001Thank you, that was all. Well, goodbye, goodbye. I would like to call the order of this regular meeting of the Bonell Valley School Board for September 27, 2022. Members may participate electronically per AA policy and state law. Laura, may roll call. Garcia Garcia present. Nissnet present. Rashpa present. Sunny Moran present. Thank you. I would like to remind everyone that the district's mission is to create challenging learning opportunities so that all children thrive and are prepared for a lifetime of success and civic engagement. Thank you for joining us on September 22. We are glad you participate in our meetings. At this time, I would like to request a motion to approve the agenda for tonight. Kevin seconded by Beth. Laura, may roll call. If the excitement passes, as always, we will begin with the superintendent's report.
002Good evening, Dr. Anderson. Good evening. My name is [Name]. The board and all visitors, thank you for being present. I have a few things, about five things, to update you. The first is very exciting, as you already know, but we want to share with the public that the district and BEESA, which is our staff union, came to a reminder last week and has Having been ratified today, I would like to congratulate the leadership for continuing to talk through the difficulties. We were able to avoid a lengthy mediation process. I want to thank our team, the BBS leaders. Once the agreement is ratified, they will bring it before you for your approval. We are very excited about the contract we have developed. All parties can support it right now. It is a great value we have
003for our employees here in the district, and it was a collaborative effort. I am very pleased for that. As you know, we have continued conversations with staff in the schools. We have visited four high schools, I have two more coming up this week, and we have visited many of the elementary and kindergarten-eighth grade schools. We want to hear what is happening in the schools, ensuring that the ideas and resources we are using create good conditions for teachers and for student success. I want to congratulate the Superintendent of Operations. He has held these meetings and talks with our drivers. These conversations are not always easy, and we are listening. I would like to congratulate Superintendent of Operations. On Friday, September 19th, they were named an award-winning school for their academic achievements, and as you can see
004on screen, they were able to celebrate. Very proud of the team at Superior Elementary and everything they went through last year and receiving that national recognition. Last Wednesday was Pride Day in Colorado. Every year we celebrate Pride Day for school meals. The district's commitment to procuring food from our local farmers to make healthy meals every day for our children. That's a farmer and his daughter, and they ate with the students at Calvin. These are beans they harvested this season. Thanks to whoever took the picture. We were also able to have a job fair. We are trying to address the challenges we are having regarding staffing and the final resolution we have with BBSA. That will help us because we were able to raise salaries. We interviewed drivers, substitute teachers, and daycare staff. I also want
005to update the public and the board: we have increased pay for substitute months. We had parents who advocated for the raise as well. Now we feel very comfortable with the salaries we can offer, and we also have hiring bonuses for the more difficult positions. But we are still having a hard time finding staff. Anyone who wants to join our district? If you know someone in your neighborhood, visit bbsd.org and we invite them to join our amazing team. The board is now in session. We have the student representatives. As a suggestion, we have the principal from Center Stand. We've invited the members of the Student Council and the Title 9 Council. We have three student members, and the student welfare coordinator and coordinator will come forward. As you know, the Title 9 Council is meant to
006give students a voice in preventing harassment and sexual violence. We want to acknowledge that students have created this, or that schools have created, committees regarding Title 9. I'm very proud of the work you've done, and I want to thank you. I'm very excited to recognize you tonight. It's a complete honor to introduce the Title 9 Student Council. It's an incredible group of students. The purpose of this committee is to elevate student voices. I want to honor your experience and allow you to speak for yourself. Hello, good evening everyone. I'm Singul. I 'm a member of the Class of '20 and '23 at Burger High School, and I'd like to thank you for taking the time to talk with us about our work. A year ago, we met via Zoom to begin our initial meetings, and
007as we wanted to form our council, we had a big push with our educational series regarding Title 9. How do you explain that? Sexual harassment, the body, the school, to protect victims of sexual violence, and also how to support, for me personally, it has been a fantastic opportunity to learn more about Title 9 and celebrate this [Music] 50 years of the title, and as part of the Council, we have to recognize that we have had many, many years of Title 9 and the world has changed quite a bit, and we are hoping that as students and young people we can see the issues that affect us in our lives and that we can use that knowledge we have learned working with Elizabeth to be better for our community, and we are anticipating a better future
008for the District. Thank you, that was well said. Hi, I'm Bella, thank you again for your time here today. Today I am in my junior year at Fairview High School and I am also returning as a member of the Council. The Title 9 Council is significant because Jordan and I created a safe space to allow student voices to be heard, to speak our opinions in this community. We were able to do an educational series, and the work is very important because we really focus on more educational knowledge regarding Title 9. The results: students can learn more and can use this information to advocate for themselves, for other students, and Through this, I was able to meet new people and work on a common interest to improve the community. Thank you all. I am also returning
009as a member and I am graduating this year. I think it's very easy to say that this has been the most important work I have ever done, and it's incredible how much can be done when we all have a passion. This work will last for many years, and I am very proud of the work we have done together. Hi, I'm Eva, and I'm my senior at Fairview. I want to say that the work we are doing now is very important because I found that high school is a point in time where all the experiences shape your identity, and it's a time to learn and be part of a community. It's super important to address sexual assault, and what we have been doing in class is very important. I find that being part of a community
010where you are loved helps you have better experiences in school and in life. This has been important work, and thank you very much. I would also like to acknowledge that we have two current members who should be honored. We also have 18 students who are part of the group, but this is the group that was able to come. So, thank you again. We appreciate it. This concludes their comments. Do you have any questions for the board members? Dr. Anderson, I do n't have a question, but I do have a comment. It's great to see the Title 9 council here. It's been 50 years of Title 9, and it took us so long to have a Title 9 council. So, well done. Anyone else here? Dr. Anderson, I have a question. I want to thank you
011for coming. I agree that high school is the time when one forms their identity, and I'm glad we can help you in a positive way on that path. Thank you for taking the risk and helping us guide this important work. Regarding substitutes, Anderson, we can have these highly qualified substitutes in the most challenging areas. It's something we're doing. We have a plan. It's within the new compensation structure. There's a base pay of $115. We have a supplement to create a pay scale of $160 for substitutes and $180 for retired and long-term teachers. The long-term pay is $175. I think we'll see the impact within several weeks, but what I'm hearing is that people are very grateful, and that's positive. That's my next question. Is it too early to see an impact, and can we have
012a follow-up report in several weeks? If it has had the effect we wanted, and if not, why, what can we do? Yes, absolutely, I can put it in my comments at the end of the month very often, but a teacher says that when you take a day off, you have to work much harder than when you are working because you have to create plans for substitutes. Thank you for trying to help solve this problem because it affects everything. Now we are going to begin with public participation. Members of the public who want to participate had to make the request on the form on the website. By contacting the board secretary, they have the option of participating in person or by Google Meet. The board respects the public's right to comment on the work of the
013District, but speaking out against a specific person can harm that person. If you want to comment, share criticisms, or do so, it must be in writing with the superintendent. If you want to publicly address a personnel matter, the board does not endorse the comments of any person who speaks, and that person can take legal action if they feel their comment violates legal standards. To ensure that the meeting is conducted effectively, please limit your comments to matters pertinent to the district. If you exceed one hour, the comments will be We will continue the comments at the end of the meeting. You can share your comments via email with the board. There are students who participate in our meetings, so the comments should be appropriate for children from kindergarten through second grade. I can end any comment
014that is not appropriate for the students. We are recording video, and you will be able to watch the video indefinitely. There will be a yellow card when you have 30 seconds left, and an orange card when you have 10 seconds. A timer will start at the end of your time, and your microphone will be muted. I will take attendance as you gave me the names. The first person to speak is the Spanish and Dance Board, and people present. I am Bunny speaking personally, and as the facilitator of the Breaking Boulder group, we want to have relationships with Indigenous people based on collaboration. I am grateful for your resolution calling for the inclusion of Indigenous curriculum. I am grateful to work together with the district staff to amplify Indigenous voices and bring them into the school.
