GFPS Regular School Board Meeting (May 11th, 2026)

001Call to order the regular meeting of the school board for Monday, May 11th, 2026. We'll call to order the regular meeting of the school board. Thank you. We'll call to order. First item is the pledge of allegiance. Invite you to stand as you're able. Thank you. 1A. The reading of our schoolboard meeting norms. Mr. Manley. >> Thank you. The Grand Forks Public School District number one schoolboard norms are be prepared, be on time, value and respect each other, exercise thoughtful deliberation and conversation, be professional at the board table and when visiting with the general public, speak up when the norms are not being followed and advocate on behalf of students and keep the community in mind. >> Thank you. Item two is the approval of tonight's agenda. I would seek a motion to approve the

002agenda as outlined in your board packet. >> So moved. >> It's been moved by Mr. Larson. Is there a second? >> Second by Mr. Palmino. Any additions, changes, corrections? >> We'll take a roll call vote. >> Manley, >> yes. >> Anderson, >> yes. >> Hodak, >> yes. >> Cleven, >> yes. >> Larson, >> yes. >> Pomicino, >> Flynn, >> yes. >> Lun, >> yes. >> Burger, >> yes. >> Nine, yes. Zero, no. Zero absent. >> Motion passes. Item three, celebrating success. We have a whole team of people here from Wild Elementary School. So, we'll invite you to the podium and uh you can introduce yourselves or each other. We're glad to have you. Glad to be here. Turn this on. You know, soon as you get up here, your mind goes blank and you forget

003everything you want to say. So, forgive me for what I'm going to forget to say in the long run. So, good evening and thank you so much for the opportunity for us to get to share our story tonight. It matters a lot to us. I'm not going to get emotional either. Um, so we appreciate your continued support of our students, our staff, and our school community. And tonight, it's really a privilege to highlight the work, growth, and successes happening at Wilder. And we're we're excited to really give you a glimpse of some of the impact our team and students have right now working together. Um we have about three hours planned for you tonight. So if you have a snack right Mr. Buck, you said three hours. >> That's what I thought. So I want

004to thank this great team for being here first of all and your time and expertise are truly what matters the most and greatly appreciated. We have Kelsey Mcnite kindergarten Liz Watson our intervention math interventionist Britney Beer avid coordinator reading specialist all things in our school. Um, and Christine Higgamotham, second grade teacher, and Miss Heidi Lam Castle, our our school counselor. So, new to us this year, and we're just loving having you with us. So, okay. So, really, our vision is really centered around empowering every student to see their potential and know they belong here. That's just something we say and we want students to feel it and know it. We want Wilder to be a place where students feel safe taking risks, building confidence, and growing both socially and academically. Our staff focuses heavily on

005building relational capacity for our students. And that is truly what shines through daily. If you walked in the building, every teacher knows every student's name. every student knows every teacher and it's a pretty good feeling. So, so and this is a picture of our dedicated staff at Wilder who truly do go above uh and beyond every day I would say, right? Um, I feel fortunate really to work alongside colleagues who are solutiondriven and always willing to reflect on and adjust instructional practices just to help students grow. Um, Mrs. Higum Botham and Mrs. Mcnite are just two great examples of that commitment and later on in the presentation today, they're going to share some of their story with you. So demographics I'll focus on a little bit. 167 for our enrollment. We have 11 classrooms, two

006sections of each uh except one for fifth. That always changes every year. Next year we'll have two fifth, one fourth. So it's always changing. 26 certified staff, 18 classified staff. our demographics. This just shows us kind of our student population this year. Our low income rate um has increased to 68.2%. Our IEP rate is 26% and our McKenna Vento is 3%. So when we look at that IP rate, that's pretty high for a small school. So I really had to dig in and like look at our students. And when we found our students from K on, 22 of those 43 IEPs were students who moved into our area. So it's trans very transient population and typically one will move in on an IEP is what we have discovered happening quite common. So these are our

007board aligned goals that we've kind of aligned with what you would like as well. Um and as you can see our trajectory of where we hope to be by 2028. So, we've set that we have um many practices that we've put into place to improve our ELA um achievement. So, part of that includes and you'll hear more about these in depth as we go, but our fluency goal, it's schoolwide K5. At the end of last year at our annual review title meeting, teachers kind of identified fluency as an area to work on. And so that became also our title or I mean our fluency or avid goal should say. Um this year you you'll hear a lot about our tier one different differentiation for second grade distributed practice for fluency and tier one for um

008really K1 targeted skill instruction and tier one um plans developed. One goal across many grade levels was to increase opportunities for all to respond and that really just helps with engagement and [clears throat] really can decrease behaviors along the way too. And then with went and wisdom and the adoption, we really wanted to create um collaboration meetings monthly just to check in where we at and where do we need support and that's been helpful in just keeping with fidelity. And another celebration is that Miss Higin Bothotham's going to finish module four. Or did you this week? You did this week. Yes. So that's huge. That's huge. So, we're proud of you. Um, at every um after every assessment window, we have data digs K5. We data review as part of our PLC process. Our interventions

009are more aligned with what we're doing with tier one now. Um, we increased foundational skill time because we noticed, and Kelsey will talk about this, our kindergarteners often come in very low and very limited letter sound knowledge. Um, we need all the foundational time we can get because their exposure really happens at school. So, progress monitoring using CBMs and practice mastery was put into place for K1. So, lots of great things. So here's our data from our NDA SA and NDA outcomes. So we track over time just to look for trends and we recognize that our proficiency rate is not where we want it to be. We own it and we do our part to keep strengthening practices and do what is within our control in our school to help with that achievement. So, one

010thing we're really proud of this year, this members of the CIT department did come over to observe literacy and the feedback we got from them really affirmed that were on the right track and um really highlighted the strong work happening at Wilder in the each day. So, that was good positive feedback and we appreciated just knowing and being reaffirmed. So, And this chart just shows our student populations and how each are performing. And as a staff, we monitor all populations and look for trends and patterns to uncover how we could better serve our students. And we are noticing some populations are trending upwards from where they even were five years ago. and we recognize that there's still some that have a little gap that we want to keep keep honing in on and and planning

011those next steps to support them. So, I will say um the assessment window closed on Friday. This had to be to Miss Cindy by Thursday at noon. And so our [laughter] the um our proficiency rate did change from 31.8 to 32.7 and every percent matters at Wilder. So but this had to come go to print. So I I will say I'm very proud we every percent does matter. So, um, alongside with our bordign goals, we also have our title one goals that we use, um, STAR for as our assessment tool. And that's where we can really track more often and progress monitor more often to see if we if we are are on the right track and what we can do to adjust practices if we need to. So, as you can see, our K1

012students surpassed their goal this year already. So, that was a huge celebration in itself and we're very proud of that, the work that's gone on there and looking forward to that. So, we did move some slides around so Mrs. Mcnite and Mrs. Miss Higin Boston could just take some time to highlight some of the instructional practices that they put into place and then share their outcomes and then we'll get back on track with some literacy pieces. So for now I get to introduce Mrs. Mcnite to share. Hi everyone. Um so I'm going to start with how our year started. Uh this was one of the lowest classes I have started the year with. I started with a new partner coming into the district. I left for maternity leave in the fall. Um and when I

013came back heading into the new year, we looked at our fall data and our winter data and we were like, we got to do something. Um so one of the things we tried was distributed practice. Um we've heard a lot about it. Miss Beldy has done a lot of research about it. It was a lot of funic awareness and fluency practice. We did this with like one minute quick looks in our classrooms in between transitions and subjects. We did um quick little reader rows with letter sounds. We trained paras and specialist and had bins in the hallway for push in or pull out and quick like fluency work. We um did testing and learned each letter and letter sound that the kids knew or didn't know and then just really focused on those. Um we

014also restructured our schedule and really pulled out the standards for wit and wisdom that we needed to hit in order to create foundational skill time. And then we were able to work on that daily. And that is really when we saw a lot of growth. We worked on letters, letter sounds, CBC words, encoding, decoding. Um, and then during TSI time, we really used our really great reading practice to mastery curriculum. And then we dipped into geodess and some decodables. And these were our outcomes. So in the beginning of the year, we were actually the lowest in the district. And we're using star letter CBMs on the left. Um, and then in the winter they went up a little bit but only to 21%. And they are sitting at 86% as of last week because the

015slides had to be turned in. But now we're actually at 96%. So we are now the highest kindergarten class in the district. >> Actually one school. >> Ah, okay. Well, >> it doesn't matter because we don't have reds. you know, we were the highest in the district, but we we [laughter] had our moment, but we have no reds. We have, I think, one kid in the blue and the rest is green. And so I just like from where we started and the things we tried and with the new partner and me being gone, I that is a really big win. I'm very proud of these kids. Um on the right is our star, Early Lit. And in kindergarten, we don't have a separate literacy and math. It's actually combined and it's just called early lit.

016Um, so we went down in the winter and then shot up to 77. But again, that is literacy and math combined. But I yeah, I think our our distributed practice and our foundational skills really it really made a difference. I can't believe the growth. So Miss Higen Bothotham's going to talk about second grade now. >> Yes, thank you. Hello. So, uh, second grade also started the year off a little bit lower than what we would like to see. So 62% were not at grade level um at the beginning of the year and we were looking at that number, you know, in some ways kind of excited because there's a lot of room for growth there, but we also realized we had to get creative. Um and so that's where our wonderful um reading specialist came

017in and helped us develop a plan and she'll talk about that in a little bit. Um but me and the other second grade teacher because there's two of us. We were um wondering what can we do? What is whole group going to look like for us? Because in past years when our numbers weren't quite that big that at low or at risk or below was not 62%. It was sometimes a struggle in class teaching whole group phonics skills when some of the class was just not there yet. Um and this is a wonderful group of kiddos. There's so many tests that don't show all of their ability. They have so much um grit. They work so hard all the time and they deserved to get some instruction that was going to meet their needs right

018where they were. Um and so Britney came up with a wonderful idea and I'll let her share a little bit more about that. Yes. So, um going back to that 62% we knew and kind of at the end of last year, we knew these kids were going to have some needs. Um and we know when our percentage is that high that this is really something that needs to be tackled at the tier one level. We can't intervene our way out of you know 62% of a grade levels having um needs. So, we looked at tier one and um over the summer uh Kristen Bradlin, our instructional coach, and I attended uh the North Dakota Literacy Summit in Fargo, and one of the presenters there, Jamie Peaveler, I'm now her fan girl, um did a really

019great presentation on cognitive load theory and she spoke so much to the things that we were seeing with our explicit phonics instruction. Um, we know that phonics follows a scope and sequence and it's constrained skills, right? You need to master skills in order to build upon those skills. And if you have prerequisite skills that you have not mastered, your cognitive load becomes overwhelming, new learning doesn't occur, right? Because there isn't something there to be sticky to to stick that new learning onto and build upon. Um, so we decided to look at differentiating at the tier one level. Another resource that um I pulled into this was um from um the MTSS uh reading intervention uh Stephanie Stalter. Yeah. Um and um Sarah Brown's book and they talk a lot about differentiating at the tier one

020level when a need is this great. So, we decided to take our second grade students at the beginning of the year and do a diagnostic assessments and kind of pinpoint where all of their needs kind of lie in as far as explicit phonics instruction. And then we broke them up into five groups and we had our special ed teachers in in the mix. So, we had our two classroom teachers, myself and our two special ed um teachers, and we created groups for tier one instruction. And we had every student kind of start at their entry point in the curriculum. Um so, some of our kiddos were starting um halfway through the first grade curriculum, but we knew we needed to meet them where they were at. And then we devised our schedule to have two

021times with them so that those kids who did start further back were getting a double dose to catch them back up but meet them where they needed to start so that they could find more success. And we have felt that it has been really successful for our learners this year. Um our data shows it like we have been progress monitoring these kiddos weekly especially the ones that you know we're we're watching and they are growing. Um, and we've also noticed >> less behavior >> behaviors. Um, just the kids, everybody's doing work that they're capable of. Everybody can participate. Um, the confidence is there. It's just been it's been awesome really. Um, so our celebration is that we have definitely shrunk that red. Um from fall we had 55% that were identified on their passage of

022oral reading being um at the intervention level and in the spring we were down to 31%. In the fall that 38% of those kiddos were below the 10th percentile and we're down to 24%. So that has felt really good too. And then I think there's one other slide about this >> and there you can see the data. >> Yes. And another thing that we did in the fall, um Leslie, myself and Kristen attended the coach LA sessions this year, um which was a combination of Zoom PD and um inerson sessions in Fargo that was really centered around literacy data and database decision-m and we were tasked with setting a goal specific for that coachial um learning time. And we had set our goal for May that our first and second grade students would increase their

023oral reading proficiency by 15% as measured by the passage of all reading CBM. So we wanted our first grade population to go from 38% um to 53% proficient. Uh in April when we had that last district window we were at 48%. So we didn't quite meet that goal, but since then [laughter] we yes are at 55%. So we did meet and slightly surpass that goal. So that has >> we're not done yet. >> And we're not done yet. I we're going up to the to the end, right? Um and then another thing it it notes down there is that 34% of our students met their fluency goals, which we'll talk more about. I know Leslie touched on how students set individual fluency goals, and we'll be touching on that here, too. So I will move

024on to that next. So another thing to note about Wilder is that we are one of the three AVID elementary schools in the district and with our AVID work we set a AVID site goal every fall and this year we chose to send center that goal around student goal setting and tracking student progress um in the area of fluency. Why did we choose this? Well, we know that um the ultimate goal of reading is to be able to extract meaning, right? To read something and remember or gain new knowledge from it. But in order to do that, you have to be a fluent reader. Reading has to be a natural process. And so this brain image up here is one that we have really loved. And when we shared these goals with families, we shared

025this image and we we talked about setting these go goals in the fall. We shared this image with our staff. Why the why does fluency matter? Why are we setting goals like this? So you can see on the left the less fluent brain so much of their brain capacity is just taken up trying to crack the code of reading. Right? That is what they're tasked with. Where on the right um the more fluent reader has more cognitive desk space for processing remembering um understanding their when they're reading. So that is why we decided to set fluency goals for all of our learners. So our kindergarten kiddos, their uh goals were set around letter sounds. So we took our fall benchmark scores and in our star renaissance um testing platform, we set goals. You can go

026in and set um individual goals for each stu student within the platform. So we took their fall score and we set goals for midappril. And so it generated what where we would like to see them at that point given their starting point. And for our students who were more at risk, those red kiddos or blue kiddos, we set ambitious goals in STAR because we knew they had more of a gap to close. And so their their goal was a little bit higher towards the end of the year. And then our first through fifth graders had their passage of oral reading fluency goals. And we did share these with the kids. And I think that was the big piece is that this was something that we wanted to involve the students in and we wanted to

027help them be part of that conversation and the importance behind why this matters. And um as you'll see up there that graph after each of our checkpoints we would have them fill in their graph so they could see um their growth towards their goal and how they were doing. And we shared that with families too at fall and spring conferences. And then we also are planners. It's something that we have implemented since we became an AVID school. Um it's just a nice way for us to continue that ongoing communication between students um and families at home and a great way for our students to reflect on their learning. So there's a first grade example of one of their planners up on the screen there. And then I will go through um our overall fluency outcomes.

028So 74% of our kindergarten students met their fluency goals and 43% of Wilder students first through fifth grade met their fluency goals this year. And we had an overall school proficiency increase of 25%. So that's looking at that's pulling the K letter sounds and then all the um grade levels pass passage of oral reading scores from fall, winter, and spring. first grade. We had also set that coach LA goal for first grade and they did meet their goal of a 15% increase. Um, and 41% of our students in first grade also met their fluency goals. And then we also have their star early literacy results up there, too. In third grade, our oral reading proficiency increased by 47% from fall to spring and 42% of our students met their fluency goals. And then we have

029their star reading assessment. And our fourth graders um they did not increase their proficiency. this is something we noticed um in pockets across the district in fourth and fifth grade. And I think that's just become a bigger conversation of why is that, right? Like what's going on there? Are we just not reading out loud enough in those upper grades? And I think that's another area for us now to moving forward start to problem solve a little more intentionally. Um but when we saw that in April when our CBM window closed, we knew we needed to do something, right? The year wasn't done. So, we decided to implement fluency partners. Um, so myself and Kristen Spradlin, our instructional coach, went into the fourth grade classrooms. Kristen put together fluency folders for all the students and we

030kind of taught them this routine of taking five minutes a day. You sit with your partner and they did these read out loud routines together to build their oral reading fluency. um we just kind of got that implemented so it's only been going for a couple of weeks so I can't credit that necessarily to um their increase but they did increase um to 56% proficiency um as of last week and I think too a big part of that was just having those conversations around um why this matters and just kind of making them a little more aware um they might have been a little tested out at the time too with some of the other testing going on. But that was really nice to see that they did make some nice gains by the end.

031And then fifth grade, our oral reading proficiency increased by 8% and 40% of our fifth grade students met their fluency goal. And then again, their star cat assessments results. So, our overall ELA CBM outcomes by grade level. And again, in kindergarten, that's showing letter sounds. And then the first through fifth is that passage of oral reading, which is that one minute timed read that looks at both their rate and their accuracy. And now I will hand it off to Liz Watson, our math interventionist. Hi, thank you for having us this evening. Um, so with math, our uh borderline goal was that Wilder will increase mathematic proficiency levels from 23% uh proficient or advanced in 2022 23 to 48% um by September of 2028 um as ma as uh measured by the NDA plus Sorry. [laughter]

032Okay. Um, so kind of similar to what uh Leslie had uh spoken about earlier, our math inputs. So, um, we I kind of I kind of approach math as an interventionist in a lot of different ways at our school. Really depends on what we need. So, I will do um push-in instruction. I will co-e and work with uh teachers at different grade grade grade grade levels, especially like third grade. Uh we're departmentalized at that grade level and I do a lot of work uh with that teacher um because she just teaches math. Um I support um teachers in other ways. Um I will help them with um planning some instruction especially like that skill group um which which you see below is whole group instruction or skill group. Um I do help with tier one

033but I especially help with um coming up with uh some different ideas to support um our skill groups. Uh just like ELA uh we have developed some different distributive ba baskets for uh students to work on skills. So like kindergarten they're working on number identification. First grade quantity comparisons, second grade uh addition to 20. Uh we have a lot of team meetings where I work with um the teachers at their team level and help with um instructional strategies. Uh so for example, I did a lot of work with third and fourth grade this year on problem solving. just being able to read a problem and logically, you know, think through what is this problem actually asking me to solve. And we did a lot of that work in the third and fourth grade. And then

034K1 and two, I did a lot of skill work. So, we're really trying to make sure kids have those foundational skills. Can they count? Can they um add and subtract? Um do they have flexibility with their thinking with numbers? These are all important skills to have as they move into those third and fourth grade um grade levels so they can solve those problems and think flexibly. Um and just like ELA, I progress monitor students that need those interventions. We use the CVMs and um I just make sure that um the kids are making the growth that they need to and if they're not kind of think you know what's going on. So we do data digs to you know kind of look at the data to make sure the students are moving forward with the

035growth they need to depending on what grade level they're in. And um we are also moving towards uh following the district uh guard rails to make sure that we are using tier one instruction in all our classrooms with fidelity. So these are our math outcomes for the NDA plus and um again just like ELA we are working towards increasing those numbers the best we can and um as you can see with the blue uh numbers we did have a new um assessment that was given last year. So that was a little bit different for the students. And these are ma our math outcomes. At the top is again that uh B legendary data where we're looking at um the NDS plus uh baseline. We want to move our students from 28% to 42% in the

036next 5 years um and be done with that at the end of um the fall of 2028. Is that correct? Yes. So, and then if you look at the blue numbers underneath that, that is our star cat data. And uh we're looking at those assessments. So in um the the spring of last year we were at 48% proficiency across Wilder and this year um great celebration we are now at 52.9% and so you can see that on this screen we are only 0.1% from being uh from meeting our goal. So um that was a very big celebration and uh very exciting to see that our students are moving forward with math from just last year to this year. Uh a lot of work with you know not just me but just also working with all

037the teachers. The students um they um they definitely take the credit. Uh and as you can just see on the far left there is a um uh the uh results for this year we have 39% at in the fall and um that was kind of that was kind of nice to see that it felt like they had some retention over the summer and like when they took their uh star tests at the beginning of the year they were already at 39%. and we have grown to that 53% proficiency um as of um the end of April this year. Um [snorts] and then here are important details too because these are our foundational skills in math. You know, are the kids moving forward with their um understanding of numbers? are they um fluent in their facts

038and being able to um take their one minute CBM and show it that they're making progress. And so we started the year on the far left here of the graph at 33% proficiency and we are now at 71 71% proficiency in if you look at kindergarten, first uh second, third and fourth grade. Um we don't do we don't have fifth grade because um that is um not normed for that uh for STAR. And finally, this is one of our other goals that we had was that 50% of our students in grades K through five would reach their um SGP um of 65 by the end of this year. And as you can see um on the one on the left the ELA um growth rate for K1 and that's that um early lit uh star

039test that they take. We had 40% of the students reach that goal of 65. Um and then we had in uh grades two through five uh we have 28.9% and in math we had a rate of 33.3%. Um I uh am ready to have um Heidi. This is Heidi Lamcastle and she is our school counselor. It's this one here. [laughter] >> Good evening. So tonight I'm going to talk a little bit about our attendance and then I'll move on and talk a little bit about social emotional learning and um behavior interventions and schoolwide efforts that we've made to prevent behavior issues. Um, every day matters and every student counts. Our fantastic social worker, Chantel Bergquist, is at home tonight celebrating her daughter's fth birthday and I'm going to do my very best to present her

040data on attendance. She heads up our attendance um efforts at Wilder and does a a truly fantastic job. So, um, our goal for daily average attendance this year was 95%. And as of our latest reading, we achieved 92%. And we're proud of that number. Um, oh, I hadn't forwarded yet. So, yeah. So, we have achieved 92% and we we are proud. Um, attendance really is the foundation of learning. So, some of our attendance data, um, we have used title funds to to upgrade to a full-time social worker who who again does a fantastic job. Um, some of the work that that she does and that our team does to increase our attendance at Wilder is um um work with our population when they need mental health supports, when they need um medical supports or referrals.

041Um, Chantel does a check-in checkout system um for families that are chronically absent and um is making frequent contacts home to support those families um to try to help them meet their needs so that they can attend. Um, we also provide breaks, break spaces within the school for kids who u might be struggling emotionally or are having mental health challenges so that they can continue to be at school and take breaks as needed rather than than missing out on school. Um, so those are some of our efforts. All right. So as of May 1st, um, our our goal to decrease chron um chronic absenteeism was to decrease it by 8%. Last year 2425 we had 26% chronic absentee and um we wanted to decrease that number. So 43% of our students which is 71 of

042our students attended 95% or more. 31% of our students attended um between 90 and 95% of the time. 39 or 23% or 39 students um attended between 80 and 90%. And then our um our seriously chronic absentee was five students and um that makes up 3% of our population. And we have worked really hard with with these families to to give them supports so that they can can attend more um areas for improvement. Um at the start of school in August, um our social worker is um this coming August is implementing um formal interventions with the families that have already been identified as struggling with the chronic absenteeism. So, the plan is to reach out to them um at our open house and I we want everybody to belong, welcome them, let them know that

043we're here for them, that we support them, and um figure out a plan to help them to help them attend and and get to school. All right, so this is more of my wheelhouse. I love the behavior stuff. Um um whole child, whole school. So behavior data and student supports um all behavior is really a form of communication and we're going to see challenging behaviors and when when I see that when we see that we ask the question um what what's happened what's going on and what supports can we provide to help you be successful at school and reach your highest potential. Um so we use multi-tered support systems and um some of our SEAL data is is something I'm very proud of. So um some strategies we've used for supporting those social emotional behavior

044learning are and behaviormies. So within the last year, our district has adopted the behavior academyy's program and um I was able to do the training in December this year and really was able to jump in with both feet um at that time and um together with the social worker we completed 143 interventions. Some of those were behaviormies, others were um other behavioral and um social emotional learning supports. Um tier one, no I'm sorry, tier two and tier three. I'll give a little more detail on that on the next slide. Our [clears throat] social emotional learning on the tier one level included um second step which was taught by our teachers this year and as of today we have 194 second step lessons that were taught. Um as a school counselor I teach um the sources

045of strength lessons and this year I taught 132 sources of strength lessons in K through five. Another um another resource that we use is um the Academy or the Ron Clark Academy of of Houses. And it's been um a a powerful tool for for our students. And I know Kelsey is going to go into a little more detail about the Houses program that we use. We do weekly meetings and we're we're teaching them um to be leaders um through character education. And that's been another piece of um supports that we provide. Um regular MTSSB meeting so we can review the students that might need supports. And then our behavior flowchart m flowchart and matrix helps us keep consistency um among students. All right. Um, so this year I completed 118 behavioral interventions and some of

046those were with students in small groups and other ones were individual um these included things from grief support to kinder skills um groups of belonging to help kids who might be struggling with a sense of belonging and then of course the behaviormies um social skills academy upstander academy civility academy, the handsoff academy, and and friendship restorations. And all of these groups and supports really are in place to help students to come back to be able to be their best and focus on their their academics to be successful in school. And we know that sometimes mental health challenges, friendship challenges, social social challenges um inhibits our our our students learning. And so being able to have these supports in place to help them reach their highest potential has been something that's that's um that's been brought

047me personally a lot of joy. We also um partnered with CVIC and CVIC um did two separate bounceback groups reaching 10 of our students this year. And the bounceback groups it's an intensive um program meeting for um 12 weeks. They it's they spend three months and it's a traumainformed care intervention that we're glad that some of our students were able to participate in. So, our behavioral outcomes um the growth from last year, the student surveys um results showed that there was growth across all areas and we typically see kind of a dip um but our overall trend continues upward and our behavior incident reports the data collected on that. So in 2425 there were 217 behavioral referrals and this year there was 181. Now that's down by 36 referrals or 21% which is a significant

048a significant drop. houses or um the the houses academy has has played a role in our character development and and I'd like to think it plays a role with that decrease in our behavioral referrals too. Um we are committed to positive reinforcement, positive behavior interventions and support at Wilder. And um one of the big reinforcers that we use is house points. So when a student is caught doing the right thing, we want to reinforce that with specific praise immediately and they get they earn a house point for which it's a token for them to be able to spend at our school store. And providing that specific praise, that immediate specific praise and rewarding them with with points um has gone a long way and is is really critically important in a um schoolwide positive behavior

049support plan. So we're we're pretty proud of that. And with that, I'm gonna turn the time over to Kelsey to talk a little more about houses. Um, okay. Because we are a house and avid school, we really try and make a lot of opportunities for families to be engaged in our school. Um, some things we've done are family literacy night and then families walk around and each classroom kind of has a reading activity to do. We've also done a math event like that. Um, we have monthly PTO meetings. We've done turkey bingo. That's our big annual It's a hit. You guys should come. Um, we do our family picnic which is coming up. It's tomorrow. You can come too. Uh, yours truly might be grilling. Uh, and then we always do before our red events

050which are every last Friday of the month, we do like a 15minute informational session and usually Britney or Leslie lead them. Um, I've led a couple but they're about different things around our school just to make sure families know what's going on. AVID, um, attendance, things like that. Um, and more about our house system. So, you know, our motto in the beginning, we really said it's you where you belong. We really took this on to give the kids a sense of belonging. We really wanted to try and connect all the students and the teachers. I know we're a small school, but House has really played a big part into that. Our fifth grade teacher would not know my kindergarteners if we didn't have House. Um, even though we're one hallway school, we got a couple

051reos outside. So, um, we might not see everybody and I get to meet the big kids. They get to come back and see me after I've had them a few years ago. So, it really builds relationships. It helps them become leaders. We've let the fourth and fifth graders interview. They did resumes this year and they've become lieutenants and commanders and they've really helped take on the leadership roles, the teaching process. And then this is our app we got this year. Our PTO sponsors that for us and we um did a fundraiser to help pay for uh help pay for it this year. But these are like our positive reinforcement. If you are doing the right thing, if you're being a role model, if you're being respectful, you get a house point. And then the kids

052can see on our smartboards who is in the lead and they love that. So these are some highlights from house. Um our house motto is eight houses one family. We do weekly meetings and then the layout of that is with the month we have three class lessons. So you go to your house classroom and then on the last week the fourth week we do one house assembly. So the class lessons are themed every month. Um and we do that based on panorama data. So like what we need based on surveys based on what we know about our kids. So some of the theme this year were self-regulation, goal setting, commitment, self-efficacy, etc. Um the first lesson we always introduce the theme. The second week, the second lesson, we try to include an AVID strategy and

053we usually pair up the littles with the bigs and they have buddies. Um and then the last the third week in class we do either some type of team bonding connection or self-reflection. and how they can use that um in their own life or within their school. Our house assemblies, they're really fun. We all go to the gym and every house gets to nominate one kid every month who has shown either that character trait that we're working on or they've been a really great house leader. And we write a very nice, caring letter and we read it to them in front of the whole school and some people cry. It's great. Um then we do our house winner for the month, whoever gets the most house points on the app. Um, and then we started

054doing Wilder Way winners. So, if you get three postcards, which is like, well, you did the right thing. You get to open in the mail. If you get three of them, you get a little trophy. Um, and this year we started implementing service projects. So, every house had to sign up and they got to choose. They work with their kids and they do some sort of service project. Um, we did the Earth Day cleanup, nursing home gift, um, gift cards, not gift cards, nursing home cards. Gift cards would be nice, too. Uh, pajama drive. And then right now we're currently working on donations for duffles for foster foster care awareness month. I'm on the mic. Questions? >> Questions from board members. >> Miss Flynn. >> Hello. >> Hi. >> How are you? >> Good. How

055are you? >> Good. Um, so last time you were here, um, I asked this question all the time and one thing we talked about is that, um, you're very grateful to have the support of interventionists at Wilder >> and I think, um, that has been kind of a common theme that we've seen from schools who have interventionists as they have that dedicated support um, for those students can implement some of those programs. Um so it's really exciting to see the data and um really talk about your school success. So uh congratulations on that. >> Thank you. >> Um part of my question surrounds um kind of what's next. um we've kind of followed Wilders's history um for the past couple years and um you know obviously can maintain some of these things but um you

056know is there anything else you need or if there's a wish list how can the board support you in moving forward? Um and then my second question is um if you could share a little bit more about uh potential patterns of why you're the there's maybe some students that are absent. Um I'd like to hear maybe where some barriers are that um district and school can schoolboard can help out there. >> Um well your first question I think you hit the nail on the head. Our interventionists are just very important to us and we use them differently in every grade. Um but prior we when I started we had a reading interventionist but we did not have math. Um and that just makes it hard when we are the building that we are and we

057have such a range of academic needs, behavioral needs, sometimes medical needs. And like Christine said earlier in second grade this year, they really departmentalized and they took kids at their level. And we're able to do that with our interventionists now where prior I would have to sit in a room with 20 kindergarteners all at different levels and some of them it would be over their head and then there would be behaviors and so I think our interventionists have helped with academics but also behaviors because they're able to learn at their level. Um so keeping our interventionists would be great. Uh I wish we could stretch them even more and maybe clone them and have more. Uh there they are they are used a lot. Um, also class sizes I think really plays a part. Um,

058kindergarten this year I'm sitting at 13 kids right now and my data skyrocketed and I think that's a part of it. Um, we did lose a couple. I started with a higher number and they moved out and we didn't really get a lot in this year. Usually we do. We are a very transient school. Um, but that helps. I'm able to pull kids. We're able to do small groups. We can do push in. We can do pullins. I know what's happening in everybody's life. I know who's having a hard day and a good day. And it's harder to do that when you have big class sizes and when you're also not always going to have support like a parrot in your room 100% of the time. So sometimes if you're handed a class with 25

059kids, the ratio is 1 to 25. And then you do have an interventionist at hand for TSI time or for math, but that is not all day. So it helps when our class sizes are smaller. >> Um your second question, attendance. Jump in if you want. I was just going to say like winter weather. >> Oh, right. Right. So, there Amber, that's a great question and thank you for asking a question. Um, we really do have multiple barriers when it comes to our our absenteeism. The demographic we serve is a is a lower SCES demographic. um we have high rates of of the free and reduced lunch and um there's been some housing stability challenges as well as as some mental health and physical health needs. So those have been some of the issues that

060have really led up to the chronic absenteeism and um those five students are are on a plan and then will continue to be on a plan next year. Does that answer it? Chantel and I joke that we would like a wilder band for a wish list that >> could you could you just grab the microphone? We have I mean we can hear you in the room but we also have folks checking in. So thank you. >> Um Chantel and I joke often about that we would just really like a Wilder van that we could just go around and pick up some of our students. And we had actually at a PTO meeting we have um families that after we reviewed some of our attendance data they were like I can pick people up. So they

061they want to start a little ride share next year. >> It is hard in the winter when it's like -20. Our our students and families who don't have transportation, they have to walk. Well, then it's not necessarily safe for them to walk when it's negative 20 out. So even looking at our data, sometimes our winter star data goes down and that's really why the attendance is down. They're not at school. Their scores go down and then we always kind of see a jump again in the spring. >> Okay. Followup, Miss Flynn. Um, so if if if it's potentially transportation barrier, is it um maybe the students don't have the capacity to get there when the bus arrives in their neighborhood? Is there are all the families on the Okay. >> We don't have busing. >>

062Okay. And so is that something that we could potentially help with in terms of getting routes? >> Yeah. I just didn't know how that would work >> if the range had to be so so many of our families do live in a walkable range, but probably not when it's >> Mhm. >> 20 below, 30 below. >> So there's no busing before or after school for any of the students >> unless you live at the airport. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Those kids are busted. >> Yeah. Okay. Um my last question is I know the fifth graders visit middle schools every year. How did the fifth graders come back this year as composed as opposed to previous years after their visit? Um, they were very excited about the new school. I will say that. Um, yeah,

063they're very excited, very nervous on how they're going to navigate different hallways since they're used to one. So, so next year we'll have one and a half kind of with the new addition. So, I kind of feel like we're moving up. >> [laughter] >> Other questions? Oh, Dr. Glatch, please. >> Yeah, not a question, just a comment. I I just want to applaud you all for taking action when you looked at your data. I mean, the fact that you changed the schedule, the fact that you changed your strategies, that you're continuing re continuing to research what's best. Um, and then willing to make those bold moves. Kudos to you. We we need more of that in our system. And >> kudos to the teachers that are willing to do that. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> They're

064really cat for change. >> Paid off. It's really exciting. So congratulations. >> Thank you. Other questions, Mr. Cleven? >> Just factual question. How many sections of each grade are in the building? >> Two of every except fifth grade this year. One. >> Okay. Thank you. Other questions from board members? Dr. L. >> Just a quick one. I don't know if it's for one of you all or maybe for Mr. Baky, but I noticed in some of the cohort groups there's there's groups of one or two. Um and and I thought we didn't report those groups when they were so such low numbers. I just am curious. >> Yeah, Dr. L. Uh thank you. Yes, we try to stay away from that those lower numbers. Yep. Correct. >> Other questions from board members. >> None from

065us. Any final thoughts? The floor is yours. No, we just really appreciate your time tonight and glad we got to share our story. So, >> thank you. [applause] >> Move on to item four on our agenda. This is our public comment period. Do we have public comment forms turned in? Doesn't look like I have any forms turned in. Is there anyone in the public assembly who wishes to speak during the public comment period? Seeing none, we'll move on to section five in our agenda. These are recommendations for discussion. 5A is our K through 12 mathematics curricular resource adoption. And it looks like we have some people. I wasn't certain who was presenting. Uh, >> thank you. >> All right. Thank you so much. I think I better find out which one of these. >> Got

066it. Okay. Thank you so much. All right. So, hello. Thank you, um, President Burgerer, Dr. Brener, and school board. We're just really thankful for this opportunity to bring to you our K through2 math resource adoption recommendations. My name is Nicole Crafting. I am the elementary curriculum coordinator and I have my counterpart Evan Kitsburgger. He's our secondary curriculum coordinator. We're here representing the CIT department and our leader, Chief Academic Officer, Amy Varch, who isn't able to be with us tonight. So to start our talk tonight, I wanted to just give you a little overview of what it takes when we go through a curriculum adoption process. It's really quite lengthy. Um we've been doing this math work for the past two school years. So we start with that very first column that you can see called

067research and evaluation. And during that time, we have to really know deeply our state standards so that we're sure that we pick resources that are aligned to what the state is asking and demanding that we teach our students. Um, we also really have to review legislation and see what kinds of requirements are mandates that we need to meet. We go to things like curriculum fairs and work with vendors that we can see what resources are available for us. um we have to take a long process to get to a final pilot selection where we choose the resources that we're going to look deeper into and have our students work with. And then we do some partnering with some of the um education consortiums seek down in the Fargo area and our RRVEC have been extremely

068helpful getting us information and recommendations along with people that we have worked with at the state department. So that's step one that took place last year for math. During that time, we had a steering committee that was composed of teachers, specialists, um, administrators, and people from our CIT department, and they really did that research part and dug deeply into what is it that we should look further into. Then we moved into the start of this school year, and that's where we had our pilot onboarding. After we chose the the specific vendors that we were thinking would be the best for our district with the input from that steering committee, we then had to bring in um the actual trainers from those resources to help train our teachers that were going to be piloting the resource.

069So, as this pilot happened, we had teachers K through 12 who would be using the various resources we picked with students in their math curriculum areas and then really dug into it to see if this would be a good fit for our district. Um, Evan and I meet personally with those vendors and do the relationship piece where we work with them and see the needs that our teachers might have when working with their resources. And then we're also responsible for making sure the teachers get what they need in their classroom so that they can carry it out efficiently. So during this pilot with our teachers and we'll share with you who those people were that that really gave us their time and their dedication. We do a lot of planning support. So we work directly

070with them to ensure that they have the tools um the understanding ability to ask questions to plan out the resources that they're using. We do regular check-ins with them both via Zoom and in person. Evan and I are out in the classrooms observing and working alongside the teachers so that we can really see it in action and see what it looks like with students. Um, we get feedback sessions where we take their input. It might be answering questions that we then have to reach back out to the vendors for. Or it might be things that they're just talking through discussing together to look at teacher usability to look at how the resource meets the needs of our current students. Um, and then we work with those vendors throughout the whole time and establish good relationships

071with them so that we have their support along the way as well. And here we are in this final column where it says final recommendation. So tonight, that's what we bring to you, what our pilot groups have worked through, the recommendations they have for each of the grades spans with some quotes that show the financial obligations and um the openness to have questions that you may have after we share with you what we have worked through in the past two years. Right? So, first of all, I mentioned some math legislation. Um we do have a current Senate bill. It's Senate Bill 2213 and this has caused a lot of considerations as we're looking at resource adoptions. The bill is linked to all these different um links in your presentation, but I just did a quick

072little overview so that you could see the highlights and how it would affect what we're bringing to you tonight. So really it has four big areas. It's in teacher lensure, in the curricular resources, in assessment and in intervention. So with the teacher licensing, we now have very specific requirements that our teachers have to demonstrate high quality direct instruction and that they have what they need to be considered a math expert. Our curriculum has to be researchbased and is aligned to the North Dakota standards. It also has to have in it inclusion of differentiation to meet all student needs. Assessment has to happen at regular intervals so that we can make moves immediately to ensure that students have what they need to be successful and really that we can provide targeted interventions for each of those

073students who need additional support. And then finally, intervention. And this is a very big part of this legislation that really we have a researchbased intervention program that can support the different needs of our students and that has evidencebased instructional strategies within it. I should have my water with me. Talking too much here. [snorts] All right. So, here's a little overview of how we're planning on meeting some of these things. First of all, the professional development piece is in the works right now. We have to provide our K through eight teachers with specific professional development to help increase their capacity in mathematics instruction. This includes special education teachers and our leadership teams as well. That is something that's in progress with the state right now. They do have some in-person trainings that are being rolled out,

074which is very difficult for a district of our size as we have many teachers that we have to train and it's pretty lengthy. So right now we are waiting and looking for another opportunity they are working through with a company called school kit and that is for an asynchronous model much like we used when we had our reading legislation that we would have time with our many teachers to do throughout the school year next year. So that is in progress and the state is working on completion of that right now. We also have these mandates and this is a bill that has required mandates without funding. So what that means is it's the local districts that are required to meet the financial obligations for it but we are required to have these things. So it

075is part of what we'll bring to you with our recommendations today is keeping that in mind and one of those is a screening process for early identification of mathematic deficiencies and characteristics of disalcia. We are fortunate that in our star CBMs that they had mentioned earlier we already have those things in place. So that is already something that we um do on a regular benchmarking interval in Grand Forks. We have to have information if a student shows a math deficiency or these characteristics that we inform the parent or legal guardian and then provide them with additional resources. So we would have things that we would have that they would be able to continue math learning at home but also that we would provide a plan an accommodation plan that would support how we are meeting

076the needs of these students in the classroom. So if you look up at this slide, we have many resources that we started with. This just shows you in our K12 um year of research. These are the companies that we contacted. We went through very closely looking at what they had to provide us and how they aligned with our expectations and our our state standards. And then we had to take this and narrow it down. So really at this point with all of these, we did many meetings where we had to do pros and cons and rate on rubric scales and we came down to the final two at every grade level or grade span, excuse me, that we would pilot more closely. So I'm going to start with our elementary. This is our group of

077pilot teachers. We had teachers at every grade level. um they really took on a huge load, a huge lift this year because it was year one of Wit and Wisdom implementation and that is a very big lift for teachers when it's the first year with a brand new resource. So on top of doing that, these teachers also were piloting new math resources at the same time. So I just really want to thank these people for the the extra time and the effort they put in to ensure that we had a really close look at the resources we were considering. We had three things at the elementary level. We wanted to keep everyday mathematics which is our current resource. Um we have had it for many years. In fact, I am one of the old people

078that picked it in the first place over 20 years ago. Um and so it has been the resource that we have felt has been the best for our students for a very long time. Um then we piloted in semester 1 another McGraill resource called reveal math. We actually piloted this K through 12. So at the same time we had um students and teachers working in it at every level of our K12 system. And then the second semester we piloted HMH into math which was another resource that was available K12. We were piloting it K through 8 had chosen to make that pilot. So, this is the great news in this whole piece. Knowing that um with the budget realignment process, elementary was going to be putting a pause on a formal adoption, we felt very

079glad that when we did our results or we took our surveys, it still came out on top for the three resources that we picked. So when you look up there, you can see that really it was quite overwhelmingly the one that our pilot teachers, our specialists and our admin who work through the process felt was the best choice for us right now. So that made the pause something that really gives us time to say the resource we're using right now meets the needs of our students and our teachers. So, this is what elementary is bringing forth to you tonight that we would keep our current edition of everyday math for the next two school years. Then, in that new um 2028 29 school year, we would look at their newest edition and determine does this

080still meet our needs as it would be upgraded at that point and we could see what else they would have to offer. With that, we would have at the current time the um $121,327.13 per year fiscal responsibility. And this would give us the teacher and student online licenses and the student consumables we would need to keep our current addition going. That averages out to about $3360 per student per year. So with that, I'm going to hand this over to Evan and he'll walk you through the middle and the high school. >> Thanks, Nicole. So like Nicole said, I'm Evan Kitsburgger. I'm the secondary curriculum coordinator. I like to say I'm the other other Nicole. Um so I deal with all the middle and the high schools. And so similarly, I just want to thank all

081of our pilot teachers. Um so what they do, you know, during this period this year is they are doing a different resource than all the other teachers in their building. Um they're trying things out. They're working with us and our vendors to figure out, you know, what the best way to evaluate these things are. And it's a it's a big heavy lift. And so we really really appreciate those teachers. Um so uh for middle and high school, it's a similar process to uh elementary. So our current curriculums are different for middle and high. So we have Envision Common Core at the middle level currently and then at the high school level we have big ideas. So, uh, like Nicole said, semester 1, middle and high school, um, as well as elementary all piloted reveal math.

082Um, and we tried to line that up because that was one of the conversations that we had of what does vertical alignment look like and which is better to have a similar resource K12 versus is it better to pick a gradspan resource which meets those needs and I'll touch a little bit uh on that. So then semester 2, middle school uh did into math uh same as elementary. high school decided to try a different resource because they felt that it had more potential to meet their needs. Uh and so semester 2 they piloted amplified Desmos math. So uh when we got the feedback after we did both of our pilots, you can see again another overwhelming result um where we asked teachers, would you recommend keeping your current resource? But unlike elementary, they said 100%

083no. Um so they said please don't do that to us. Uh then for our semester 2 pilot which was into math, it was overwhelmingly yes, this meets our needs. Um and we dove in and looked at, you know, what the alignment looks like. Would this be a better fit for us? And and almost everyone agreed that this was the best match for us. So that pinky color is the the good color. So the recommendation for middle school from our middle school pilot teachers is that into math from H.M.H. is our best overall fit for the needs that we have that we currently see. um and also the materials work best with the students that we have. Um and one of the things I'll touch on a little bit later as well is that there are

084a wealth of resources and differentiation materials which help us meet some of those um mandates for intervention programs. So for into math, it's a 7-year total of $634,611. Uh typically when we do an adoption cycle, they prefer that you pay all upfront all at once. Um but there's obviously separate um and different ways to structure that. Um, and so it would roughly work out where a year 1 payment would be $99,896 and then a year 2 through 7 would be $89,19. And so that works out to be about $50.3 per student per year. Um, what I'll mention later because you'll notice it's a little bit higher than what the elementarymentaries is is that it is because this curriculum is both the tier one and the tier 2 intervention program. So there's actually no separate intervention

085program if we adopt this. Um, so when you add that cost factor in with elementary, it it ends up being nearly the same. So then, uh, for our high school feedback, we asked our teachers, would you rather keep our current resource, um, or go with, uh, two of our pilot resources? And again, you can see that the overwhelming, uh, opinion was that we actually keep our current um, curriculum. And a caveat with that is that the higher up in grade level you get with curriculum, the less structure there is. So, uh, when they piloted Reveal Math and Amplified Desmos, we only were able to pilot algebra 1, geometry, and algebra 2 because that's all that they make for programs for high school. They don't make uh a companion, pre-calculus or advanced or AP. It's just

086those three grade levels. And so we had a long in-depth uh conversation about what's better to acknowledge and look at the wealth of work that we've done in our current resource to adapt and meet those needs for things like our informal classes, our intermediates, our advance and is it worth bringing in a brand new resource and restructuring all of those things again or should we spend some time um just sharing up the work that we've done in the past um with those many classes. Uh and so the consensus was that let's keep our current physical resource uh and let's do some really thoughtful work with realigning our practice and getting some consistency with that. So the high school recommendation for adoption is that we for our current physical materials we keep um so that's just

087the physical non-consumable textbooks that we currently have within our district. So that's a zero dollar cost. Um, you know, we might have a slight cost if we have to send replacements, but we have enough right now that we anticipate for seven years would be good. On top of that, we have to replace the online and the intervention program for high school because big ideas current um will sunset here in a couple years. And so, we'd rather be proactive than reactive. Um, and so one of the things that the teachers realized through their pilot is that Alex, which is an amazing tool, fit their needs in a lot of different ways, including to replace that online portion of the textbook. I taught with Alex myself, so I'm a little bit biased and I let the teachers

088know that. Um, but it's a great tool and I can speak a lot more to what that looks like for our students as well. Um, so Alex is a onetime for seven years cost. So it's 151,29014 that gives us access for seven years. So that brings um about $862 uh per student per year. So then that will become our intervention and also our tier one online for our high school curriculum and that also replaces so classes like pre-calculus, classes like informal algebra, informal geometry, intermediate algebra don't actually have an online platform but with Alex every single student in a math class would have an online portion that teachers would have reactive data for. So it's actually kind of going above and beyond what we have right now for less. In addition, uh like I said,

089most publishers do not have a uh a set that includes pre-calculus. So, um our current textbooks, I believe, are 15 or more years old. I tried to pick up one of the books and it disintegrated. So, uh our teachers asked if we could get a new one and so we looked at that and piloted that as well at the high school level. Um so, similarly, we just want the physical materials, non-consumables. So, that would be a one time for one year to purchase uh textbooks for seven years minimum. And then finally, um, just to kind of fill some of the gaps, you know, typically when we do a curriculum adoption, we get things like manipulatives, calculators, things like that that come with it. Because we're not doing a formal at the high school, we're not

090recommending that. We just asked um teachers what they felt that they needed for seven years. And those are things like rulers, calculators, and things like that. And so that's encompassed in that $10,000 one-time um fee for different various materials that a math classroom needs. So, the last thing we'll kind of touch touch on, and it's kind of weird because they're a little bit together, but but separately given our legislative mandates, is our intervention programs. So, we reviewed as CIT uh CIT, we looked at all the different resources um that are currently out there. DPI does have a list of some of the approved programs um but the requirement is just that it's researchbased. And so we reviewed all of these different programs and asked um you know what would be a good companion to the

091work that we're already doing but also to meet the legislative uh unfunded requirement that we have. So for elementary um the recommendation is that we go with um so per year we would pay $48,395. Um and like I said that brings the per student costs up by $13.40. So that's uh on par with what the middle level would be per student. Um and then luckily because of the resource uh that HMH has waggle um that is already a tier 2 intervention program that's integrated and is already a part of the curriculum. So there is no additional cost with that. So all of our per student uh per year costs are are pretty similar across uh elementary, middle, and high. So the overall cost proposal uh Nicole, I'll turn it back for elementary. And I'm just

092going to say with that, another reason that that was the one that we chose, it it is aligned and uses the same language um and structure as everyday math. So it would go very well with our core resource and have students be able to be working on the same thing that they would be doing in their tier 1 whole group instruction. Um so for for our K5 then the cost for renewal would be that amount at the top the 121 32713 per year that we would have for the next two years and then we would add in that which would be the intervention piece of it for the $48,395 per year payment. Um, and that would be part of that year 1 cost that you see at the bottom after Evan goes through the 68

093and 912. >> So then for 68, our inmath is the $634,611 over the course of seven years with those year 1 and then 2 through 7 payments. And again, the intervention program is a part of the tier 1 curriculum, so we're all good there. And then 9th through 12th, uh, it's a zero cost for us to keep our current resources. our books are in good enough condition where teachers felt that they were good for seven more years. Um, and then we've just got a one time for our new pre-calculus books to update those from a couple cycles ago. Um, and then just uh $10,000 um to get some of those supplies such as calculators. Um, and then for our intervention program as well as for tier one, our Alex to replace the online portion of

094what we have um which is a one-time payment of $151,290.14. So with all those numbers um it can get a little confusing because some are one two you know then the rest but basically what it comes out to is that the year one cost so uh if the board approves as recommended the cost next year would be 440,46125 then the year 2 cost would be 25841 and 13 and then past that it is all dependent on the review of the elementary programs but the middle and the high school um would remain at the two numbers listed there. >> Thank you. And any questions? >> Questions from board members? Dr. L. >> Two really quick qu two really quick comments and then a question. One feedback is some of these are for seven years and some

095are for one year. It'd be nice to either have a total and then a per year thing just because it's a little confusing going back and forth between those three. Secondly, clearly the vendors are not rounders because I don't know why they would come up with eight some $10,89 and just not round up or something. The question I I I I really have uh uh and now I'm drawing a blank. I knew I should I knew I should have written it down. Uh uh oh uh my my synapses aren't working really well tonight. So am I [clears throat] under the impression that so for elementary we're withholding implementing but for middle and high school we're implementing starting this upcoming school year. That is correct. >> Can I say one elementary piece? So elementary is at

096that everyday math current thing. The cost up there is that we've run out of our deal that we had with them. it's already passed our contract that we had with them prior. So for us to continue with the current that's why we have those costs is because now we have to go a yearby-year basis just for us to get the digital licensing and the consumables that it takes to keep the current edition. >> So there'll be there will be some cost the first year with Okay. Thank you. I appreciate that. >> Other questions from board members? I have two. Uh, one is for either both of you and then one for Brandon. Uh, I heard you say at the high school level the intervention pro program Alex is suns setting in a year or two.

097This is I get it. It's a one-time in a sense to move to the new platform and then that extends seven years. Was there any discussion about if it's suns setting in a year or two delaying that 151,000? Could you just talk us through why it makes sense? I heard something about staying ahead of it, but just to broaden that out for us a bit. >> Yes, absolutely. So, I apologize. Um, so Alex is the new program. Big ideas, the current resource has its own online portion that is sunsetting. Alex is our replacement for that. So, um, if Alex goes anywhere, I mean, I'm scared, but no, Alex is here to stay, I'll tell you that. So, yes, I apologize for that. >> Thank you. And then just a contextual question for Mr. Bombach. Um,

098you know, we went through a budget realignment process. We we're delaying some curriculum adoptions and so on. Um, is this about what we had expected in next year's budget? Is this just give us a sense contextually what where the push and pull comes in next year's budget. If at a future meeting, because again this is discussion tonight, but if at a future meeting the the board elects to move forward with this recommendation, is this about the number we would have expected uh in the general fund? >> Yeah, thank you. Um Chair Burgerer, members of the board, the answer is yes. Simply put, so [clears throat] throughout the whole process, as you know, CIT and uh Amy Bart have been a part of the realignment conversations. I think there were two different realignment items adjust associated

099with curriculum adjustments uh including a deferral of a math adoption. This math adoption represents [clears throat] that actually in some cases you can say let's not adopt something and continue to use what we currently have. In other instances like in math you still need to renew um to keep some of the online resources current. So, this selection is in line with that and I would say I hope to beat expectation um just a little bit with with just some of the price offering as we got further down the route able to get a little bit better pricing um by by advertising that out over seven years in that case. >> Thank you. Other questions from board members? Mr. Cleven? >> Thank you. Uh this is probably directed to the speakers. Do any of these have

100a do nothing alternative beyond what we're doing here? Like we're not adopting one of them. Are there other do nothing alternatives? >> When you say do nothing, I'm assuming you mean don't renew and just continue with the current resource >> or don't adopt a new uh curriculum and renew anything that needed to be renewed. >> Yeah. So for 68 if we kept the current um so to kind of backtrack a little bit also to Dr. Lun um I am a math person and I also get confused by those numbers so no worries. Um so the way that the vendors work typically for the tier one curriculums is that um we lock in a price and that's why we do a seven-year contract. That's just what publishers tend to like but then we pay that quote

101yearly price for seven years. when you do year-to-year, you are subject to whatever the increase is every year, which is why we go in these cycles. Um, and so right now, um, the only way to ensure what the price would be over the next several years would be to sign a certain year agreement. Obviously, we know we're not in a position where we want to do that unless we're sure that that's the resource we want. So, uh, without signing an agreement, if we kept our current middle school, um, curriculum adoption, it would be 127,660 a year. with our new resource, it's actually a savings per year of 46,000. Um, and that's assuming that there's no price increase with the current, which there will be next year. And then same thing for Big Ideas. Um, it's

102a $30,620 per year if we continue to renew year-to-year. Um, so going with our new resource yeartoear, it'd be a savings of just over $9,000. >> Thank you. >> Please, could you just grab the Yeah, could you grab the microphone, please? >> Sorry. I just said with elementary keeping our current resource and just bringing those pieces in saves us the cost of the textbooks that the teachers would need the teacher materials and then we're pausing on the manipulatives and using what we currently have right now as well. >> Thank you. >> Other questions from board members Dr. Hodc, >> mine are not um more towards comments and the comments are more about the fact that we had to have a Senate bill um put this forth. And so um I think I actually heard you

103use the word that I was looking for, unfunded mandates as well. And I think that as a school board, we need to make sure that we let the legislature know and if you also look ESPB who is starting to dictate even further the amount of education that teachers have to have their whether they're certified certain areas and such. they are imposing all of this on schools without any any extra funding whether it's for um the teacher that's a freshman at a university starting to say hey I want to go in to this but then here come all of these requirements so my first question is how does the state monitor or audit that we have done what these mandates are from the legislature. Is there reporting that we're having to do? Yes, there is reporting.

104It's like our um literacy bill that we previously had followed starting 5 years ago. We do have a a yearly report. Um the reporting that happens, they check what curricular resources you use. So that is it something that is researchbased and um does it align to our North Dakota state standards? But then with the professional development piece of it, we have to report how each educator that teaches mathematics has received the proper amount of mathematic training with their lensure but also with the new requirements with I was telling you this asynchronous we have to verify that that is completed and that is turned in. It'll be yearly to start and then once you meet certain requirements which because the legislation already has been put in place but they don't have the training done yet, we

105probably would have to report again the following year when we've had the opportunity to take that on. So we do have reporting that would happen the first year and then if everything goes well then you get put on a three-year rotation. And so that's another cost to the district, not just for the resources, but for the training and the professional development. And I just continue to find this again, we are getting nailed by our own state for educating um our students. Now, I'm not against the process and what you've done. I'm very impressed with that and um I appreciate all of that. But when you also made a comment about DPI does have a list for us because one of my questions um was how much vetting does DPI, ESPB, the state legislature, how much

106vetting do they do of these companies? And again, it's another piece of work that we have to do. And I guess I'm really troubled by the fact that this is already um was in place before a Senate bill had to come forward and schools were doing this, but the fact that there were some schools that probably weren't doing it as well. Um that um auditing and monitoring wasn't taking care of that as well. So I just want to thank you very much for it and I think that this price and everything that's cost out as as well as you have done it does not include all of the other pieces of the puzzle that we have to pick up because of it. So, I just want for my sake to say um ESPB, DPI, and

107the North Dakota State Legislature start giving us funding for what you're going to mandate. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Go ahead, please. >> If I may, just quickly, so full disclosure, I am vice chair of ESPB. Um and so, yeah. Uh but I just wanted to say that uh ESPB is also subject to these things too. Unfortunately, most of what the changes have occurred have been through the legislature. So, it's my two cents. >> Yeah. To your point, Dr. Hodc, I was surprised there wasn't in this package or recommendation another half FTE to cover all of the extra work that comes along with this. It's it somehow is going to have to be absorbed within our staff. So, I I'm in full agreement. Mr. Cleven, >> I'm still catching up with jargon here. What

108does ESPB stand for? >> It stands for Education Standards and Practices Board. So, it is the board which officially licenses all teachers um and then also oversees all the teacher preparation programs within the state. >> And then if you really want me to go there, ESPB, check out how much money that teachers have to pay to be licensed and the amount of money that ESPB has in its reserve. Okay. Whereas it keeps going up for teachers to pay for a license in this state. Not even compared to what administrators have to pay because it's always teachers pay more than the school administrators do. I'm just saying I'll try to be quiet. >> Yeah. Let's bring it back into the >> I'm actually going to encourage you to keep going. >> No, just Mr. Cleven Mr.

10911. We're we're on curricular resource adoption and we're discussing 5A on our agenda. Dr. Len, >> I'm just wondering if if our administration could maybe at the next time this is presented make some comments about how we are going to handle those unfunded areas cuz I'm sure they've got an idea. I don't want to put them on the spot tonight, but this will come back to us and so maybe and it's not like we have to have it down to the dollar and cents like the fenders do, but just a ballpark ballpark amount of what we're going to have to to do. >> Um Dr. Len, one thing that would help answer that that is part of why we're waiting for the professional development that's the asynchronous. Um, the one that would be three days

110in person per teacher is not something that we would be able to fund for all of our teachers, but we have the alternative coming out and which is going to comply as well, but we would be able to do it over the course of this school year, next coming school year. And then we would provide ways that we could fit that into some of the um times that we use after school for staff meetings or some of the the ways that we could help teachers do that throughout the school day instead of taking additional time that they would need later. That's one of our solutions we're working through right now. >> Am I to assume and maybe this is a question for Dr. Brener or Dr. Glatch or Mr. Baky that this will come back

111for action on May 26th or has that not been >> put on the calendar? Yes. >> May 26th. >> Mr. President, could I just add one more thing that so the number that you see in front of you uh that's the the final final number that chief academic officer Amy Bart has worked on with these companies. Um that number started a lot higher uh than that. So uh we have a bargain hunter uh in the chief academic officer position. So when she brings something forward it's it's the bottom line. >> Thank you. Other questions? Miss Flynn? >> I have a couple questions. Um firstly uh when you talk about intervention um a piece of the state requirements or intervention and then we talked about it as far as a dollar amount and programs within programs

112who's doing the interventions. So, at the high school level, um I've worked it out with our vendor where all classroom teachers will get access to Alex, but also all of our co-teers, special educators, and pair professionals will have access to the data of the students that they serve. Now, the primary um delivery of that intervention will depend on the specific need. Obviously, we know if students have a specific IEP or intervention plan that that will then be served to those requirements. Um, but we're also having a lot of conversations at the middle and the high school level of what does that look like? obviously utilizing RTI time um but also if we need um higher intensity tier two into tier three, what does that look like and who delivers it? The idea with specifically the

113middle and the high school programs is that because it is attached to our tier one resource, we have a wealth of data to better target those things within the classroom, but they can still also be used as supports outside of the classroom for those additional supports as well. elementary wise as well. The program that we're looking at, the EXL, meets students at all needs. So, it's not just your students who need more support, but it's also for students who need enrichment and students that are on target. So part of what that would do would provide the teachers some time to work with the students who have the most need in a small group setting because the rest of the students in that classroom could have that short amount of time that they would be getting

114their needs met through the EXL program who it's a computer adaptive. So it follows the path the students are on as they learn more difficult things. It continues to grow them. It has tutorial services and it would free up some of the time that the teacher would have during that math block to really pull those kids who had the strongest needs, which we know is the one-on-one time with the teacher is the best way to get that um and give her something productive that would meet the needs of those other students to work on so she could have that time with the the students during that math block time. >> Okay. So um I understand that for the special ed paraprofessionals it was also talked about that we have these very kind of strict standards

115of who who is teaching and what they have to do. So is it to assume that the pair professionals and special ed teachers are also getting this professional development as well? they're the special education teachers are required to have that same um process as well as our ML teachers and our administrators. Okay. So all are required to have the professional development and then within our buildings and what we're doing we align what our paraprofessionals need to support that. So then that's where at the building levels we come in and we do different professional development for them so that they can be the the support system for the teachers in the classroom. >> Okay. Um, as far as the um special assessment fund, uh, special reserve fund, do does that potentially cover any gaps in professional

116development, uh, unfunded mandates, um, anything like that? I was trying to find the paragraph, but yes, I'm looking at you, >> Mr. Bomb. >> Thank you, Mayor. Chair Burgerer, um, Member Flynn, it does not, it has some prescri prescribed, um, uses for it, including like the heating of your buildings and, um, costs of your, um, teachers on staff, but it's really only two or maybe three of those buckets. And so, what you're describing is not one of them. >> Okay. Um, I had one more question. I'm not sure like Dr. Lun, my whatever synapses are not firing. Um, but it might come back to me. So, >> we can come back to you, Miss Flynn. Uh, broadly speaking, board members, knowing that this is coming back to us on May 26th, other questions or clarifications

117uh that you wish to get answered to prepare yourself for uh the time when it's back before us for action. Miss Flynn, >> my comment came back to me. Um, is there a dollar figure or range that you could provide to us as to what the professional development costs for everyone would be? Right now, the um way that we're looking to do it, the asynchronous that's provided by the state. So, if we do that route, that is what they're working through school kit and we had that when we had the NDSOR, the North Dakota science of reading, they provide that. It's not a cost to us. What we have to look at is how do we fit it into our time, but it wouldn't be an additional cost for that piece. >> So, it could

118cost us in sub salaries potentially. >> We haven't done it that way before. We've tried to fit it in some of our other um like afterchool staff time where we're still on contract and would have some time to do it. Um, sometimes it's been part of our learning when we've worked together through some of our um, early release time so that we can find ways to try to meet it within that school day. When we did the NDSOR, we did not have substitute time that we used it for. >> Okay, >> other questions. >> It would be anywhere between they're roughly estimating around 20 hours that we would spread over the course of the school year. Can it be done in groups? Like can you know sometimes like real estate certification you have to do

119your module as an individual you know you have to take the test >> you have to take your own tests but could you go through it with a team partner and do the module learning and then go back and do your own test. Everyone has to do their own um completion of the expectations but you could be watching it with a team and talking through it as you're doing it as well. >> Okay. Other questions from board members? Anything from administration related to this discussion? Mr. Baky, Dr. Glach, Dr. Brener, final thoughts from you to prepare us for a decision two weeks from tomorrow. >> Math is fun. >> I just want to say that really um as Dr. Burner said, "We really tried to look at how could we do the best for our

120financial obligation and still have the the resources we know our students and our teachers need to be able to really teach math effectively. And so there was a lot of time and process and a lot of different scenarios we went through to try to find this combination of resources that still could quite reduce where we started but give the quality highquality resources to our teachers so that they could deliver and our students could have results. >> Thank you. >> Moving on to 5B, government affairs committee report. Uh, Vice President Anderson, I believe you chaired that meeting. Do you want to kick off this discussion? >> Sure. Yeah. Uh, quick synopsis of the meeting. We met on uh, April 16th as the minutes show. Um, we were, uh, fortunate to have a couple legislative members join

121us in Senator Sickler and Senator Meyer. Uh really there was a discussion around um some some numbers they've been provided and and more uh maybe less less than clear expectations about upcoming budgets and uh what should be prepared for. Um but there was a lot of discussion and um I think one one really um beneficial piece of the conversation was uh you know they they really encourage us to continue to share with them um issues we're having um as as a school district and um bring forward what challenges there are and uh you know they also encouraged to um come together sometime later in the summer um with the whole group um in in a meeting of the same form. However, um you know, in person to really have a a deeper conversation going in

122into next uh next winter and the legislative session uh what we can expect, how to move forward. Um at this point, the K12 budget is is on uh Governor Armstrong's uh list of held harmless. um that that's at this point. But uh um they they were um they they were cautious to to give us anything other than let's continue to talk and please share your challenges. So um I think the the more we can be in line and and continue to uh discuss and talk with them, the better off we're going to be. So Mr. Cleven was also present, so I would ask if he had anything. >> Thank you. I can't do better than you did using the microphone this time. >> So before we open it up to board members uh for discussion

123uh any comments? Uh Mr. Bombach from your perspective? Dr. Glatch, Dr. Brener. Uh we'll just go in that order. Mr. Bombach, anything to add from what Vice Chair Anderson shared? >> No, thank you, Chair Burgerer. He said it all. >> Dr. Glatch, is there anything that you want to add? Dr. Brener, >> I'll I'll just add that there was again conversation around school lunches and school breakfast and if uh that becomes something in the constitution um that it's likely that it will come out of our foundation aid payment. So I I think people maybe really didn't understand when there was a special legislative session that uh if the legislate would have handled that um then it wouldn't be uh something that's would be a constitutional measure. So, I I think we're going to feel the

124effects one way or the other. Uh, the other thing that I I will share is with team Grand Forks and board member Larson was at our last meeting. Um, you know, one of the priorities that has never made the list for team Grand Forks is foundation a school district. We've kind of been on our own. Um, but there's more receptivity and openness for uh for our local leaders to include that in the list of priorities. We are one of the economic engines in the community. uh and paying our people a livable wage is is important for our community as well. That's all I have. Thank you. >> Thank you. Open it up to other board members for discussion related to this report from the government affairs committee or these issues and challenges moving forward. Any

125questions, comments, or items for clarification? >> Yes, Miss Flynn. I will say um that this group has been more willing and open to have conversations and I think in the past um they have definitely provided us with a lot more information um related to what's up and coming what's kind of interim um and the work that's been done but I'll be frank to say that it is not team Grand Forks if we We are not moving things forward that directly impact one of the largest employers and educators of our young youth if those priorities do not go on the list of team Grand Forks. So I think that just needs to be very clear that we have to work together for the betterment of our city and our state. Um, and I hope with the

126efforts and progress that we've made that we will see um, a better version of team Grand Forks this budget cycle. >> Thank you. Other questions or comments from board members related to this committee report? >> All right. As you can see, this is a discussion item for this evening. No action is required. We'll move on to 5C, Native American Graduation Regalia Update. Dr. Glatch. >> Thank you, Chair Burgerer. Members of the board, you'll see a memo from me about um some exciting updates that we have to our graduating our graduation ceremonies um coming up in a very few number of days here. Um so there's a task force that was organized, I believe you're aware of that, to to look at additional ways to recognize our indigenous graduates in addition to the traditional eagle, feather,

127and plume. And that task force um took its time. We examined a multitude of ways to to do just that to make sure that the uh the unique cultural and and spiritual and historical identities of our indigenous graduates were uniquely recognized during the ceremony. So you can see in this um memo that there's a list of things that you will notice on display at this year's coming uh graduation ceremonies. One is that graduates were um afforded the opportunity to wear a unique stole. There are two different styles that were pre-made or pre-fabricated that were in native culture and then a blank stole that was made out of um native trade cloth that could be beaded uniquely according to the students cultural heritage. Um also students are invited to display the star quilts. The star quilts

128are awarded at the Native American graduation ceremony which is actually this Wednesday. Um but they have not brought those forward to our greater graduation ceremony. So they may display them on the back of their chairs. And then students are also invited to write a little essay or vignette about what their culture means to them. And we intend to um accumulate those and put them in another supplement to the graduation program in an effort to educate our broader community. There will also be a statement in the regular program about what is going to be on display and the why behind it. And so we're really proud of these efforts um to to make sure that we are um really looking for for ways to celebrate the culture. as I mentioned before. So, at this time, I'm

129just posed to take questions and if you have any of them, I will do my best to answer. >> Questions from board members for Dr. Glatch. Dr. L. >> I know the answer, I'm sure, but I'm not going to I'm going to ask it anyway. I'm assuming none of this runs a follow with any of our policies and procedures that we already have in place. >> That is correct. And Mr. Baky corrected me. It is on this Wednesday is the Native American ceremony, but the following Wednesday. >> Other questions from board members for Dr. Glatch? Oh, thank you Dr. Hodc. >> I just have one um comment when I think it's excellent what you have put together here. What I want to What are you going to do with those short essays afterwards? Is it

130is it a possibility of putting them on the website on the school site underneath something for called graduation or something to once again um give future students that are um because you may not get a lot of students writing that essay at first and then to see the value and then to also recognize that we are honoring them by um putting that um someplace for all to see. >> That has not been discussed. That's a great idea. Thank you for that. >> Other questions from Miss Flynn? >> Um for the uh I believe the Eagle Feathers and Sentry Code. Um but for these other things that are unique to our school district, is there like a approval process or application process that a student would have to do or is there like a prompt that's

131going to be given so they know to write an essay or >> Yes. All that has been navigated through the offices of our high school principles. So students have been sent emails inviting them. Um there were some surveys that were administered to students and families uh to get us to this point um just to get some input along the way of the task forces um as we made progress towards our final decisions and otherwise we've just sent out the invites and students have responded accordingly. So some students are choosing not to wear anything that is unique. Um some students are choosing from the three options that are available to them. So, it's kind of individual to the student. >> Okay. Um, this is sort of related, but as I looked at this, I went back

132and reread the policy. We had just changed adding um that language to the graduation requirements. And in the line of what we added, it says something like any addition should be approved by administration. And so perhaps not that we need to change the policy again, but I'm wondering if we just clarify that it's building administration. Um because administration can mean a wide variety of people. Um but >> any thoughts or comments on that particular point, Dr. Brener? >> I can add to that. Sometimes when we just say administration, it gives us the latitude either building level or district. >> Sure. >> Good question though. Thank you. Other thoughts or questions, Miss Flynn? >> No. >> Okay, Mr. Cleven. >> So, like I'm going to ask a question with all respect and sensitivity. Uh, I understand

133the first and second bullet lists have a distinct cultural affinity from what I understand to be, and I'm not trying to put words in people who grew up in that culture, but I wonder about number three. what would prohibit any student from wanting to partake in a short essay, you know, is that could that be a more expansive sort of practice that each student could have a chance to opt into? >> Dr. Glass, you want to illuminate that conversation just a bit? >> Yeah, I will. And I think it actually ties into numbers one and two as well. Um so the the broader context of this is that um according to uh I want to say it's title six laws. Um we cannot prohibit cultural expression once open to any any given group. And so

134there was a lot of thought put into what we came up with knowing that there may be other cultural groups that request unique representation of their culture. So that is something that could grow in the future. Um, we also want to make sure that there is a capacity, and I don't want this to come across wrong either, but we all understand, I think, the context of where I'm coming from, but some capacity for administration to um, have some control over what that means because there are some forms of cultural expression that we've seen on display um, that really conflict with our values and we are not going to cross that line. And so this allows us to have some control over what is on display during that ceremony which is intended to be a celebration

135of a class. Um we want to allow some uniqueness within that but within some boundaries. Um one thing I want to point out to that end and it ties into the the policy that you referenced before about about graduation attire. So every student receives a a cap and gown standard cap and gown. um those are um distributed and um to to every single student but not every single student has a stole that might indicate something in addition to that. So you have noticed in the past the National Technical Honor Society stoalls, the um honor society stoalls, the rider ropes. Those are items that are, if you will, controlled by administration and distributed, which is why we went with the stole instead of um uh a beating of the mortar board and allowing that sort of

136a cultural display. Um because there would not be any way to monitor um what comes on display. then not that we have any concerns whatsoever about our Native American students um taking advantage of that, but as this opens up the door um according to Title Six uh guidelines, there there could be some room for interpretation there that we want to make sure that we're navigating. So, that was a very long answer to a short question, but I hope it it it helped explain the the context. >> Very good insights. Thank you. Do you have a follow-up, Mr. Cleven? Other questions from board members? Dr. Hodc >> in followup to um Jay's that's why I brought out that if we placed those digitally because I would assume that there will be some other cultures that are

137going to do that and then just uh graduation attendees in that third bulletin made available to all graduation attendees. I'm considered a graduation attendee. So you may want to clarify that to graduation graduates as otherwise I'm concerned that somebody may say well I'm going to attend so I have a a essay as well too. Just just throwing that out for you to consider. >> Sure. The intent of that and thank you for that um is that we'll have them when people come in to watch the graduation ceremony we will have that supplement available for anybody to um so thank you for that word smithing recommendation. >> Yes. So in other words the the essay that's created is available to everyone attending not that the avenue to communicate is available to all attending. Yep. I I

138think that's duly noted. Other comments from board members? Any final thoughts, Dr. Glatch, that things that haven't been covered, a way you want to frame how the process went or looking ahead to um to this upcoming commencement season? >> Uh just one shout out, uh our life skills teacher, Ashley Stabnes, um literally took time to cut the cloth, to make the stoalls, put a lot of time and effort into something, kind of working from a blank slate. and um I'm grateful for her uh for going through that uh process. >> Thank you. Once again, this was a recommendation for discussion this evening. So, no action is required from the full board. Moving on now to section six. These are recommendations for action 6A is our consent agenda. I would seek a motion to approve the

139consent agenda as outlined in your board packet. >> It's been it's moved by Dr. Lun. Is there a second? >> Second by Mr. Anderson. We'll take a roll call vote. >> Lun. >> Yes. >> Pomacino, >> yes. >> Flynn, >> yes. >> Anderson, >> yes. >> Cleven, >> yes. >> Manley, >> yes. >> Larson, >> yes. >> Hodak, >> yes. >> Burger, >> yes. >> Nine, yes. Zero, no. Zero absent. >> Motion passes. 6B. Consideration of proposed revised process for tiff and pilot tax incentives. Mr. Bombach. >> Thank you, Mr. Burgerer. Members of the board, bringing back to the conversation we had had. Um the [clears throat] board memo just um captures that this been talked about both during the March 23rd and April 27th meeting. Uh and then I note just a few differences

140and notes I had taken from the last conversation and properly incorporated. So I included an intent statement that was added to the very beginning of this. This statement um was reviewed by our attorney and so it was a suggested language. Um uh another point though just to make through the rest of the document. the attorney did not review the rest of the document. We stopped right there because that statement itself says this is not legally binding. So, we didn't put any more time in there. Um throughout [clears throat] the rest of the document, I adjusted a few things. One was more clerical. There was this reference of work session rather than meeting and so changed those to meeting to be more consistent and also in line with our own expectations about what takes place during

141a school board meeting versus a school board work session. and um specifically allowing for public comment which is discussed that's a fine enough point to bring up that has been noted that the um five minute limit was we discussed at the table I didn't capture it or put it in here um five minutes per speaker per project the per project component of what I just said was not included that was a mistake of mine just in notes so if it's an adjustment you'd like um I think just adding those two words to the second to last sentence in step two of this process could clarify that if that makes sense. Um other changes would be again there a couple of relics from prior versions stuck with a plural reference to meeting so meetings and we're

142only talking about one common meeting and then um lastly just a little bit of language to clarify where the department of commerce's primary sector certification would come to play or not play in this. uh I just had clarified that language. So please give that a read and let me know if that needed to be adjusted at all. Um otherwise it's uh everything that we had seen before. So um looking for your conversation. >> Thank you Mr. Bombach. First of all any questions from board members? Mr. Cleven. >> Thank you. Uh so this is your work product based on our meeting notes. This wasn't a collaborative effort yet with the city or county. >> I'm correct. Um Jay, I had uh spoken to um Todd Finan. I said, "Are you okay if this school board makes

143its changes and then passes those along?" And and that was something he thought would be okay. >> A followup, Mr. Cleven or >> Okay. >> Other questions from Mr. Palmino? >> Yeah, I would agree with that. Adding that comment about five minutes per project. I think that clarifies for a lot of people that would like to speak. So >> just a a note on that for procedure. If if that is u you know a motion that a a board member wishes to make at some point uh on this agenda item uh you can simply make the motion with the addition of these two words to this section rather than uh a motion to this recommendation and then going through the amendment process afterwards. So, I I'm not sure we're at that point yet, but but

144that's a uh it's a good note, Mr. Palmino. Other questions or comments from board members? >> Miss Flynn? Um, this might just be a small typo, but um, under step one in the middle of the paragraph where it talks about the Department of Commerce, it says, "In addition, the city shall contact and consult with the North Dakota Department of Commerce regarding the pilot incentive request and its fur is what is that supposed to say?" >> Um, thank you for catching that. I I believe it's meant to say fit fiit and it's >> and it's fit to the Okay. Okay. Thank you. others, Miss Flynn? >> Um, uh, more so just a process question. Um, because I don't think, um, that we have ever received, um, as as far as the information that we get, I

145don't think we've ever received the Department of Commerce's opinion of the project type. Um, so I don't know if we will receive that moving forward. Um, but I know um, obviously if it doesn't meet that then we wouldn't really have a need for a meeting. I'm guessing. Um, I just don't know that we've ever seen that before. >> Do you want to speak to how that might play out in practice? Mr. Bomach? >> Yeah, thank you board chair member Flynn. I think it's it's very reasonable ask to include. I agree with you. I don't think we've seen that before. Mhm. >> So, this seems reasonable to ask for it. >> My last question is, um, given the county commission's recent meeting and future vote on their stance on the, um, uh, sort of residential real

146estate projects. Um, is this process now outdated? Do you want to take a shot at answering that, Mr. Bama? >> Sure. Members of the board, I don't know. >> Do you do you want to offer your opinion, Miss Flynn, or do you want to yield to Dr. L? >> Uh, Dr. L. >> Oh, okay. Uh, well, Dr. L, you're up next and then we'll come to Mr. Cleven. [cough] >> [clears throat] >> I I think Mr. Manley asked about the commerce letter too last time and I I I don't think we need to put it in this document, but I think we could request it if if it's pertinent. I just don't we don't need to add to the document. I don't think >> Mr. Cleven. >> Yeah, just commenting on is this process now

147out of date or moot or relevant? I would think it's still very valid. We just know going forward there's one of the three entities. We kind of know their position. They have the equal opportunity to still speak and be spoken to and we have the equal right and opportunity to listen or not listen. So I don't think this document, the act of the c county changes this process. That's personal observation and a personal preference. I'd still like this process to get modified and we move on. >> Thank you. Other question Mr. Manley >> and Brandon or maybe if anybody else knows, but if [snorts] let's say the the city agrees to it, the county and the school board disagree, uh that would still go through. The city would forego their part, but we would receive

148ours. >> Yep. Thank you, U member Manley. I think we've explored that option before that if any one of the municipalities doesn't participate, then they continue. they could continue without that share of the the property tax incentive. And obviously in this case, the city the city starts the process if the county and school board don't want to um uh participate in that tax exemption. Then when it goes back to the city, they'll have that choice to make of whether or not that works for them yet. >> Others? Dr. Hodc, >> I'm pretty [clears throat] much in agreement with I what what I believe I heard from um board member Flynn. Um and respectfully um to you Jay, I do believe that this um now becomes mute um because of what the county is deciding to

149do. Because if you look at step two um down there um the meeting will be held for the purpose of to the schoolboard county commission and what it says there those three little words commence the negotiation. So, if we're going to be at one meeting and we're going to start to do negotiations, I myself would be uncomfortable with not having talked as the school board and say, "Okay, if we're going to negotiate, what are we negotiating for?" And so, um, I just I think that what the county has done, um, is very brave. I think it's pertinent um to the fact that um when there is saying they are not going to consider any tax incentives incentives for non-primary sector business and they even went on further to talk about the residential product projects retail

150services hospitalities etc. I think that they've looked at it a little bit more um in depth and they are looking at the fact that they need money and they would prefer not to be letting any of that money go um no matter what. There was also some concern about are we going to be working towards changing legislation so that it does specifically say um that the primary sector projects have to be qualified projects etc. So overall I'm I will vote no on this at this point. >> Thank you. Other questions or comments from board members? Mr. Palmino. >> Yeah. My only comment and I I think we have to remember that the county will be changing three members could be changing three members and this board could be changing five members. So I I think

151this is whether we move forward or not this could be changed by new boards at any time. So and no board can dictate what another board has to do. So I think we have to remember that as well. >> Sure. Thank you. Other questions Mr. Cleven? it this this was a question for Mr. Bombach. Uh this covers any form of pilot for any form of project requesting a pilot. Correct. Not just residential. This would apply to anything. Correct. >> Correct. >> Thank you. >> Can I ask a followup? Would the clarification be the city can still approve if it wants to take it on on its own 5-year max? That that would be an exception to Mr. Cleven's question. Correct. >> Yeah. Thinking through that little bit of hoops there, yes, the city certainly retained

152it has a right for any pilot less than five years unless the state law were to change. >> Thank you, Miss Flynn. Okay. >> So, just as a clarification, what is the purpose of the city contacting the Department of Commerce regarding the pilot incentive request and its definition of primary sector business? >> Sure. Thank you. I think that uh the purpose primarily is to delineate between the primary sector. Primary sector is a a status that's been you know [clears throat] is dealt by the Department of Commerce primarily along two lines. one that there's added value to a product or a process and then three or two that there's a primarily markets are export and so you're driving value into your community and so they've they've been in control of that definition and then that status

153of primary sector certification can get you access to I think a variety of different economic development programs not just this so I think the functionality in this context um is to then delineate for those what's noted here by example example of a grease to the S pots high bay freezer that that you that if in this process those projects came forward they would not be held against the butt for test as referenced as in getting um the consultants to do that that review of the financials it's more of a decision of will we compete for their placement of that business so I think that's the functionality and so when that letter comes back on any multif family project or anything that doesn't qualify for that then you get the uh rejection letter so to speak.

154>> True. I appreciate that. And just to clarify something Dr. L said, I don't think that it necessarily needs to be in here as far as like we have to receive like I think that's just a statement of like that should be a part of the entire application and we haven't received any of that letter or any of those letters before. And so just as we would get the Baker Tilly report, the financing application, um we've never seen those to delineate what the definition is for each project. So um and then you know for what Jay had commented on, um I I don't know if I really have an opinion on if this is moot or not. I think the process will largely change if it's just us and the city sitting at the table

155if it's a non starter for the type of project that's coming through. Um I I wouldn't consider that a waste of time. Um, but I think given our financial position, it will be interesting to have conversations with just the city if that's how some of these projects shake out knowing the ones that are currently in the pipeline. >> Thank you. Mr. Cleven, did you have something? No. Other questions, comments from board members? Dr. L. If if we approve this document, it doesn't tie our hands. It doesn't tie future board hands. I I move we approve the document with the addition of the five minutes per speaker per project uh addition. >> Can I ask one qualification uh from you Dr. L before I get a second? We also had talked about one typo. Uh >>

156we can change it to fit if that's what it is. >> Okay. Yeah. in in step one from FIR to FIT uh and in step two uh adding the words 5 minutes uh per speaker per project. So are you comfortable with that being the motion on the floor? Okay, just so board members understand the motion on the floor is to uh accept uh this uh combined Grand Forks local government subdivisions payment in of tax incentive review process guideline document with the two changes being a typo uh in step one from FIR to FIT and adding the words per project after the phrase 5 minutes per speaker in step two. So that's the motion on the floor. Is there a second? >> I'll second. >> A second by Mr. Cleven. Any discussion on the motion that's

157on the floor, >> Miss Flynn? >> I'll just say philosophically, I may not agree with some measures that go on ballots, but I will always sign someone's petition or their thing because I think that everything is up for discussion. Um, with that being said, I I I philosophically agree with what this the county commission has done. Um, but I would like the developers to come here and pay the money and let us tell them what we think about their project when the project comes. And so if they want to apply and pay the money and we have concerns about that, then more power to them to want to build a project, but we can share our concerns or comments or uh uh good great things about the project to them um and can have that

158conversation. So, I just hope that this process allows anyone who has a request and is asking for a tax incentive financing to be more prepared um and to help us understand how each of those projects will benefit the school district um and not have a detrimental finance impact. >> Thank you. Other questions or comments? Dr. one. >> I I agree with with Amber completely and the reason I I I I I mean I understand the the county's uh position. My concern is there may be a project that might be labeled as residential in three years that is a ideal fit for the community, the school district and why not let why not don't slam the door too early. Let us hear the proposal and then if if we agree then then we can we can

159do it. So, so I I agree with Amber Complete. I think we should hear those projects. I would I would hold a dim view of some of the projects that we've approved before. Now, I can tell you that. >> Thank you. I'm going to piggyback on that point before I open it up again. You know, I know full well that 50 days from now, I'm not on the board. Right. To Mr. Palmino's point, we'll have four or five new faces and I don't want to make that decision for them. I don't feel comfortable making that decision for them. Uh I feel like this there's been good work that's gone into this process and it it leaves the opportunity for dialogue and conversation and good sound decisionm uh and board members exercising collective judgment. Uh so

160for that reason I'm I'm in support of this. Uh any other thoughts, questions from board members? Okay. can just one final time before we'll uh call a roll call vote. Uh the motion on the floor is to approve the combined Grand Forks local government subdivisions payment in le of tax incentive review process guideline document with the two changes previously illustrated. One is a typo and one is adding the phrase per project. I will take a roll call vote. >> Hodak >> no. >> Cleven >> yes. >> Manley >> yes. >> Larson >> yes. >> Flynn >> yes. >> Lun >> yes. >> Anderson >> yes. Pomacino, >> no. >> Burger, >> yes. >> Seven, yes. Two, no, zero absent. >> Motion passes. 6 C. Consideration of proposals for scoreboards at Grand Fork Central High School

161Gymnasium. Mr. Beer. >> Thank you, President Ber. Thanks for having me tonight. Um, excited as we move through this process, just another step. uh and as you guys consider the uh proposal that I put forward. So tonight I'm going to talk about three different proposals, three different projects that we have talked about before. Um first one is going to be with Grand Fork Central, the scoreboards that we're going to be looking to put up there. So I will move forward. Double check it's on. Got to have power. Okay. [snorts] So, all three projects um have similarities between them, especially the gymnasiums, but the Kushman Field one that we'll that I'll talk about on the third one is very different. So, I'm just going to kind of go right at it here. Um, when when I

162looked at a point system, 100 points total, right off the bat, as you can see, I had two proposals that were sent in for all three projects. Dacttronics out of Sou Falls, South Dakota, and Lucent HD out of Grand Forks right here in North Dakota. By far and away, when I did the point system, Dacttronics was clearly head and shoulders in a lot of different areas that I want to go through go through those specifically. So as we move forward, [clears throat] as you can see, the price of the central project was more with Dacttronics. However, we want the lowest responsible bidder, one that I feel most comfortable with, the one that I feel that has the longevity, uh the references, all those different aspects that that are in that scale and that point system.

163So, here's a rundown of that point system. [clears throat] As you can see, I gave Dashtronics a 21 on the pricing. They were more money. Um, and Lucent got the full 25 on that one. [snorts] the quality of the project. I gave Dacttronics and again I have more slides that you've you've taken a look at but I I can go through these in a little more detail but the quality of the project the what we're getting from them definitely the Dacttronics was superior to what the loose and HD was providing. Therefore the point systems was 25 versus 10. The next couple ones I asked for references. I asked for specifically give me 10 high school references in North Dakota and Minnesota that you have put scoreboards up. I got plenty more than 10 from from

164Dacttronics. I got one from Lucent HD. That was troubling to me. I only had one high school that I could call as a reference. The other ones that they had out there were very similar to what Dacttronics maybe has done in larger scopes with you know college and professional and we know that Dacttronics is also in those those areas. Years in business I asked in the proposal that the business that we the bidder goes that has um at least 15 years in dealing in the in these projects. >> [snorts] >> Dacttronics has somewhere, forgive me, but somewhere between four decades of doing this. The Lucent HD in their proposal, the two main people have 18 years of experience in different businesses, but Lucen HD has only been has only been around since approximately February of

1652024. the the problem and the reason why I wanted years in one business is I want to see how did this business how is this business done in the previous 15 years I want to talk to references that put boards up 10 years ago things things happen things break how does their customer service work that that was part of the process with that why I asked for 15 years um and with Lucent it just wasn't there therefore the point system I put out there is accordingly regional presence. When you look at projects like this and you're looking with uh scoreboards, Sou Falls is considered regional and they have they literally have hundreds of these projects in a tri uh five-state area if you want to include Nebraska, Iowa, and things like that. So, they are

166very regional. They have things in Krookton, Grafton, um yeah, the West Fargo, Fargo, but I gave them eight. But Lucen's [clears throat] right here in Grand Forks. So I gave them the full 10 out of 10 compliance of the bid of what the uh the RIP and then the integration. I I put those together. They're different, but we're now we're getting down into smaller numerical amounts. Compliance with the bid was was difficult to give Lucent the any extra points as you can see where they they failed in a couple of them. integration I think is also important when we look at we have multiple scoreboards multiple gymnasiums um at central we sometimes as I just did last week we sometimes have to swap parts out in panels panels are older they start to break it

167was a simple thing but it's an antenna that broke I can swap it out easy with another antenna that's part of that integration another part of integration is our people that are running those panels. It's like learning another language. I want I want to be able to have integration with our current system. And it's possible even if you have different companies, the integration with Lucent just wasn't there. And then again, the experience that I talked about um not only with the the years of service for decades, but what kind of experience has they had have they had with Grand Forks Public Schools at all? uh we just do not have a relationship with Lucent. I'm not comfortable moving forward in that situation. So that's the total point system and we can kind of get into

168it a little bit more here. So again, I'll reiterate a little bit um on the 15 years in business, that's where um Dacttronics stepped up or had more the minimum references in the state of North Dakota and Minnesota. I got the full gamut there from Dacttronics and only one from Lucent. Here's comes the technical part of it. Now, what I required was an approximate 9 by6. I didn't want someone to come in with a 20x30. It's not going to fit in our gym. So, both of them are pretty close, but as you can see, the Dacttronics is slightly bigger, but that's not the biggest piece right there. So, that's okay. But when you look at like the resolution, so here's my example is you walk into a box store and you're going to buy a

169TV and you're going to buy a 50-inch TV. I think we probably all know this, but you can look at the one that's $300 and you can look at the one that's $5 or $600. Drastically different. What we have here is in the pixel pitch, the smaller the number, the better. Lucen has a 3.91 mm. Dtronics has a 3.7. More importantly, total resolution, the 1152 x 640, that's not a a number that, and I'm not an expert at it, but that's not a number that I'm extremely familiar with, but I think even some of you can look at and say, "Oh, 1280 x 720. I've heard of that. I've heard of that when I look at a TV or some other things like that." That is true HD. When you are in the gymnasium and

170you're looking at these boards, you are definitely going to see a difference between what the Dacttronics puts out there, their product versus the Lucent HD. I think we can even see that in some of the billboards around town when you drive by. Some of them are even hard to even understand what the words are. And then others are really crystal clear. That's kind of my couple examples of the quality that we're getting out of these two products. Here's another piece, what we call fragmented sourcing. I asked that all the products be from the same manufacturer, the panel that our workers are sitting at, the scoreboard and the video board. In my experience of buying different scoreboards and different things like that, I have had the problem where I will call up as an example, the

171panel board is not working properly and I have to call company A and they say it's your board's problem. I go over and I call the board. I call up company B and they say it's the panel problem. And they go back and forth, but you know who loses? We lose. So I felt it very important one one manufacturer Lucent brings theirs from multiple sources. Dacttronics not only is it one manufacturer they're the manufacturer. They design, they create, they produce all those products right in Sou Falls. You can drive down there any day and walk through and get that tour. They test all of them. Even their curriculum has been around for over 15 years. used across the state of North Dakota. The curriculum from Lucent, I did not get one reference in the state

172of Minnesota or North Dakota that's using it, but they had a they had a couple references or alluded to Texas is where they were using them. Might not be a big deal, but when when you start talking about all the different pieces come from different places and in in fact very specifically the control panel was coming from St. Peters St. in Petersburg, Florida, and the board was coming from Ontario, Canada. I don't feel comfortable with that. I want one manufacturer, Sou Falls, South Dakota. And there's the current hardware integration that we already talked about, not only just the hardware pieces, but I think the people learning the process and what they need to do. So, in the end, there may be more more of an upfront cost with Dacttronics, but I think all those other

173things that we described clearly lead you in the direction of moving forward with Dacttronics. So, in the end, that's what I'm uh recommending is that we move forward with the capital expenditure with Dtronics for Grand Forks Central Gymnasium. And again, I know it's on there, but I want to reiterate the funds for this are all coming from private sponsorship advertising. This is not a general fund expenditure and we will not move forward until we have received all of those funds. So, I'll entertain some questions. Just going to apologize. My Dexcom is at at the end of its 10day cycle, but I'll turn my phone off. questions for Mr. Beer, Mr. Cleven, and then Mr. Palmino. >> Thank you, Bill. Uh, how many people were on the selection committee or review committee for the RFPs? And

174were all these scoring metrics clearly defined in the RFP documents? The first part was the three of us, Tony Beina, