Lansing BOE 09-04-2025

001Sorry. Good evening and welcome to tonight's uh board Lensson School Board of Education meeting, September 4th, 2025. It is 6:01 p.m. Um, we start. Let's uh stand for our pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Times out. Um let's see. Um Trustee Ninsky, will you read our mission statement? Yes. The mission statement is to provide a highquality education in a culturally safe and nurturing environment that supports all students to live purposeful and fulfilling lives. >> Thank you very much. Uh roll call. Dr. Kavanaaugh >> present. Mr. Herd, >> present. >> Mr. Lopez, >> present. >> Mrs. Moore, Dr. Nar Martinez, >> Mr. Nveskee, >> present. >>

002Dr. Rodriguez, >> Mrs. Cro, >> present. >> Ms. Williams, >> Quir is present. >> Thank you. Just for um information, uh President Moore has um um family matters to take care of, so she's not here tonight for that reason. And Dr. Nevarez Martinez has a work situations that uh kept her from being here tonight. So, we'll move on to the agenda. Do we have any public comment on agenda items? I don't see any. It's they're after. Yeah. Okay. Let's move on with the agenda. Approval of minutes. Do I have a motion to approve the minutes of um >> so move? >> Second. >> It's moved and second. Any discussion, corrections, additions, deletions? Seeing none, all those in favor say I. >> I. >> Oppose. Same sign approved. Now we go to presentations. and this one

003uh parents students handbook and SPM Miss Black and Superintendent. >> Thank you so much. Uh I'm very happy to call uh executive director Black to the uh the podium here. Uh just to level set for everyone. As you know, every year we try to introduce the uh student handbook. Um what's been really nice is over the years the board has come up with lots of good and thoughtful uh suggestions to change as have our staff and our students and as our community. And so uh Director Black will be uh presenting the changes that were brought on because of uh community input and then going over some of the new things that we're bringing to the district and to the handbook. So without further ado, uh Cordelia, take it away. >> Thank you, Superintendent. Good evening,

004Board of Education. Thank you for having me. As you know, uh we were here in February. Can you hear me now? Uh how about that? >> There you go. >> Kind of. Okay. Uh I was here in February before you uh to present uh the 25 or excuse me 2425 handbook. Uh we talked a lot about a lot of things. Um, and so to be quite honest, uh, this year we really, um, did not change much other than what you asked me for, uh, because we had just went through, uh, this entire, um, uh, adjustment to the to the handbook in February. And so, um, by the time we, uh, had it approved by you all, had it, uh, printed and, uh, distributed to schools, it was about March. And so now, um, we felt

005that it was most appropriate, uh, to, uh, play back the tape uh, of the board meeting from, uh, February and really focus on those changes that were requested by you. So, I just want to highlight those changes for you tonight. Of course, the new uh inside cover, we had this last year, but I want to bring this back to your attention because it's um it's it's nice, it's pretty. Um, it really, uh, opens the handbook up with, uh, you know, all of access to all of our schools through, uh, the QR codes, uh, as well as our parent view and, um, our new communication, uh, platform, Parent Square. And so, uh, parents, uh, can gain access, uh, fairly easily, uh, through, uh, the the QR codes. Of course, the table of contents, it it always

006changes when you make uh page adjustments. So, um that's on there as well as the updates uh to the uh board trustees. And so, uh we did not want to leave uh any of you off. Um the next uh page that I want to focus on uh is page five of the student handbook. It was uh trusted Strode who brought to my attention uh that it was really important for us to ensure that we um kind of made a point about the age groups that we were dealing with in regards to what age groups can be petitioned to truency court versus educational neglect. And so I wanted to point out uh that um you were heard uh and the changes were were made. Um and I think that it's appropriate uh so that we are

007communicating very clearly with our our families and our community about uh the age groups that we're we're uh we're talking about when we uh uh reference truency court uh and neglect uh educational neglect petitions. Page six, uh, Trustee Williams asked me to, um, or suggested that this, uh, page, it was in the back nearly probably more of the middle of the of the handbook. And, um, it was really important um, at that time to bring it closer to the front uh, because parents want to see this first. Um, and so we were able to make some adjustments and get it uh closer to the front. Uh, page six is where it landed. Um, but again, it points out uh the attendance codes uh and what is considered present and what is considered uh as absences

008and very um just very clear about what things are. uh on the far right side of the screen, it really talks about what the codes are, exactly what they mean, um and how um and and just the definitions of them. And so I think that this is a really uh nice graphic in our handbook um and it brings about clarity uh to our our families around attendance codes. Page 10. This is a a new um page in our handbook that uh was a joint effort between uh many different teams including the office of schools, uh the office of uh school culture as well as the executive team for um really putting together some guidelines for positive conduct in schools. Um and really focusing on how um we want to engage with our families. Um, and

009so it's it's an effort to bring about uh positive engagement. And so I think that um this uh page is is laid out really nice. Uh we're going to it's a you know we're going to uh take this it's a one pager. We're going to take it and make some posters out of it and post them around of our around our schools. Again, just to uh help foster positive environment and engagement uh with our families. page 17. We made some changes to the dress code has always been in our handbook. Uh but one of the things that over the years I've heard is um some folks felt it was discriminatory. And so we really wanted to take a close look at that this year and really um uh try our best to rewrite it where

010it it it was uh uh non-gender specific um and it ensured safety at the bottom at the end of the day. Um we want to make sure we wanted to make sure that students um just had on a top have on bottoms make sure that their shoes are safe. uh and that you know everything that they have is appropriate for school. Um and we don't want to um it's a parents judgment what you know students wear to school. We also wanted to point out though that um principles do have uh some leverage in regards to interpreting the dress code and what is appropriate for a school. But the main thing is just about safety and making sure kids feel uh welcome. Um, and that's really about it. Um, we don't want uh gang related, sexually

011suggestive, obscene, promotional or uh or promoting illegal behavior on clothing. Um, and that's in there. Um, as well as, you know, jewelry um that advertise, you know, illegal type things, uh, uh, weapons, etc. So, um, we felt that this was appropriate. Um, uh, it again, it's non-discriminatory. It says right in there that, you know, the dress code uh should should not uh be used as a harassment tool. So, and also um I think that the main thing is uh dress code should not be used to um remove students from their uh instruction. So, uh we wanted to really focus on uh keeping kids in in school. Uh, as you can see at the on the bottom paragraph, it will be addressed as a level one offense, but it is not to be used to um

012disrupt students instructional time. It was Secretary Narves Martinez who asked that uh we highlight um here comes the bus. Um, and so we wanted to make sure that we provided the QR codes for them to uh access here comes the bus, the Here Comes the Bus app uh for parents to track the bus and where it's at and uh they can engage with uh with that part of uh their child's uh day. We also in looking at the um student handbook realized that we did not have anything uh in there uh about the kata uh kata uh capital area transportation authority and which we use every day for our high schoolers. So we wanted to add some uh language in there uh that really speaks to how to ride the bus safely. page 40 and

01343 or 40 40 through 43. Um now these pages are are relatively new. Um we've always had a discipline matrix. Um this the discipline matrix has changed over the years depending on grade bands and where those grades lived. For a while we had seventh grade seventh and eighth graders in high school. So we had K 6 through K6 and then uh 712. Uh of course all of our uh seventh and eighth graders have moved back have moved out of high school. So we wanted to really bring about some uh consistency with regards to our disciplinary practices across the grade bands. And so we've broken down those grade bands uh K3, 45, 68, and 912 so that our uh principles can really um uh focus on again consistency and bringing consistency across the district. If you're

014at school A and you're for instance a third grader and you're at school A, you have a child at school A, you have a child at school B. same infraction. It might look totally different depending on um who what school it is. So we we really wanted to focus on bringing about some consistency. So, we we rewrote the the matrix to bring about to really focus on equity um and making sure that our our principles are um utilizing best practices, equitable treatment across the board, across the district. And that's really the the bottom line to this. We have removed um thanks to the uh equity committee and the work that they've done. And I'll um defer to Jessica Benvitz on this, but um the some of the work with our equity committee, we have removed

015several things out of here and kind of uh broken down um behall uh infractions like uh mis persistent misconduct. Like what is that? Nobody even knows what that is. So um what so what we have to do a lot of times is go in and kind of read the narrative to figure out exactly what that is. So what we ended up doing was we came up with um uh infractions that fit what the behavior is. So we can deal with the behavior and not just some random catchall uh where you can put anything into a persistent misconduct uh any behavior at all. So Jess uh Jessica would you like to share anything on that uh in regards to the equity committee and some of the work that you all have done around um disciplinary practices?

016>> Sure. So you already touched on the fact about persistent misconduct was was one of the ones that the equity committee worly worked almost all year on really fine-tuning what that should be, how it should be removed and what the replacement um behaviors uh or violations would be. And then we worked last year to continue the equity work and work with um several members of the team and my department as well as yours to really uh eliminate disorderly conduct which we also found was a catch-all. And how that work was done was uh several members of the equity team literally combed through every comment that was written last year and then coded it appropriately um to where it would be. found if it was one of the ones that were already in the code of

017conduct. And we found several, for example, things like horse play that would didn't have a category. And so there was various things that were catchalls and oftentimes then that led to disproportionality of consequences because people would up the consequence based on putting it in fighting then even though it was not fighting. And so those were some things that uh the equity team has worked on and that work continues to this day carrying on kind of the spirit of of the work several years ago. And then also we're really proud of the K3 all the way to the 910 because we do find that that really lends to a more restorative mindset which is something that I know Cordelia's team has been really been working on and then also just making sure that developmentally appropriate consequences

018are being given. So, >> thank you uh Miss Benvdas and you'll see um just under page 40 43 uh where we added disruptive physical behavior. So, that will be one that we replace that with. Another one is disregulated emotional uh mental health. So, we're not going to, you know, like uh it's all about restorative and making sure that we are um uh supporting the student, wrapping around that student rather than looking at punitive um uh disciplinary measures, mode of delivery. This is always important. How are we delivering uh this out? As you can see, in the last three years, we've really upped our game around how we uh distribute uh the handbook. Uh this year, um again, we have uh done all the things. We've added parent square as well. And I'd like to bring

019up our director of communications, Ryan Gilding, uh to talk more about uh what we've done in regards to our website uh referencing the student handbook. All right, my turn. Can you hear me now? Great. Um, the communications team uh this year um dug in uh with Cordelia's team and not only brought these changes um to light or made them into our printed edition. And it's important to remember that that printed copy is not going away. We have just added a digital feature uh that will help with flexibility and access. When I say access, um I think most of us in this room have this appendage somewhere on us. And if they wanted if somebody wanted to pull up a handbook or something online, they could do it easily. As much as I think we'd like

020to put this in our back pocket, I don't think that's going to happen. and a printed copy. So, um, we're meeting our families where they're at. They're online, but I I want to stress that the printed copy is not going anywhere. That will be available in the buildings. Um, so what we did is we took the content from the printed version and we made it digital. Um, if you look at the first page, this is what's going to meet families when they visit the the handbook. Um, I want to focus first on uh those blue boxes below. What those are are links out to our website. Uh, board of education. Uh, here comes the bus. Um, things that parents and families have indicated that they need to find relatively quickly. Uh, board of education policies.

021Um, they click there, they go to that section of the website, and they can pull up more information. uh on the left hand side and we'll get a little bit more into this. You'll see the search feature. Anybody who wants to go into the handbook and f they can find it by keyword. They can just type it in, rights, you name it. That's a little bit uh bigger or close-up view of that search feature. Um type that in. This is what they're going to see when they click on the section below the search. We've incorporated a lot of the graphics, the background. We've kept the look of the printed handbook. Um, but we just brought it into a digital form. We understand that, you know, text text heavy isn't always the best way to get

022across the message. So, we incorporated as many graphics as possible to help our families. Um, if you click down those three dropdowns, um, back up here real quick, you'll see handbook sections, grade, and handbook topics right up there in the left. So, we'll give you the drop-own version. Um, the sections are broken down by the sections that you see or are in the handbook um, table of contents, the grade levels. I'll I'll show you that here in just a second. And then below, we took the 50, I believe it's 50 um most frequent keywords that you see in our handbook. So if somebody did not want to type in a search and they wanted to just do etiquette, they could click on that and it'll bring up the sections that have that keyword in it.

023So that grade level right there, what does that do? Well, you click on 9 through 12. Remember those matrix, those discipline level guidelines that M. Black was talking about? It'll take you to something like that. So, um, another thing that I want to really highlight under each section, you're going to see when that section was updated. And I think that's pretty important because, um, you know, I'm not cutting on print or anything. Um, you know, as soon as it's printed, it's out of date. But with a digital version, you can update it on the fly. Um, I think that's pretty important. policies change, personnel could change, um we can update this book as we need to. And that share print um a parent or family can share that out or hitting that dropdown, they can

024print a section as needed. They don't have to print the entire book. So if they want to print a section on the dress code or a discipline matrix, they hit that print. They're good to go. Um, another thing, well, I I don't want to do the thank you. Cordelia can do the thank you. Um, another thing that I think is important to remember here, um, with this, um, our website utilizes Google Translate. For our families whose first language might not be English, they have 249 languages at their disposal to uh, choose from, and the handbook will be displayed in their language. So, um, that's just a quick overview. Um, I think, uh, working with Cordelia's team, we've created something that's not only, uh, accessible, uh, it's flexible, and I think our families are really going

025to use it. >> Thank you. >> That Thank you, Ryan. I appreciate that. And that concludes the handbook presentation. Now, my question is, would you like me to continue through SPM or would you like me to pause? If you have questions about the handbook, we can take them now and then uh move forward. >> That's a pleasure. You want to ask questions now? >> Okay. Go ahead, Trusty Williams. >> First, thank you to both of you guys for listening and hearing. Awesome. Ryan, when I say some days I get mad at you for parent view and everything, you're doing your job. So, kudos to you. Everything is going the way it should be. Cia, thank you for making those changes. I did have a question though because again, you know, I think in layman's terms.

026So looking at the parent looking at the book where we have deregulated emotional mental health. Can you explain that to people on a layman's term I know what it means but again everybody may not so that when that comes up if there's an issue they're aware of what it really means or if there's some way we can put a sub so they can read in and understand what it means. >> Right? Unregulated disregulated emotions. Um, knowing uh what a student's uh background is in regards to uh their behavior, whether an, you know, knowing whether it's a behavior we're dealing with or a mental health uh uh unregulated emotion, right? Um we would rather wrap around that student because we know exactly what we're dealing with. We work with our students every day. We know them.

027Um and so rather than writing uh well I I should say rather than addressing the unregulated emotion uh as an out of control student, right? Uh or putting it in some kind of um category such as um I don't know disorderly, right? We know that it's unregulated, disregulated emotions. So we want to address it from a mental health restorative perspective rather than a punitive punishing manner. So that's that's the difference. >> Thank you for explaining that. You know, I knew what it meant. I wanted other people to understand. Then I did have a question under the district dress code the restrictions. Now I know I get I shop I have a teenager so everything you know has cannabis on it. So are we looking at that as being I mean anywhere you go even Myers

028some of the t-shirts now have it. So are we looking at that or is it a case by case by case? We don't want one child feeling isolated because they wore but somebody else did. So can we elaborate a little bit more as far as restriction wise because I think if you go into any store you'll see something >> right. So where it says symbols associated with alcohol, illegal drugs or tobacco that that would be that would fall in that category. Uh we're not going to promote um you know the use of uh any drugs on on school property. um it's illegal for those under 18 and and on school property. So, we're not going to uh promote that uh here uh in the district. >> I understand, but I'm thinking more so like you

029know how they have t-shirts and all that where they're cutting people up and stuff like that. I mean, it's obscene, but they're >> it's case by case. And I again that's why that last paragraph it says that um the principal has the authority to interpret the dress code and to determine on a casebycase basis. Okay. Uh the appropriateness of a student's dress and grooming. Um and so there you there you have it. I believe that's that's the answer to your question. Okay. >> Just so that people areware not official culture. It is not. It's in the handbook, but it's a case by case by case basis that this will be determined. So, nobody's picking on your children if that's what you're thinking. Thank you. Because I think that was one of my suggestions. >> It

030may have been. >> So, thank you. >> Of course, Trusty Tro, >> thank you. I definitely appreciated the handbook uh feedback and being able for you to take a look at what we talked about previously and kind of diving in and remembering a little bit of the things that was asked or requested. So, I was really appreciative of just the thought that went into this presentation today. I also thank you for the admissions and the clarity added to page five surrounding that truency piece um within uh intervention for families. The one thing that I was curious about um was is there a space somewhere I know that our superintendent has spoke about how our new plans this year is to really rally around getting our PTO involvement engagement up. Is there a space somewhere where

031maybe it can be like um in embedded somewhere of like a QR code or something to um just say here's a scan and Ryan maybe it goes to uh all the schools and they can click which school and learn about the PTO. Um this is just a thought not a something you have to do. Of course I'll leave that to Superintendent Ben. Um but I just thought that would be awesome. I love that the addition of the here comes the bus to be engaged in that space and the rules was very important to have on the side for KATA. Um but I would definitely love to see that as well as we continue to lift to get some more rallying and support around our PTO's this year. Um the last piece for me I was

032really uh thankful for the new addition of page 40 and 43 with the behaviors leading to intervention. Is there a space or maybe um for me as a parent when I look at this and I might say I need some more information of what this looked like. Is there some type of hyperlink or maybe a page after that goes into each area as well as is there a space where we can say here are the resources for these experiences? Um and maybe some of our partners are listed. if you're having um some concerns within parenting, it might be a good plug for us to put in PEAC resources um to come out and have some some more of engagement in that. I know there's like a deep dive of like what the definitions are, but

033kind of like how she mentioned with it, it can be case by case and sometimes, >> you know, that's a hard thing to decipher when you're at a different school with a different culture. And so, I think the resource piece would be great. It might already be in there. Um, but even just like a link or a scan code to resources that we have partnered with or that we can provide to help with some of these interventions because we know if we are seeing it at the school district level, they may be seeing it at home and they just don't know what help is available. So, that was my only thing. Thank you. >> Thank you. I appreciate that and I love that idea. Um, in fact, I have a PAC meeting uh coming up

034in September, and the very first PACA meeting is going to be on the uh parent uh student handbook. So, we'll be able to uh and that's a another thing. You don't have a printed copy. It's new not too late. So, uh we can we can make those changes before we get it printed. um QR code to to the uh resources um and then we can talk on a deeper level with our parents uh during the PE hack meeting. So that's great. Thank you >> the president. >> Anybody else? Dr. Trusty Dr. Rodriguez. >> Thank you president. Uh thank you very much. I can see the evolution of the handbook. Um this handbook only for students is also for parents also for teachers is um applies another things here only to students or many other people.

035I think it applies to the entire school community uh parents, teachers, staff, uh the board. Uh >> you know, and that is what the last two years I had be asking to change the name of the Hamburg for students and hook for the community, for the school, for the Lancing school district. Maybe not now, not today, but maybe something we had to think and because really when you're talking about things here should apply to all of us. >> Yeah, thank you. I appreciate that. Um, we we definitely can take a look at that. Um, I know that two years ago we did change the the name uh from student handbook to student and parent or excuse me, student and family handbook. So that was uh also uh at the direction or suggestion of the board.

036So if we're ready to move forward with additional changes, we can have that conversation in in in depth. M >> vice president, are you done? >> Okay. Trust Williams. >> Just a simple maybe add addition to that just to take the and out. Add a comment put and community capitalizes on everything in this chain. Thank you. >> Uh Trusty Noki. >> Yes. I want to ask about the digital version. Is that live now or where would we >> uh it'll go live early next week. Okay. Once once we incorporate any last minute >> tweaks. >> And then how will that be delivered to parents? >> Um via the matrix. I think Cordelia showed on the couple pages. Um it's going to be a link on parent square. It's going to be a link in parent

037view. uh teacher view. Uh it's going to be on our website. Uh it's going to be a staple in the superun superintendent's newsletter. So we're going to get it in front of everybody in as many places as possible. >> Is there that looked like a searchable kind of page by page navigation? Is there just a PDF version of this in one file or >> um the print feature will allow people to print sections. So if they needed a specific section, they can print those. Um if we think it's beneficial, um we can uh have like a PDF file underneath or within the handbook itself. So also all anybody would have to do is click it'll download and they can print it from there. >> Any other questions? I I do have one quick question. It's

038it's available in different forms, but if somebody needs a printed book, they can get it. >> Yeah, we intend to have printed copies at the front offices of the buildings. >> Okay. Uh go ahead. Oh. Um Trusty Herk, remind me how many languages this is available in. >> Uh today Google has 249. Tomorrow maybe more. Um, so yeah, at 249, but perhaps most importantly, it covers all the languages that we currently know about in our district, >> the digital copy. But what about the ones that are inside of the school community? That's what I'm asking about. I know that Google can do it. >> Um, we haven't I think it's going to be just English, but of course, if somebody requests a printed copy in that in a different language, we certainly could. >> Okay.