015It is important to teach the doctrine of Discovery. And what happened to erase the existence of Indigenous people and lead to the enslavement of African Americans? I am speaking in Regarding social studies standards, I have the honor of working alongside Native and non-Native staff with Dr. Sanz to present an accurate history and current issues for Indigenous people. Please provide support for teachers regarding professional development so that Indigenous people can collaborate and bring wisdom to the land and its people. We all have a connection. Thank you. Next up, we have Ivette Salas. Sorry, I can't see. Good evening, everyone. I am Ivette Salas. I am the Title 6 Indigenous Community Liaison and I am part of the Chicoa Clover. I had the honor of participating in the committee that Dr. Messie formed to develop this land
016declaration. It was very good to hear the voices of those who were forcibly removed from those lands and who went to Wyoming. I feel that as a district employee and as a member of this district, I have to encourage you to do more to take the steps that begin. They passed a resolution like October 2nd as Indigenous Peoples' Day. That is the first school district to do so in Colorado, but in the entire United States, the district has not complied because it has not put that date on the calendars that are sent home or the calendar that is Send families to hang up at home. I'm asking the board to pass the land declaration that includes the recommendations of the members of the affected tribes' descendants. I want to assure you that we are also
017teaching the students what recognition means and why it is necessary. Thank you for listening. Next, we have: Hello, good evening. I am David Pop. I am the White Bike Manager and the mother of four children in the district. My daughter Bella and Eiden are racially diverse and have had to endure microaggressions and racial bullying because they haven't been truly honest about the contributions of Indigenous peoples. The Guay works with many people in the community to end racism, and I am overwhelmed by the people who recognize the new learning they receive from the program. We have a new program with Seven Hills using literature and a guided leadership curriculum. My son Eiden participated in the first class and it had a positive impact. He shared that he was learning about people from diverse backgrounds, and he
018felt proud of what he learned during a regular subject. Regarding people of African American backgrounds and slavery, it is just as important as the classmates are learning the history and literature that These programs intentionally break down racism; they don't teach segregation. They create a space to truly understand and learn, and they teach children to be heart-centered to face our country and our hearts. I fully support Bill 192 and encourage you to pass this resolution. Thank you. Next, we have Mary Fultonsky remotely. I believe... Hello, thank you, thank you, and distinguished members of the board. I use her pronouns. My children have attended and graduated from the district. I am speaking on behalf of my colleague, Dr. Gonzalez, who has an LGBTQ group, a master's degree in curriculum, and a doctorate in sociology. He studies culturally
019sustained practices for marginalized people. We believe that marginalized youth, and specifically LGBTQ youth, are at greater risk regarding their health and their identities. This includes asking questions about how appropriate it is and the exclusion of these topics in school. We need to give students the opportunity to feel affirmed, to experience their health. In these cases, they have lower rates of suicide and feel better about themselves. Standards at the elementary level support the mental health of all students because they can affirm students' identities. LGBTQ and anyone, no matter the difference, students who don't see themselves in history books don't feel respected, and that can lead to life- threatening behavior. The American Academy of Pediatrics indicates that this type of instruction decreases the suicide rate. Thank you, we have Honey Fishman. Next, one moment, he has to
020learn the microphone. Now, yes. Ah, now I'm here. Thank you, good night. I remember when I was in elementary school, like six decades ago, and the feelings I had of being excluded, of being abandoned, of being alone, and the feelings of hopelessness. And of course, the feeling of being the only one like me. My teachers didn't offer me much guidance or understanding, and there was no kind of acknowledgment of my own identity as me being in the closet. And that was my experience in public schools in Colorado in the 1960s and 1992. To be able to advance the curriculum in a way that I could never have envisioned when I was a student in school, and now I see what the difference is of having a more inclusive experience as a public school student compared
021to the same... Mine. But as you know, all these recommendations that are coming out don't resemble each other at all, like in intention and what they want to advance in the 1992 mandate. And well, I wonder what year this is, and I look at the calendar and it says 2022, but the committee's recommendation seems like it's from 1962. Do we really want to turn back the clock and damage everything that was meant to be done for the future? What I'm saying is, shouldn't all our children have the best? And let's try to make them progress, to keep them moving forward with an inclusive curriculum as the Constitution and the legislation intend, because this is the right thing to do now. We have Alex Ruinsosa. This is learned. Hi, hi, I'm Alexon, and my husband and
022I have a son in seventh grade in Louisville, and I also work as a preschool liaison, and I've been doing it for three years. Well, so I'm familiar with the outside as well as the inside of BBSD, and well, the way I interact with the school district, I've never had the need to speak in a meeting, and as I see there are other parents here from our school, and it's because we're very concerned about the advanced math students entering an online learning environment. We're all here to say that the virtual format is hindering their progress, and we're trying to see how they're doing. Many of them seem very confused; some have questions but feel like the answers aren't working, and some can't turn in the assignments they're working on for the classes. This has happened
023to my son in the sixth-grade advanced math class, even though he 's in fifth grade. It's not the teacher's fault; it's simply the online learning format. We're wondering how the teachers who are giving the tests and providing instruction can help improve these problems, but it's the virtual format that's causing the issue. As you've seen, the scores they've gotten are low, and the virtual classes are going to make those scores drop even further. As you can see, the schools haven't agreed to continue doing this. So, families, can you continue doing this? Thank you. Thank you. Now that we have Lori Rubinstein virtually, should we continue and if She comes back to you, she lets me know. Now, just when I clicked to exit to Loristas, there, Laurita, you're silent. [Music] Ah, now I see she's silent.
