001There we go. Okay, it is 6:01 p.m. We will reconvene our August 5th, 2025 Lameis Spring Valley School Board meeting. Um, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded. Also, if you are viewing this meeting online and would like to make a public comment, please fill out the comment form which is linked on our website um at lmsvschools.orgboard. Um, we will take those up till 6:10 p.m. Um, next we have students from performers from our ESS program to lead us in the pledge of allegiance. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> Thanks you guys. Good job. Okay. Um, next we have the approval of the minutes of the previous meeting. >>
002I'll second. >> Any questions or discussion regarding these minutes? All in favor say I. >> I. And then next is the approval of tonight's board agenda. >> I'll move to approve tonight's board agenda. >> I'll second. >> Any questions or discussion regarding tonight's agenda? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Which brings us to communications. We have a spotlight on extended school services program. >> All right. And we have a great video to share first tonight. And um Jen, why don't you uh come on forward? Um Miss Jen Montes is the director of ESS. And um as soon as the video is done, then you can share a little bit about the program. Okay. It's time around the world, >> but not in the Lame Mesa Spring Valley School District. The kid are too
003busy having the best summer ever. They're flying, swimming, hunting, and snacking their way through a season full of fun. I'm Emily, and I'm taking you inside of the summer ESS program. Our intrepid moving reporters are on the exciting scene all over San Diego. Let's go. Yeah, I play today. >> It was crazy. I was like flying so high. I felt like >> Back again with G and I'm here with >> Miss Alyssa, what's one of your favorite reasons to be an ESS leader? >> I love making um relationships with the kids and I think it's really important that kids have adults other than family that they can come to and trust. >> It's been a great day. I'm so excited to go flying. I just can't wait. >> Welcome to the boardwalk. Why do you
004think it's important to bring the ESS kids out into all these fun field trips you provide? >> When I was a kid, especially over summer, I was the ESS and we got to go out all the time. All these new experiences that stuck with me as an adult now. And then when you think of summer, you think of the beach. And this is the perfect place for you guys to come still explore your creativity by making sand castles and then have some fun in the sun, right? The sculpt just got their hands on some awesome stuff. >> Breaking news. I literally just found out that martial arts is here located at Lemon Avenue ESS. We get to do like talent shows and I love watching the kids cuz they have so much talent. >> Chef
005Scotty, she's our man. What do you love most about teaching kids how to make food? Oh, I love it when kids sometimes they're afraid of trying certain foods or cooking certain foods and then they come back the next day or the next week or the next month or the next year and they said, "You know what? I love red peppers now or I love broccoli now and I love turning them on to cooking." >> This guy's great. Yeah. >> Very nice. Welcome to my show. My show excited about new, new skills, new places we never thought we'd go. Thank you for making this the best summer ever. Thanks for joining us on this journey into the elementary summer essa just flies away. That was my son at the end. Uh, and the iFly. I thought
006Ron and Karen knew that and that's why they put him there, but they didn't. They just loved his smile. So, that makes me even happier. >> Uh, so, good evening board members and superintendents. Uh, my name is Jennifer Montes and I'm the director of the extended student services program and ELOP program, expanded learning opportunities program, uh, with La Mesa Spring Valley. Um, it's wonderful to see you all and I hope that your summer was restful and rejuvenating. Uh, for ESS, um, while many enjoy a well-earned break during the summer, um, that's when ESS comes alive and we're here for six weeks making sure our students have some awesome programming. Um, we ramp up and deliver enriching and exciting and engaging programming for our students, and this year was no exception. Um I'm incredibly proud to
007share that we served uh 1,237 students this summer and of those 1,200 625 uh were able to access the program at no cost to their families. So because of our ELO program grant um that access is not just transformative but it's transformative for students but for their families who rely on the programs for support, opportunity and connection during those months when school's not in session. Um, this summer our students experienced a wide variety of activities as you saw from indoor skydiving to uh STEM courses at Mesa College. Our uh middle school students had the opportunity to go to Mesa College and take a um music technology class, a um computer programming, game design, and we had some on-site classes for martial arts enrichment and on-site STEM classes as well for our kids. Um, one of
008the biggest highlights was our second LMSV Playhouse production of Shrek Jr. last year we did Moana. Um, and some of our amazing stars are here. Uh, it's directed by Tony Sako. He's a music teacher over at Parkway Academy. Um, and our student performers, Lola, uh, Braden and Emma included. Um, put on five five shows last week for ESS and then three shows for parents. Um, so they worked really hard and their talent, confidence, and hard work were on full display and it was a joy to see them shine and I'm very proud of them. Um, of course, what you don't always see in the spotlight is the incredible work that happens behind the scenes. Um, our ESS team, site leads, PAR educators, supervisors, and support staff work tirelessly to plan and organize and deliver programming
009that's not only fun but meaningful and enriching. And I'm endlessly um grateful for their dedication. Um, the spotlight video beautifully put together by Ron and Karen Cook captures a glimpse of our summer, but that won't fully uh capture all of the little moments that make a big impact. Uh, the joy on a child's face during their first cooking class, the pride of performing on stage, or a student saying, "The best part of my summer was, you know, indoor skydiving with ESS." So, I thank you all for your continued support of expanded learning. Uh it's because of your leadership and investment that we're able to give students not just care uh but truly memorable experiences that inspire them long after the summer ends. So, thank you so much. >> Jen, we have one more surprise for
010you. She's my best friend and she might want to say a couple things about ESS2. Miss Montes, thank you for putting all of your hard work into just for us to have fun. Thank you for planning all of our fun things that we've done for all of our breaks in the past years. We've had so much fun with this plans. Thank you so much for putting into all your hard work. Don't get me started on how fun we've had this year. It's so awesome. And we just And we just never want school to end. It's so fun. So >> yes, >> especially break and thank you. What's up? Oh, yeah. Picture. Can we get the uh Yeah. Our Shrek performers up here. Take a quick picture with our board president. Mom and dad, hold on.