039Okay, >> superintendent. >> Yeah, I just uh wanted to recognize all the great comments from the board. I mean, one of the great things about this being now a digital is that adding a PTO um QR code we can do tomorrow, whereas last year we would have had to wait and reprint and do everything. Um I think and I'll because I know what's in front of them. The booklet currently already has a glossery. So there is some information already there. Uh but I think the ideas of adding resources is something that we can do very very easily. And uh to Trusty Herd's point in terms of the translations, you know, I know that it is possible that if a parent or community member says, I'd like a printed copy in a certain language, we can

040get that to them almost immediately. So, uh, I want to make sure that that folks, uh, know that because it is important. We have over 50 languages spoken in this district and so we want to make sure that all of our families, uh, get that. Um, the other, uh, point I would just want to make about this is how really proud I am of the work uh, that's that's being done and just kind of listening to the comments. We know that there have been some issues with this handbook previously and I think we really address quite a few of them but because it is digital if there are ongoing uh questions or concerns we'll be able to update this uh pretty quickly. The last thing I'd say and we've talked about this with our parent

041roundt is the ability to easily search and the the idea of easily getting the information. this new structure allows for that whereas previously you're rifling through things you don't know where to look even with the agenda or the table of contents it just didn't work. So uh I just want to thank uh you guys really for doing this and for the entire board and the entire team for making this happen and certainly the SBM presentation I'm very much looking forward to as well because there'll be other things there. >> Thank you. >> Yes, trust her. >> I did have one final follow-up question just because it's it's eating at me. What specifically are you doing to make sure that the people who do speak other languages know where to find this, how to get this,

042and how soon they can access it? I understand that if they ask you for it, you will do it. But how do they know to ask you? >> Oh, great question. Um, so, uh, the gentleman sitting over your shoulder, uh, we work with him, uh, to get the information to those communities, uh, not only through our website, but our our partners in the community. We get this information. We we make it known that if they need the information in the circuit language, they know where to find it. They know where to come to us. Um, so yes, I don't think there will be a a shortage of or a lack of information going to the people who need it. >> You want to add to that? >> Yeah, I wish you would add to that

043because what I want to know is you make it known how I my question is how do you do it? >> I'll defer to deputy superintendent Kek. >> Uh, thank you for asking that question. Um the conversation on how we communicate with families that speak other languages than English is one that uh we've been discussing with the communication department because the evolution of translations and interpretations in the last 20 years have changed so much that in the past we had to have meetings with parents. We had to translate forms. We had to put all this effort into finding people who could translate information. Now what we are learning that number one face to face when we have parent meetings for parent teacher conferences or at the newcomer center when we meet with the new parents

044and new arrivals is teaching and showing parents how to use the translation component in the website. Because once they start going and browsing the website in their own language, which I used it yesterday in Spanish, which Google translations are great, but they're not perfect yet. Um, the ability of people to be able to maneuver and play with the website gives them the ability to learn more information, activities, and themes and services that are being offered by the school district. So to answer your question is helping people navigate what we already have using the component of a translation tool in the website. That's one of the best strategies through educating people through meetings. And I I will add that um you know our masscom tool parents parent square automatically translates the information that we send to

045families if they have designated in synergy that they speak Burmese or Poshtu. Yeah, I I think if I can add I think that's the key that Trusty Herd is really asking which I appreciate which is if a family has clicked let's say Poshtu as the home language the information we send out to them is actually in Poshtu. So it it's really special. I mean the technology is incredible. So rather than wait for somebody to come to an office and say hey I speak Spanish can you translate to this to me? When when Ryan sends something through parent square, it'll actually translate immediately into the language that they have already designated. Now, if they want it in English, they can get it in English, but if they want in their home language, be it, you know,

046poshu or Spanish, it automatically happens. And one more thing too, if there are emergencies and communicate with families for things that are happening right away, we have con bilingual instructional assistants in the district that speak the top 10 languages in the district. So that component is still there. when we need to communicate because of medical reasons or any other important information uh to an individual family, we have access to do that face to face. Thank you. >> Thank you. Well, there just one um one more thing that I'd like to say is that I was going to ask that question trusty her because it's very important and since I can speak another language I will tell uh that's one way of communicating with it. Now if there's others that can speak other language, please come

047and tell it. I would appreciate that. But thank you very much. Very good. Okay. Now the uh next presentation is is on uh student behavioral management. Yes sir. Thank you. Part two, we are going to talk about the CAS Access 411 student behavior management program that um we call SBM. With me uh today I've invited uh Evan Van Havo. He is uh part of the CAS Access 411 team. Uh he is the uh regional project manager with them. And so Evan has uh worked with me uh for over a year on this project. And so that's why I've asked him to join me uh in um uh talking about any of the technical uh pieces of the of the platform. But let's dig into it and and you'll know um more of what I'm talking

048about as we start diving into it. So what is SVM? SPM is an automated software program. It interacts with district with the district's student information system. You know it as Synergy. Uh Synergy is our official student uh information system. Synergy is not going away. It SBM interacts with Synergy. We cannot get rid of synergy because again it's our official uh uh database that's that uh speaks to the state of Michigan around uh the data that that we're required to report. Uh it's customuilt to support data driven driven decisions uh best best practices and uh really uh t helps us to target uh the goals that are on the on the back uh wall there uh regarding equitable disciplinary uh practices. And that's why uh this program uh this presentation is is was um probably most

049appropriate uh in combination with the student handbook because of the disciplinary practices part SBM goals and how uh they impact lancing goals. Well um we wanted to make sure that uh the goals impacted positively. Uh so what what what we what we were trying to do was increase instructional minutes uh we talk about it all the time uh around um our disciplinary uh practices uh our suspension data etc. We wanted to improve uh district disciplinary data uh decrease disproportionality increase consistency across the board and break down inequities across the district. And by doing all of that, we were hoping and we are hoping and I'm pretty sure we're going to do it. Uh well, I shouldn't say pretty sure, I'm positive we're going to do it. Uh we're going to reach um our goals. And

050so that's that's uh why we we you know, we talk about what we need to do, but we didn't have a really good solid tool to help us do it. and SBM is that tool that's going to be the driver to help us reach some of the goals that that we've uh we're striving for every day. What was the vision of SBM? The vision was again to customize the software uh to district specs to uh um support data-driven uh decisions and best practices and help us uh get closer and closer to our district goals. We wanted something to uh where we could build in uh accountability, workflow accountability and transparency ac across the the district so that all the teams knew what was going on. The office of schools could uh interact with the office

051of uh school culture and uh around disciplinary practices. They had the they we all have the ability to see what's happening in our schools in real time. providing grayband consistency across the district. We've talked about that and we needed a solution uh that could read and write to to Synergy. Uh not something that was a standoff away from Synergy uh but something that uh we could write back to Synergy because again a lot of the data has to be reported to to the state. We needed to make sure uh that our special education uh compliances were written into uh the platform. Uh and then that we positioned ourselves to enhance u our supports to our multil- language learners. And then um we really were looking for uh visual articulation of data, something that was, you

052know, more than just numbers. Um and then of course uh relying on a accessible support team is always important. Um you know having a program uh is one thing uh but the support team being in California or Arizona someplace and no real access to uh uh on the ground in the district uh support is another. And so, uh, that's where Evan and, uh, the rest of the, uh, Access 411 team comes into play. This data right here that you're looking at on the screen is representation of Washington DC. Uh Washington DC is a district of nearly five uh 50,000 students uh 117 uh schools and this data is uh essentially um over across 10 years. And so we're looking at the top left uh being the total districts uh uh excuse me total suspension days

053for the entire district. Uh the bottom left is one of their high schools uh total suspension days. Uh and and just to see how uh the data has uh the numbers have decreased over time. Now it took them 10 years. There's a they're a district of 50,000 um and we're a fraction of that. So I think that we are in a much better shape. Uh and so uh the you know just looking at this data from male to female uh gender by race uh suspension days in total um it's it's evident by this these uh graphics that uh if we utilize this program the way it's designed we will see change in our district across our district. Um and so that's what I'm looking forward to. We had a we've been I I spoke that

054uh said that I've been working with Evan for about a year. In May, we had a kickoff meeting. Um members from the Lancing School District as well as Access 411. We met in the superintendent's conference room and we uh talked about um SPM and how it could help us uh with regards to uh some of the things that we talked about earlier, disproportionate disproportionality, um inconsistencies, uh inequities, um and really uh focusing around how we building in restorative practices and best practice ices around disciplinary um uh practices. Uh we started planning. We wanted to, you know, write it all out, get as much of it on paper as we could. What what did we want? What did we want it to look like? Uh who was responsible for what? So, we talked about roles and

055responsibilities. In July of 2024, we started uh working on a workflow alignment. Um behind the scenes, um what what do we want uh this program to do for us? Uh we uh reviewed local, state, and federal policy and best practices and making sure that we wanted to um write in those policies into the program. Um so that we we didn't have to guess at it anymore. It was in written in in the the programming of the of the program. By January of 25, we invited our special education team in to help us align with um federal policy and and how we needed to approach uh discipline moving forward with regards to students with IEPs and um manifestations etc. Uh we wanted to create dashboards so that principles had um access to data uh daytoday uh

056and they could make um decisions right on the spot. Uh and we just continued to refine uh what we were working on until we uh were ready in May to pilot uh the program. Um we selected uh a few schools that couple raised their hands and we asked others to pilot this program with me uh with us. Um and those are the four schools Ever High School, Patill at Wood and Willow uh at Riddle. Um we continued to work, we invited those principles in and they worked with us on the matrix that we talked about in the student handbook. And so really taking a real deep dive at what um the tiers of discipline look like and uh what types of interventions we wanted to uh implement and writing all of that into the programming

057of um this program. Once we got the program uh to the point where it was ready to go, we did a principal overview uh and ba and trust me uh they came uh they came uh pretty ready to let me know exactly what what was going to work and what was not going to work uh for for them in the schools. They're in the trenches. They're dealing with this every day. uh and so we wanted to make sure that we wrapped around them as well as uh heard them very clearly about what would work and what would not what would not work. Uh by August we were ready to launch um and so we uh trained all of our principles on SBM. We um uh had a district-wide professional development where we trained all of

058our staff on SPM and we launched on August 20th. And so here we are. Um we are still you know working on some slight interface improvements. Um we are working on uh some dynamic search uh features. We've held uh one power hour training with administrators which was last week. We have another one scheduled uh next week for uh all district district staff. and we'll continue to uh run those power hour trainings just to make sure that our staff are up uh on all of the the to-dos, how to uh uh navigate their way through uh SBM. Um and then uh at following the the you know the power hour trainings, we will be pushing out uh surveys to uh our entire district around collecting feedback. Um and we'll take that feedback and utilize it to

059uh dive into phase two uh the development of phase two. And so um with phase two, we're also visualizing a mobile app. And so we're really looking forward to um utilizing this this data uh on a daily basis. Um SBM, you get your login uh by email. This is what it looks like when it comes to you. Um, and then we, you know, use our loginins to to our credentials to log into the platform. And I'm going to talk more about what the platform looks like now, so you will have a better idea of what what it is that we're talking about. So, you log in, uh, you put your credentials in, you get into the platform, you click SBM, which is at the bottom of the screen, and you land on this, um, you

060end up on this landing page. uh you again click uh um SBM dashboard. Now what's nice about this platform is every single district employee has access to SBM. Every single district employee has a dashboard. The dashboard looks like this. Uh no matter who you are, it does not matter your title. It does not matter um what capacity you work in. Uh you have access to SBM um and you have a dashboard and basically what it is is the da d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d dash uh will keep track of your incidents that you enter into SBM. So let me back up

061and say this to you with Synergy. Synergy is a platform prior to now that we've always used to record student incidents. Okay. So, we're not using Synergy anymore. We'll be using SBM. Okay. And the reasons why is, you know, some of the things we talked about earlier around um practices and uh restorative um being restoative, more restorative. And so uh rather than going into synergy synergy to record incidents, we go into SPM. We record incidents. So if I were a teacher and I opened up SBM, this is what I would see. Staff dashboard. It's right at the top. And so I I'm able to keep up with the the incidents that I submit into SBM. I have my own personal dashboard. Okay. So this says whoever this teacher is that um this person has witnessed

06210 arsons. Now this is all fake data. Okay, I just want you guys to know that we have not we have not had 10 uh arson. Thank goodness. Um this is this all came off of a demo server um just for the sake of pres presenting. Okay, we have a live server uh that's running every day. principles are and teachers and and all of our staff are engaging with that. But for the sake of the uh of this uh remember this uh we started presenting back early August. So we wanted to you know uh pull um we had to create cases in order to present. And so again, uh this teacher uh has 10 cases of arson, two cases of abuse of language, two fighting incidents, two assaults, and uh another two assaults with or

063one sorry I must need new glasses. One um incident for with with an injury. And so that's pretty much what that looks like. Um let me bring this a little closer uh for us all to see. And so uh incidents by violation type that's that's what uh uh a person would see. The next widget on their dashboard is incident status. So one of the things that I've heard for years um and I wanted to make sure that I personally address with this system is that um when teachers or staff members um submit incidents into synergy they don't really know what happened after that. It's just gone. you know, it just they submit it, a principal addresses it, and then they don't really know what took place. Well, they have the ability now to see exactly

064where what the status of of an incident is. So, that's very helpful. Um, it, you know, lowers some anxiety around whether or not a a incident or a situation was addressed, uh, because it tells them exactly whether or not uh the the action uh was approved, whether it's not whether or not it's waiting to be approved. um or for a school uh approver to respond to uh the the incident uh that's been submitted by whatever staff member it is. The next widget on the dashboard is again uh year-to-ate stats. So as a staff member I'm able to see how many incidents I have submitted into SBM for the entire school year. So for this uh uh case I if I'm the teacher once again I have submitted 251 incidents this school year. Okay. Um I

065can then uh that that uh that information is then broken down by the types of uh incidents um the types of submissions SNAP suspensions educator interventions office referrals. It gives you the ranking where you rank personally in a school versus uh um the the school average as well as where you rank in the district in comparison to the district's average. Another nice widget is an average suspension days of those uh incidents submitted by you as an individual. So again, let me just say that every uh person in the district has access to uh SBM. We all have our uh dashboards and the dashboards are role specific. So teachers have their dashboards, principles have their dashboards and then there is a district level dashboard and we'll talk a little bit about that. incidents by month. So

066you can see uh what's happening in your um well again this this particular data is a teachers uh specific data but principles also have this so they can see the overall um uh incidents by month uh by the entire uh school building. They can compare this data by year and they can look at it by by month. Each widget is has a filter option option. So you can filter this by um by month, by year uh and in some um I'm sorry >> band >> and grade band when applicable. This widget is incident by designation. So, this tells us uh who are the folks um that are being um uh referrals are coming in on uh general education students, students with IEPs, students for 504. Now, you might ask, well, why do we need this

067information? This helps us build in uh interventions and supports around students. We have to know what we're dealing with in order to respond. This uh gives us data uh by year. Again, you can filter this uh you can look at this by grade. Um there's every single widget has a filtering option and you can compare it by year of course. Incidents by location. This is some of the this data right here is awesome because uh this data allows you to as a principal it will allow you to um deploy your resources u accordingly. Right? So um here we have administrative offices. There's 11 11 incidents. So what's going on in the in the administrative offices where you know there's 11 incidences. So we this this helps principles make uh critical decisions around again um where

068how to deploy their human resources. There's another widget and you'll see it later. Uh it's uh incidents by time. So if you use uh incidents by location and incidents by time and you are able to match those up, then you're really in a really good position. So for instance, um how to deploy your public safety officers in your school, where they should be at what time of the day, incidents by ethnicity. Again, all the ethnicities are there. Um, again, you can you can look at this by year. You can filter this by grade. Um, by grade and by year. Um, there seems like there's one more that might be in there. Um, but you can also compare this um by year. And this just gives you data uh by um ethnicity. Once again, um this

069is the this is the the slide that's going to help us address disproportion disproportionate uh discipline. Now, that was staff a staff level dashboard. Principles have a few more widgets, okay, to help them make critical decisions around uh their buildings. And so the first thing a principal would see or an assistant principal um is on their dashboard is waiting for administrative action. So this is their work. Okay, these are uh the incidents that have been submitted uh and waiting uh on school level school approver response. And so right now um you have uh five incidents that you need to address as a principal. It talks about the uh the status and of course how long they've they've sat in there. Of course, these say like 111 days. I'm hoping to never ever ever ever see

070that. Uh uh but again, this is just uh off of our demo server and those uh cases just sit there for the purpose of demoing. And there it is a little closer for us to see. So we can see what date it came in on and the aging, how old it is, what school it is. Again, um um the district level dashboard, uh we can see this as well so that we can, you know, kind of call out and see, you know, if we if we see something with 111 days, uh my goal would be to touch base with that principal to see how I can support them in getting uh these uh situations taken care of. Now this is a really powerful uh widget to me uh because this is real time um data

071uh that a principal can use day to day. Uh so this gives you Monday through Friday what is happening in your school. You can see that you have uh on Monday two out of school suspensions, zero ISS, seven educator interventions, zero SNAP suspensions, and five phone calls home. And those phone calls could have been made by staff members. But at least you know what's happening in your school every day of the week. And you can also filter this by month and by year for comparison perspectives. OSC 10day plus school day suspension request. And so all the anytime there's a major situation and a student has to be removed from um school um for more than 10 days, uh it goes through um this widget. It's it appears on this widget, but it's it's been sent

072to the office of school culture for approval and so which is what it's always been. So this that practice is is still the same. Um, but they don't lose track of uh those situations. Um, we're all, and that's what I talked about, transparency earlier. Um, knowing where students are, what's going on with them, who's been sent to to the Office of School Culture, um, what big cases are we working with, uh, who those students are. All the names have been blurred out uh for the for uh confidentiality, but um we can keep track with, you know, who those students are by student ID, the name, uh the violation. At a glance, we can see uh what it is that we're dealing with. If we click those, then it will take us deeper into that case

073and we can see uh uh the detail around the the incident. And then we have upcoming discipline hearings. Okay. Again, for students who have uh um violated a major offense, um this is uh the process that they would uh uh go through uh in regards to um a decision made on um the incident. Uh and so we can keep track of those students who are who are um who's who has a hearing uh coming up. Um these students students that have that are listed here have already been notified. Parents have been notified. Um it happens within the first 10 days that they are out of school. Um etc. So uh the location we know exactly where the meeting is being held etc. Incidents by location. Oh, I'm sorry. Time. Um, again, um, this is the

074one that I was talking about that kind of goes hand inand with location. Um, this allows, uh, school principles to really focus in on when things are happening in their schools and deploying the the the human resource um, appropriately. If we know that we have a 10:00 problem, then we can focus on that pro that time of day and um get our folks around where they need to be. Whoops. I'm sorry. Let me go back. Top 10 staff. Um top 10 staff. This is a really good widget because it allows you to know who who the folks are who is um submitting the most uh incidents in your school and so you can have critical conversations around what supports they need um and um what supports the students need at the end of the day.