024Well, I think I'm okay now. Yes, now we can hear very well. So, I'm a cooperation facilitator working with schools on student-indigenous relations, and our group promotes relationships between students and Indigenous people so that our students can learn about the Indigenous cultures of the United States, especially regarding colonization and everything that has happened up to the present day. We want our Indigenous people to know that we stand in solidarity with them and march alongside them in solidarity, especially those with disabilities. And since 1911, and the resolutions that were made in 2019 regarding marginalized and underserved people, and how social studies in Colorado at all levels can include these people, and we're thinking that what the Colorado government is establishing through the Board of Education, and it's regarding these orders of '92, and well, there are
025these resolutions that we want to Support these resolutions and intentions that fully include social studies of marginalized people and that the Kindergarten curriculum from kindergarten through 12th grade includes these social studies. Thank you. Now we have... I'm watching you, Lory. That's great if you're with us. You're not doing very well. Now we have Carrie. Thank you. I 'm Kerry William, and I have a son in fifth grade. I'm the mother. I'm the daughter of a teacher, and I support education. I'm speaking about BBSD's decision to use online education instead of having a teacher in the classroom. My husband and I enrolled our daughter in in- person education because we value in-person education and the relationship with teachers very much. Once school started this year, we saw that the goals she had in sixth grade, instead
026of having an advanced math class in person, which is what she had at Colt Creek, were not being met. We are shocked by BBSD's decision not to have in-person education, and we are trying to limit screen time for our children. We are thinking that something... Math should be something that is intentionally and supportively taught to students. This is not in accordance with BBSD's core values, and well, they are being relegated to online classes. My fifth-grade son isn't trying to do math class because it doesn't require special skills, but it does require in-person education to be successful, and he isn't being offered the same opportunities that other students have in person. His peers are challenged by the technologies they have to use and the lack of in-person feedback, which is important. Our children have been forced
027to receive their entire curriculum through a small Chromebook, which causes a lot of eye and mental fatigue. We are trying to follow the recommendations regarding screen time for their age. We try to limit the amount of time they are in front of screens during the day, and they are having many hours during the school day in front of these screens. We would like to limit this according to their grade level. And thinking about the physical impact this is going to have on the children, and we can do this with respect to each classroom, and based on each classroom, the superintendent in our district, as well as the Ross representatives, we are really asking you not to remove the advanced math classes. What we want is for you to listen to the other parents who have
028made recommendations on how to improve this model, and we are asking that you establish guidelines for the amount of teaching and learning that is being done online and the amount of time that will be spent on screens. This will take into consideration the physical and emotional impact it has on the children. Please speak openly to the parents and the community regarding these matters so that they can make informed decisions regarding each of these issues. And we are looking at the spacing that is currently being used between different people because they need intentional support in the same way that other students are being given. Thank you very much. Now we have the list. Hello, my name is Lizbeth, and I am a mother of a first-grade and a fourth- grade child. I am also the president
029of Elementary and Mission. BBSD said they were trying to create engaging learning opportunities that would challenge all students of all ages. So, I want you to imagine a classroom where one-third of the class is dedicated to this kind of learning, and half of those students are trying to achieve certain milestones. Put headphones on them so they can understand what kinds of things they can manipulate to learn math. But also, why not do something so they can share what they're learning in math class? Without that, do they have any idea what BBSD is providing for students to learn math? And it's really not right for BBSD to send our children's education to a model that is completely at odds with what the elementary schools in our neighborhoods are doing. Please, give us parents the confidence to
030have in what the school is doing because we have enrolled our children in a class that we have never passed. And if this is the only model you can do, please integrate it with the schools in our neighborhoods. And third, these Schools should utilize the resources they have, whether it's printers for students to create materials or a discussion group, something that can help them, and ultimately, receive feedback and assistance directly from math teachers. Thank you. The next person is virtual Emma Rojasky, now a board member. Thank you very much for your time. My name is Emma Rojasky, and I am the mother of four children in our school district. I was a college professor, teaching both in person and online. These are my concerns regarding advanced math students. We were under the impression that first-grade
031students would be able to attend advanced math classes, but this has not been the case. Although the school principal is very responsive, the math class model is not being implemented as it should be, creating a lot of anxiety and frustration. Please support the principles of equity. This seems to be the same model that minority groups have experienced when they are not included in the things established for the majority. And if they have to establish... Advanced learning platforms, plus online study, is 160 minutes of math instruction instead of 360 minutes a week. As you can see, this is when everyone comes together and compares it to social studies, and there's no equity in these situations regarding math and social studies classes. We're trying to ensure they can attend math classes, and I requested this information in
032a letter I shared with the board, but I never received a response. We're trying to find some kind of solution. Thank you very much for your time. Now we have Ana Carl. Excuse me if I misspelled your last name. My name is Andrew Folk, and I'm here to ask you—I know some of you, and I understand these problems that are happening because they go against the law and against the community we established precisely to follow these laws. I know that Superintendent Rock Anderson also has a very strong commitment to these issues we're going to talk about. So I'm here to ask you to protect yourselves. And you know better than I do what your [rights/rights] are. I'm making connections with the State Board and other school boards here in Colorado, and I'm asking you to
033please make a great effort to convince the State Board not to accept these revisions. I'm also asking you to continue here with the standards that follow what has already been done in the district regarding people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and dual- race people. Students in our district are learning about the history, attitudes, culture, and contributions that our people have made. That's what I'm asking for. Thank you. Now we have Katy French. She gave her minutes to... I don't know where she is. Now we have remotely... [Music] Hello, I'm a resident of Bolder, and I understand that BEBS is going to adopt a resolution to include people who are marginalized here in the district, and I support what's being tried to do at the state level regarding these changes that are going to be made to
034the curriculum. I have a 6-year-old and an 8-year-old in first and third grade, and they have friends who are gender non-conforming. Transgender people are transgender, and I believe, and I tell them, that they have to treat their friends, classmates, and people they meet respectfully and as equals. This is part of the education we're trying to do here. As I said, they're in first and third grade at BBSD. We have these conversations, and I hope you have them at school in addition to the conversations we have here at home, so they understand that there are different kinds of relationships and genders in this world. This is the age when they have a lot of questions, and it's exactly the moment when this can't be trivialized and made to think that it has no validity. We have
035to make them understand that exclusion is an intentional act, and that members of the community who don't fit into a system or a general system of life, as they live, please make a general effort to promote these topics, whether in groups or at school board meetings. Really fighting for this inclusion is something that has to be done in the 1992 legislation. Thank you. Now we have Billy Mertens and him. Julie Abrants gave her two minutes. Two additional minutes. Hello, I'm Billy Martins, and I have a daughter in 7th grade and a son in 4th grade. They were very excited to enter the combined math class, but now we were informed more than a week ago in class that the math would be at a college level. Now it's a source of frustration for him, since
036it was something he loved. I'm a professor at C.U. Voltaire, and I've been a teacher for 15 years. With the help of some of the professors and online education, I was thinking that my introductory course is, after many years, finally equivalent to in-person education. But that class is for college students who have other options. I know from experience that only a small group of students can learn online adequately, and very few can really succeed, no matter the topic. I'm very concerned about this age group and whether the professors really understand what they're going to do with groups of 30 or more children. This is an example of... A course that hasn't been properly designed, and you, the professor, seem overwhelmed with so many students. It seems this is the wrong format for it. I teach
037mathematics, and I see a lack of willingness to make changes and improve it, or to encourage students to ask questions. Students can't just read problems and have the answers right there; they 're giving answers in different formats. For example, today, if the answer has a zero at the end, it's considered incorrect, but other times it isn't. And for instance, the quizzes can't be graded appropriately, especially if the day you're reading it isn't the day the quiz was given. Some students are n't enthusiastic or paying attention to this type of education because they don't find it interesting, and this isn't appropriate. So we want you to consider the value of this type of education, but by doing it right. We have some recommendations on how to improve these courses, for example, that if you have assignments,
038you offer an offline option because we're concerned about the amount of time... They're on the screens. We've asked the teachers to meet with the students so that the questions can be clearer. But this requires a greater commitment from everyone. So we're trying to think of an alternative, which is to treat Advanced Placement students equitably. Thank you, thank you. Now we have Vanessa Marx. Hello, my name is Vanessa Marx, and I have a daughter in High School. I'm also supporting the different committees across the district, and I'm here to support the resolution regarding the original recommendations that were made here to the commission. And well, I want to give a small example of what I'd like to say regarding my own daughter and other children of this age. This can be very engaging for students later