011Wait, wait, wait, wait. Go back. Let's make sure your parents get the photos. It's okay. >> You're the most important photographers in the house. >> Everybody. All right. >> All right. >> Thank you. >> That was awesome. She said she never wants school to end, especially the break. >> Won't even get me started. >> Okay. So, that brings us to other staff communications and information. And it seems that there's no other staff communications. >> Not tonight. >> Okay. Um, report of action taken in close session. >> Uh, in close session, the board unanimously approved Michelle Valdez as our new director of child nutrition. So, congratulations to Michelle. >> Congratulations. And that brings us to public comment. Kathy, do we have any comment cards? No. Um, how about our online participants? >> We do not have
012anyone who submitted a form by 610. So, no public comments via Zoom. >> Thank you. Which brings us to our report section. A final report on National Center for Urban Schools Transformation Partnership. Bless you. Um, tonight is um my pleasure to report on our final year of our ENCUS partnership. Um, we have actually in August for the last several years talked about our ENCUS partnership. We have um for three years partnered with the National Center for Urban Schools Transformation in our district to talk about um really what equity looks like on the ground and how we can improve our practices as schools centered on um making improvements on behalf of our students. So, I'm just going to do a little history walk about what the last three years have looked like, but the most important
013things I have to share with you tonight are not from me. Um I have a couple of principles here to share with you about the work and a representative from ENCAST. So ENCST is um operated out of San Diego State University but is a a an awarded organization that have worked with school districts across the nation to think about what practices are evidence-based in helping schools achieve. And three years ago, we entered into this partnership with them to think about how to work with our leaders and our teachers um about putting equity practices into action. And um it's really about thinking um how do we how do we generate outstanding outcomes for all students in all demographic groups. And the purpose of this partnership really came out of some work we'd started during and post
014pandemic when we started thinking about everybody was talking about the word equity. Um and we really wanted to talk about what that meant and what that meant inside our classrooms and many of us read this book. all of our administrators. We were reading this book and talking about um one particular quote that we really resonated with us, which was if conditions at the school were such that all students were con successful, what would those conditions be and how do we make sure that we're really looking at the practices in our classrooms and across all of our schools that would ensure that every single student had the chance to be successful and how do we set that up? And that for us is really that's equity and action. And we wanted to think about how we
015do that and how do we do that with intention. So we began thinking about a partnership that could help us do that and in a way that would not just be the thing that we did that year but would be an ongoing conversation that would live in the work and would be something that would be part of our culture. And so why did we choose ENCST? Well, we knew that we had had a previous partnership with them um at both Bankraftoft and Rancho. They had had sort of one-time work with the organization that had come alongside the school and had some conversations with them and it had been really successful. We knew that it was local, so um they understood our community, they understood our district, and we knew that we could have some ongoing
016support. And we knew that we had the ability to align the instructional focus and the academic needs of our students with the work that was happening because it's been important to us particularly over the last 3 to four years that the work that we do in all things is aligned that we're not just adding one more thing, one more thing, one more thing, but we're talking about how is all the work that we do systematic and aligned and part of a continuous cycle and focus. And ENCS has a proven record of success. They work on evidence-based practices and they continue those practices and consistently implement them across schools across the nation. And those schools that put those practices into place consistently show um growth for students of all demographic groups and students of all learning
017abilities. They're seeing demonstrated practices. So, we know there's evidence base behind it. So, in our three-year partnership, the first year was conducting school visits and then processing the reports that came out of those visits. Um, when I spoke with the executive director at the time, I believe we may have been the first district that had every school visited by um the ENCUST auditors to come in and actually do these reports. And at the time, we had many, many new principles. Um and so it was really a gift I think to come in. Um they used practices identified in both leadership in America's best urban schools and teaching practices um in America's best urban schools and looked at observable observable characteristics in our classrooms and our schools. They met with staff members from both certificated classified
018staff. They spoke with parent representative groups and from that came back with reports and recommendations for each school and a district level report that gave us some information. And we spent some time processing the reports um and we'll talk about that a little more in a minute. And then the second two years we've had very intentional and aligned principal coaching so that we could talk about what was the work that your site identified from those reports that was important. How was it aligned to what you're doing and how are you leveraging that each year to build on effective practices? So the coaching has been intentionally for the principles but the principal's work has been leading and implementing that work and the accountability has been following up what's the evidence and what are we seeing well