075And so that is uh a powerful uh widget that I I think that uh principles can use to their advantage. uh in regards to having critical conversations early on before you know a problem becomes a problem. They also have an inbox. It's located at the top uh right side of the screen. Uh it looks just like a little um mailbox. Um and it has a number there. The number indicates um how many cases are waiting for their review. And so they have um many different ways that they can get to uh their their uh incidents that are awaiting action. Um the mailbox is just one of of the few. And when they click into the inbox, this is what it looks like. Once again, um you know, uh laying their work out for them all

076in one place. You double click on it, it opens up the incident. They're able to see all the detail about the incident, um, read into it, make decisions on it, um, and go from there. Again, YSBm, it consolidate consolidates everything into to one um, one platform. Uh, it's data data heavy. Um it's informing, it simplifies things. Um it's it allows us to execute quickly. Um it's actionable. Um it's transparent. And so these are all the reasons why SBM is um more efficient uh for us in in regards to um disciplinary dis just discipline. Um, Synergy is great, but it's it's it's a different platform. Um, and so we we we think that um this platform is going to really help us with um you know, utilizing our resources to wrap closer around students and much

077earlier around students because the data is right in front of us. rather than us having to wait until the end of the month pulling reports and then, you know, having to um dig through the reports um and then, you know, putting together pretty presentations. It's already in front of us live every day. Um I want to give a special thanks to all the folks that have helped u with this project. It's been a long time coming. Um and we're not done yet. Uh those are the folks on the screen. Lots of folks have had uh input into this and have worked um alongside of uh me and Mr. Van Havo and his uh cast team. They're also on the screen. These are all the folks who have uh been engaged in this work. Um, I'd

078like to bring up um, well, the first thing I want to do is turn this over to to Evan. Um, and to see if you want to share anything. Uh, did I miss anything? Any any anything you want to add? So, we take great pride in customizing this software to whatever you guys need, however you need to slice the data and to visually see it and make better use of that information to make more informed decisions. from widgets like location that we had a few examples up there to we can have as many locations as we need to in that lit widget to really cross reference our different information streams from location to time of day where to uh send those public safety resources or human resources to support our stu your students. >> Thank

079you. uh first superintendent uh deputy superintendent uh Miss Benvitz um you know you um oversee all the principles um you have a lot to do with this work lots of your you know um your work has to do with you know where where students are at on the disciplinary uh within the disciplinary process and how this in interacts with the instructional side of the house. So, um I just want to give you an opportunity to share uh from your perspective. Um any thoughts about SBM and how you've engaged with it so far and what you've seen so far. >> So, first of all, just to say thank you to Evan and the team. Um Cordelia and all the principles. They did an outstanding job. Um what Cordelia didn't show you was kind of what she

080started out with at the beginning. Um we got the model and she was like, "Oh, this is not what we need." It was good, don't get me wrong. The product was excellent, but it was tailored really to Washington DC and the cast team really tailored it to exactly what Lancing needed. And um I think they're even going to be using some of these different widgets that we've created kind kind of to expand some of their other um to to some of their other districts as well. Um I know that Cordelia is going to give an opportunity to the principles to speak, so I don't want to steal their thunder. Uh but I will tell you that this is going to be an absolute gamecher other than instruction which you know is always going to be

081my number one. Um this is a very close second and the reason is is because as a principal this allows you to be completely proactive in your school. So when you're looking at things and you know you can meet once a week what's working. Okay we have incidences happening in the cafeteria. Let's try these couple things. You can look back at it literally later that day. the next day it is all 100% live, easy to find. Um, and then the other thing that we're really happy about is as we do our monthly edgat meetings, now we can finally focus on disproportionality because it is very easy now to find that data. And that's something that I know has been a long time coming, especially with our equity audit and those kinds of things. And so

082I think that those are things that we're going to really be able to hone in on that we really have not had the access to be able to do that work. And so that's one thing that I'm exceptionally excited about. I think also having a lot of early educators in our school district. This is another way, as Cordelia mentioned, I want to be clear that when we're looking at, for example, top 10 staff, that's in a very positive way. If we have someone who has a lot of referrals coming out of their classrooms, that signals to a principal, this is someone that might need some help with classroom management or they may have students in their classroom that needs additional supports. And so this is a way for us to really get proactive on with

083our staff to support them and also to support our students. So it it really helps with datadriven decision-making. So I know you want to give a chance to your principles to speak, but this is really a gamecher and it is outstanding. We're really excited to be using this this year. >> Thank you, Mrs. Benvitas. I'd like to now bring up a few principles. Uh those who are here, do you mind coming up? And now we also have an assistant director for special education. Do you all mind coming up? you all could just share with the board um how you've interacted with the program. Um don't be shy. Uh Carrie, why don't we start with you? >> Sure. >> You can introduce yourself and tell them who you are. >> Yeah, my name is Carrie Otis.

084I work in the special ed department. Um we really worked with SPM in those meetings that we were having to plan it from the beginning even before we started piloting. Um once we piloted and now that we're in it for the school year, it's a great tool for us to pull up what we need when it happened. Um to look at data and reflect and compare like Jessica was saying to dis disproportionalities um between different groups. um planning it from the beginning stage with SPM also allowed us to um create some separate forms like we were using some Google sheet forms just to keep track of special ed compliance data. SPM allowed us to create that within it and then everything is all right there. We're no longer spending time replicating, reproducing. It's all in

085SPM which is great. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. [Music] >> Good evening everyone. My name is Nicole Beard. I'm the principal of Willow School, currently Willow at Riddle. Um, I will not read all of my notes, but I just wanted to say I think I can speak for all the administrators when I say that we definitely want to protect the learning environment at all costs. And the teachers want a healthy environment in the classroom. The students want a healthy environment in the classroom. The parents want a healthy environment in the classroom. So when we are able to address the behaviors, we we mutually sat down and and came up with um guiding expectations for each school, the students know it, the children know it, the parents know it, and using SBM makes it so much

086easier because we can pull our data at our CRPB CRPBIS meetings and we can find those those hot spots of, oh, oh, this child might need some tier 2, tier three supports. Another nice thing about being able to pilot the program is we're helping our colleagues who are really in uh really getting into it this school year. So, um I will say one more thing. So, it helps our deans and our SS's identify students who may need uh to be added to an SEAL group or need check need more check-ins throughout the day. My name is Calvin Beard. I'm the assistant principal at Patgillale. I stand here in um representation of my other colleague Jamie Netzway who's up there as well as our principal. She's not feeling well. But um again as my colleagues here

087have expressed that this uh system and I've been in the district for 20 plus years. Uh this system I'm very excited about um because again the data uh can u speak highly to the data having it ready for us at that moment looking at it throughout the day identifying our areas of concern or areas of need and uh dispatching my deans my SSS's my support staff and myself uh to those areas to be able to support our staff and support our classrooms and their learning um cuz Uh we all know that unless we are having things under control, learning always tends to take a second place or teachers have a difficulty teaching in class when there's a lot of things going on. So this also helps us uh to really focus on those areas and

088as a um and just real time. We love it. Um, it's an easier platform actually for us to be honest with you instead of I like synergy but digging into synergy trying to find things when I can just pull it up and it's right there. It gives us indications every morning. Every administrator gets an indication that there's something there for you to address. If a teacher is a has a referral that there's something we don't miss. It's first thing in the morning. So, we know that we need to get in there and address those things. And so, uh, we we are really excited about this, uh, program. We really appre I appreciate my colleagues because we really dug into this. So, we did give Cotti and them a whole lot of, uh, stress. Uh, like

089I was like, no, that ain't it. But when you speak to, >> oh, I'm sorry, Miss Black. I'm sorry. I'll call her Cotti. I'm sorry. Uh, Miss Black. But uh when we speak to um disorderly conduct, those those areas that we were all dump all in, with this new system, it gives detail and definition to the teachers when they're actually going in to uh write a referral. It gives them a definition of what that referral is and and so they have an understanding of what they're actually reading and saying that happened. So it gives us even more detail about when they're, you know, describing the incidents to us. So gives us very more infor. So we do appreciate that. >> Can I just Oh, so before we take questions, which I really look forward to,

090I really do want to thank uh Miss Black and our principles and the team at Cass for years. you know that we've been trying deeply to move this district in a positive direction, increasing attendance, increasing graduation, increasing test scores, all of those things. But those all happened because of our great teachers and our great administrators, but also because we had systems that we could look at to actually get the information. We know who's going to graduate. We know who has the credits. We know what test scores are. What we didn't have was a structural way to understand our discipline. Now, we knew things were getting better. We knew that, you know, suspension rates were going down. We knew there were less fights. We knew all those things. But by now bringing in a kind of

091top-notch system, we're going to be able to really hone in on very specific things. One specifically, and you've heard this mentioned a couple of times, is the equity issues. Right? We know as a district we have disproportionality in how we do things. Well, it's very very hard to address it if you don't actually have the data. So now you can see immediately are we suspending more special ed kids than not or ELLL kids or not by race, by gender, what have you. And so now principles are empowered to look at that and say, oh wow, we have this concern. How can we address it? Because for years we were really, I guess, working by gut and not by data. And so it's great to hear principles and directors and people in the special ed and

092in the schools saying this is real and helpful because that was always the hope. So I'm really glad to hear that. And I think the last thing I'd say too is it also allows us to not in a punitive way but in a supportive way help look at where there might be trouble spots. It might be a physical place like the cafeteria, but it also might be a person's classroom or with a struggling teacher. And before that, when you looked at the data at large, it would just say, "Oh, there were 10 suspensions this year." Well, were they all in one classroom? Were they all at lunch? Were they all in the, you know, bus lane? I don't know. But with this data, we're now able to do that. And now we're able to then

093really really fine-tune uh how we can give support. Um and then of course, you know, always putting our children first. You're also looking at are there children that are maybe uh getting suspended? Are there certain classrooms that kids are in that are getting more suspended? Because at the end of the day, we love our adults, but we're here for the kids. And if we can make sure that the children themselves are front and center with our data, we're going to be able to really uh move deeply. Now, you saw that was real data from DC. Uh things got a lot better once they had systems like this. The good news is we're in a much better shape than DC ever was. So, we're, you know, there's not that much to go. But what what really

094matters is that we have now tools and great talent to help focus on this. So, thank you for um the presentation, of course, and thank you uh Vice President Lopez for allowing me to speak. >> Thank you. Thank you very much for the presentation. And I see many hands already, but I already have them down. So trust is throat. >> Awesome. Awesome. So I love everything about this system in regards to just your excitement about how it's helping your team. I appreciate the enthusiasm for that and it also lets me know that this is something that will work. I appreciate the authenticness about it. I do have a few questions and it seems like whoever could answer it might be our our data dashboard builder back there. I am a QA. I was a QA

095so I understand how this goes. I have a few questions. He might want to take the mic. Um >> and I I um thank you so much for that. So the first thing that I I really like was how are we ensuring that the data is accurately um accurate with the fidelity of integration within Synergy? Um how is that being compiled? I my main thing that I love about this is it'll be easy and we're excited about it, but what happens to all of that previous data and that historical data that's there in Synergy? Have you been able to build any merging of that system? Is that something that's completely obsolete or you're going to have to have like 20 people go in every day and build out and put that historical context of data

096there? I like to answer and talk so I'm not going to throw out my questions that I want. feel free to chat. >> Definitely that historical data is in the system. >> Awesome. Great. Great. That was one of my questions. Um, and as far as the QA piece, um, for the buildout, I know that everything's great when it's new and it's in the honeymoon, but when you have teachers that may look at it as an additional task or an additional something else I have to do, how are we ensuring like alignment to make sure that that's being entered accurately? um is that principal byprincipal basis to say hey if an incident occurs that needs to be added within the system within three days or you know I'm not sure what that process looks at for

097that QA of is it actually utilized at the tool that it should if everybody's waiting four weeks to put their data in. I guess some anybody could probably answer and it might be case by case or school by school or >> um I'm going to say that we don't have uh a written timeline but I am also going to say that in my 29 years of being uh associating with discipline trust me they don't [Laughter] It's It's entered right away. Um in fact, um Evan and Evan Logan and I, we're taking calls every single day. We're troubleshooting with principles every single day uh for their uh teachers, for teachers who are, you know, uh might run into a glitch uh or something like that. Um I I am responding to emails. Um Evan is taking

098calls. They're um um submitting cases to the CAS 411 uh help desk. Uh and so there are resources available uh for them as well for so that you know there's no lag time. Uh we don't want to see any lag time. Um but you know um cases in mo in mostly are handled before teachers leave work for the day. That is what is pretty much a standard uh around the district. Always have been. >> Well, thank you so much. Um and I'm I'm thankful to hear that because I know that anytime you introduce something new um once it hits that honeymoon phase goes away, it feels like a chore. and if it's something additional added to what we're already doing. Um, so just kind of thinking at the forefront of how we support our teachers

099that are already dealing with crisis in the classroom and then they may need the supports to enter into a new system which it looks very user friendly but not everybody has the same tailor made ideas about what works for them within entering data. The one question that I do have when we're talking about uh the dis disegregated pieces of data, I'm thinking about like the special education population or the integration of categories with race and uh disability. But one thing I was curious about and maybe this is another pilot in the future. Is there a space where we can add in student achievement and we can look at those metrics for the behavior implementmentation parts of it of what is happening with that student overall and then maybe it is the academic pieces of it

100and maybe it's a high level maybe it's a ABCD student or it's not so far into the weeds where it's a report card but I think that level of data surrounding with the incidents to build out a a report for a student and I'm hoping that and I'm excited just talking about it. Um I'm hoping that what this does is it creates a mapping for each case so that you can pull up little Johnny and say this is how far you've come over the past two years. You had 12 incidents and this school year you had three. This is the mapping. Once we got these incidents situated, you were a D student and now we're looking at a B+ student. And so having those dashboards, metrics lined in together, I'm adding another task, but I

101think that would be very um something to look at. And I also have a question about the the equity piece. I appreciate Superintendent Ben, we have these conversations frequently uh about the equality and equity checks within workflow. How are we ensuring through the system that there are no biases getting through there? Like how is that tested? Um and maybe there's like some type of purified summary that you can provide surrounding the testing of that. >> Sure thing. Absolutely. So the so the staff members do enter in the incident and then the computer uses your discipline matrix built off of your handbook. And that was a big part of the project was customizing the matrix as that is the brain of what the system is deciding to do with that case or the recommended um case

102outcomes for that and guiding the case along. um that is decided by the the matrix. Um >> awesome. I appreciate that. >> Did I miss anything? >> No, I think you said it. Oh, somebody else's. >> Um, I'll just add that one of the reasons why the SPM system is helpful to address those equity challenges and issues is when we see those outliers where you have one teacher or two teachers, um, not only are they, as an example, the two that have the most, it could be three children, >> right? >> So, that's a red flag. So, let's have a conversation. Are you even aware? Are you saying that these are the only three children that um you need support with? So, so many questions can come out of looking at looking at our our

103data. So, that that's a big plus instead of having to go and type in those three letters and three numbers and synergy. It was good, but um this is so much more efficient. I feel >> if if I may um I because I think this is really critical and I think this is one of the reasons you piggyback the two presentations. I just want to expound on this because you've hit something that's super critical that I think everyone needs to understand. Nevin started to explain this is that this is completely tied to the student handbook. And so what that means is as we were looking through the data and our equity committee has combed through the data years ago. What we saw across the district is insubordination for one teacher or one principal could lead

104to suspension. Insubordination with another student may lead to a call home or time out in the office. What this does is because it maps directly to the handbook, insubordination is not a suspendable offense. So it will never lead to a space where you can do that. So it really guides the thinking of the teachers and of the principles to make sure that there's equity across the board of consequences. Now there is still discretion of course in the handbook you can see levels one through three or three through five or whatever it might be but it hones it in so that again we're looking at the equity of the consequences that are happening and that for one student we're not taking it all the way to a certain consequence and another we're not doing that. And

105so I think the equity piece that you're touching on really the flowchart took an extraordinary amount of time and meticulousness on the part of the team and as they expounded upon which ones go here and they've even changed some of the consequences based on the comments and things that they're reading through synergy. The other thing that I'd like to say too is that our spokes who oversee the principles are also looking through the comments and I know principles are too to make sure that the comments that are even written in the system, they're not biased. And so we're that's another layer of looking at the comments and making sure that there's not a lens that's um would be destructive to a student if it was on their records or those kinds of things. So I

106think there's still work as we're we keep tuning and tuning and tuning. But even with the first 10 days of school, you've made some tweaks and changes as suggestions have come about. But that mapping against the handbook is it's pristine. It's excellent. And then it also um triggers if a student needs an MDR, which is our um Carrie, do you want to speak about that just a minute? Because I think that that was a really critical aspect for special education. >> Absolutely. Yeah. So when students are removed from um their school, whatever their typical learning environment is um for 10 days on the year um cumulatively, so that could be two days in September, eight days in December, okay, you hit your 10day mark. Um as a special ed team, we have to determine if

107it's a pattern. If one suspension was for fighting, another was for arson, right? Those aren't related. So we keep going until we get 10 days that are a pattern connected. Um and then SPM helps us figure that out and pulls it right into there. Um, then we determine if that was related to their disability. It's called a manifestation determination review meeting. Um, we meet with the whole team, the IEP team, the teacher, the gened teacher, um, the parent, the student if they're old enough and appropriate. Um, discuss the incident if it's related to their IEP, what additional things we can add in to support and try and prevent a incident from happening again in the future. Um, with the past system synergy, we were students writing suspended. We weren't always notified. It was really hard

108to pull the reports to find out if a student was suspended. SBM lets us know before the student even goes home. If it's in the system, we the special ed team get an email and we're automatically on it like, "Oh, we need to watch for this. We need to contact the parent. We need to schedule a meeting." I appreciate that. Thank you so much. And I know uh I looked up and I'm like, "Wait, Miss Benvdz is over there. She's speaking." And we also talk about that frequently as well. No, I love that because it breaks down that it is mirrored through the parent handbook um or the student handbook and we don't have any questions or red flags of making sure that again this culture here is allowing a little bit of laxed on

109something that is more serious than it should be or what have you. So, I definitely appreciate this report. I love data. I love dashboards. It shows us where we're going. It shows us where we're headed. It helps us stay on track with what we're um doing within our implementation for our youth. And so I know one of my colleagues probably will ask a little bit more, but if you are having a a youth or or child that's experiencing some significant things in the system and it's going to require like the 10day, are you able to pull this report and provide it to a parent? Are you are this utilized as a resource for parents or is it strictly just for our our district staff? Because I know that might be a question that will come

110up and that's it. Oh, I heard a question. >> Current currently, um, we can utilize there are reports being built out. Um, that's part of our phase two. Um, so we will, you know, probably need to look at which reports we we'll be able to hand out. Um, of course there are uh reports associated with students um that unfortunately have to go home um for various reasons. So those suspension notices is what which gives them pretty much the the entire all the details of an incident. But if you're talking about, you know, over time, that mapping piece, those are reports that will have to be we'll have to take a look at um for future um iterations of the program. >> Thank you. And I'll definitely yield because I'm asking all the questions that they

111probably have, but I appreciate that. And I'm going to kick something off to our superintendent. Um I know that myself and Dr. Kavanaaugh are working towards the equity committee, which you'll hear a little bit more about that update. I would love for this piece to be something that we do look at um within a fine to comb uh to just be a part of just keeping up with this update um within the committee. I think it would be great looking at culture and all those great things. So, I'm just going to task us with that and making it known that that's something um if Dr. Kavanagh is okay with that um together we do this together um that it'll be something we keep um on our agenda. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next, we have

112uh Treasurer Kavanagh. Oh, great. Um, well, I appreciate um, Trusty Strode's questions. She answered a lot of of mine. I also want to thank our um, administrators for being here uh, because I was particularly interested in the experiences of those who had actually piloted the information. So, I really appreciate your time. Um, and it sounds like you gave a lot of great and actionable feedback to the team and so we thank you so much because we want to make sure any product that we're putting out there for use has been fully vetted by the actual users. Um, first question. Uh, so, so Trusty Strode was asking about, um, the reports to share with a parent. Um, and Miss Black, you mentioned that that's, uh, kind of something that you're building toward. Under what circumstances, if

113any, would such reports be shared with law enforcement? Um, I'm thinking about how we've shared reports previously and in regards to anything that had to do with our student information system, we have not. >> Okay. >> Uh, those reports, the only reports we share with law enforcement are our public safety uh, Department of Public Safety reports. And so, yes, no, that's uh that's not something that we typically would re report or uh hand off to law enforcement. >> Great. Thank you for clarifying. All >> righty. Um when uh additionally, when it comes to this is like a wonky one. Um but when it comes to uh the data, I'm really interested in how to integrate this information with some of our other data systems or data sources. Um, so is it possible to download uh

114like school level data for example as like a CSV or an Excel file? So it could be integrated for example with test score data. >> Yes, all of our reports in our Access 411 CAS system uh are downloadable in PDF, CSV. There's a big long drop-own list to every report next to the download button. So you can get that report in any format you'd like. >> Awesome. does that in Oh, go ahead. >> Sorry. I just want to add just as a reminder, this is the same company that we use to do our swipe in and swipe out. So, it's actually all within the same. So, you can combine that data set as well. And of course, if it's a CSV file, you could just download it. But, yeah. >> Okay. Um, and does that

115that um download capability for the data, does that include some of that qualitative information from the incident reports? Uh yes, depending on which report you're pulling. Yes. >> Okay. Um when you say depending on which report, are there some reports that would not be available for download? >> I don't believe so. Um I think that from what I understand, every single widget that that you've seen, um there's a button on that widget that says download. If you click that right now, it will download uh the information that's loaded into there. Now, as well as we during our phase two, we are and I've already talked uh spoken with um access 411 about this. We will be creating canned reports so that um you know, principles, uh district leaders, superintendent, myself, we can go in and

116you know, at at a click of a button download other types of reports. Um, however else we want to see that data and I think that's what you're asking. >> Yes. Thank you so much. Okay. Uh, I'll leave it there. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Anybody else on this side? The trustee in Noki. >> You think you >> Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Time out. >> Trustee Williams. >> And you saw me. I'm >> No, I have you down here. >> You see what happens? >> Again, thank you all for this. This is very, very, very informative. As an FYI, I always, always, always say, where's the parents involved in this? Because parents do need to be involved in this. And so hopefully going forward, we'll have some parent volunteers to be a part

117of this because they need to know, too. Feeding into that, will parents have access to this? >> No. >> Can you elaborate as to why, especially if it's just regarding their child, they wouldn't have access to it? Um I I do they have access to synergy? >> Yeah. >> Okay. I need her to I need our our synergy expert because all this information is being >> um >> pushed into synergy parent view. >> Yeah. >> Right. So this is the tool for schools to use to enter in discipline data, go through the rubric, print out the letters that go home with parents, but then it is all transferred into Synergy, which is our student information system, because we need that to report to the federal government, to the state, different data, and that is where

118we also make data accessible to parents through parent view. >> Okay. Um, >> oh, sorry. Can I just add? So I really appreciate the question, and I want to make sure everybody understands the answer is yes. parents can see it. It just will be in a different form because one system is for the school side, the other system is for the parents. It's built that way. It's also allows for the parent to only see their child's information rather than all the others. But it is absolutely important that parents get the right to see all of this stuff. They're just going to go back into the system hopefully they know and can use, which is the same system we've been using for however many years. But it's a great question and I want to be really

119clear. The answer is yes. Parents can see it. It's just going to be in the synergy model, not through this because this one is built for the school side. >> That's correct. Thank you, Superintendent. >> You have other questions? >> Oh, I do. I do. Um, couple of well, a few more questions. I noticed it wasn't broke down by gender nor age. Can we do that? >> Yes, we can. Okay. Then my third to that is can we break it down by children who are like in school like live in school district versus some kids who are school of choice. Can we break it down that way because it will give us a scenario of who's where where the trouble is coming from for a lack of a better word. Does that make sense what

120I'm asking? Okay. Um cost and maintenance. [Music] 150 a year. >> I'm sorry. >> Explain what that >> Okay. So 150 a year gets us first of all we've um we had to build it from scratch and so that's where it started. Uh it took us that took us the the first full year before we ever launched the um the pilot. And so we're talking um you know bare bones. Uh we were presented uh uh Jessica put it out there. We were presented uh a platform that Washington DC used. Uh when I looked at it I was like oh no we can't. This is no we can't do that. So we um you know that includes the um building the program, the maintenance, the um >> Staff support, >> help desk, local staff. >> Yeah.