039on when they have history activities in class. Last week, my daughter brought this book home from class. It's a book about understanding who the people were who were here before, and this book says that history began with the miners and doesn't mention Indigenous people at all. In my daughter's classroom, this isn't like we... We are going to raise open-minded people in this country. So, in higher education, the teachers are fabulous, but we need the curriculum standards to be supported by our teachers and for them to have a much more comprehensive education. Thank you. Now we have Departa Delgado, who has been given two extra minutes because she will be speaking in both English and Spanish. My name is Patio. Yes, I am very proud to be the president. I am here tonight to announce that
040the PDA Executive Committee enthusiastically supports the plan for critical needs, which will be on the ballot this November with the designated number 5A. The place where our students learn is essential for a positive educational experience. This bond will prevent the district from having to use operating funds to meet physical needs. The costs associated with these projects are likely to increase in the coming years, so the decision to opt for the bond is a fiscally responsible approach. Our community has always supported our students and the district, and that is why we ask our community to continue supporting the district and to support the bond this November. Criminal members of the Board Tracker entertain the evenings. President, members of the board, my pronouns It's her and them. I'm the teacher from the Bolder Bryan association, and I'm
041here to announce that the BBSD Executive Board is supporting the resolutions on the list. This is a site where our students learn; it's an essential site for educational experiences. We're trying to ensure the district doesn't use critical funds for critical projects, and we're trying to improve and increase funding in the coming years. We want to have a fiscal approach that makes sense, and we want to support the students in our district. That's why we're asking our community to support the BBSD resolutions this November. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Next, we have Amanda Cherry. Thank you to the Board of Education for considering these measures on inclusivity in social studies. My name is Amanda, and I am [your name]. I have been involved in education for many years. I believe that when we intentionally create
042spaces, we create spaces in classrooms that are more welcoming, more inclusive, and that connect in different ways. We create empathetic human beings and a more just society, and we also save lives. To create these spaces, it is vital that... Students see themselves, their families, and society reflected everywhere. The challenges of incorporating this into the curriculum are more important than those who hold power. When the board, when the executive board, gives that message, teachers like me have a fundamental need to do this work in that classroom. We cannot allow, we cannot create that change without creating it at all levels. Thank you. And we have almost all team members. I am so glad to be here tonight. I have been in education at Vives Day for 17 years and I am very well prepared. I have
043had the opportunity to prepare myself in many programs. I was in The Next Generation Curriculum and I am here to support the social studies curriculum. As a multi-grade teacher, I have an obligation to teach about the first community. This includes a parent, an uncle, a sibling who recognizes or identifies with the LGBTQ+ group. There are many children from age five through fifth grade who have never read a book that talks about other identities. To work in kindergarten, I have had many opportunities to work with LGBTQ+ activists, and they want schools to be more inclusive. As a first-grade teacher, I was more open when I showed them the books we had available. They were surprised; they had n't had access to these kinds of books, and so they didn't see themselves represented and didn't feel like
044they belonged. So we have to continue this good work, and I ask that we continue preparing teachers so they are ready to teach this in the curriculum. Thank you all very much. That concludes our public participation. We have expressed our sincere gratitude to all the participants. Thank you. We will continue with the next part of our agenda. Who wants to join us? Who wants to join us? Good evening, Richard. I want to thank everyone who has spoken for coming out tonight. It has been wonderful to hear from you all, and I want to thank you all for your support and for the support of the social studies curriculum. I want to acknowledge that, and I am very eager to know what is going to happen and what is going to happen with the virtual math
045study. A couple of things I want to say are that I also appreciate the law that was established some years ago and the fact that it has had an impact on the committees working together and being on the board of education. And the committee that has thrown away what that law indicated, I am going to go to the State Education Board and the District. I am going to go personally, if the district gives me permission, to support and try to convince the Board of Education and everyone involved that what they are doing is against the state law that was passed a few years ago, and I would encourage all of you to go there. When it happens, which I do n't know when it will be, maybe in December when that decision is made. In
046the meantime, we do have individual members of the Board where we can find out Who are they and how do we get in touch with them? We are represented in this district by a council. So I encourage you to find out who they are and get in touch and listen to what you have to say regarding the protests. I agree with you and we also need to protest more about what is happening in our curriculum, but what I've been thinking is that whatever happens, for example, imagine it's because of what they approve of, because of the standards that have been recommended, that doesn't stop us from doing what we have to do, which is right for our students. Thank you. I want to thank everyone who has spoken and my colleague Richard for everything he
047has shared. I would like to say to everyone who is speaking, I anticipate there will be more comments on this and when we have more representation, more information about LGBT community representation. I just want to say that I am very impressed by the dedication the district has to involving our students and staff to include these students. They have come to the groups that are representing Title 9. I know it's a job. It's very challenging, and the district wants this to be a place where you can express yourselves. Thank you all for sharing your opinions about the curriculum and for challenging us to do better. We have a lot of work to do. Also, comments on the resolution, but I want to say that those students who have taken advanced math in person and virtually in
048fifth grade, I understand your frustration, and we are already in conversation about how we can make these changes. As a member of the team, we also have to talk about these challenges we have regarding transportation, but I am committed to discussing this and resolving this so that we all have access to math classes where children can be more engaged and active. I wanted to thank everyone who has spoken up and participated virtually or who is here. I had no idea there was a problem with math, so I'm very glad that you brought it to our attention. And I wanted to congratulate the students who came here earlier. It takes a lot of courage for students to speak in public in front of adults, especially adults in positions of authority. I wanted to thank you all,
049and thank you again. And thank you to those who have spoken about social studies standards. We'll be talking about that now. I also want to thank everyone here for your comments and everyone who has called. We 've talked a lot about inclusivity in our curriculum, and we take this responsibility— the responsibility to the students— very seriously. So we'll have many more longer conversations. That's all I wanted to say. I'll be brief. I wanted to thank everyone who has spoken and who came here, and hopefully we'll have a resolution. Not solidarity with them, but being active and pushing a little. From what I see in the news, I don't have any internal information about what's going to happen, but the district, I agree with you. I think it doesn't prevent us from expressing what curriculum we
050believe should be the right one. And perhaps we could continue to be leaders in the future. So I'm really looking forward to seeing what work we're going to do in the future and working together with the community and with the teachers to achieve this because we obviously believe very strongly that it's the right thing to do. So thank you all for coming here, and I'm looking forward to it. If we continue this conversation in the future, any further comments from members... Now, let's continue with our first point. The first thing we're going to look at is... and we've made this joke, which is, "Every problem is rock." Every problem... we need a break, a quick and short break. They're going to be with so many... I want to tell the council members that we've been
051working... we've been working on the implementation of the IRP. The work started even before I arrived, about four years ago, when the council approved the funding. I've been part of two districts. This is the second one, which was a very, very intense process to form. This IRP has been one of the biggest challenges that a non-governmental organization has had, one of the most challenging projects here in Bolder County. This implementation has been very complex. For example, and I'll let Frank continue for a moment, for example, you have a completely dedicated team with experience, with sales partners, with people working on all sides, and you think they're doing the right thing, but in two cases, when you launch it, there are many things that have to be adjusted and that have to be just right for
052it to work. Even though we thought everything was... While things were going well, some things started to go wrong, which is why it was so complex. I sent letters a couple of weeks ago explaining these complications we've had, and I think we've managed to resolve some of these issues. But believe it or not, there are some things that have happened in this implementation. My team, who will always be very transparent, will talk about the good and the bad, and we want the entire board to be informed about the steps we're taking in updating this implementation and how we're progressing. With that, I'll give the floor to Franca. Hello, thank you, Dr. Anderson. Good evening, team members, board members, my colleagues, and I are very excited to present the update to this Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
053system. First, let me remind you what an ERP is. It's a type of software that helps organizations automate processes to optimize results. It combines— it's capable of bringing together—the financial, human resource, and other activities on a single technological platform. This is a quick overview of its journey. Since then, the initial launch was in 2004, and in 2013, we were informed that it was being decommissioned. In 2017, we were given enough time to find a solution. In 2017, we looked at different alternatives and chose one of the solutions. Initially, we had planned for the start in October, but we paused the project for a year because we had different priorities and needed to review the organization and its structure. In October 2020, the real start was made with intense implementation work in 2021. And then, in