019I don't know what I just did there we go okay so in our first year as I was sharing the school visits came and we had at every school um a team visit and have these um conversations with staff and visit and collect evidence and Then the visits uh covered these five five areas of focus um and gave reports and information around professional learning, the schedules, routines and procedures, teacher collaboration practices, observation and feedback and how those practices are being implemented across the system and communication and celebration and how is that being put into practice. And these are kind of the evidence-based gears, if you will, that keep the system flowing. And so in each of those areas, the schools were given information. What we did that was incredibly I think the most effective part
020of this work was that that was the first year we had been bringing representatives from the school's instructional leadership teams to work with their principles for uh release days. And so when the reports were done, we brought the instructional leadership teams in with their principles. members of the ENCUS team joined us along with the facilitator who'd been working with our instructional leadership team and we processed those reports as a team. So instead of just sending it out and saying here you go where it might feel like somebody's judging us and telling us what we do good or what we don't do good, we were able to really look at them and identify what are the strengths, what are the patterns, but also what's the alignment to the work that we've been doing and really be
021intentional about what the feedback means because it isn't a report card. It isn't a judgment. It's simply looking at evidence and then talking about what next steps might be. And so it lowered the effective filter essentially for our staff and helped those teams work collaboratively and think about what might be next. And part of that work was how do we align the recommendations that ENCES was providing to us to our ongoing work in the framework for powerful learning and the cycle of professional learning which is something that our teachers are very familiar with. You've heard us talk a little bit about when we talk about our instructional practices. But if I go back a couple of slides and hope I don't mess up. Um the professional learning, teacher collaboration, observation and feedback and communication and
022celebration are absolutely the components of the blue part of the cycle of professional learning. And the teachers when they saw that and realized these are the same things we're talking about. We're going into each other's classroom. we're observing and giving feedback and these are parts of the things that we're developing. They could see where these practices align and how these things are not new things for them. So then as we continued through the next few years we were able to continue going back to the encust reports. In fact, every time we've come back together with our ILTS during the year, we've said then how does this align to your enccast report? So, it isn't something that sat in the first year, but we've been able to bring back, as we've talked about, things like rigor
023of instruction, alignment to standards, guaranteed and viable curriculum, meaning the kids are getting things at the same schools, their experience would be consistent across our district. Um, and narrowing our focus to ensure understanding and mastery. So, we have an aligned instructional focus across the district. We're not trying to do everything, but shallow in a shallow way. We're doing things deeply and well so that we can ensure our kids are learning. So every time we're going back to the practices that we've learned in both our reports and in the books. We've provided copies of books to our schools. Many of them have walked through, read the books, talked through the different practices, read excerpts from the books so they can keep bringing back that alignment. And then the principal coaching as I shared with you has
024been really to focus on maximizing the time our leaders are spending in classrooms to reinforce the implementation of the practices that they expect and the professional learning and using distributed leadership to leverage their ILTs their professional learning communities to align that curriculum and instruction and classroom expectations. So, how are you bringing along? You've heard me say this more times probably than we can count together. Um, we can't do it alone. I, as the the leader of the school, I shouldn't be the one standing here saying, "This is what we're doing. This is what we're doing." We have to all do it together. It has to come from us as an instructional leadership team at the school. And so, how are we leveraging that work together to figure out what our next steps are and um,
025planning that work together? And so, that coaching has really been thinking about, okay, what are your next steps? How are you planning for that? Um, and how are you being thoughtful and strategic? What are you seeing in classrooms? What feedback are you providing? How are you being thoughtful and strategic about that? So, I have talked a lot and it doesn't really matter what I have to say. What matters is um how's this working for you? And so I've asked a couple of our principles to come tonight and just share a little bit about this because one of the things I wanted to um emphasize is even though the partnership is ending, the work has had an impact that I think will live on and they um both have done some really great work with their
026ENCAST coaches and with the things that they've learned to have impact at their schools. So we'll start with Stephanie and she's just going to come share a little bit with you. Good evening, President Mc Mray, board members, Superintendent Feliciano, and our cabinet. Thank you for giving me a few minutes to share about my experience working with an ENCUS coach over the last two years. First of all, I just have to say how grateful I am that La Mesa Spring Valley did not check an equity box. um that you guys really do invest in leadership development and it's not a checkbox here. It's something that we live every day and you do not see that everywhere. So, thank you for that. Um, working with an ENCUS coach has honestly been one of the most impactful development
027experiences that I've had as a principal because I was able to improve how I support teachers, especially in the area of how I am able to give feedback, specific actionable feedback to teachers. Um, my ENCUS coach, shout out to Dr. Theel over here. Uh, he gave me focus time with practical support. Those two things were just like the best combination so that I could give that meaningful actionable feedback to teachers and it was all aligned to our uncudit report. And so we all understood exactly where we needed to improve. We were had a single source of truth if you will about where we were and we all had a desire to get better and then we were able to have like actionable steps on how to get there. I also have to say that um