121Yeah. Help desk cycle staff. And so that was 150,000 for that first year. We're going into our second year. And now that it is um built, now that includes ongoing maintenance, ongoing um uh you know staff support um >> visualizing and preparing and planning for phase two. some of the the um suggestions that you all have, we'll have to take back and start looking at um at those things and how we'll, you know, roll that into our phase 2 planning. So, um I don't suppose that SBM will go anywhere. Um and so, um that's that's what it's cost us so far. So, um I think that, you know, for all of the work that we've put into this, it is absolutely well worth the the cost with regards to, you know, how um our principles

122are able to um interact with this to um wrap around our students and families and our staff. And so, I think that is uh long time coming. It provides us with uh a system, right, to be able to do some of that work that we've not ever uh I'm not gonna say that not ever because we've done it, but it's been hit and miss. Now we actually can look at something and we know exactly what we need to do or who we need to exactly focus on. So it pro it provides us data in a different way. Um much more actionable. um we can make decisions now as we speak rather than again wait till the end of the month, wait until you know the data rolls out, uh try to interpret the data, uh

123having someone available to uh disagregate the data for us. And so all of those things um it it's it's well worth the the money. >> Then two more questions, but they can be combined. You mentioned the special ed components um and how are we looking at a child who has a 504 and a IEP as well as mapping their stuff together versus also possibly kids who are in genet who may need special ed can we incorporated to utilize that? >> Yeah, absolutely. So, the great thing about the system is that we can filter that whether we're comparing GenEd students to students with IEPs or students with 504s, um, or just looking at GenEd students who might need a referral. Um, with the synergy, the data was in there, but there was no way to just

124pull out, well, these students have IEPs and these students don't, or this student is becoming a high flyer. Have they tried their school level supports? Do they need a special ed referral to step in? >> Okay. So on the back swing of that, how are we using this to look at a child who prior to this has been implemented >> because he said the historical data is there to where they are now. How are we looking at that? um both like I said gen ed and special ed and >> seeing what else is there that may need to be added to that child or even hey this child has progressed we need to celebrate them you know even something like that how are we doing that because again I I believe this component can be

125very beneficial to the staff the student but even our children while they don't know we're using this hey we looked at you over the last three years you were here you're here now we need to give you this or we need to give you this you know >> how are Because in everything that I see we do, we should be celebrating everybody involved and this is very very student based. >> I think we need to be making sure that our children are being celebrated through this. >> Absolutely. Yeah. Um specifically for our students with behavior intervention plans, this is a great tool to be like we're trying this new intervention. Are the referrals going down, right? Or are the consequences less severe um in a good way because the behavior is um being shaped as

126we want it to, right? Um so SPM allows us to with the graphs to really see like oh it's going down as a school or oh we provided an inter we provided an intervention to this classroom teacher and now those referrals are going down because that classroom teacher is getting the support they need. So filtering by the students filtering by the classroom filtering by the grades all the things are very powerful with the system and then reviewing that data regularly to make sure we're seeing the trends go in the right way. Final question. How are we using this data to compare and implement our student testing to see where they're going if this and their testing are correlated or going? >> So, >> I'm going to let Miss uh Benvdas take this question. And I

127also want to point out that um a lot of So, this is a new program. Okay. We just rolled it out a in August. Okay. So, I just I just want to be I just I just feel like I need to mention that because some of the things we have not gotten to yet. Um, >> but I'm glad you're asking those questions so that we can go back now and have some conversation around some of the things that came up today. But I just wanted to to point that out before I turn it over to Benas. >> So, I haven't even been able to fill Cordelian on in some of this, but our team has been working to integrate this into New Visions. So, New Visions portal has all of our um uh uh absenteeism

128or our attendance data. It also has all of our NWBA data. It has our MSTEP data. It has our graduation credits. It has all of the pieces kind of that you've been speaking of. And so what we're doing now is we are been working with our director for tech to get the file from Cass and putting it in an overnight file and then creating that as um a dashboard into new visions so that when we have our student success team meetings we can go in pull up the child and we can see how has absenteeism been do we have any behavioral referrals how did they score an NWBA are they passing their classes what's happening and it is all in one location so it's kind of different portals for different um reasons. The cast is

129specific to this. We can also bring in whether they've scanned in in the morning. So, we have all of that kind of at our fingertips. But, as Cord Cordelia said, this is kind of ever evolving. And so, for about two weeks now, we've been working with New Visions to um connect Cass with New Visions. And so, we're right on the beginning stages of getting that added. But I think that will kind of streamline all of the suggestions that you have as far as tying it with the academic data and attendance, which will be really the ABCs of what we need to be looking at. >> And that's what's so special about the program, right? So, uh, now they have access to data that they can do what they need to do with, and I didn't

130even know that they were doing it. So, that's that's great. Thank you. >> Those are all my questions. See, it wasn't so bad, was it? I smiled and asked everything. >> Thank you all for >> no trust in a whiskey. >> Yes, thank you. I wanted to ask more on the the level of communicating with the public and it's kind of been mentioned already that we didn't have systems in the past and we added those. We've got presentations on test scores and things. One of our strategic plan um focus areas is the the environment for the school uh student safety and inclusive learning. Right now we're measuring it by a sense of student safety on survey data. Is there a thought that some of this, you know, you know, quantitative data could then set a

131benchmark and potentially be something we set goals on in the future specifically to measure and track? >> I I I'll happily answer that question. Um, I mean, absolutely. I think that our community deserves qualitative and quantitative data that our community deserves to know where we stand visav these things. I think when we created the strategic plan about two and a half three years ago, there was a sense of man, we don't even have the systems to know how many kids are playing extracurricular or playing, you know, doing this or getting suspended. And if we did, it was not, let's just say, as accurate as it should be. Now that we're really coming into our own and getting very very good real- time data, I would love the board to have that conversation because of course

132the strategic plan is very much the board's purview, which I love and want to support, but I think it would behoove us to think of how do we really say to the community safety and security is getting better and and you can look at very very specific things like this, like fences, like secure vestibules, like you know, you name it, right? And so I think that the way that the strategic plan was written earlier was of that era, of that 2002 year. Now in 2005, we can add to it in a more robust way. Of course, we want to know how people are feeling, but we also want to know, are things better? Are more kids playing sports? Are more kids passing tests? Are more kids coming to school? So thank you for that question

133and I would defer to the team now they have the data they can come up with some ways of showing this this stuff. Yeah, I think my follow-up comment to that is just also thinking, you know, when we we're looking at our goal of enrollment and one issue we hear often is or I hear anyhow is, you know, I'm not sure the school is safe enough for me to send my child there. And of course, one single incident could get all kinds of press, but the data that actually shows what's really happening in schools. It's difficult though, I know, to to just put out raw data in numbers and compare that to other districts or say, you know, our numbers going down this much, but it's still this many. So, I'm hopeful that it sounds

134like this is an exciting thing already for operations and management that we also think about it how we use it um to to communicate actually what's happening as you just said uh to address that reputation piece uh as we're working on that as well. So, that's all I had to add. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um Trustee Dr. Oligus, >> thank you. Thank you, M. Uh thank you for the presentation. Thank you to the board for the great questions. I don't have more than to ask. I had one about the budget and already we're asking but I enjoy because what you are planning is helping the students to be better and to be a better person and second you are helping our mission statement. My question is in four months from now after this first

135semester is over. Are you able to come back here and tell me how many student was suspended one time and that is it because the intervention of this data and the human support because they had to go together. You cannot have the data and don't had to operate of this data. I want to tell you I was a principal and I didn't have the computer but we had a secretary taking notes then I know the system and I know how much as you were talking about you didn't mention that word preventing discipline >> we didn't use that word but you J if we find that place they having many problems we would put people there to help not to punish to help the students then my question is Mr. President or Mr. superintendent and formats.

136I want to see the results. I want to see the cooperation, the alignment of the system but the human system that we apply because it's two system there. One is the data and I don't want to talk about the honesty of the data that is another topic but and the complications they can be for a teacher or for a person to do all that. That is what I enjoy. You told me that we're training because I hope that we don't use the data for some teachers to you know what then um in four months from now then I would like to know how much the culture of the building principal and assistant principal this all work together had changed and show me show me numbers I think and the numbers is include families and communication

137meetings because that is all not just numbers is changing behaviors >> because the system >> then I am waiting. Thank you very much. >> Thank you Dr. Rodriguez. >> Trusty herd. I have one question and that is do you feel um that the general consensus is that school leaders feel that this has now empowered them to take the reigns of their school culture and their school community. >> That's it. >> Don't start with me at this board meeting. Don't start. Um uh I would say yes in in a way um now I'm here speaking on my behalf and my colleague I work with every day uh but it's safe I think I can safely say from all of my colleagues administrative colleagues that this is also helping us really look into the things that um

138as you say the inconsistencies amongst us to be honest with you um and making sure that we are holding ourselves elves accountable to making our schools better and in supporting everyone in our building outside our students, our staff, our support staff, our lunch staff, our kitchen staff, anybody that has access to this and has access to our children who are working with our children every day. This is giving us that um the ability to take that reign and move our schools in the direction that we see as to be successful. I would agree with that as well. I think that um you know I said earlier about protecting the learning environment. Students need opportunities to learn from their errors. We're not just teaching academics. We what we want them to grow and learn from things

139and have those teachable moments in all aspects of the school. And I do think this gives us the opportunity to better support our students, to better support our teachers, better fine-tune um who needs support. We're really good at teaching tier one supports at the beginning of the year. We're really good at that, but sometimes there's a gap when we identify children that need tier 2 support and children that need tier three support. Again, we know it intrinsically, but we need some tangible evidence and data to show, yeah, this child really needs a little bit more support or this teacher needs a little bit more support. SBM is going to help us do that. So, I really feel like it helps us to be more equitable in how we are addressing the needs in our individual

140buildings. >> Outside of Mr. Superintendent, outside of the approval for the expenditure of I I assume not $150. She just said $150. Um $150,000 for this software, has this board empowered you to do everything that you possibly can do to fill in said gaps so that we can by your own words do our job? >> Yeah. No, I appreciate that. I I mean I think this board has been really thoughtful around safety and security. Um, you know, there are probably lots of other things that we can talk about that might improve it, but the idea that we have been empowered to get the software, though, and correct me if I'm wrong, uh, Cordelia, the this was paid for by 31A and probably some other grants, so it didn't necessarily have to get board approval, but

141I know we are we are supporting it, right? Um, you know, I think that when when and if grant money goes away, I think I would ask this board to really be supportive of this stuff. We are lucky enough that we have won lots of competitive grants, that we've gotten a lot of state grants. You know, I'm waiting for Trusty Nitsky's question about the budget, uh, which you I'm sure will ask during my time. uh you know I would say that if there are budget concerns after October 1st what I would uh ask this board is to support this kind of program until that day comes right now yes at least for this I feel very very supported with this >> my my last question um and that might be backtracking a little bit is

142there anything in this software I know this board just approved um expenditure for like streets 517 and other community partners um that are a huge part of what we're talking about does this software also monitor how our students are interacting with these partners and if that is a part of their um their tiered systems of support with regard to um behavior. If not, can they be? We do have written into this program um we can allow uh um our contracted services uh mentors and and others access to this program. It's already written in there where um you know you have your name and then it asks you for like you know just a general title um and it'll say it says I think it says nondist employee. So that would be that person who could

143go in and interact with this program to uh get um information to a principal to address >> Oh, I think I think you might be misunderstanding. I I'm okay with that if that's you all's policy, but I I'm saying I'm not asking if um non-district employees should be able to access the program. Is there anything in the software that when a student say has interacted with a mentor from let's just say streets because that's one that's fresh on my mind and they've been a part of that student's journey toward being um a a better example of behavior um in the school community. Does this software capture that where we can see not only the principal as a stakeholder, the teacher as a stakeholder, the parent as a stakeholder, but now we have this nonfor-profit entity

144that is another stakeholder that is coming into the school building um to be a part of this child's journey. Is that also part of that? So, we can get a full um picture of it. And then when they're coming to ask us for another hundred grand, we'll say, "Hey, we can see because we did the back office work to show these were the actual times where streets 517, I'm only using them as an example because they were recent. Um, they helped this child and because of that, this is what we're seeing. Hey board, you know, this is a no-brainer now." >> Yeah. Yes. I I think that there are what we call educator interventions written into SBM and that is exactly what you're talking about. And so uh rather than it being you know uh

145an incident or an office referral, we have written in there there are two tracks that one could go with a student. educator intervention basically um um documenting that they've had interaction with a student and what that interaction was and whether it was you know in most cases it was a positive restorative interaction and so yes that's already written into into SBM >> thank you I I really appreciated um Director Black your presentation today I just wanted to say that >> thank you and to go even further I want to show it to you um if you don't if you can give me one second here just so it makes uh let me find it >> right there educator intervention. So that's open to anyone uh to um you know document that they've interacted with with

146a student. >> Thank you. A lot of great questions and I only have one real small question. When you say all have access to dashboard and uh trusty herd you know put some meat in there. Can you clarify all? Yes, all staff. So, um we have about 1,200 staff, 1300 staff. Uh every one of them have access or have been invited uh to um have access to to SBM. Um now, there are some that may not uh accept the invitation, right? So, let's just say like a coach, something like that, right? uh they see our our students a lot of times uh after school hours um and so they may not feel that you know interacting with SPM is their thing. They uh coaches tend to kind of um handle things on the in on

147the court or in the arena or on the in the stadium. And so those would be that's like an example of someone who probably would not uh utilize SBM. some of our our I would use uh uh folks that work directly for me, our school nurses. Our school nurses, yes, we've sent them an invite, but they probably would never log ever log into to Synergy because they really don't have a need to really uh deal with discipline. They're going in for medical reasons and making and supporting students from a medical perspective. So to uh engage from this uh uh perspective is not uh so much what they would typically do. >> Okay. >> So So that's what I'm I mean >> So we're talking teachers, counselors, >> teachers, counselors, public safety officers, principles, uh support

148staff, uh deans, uh SSS's, student support staff, um uh behavior specialists. Those are the core uh staff members that would uh engage with uh um uh SP. >> Okay. Thank you very much. >> Oh, so our system does support multiple different user levels. So just like we use this system for tracking the dean buses or transportation, students scanning on and off the buses. Not all a lot of our users have rights into chaos, but not all of them have rights to see where the school buses are at any given one location uh time or or function. So, it's a lot of role based based off their job description and what access they already have in compliance with your guys' rules. >> Yeah. And the only thing I would add because uh Trusty Herd brought up

149Streets 517 or any of our uh partners, we have uh data sharing agreements with most of them. them UMP etc. and so then they would have the like legal authority and legal ability to use this as well >> confidentiality call us. >> Okay. Thank you very much again. Thank you much for your presentation. Appreciate it all of you. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Yay. [Applause] Going to go to reports. um office report uh from the secretary and treasurer Kevin will do the honors. >> Thanks very much. Um hopefully I can read this as well as Dr. Nvarz Martinez would have. Um so a few invitations, communications, and announcements for our families and community. First, if you want to get involved with your school's PTO, PTA, or PTSA, which we really hope you do, please

150fill out the LSD PTO parent interest form. If you don't have access to the form, please request it from your school. We're really hoping to build out our PTO PTA um program this year. And so, we are very hopeful that u many of our families will allow their voices to be heard in this way. The 2025 winter clothing distribution event is September 26th and 27th from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and that will be at 3305 South Pennsylvania A. Is your student interested in playing volleyball or running cross country? There's still time to register for both middle school girls volleyball and middle school girls cross country. If you need the registration form, you can get it from your school. Um, remember that September 26th is a professional development day, so there will be no school.

151And lastly, our next board meetings will be September 18th for a regular board meeting and anformational study session. October 2nd, which will be a regular board meeting, and October 16th, which will be a regular board meeting and anformational study session. This concludes the secretary report. >> Thank you very much. Uh, committee reports. First, we have uh employer and alumni recognition ad hoc committee. Trusty Herd. >> I'm so thrilled about this committee. I mean, we really are doing big things here in the Lancing School District. And uh we had our in inaugural meeting on August 25th. Um and Dr. Rodriguez, Trusty Williams, and I along with the superintendent team all came together to discuss what was our purpose, why are we even doing this, and what procedures are we going to use to make sure that

152this is fair and that we're highlighting the the people in our community. Our purpose was to recognize is to recognize outstanding members of the community on a quarterly basis. We want to highlight exemplary individuals who have emerged from the Lancing School District reinforcing that recognition and success can be achieved locally. You don't have to go to Detroit to be great. We got it going on in Lancing. Sorry, Trusty Strode. To honor key contributors, including staff, alumni, and community members who positively impact the district like Trusty Stro. Praise God. um to celebrate those with meaningful connections to the Lancing School District, emphasizing their role in advancing the district's mission and values. The mission and vision um of this committee is to acknowledge individuals whose involvement with the Lancing School District supports and enhances the district's overall

153success and community impact. Um we are working on a nomination process um to be established available in both electronic and paper formats. A clearer criteria for nominations will be developed to ensure consistency and fairness. The method of recognition was discussed including possible formats and events. Um a recognition committee will be formed composed of up to 18 members, six community members, three alumni, three board members, three educators and three um administrators, I think educators, staff um and then three administrators. Preliminary discussions took place regarding the operational guidelines for the committee and how it will function. Our next meeting is on September 15th, 2025 at 11:30 a.m. >> Thank you for that report. Next, we have the equity committee, uh, Dr. Kevin and Trusty Stro. >> Awesome. Thank you so much. Thank you, uh, Trustee Herd for

154that shout out for Detroit. I'm happy to talk about the equity committee. And the biggest part about that is yes, even though I'm not a born and raised Lancing baby. I do come from Detroit and I am so happy to be in a area that allows the differences of voice and community and culture to be that melting pot in space. I will never forget that Superintendent Ben at our retreat said something very powerful that I hadn't heard before. um that Lancing was one of those spaces where a lot of people didn't stay here and uproot and start here. They kind of would use this space as a passing through and meeting through and welcoming and having that space and then they settled in and I appreciated that settle in because even when passing through I

155I knew that this was my home. So I appreciate that. And um as far as the equity committee, we did start a collaboration on August 25th of stacking our historical document of data um and having that movement for that startup. So we are compiling all of those wonderful parties, all of that wonderful notes and documentation. We're going through that data and looking at where we want to continue to make impactful and meaningful uh progress. And even today as we're sitting in chairs, we're not just saying, "Oh, we're committee and we're going to just put our names on something." We're actually going to deep dive into that work. And I think that's displayed here at the even the board level with today and the presentation with SM and synergy of me even saying, "Hey, Superintendent Ben,

156let's add that to what we're going to do within this work." So, I look forward to continuing that with along with trustee Kavern here. And uh that's concludes the report. Thank you very much. Appreciate that. Next facilities committee and that would be me and there is no report because we have not met. We haven't had a facilities committee meeting and we'll move along to the finance committee uh Dr. Kavanaaugh treasurer. >> Hi everybody. The finance committee um met last Monday um to discuss our financial status. Um, I know that our our superintendent plans to talk a bit about uh how the state level budget um may impact uh the district. So, I will I will not steal his thunder. Um, but tr trust me, it was a conversation during our meeting for sure. Um, the

157detailed treasures report for the period of July 1st through July 31st, 2025 is attached to this evening's agenda and the following are highlights of the report. The beginning cash and investment balance was $3,110,173. Bond series 2 investment was $71,442,297. Receipts totaled 15,767,139 while dispersements equaled $35,944,212. Net interfund transfers totaled1,929,446 in interest from fund investments to the student and bond funds as well as journal entries to remove the due two du froms in all funds. The monthly transfer to general bond the monthly transfer to the general fund for bond expenses was $19,241,418. The ending general fund cash and investment balance on July 31st, 2025 was $75,546,261. The general fund's cash and investment balance is 13,37,78 more as compared to the same time last year. We are glad about that. I also want to note that we

158received a number of donations during the month of July 2025, including um some very sizable donations. Um, first we want to thank an anonymous donor um who chose to donate $58,000 to the district. That is um an incredible gift and we are incredibly grateful to that anonymous person. Um secondly, I want to uh deeply thank um the estate of the former Jacqueline D. Mars um who was a former district employee who sadly passed away. and we are so incredibly honored and grateful that she remembered the Lancing School District as part of her estate planning. And so um when her estate was settled um that resulted in a donation of $169,000 to the Lancing School District, which is just an incredible gift and we are so grateful to her um for making the Lancing School District

159part of her legacy. Um this could be you folks. I could be saying your name. remember us in your estate planning. Um so our total donations for the month of July was $230,081 uh which is which is quite significant. Um and we are incredibly grateful to all of our many donors in the month of July but particularly those two very large donations. Um additionally we will be meeting the finance committee will be meeting again. Oh man, I just had this up and now [Music] on September 22nd um at 12:30 p.m. um here in this room, our finance committee meetings are open to the public, so you are always welcome to attend. Um and again, that's September 22nd at 12:30 p.m. Um and um Mr. President, this concludes the July 2025 treasures report. >> Thank you

160very much. Do you want to make a motion? I recommend that motion. Oh, you will. >> I have a question. Oh. >> Before the motion. >> Okay. Questions. >> Um, I definitely would make the motion. I just wanted to make a note that on the last page for the contracted services and agreement above the board approval threshold, there's a note that says our thresher threshold currently um for the $30,512 from October 1st of 24 to September 30th of 25. That is coming up. So, I just want to put that on the radar. And I'm pretty sure that um just bring mention to that with this report that that is going to change or needs to be updated um after that September 30th of 2025 date. Thank you. >> And now I can make the motion.

161>> Please do. >> Move. >> Oh, so recommended motion is that the board of education approve the expenditures as presented for July 2025. >> Second. >> Okay. Any other questions? Discussion. Mr. Noisky. >> Just curious. You mentioned the two large donations. Were those designated or restricted or is there any particular purpose for those or >> No. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Super. >> N one one was one wasn't. >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> Um the anonymous donor was uh restricted. It was for the um the ecquin center. >> The horses the ecquin center. Sorry. Yeah. Um but uh but uh Miss Mars' estate was unrestricted. >> Okay. Any other discussion, questions? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Oppose. Same sign. >> Okay. Motion carries. Um now we'll go to personnel

162committee. Um I'll defer to Mr. Ninsky who's the chair. Uh yes, the personnel committee met on Wednesday, August 27th. Uh we received updates from the administration on staffing changes from over the summer months. Um lots of hiring which we're excited to see. Uh some reports on current staffing. Our vacancies are at the lowest in many years as the superintendent has reported. So that was very exciting to hear about. Um there are interviews still occurring to fill the few remaining vacancies. So that was also good news that we're getting applicants uh that continue to want to work for the district in those few positions we have available uh from a teaching perspective. Lots of uh more assistant positions which are filled at a higher rate than before but also have more openings um still available. So

163we did discuss some ongoing recruitment initiatives uh shared some ideas for seeking interested candidates and methods to maybe share that uh in the community in some additional ways. Uh we briefly began a review of policies related to employment termination and resignation um on what exactly the board involvement needs to be in those uh practices and ask for uh administration to get some input from the district attorneys to determine if we might need to consider any changes to our policies or practices as a board. So depending on that advice uh the committee will get to report out any HR actions that do need board approval as was done in the past. We'll find out what that is and go back however far back we may need to to to approve things and get those reports to

164the board uh in a future date. Uh and the next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, September 17th at 8:00 here in the boardroom. >> Thank you very much for your report, Dr. Rodriguez. >> Thank you very much President. Um we used to receive the number of the stu the teachers that were hiring retiring grievances and I don't not remember that this board say we don't want this information anymore then but where is this information available is going to continue not to continue I mean I want to be sure that what the board wants to do >> right uh Dr. Yeah, that's what that's what I referenced and that the committee looked at those reports or similar ones and asked those questions of what do we need to bring to the board so that we're we're

165doing that correctly. So, we're looking into that and when we find out what we need to bring, we'll bring that whole list. >> Then why you change without the board permission? I mean, we should continue doing things until we say no, we don't need that. >> Well, >> I wasn't serving on the board at that time, so others would have to speak to that. I don't know. I I think in the meantime we can request the same reports until the committee decides different. >> I I I request that personally and my other board member can >> Do we need a motion for that? >> Do we need a motion? No. >> No, >> I don't think we need >> those in agreement. Yeah. Okay. So, as I serve at the pleasure of I am hearing

166that the board is in agreement that you would like us to provide it. No problem. uh I would just defer to the committee to uh make the recommendation uh with all deliberate speed so that we can do exactly what you want and what the I I don't want to stand in between the board and the committee. So whatever you guys want we're happy to to provide. >> No, I I think the the thought is that reports will continue until the committee says different or recommends different. >> Okay. >> Can I address that? >> You have a question? >> No, not a question. So I think what Dan is stating that I we were at that committee and that's part of the concern that we're bringing is that there are certain levels that we don't need

167to kind of be in the weeds on surrounding positions of hiring or etc. And so I think that's part of what we're trying to get clarity is within our policy that states alternate things in certain sections. And so I don't know if there was an area where someone may have asked and maybe before I got in this seat to stop receiving those reports because they're not something it I think it says at the discretion of the board to approve every hire. Well, there's going to be times where we're all not going to be at a board meeting every time we need to hire a new teacher. And so I think that's what happened with not gaining those reports. But it seems like what you're going to do is to continue to receive the reports, but

168then when we have our committee meeting, we will see what the actual recommendations are going to be to move forward and change in the policy to actually reflect the true source because currently our only employee right now is the superintendent and who we actually can approve to hire, fire or etc. So I think that sums up a little bit. What? Trusting Williams and then Trusty Herd. Uh, did you have some say first? Okay. >> So, I think with the reports because nobody has ever asked that they be stopped. One of the reasons why we were asking for the reports were we were looking at demographics, male, female, so we can look at how to recruit as well. So, that is why we asked for those reports and no, we have not been getting them. No,

169I don't think we've asked that they stopped. So, I that was my question too. Why aren't we getting them? >> Yes. >> Okay. So we've I guess we're agreeing that we will get those reports until we the committee recommends different. >> The committee will look at the policy and come back to the board and we can make a decision on going forward um what we want to see as a board if that's something we just want to have at a high level to see where we are or is it something that we actually need to make a decision on. Um I think that was the cadence of uh the confusion with the language and policy. So, we're working on that and I think we will bring that back up. >> Trusty Hart, >> I just

170want to make sure I'm understanding. What are we asking for? Again, I I got lost in now we're talking about policy and are we in the weeds of what are we asking for? cuz we kind of all had just agreed that we're going to get something and then it sounded like trustee Stro said no, they're going to go back to committee and decide whether we're getting it or not even though we just said we want it. So what's happening the report the report of the acts was can we get an update of who's hired, who's fired, how many staff do we have? At some point those reports stop coming through. I think what we're saying is the reports will continue to go out, but at the committee level, we were stating that there was not

171really a need or desire for us at the board level to make decisions. It was based off of a policy that states that the board should approve all positions or some type of language within that. So, that's the discrepancy there. The cause is we will send out the reports or they can send out the reports, whomever. I don't send them out. Um, but at the committee we're deciding within the policy what that language should reflect and if that's something we even need to have if we don't make any decisions on is that that's >> and so you all are going to be talking about policy in the personnel committee and not take it to the policy committee. What's happening? >> Well, that's part of the personnel committee. the personnel committee is talking about the specifics

172of the HR of the hiring and the uh protocol for uh appointments and maybe I don't want to call anyone out but uh superintendent Ben is Kristen able to give an update of what that language is because maybe she can help out with that piece of information. I just wanted to make sure I was understanding because we we already get in every Sunday we get who's been hire what's vacant or it's the extra that we are not getting grievances or something cuz I I don't have any context cuz I wasn't on the board to know >> I love the question right no it's I I really appreciate it I think and certainly you know board please correct me um historically during uh once a month during the personnel committee report there would be a document

173that was given to the board with the names of certain people. There was a sense from the personnel committee that there were things on that list that maybe shouldn't be or could be or didn't have to be. And so the personnel committee is now working on trying to figure out what exactly should be shared. In the interim, the report stopped because the personnel committee was working on what the report should look like. But we are happy again as the as the district we we are happy to do whatever the board tells us to. So I I am happy if there's uh you want those reports back we can provide them to the the committee and they can present it just like always or not but I don't know Christina if you want to talk about

174the kind of the history of where we were with this. >> Yeah. No, I think you summarized it very well is that there's conflicting board policy to what the reports um actually did provide. Um and so it was taken to the personnel committee for quite some time to discuss what should and shouldn't be provided. Um and then trusty her just to go over the policies. All we're doing is reviewing the policies that affect personnel to then provide a recommendation to the policy committee um for any changes. So we're not making any policy changes in our meeting. Um but again, happy to provide the reports back if the board would like to see those while we continue to work um in the committee to make changes. >> And so for clarity, so in the I'm I'm

175catching up now. >> In while we do this, I'm sorry y'all. While we're doing that work, in the interim, now I'm caught up. In the interim, these are going to start back again um until such is is sent to the policy committee and then ultimately brought back to this body to decide whether we want that anymore. Right. were easy for us in the district to provide you anything you want. We we just they weren't requested so we didn't do it. So were you requested, we'll give you whatever you want. >> And it's just a recommendation of a policy change to mitigate the language surrounding we all have to make an approval of someone being hired, fired, disciplined within the board. Um so that's where that comes. I apologize if I gave anybody confusion. Um >>

176I just didn't know. >> Yes. Dr. Rodriguez, >> we I never remember to use the fire or hire any of the people that were present in this document that we are missing. I don't understand. And this 14 years here, we never use fire or hire somebody because the information that we receive >> that was just information period. >> Yeah. If I may, you know, it was three things. I believe it was uh new hires. It was uh retirements or terminations and um >> and it was uh that was one of them I think >> tenure and and who had tenure but it was information more than anything else. >> Yeah. >> So so those were the three items that were involved in that uh report. >> Yeah. Yeah, I'll just um I guess to state

177that I know from my time on the board just last year, the question was in addition to receiving the report, should the board be acting on the report and that's what the committee was looking at. I don't believe the committee met in previous months. So I think that was on hold until this meeting why we're bringing it up. So I don't know what happened in the interimm on the reports themselves, but that's the question the committee is looking at is what action does or doesn't need to take place on the report. We can build out the report as much as we want for information. But it's just information items. >> Yeah. But the key question is what action does or doesn't need to be taken >> on that report. >> Okay. So, we're all good.

178>> All right. Very good. Very good. Um, policy committee. Dr. Naros Martinez is not here. Who else is on the policy committee? >> Uh, go ahead. >> Trust here. There was a written summary provided. Uh the policy committee met on September 2nd. Um Dr. Navarz Martinez, Dr. Rodriguez, and myself were present. The key updates, uh we followed up on items discussed at the board retreat, including discussing uh board vacancies, Robert's rules, school visitor policy, and ad hoc committees, uh and other committees. We reviewed recommendations for changes to policy 9150 on school visitors and a potential new uh bylaw to address school board member uh visits specifically at schools. Uh we also talked about attendance at uh public events and other where board members would fit into those policies. Uh we discussed presentations from both Niola

179and Trun being scheduled for the next policy committee meeting to present what their services uh plans would be to decide what action we might recommend to the board. Um committee initiated discussion about reviewing and updating bylaws specifically related to committees which we discussed initially at the retreat. A motion was up made to update policy 2150 to reflect the district's current mission statement. The language in our policy on mission statement doesn't match the one on the wall that we're reading each meeting. So, we want to uh make that change. So, that will be forthcoming at a meeting. And the personnel committee reported that they're reviewing policies that will be referred to the policy committee for action. So, that was uh mentioned there as well. And there is not an next meeting date set yet, I don't

180believe. I think it's October >> First week of October. So we it'll be on the board calendar. But >> okay, thank you. Thank you for that report. Um now we come to student achievement committee. Uh we have not met but we need to schedule a meeting uh as soon as possible. I think we will be to working with Jessica's department uh Miss Benov's department. Okay. So we'll work on that. And finally we come to superintendent's comments report. >> Good evening everyone. Uh it is 2 hours and 38 minutes in. So I certainly want to be respectful of everybody's time but I think there's a lot of stuff going on that certainly I want to make sure uh to address. Uh the first thing is it's really cold in here. Um I apologize for that. Um

181uh and really we are working on on it. Uh but it just shows you the age of this building and why maybe this should not be our offices. Um moving forward. Um as always uh it's now time for me to talk about transportation. My promise to this community four and a half years ago was to always talk about transportation until all of our kids were routed. Uh things are getting better certainly being in the second or third week of school as it is now. Um our gas cards, we have 24,44 were requests. 2,269 have been assigned. So again, anybody listening at home, if you need a gas card, please, please, please uh talk to your school. We do have them. We want to get them to you. Please make sure uh that we can provide

182them for you. And of course, if you have yours from last year, remember they're still good. We can put the money on the card. Please don't throw them away. Kata, we have 479 requests. We've only assigned 339. Those take a little bit longer. Um, but the great people at KATA know to let our children on the bus the first couple of weeks. Um, and certainly we have a great relationship with them. So, we very much appreciate that. with Dean. Uh we have 3,836 requests with 3,456 routed, which means that as of I guess yesterday, this is when I got the numbers, we have 380 that are not routed. But again, I do want to give uh Dean and our team a lot of credit. We had uh over 500 uh requests after our deadline. So

183we do know that they are working very hard. Uh but please, you know, if you uh get emails about transportation, please respond to them. Uh you know, our deadline for asking for the school bus was a while ago, but if you still do need one, let us know. We will put you on the wait list and we will try our best to put them on the bus. And again, I know that they are working through that weight list because the fact that only 380 are not routed when I know more than 500 were people were after the deadline is really a good thing. Um, so you know, we're in better shape than we have been in years. Uh, but still, uh, you know, I'm going to always talk about this until that z that number

184is zero. Uh, we owe it to our families. We owe it to our community to figure out, uh, the best way to get our children to school. But I will say how happy I am with the uh uptake of certainly the gas cards and the catacards. And just as a reminder, you know, uh, last year the numbers are still uh draft. They haven't been um finalized by the state, but it does look like our attendance rate is going to be higher than it was even precoid. Um you know what we've heard from our high school kids over and over again is when they missed the yellow bus, they had an excuse not to go to school. When they missed the CAT bus, there's always another one. So we have been able to really move our

185attendance uh quite quite far uh with the transportation we have. But please families, if you are still in need of something, CAD card, gas card, or school bus, please, please, please be in touch with us. Send us an email. Uh we will get back to you. Um it was made referenced by uh Trusty Kavanaaugh that I might talk about the budget. I'm sorry to steal your thunder, Trusty Nitzky, because you would have asked the question. Um but I think I will preempt you because it is, I think, top of mind of everybody. The state does not have a budget. That is where we stand today on September 4th. Um we have a very robust, very strong bal uh budget with a very large um you know savings that if something bad happens, we'll be able

186to support ourselves. However, on October 1st, if there is not a budget from the state, that will greatly impact us and many districts in the area. We believe that we certainly have enough money to get through probably the first month or so, but I want to make sure that everybody kind of listening understands that we're in good shape, but that if the state doesn't have a budget, things are going to happen. Um, and so we're we are always hoping for the best but planning for the worst. Um, the real date that matters the most is October 20th. And I think I've explained this before. The way that the state budget works is if they stop having a budget on October 1st, the next time we were supposed to get a check from the state was

187October 20th. So if for whatever reason there's no budget on the 1st but there is a budget on the 5th the likelihood is the state will still write the check on the 20th. So that isn't necessarily going to impact us. Now you have probably seen some other districts have made decisions. We are very in very good economic situation that we don't have to cut school lunches or do other things like that like some other districts might. But I do want to prepare this community and the district and the state at large if there is no budget by October 20th, then that's a very different story. And so what I would ask the board and certainly the community, I don't want to freak you out. We think things are good. I've talked to all parties involved.

188We know that they are making progress, but I don't want anybody to freak out that if on October 1st there isn't a budget, somehow school shuts down the next day. Now, we will have a school board meeting on October 2nd. We'll probably have a larger conversation on that day. But please don't think that if you read in the papers, my god, the the district or the the state didn't get a budget on their deadline that all schools are going to shut down. Some schools might. I can't speak for other districts, but for us, our plan is certainly to keep on keeping on um and inform the the district uh as much as possible. you know, I know that I write the weekly emails to the community. If things do get crazy, um, or the budget

189becomes an issue, um, I will probably give some updates maybe more than once a week because I want to make sure that everybody, uh, knows that. So, it's very similar to what I shared last time. Right now, we're okay. The checks are coming, the lights are on, teachers are getting paid. we will be okay through October 1st and then the real issue is going to be that October 20th deadline to see if in fact uh the state has a budget. My hope and certainly my belief is that we'll be able to get through it. Um you know but we are certainly preparing as best as we can. So that's transportation, that's the budget, and there's um a third topic that uh I want to speak about um which is really near and dear uh to

190my heart and I think very much to the people in the audience. So I very much appreciate uh the folks that are here. Um my assumption is that you're here to speak about and to support a decision that you would like to make as a family for your children, which I think is really really important. and I look forward to uh hearing from those in the audience about uh decisions that this school district can or can't make uh based on what's best for for children. So, I want to step back and I've been asked to do this so I promise I'm not bloiating here. Um the state of Michigan has a really I would say peculiar understanding of enrollment. So, in the mid '9s, um, and again, I will be a little pedantic here and

191I apologize, but I think so much misinformation is out there and so much uh un kind of people haven't explained as much as I think they should about schools of choice and um and and uh um the request for release. So, just as simple as I can make it, in the 1990s, the state of Michigan kind of created this idea of a school of choice. And what that meant was that school districts could say, "We'll take other students in other districts." Now, I'm from New York. That's not allowed. If you lived in New York City and you wanted to go to Scarsdale, which is a a nice suburb uh school district, one of the best high schools in the country, you would have to pay the per pupil aotment of that school to go there.

192Michigan doesn't do that. What Michigan says is, hey, look, if you live in one district and you want to go to another district and they will have you, you can go. Which is kind of amazing. It's a little bit weird because it means that you're kind of killing neighborhood schools and things like that, but that is the policy in the state of Michigan. And the idea was that if you wanted to go to another school district and they wanted to take you, they would be allowed to. And one of the reasons why this makes sense in Michigan is the per pupil aotment for each child is the same across the board. There's like three districts in the entire state that that's not true, but don't worry about that. So the money with the child and

193the easiness and the movement of it says one child to the other. But schools of choice has very specific rules. The first rule is the receiving school has to say how many seats they're opening up. So for instance, you could be unfettered meaning meaning that there are no uh limits and you'll take anyone. Well, a lot of school districts will say, "We'll only take three kids in third grade. We'll only take four kids in fifth grade." That's their right. They're allowed to do that. But they are then limiting the number of students that they say they'll take through schools of choice. Now, why schools of choice matters so much is that if you apply for schools of choice and you get in, you are now considered part of that school district. No question about it.