054January 2023, sorry, January 3rd, and now we've arrived at today. It's very complicated and complex, as you've mentioned. An IRP is complex; there are always challenges during implementation. One of the challenges was the organizational space because it forces the organization, the company, or the district to re-examine and re-evaluate processes. So we asked people to change their ways of doing things, and as you know, it's difficult to change people's way of working. Our biggest challenge has been the inconsistency in payments. To achieve the human resources and the effort this new system requires, most of these problems... Fortunately, these issues have been resolved with system updates and by changing some of the complex processes related to payments. Specifically, it has been made very clear that if someone has a pay gap, they will be paid within 24
055to 48 hours. July and August of this year were a perfect storm; these are always very chaotic times and also represent the period when we most need to hire, when schools have to open, and also when a new system is in place. We are also seeing problems; we need to resolve the issue of not being able to upload the correct employee information. We need to change the system and modernize it, and our team is working with the schools now. Now, I don't want you to think that the project is not only about challenges; we have also seen many successes. Some examples would be that employees can now clock in and clock out on different types of systems and not just on paper. Employees can control their own training, including updating information about themselves. Benefits are
056now fully integrated, and we can also track people's time very specifically. We have also approved the payment of employees for what they are owed. Working together with leaders to ensure they are using the necessary resources to succeed. We are also providing training to all our employees. We are identifying what resources we need to address this staffing shortage and to close that gap. We need to ensure we are not inadvertently creating problems. Implementing systems of this size has many challenges and issues. The training will be approved and offered in different models and formats. Here you can see an update on what lies ahead. We hope that by April we will have resolved these issues and be fully up to date. We will continue to provide ongoing updates across the district, for example, through weekly meetings and
057by keeping the website updated. That concludes our presentation, and now we can answer any questions you may have. Thank you, Franken. Thank you to James and Abel, friend, for your support. We are happy to answer any questions the council or board may have. I'm curious if these issues we are seeing are very common. The issues we are seeing are very typical of the challenges organizations face when implementing these types of systems. We have repeatedly seen notifications from Districts that are experiencing much worse problems than we are experiencing, so what we're seeing today is very typical in the implementation of this type. We give employees notice that they can expect these kinds of problems. You warned them, would you say that we did n't expect to have these problems? It wasn't what was expected. So the
058training, the information institutions, everything that was initiated is what generated the problems. It was only after that that we found the problems to respond to. I want to acknowledge the impact this is having on many of our employees. Think about it: they have a system that is successful, that they've been doing for decades, things that in the past they were able to do without any problems, and now it takes longer. Sometimes it would be... So we never expected this to be perfect. We didn't expect this. We didn't tell our leaders it was going to be perfect, but what we're feeling is this pain that we're feeling from our employees, that it's taking a lot of time and they don't have that time. So, as I'm seeing the schools and meeting with them, I understand. I
059try to explain to them, so I need to acknowledge that we still have a long way to go. It brings us an experience that we have to be grateful for, and under his leadership, technology is the number one priority. Having the resources we need, the people we need, and connecting with the people who can help us solve these problems is impacting many of our employees. It's improving incrementally. It's getting better, but I have a lot of confidence in our team. Does anyone else have questions? Yes, I'm going to take a moment of presidential privilege to honor Pedro, who is the president of an organization whose name I've forgotten. Congratulations! I think you know the name. He's finishing his term as president of the International Officers of School Principals. As you know, I've been able to
060see him honored by business professionals all over the world, from South Africa, from all over the country. It was so excellent to see how respected he is. I see him by people everywhere. His time as president was a difficult time for business people worldwide. I know I'm off-topic, but congratulations. We are very proud of you. I have a question for you: when I hear timelines, how over budget are we? We know not too bad. Will we be able to get a slightly better update in the future? Yes, we're going to include updates in the revised budget in January. So, I hear we're spending dollars this time and we have to make it work, but I'd like to know what's happening with a budget when we're bringing in that staff. It's so they're fixing a program
061that is n't working as it was designed, but I'm thinking they don't see it that way. Let's see, anyone else? Any other questions? Let's move on to the next topic. Thank you very much. Our last report is the legislative update. Between the last meeting and this one, we had to predict $85 million for reimbursements, which the legislature spends. Yes, that's how they presented it. An additional point is that, because of the reimbursements, the state is much better off. It's above the limit. There's a space in case the economy changes. It might not affect the budget; there are still funds available. There's a statewide inclusion for a slower economy. It's not exactly what's being expected. That's like being cautiously optimistic. That's the budget that the GBC uses when they start talking about budgets in November. It's
062an important anticipated budget. We're talking about, and there's some difference between the council. And also the baby, but there's a margin above the tablet reimbursement that affects what we're thinking about for the beginning of the year. Thank you because I think it's important to pay attention to those numbers. Now we have action items: grouping of consents, 7.21 personnel matters, 7.2 minutes, 7.3 approval of minutes, 7.4 approval of minutes, September 20, 7.5 approval of a placement agreement, 7.6 an intergovernmental agreement between the district for the use of facilities, 7.7 grant for Forward, 7.8 a grant for Forward tutoring for the city of boilers human services fund. Is there anything you'd like to take away from the grouping of consent? Seeing none, there's a motion to try the grouping agenda. Kitty seconded by Nacho. Discussion: can you
063talk for a moment about Forward? I think we have two programs at Butterfly. We have Ave and Forward, and Forward is in partnership with the city. As I understand it, I think when we talk about equity, a two-second description of what Forward is about would be helpful. Of course, Dr. Health can give a better description of what Forward does for our students. Support The Latino students program is a grant we receive from the Health Equity Fund. The program is taught there. I've known Michael for many years; she's a very successful teacher at Polter High. She provides social and emotional support to the students. We appreciate our partnership with the city through that Health Equity Fund. I see the doctor saying that it is an important partnership we have with the city to give a little
064extra support to our Latino students, and we receive those funds through the city. Laura, can you take attendance, Garcia? Yes, Gepberry. Next item of action is partnership approval. This is approved by Nicole. Security passes motion 100. Next items of study is the legislative platform, 20 and 23. I think we have introductory remarks. Yes, thank you. This is the 22nd legislative platform. If you may recall the prioritization sessions, we wanted to address this issue early in the school year so the board could express its position not only on items that are presented earlier to the legislature but also to address the things that were discussed in the public comments. This is in federal and public entities. Red lines are reviews from last year. It's under review tonight. At the next meeting, we're going to have action.
065I received good editing and suggestions regarding grammar. I'm going to incorporate the main elements into that document. The board wants to ensure that we are articulating the board's philosophy for taking action in resolutions so that the public understands the process that presents actions. That's in the first paragraph. If you continue reviewing the following pages, we've removed some irrelevant articles. You need to review the preschool and professional language again. I'll have those corrections for next time. Article 2.11 to 2.11 talks about flexible funding. Also, in the educational programs section, we cite the board's interest in a state-level committee that studies marginalized groups. We also want to review the state fixtures system to ensure that the system does not create a disproportionate impact with respect to disability or race. And the last article in this section, 3.7,
066supports the resolution that is also being considered tonight, supporting the inclusion of LGBTQ representation in the state curriculum and state standards, and opposes this representation as control. Versal: Those are the highlights that the board had requested. Board members, any questions? Yes, may I finish that sentence now? It was intended to address initial admission flexibility in circumstances of declining enrollment. That's what we'll have for you at the next meeting. I wanted to check that I had read it completely. Sorry I used that language, for example. Any other questions? Regarding the legislative platform, this is a live document. Even if we approve it at the next session, we can amend it going forward. I have a question I'd like to add regarding finance. I think it goes below. I 'm finding it, possibly under "Adequate Funding Going
067Forward," which is a study regarding the cost of providing an adequate education. We're pretending we know what the cost is when we really don't, and we need to request that the state fund such a study. I do n't think this title is right because it guides us beyond the legislature. If we can have something broader, I think it would be helpful to have another title with a hyphen or something so that people understand. Look here not only for the legislative platform but also for things we bring up with the state board or other organizations. Something more. Next under study is the final calendar for 2023, 2024, and 2025. Good evening, President Dr. Anderson. I am very pleased to be here to share with you the draft academic calendars for the years 2023, 2024, and 2025.