028the ability to collaborate with our principal cohort along with our ENCAS coach was invaluable. Um it really I think is a part of the the process that made it the most impactful because we had dedicated time and space to reflect together to challenge each other's thinking to share best practices. You know we laughed, we cried, we learned we grew together. Um, and there's just something really special about being in a room with with people looking at evidence-based practices, having someone who's experienced, um, a lot of different challenges and people that are experiencing challenges in the same room together cheering each other on. It's a really special thing. So, um, like Deian said, we each have committed to bringing these practices into our new cohorts. Um, and it's just like it's not just a value, but
029it just shows the capacity that's been built because we've said to each other, we're not letting this go. We see how impactful this has been. You know, for Maryland Avenue specifically, when we started um till now, um on the California dashboard, we've gone from orange to green in our um math and from yellow to green in our ELA. our student all of our student groups have also followed that path upward. So we are super committed to continuing this work and really grateful for the experience. Thank you. >> Good evening everybody. Um I'm really fortunate because when we started this work it was my first year as a principal and so I first started at LMA and then ENCUS came in. At first, we were a little overwhelmed for they were coming through our school. I
030had just started. My staff was like, "What's going on? What are you bringing to our school?" And I go, "No, it we're gonna go through the process." And so, it was really exciting for us to share. So, I want to start out just kind of sharing what came from the audit for me because that that kind of inspired the work that went that's gone on in my school over the last three years. And so after they came out an audit, their recommendations for us were educators at Loma Elementary should cultivate a positive academic culture by promoting student identity and scholars, ensuring access to rigorous, clearly understood priority standards and delivering instruction focused on clear learning goals and progress monitoring. And so over the past three years, we've utilized this guidance and we've implemented it in
031a meaningful way with equitydriven shifts on our campus. And if you look at my campus over the last three years, we've had a lot of great shifts and a lot of great changes. And for me, what it started when I started, I I had Jeff my second year and the first year I had Karen. And I feel kind of fortunate because I got two different people and different perspectives. And that first year with Karen, it was really examining what were the procedures and practices going on at our site. Looking it with an equity lens. How do we look at everything we're doing with that equity lens? And that first year, my we I made a team of teachers. We we had our PBIS team and they all went to restorative practices training to really look
032at our school from a more restorative way and really work on building community. And so that first year was really our focus. And I was really fortunate because I got to go up to some of the ENCIST award-winning schools and be part of the observation and going into their classrooms and seeing how those teachers led the change and those principles led the change at their site was so impactful for me because it gave me a lot of tools that I could bring back and it helped me really to have that clarity on what is the mission and what is it that I'm trying we're trying to do at our site. And so that's how our work's been around and the the cycles of professional learning have kind of fit right into it and that's been
033a lot of the work that we've really done. And so this um last year with coach Jeff when Jeff was here we he really was for me a valued partner in looking at our data and taking action actionable steps to improve the learning at our school. And so I'm especially proud of the instructional shifts we made during the cycles of professional learning. Our grade level teams chose priority standards. They had their grade level standards and they made sure the big thing for us was not just knowing our standard but what was the rigor that we needed to teach at because we were always teaching the standards but what really was that expectation of that standard. and they that's where they were struggling because in our minds we were teaching the standards but really diving into
034the data and doing our pre and post assessments and looking at what that expectation is on CASP and I ready and all of those tools that we have that have that higher level of rigor so we could really make our instruction more rigorous and so that's really been our focus with our backwards planning and as grade level teams we've been committed to doing our common formative assessments and our short constructed responses that have really like it's changed the learning at our school. And so it's been really amazing to see the shift and Jeff's really helped me with just how do I walk around and see the evidence in my classroom that it's happening that they're at that level of rigor and how do I help give feedback to our my teachers to encourage the work
035they've been doing but to help them continue the work. I'm really proud to say at our school this year we made 9% growth in ELA and 7% in math. So, we've had big changes and it's been amazing. And even our I have to celebrate this is like a little win, but during state testing usually um the writing portion our school historically the kids took one day, they were done. This year they took three days. Why do I celebrate that? Because the kids really cared that they were taking their time and doing their outlines and trying to think about their writing. So, that was such a big win and a success. And all my teachers like they they want to keep going. They're so into it. and said they're celebrating that. They're excited about showing what
036they've learned. And so those kind of wins just like make us really excited and seeing that change that's going on. And one of the thing the quote that I want to share that really resonates with me that I shared with my teachers yesterday that kind of leads our way this year is that I don't become what I think I can. I don't become what you think I can. I become what I think you think I can. And so it's really about believing in our kids and that we shape their belief in themsel and what we believe they can do, they start to believe it, too. And it's really changed that culture and that climate at our school and to see the kids change along with it and really have that growth mindset. So, I've been
