn't align with the traditional calendar. So this would bring those two days together. And then uh on November 9th, as I said, that would become professional learning for everyone. November 30th uh would turn back into a school day for everyone, which is the day after Thanksgiving break. Uh but that professional learning day would shift um to December 7th. And that would allow the days to be spaced out a little bit more and then line up. When I'm talking about traditional and KA the traditional, I'm also speaking towards uh the Metro West Learning Academy uh professional days and their schedule though note that they have only a half day and working with the director Mr. Moran. Um he
020maintains that that half day is sufficient amount of time for their staff given the size and then just they have the time before students arrive in the morning. And then conferences um and speaking with him he felt that their current um time for conferences after school uh only is still representative of their need. Um so I just rechecked all those things going into this process um to make those modifications since we have been doing calendars two years in advance. I understood that there were some changes even with Metro West given that more of our spots are now or we have more spots at Metro West than we did when we started this process uh last fall not knowing what that was like. I wanted to revisit some of those pieces >> as we went ahead
021and proposed these changes for the next year. >> What questions you have? >> I didn't prepare you for this, but do you have any feedback for us of how people how the teachers and staff are liking the full day? >> Yeah, we haven't collected firm feedback. Um, >> it's pretty early. >> Yeah. and we've had uh one official with the next one coming up uh this Friday. Um I can tell you that we've really revamped on how those days are kind of um set up. And so the first two hours are teacher um time to collaborate around their next units of instruction. Then they have a block uh between uh 9:30 to 1:45 with lunch in that time. And that is called the adaptive learning uh time. And why it's called that is it's not
022intended to be stand and deliver professional learning. Uh but different um kind of setups and structures for them to engage in some learning but then have ample time to think about how to apply that learning in their upcoming lessons that they had planned earlier in that um that day together. And then um you know it shifts in the later afternoon to a 2-hour block of work time for teachers on each of those days. And so we've tried to u blend and make sure that whatever is happening during those days that there is bits of learning but more emphasis on application of that learning. Um so that's how the days are structured. Um I would say that I've heard comments about um positive comments about the shift away from late starts uh but haven't heard specific
023to uh >> liking. >> Yeah. Uh but there has been just an anecdotal conversation uh with teachers uh that they've appreciated how the day starts and how the day ends. Um, and I I'm not sure we're we've had enough days for them to get the feel of that change during that adaptive learning structure time. >> When does your calendar committee kick off for the next two-year cycle? >> Yeah, I usually u bring them together uh in the fall u early late August. Early August, late August. Uh and then we run um our goal is to always kind of bring something to the board. um in October uh because we need to hit that deadline for Karen acres. And so we'll follow a similar process where we seek more clear uh feedback around some of the
024changes that we just implemented uh to see how they're feeling uh a full year in um as well as anything else that might be kind of percolating up through um the rounding process. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, so I just need to mention as I'm looking at the agenda, it looks like we probably need to take action on setting the public hearing and so I apologize. I was out last week and so this is actually an action item. It's a yay nay, but we'll need a motion in a second and we'll need to vote just to set the public hearing for the next board meeting. >> So she's talking about six. >> Yeah. So I would make the motion to set the public hearing date of October 20th, 2025 for the academic calendar adjustment for
025the 2627 school year. >> Thank you. Williams second. Williams. Okay. >> So all those in favor I >> I opposed. >> Motion passes. >> No public comment. Nobody signed up. So, we'll move on to the consent agenda. >> We'd move to open the consent agenda. >> Second. Okay. Any questions, discussion? Okay, we're ready for roll. >> Okay. Hower? >> Yes. >> Kent, >> yes. >> Me, >> yes. >> Mankey, >> yes. >> Ben Ricewide, >> yes. >> Williams, >> yes. Yeah. >> Yes. Motion passes 70. >> Thank you. I would move to ajourn. And all those in favor I Hi bird. Mhm.