068I will share the process of creating the calendars and the review process. Our calendar is created under board policy and was made according to principles that were developed collaboratively. This is the timeline that we have used, and you should recognize it from past years. We have used previous calendars for the years in question and have given the opportunity to provide suggestions or comments. The committee has also reviewed the information and created possible revisions to the calendars and the effects that changes may have, positively or negatively, on staff and students. Based on information from the community, changes are included in those calendars, and finally, that process has guided us to this process, to this process of presenting this information tonight. I want to thank those members of the task force who have spent many hours working,
069many evenings, and I want to thank them for their careful consideration of the calendars. They have spent many hours working to Reflecting on the needs to ensure the calendar reflects the preferences and needs of our students, we have worked very hard to present these calendars that meet the requirements. We have incorporated many past changes in community information. The calendars you have for your consideration include these requirements: students are in school 172 days; there are four exchange days for conferences; five and a half additional days as workdays; and four and a half additional days. In addition, the guiding principles are reflected in the draft calendars, which are the same for all grade levels. We limit part-time weeks when possible. We coordinate with the University of Colorado and the Saint Valley District. [Music Day] The end of
070the school year ends before Memorial Day and begins as late in August as possible. The proposed changes past information from our groups are about two points of information: separating professional development days and making the winter break shorter; one professional development day is being moved to October. The second change also includes two parts of information: limiting the number of part-time weeks and a desire from families to combine professional development day with Presidents' Day; balancing the semester gap as much as possible. We have to face the challenges of aligning calendars with the university and the various districts. Finally, we are proposing to recognize the district as a holiday. I want to spend a few moments regarding aligning the holidays with the university and the district. In the last round of discussing the calendars, those three districts develop
071at different times and in the past without a preliminary conversation. So it turned out that this year we are aligned with the districts but not with the university. This year a change was approved regarding spring break and we shared this change with the Institute. I have had several conversations with our community partners and I am anticipating more communication regarding developing the calendars. I want to share information about aligning spring/winter breaks. We are aligned with you at the university and Sin Rain, but Sin Rain has not decided to change its spring break to align with our new spring break. They also haven't created their calendar. That's why we have DVDs on screen. We have shared our dates with them while they are creating their calendar, and with board approval, I will share those calendars with the
072university and Sin Rain. We have worked for years to define our guiding principles, which possibly begin after the workday in the In the last rounds of calendar development, we asked families for their preference to start before or after that holiday, and that's the data we 've received. We have a significant preference for the current calendar. We will continue developing an academic calendar that starts the school year before Labor Day for your consideration. They are aligned with our board policy, and the C&CA and workforce have received input from our key groups. I can answer your questions and accept the information you have before submitting those calendars for your approval at the next board meeting. Thank you. I have a question, can you share? How many days are in the first trimester and how many are in
073the second? If I may, they are within one day. That's what I 've learned in the years I've been working on the calendar. It's been a while since Christmas fell. By being able to start winter break closer to Christmas, we've been able to balance the trimesters. This spring trimester is a little longer. We generally feel that's okay. In the second trimester, there's more time dedicated to student advising. Someone mentioned a lack of recognition of Indigenous Peoples' Day in our calendar. We can definitely talk about editing a holiday, which involves either replacing it with another holiday. Or increase the contract for more school days at the last minute when it was last determined how the calendar requirements were determined and they take into account the day that starts late and the work time as a parent
074having a Monday off and then starting Wednesday late makes a very difficult week. It's a very good question. As a group, we dealt with that a lot in a previous calendar. Of interest, we originally had Wednesdays off for students, but what we've found is mainly from the Latino parent group and those who have jobs in restaurants. Please, if you're going to give students a day off, it has to be on a Monday because it's more difficult for us on a Wednesday with our jobs. That's why we have professional development days on Mondays. Can you explain again? I ask this every year. We have new primary parents who don't understand this idea of ending the trimester before winter break. There was a time in the district when the first trimester ended after winter break. Because of
075that, there was a time when many families and students came crying to the board. It was very important for the high school students to finish the trimester before vacation because otherwise they would have to study for their final courses and their exams, and the... Yes, in senior year they were... Asking to finish this quarter before winter break so we can receive their grades and submit them to the university on time. Last year it was the third week of March and aligned with Simple, but the University of Colorado's spring break was the last week of March, so we had to change to align with the University of Colorado. Is n't that right? I think it was true when my kids were in school. They've been out for a long time. The only other thing I wanted
076to address, and Nico mentioned Indigenous Peoples' Day, I would like to propose that even though we're not going to give a break right now, we at least put it on the calendar as recognition. We recognize that Indigenous Peoples' Day. It could be a day, mainly in elementary school, that we could do with special learning for Indigenous peoples. And if we change a Professional Development Day to Presidents' Day, they replace that holiday. It's connected; they're two even days. One day is the holiday, and the other is Professional Development Day. Then the teachers rest on the holiday. Raven, thank you. If you would give me permission to design that calendar, I would do it for my family. It's frustrating that there are so many needs we have as families and parents. As a board member... The things
077you all balanced to create this calendar are incredible. It's amazing that we have a calendar. We have to recognize the needs of the high school, the elementary school, and the neighboring districts. It's incredible the work you've done. Another question, board members: I'm going to echo Lisa's thanks. What you're dealing with is a lot. I know districts where they start later, and there's a lot of stress they have to deal with during winter break. It's a long season, and they need a break. Thank you. I think the next step is to come back for Action at the next meeting. Thank you very much. We have Dr. Monsie and a land survey. Good evening, President Guepard. Board members, it's very important to be here tonight to present this land survey program, and our team is here to
078refresh your memory. On April 26th of this year, we as a board reviewed TV policy to include a land survey work statement, and in May 2022, we were trying to recruit some people to have strong representation and the voices we needed on this working group because that was very, very... This important work was done between June and August and was an interactive process, which is what we're bringing to you tonight. We have some key guidelines for what we 're doing, and the most important thing is that it focuses on the voices of Indigenous peoples to develop this statement. We're going to develop a statement that attempts to honor Indigenous peoples and inspire action that supports Indigenous communities. And this isn't just where our work ends. We're really thinking about how we can remedy the injustices
079that Indigenous people have had to endure, and we're going to have some actions going forward. We want to speak truthfully about these injustices that are happening right now and honor the experience, wisdom, and resilience of these people and be with them to confront these injustices. We also want to emphasize the importance of incorporating Indigenous lands and the responsibility for the care and appreciation of the Earth into BBSD's affairs. Our working group consisted of the following people: we had some members of the Tu Voluntad community who volunteered their time; we have Baja Milton Bonisondant and Dr. Vivian Delgado, and me. Salazar, and we also have Dr. Emi Nelson from BBSD and Betzales. One of the things I want to highlight is that the majority of the people on this committee were Indigenous people, 60% of whom
080were from Indigenous communities. So, our process was that we had our first meeting where we reviewed examples of land recognition declarations from different institutions, some of which were recruiting people from the district. We had group discussions where we highlighted some of the ideas that people agreed with most, and we were able to create a draft. This was the first draft based on these recommendations from this working group. There was a very intensive review of the first draft, and the members of this working group reviewed it independently, making additional revisions and recommendations. I am very proud to say that this represents the consensus and the consensus vision of the committee, and that it has been given top priority. The importance it requires, and so this statement, if you'll allow me, I'm going to be the first
081person to read it. PVSD resides and operates on lands that belong to our ancestors and that were unjustly taken from them and from the Utepueblon, Arapaho, Chillán Abajo, and other tribal groups. We acknowledge the genocide that was committed and all the efforts that were made to alienate Indigenous groups, and all of this was supported by the policies of the United States government. BBCD recognizes that Indigenous people of the past and present have been dignified people and cultures that have cared for the Earth and are very strong and resilient. BBCD, since the stories of the land have been passed down through generations and of the survival of Nations, carries on oral traditions to the present. PVSD takes on the responsibility of educating ourselves and our communities, our students, to welcome the knowledge of Indigenous people who
082are actively uniting and are strong as a group and are even stronger as a group. that belong to us and the responsibility to care for and appreciate the land, or at the same time, and with that, I took the questions you have, Doctor. Thank you very much, board members. This is a study that was done, and hopefully, we can bring it to fruition and turn it into action. Questions, comments, Lisa? Yes, thank you. I just want to say that it's really beautiful and very powerful, and it's something we have to be able to continue doing. Kitty, I really love the sentiment of this, and I understand that we're not going to change the way the words are written. As the words are here, but as an institution, I would prefer that the first sentence be
083more legible than this. This is a document for the people, for the public, and it's a little confusing. I understand that we're not going to change it, and with no disrespect to the people who carried this out, anyone else? Yes, I think that, well, in addition to the words, we have to honor the process, and we have to make sure that we honor both of them because this is a process that required a lot of effort, and it's not simply us trying to come up with some words, but there's a process that we were all involved in. Okay, thank you very much, Doctor, and to everyone here attending. Richard, I see you raise your hand. Thank you. Yes, I want to thank the committee for working on this wonderful declaration on land recognition. But well,
084I do n't know if we're going to have this discussion or not, but I understand that the land recognition declaration will be read at all the meetings of all the school groups. Well, we have n't yet reached an agreement on where this will appear, if it will be on websites. Well, we'll agree and try to put it into action. Well, once we bring it to fruition, something that will surely have action, the land recognition declaration—it's worth reading it at the next meeting, or is this a study that will be done, or will the action be taken later? Do you understand me in terms of that? Because, well, I have a couple of suggestions. If I may, if you'll allow me, well, when we actually implement it, and let's say we're going to have the inauguration
085of the land recognition, I want us to have a big celebration of the land recognition. Not just talk about it, but have a celebration. And well, there are some people here in the community who play the drums, and we could bring them here, and well, not just for me, but for the community. In general, any other suggestions? Well, it would be great if we could have them all here today to decide. Well, the idea of the drummers... Yes, it sounds great about the percussion. Well, no, I don't have any suggestions, but the community that could have this did have some ideas on how to make this happen. The community... Yes, the committee was thinking that it could be shared at the beginning of the board meetings, and that was the intention we initially had with
086the policy change that was made on the agenda. But this is done at the board's discretion. I think the committee has spent quite a bit of time making this statement solid, and they're going to appreciate some kind of context in which it can be shared on behalf of BSD. Yes, thank you very much. Yes, I would like us to honor that intention, and I think this is a fabulous idea to have the drummers. Yes, I think I remember a conversation, and well, I want to offer what I remember from that conversation. We had talked about reading something before one of the meetings. We didn't want it to be something too long. We were really talking about what could be two different things: one that goes on the website, which is longer. And another one that's
087shorter, which you can read here. Well, that was our conversation, if that's what I remember, too. And I think it would be good if we brought it up here. I'm a little worried that we changed the language here, but I want us to have a conversation that honors the attempt. And well, Richard, how can we follow up here? We can ask you to follow up on that once the inauguration is done, the points that are going to be put into action. Well, I think... well, it will be a pleasure for me to follow up on that. I have some percussionists here in the audience. And well, when we bring it up, when we can do that in the final action... Yes, well, the day it's put into action... Well, in terms of reading it, in
088relation to the land recognition, the first paragraph is really fantastic, Nicole. Yes, I was thinking the language of this is very beautiful, and I think it would be very beneficial for our community if it could be read by the public outside of our policies. But if there's another place where it could be put, on our website, perhaps in a prominent place where people can... Having access to this? Yes, I've also been thinking about whether we can have it printed and put it here in the building where we can see it if we need to have these conversations. I agree that when we go to the board meeting, we can talk about this, and it's something that can be put up during these meetings for them to see and read. If we need clarification, here next
089time we're going to vote on this, we're thinking of two options: thinking about the point of stasis, or are we going to vote on this? If the conversation really comes up when we bring this up, what I hear is if we make it a little shorter, have just the first paragraph in the meetings, but without changing the content. And well, Richard is going to do the opening and the sun is in charge of this, which is quite exciting. Well, any other conversation regarding land recognition? Thank you all very much. This has been a fantastic process, and well, this is a reason to wrap this up. The next item we have is resolution 2282 regarding the support of the valota, which is well suggested to reach. Yes, good evening again. In the last meeting, well, we
090started a conversation about making sure that all our students in our community have Access to nutrition and healthy food. Regarding this, the board highlighted that there is a proposal on the ballot, specifically ballot 22-22, proposition FFF. It's a resolution that gives the board an opportunity to take a position on this ballot and let the public know that position. The proposal supports the nutrition ballot, and this is being put forward for consideration in order to take action, in a public statement that will endorse this ballot. Board members, I wasn't here at this last meeting, but there are some questions beforehand regarding this. Well, Catalina has a question, and I think I need to read it. Is it not necessarily about increasing taxes? Yes, I see someone saying "tomato," and well, I think here in Colorado we
091treat everything as if it's about taxes and deductions, or eliminating deductions in taxes. I really have to look at this in depth; I can't answer it like that. I simply think that the words " increase in taxes" are very complicated, and I want us to have the proper and correct language regarding this, and have a clear understanding. If we don't increase The amount of money, whether this is a commitment we have at the state level or if it's with respect to the School District, or how it is... Well, this is going to be determined; it hasn't been done yet, and it's one of the things I think about when you think about the comments that have been made. This is something we have to address and think about long-term. Well, thank you all very much
092for the support, with the intention of... if we can fix the language regarding this because an increase in taxes is really something that is thought of as more than a change in deductions. Well, I have the language of the ballot, and it says that taxes may be increased, and the ballot simply starts like any other. Well, if we are going to continue reading about this... Well, we'll look at this now. Let's continue to the last one, which is Resolution 22-27, LGBTQ Representation in Standards and Curriculum. Kate Katrin, your turn. Well, I don't know if I can adequately summarize this, as well as other members of the public who gave us their comments today. Publicly, this resolution is a response to the process of the Colorado State Board and the processes that the Board established to
093seek... Eliminate representation requirements in the lower grades and try to target the higher grades. This was the state legislature that was trying to include the cultural and social contributions of gender and racial minorities in the public school curriculum. This review includes language that we were reviewing a while ago in the policy platform. It's something we talked about here at the last board meeting, and it's regarding the representation of individuals throughout the curriculum. This addresses the topic of sex education, which is a very controversial topic. These are the core elements of this resolution. Board members, any comments on this resolution? Lisa: Yes, thank you, Carlin, for the hard work on this. And I want to thank the advocacy in our community here in Balder for doing strong advocacy on these issues. Anyone else? Nicole: Yes, I
094agree. This resolution is fantastic. When we're reviewing policies regarding curriculum adoption, we can look at how these policies can be added. Resolutions to the policies and well, to have some guarantees regarding these issues in the district. Yes, well, as we move forward with this point, I want us to make a distinction between not involving children in sex education and them having the option to participate in these other conversations. We have been told in our experience that some families may choose, or want to choose, to opt out of sex education classes, and this is something I agree with, given the sentiment of some families. Well, we can't... we have to imagine how we can do a drumroll here to announce what will be discussed later, and maybe Randy and I can do something, perhaps a press
095release or a statement from the board, about how we're going to talk about this. Yes, okay. I want to say that it should be something more official regarding these statements, and an official statement is made. Well, we're going to give you this task to handle, and well, I think we have to be able to do it in a synchronized way when we're doing this, because if it's synchronized, it can have an impact with what Lisa is saying. What I have... It's understood that the next state board meeting is in October, but they're not going to vote on this in October, but they're not going to protest. Yes, I think it's worth repeating what we said, and we want to be leaders in BBSD regarding these topics, as a community, and we have the community that
096supports someone else. Well, we're going to bring this up again. Yes. Well, I think it's important to recognize that we're going to pass this. We know we're going to include this within our curriculum, but we also have to act on behalf of the students who don't go to this school district, other students in the state in areas that are so conservative that they really don't want to discuss these topics, and try to prevent the problem, or what can happen to children who are n't represented within the curricula. If we don't want children to have to live in specific places in the state to be represented in the curriculum, well, bring this up for final action at the next board meeting. Let's see board members submit petitions for the upcoming meetings. Well, we have new legislation,
097a platform from the legislature, and well, we're going to see how we can bring up a valid issue. And it's when a board member makes a request about an action item, and if this is done with the agenda, whether we want to support this request or not, well, we can do an evaluation of whether this will work or not. And perhaps if new language is required in the resolution or not. Well, we have to see how this works. Yes, I agree. One case we can test is whether this will work with this language. Some other items for the agenda? Yes, you don't have any other items for the agenda? No. Yes, I want to add something else to the agenda. Well, I want to clarify that when we're thinking about the board's direction regarding this
098matter for the next meeting, define this. When you refer to this, yes, the reconsideration of the agenda, what we 're thinking about, yes, that's what I'm asking. Is it whether we need a full resolution or if we want to write a resolution with action items, or is it simply that we're going to take this to election day? Yes, well, these are the important questions, and it's the ballot measure. Well, we can't really prioritize whether we're going to do that or not. We need to discuss this at the next board meeting and whether or not we can clarify it. Yes, this is what we're trying to do. We always follow a prioritization process, and I want to be very careful that we have the board's willingness to put it on the agenda. But if this isn't
099part of the prioritization process, then, well, if these issues are happening, or if we have consistency among all board members, you have a question. I want to clarify regarding the process of how issues come onto the agenda. There's an opening paragraph, and a resolution is made on this paragraph. But do we currently have a process for how issues are brought into a resolution, or if new language is added, or if it's simply identified? I want some clarity regarding this. Yes, this is a very important conversation because some articles will be brought up in the legislature, and we need clarity on them, and we'll be voting on them because they are measures on the ballot. Well, I have a question that I can answer. Yes, the intent of that paragraph is... To establish guidelines and a
100summary of these ideas, and to capture historically how this has been done, for example, in the last board meeting, there was a conversation about nutrition and meals, and this led me to draft this resolution. So, in my experience working with boards and the board association, decisions have to be made regarding various issues. These issues include what matters the board will address, which issues directly impact students from kindergarten through 12th grade, and regarding other opportunities students may have. These are the statements at the state board level. This is their argument, this is their platform, and we want to capture the language that best testifies to these issues being addressed. As a point of clarification, if we place this within an existing issue being discussed, this is something for action, to study, to provide information. I'm trying
101to understand logistically how we're going to create a path, which is part of this logistics. I don't know how the resolution on meals was actually made. I don't know if we follow a clear process with resolutions. We have a rhythm, so there's a discussion at the board level, and then it's either approved or not. But what we're talking about are the issues for discussion. I'm trying to think about where this fits within the agenda, whether this is a success that will be achieved in the future, whether it's something that isn't tied to the priorities process, but we have to be consistent, and the expectations have to be identical to those that the board intends to have. So this is a study of the issues that will be discussed. Well, I do n't know if the
102board... I'm happy. Yes, but I don't know. I'm trying to see what the best way is for us to do this through the board. Kathleen: Well, I think the way resolutions have taken place in the past is a discussion that happens at the board level, and then a statement is made publicly. So some of these conversations that have turned out not to be very organic are at the resolution level. And well, we could perhaps do it as an agenda item that is treated like a ballot, and I don't know if that's something that has to be followed on this platform. So, yes With these items, there's a rhythm and an expectation. And then there are some issues that are added. There are some that are reconsidered, and this is what makes these items clear. Exactly,
103what's outside the priorities we're trying to support these resolutions for. Well, I don't know, I 'm thinking. Steisy, yes. Well, I'm a little confused regarding this particular petition because, for example, the board members don't have these items as part of their ballots. So I don't know in our discussions how these things work. For example, the food thing, this is at the state level, but the others aren't. Well, I think I would recommend that, for example, some of our families in the state who were going to support our ballot measures, but if they're in this district, then they can support them. But I don't think it's a matter of whether we agree or not to support it, or whether we've discussed all the ideas regarding supporting them or not. And so we have to have that
104conversation to determine whether people are going to have this conversation or not before the election. Yes, I agree that we can or can't have that conversation. I think they're great, but not yet. Louisville, but I think we need to talk about it because access to libraries directly impacts our students and students who don't live in the Bowler Library District but want a library close to home. I feel more comfortable talking about measures. I like Caitlyn's idea that it could be an item on the agenda. Maybe there are other votes we need to talk about. So it seems like in September and October we can have that as part of our agenda to talk about, to have the conversation, and talk about these issues and have these kinds of conversations. We're going to write it not
105to say whether we agree or disagree, but to have that conversation. I think it would be great to have a meeting, but I don't know if you're proposing it for this year, for two weeks from now, or for us to follow up in future years. Good question. I think how many meetings do we have between now and then? We have two more before the election. I think one person has raised their hand, but I want to create a predictable process where we're not just trying to do what we're trying to do. Is it taking a precedent from what we've done, the resolution we've had? That we've had in the past as superintendent, if there have been issues that the board wants to consider, to have a mechanism—I don't know if you've put it this way—to
106study, to create an issue, an issue, issues, issues for consideration. We'll find the right way to say it, but perhaps you'll have to follow up with the board's policy to know how and when they can add things so that they give you direction, so that when people ask you to support something or not, what is the basis you can consider, if you consider something and not others, then the concern is that perhaps they'll ask you to take a position, to have an opinion on something. We have the process that allows the board to have these discussions. Any other questions? I just wanted to tell you how we are here. This information has ended up in an action, as part of one of the articles. Something that I really appreciate is that, as Rober mentioned, the
107process is very important. We have to be consistent, identify how the process will look for this year and for the future. I would love to clarify that process. I think so. Having a process is great, and we've been talking about it for six weeks now. I don't care about the type of program, I don't care about the type of process, but maybe there are people who don't even want to have that conversation about supporting libraries. I think we can look at it in a way that shapes things. We can look at clearer and stronger formats, but I'm very frustrated with the number of times we're being told about it, and we're already running out of time. That's exactly what I wanted to say. We need to do it in a way that everyone understands, and
108not just have someone mention it and say, 'It's on the agenda,' or 'It's not on the agenda.' At the next meeting, we can put it on. If everyone agrees, how will it be, like, as an agenda item? Beautiful. Or yes and no, not talking about politics. But I do feel that if we talk about politics, we're also considering the politics. That gives us a way to get there. So, we can do a little bit of everything. We have n't been ignoring you. That's why we're using this language, and that's why we're talking about it. Because what are we waiting for? Changes in taxes or changes in the... We have some reservations. We need to have a clear process. I'm not saying I've been ignored, just that we've been talking about this and we're running out
109of time. Let's see what the process will be. Yes, continuing this discussion confirms the fact that we need a process, but it's true that we're running out of time because it's been going on for so long. We've been talking about this for so long. At the next meeting, we'll have enough time, so we'll see. Yes, I think the problem is that, as we've discussed this, we haven't really sold the specific topic of libraries. We have to look at which ones. We need to have an overview and see the measures, and if I agree, we'll have to study it and see how to proceed. Any other questions for the agenda? Let's see if I understand. What is it that we have to study? The resolution. This is what I've heard, and I think I've heard it
110correctly. We're going to put an article to discuss and study. We're going to try to find a rhythm and a process so that when the meeting comes, we can have a discussion here about whether we agree or not. We'll put it to study, we'll investigate it, to talk about it. Having a process, but without a process, we simply talk about it and put it on the agenda most of the time. Since I've been here, when things come up on the agenda, we don't consider them until the end of the semester. What's happening now is that we're being asked to add things to the agenda that need to be considered over time. So, the process is why I'm trying to find clarity and understand and have multiple mechanisms so that the entire board can discuss it,
111so that all members have the opportunity to talk about it and give the board a clear direction. What we're talking about right now is the library. On board matters, these are what we're going to work on now. Steisy, taking a position on something is the same as a resolution. You can do one without doing the other. I 'm looking at Kathleen when the board talks about taking a position that will be on the ballot. The resolution is the established mechanism for doing that. It gives us the ability to distribute the resolution, to share it publicly in a way that complies with state law, and that's why we use resolutions specifically for ballots. Thank you for helping us with this, everyone. I think it's an important conversation, that everyone feels their voices are being heard and
112that we're comfortable with this. One more thing for today's order. I'll see you all on October 11th if I do n't see you before then.