194You are now a full student in that district. Rights and responsibilities. That means once you're in in um in schools of choice, they can't kick you out. That is your school district just as if you live there. That's very important. In addition, school districts, if they limit the number of students, they actually have to do a lottery. So, they can't handpick how students go. So, if they say, "I only have two spots and 50 people apply," they don't get to say, "Well, are you 6'4" and have a good jump shot? They say, "What's your name?" And then they put you in um a lottery and then they go. So, schools of choice is a really important piece. We accept schools of choice. Many of the districts around here accept schools of choice. And that is

195the general way in which a family if they want to go to a school that's not their zone school, not where they live to go in. Now, I will say some districts play games and some districts will very much limit exactly how many seats they have so that instead of taking them through schools of choice, they are asking for it to be done another way, which I'll get to in a second. So just again with schools of choice, what you're creating is a system that is fair and equitable, saying if you live in one district and you want to go to another, you can apply for schools of choice and then that district either accepts you through a lottery, accepts you because they're unlimited, and then once you're a schools of choice person, you have

196every right and responsibility of that district. What they can't do is the next year say, "You know what? You don't live here. Goodbye." What they can't do is say, "You can't really be part of our district moving forward. Goodbye. Oh, we don't have any seats. Oh, we don't whatever." Once you're in schools of choice, that's it. And that has been a huge change for the state of Michigan because what it does is it allows uh students to really go outside of their district. And God bless, right? If that's what you want and you want to do it, that's why they built schools of choice. That's part one. Part two, there is this thing called a release. Now, releases were built for very exceptional circumstances. A release, a release is not something that's supposed to happen

197every year. A release is not something that's supposed to happen on a continuous basis. It's supposed to be a oneoff because something happened. So for instance, you lived in the district all the way up till whatever October and then you moved. Maybe there is a individual exception for one year, one specific thing. What it's not built for is somebody who, let's say, was asking for it every year, every year, every year. Because a release is supposed to be a individual specific thing for one moment and one moment only. Now, most of the districts in this area and really in the state rarely, if ever, take releases. We're talking about maybe one or two ever where they sign off on releases. As the Lancing School District, we have tried very hard to not follow suit and

198actually be really really open around things like um like uh uh releases. We this year we actually signed 73 releases based on some very specific understandings which I'll get to as how we did it. But I want to make very clear to the board to the community releases are supposed to be oneoffs because why why would it only be one year? Because if you did it for the one year, the expectation is you apply for schools of choice the next year and then you're supposed to go through schools of choice so that you don't have to do this over and over and over again. Again, a release is a specific thing for a one-time only very very very special situation. So for instance, this year we got a bunch of release forms from a school

199district. We got those release forms even before the schools of choice window was closed. So what did we say to the families? Hey families, you need to apply through schools of choice. This is not for release. And I want to give a lot of credit to Grand Ledge. Grand Ledge was super wonderful about that. They sent us, I want to say, 37 uh releases while their window of schools of choice was open. All we said was, "Hey, look, this isn't about a release. Why don't you go schools of choice?" They went schools of choice. Uh Bill, their superintendent, opened up their schools of choice because I want to be very clear here. Superintendents in other districts can absolutely fix any of these problems if they wanted to. If they wanted to. Any superintendent can take

200a kid at any time. If if somebody walked up to us today and said, "We want to come to the Lancing School District." We have the right to take them. We can't. If an if a school is not accepting that child, that's on them. But for us, what we said to Grand Ledge was, "Hey, look, you're giving us these release forms before those schools of choice uh window is even closed. How about they just apply?" Great. And they did, and I think most of them got in. That makes sense. Another thing that a release isn't for, and I can show you some of these that were sent to me later on, reason for release. Literally, it said math. That's not a reason, right? Saying that I want to switch districts because of math is not

201a rationale. It would be a good thing to do schools of choice. Now, again, I want to be really clear here. There's not a single district that I know of in the entire state of Michigan that even does what we do, which is accept so many of these things. But again, a release is something that's very specific, very unique, very individual. Nothing could be very unique. Sorry, it's either unique or not. Um, but so when we got a let's say a request for release that said 504, if we granted that, you know what that would mean is that we are admitting that we don't serve 504s. That's not true. Of course, we serve 504s. Math, we actually teach math. So we as a district have to again be very very clear about how we can

202adjust these things. Now what would be something that we felt and this is you know how how the district is thinking about this. What would actually make sense for a release? Well in December of last year so December 2024 all of the ISD superintendents got together and had this conversation. Now, I do want to point out that Waverly actually had a board vote that said they won't take any releases. So, Waverly doesn't even take a single release. That's their prerogative. They're allowed to do that. That's not us. I think we should be much more open than that. And what we explained to all of the superintendents in the ISD was, hey, look, the Lancing School District is acting like everybody else. We're going to look at each individual case and we are going to try

203to determine if this is a school of choice or a release. And so when we got the releases before school started, right, because we also do have to have a deadline to be honest, I think I mean again I don't get them at the initial. We had somebody apply for uh release yesterday. We're three weeks into the school system. That's way past the deadline to ever do this. But anyway, the point being is the release requests that we got, we we looked at them and we asked one question. Did you apply for schools of choice? If you didn't supply apply for schools of choice, we said you should probably apply for schools of choice because that's the the way to do it. If they applied for schools of choice and didn't get in, then we

204asked two other questions. Question number one, were they currently in a school district that was not ours? Because again, wanting to always put kids first, you got to at least be saying, "Hey, look, we don't want to tell a kid they're currently in, let's say, East Lancing and you can't continue going there." But what we would say is you tried for schools of choice, you didn't get in. will give you a one-year reprieve, a one-year release because you are currently already a student in that district. Makes sense to to everybody. The other rule or the other kind of expectation we had was if you had a sibling in that district that you said, "Hey, look, they are a current student. You applied for schools of choice. you went through the system, you got rejected from

205schools of choice, you actually did the system, then we're happy to accept you again for one year with that onetime uh uh request for for release. What we have done is there have been folks that have said we want a release and maybe it happened this week. Well, look, the school school district already started. Nobody grants releases when the school starts. If you had asked for a release previously and you went through schools of choice and you got rejected, then we looked and said, well, what's the rationale? The rationale isn't math 504. The rationale is I am a current student in another district. We're not going to rip that aunder. If there is something else that we need to know, we can. Now, what I would say, and there's a couple other things I want

206to point out, and is that there is a I think a false narrative as well, saying that somehow it's solely our decision. I want to be very very clear here. Any school district at any time can accept a child. They can't. They absolutely can. And if they are saying no to a child, that is on them. I want to give a huge shout out to Mason. Mason had some kids that didn't fit the bill and they said, "You know what? We totally understand. They they missed the deadline or I can't remember the there was an issue. We will take them." And we said, "Great. God bless. That's terrific. Take them." But what we can't do as a school district, and this is where it gets gets problematic, is we can't make decisions for one kid

207that's different than another if it's the same fact pattern because, and I guess he's gone, we had a lawyer in the room for something totally different. He will tell us that the problem a district will have is if we say hey child one your fact pattern is the same and hey child two your fact pattern is the same we take one and not the other and I will say I'm not going to name names but there have been districts that I know staff has been on the phone and they'll say well could you just take this one and not this one we go what well we like this one more you can't do that, right? And the other thing about releases and why again this is one-year things is what happens is if a school

208takes a kid on release, they can pick and choose, which is exactly against the whole purpose of schools of choice. It's supposed to be open for everybody and everybody is treated equally. The other thing that happens with releases and not schools of choice is that if a child is under release and they do something the school district deems inappropriate, they can just get rid of them. Well, with schools of choice, they cannot. With schools of choice, they are part of um the system. Now, there's a couple of other things that I wanted because I'm sure everybody has questions and things like that, but one of the other things that I wanted to make sure of is some districts will play this game. They say we have schools of choice, but we only have one spot

209in every grade. So, they say they have schools of choice, but they don't really. They just have one spot in every grade. And then what happens? 30 people apply. And then they get to look at all of them. And then they say to some of them, maybe if they're 6'4 and have a jump shot, hey, why don't you try to get a release from a district? Why don't you try to get your way in in a different way? That's that's not that's not how this is supposed to be. And so when so when school districts start to play games around how they decide who goes in and who doesn't, you're really opening up this this horrible can of worms. Now look, the thing about being a superintendent is I serve at the pleasure of the

210school board. I would like nothing more, nothing more than to sign all the releases because for me, kids can go wherever they want. However, we also have to hold ourselves to a standard like every other school district in the district, in the area, in the ISD, in the state, whatever. So, I assume, and again, I don't want to say anything because I'm not exactly sure, but if you're here today to make a compelling argument for the board or me to sign a release, I think that's awesome. All I would ask is just try to and I don't want to like give it away. All I would ask is try to make an argument that would fit within the confines of decisions we are comfortable to make. So for instance, if you can argue that you

211went to the school district previously, that's a strong argument. The problem, of course, is that if you weren't there last year, that's a little bit different. If there is a absolutely unique reason for a exception, the board, not here, they're not going to take a vote. The board can say to me, Ben, even though this is a little bit similar to all the other cases, we feel so compelled that this is a special special case. Sign it. Great. God bless. I can only act as superintendent based on the rules and regulations that we have. I don't feel necessarily comfortable. there's our lawyer um or having nothing to do with this solar power. But he would he would inform me that I've got to treat everybody equally. But if the board says that they are compelled

212by a story, that's great. So if you are here to make a case for an individual child, all I would ask is try to focus on how we got to this position, when the application happened, and is there one of three compelling reasons? One, you were a student at that district before, even if maybe it was not last year, but two years ago, that at least there might be some wiggle room. if it was last year, that should be an easy fix. and if there is a sibling currently at the school that the the district that you want. And then the third thing I would request and again not that I'm like giving the away the answers but like the the thing I would request is you know what when did you apply or and

213we've heard this and I I love all my district superintendents but we have heard that some districts didn't inform their own students of deadlines and times. I got an email yesterday that said I didn't even know I walked into school yesterday for the first time and I was told I'm not a student in this district. I can't I there's nothing I can do about that. But if I hear that you didn't get an email, you didn't get an e a call, you weren't told, that would allow us here some wiggle room to make that decision. So without giving away an answer of how to try to make this articulation here so that we can move forward, I want to be really clear that a district like Lancing has to hold itself not to a different

214standard but to a very very similar standard to everybody and still be thoughtful and open. We approved 73 releases this year. That's more than everybody combined in this dis in this area. And why did we do it? We did it because even though releases aren't really for this, we wanted to give people a year of understanding and a year of flexibility and a year of things. So what how did we decide? And again, we have a department of enrollment. I know some people are like, I want, you know, this it's not a superintendent. This is the department of enrollment. That's what they do. I support them. I help them. But it's their job. They say, "Did they apply on time? Did they do schools of choice? Were they rejected? Are they a current student in

215the district? Do they have a sibling in the district?" That was it. It was a pretty simple thing. That was true for 73 people. It was not true for like I don't know eight, nine. And so that was that was where we were. The difference was there was a lot more applications early early like I want to say March or April and those we got early and we were able to say hey did you know about schools of choice and no joke you know what we heard from parents no this is just the way I've been doing it all the time and nobody told me anything we said well look here's a schools of choice you go and we never heard from them again and what's our assumption they got in through schools of choice

216so it's it's it's it's a weird situation as somebody not from Michigan because I because Michigan is very very open and I mean politically the the rationale here is that Michigan allows for choice, right? You have a lot of charter schools, you a lot of parochial schools, you have a lot of district schools and so the rule had always been if you want to go to a school district and the school district wants you, you sign a school a release. But what we can't allow for is game playing where a school district will say, "Well, we only have one spot." Oh, except if you're 6'4 and have a jump shot, then we found a spot. Or, oh, you know, you're the mother or the friend or the sust. Yeah, we don't have spots here, but

217we'll let you go in. We can't be privy to that cuz, you know, a we it's not fair and b we want to treat everybody equally. So, I know that was longwinded, although I did try to keep it to about 15 minutes. I apologize. uh is that is that not only for the people in the audience but all the people listening at home and all the people that have come to us over the last couple of weeks and years and many many years I always want to do right by children but I also want to do right by the district and the easiest way to do right by both is by just having a very clear understanding telling the superintendents of the ISD in December we're talking about you know 10 months ago and saying

218hey look we're just going to be like everybody else. We're not going to be like the districts that say no to everybody. I mean, literally, they took a board vote and they said no releases ever. I was like, but what if there, you know, we're we're always open to that. So, I think I I tried to even write notes, which I rarely do. Um Oh, and the last one, just to be clear, is clearly we had to have an end date. So, and I don't think this applies to many people, but if you're applying to get a release three weeks into the school district year, you got to be kidding me. Like, we just we just can't do that. We would just say, and again, a lot of credit to some of these school districts,

219they did it late. We said, "Look, you're way past the deadline." And the school district just said, "Okay, we'll take them. We'll take them. We got it." And then that's it. So, that's it. I want to take a lot of questions from the board, but I do very much appreciate any family that's here because, you know, you want to have this articulation. And again, I want to hear it. And I would and I'll listen. I mean the the board and I of course will will um communicate but I would just say if you are here to make a compelling point just say hey this is what this is where why we think this should work these are what what we heard you say this is why we think we fit or why we're really close

220and you know hey board do you mind making a uh a you know a decision and then we'll take it under adisement. I mean it's as simple as that. So, um, and anybody who's listening at home who's not here physically, hopefully you heard me and then you can make the compelling argument a and do that. So, there you go. >> There you go, GMO. Just Yes. Yes, sir. >> Thank you. Um, does anybody want a comfort break before we continue? >> Yes, please. >> No, let's let's finish with this this questions and then we'll go. >> Okay. Pleasure. you who who's first >> you. >> Okay, go ahead. >> Superintendent, thank you so much for that explanation because honestly I don't I didn't even know the difference between a release and a school school. I

221mean, and I didn't know that the release was only for one year. So, thank you for providing for that. Also, FYI, you said 73. It's 74. So, >> great. >> It's 74 releases. So, I appreciate that as well. I do have some questions and concerns. So, what happens to children who were not in our district but moved into the district and maybe even down the street from a school? Will they get to go to that school or how does that work? That is that considered school of choice? That's my first question. >> Okay, great question. So, let me just make sure I understand it. I live in Norway. I moved to Lancing and I live near a school. Do I have the right to go to that individual school? >> It depends. And it depends

222on when. So, if they moved in in the middle of the year, it's quite possible that that school that's a block from them is completely packed. Now, if it's a high school, and I certainly defer to Jessica here, if it's a high school, we almost always let them in because with high schools, it's different. They have uh periods and there's different kind of classes, you can always fit a kid into high school. If you're in third grade and there's only two teachers and you're totally packed at the gills, what we'll say is, you know, what about the school down the street? Um, now that doesn't apply to the specialty schools. So, Post Oak, Wexford, and Luton, those are a little bit different because they're special programs. There's a little bit of a question about like,

223well, you know, are you fluent in Mandarin? Are you, you know, that kind of stuff. But in general, if you, let's say, lived in Norway and you moved uh to Pennsylvania right next to Eastern and you're a 10th grader, you go to you go to Eastern. And so you just have to make sure that uh Anna knows or Jessica knows and they can work on that or Mitch. Yeah, absolutely. But but sorry to but if it was let's say Patengill and I'm just making these numbers up and they had three third grade classes and they have 86 kids already that means each of those classes are way above the threshold then it's going to be hard but we would wait for the next year to then get them in. >> Okay. And then my second

224question which is concerning because we are three weeks in. What if these kids haven't been to school at this point? I mean, are we going to at least work with them to get a release, help them get back home? What are we going to do? >> Yeah. I mean, I I think that um the PACE office, which is the enrollment office, is spending collectively 5 hours 10 hours a day on this because I agree if there's a kid that is I I think again the PACE office deals with it. I think every parent or every uh family who's in this limbo has had consistent conversation. It might not necessarily be exactly what they wanted to hear, but there is at least a lot of back and forth. And I know I was uh I was

225not there, but I know that Sergio was just on the phone with a deputy superintendent of another district trying to figure something out because a lot of times in these applications, we don't have all the information. So like that's where they're happening. So, you know, it's the third week of school for us. Some districts didn't go back until the week after. Um, but we're also getting families who haven't shown up yet in either school and then we're getting a call saying, "Hey, look." So, yeah, if there's and if there's a family out there that, you know, uh, the pace office didn't call back or email or um, the office of schools hasn't, just just reach out to me and, you know, I email back or somebody emails back within 24 hours. >> Yeah. trusty stroke

226>> really quick. Um I appreciate that you are answering and addressing questions or thoughts of conversation that is happening amongst the community um and amongst the areas of concern that has even come even to our seat. So I definitely appreciate that. I don't have any questions surrounding the enrollment piece. Um but I do have a question surrounding the budget. I know that that is alarming alarming for families being that we're already into September and you mentioned the preparedness that your team is working on to ensure that we have somewhat of a plan. But can you give an idea of what that preparedness entails? Um if we do, let's say, get to September 27th, what does that look like just for um families that may have a little bit of anxiety surrounding this issue? Um can

227you just highlight a little bit at a high level bird's view of what the preparedness is and if we get to September 28th where are we as a district? I I no of course and and thank you for the question you know so all through September everything's normal everything's normal and even through the first kind of week or so in October um we're going to start to have to have conversations by you know October 15th October 20th if the budget isn't done two or 3 weeks in and we don't get the payment from the state we have enough money to cover probably like one or two uh paychecks. Most school districts don't. I mean, I feel bad for the school districts, you know, not to bl belor this, but there are a lot of school

228districts that actually have to borrow money from MDE during the the summer to make payroll. We we never have to do that. So, all families should rest assured that the entire month of September, we are good to go. We're even good to go the first week or two weeks in October. we probably can make it all the way through the end of October, but if there's no budget and then there's no paycheck on the 20th, then we've got to think about what that looks like. Now, bird's eye view, um, you know, it really it really depends. I don't think it's going to get there. I really don't think that the state is going to be willing to have all schools in the state shut down. And we'd probably be one of the last ones to

229shut down because we have so much more money than they do at least in savings, right? But what it would look like is start to figure out how can we keep the schools open but maybe not some offices. We're always going to prioritize children. What does it look like for food? How can we always make sure that kids have food? How can we keep buildings open with heat? You know, it's going to get cold as we all know. So, you know what we would do? And of course, we'd work with our union partners about what that looks like. But, you know, I want the community to rest assured that we we'll probably be the last school standing, you know, and so we are gonna, you know, we have we have places for people to go.

230We have heat. We have hot water. We have food. We have large kitchens. Um, but my hope, and I truly truly believe this, we're not going to have to do this. Like, there might be a day, a week, if they go into three or four weeks, there's going to be I'll see it out of my window. there's going to be a thousand a million parents marching on the Capitol saying, uh, we need a budget so we can open up schools. And so, um, I'll offer them all water and coffee on their way to the capital. Um, but, you know, I think that we we are always in great relations with our labor, but what it looks like is just making sure that we always prioritize our kids first and that we would start to kind

231of shut down things like offices and stuff like that. Yeah. >> Thank you so much. And I asked the question more from the questions that we receive. And um the biggest thing with the priority of your words is we prioritize our students first. So thank you. That's all. Uh, Trusty Herk, >> I I know I'm one of the ones that have been making a lot of noise about this school release thing because um, frankly can't even go to the grocery store right now um without and I want to be able to speak to this for the people that don't watching. So I I want to say a couple of things back to you and then you can correct me so I can make sure I've got my script correct. families should first utilize school of

232choice, which is their right ab >> to do by the deadline. Um, if they miss the deadline and have an extraordinary circumstance, something went wrong, they can contact the PACE office, something has gone wrong, I didn't know about the deadline, somehow I missed it. My baby has been going to HLlett since kindergarten. They are now in the 10th grade. I need a release. This is obviously has never happened. They've been here since kindergarten, right? Up to a certain point for on our end, not the third week of school, but in a reasonable time this has happened, they're not enrolled, they can come to PACE. If for some reason, whatever the reason, PACE says no, we're we're we're not doing it is at our legal discretion, right? that no, we're not going to release you. They

233can then appeal then to you as the superintendent. Make their case known and say, "Hey, this is what's going on. It might have gotten lost in the translation in my email, but my baby has whatever this circumstance is." Not I'm not talking about math 504. I'm talking about, you know, this thing. >> They don't like what you have to say either. Are you suggesting that there is a process already in place where they can then appeal to this body and then we can then instruct you to release them? Is that already in place or are you saying that might be a remedy so that we don't end up in this place again? >> No, I really appreciate that. I don't want to cut you off though, but that's that's awesome. That's awesome the way that

234you laid it out. So absolutely the first step is always schools of choice because that's the easiest, cleanest way to do it. If for whatever reason they missed the deadline of schools of choice or they got rejected for schools of choice, which is up to the school district, um then they say, "Well, look, I didn't get into schools of choice, but I still want to go there." Okay. Then we're going to ask on that sheet why. And that sheet if it says I went to Hasllett for the last 10 years, we granted that release. We did like all all 74 of those releases were was that or something a little bit different. My my brother goes there, my sister goes there. The the ones that have been rejected and I I want to be careful

235because again I don't do a lot of this so you know it goes through pace. The the only ones that we have rejected lately are ones that came in way after the school started. The other ones that have been rejected to my knowledge are people or children that were not in that school district this last year. So like let's say they were in HLlett for two years but went to St. John's for two years and now they're asking for a release to go back to HLlett. It's a little bit different because wait a second you you were in St. we wouldn't what's what's the hllet? We don't understand. Right? So, and I don't know if that's happened, but that's something that's happened. And then what I'm saying is if if they appealed to PACE and

236they feel like we aired, then they can come to me. Of course, what I was suggesting is if people were here today and they were going to appeal, I'm trying to help them appeal in a way that would fit our rules. um so that we could hear it and then say, "Oh, that makes sense." or not. But if the board, look, I serve at the pressure of the board. If the board would like to involve themselves in granting of releases or not to be honest, I would love nothing more. I don't think you want that. Uh I think that's probably something that you would not love um because it's about following the procedures and rules. But I think that if for whatever reason if something came from me that says hey you've applied you have

237these reasons and it doesn't fit I think they are going to you and then you as the board member say hey Ben I got this email can you explain and you know I will and then you say that doesn't that doesn't follow Ben you need to take that you're right >> so I so there's one piece that I want to make sure that I understand in the the chain of it all >> so you grant the release Are you saying that by you granting the this the the other school, let's say you've been rejected >> for that they did their lottery, you've been rejected, >> right? >> We sign a release for you to go. >> They have to then take you. >> No, they're only coming to us with a release if the other

238district wants to. >> Oh, the they So, they've already gone to the other district. They say they want to come. That's >> book usually. >> Usually. Okay. Yes. So that's the part that I Okay. Because there there are scenarios like that, right? >> Yeah. So So let me give you exact a scenario. I did schools of choice. I didn't get it. I still want to go there. I go to that school district and I say, "I still want to come here." They say, "No problem. We like you. We looked at your grades. We do whatever. Oh, we know your brother." Whatever it is, we'll give you a release. You've got to get the school district to sign it. >> Okay. Then they come to us and we would say, "Why are you asking for a

239release? Oh, you went there since you were in fifth grade, sign away. Oh, you've never been at that district ever. Oh, you were there, but you're not there anymore." Right? So, that's that's how it works. >> Okay. So, then I I guess because I really this is kind of a growing experience for me as a brand new board member. What do I say to a father like me >> who frankly my rationale is I'm his daddy >> right >> and this is where I think they should be and then what do I say to then the board member in Myyers when they say who the f word do you think you are >> I mean you know it's a good question I >> sorry >> just and the reason why I asked that is because

240the main stakeholder >> right >> in the child's life and education even is that parent >> 100%. I mean, I think No, don't clap. Sorry, I didn't say I'm not on a I'm not on a stump here. I just want to make sure cuz I want to support you. >> No, I know. >> Yeah. >> I I think it's a great question. I think the pro the problem is if if a parent and again, you know, my answer always is tell me who and then we can talk to them. But if if let's hypothetically you're in the grocery store and somebody comes up to you in January and says, "Hi, I'm the child's father. I think that child, my child deserves to go to HLlett, let's say." >> Say, "Okay, it's January. Does that mean

241that the school district, and by the way, no other school district in the state of Michigan would ever agree to this? Are we saying that that only in Lancing that parent should say I can move my kid out of the district, not do schools of choice, go to uh release because that's what I want. >> That no, nobody works that way. >> That's not how it works, >> right? I mean, nobody does. >> I wish that person had left me their name because I would have given it to you as you know, right? Of course. >> But I want to be able to to speak to us because I love it when my neighbors come to talk to me for any reason. >> Um, you know, but I want to have something intelligent to say.

242But I'll I'll give that person let's give that person a lot more credit. The random person. They come to you in April and they say, "I really want to go to Hasllett next year." Great. You really need to apply to schools of choice because that's the legal structure in which you do that. Now there's another whole other issue which I mean I it's already so late but the other thing we have to think about is here we are the city of Lancing. People live in Lancing. This is their community. If there are people who live in Lancing and they are saying it's my right to go to another school district outside of Lancing, fair. That's not how the law works but okay. But then you go to another school district, not through schools of choice,

243not but but you just go. What about the family that wants to live in that house who lives in Lancing who wants to go to Lancing schools? Like it's it is a hard decision to say, "Hey, look, don't you don't have to play by the rules. You don't have to do schools of choice. You don't have to do anything. You just go somewhere else." That's fine. I look as a superintendent, I don't really care. I care about kids being happy and healthy, but if you set up a s a situation or a structure where boundaries mean nothing, rules mean nothing, and structures mean nothing, then it's just a free-for-all. Because for us, and you know, I think to to Trusty Strode's question about budget, I think there's this this incorrect notion that the school district

244cares about the the the dollar figure, right? One child in this district is one of 10,000 in terms of budget. I love each child. I want each child to do the best. But it's never about the dollar figure for the kid. What it's about is what kind of rules does Lancing hold itself to? And why in the world would Lancing be different than every other district in the state of Michigan? Why? Like it just there's no argument there, right? I mean, because if you had this conversation in HLlett, they'd laugh at you. in Okamus they oh what do you mean you just you just want to release they they don't do that right and so I think we've been really really generous because we gave 74 releases nobody does that and again we gave releases

245to every kid who apply who asked for it on time that went to a school district at that day and then you know we got to oh you know I was there for 10 years here you go >> but for a year and then you got to do schools of choice >> so my I think my final question Mr. president is what can this body do >> to ensure that we are supporting the superintendent in this? Now, it's on our desk now. And so, no sense of skating over. It's at our desk now. We're getting emails directly. Um, this is a question. It's not a new concept. Definitely not. But it certainly has a few more nuances that we didn't know. Is it uh how I've been saying greasing the communication machine to make sure

246people know their options but in a greater sense is it a remedy that we have a more um official process not involving oursel in every single case but cases where our neighbors are feeling unheard or just not getting their way is the board of education the final remedy for this and does that need to be an official channel or do we just communicate more about the systems that are already in place to ensure that families can make the best choices for their kids? I think it's my question then to us beyond the superintendent. What are we going to do? The ones that our neighbors elected to be here, this is an issue. Our neighbors are talking loud. Even if it's only 10 of them, they're very loud. >> Yeah. >> What are we going to

247do? First of all, we're going to listen to them. >> Okay? And I think the superintendent gave us the process and procedures. I think what we need to also understand is that every release that we sign, the district signs, is for a year, which was not known previous to to this, right? So any individual family who gets a release is for one year and they have to ensure that the receiving district you know um takes them in through either now because now they're there or or they have to apply for schools of choice. Then if they don't get you know selected through that process they're going to come maybe come here again for for release. So what's our what is going to be the process then? Okay. So I think at this point in time

248and we can continue the discussion. I think we need to hear what's happening tonight, go through the process and see what comes out of it and then we may have to if it's appropriate uh approve a process. >> Approve a pro and that's what I think >> approve a process. >> I think my ricochet question then is a a question I kind of ask all the time, Mr. Superintendent. Have we empowered you? Are we supporting you enough as our one employee? Right. >> Are we now because now you got something on your hands and I know that you are more than capable to answer this. But have we empowered you to do everything that you can to make ensure that our neighbors feel empowered to do what is in the best interest of their children

249in narrative and also in action? >> No, I mean and I you know I love you when you ask that question. So you know I think what I would ask is twofold. one, we should try to be as clear as we possibly can around the process and the procedure. Can put it on the website. We can do whatever we can. And then I would love either anytime a community member is coming to the board, you please let me know so that I can tell you exactly what's going on. And then you can say, well, hey Ben, you know, we see this fact pattern. sounds like, you know, you're saying the right thing, but for whatever reason, we want to overrule you. I don't care right now. I don't know if you really want to get

250into that situation, but I do but I do think that there is a there there is a example of something like this in this district. We're a very large district. The board has given the power of suspension to Cordelia Black. She has the power to suspend. You've given her that power. In a lot of districts, the board does the suspension. >> Yeah. >> I think because this is so important of a thing and it's so and it's also very small. The number of people asking for releases in the last week, I can count on my hands. I don't think there's a problem with creating a board committee or a board meeting that hears an appeal around a release. That's actually very simple. It's very similar to how some school districts do um suspensions, right? My

251kid gets expulsions, right? Something like that. We don't do that because we have such a robust uh department of office of school culture. But but how but but how great would it be to say we you know from August 1st to September 10th the board has three meetings and they hear appeals because just have a date deadline the first day of school is X we're not going to apply you know hear anything after that here you go I'm happy to be exeicio of that I think that could go a really long way in maybe protecting the pace department from the slings and arrows of angry folks, the protecting the district and then also having people be in the no because when you get that person admire I know that parent cares about their child and

252they care about you and then right well you know and then and then you I'm a nice guy you are a nice guy and then you could say to that parent and then and then and then and then you can say to that parent I hear you there is an appeal process up to a certain point and then the board can because that would from me as a superintendent. I always love how supportive you are all all are of uh me and the work that could really help. This this year became an issue because some school districts start to say no. Then the ISD then we had these thing there was a lot of things going on. We tried to be super super flexible and then now we're in a position where there's a handful

253of folks that rightfully are upset which is fine by me. How about we create a system that allows them one last bite at the apple and then you're all in the in the no? I think that'd be awesome. >> I think that's where I am too. And I promise I didn't talk to you expulsion thing about before because that was my final question off topic >> was um with expulsions. Now I was a student here like I came through here right >> and I remember that the board of education was the final remedy for expulsions >> u which is no longer the case and I wondered Mr. president, if we can have this conversation, not tonight. I would love to hear from our neighbors. Um, but this kind of all folds into this body being

254able to be the final remedy one way or the other um for our community and empowering um the superintendent to say, "Hey, you know, this is what we're saying. These are the processes. you are asking for an exception on whatever said date, you need to come and have your voice heard at the board of education in a I don't know if it's close session or whatever we do. Um so that with the understanding that this is the final stop and if then the board of education then says nope can't do it this year do school of choice next year we've now protected the superintendent and the people at pace and also trustee heard at his neighborhood meer thank you >> and and I will say I would like nothing more than that I think that

255would be awesome >> so uh trusty show >> so I guess I hear that and the communication and all that and not trying to belabor anything, but where does that leave us today? >> Today, I mean, from my perspective, we finish the meeting, we have public comment, we go into close session to talk about solar power and then, you know, I will um happily reach out to the board in terms of what's outstanding and then we can go from there. But we I mean the pace office can can make a determination tomorrow. If if you if the board hears stuff today and you want to send me an email like that's fine, but I don't think you have we don't have the process in place for the board to like make a vote. >> Right.

256>> Yeah. And that's that's the reason I'm bringing up the now because there's folks that's not here that may have want to leave a comment or what have you and I don't want to overpromise and underdel. So, I want to be clear that these are hopeful plans for the future, not hopeful plans tomorrow. So, I don't want anybody to have the wrong idea that says the board said they would hear our appeals next week and they're storming and saying we need you to sign a release. So, I just wanted to say the now part, what was our now part? So, thank you for that. >> And my promise to the community is certainly I'm sitting here with all of you. We'll hear comments today at public comment. I'm sure we'll get an email or two

257in the next day or two. I'll make sure to listen to it knowing the board wants to support and then I'll probably email the board to say, "Hey, look, this is what I heard, you know, whatever. I can't do board business, not in a board meeting. I would never do that. But I would I would certainly I think I think there will be a remedy tomorrow once we get got this out here and say hey please let us know what the appeal is or what the rationale is and then this is really to trustee herd's uh uh kind of point this is really going to be about next year because right now and again I don't know the number we're maybe talking about four or five folks that are still in a limbo situation. So

258clarity is radar is coming our way via communication and if there's a certain strenuous situation that we need involvement we'll do that. We'll hear the concerns of the people and then we'll make some some remedy changes. That sounds what we're doing. >> Got it. >> Oh let let me just chime in a little bit. >> I don't think that we can make decisions on the go. Okay. I think we need to finish our meeting then have some meaningful discussion after all this process. We support the superintendent the process procedure that's in place and then like you said uh we need to put in place something for next year. We can help but but one thing is we need to help the families that come forth any which way we can and maybe even talk to

259the other districts and says look open your uh your schools of choice open it up you can do it. >> That's right. >> Why why why won't they do it if if a family wants to go there? >> Yeah. >> So it's really not on us particularly. It's it's on the other school district that doesn't want to open the schools of choice. That's right. That is right. >> Have we addressed Trustee Strode's question about the right now? My concern sitting here as somebody's daddy myself is that child who has not been to school yet because that parent is so much in protest about sending their child to Lancing schools, which I think is a wonderful place, but they said to not send them to Lancing schools. I would rather keep my child home. Do we

260have a remedy that we can empower the superintendent today so that that child can go to school? And I and I it's sounding less hypothetical that there might be extreme cases like that and I think that's the other part of my question, Mr. Superintendent. C can we empower you and that's an extreme I think that constitutes one of your extreme cases without you taking down on um protecting the district. And I do believe we have to have deadlines and I do believe that you have to do quote your job unquote. Um but can we can we help you? What can we do where you don't feel then it's like uh because then I've got to do the other five too that are not maybe not as I just I know we're trying to find the

261balance of fairness and not back you up into a corner but I worry about that child and the family and is it worth the optics on our district >> as we are trying to promote trust with our neighbors. >> Yeah. I mean it's a great point. I don't want to take it away from you. Sorry. No, that's why I'm saying I think Ben's superintendent is going to do everything he can to help this child go to school, right? I trust that he will that he's going to do the right thing. Number one, calling the district and saying, "Look, >> what? Yeah, let the child in." And other districts and then if it push comes to shove, he'll do the right thing. But we're going to have to set something up approved by the board or

262with a board's blessing for next year and year after. >> Yeah. And and I think and I appreciate both of you saying this because the the struggle for me of course is all the other school districts could solve this in 8 seconds. All they need to do is take the kid. >> All they need to do is take the kid. Their refusal is unfortunate. Let's just say that I as a superintendent who wants to k put kids first and certainly willing just like the 74 we signed, we are willing to put them first. It is unfortunate that other districts who to in in 8 minutes, 8 seconds could accept every kid they wanted to. They're not. I can't force another superintendent to do their job. I really can't. And if and it and and so

263for for us, I think we have to hear from the community today. I think we need to hear from the community for the next couple of days and we will try to finalize as much as we can. But that but what I don't want is to lose any sort of ability to say to the other school districts, hey, I need you to do your job, you know, like I need you to step up and not that it's always lancing, lancing, lancing taking the hit. So >> yeah. Yeah. And and I think that Oh, go ahead, Dr. Dr. Noiski. >> So, I'm trying to understand the other school district could accept the child, but I thought we're only getting releases that have been approved. I'm not understanding those. Oh, so right now if your your child

264I if you said to the superintendent of whatever Grand Ledge, I want my child to go there that that superintendent can take that child that that but what they won't have is that they would get 50% I I I might be a little bit wrong here. They would they would get 50% of the of the FTE for this semester. They'd actually get half the money and they would have to open up schools of choice for next semester so that they could apply. What a lot of school districts say is we don't want to open up schools of choice again. Not our problem. And we go but you could just take the kid right now and then you could open it up or you could take them and just and just take the kids. Right. The

265issue is the schools of choice window. They either open up or they don't or they whatever, you know. So, it's and and to be honest and to be fair to everybody, this was something that came up from the ISD this year where they because we kept asking and they're like, "Oh yeah, there's an easy way to fix this. They could just take the kids and then they could just open." And we're like, "Oh my god." Right. So they can take the child but then they have to open up their school of choice at semester. If they choose not to do that then they can still say we would take the child but they have to get the release. So they've approved it but then they're asking us for the full release 100%. And that's what

266we're considering in these cases. Okay. >> And so >> okay >> that helps me clarify that because I was hearing those two different things. Um, yeah. And just so you know, and I don't want to call them out, but they've I said that they've been amazing. There is a school district that is doing that. They they called us. They said, "Ben, we get it. We know the rules. We're taking them tomorrow. No problem. We're going to open it up. We'll take the kids." Boom. And we said, "Great. That's a wonderful superintendent. The other superintendents, you know, and then a next question was, so what was different this year from previous years? Was it that that conversation with the ISD that we're trying to do something different in alignment with other districts or what happened this

267year? >> I think I think what happened was so last year Waverly had a board policy that said no more waivers. We as a collective ISD said, "Whoa, okay, then we need to start looking at how we're doing this because waivers really are supposed to be this one-time thing." and we had a conversation about making sure that like we get people into schools of choice and we start to do that. So, it was just a longstanding conversation with all of the ISD superintendents. And again, we're the anomaly, right? Every other school district in the ISD has does almost no releases and has uh very very limited schools of choice. Some and some have a lot. So it was a question about hey Lancing are you going to kind of be like us or are you

268going to continue to be this like totally out of nowhere place and we're like no no no we think we all need to kind of play by the same rules now is it >> so we're trying to align with that and that's a change in practice for >> yeah and and it's only been a ch it's a change of practice now but like not not you know whatever and and again that's why we approved all of the waiverss or the releases for any kid that was currently in a school district this last year. >> And then my last question is you mentioned fact pattern from a legal standpoint. Whatever our process is that we decide and hear whatever that is we have to make so that it's consistent because if we if as a board

269we start granting certain appeals and not others that opens us as a board to potential legal. Okay. >> And that's why my job is to try to protect pace try to protect you guys. But the nice thing is with with releases because there is a lot of jurisdiction why these districts really could just take the kids if they wanted to. As long as we are consistent, I think we are good and and I think we have a really good understanding of that consistency. However, if there is a extraordinary circumstance, I think the board has every right to say, "Superintendent, you should accept this kid. We understand the liability it might put us in, but we think this is an extraordinary situation enough that we don't think this is going to be a problem." Because the

270truth is, and council can say this, it's only a problem if somebody thinks it's a problem, >> right? And so I don't know who's gonna fight that, right? So, >> but we would potentially want some process that said, >> of course, >> whatever all four of these cases or however many we have have that same opportunity, not just >> That's right. >> Okay. Thank you. >> So, so Mr. Superintendent, what should be clear too is that we sign a release for student >> student goes to the other district. >> Yes. next year they u missed uh or not accepted schools of choice they come back and want to release that's not going to happen >> oh it's you know >> so so I mean you know if if so so we need to really think

271about this and put a process together that and that everybody knows what it is and how it's going to work >> and you know communication >> that's right and and I and and I think and I I apologize because again the the enrollment office deals with this. In all of our releases that we have signed, we have a letter that is attached that says we would like to remind you this is a one-year release. We we you are not guaranteed an acceptance in the next year blah blah blah. But yeah. >> Okay. Well, that's the information trustee questions. >> Okay, superintendent for my clarification. So I'm going to do real hypothetical situations. My son has been in Waverly for the last 10 years. >> We moved down the street right by Patale. >> He is

272automatically in district. He wouldn't have to get a waiver or anything. Correct. >> To to go to Patale. >> No, to go to Eastern cuz he would be going to Easter. >> No, not at all. >> Okay. That's my first That's my first scenario. >> Not at all. >> My second scenario says that okay, we were in Waverly. However, we didn't apply for school of choice because we were already in Wavely and we didn't know. I Waverly gives me the release to sign bring it to you. Do you sign off on it? >> Well, it it depends when. Right. So, yes. So, this is what happened. You live in Waverly. >> No. My secretary, I live in Lancing, but he's been going to Waverly all this time. >> That's right. And so, you live in

273Lancing. You've been going to Waverly for seven years in a row. you get us the the release, we signed it. The only time we're not signing that release is if it was after school started because school started. But yeah, and that's what most of those 74 releases were. You live in Lancing. You've been going to Okamus for the last 5 years. We want to continue to go. We said, "Here you go. Here's your release, but remember this is a one-year thing. You got to do schools of choice, etc., etc." And that's exactly and that's what all that's 70 I I would say that's probably 70 out of the 74 of those. >> So then here's my third third ask and then I have a fourth one. My third ask is is there some way we

274can garner some type of information once we put our procedures in place that we share with the ISD because again what we're doing is contradictory to what some of the other people are doing. At the heart of all of this is the child and that child's education and that is my concern even if the fact afterwards. So third scenario would be I live in Lancing Tyrese's dad lives in Waverly. >> He start he was initi he was going to come to Lancing but once school started maybe 10 days in we decided okay he's going to go back to stay with his dad. That's a whole another scenario that we >> and that's totally okay. I mean, not that I should say this and council will kill me, but like it is up to the parent

275to decide what address they live in. And if the address is in a school district, they have the right to go to that school district that, right? And so in that case, it's your choice. >> Okay. So, my final my final ask at this point is if these parents come in with the release for the school that's saying they're going to accept them, >> no questions asked because they've went to the school and the school has said we're going to accept them. What then will we will we just say, "Okay, we're going to because the school has said we're giving you this release. We want you in our district or no, they still have >> well we have to ask the question, well, who are you? Have you been in that school district for a

276while?" Great. Do you have a sibling in that district? Great. Are you just a random person that has no connection to that school district and there's no reason? That's different. But again, almost all of the um uh releases that we signed was you're a student at Hasllett, Waverly, whatever, you need the release to stay there. There you go. But if it's just random like, hey, I I mean, I'm trying to give an example without giving it away. um a a random child. >> Sorry. >> Yeah. No, no, no, no. Like there's a there's a there's a case that we were dealing with where it's there's no connection to any district. No connection. Well, then then why that district? That's that's different, right? But if you live if you went to Waverly for three years, even

277two years, and you want to continue, we sign as long as they did it not the third week in school. Right. So, >> okay. So, this is my final ask. At the end of the day, let's consider the students because some of them probably have been out of school for a while now and let's consider the families. I mean, it it means a lot when budget and everything, but my heart is always about the kid and what the kid needs. And so, in in thinking about this whole process, let's I mean, going forward, we know we're going to have to put some stuff in place, but >> we're in the third week of school. Yeah, >> my concern right now is for the child. I don't know how to address it any other, but again,

278I appreciate your transparency and openness with this. >> Thanks. Thank you. And I appreciate that. Thank you. >> Okay, we're going to take a five minute comfort break and we'll be right back. >> Okay, we're in recess for five minutes. Is that okay? They're not We're back in session. All right. Um, and what I'm going to do because of the time is I'm going to move public comment before new business um, so that we can uh, hear from our parents and then proceed with the business that we have. So to begin with, we have uh, Janet Gilmore um, who's going to speak followed by Aiden McNickl. Okay. Uh and and just let me remind you that uh you have three minutes. We listen to what you're going we listen to you, but we won't answer

279anything tonight. Okay. So, please. >> Right here. >> Right there. Right at the podium. >> Okay. >> Hello. My name is Janet Gilmore and my granddaughter's name is Liliana Costa. Liliana Costa used to go to Waverly. Um, and she moved into Lancing School District last this semester before school started. We tried to enroll her in Eastern High School. They told us that Eastern was full and that she could not go. So, she went back over to Waverly and when she got to Waverly, they let her go to class on their first day, which would have been August 25th. So, she went on August 25th and then she went on August 26th and they sent her home and told her that she needed a re-release form from Lance from Lancing School District. The thing is is

280that she's not even attended one day at your school. She was not accepted to go to the school that's two blocks from our house. So, the reason why we were asking for the release was so that she can go back to school. Lily is on the National Honor Society. She is a straight A student. Her grade point average is a 3.96, I think. All I'm trying to do is get the girl back in school. And nobody's listening to me. That's all I want. I'm not being spoiled. I just want her to go to school. That's what we want. And she has a brother already at Waverly, but he's online, so it doesn't really matter. All I need her to do is go to school. Even if she went to Eastern, that would be fine. But

281we want her in school. When they said no, that she would have to go to Sexton or Everett, that's not what we want. The reason why we were trying to put her at Eastern is because it's two blocks. She would be able to walk to school and she'd be able to walk home from school. Transferring her back to Waverly was because that's the only place we knew we were going to just take her back to where we had had her already. But that's a big drive. If I was going to drive her to Saxon or Everett, I might as well drive her to Waverly. I just want her over at Eastern. It's a lot closer. >> That's what we asked for. This wasn't about getting a release, but it took forever for everybody to give

282us that release. When she went to school that first day, she had already asked to go to to that school to Eastern Two weeks prior to the school starting. That was because she moved into your district. >> They denied it. So then when she went to to Waverly, they made her come back over here to get a release from you guys. And she has been out of school for almost two weeks because nobody wants to sign this release or put her in school. That is what we're asking. One of the two. That's all I want. >> Thank you very much. Thank you. Uh Aiden Aiden McN McNickl followed by uh Hugh McNickl. >> Go ahead. >> Hello. My name is Annie McMen in high school. So that would No matter if you will leave me

283or just join here is fine because I'm only doing one more year. That's all I have. Um and you see I'm very I I have a very different injury than a lot of other would have. Um I'm here today and for over a month now we have been trying to get me in my have been shut down my and landing holding and never give me I would like to be released from the landing man and the the men's way um I only need one more And I would like to know magole when I have been in school all the way up until the middle of nine. Then I can be with the people I actually know. Um uh when I joined ignor um from home, I went into MBA um and like virtual academy and

284uh a lot of the kids were treating me really differently and I um uh Sorry. Um, yeah, I switched because I a lot of the kids were treating me differently because I had a miracle when necessary for a lot of my life and after after when I was 5 years old, I found out I had an aim of brain cancer. I didn't have time and I needed a par music and they trained me differently because of that. So I decided to go an online school and I didn't when I went I was proper in landing. I never went in the landing. No, I didn't want to be really landing in no when in the minority of my life. >> Thank you. [Applause] >> U McNichol followed by Christina Elhart Ehart. Good evening, Vice President Lopez,

285members of the board, and Superintendent Scheler. My name is Hugh McNichol, and I've been a part of the Lancing and Holt communities for almost my entire life. I'm here tonight to ask for your help with an issue that is preventing my son Aiden from re enrolling in Hol public schools for his senior year. Aiden has attended Holt Public Schools since kindergarten all the way until 9th grade. He has never attended Lancing Public Schools. In kindergarten, Aiden was diagnosed with brain cancer. his teacher and her intern drove all the way from Hol to the hospital in Ann Arbor to do homebound school with him. When first grade started, Aiden returned to in-person schooling at Holt Public Schools. When Aiden started high school after COVID with a new parapro, he had trouble making new friends because his

286kid because kids didn't want to hang out with someone who always had an adult around him. Nobody wanted to sit next to him at lunch, etc. Because of those reasons, my son wanted to go back to online schooling. So, we pulled him out of Hol and enrolled him in an online school. He completed freshman year, sophomore year, and junior year in the online school. But when he attended his junior prom, only 15 kids were there and he didn't know any of them. He asked to reenroll in Hol because of this for his senior year so that he could graduate with his friends and Hol agreed to take him, but told us that Lancing had to release him first. This was confusing to us because Aiden has never attended any Lancing schools and the online school

287isn't affiliated with the Lancing School District either. We ended up learning that Lancing School District has been claiming him since he transferred from Holt to online because we live in the district. After learning this, we submitted the necessary paperwork to Lancing so that he could be released, but our application was denied. The biggest slap in the face was that we received the denial letter after the appeals deadline had passed. This procedural issue made it impossible for us to appeal this decision. Because we were prevented from exercising our right to appeal, we are now asking this board to use its authority to grant a waiver or an exception, a one-time exception. This is just this is not just about a transfer. It's about a student's right to finish his education in a supportive environment. We are

288asking you to allow our son to be released to whole public school so he can have a traditional senior year and graduate with the community that supports that has supported him through a life-threatening illness. Also, his two brothers and sister both attend Holt. He has no siblings that attend Lancing Public Schools. Thank you for your time and consideration for our request. >> Thank you. Thank you very much. Christina Eart >> Ehart followed by Anna Falner, followed by Anna Falner. >> All right. I'm Christine Ehart. I am Aiden's mom and I've been advocating for him his entire life, especially when he was four years old and they told us at the hospital that he had a muscle spasm. No four-year-old has a muscle spasm and tripped on a sidewalk wrong. So, I have been advocating for

289his medical. Now, today, I'm advocating for his education. Aiden did attend Holt his entire life from preschool all the way up. We did do a school of choice when he was in kindergarten and he was accepted. He was released from the Lancing School District then, but then when he went to high school, as he said, it was a little different. He had two parapros that he absolutely loved. One passed away. She had esophagus cancer. So, she did not move to high school with us. We had another one. Her daughter had heart transplant when she was a baby. Open heart surgery. maybe not transplant. She got the job of her dreams and did not go to the high school with him. We were sent to the high school with a brand new parah that he didn't

290know. The kids didn't know and they really loved the two that he had with him. So this made things difficult for him. So he did switch to online school. But when I asked the superintendent for us to go back to Hull, he said yes, we'll accept you with open arms. He did not know the procedure and told me that his admin office said that the school of choice was closed and I could either get a release now and apply in November for the second semester and we will have him do the school of choice then if I can get the release today so that he can start school. His peers all started two weeks ago. I had him released from the online school thinking that was our district. I did not know that we went

291back to whole once we unenrolled him. I mean, back to Lancing. So, I'm asking today that you guys do release him from the Lancing school district. I do pay my taxes in Lancing, so you guys are still getting that money. Just saying. Um, we do live in the district, but yes, we have three other kids that are in the district or in Hol right now. My daughter did do the school of choice as well, so I did the necessary paperwork. But when he came to me and told me that he wanted to go back to school, it was after the deadline. I did not know that he wanted to go back into in person. I had been talking to my counselor about how I wished he had go back because it would be great for

292him to have these senior experiences instead of online. We're 15 people at your prom and be able to do all the senior memories and we can have the senior memories with him and have him walk walk on a real stage and not watch it on a TV. So I am asking that you guys do release him please because you say that you care about the children and we'll quote you what you say here for the kids. I'm asking you to be here for Aiden. >> Thank you very much. [Applause] >> Following Anna will be Danielle Hurling. >> Hi my name is Anna Faulner. I have five children who went through the Lancing School District and now have two grandchildren here. Never have had an issue with the Lancing School District. I do have an issue

293though when a mother comes to the superintendent's office and is not told the procedure but sent someone out to tell them that they missed the deadline by two days and never even saw that person's face. But I we sit here tonight for hours listening to you guys go back and forth about a procedure. No one said anything about pace to this woman. Nobody in our neighborhood friends. Nobody knows about any kind of deadlines. This should not be happening. And he and you, I'm sorry, Mr. Superintendent should have came out to speak with this woman and her son the day they came. And if you couldn't do it that day, you should have made an appointment. Thank you. >> Thank you very much, >> Danielle Hurling. Good evening. Um, I um come to you as a

294graduate of Everett High School, class of 95. >> Um, I am a mother of five. Um, two of my oldests graduated from Lancing School District as well. And, um, my two youngests will be going to Lancing schools as well. I have subbed um, in Lancing schools for the past nine years. and I drove the bus half of last year. I come to you with concerns because my four-year-old hopefully will be starting GSRP next week and I was told that she could not go to Averil with her sister because there's no more room. So, they want to send my four-year-old on a Dean transportation bus to um Patale or Post Oak or Willow, I think, were the schools that they gave me um as choices. Um I do not want my four-year-old, as you can see,

295she's tiny. Um me and my husband have concerns with her riding a bus by herself. Um with us living on the southside and mind you um Averil is our neighborhood school. Um my child would probably have to get up at round five or six in order to get on the bus. And that's a lot for a four-year-old. I mean, I took my 9-year-old out of um North to attend Averil because the bus her her bus time was 5:50 and that's a lot for a child to be getting on the bus at 5:50 and then riding for almost what, an hour and a half. So, my I'm asking for help with um trying to get my daughter into Averil so she can be with her her older sister and we can walk to school. We don't

296need to take the bus. Thank you very much. That is uh that is um the entirety of the public comment. I thank you for coming down. Um, I'm sure superintendent will make something happen and uh and then come back to us with a or we work with him with a proposed procedure for next year and we will advertise all this in advance. >> Thank you very much. >> Okay. Let's go back to the agenda and uh to new business. Certification of voting delegates and alternate voting delegates for the MASB's 2025 delegate assembly. Who who is going? And who would like to be a delegate? >> I am going. >> You're going. You want to be a delegate? >> Sure. >> Would you be a delegate then? >> I'm going. I'm willing to serve. Yeah. >>

297Okay. Nino, Dr. Rodriguez, >> you want to be a delegate as well? Okay. Uh, Trusty Stro. >> Oh, you're not going. Okay. >> Uh, city. >> Yeah. You're going to go? >> You plan to be there? You do. You want to be a delegate? >> Sure. Well, the delegates what happens is that at the conference there is the delegate assembly >> and we go through the through the bylaws of of MASB and proposed policies etc etc and we vote on them. Okay. So that's why the delegates are are named um and then we proceed with the rest of the conference. But that's the first thing that happens uh at the conference at at least the first evening. >> Okay. So we have uh take a names uh trustee Williams >> trusty noiski trusty herd and

298trustee Dr. Rodriguez. >> Aren't you still a delegate? >> That's four. I'm sorry. >> You're not a delegate anymore? Yeah, but I'm going to be >> Oh, yeah, that's right. >> Yeah, I'm think I'm gonna be in the >> He's a special kind of delegate. I forgot he got that position. >> President Moore is also home, right? >> Who? >> President Moore, >> is she a delegate? >> I am not sure. >> Well, she can be an alternate. >> So, >> that's what we have up to eight. So, at this point, will >> can you verify with uh President Moore if she's going to be going? I don't know if uh >> Dr. Martinez and Yeah. Okay. All right. All right. So, can we have a motion then to name these folks as delegates and

299alternates? >> Vice President Lopez, I recommend that the board of education appoint Trustee Williams, Trusty Herd, Trusty Ninsky, and Trustee Rodriguez as the voting delegate members and trust uh board president Moore as the alternative. Is there going to >> alter alternative? >> They as an alternative, too. >> I'm not sure. Okay. Um and then um trustee Moore as an alternative with the addition of alter additional uh alternatives Navarus Martinez if possible for the leadership com conference delegate assemblies on October 23rd 2025. >> Second has been moved and second. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Post same sign. Okay. Motion carries. Thank you. All right. We now um or um >> going to close session. Do you want to do >> comments? >> You want to do comments before? >> I

300just have a general statement. >> Comments from the board. >> Okay. Trusty Strode. >> Thank you. Um it's been a long night, so I'll be very quick. I know that this has been brought before us before, but it really made me a little bit um wanting to call to action. And I guess it's the mother and me. Um, we had a very late night and there was some little kiddos here in the audience that have been here with us for 3 hours. Um, I understand that we set our agenda a certain way for public comment to be at the end of the agenda um or the end of the meeting. Um but in times of this nature when we have little kids that are in our district that have early mornings um to start school

301um I think it's something that we should just think about and if we are not able to because of the way we want to continue our meetings and cadence which I appreciate and adhere to that I would suggest that if there is a possibility that we can be thinking about putting maybe a cozy corner in the back that actually just gets moved in the day of the board meeting so it's not here all the time of maybe like a couch or some type of something space for our um kids that come and accompany their parents to these late meetings. Um a space for them to be and belong. I don't think we have that in this area. And so as I watched their little faces today sitting in those seats, it brought a concern for

302me as a parent. um if I was coming to bring a board address um with some concerns and I was here for three hours and my baby didn't have a snack or a juice box or uh a chair to sit in in the corner with maybe um some books, um I would have grave concern. So, I just raised that to my colleagues. Thank you. >> Uh if I can just make a comment here. Uh any board member can can move to to move public comment up. Okay, that's one thing that can happen. So, I think we can gauge it as as members of the board and and accommodate that situation. Uh, Dr. Rodriguez, >> I was just to compliment you and say that I attending other committees and they had the the public comments at

303the beginning. Then maybe has to think about that to change. had the had the first the one who place um I mean the one who comments about the agenda and after that comments about no agenda items to put that together >> or just public comment period >> come public >> okay >> I I I dare to venture to say the same however first and foremost we should always have a kitty corner I think we really should no e team can't go back in and lay in a blanket sorry y'all can't do that because it's past a lot of their bed times but I think we do need to have a kitty corner. Um, secondly, I think a lot of times when people come to the meetings, if we are going to move public comments, it

304should be right after the superintendent because most of the time they want to hear what the superintendent has. So again, I'm with you all gauging that. Third, congratulations to Ryan, the E team, everybody. I am seeing the PTO signs in the neighborhoods in front of the schools. They are everywhere. I I went a QR code. I was like, "Oh, I can't join that when my kid don't go to that school. Let me go try this." But they are out there. They're in the yards. They're in the neighborhood. So, congratulations to you all for getting that out there. Um, if he needs more, let me know. >> Okay. Any other comments from board members? >> Mr. President, I have three me three people that I want to honor today, but because the time I'm going to

305wait until the next meeting and the only thing I got to mention the two people that we want to give the condolences to the families and thanks for them what they did for Lancina school district. One is Dr. Gary Wajinki and the other one was the David Angus and I will talk about them in the next meeting. Okay. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Trusty Lewis, >> I just want to thank the media uh partners in the area who've been giving positive coverage to the district and things going on and sharing those u positive stories with the community. >> Thank you. >> And the third person is Barbara Roberts Mason who celebrate 85 years old last Sunday. We want to congratulate her and I will say more about her in the next meeting.

306>> Going to talk about her, huh? Okay. Trusty Herd. >> I also would like to say happy birthday to um our dear Barbara Roberts Mason. You're the best that Lancing has to offer. I'm only sorry that I was in South America and couldn't come sing for your big gayla. Um but I do owe you a song. My voice is trash tonight or I would do it over the mic right now. Um I also um I I think I wanted to um congratulate all of our students, faculty, um administrators, help teams. Um I'm only sorry I wasn't able to make that press conference. I am so thrilled to see that arrow pointed up like that on our screen. wonderful things are happening here and it only shows that our systems are starting to all come together

307in the best interest of our children. And with that, if everything despite what you've seen and what you've heard, if you are still considering sending your child to the Lancing School District, using school of choice, of course, and you're thinking, is this the right place for you to be? We want you to know we will accept your release and come on home. Have a wonderful night. I got one more comment if I may comment. >> Thank you. Thank you, board members. >> Can I have one more comment, please? >> So, we will now go to >> I just want >> Trusty Williams, >> Miss Mr. Superintendent, thank you for your endurance tonight. I know that was hard. So, congratulations and thank you. Thank you for E team. I mean, everything tonight has even though it's

308been long, Jesus, long Jesus long. Thank you for your endurance, everybody tonight. Oh, I forgot to add >> Sorry, that's enough. >> I'm jumping on the bandwagon. I did um speak to executive team member Black right at our break, but I publicly want to say that I really enjoyed her presentation and their team's um efforts tonight with bringing in the systems and metric and dashboards and even Ryan and the ability to get that live and at the fingertips of um the online systems and Google's and uh being able to have the different languages and I just really appreciated the in-depth conversation and um the collaboration and having the principles come in. Thank you so much for coming and sharing your feedback um as well as utilizing it in your schools to bring that positive change

309that we're trying to collaborate here. I know a lot of parents were saying public comments that you know we talked for 39 hours, but we really do care and um it showed during that presentation that she and her team are doing amazing things and I'm excited for that data to come forth. So, thank you so much. special shout out to her and thank you Superintendent Ben um for bringing us into the comments of what we were going to talk about today so that we were not surprised going in and we were going in all on the same page. So I appreciate that and thank you all. >> Okay, thank you very much. Okay, now we'll go to um uh close session. Uh, >> vice president, I recommend that the board of education recess into close

310session for the purpose of considering material exempt from disclosure as permitted in open meetings act section 1 8h considering material exempt from disclosure under another statute which includes reviewing attorney client privileges material exempt from disclosure under foyer section 131G. >> Second. >> It's been moved and second discussion. All in favor say I. >> I post same sign. We're in close session. Does this require be adjourned at 11:32. >> I'll say it again. >> Hold on. >> We're out of um close session. We're now regular board meeting. >> Mr. President, I move that this meeting be adjourned at 11:32. >> There being no other business, this meeting is adjourned.