037really thankful for this opportunity and the experience that Encust has provided and I think this work's helped me become a stronger leader and it's something that we will continue at our site and teachers and students, they've all embraced it and they've really seen that success and they get really excited about it. So, thank you for letting me share. >> Um, our test date is embargoed. So, I'm just gonna say >> approximately approximate growth. >> Approximate growth. Um that I I would um like to just take a minute now and introduce Dr. Jeff Theel. Um he is an executive coach with the National Center for Urban Schools Transformation. When we began this partnership, um I might have said that um I wanted to make sure that uh Dr. Theal was coaching with us. Um, I might
038have demanded it. I don't know. Um, and um, I'm fortunate that I got to work with Jeff in a former position and I knew um, his gifts and coaching principles and then that ENC has had quite a bit of turnover with some of the coaching and availability. So, we were lucky that Jeff actually picked up another cohort for us. Um, so he's worked with almost all of our schools. Um, and so I asked Jeff to come and share because he did a lot of our visits, most of our visits when they did the initial visits and then has been coaching almost all of our principles and then has led the kind of alignment of the coaching work with all of our principles and um to just kind of share his observations over the last three
039years from the beginning to now with you. So Dr. Good evening everyone. Um it's a pleasure to be here this evening and really I don't really need to say anything because it was just all said right here with these two uh wonderful principles that you have. Uh one of the slides that Deian showed that Encust has a um a triangle of of foundation of a transformational culture. That's the first thing that when we come in and do these equity and excellent audits, we look for a culture, a transformational culture where all kids are valued and all kids are are important. And um so transforming a culture is done by what you just heard uh these two excellent principles talk about uh changing um getting excited about instruction and data and and kids growth and and
040all of those things. And it's not always just the data itself, but it's the kids getting excited about wanting to do better on the state test, right? And then really wanting to to uh to improve. So that whole transformational culture piece, I was telling Deianne uh we we briefed on this prior and uh it's been a pleasure in these last three years because I did get to visit most of the schools and do the audits and there has been a transformation in culture. One of the things that I was saying the um the the work that you all have put into your facilities is quite noticeable from an outside perspective someone coming in. So I applaud you. I asked Dian if it's okay if I said that because just from an outside perspective when ENCUS
041comes in and and we've had the pleasure of doing this all over the country. oftentimes if you see schools that aren't well-maintained and aren't safe for kids and aren't sometimes clean, then it tells you a little bit about what you think about your children or how you value them and that type of thing. So, we've seen a huge improvement in your facilities and I commend you for that. It's it's I've gotten to see it happen and so I think the money that you all uh invested in your schools is really well evident and uh and I applaud you for that. So, that's kind of an easy part. It's expensive, but that's the easier part. The other part of transforming that culture is getting getting folks to buy into improvement, right? Like how do we, you
042know, we talk about equity, but we're also talking about excellence for all kids. And so, you can't have excellent, you can't have equity really if you're not excellent for all kids, right? Or just even have excellence. And so, it starts there with that da with the data. What is the data telling us? And when we came three years ago, the data was telling quite a story. and and the the reports were saying, "Well, you need to improve upon the rigor in the classroom, the instruction." I I I'm so impressed that Tara mentioned that. She literally mentioned what that report said. That report has been a guiding force for these last three years. And like Deian mentioned, it doesn't go away. It should be constantly revisited. So that how are we what would happen if those
043audits in two years we did another audit? Would they say the same thing or would the data tell us something different? Would an outside perspective tell us that our culture has improved, that our instructional rigor has improved? So, I really applaud you and the way the way the way you all did all of those uh reports and got together and I I was able to to be there was so impressive. We don't see that all over the country. often times uh schools get these reports, they don't know what to do with them, they're not happy with them, and they just sort of set them aside and and and and hope that that uh no one will ask them about it. So really, you all took them and you used them and you used that report
044>> to to drive the work. And so, you know, I I I've spent a lot of time like the first time I met I remember even even with the first year uh with Stephanie, it's like, "Well, tell me about your data." Well, what data do you want to know? I'm like, well, how are the students doing? You know, what is the data saying? Now, I ready is one thing, but also the state data is telling us where the students are because you spend a lot of money on I Ready in order to get kids to see if they're at grade level so that when it comes time for third grade and on up for them to to take the state assessments that they're ready for that. So, is your I Ready data telling you that
045your kids are ready then for the rigor of the state testing. And so we spent a lot of time looking at data. And I can tell you in the two years or the three years that I've been here, these principles know their data. They both told you they weren't, you know, they're excited about their data. It's become a big thing. That's a transformational shift. And that makes the culture better because we should all know the data. You guys should know the data. The the the all everyone here at the district should know the data. The parents should know the data. The kids should know the data. how can I improve if I don't know where I'm at and where I need to be. So, that's been a huge shift in the transformation is that data.
046So, I'm really proud that they both mentioned that because I don't know that three years ago we were talking so much about what the data was saying because we weren't all that pleased with it if I recall if I'm being truthful. So, and then the next part of of the of the that threeprong um uh approach with encust is is instruction, rigorous instruction and standards align. And so what we said in a lot of the reports that that I I I I was involved in is that we saw teachers working hard, but we weren't certain that it was aligned with expectations of the standards. like the standards, the state testing is all done in accordance to the state standards and every grade level has them. And so oftent times we were seeing instruction that was
047below expectations. So the students are are performing poorly or or are not at grade level. So that's where our instruction lives. Like we live down here. So if you looked at your data, there was growth down here. So kids were moving sometimes from red to yellow, but we weren't seeing a lot of movement up here in the green. Why? Our instruction wasn't up here in the green. So what ENCUS has seen happen all over the country in high performing schools is that they focus their instruction up here and they scaffold the low kids up. So we start here. We don't start down here. And that's been a transformation and a a constant conversation with the with the principles when we go into classrooms. What's standard? And we they they know that we won't go in
048without, you know, now they have them on their phones. They have the standards. The teachers know we're going to we just want to know what the standard is. And that's not uh an um that's not a request that that anyone should be be against, right? We want to have a standards aligned instruction. And uh so we look at that and then we look at the curriculum we're using. What curriculum are you using that is standards aligned? And you can't always just assume that what you get off of wherever you get your de your your curriculum is is aligned with the standards. You really have to start with the standard and work work from there. So, we've spent a lot of time and I've seen a transformation in that. I think there's a lot of work
049to continue to do in that area, but I certainly think that you all are on the right track with that. And then the third thing that I that I've and having had the pleasure of working in other districts throughout San Diego County and actually all throughout the country is this third piece, the adherence to district-driven initiatives. Many districts just say, "Okay, principles, here's the reports, go for it." and go out there and do it. And but what what I've seen happen here is at the district level, you all have led that work. You've brought the principles in. You've brought ILT team or your teachers in and said, "Hey, here is our district-wide focus that is aligned with these things. Here is our new district-wide aligned focus this year that's aligned with what we did last
050year that's aligned with all of these things." So there was definitely a drive from um the district to support the principles to support the teachers so that the work could be um combined together with with uh with the guiding notion of making sure that we were providing standards aligned instruction. So, um that those three things as far as transformation um I really applaud you and uh think that you're definitely on the right way or right path and you know it's a threeear it's been a three-year partnership and and and normally and and what ENCAS says is really we should be out of here right and so now because the work is there they've been given the tools and and the district continues to support them they know how to support each other as principles and
051and and leading their cohort work that and then I hopefully both myself and and loose and and Granger the other two coaches have left some things that'll remember the little reminders you know they're going to hear what Dr. said, you know, or loose would say, um, you know, just to keep the work going forward because what we hope to happen, ENCUS would love to come back sometime, but what we'd love to come back is to award some of your schools as ENCUST winners. And what an ENCUS winner is, it's a school, it's an an urban uh, you know, a school like you have here in La Mesa that all student populations, all different groups score at or above the state average. And that's how you become an ENCUS winner. And you all are well on
052your way to getting there. And so I hope uh before too long we can come back and uh have some encust winners here in La Mesa Spring Valley. So thank you. It's been a pleasure uh working here for the last few years. So thank you Dian. So, as I'm sitting here, I'm looking behind us at our new um purpose statement and guiding uh principles. And I think about like we will we take collective responsibility for the success of each and every child. And we're committed to continuously improving as individuals in order to meet the everanging needs of children and their families. and we will be relentless in our efforts to remove barriers, address disparities, and foster a true sense of hope and promise. And that to me, they're so aligned to the work that we've
053been doing for three years with Encast, right? to try to think about each and every child and in ensuring that um I found this quote and I thought that it really resonated for me with this work because it says equity work is hard and will take sustained and conscious effort to disrupt a system that has for too long left many of our students behind. Only by recognizing the problem and working towards recognizing our ideals of equality education for all students will we be able to say the schoolhouse is for all of our children and not just a few. And I think part of the conversation is the partnership ends with Enost and we're very grateful for the investment that we've made in this work. But for us it is an ongoing work and it's not
054easy work. Disrupting a system is hard work. Um, and I think it's important to stop and commend not just these principles for their hard work, but their staff. Our teachers, I think Jeff said, our teachers have been working hard from the beginning. Um, focusing that hard work in a different direction, it's not easy. Disrupting that system is hard. Um but they have taken this on with such uh enthusiasm and effort and passion on behalf of children and I think it's really commendable and I think it's still hard work and equity work is hard and we have to remember that as we keep doing that and being relentless in our efforts to remove barriers for each and every child. So do you have any questions that we can answer for you? Yes. >> Yeah. So, uh,
055obviously, uh, I think I came in about about two years ago. We're in the middle of of kicking this off, if not already started again. And obviously, every year we get our updates. Uh, you know, obviously, uh, during our time here, we see, you know, numerous people leaving the position, right? Leaving the district, whether it be retirement or new opportunities. Um, like, and you guys are hinting at it. This is a question I wrote down like probably 15 minutes ago. Yeah. like what what steps are are are have been created to ensure that's embedded and maintained right beyond all of you. I mean we hear about district leadership leaving and there's a you know obviously tone at the top plays a role but then the impact the the impact of individual teachers obviously plays a
056role. I mean are there going to be internal assessments kind of to assess the maturity of these and the growth of these these these changes and that that in three to five years they have to slip back or are they progressing in the direction you want to to become a award winner is there uh like tools that INC has that allow you to maintain or itself created what what what is the way that uh in any audit um you know you you you see change you see like you know kind of these actions being addressed But how do you ensure that it actually sticks? >> So good questions. Um I I will tell you the the ultimate goal like uh Dr. The references obviously looking at our state test scores and looking at the achievement
057of each of our student groups and those kinds of things in in the books like so I've had those questions like well will they come back at the end of the year and tell us if we've made progress? will they um so one of the things we've talked about is like the in the books that we have and we've provided there are some different like the questions that they look for when they're doing their audits are in the books. So it's it's possible to go back around like if I was a principal and I wanted to look at some of the things I could say well how likely you know ask some questions or look for some of those tools. um the validity of some of this it comes from outside right somebody else coming
058in um that being said I think what you're talking about is how are we ensuring that this is more of a systemic this systemic work how does it live and for me that's why it isn't that time we did the enc work it's been about saying how are these practices part of the work that lives in our system so one of the things we've been really intentional about is embedding that framework for powerful learning in the cycle of professional learning as the culture in our district of instruction. So all of our principles know it, their instructional leaders at their school know it, our district leadership instruction team knows it. this is how we implement professional learning in our district and it aligns to the work as I was kind of pointing out the circle um
059of encast and those best practices so that every time we do something new we're aligning it to the culture and the way that we do things so that it becomes systemic best practices um and I think then the other part is like for example I there's a new principal here's the report that was done for your school for the last few years and then when we come back with an ILT those are questions that we bring in how okay now think back to your encust report. Is there anything you would tie this to? What's the next step? So we're trying to be very intentional so that that's built in and there will be a legacy of that in the culture no matter who's here leading it. Um I can't promise you that it will live
060forever, right? Um but that has been the intention of trying to systematize things. Yeah. Anyone else? >> I guess a followup to that. Um is there have we thought about how to course correct if when you know we do see drops in test scores or you know those those kind of tangible uh metrics that we're we're using for this um that we're seeing okay this school is um you know or many of our schools are trending you know they were trending up and now they're trending down. Is there something that we've thought about to course correct um in in those scenarios? Well, I mean, you're going to assume that there's going to be a trend down. No. Um, I think anytime you like that's part of having a data culture, right? When we started this
061whole work in the very beginning, our conversation was about how to build a data culture. And I think anytime in a in in trends in data, you'll see ups and downs. So part of what happens in a data when you have a culture that revolves around understanding data is that it's not me like if there's a data dip somewhere that's owned by the people who have a data dip. I'm not pointing at them because there's a data dip. I'm just saying they're the owners of the data. So that that onus and responsibility is is on the leaders because as a teacher I'll tell you I never had as many teachers as we had this year at the end of testing saying well I I've already gone into serves and I've been looking at my students
062because they are owning that um responsibility for the learning of the kids in their class and then saying this is what I think I need to do differently last year next year because I did so much of this this year and I'm not seeing this growth in math so I want to do this differently in math. So that course correction is going to come naturally when we have that ownership right on ourselves for relentlessly working towards the success of every student. So yeah. Yes. And I think that becomes part of building that data culture that we've been working towards. >> Any other questions? >> Um I just had a a quick I was just curious. I know one of the things that um was mentioned that when the kids that are testing lower, they're getting
063started at a higher um how does that work? Are they getting additional services because they're getting started higher even though they were testing lower? >> I I think what what Dr. The was explaining is about keeping the rigor high and scaffolding up access versus teaching lower and then they don't have the access to the higher instruction. That's what he means. So it's about providing the scaffolds so that they can access the higher rigor instruction and that's what we've been building. It's like universal design for learning, right? Providing the scaffolds. >> Yeah. Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. This brings us to item 6A, which is our board policy updates. There were quite a few of these. Um uh and I'm glad with you know yeah how we're that we're incorporating in a lot
064of the CSBA policy um updates. Um so I'll move to approve our board policy updates. >> I'll second. Um, any questions or discussion regarding these updates? Okay. All in favor say I. >> I. Opposed? Excellent. Next is item 6B. It's an action item, appointment of district representative to commission. So, I'll comment on this one. So, I am currently our district representative on the three Les Mesa commissions, boards and commissions um that we have representatives on. And so I that along with being on the board along with all of my other life responsibilities is a lot and I was not planning on being on all three of them myself. So I was hoping that we can um uh I was working with David to try and find someone to take my spot. Um this does need
065to get approved by city council. Um um but I um yeah, so thank you David for helping find someone to um take my spot on community services which is everyone asks what is that? That is soon to be renamed so it makes more sense parks and recck commission. Um so it they um you know kind of review what what is going on with all of the parks and making sure that our parks are up and running well. um kind of different recreation services too um and kind of get updates and and whatnot about that. So, >> and Karen's a Lame Mesa resident and was enthusiastic about joining the commission. So, >> we'll see how enthusiastic she is in a year, but >> we'll need a motion in a second. Did you motion it? >> I
066guess I can motion it. I'll move to um appoint Karen Casey to the Lame Mesa Community Services Commission. >> Okay. Any additional questions? All in favor say I. >> I. I. Opposed. Which brings us to item 7 A. It's an action item. Our business services consent items. >> Make a motion to >> second. >> Um any questions, discussion? We do have a acceptance of gifts. So obviously a big thank you for an acceptance of a gift. >> I had one question. Sorry. Um the on the list of the institute institutional memberships. So we approve every year on here. Um I noticed the Lisa Chamber of Commerce and the Spring Valley Chamber of Commerce are on there. And I had asked David this but I wasn't 100% sure. Um Tina, I think you were might be
067able to answer this. Um, do we have any we're parts of both of those chambers. Do we participate with either of those chambers or um, you know, utilize either of those as ways to get the word out for HR or programs happening, get volunteers, get >> but is our is our institutional membership anything? >> Um, we haven't yet. However, we may in the near future with um upcoming um projects and things that we're working on, especially as we're looking at um bond and things of that nature. >> Okay, cool. >> At least not I shouldn't say we haven't yet. At least not since I've been in the district. So, >> yeah, I didn't know if that those were places um to find coins in the couch cushions for some of the work that we need
068to do. >> We had a motion in second. Yes, Kathy. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Any additional questions? All in favor say I. >> I. Opposed. >> Okay. Which brings us to item eight, our educational services consent items. >> Um to approve item 9A. >> 8A. >> Sorry, eight. The wrong one. >> Oh, 8A. My bad. 8A. >> I'll second. >> Um, any question discussion? Okay. All in favor say I. >> I. I. opposed. Which brings us to our human resources consent items. >> Um I'll move to approve the human resources consent items and just want to commend HR on all of the hiring that they've been doing. Um last year I was just comparing pages. Last year we had a page and a half of new hirings and this year we have two and a
069half pages of new hirings. And so that is very exciting and I see that a lot of them are teachers. So, um I'm I'm glad to see and see the eias and exciting new things that we're doing as well. So, um thank you. Do we have a second? >> I'll second. >> Okay. Um any other questions? All in favor say I. >> I. I. Opposed. Which brings us to our closing communication, announcements, reports, and communication from the board and superintendent. Do we have any announcements? >> I'll just say welcome back. I know some of us have kids going back to school. Parents and I mean teachers are going to be heading back. So, good luck on the first uh days of school as everyone gets settled in. And I know we have the U ribbon
070cutting for the field up in uh Elmac which I will not be attending but I'm excited to do well I've seen already but excited to continue to see as I coach my son's soccer team so it's very nice. Uh last year I almost broke my foot on on a rock up there. So I'm excited that that's hopefully won't happen again. So anyway uh yeah excited to see that and excited to get my kids back in school. Right. I'll echo the welcome back to school everyone and um hope everyone was able to have a relaxing um summer. I was able to go visit our ESY program um before it ended. And that was super cool to see all of the kids doing very creative projects. Um we had some solar ovens being made and um some
071you know goo um slime being made all different types of things and um it was it was very cool seeing the kids in action. Um and then I also wanted to comment I know that we are technically summer's over for us right but um as we know in San Diego County summer is just starting. Um, so reminding everyone that Lame Mason Enrichment Center is a cool zone, is open as a cool zone if um, folks need a place to stay cool. And then also home visits over the summer. We had some um, home visits that were being done and um, I've heard from folks that I've talked to that those were really successful and I hope that it's something that we continue to do in future years. Um, and I, you know, we will hopefully
072see on Thursday if more kids show up to school and we have kiddos that were uh maybe nervous about coming to school that uh are more excited about coming to school. So, we'll we'll see how it actually worked. But I I've heard very good things from um being able to to work on this. >> And I just want to say thank you to teachers for taking my children back on Thursday. Um, and also just as a reminder for teachers that um, if you go if you're not excited about the first day of school, find a part of it that you are. And so I think um, the last couple years I've been kind of going through the motions of my teaching job and this year I'm excited again. And it's so much more fun throughout
073the school to start the school year when you're excited about something. So try to find something that um, whether it's a new curriculum or new art activity or whatever that makes you excited. I think it makes your whole job better. >> Excellent. Whenever you >> I just want to say um I hope everybody has a great first day of school and I know everybody's making a big deal about the COVID kids coming too. That's all I've been hearing about. So um yes and welcome back to everyone. Yes, a big welcome back. I got to participate in orientation at Elmac today for the last time. >> I know. Um and it was cool because my kids keep saying like I don't want to go back. I don't want to go back. I don't want to go
074back. And as soon as we get there, just takes off and I'm like, where where what's happening, you know? So, the excitement is the nerves are there, I think. Um, and the excitement is there just to see the kids all comparing schedules and kids I've never heard of or seen before, but they're hugging and I'm like, "Okay, we're we're ready." So, that was that was exciting. Um, yeah. So, a good kickoff to the beginning of the school year, >> Mr. Superintendent. >> Yeah. My eighth grader at home was up at 5:30 this morning getting, you know, taking a shower, getting dressed like they had his clo, he had his clothes laid out and everything for going to the orientation today. So, it's exciting. Um, yeah, just ditto what everyone said and uh, welcome back to
075all of our staff. We've been getting just really great reports from um teachers and principles out of the schools um and all the fun stuff happening right now. Just a really positive vibe out there. Everyone's excited about kids coming back. So, we are too. >> Okay, are we ready? We can adjourn this meeting at 7:04 p.m. Right.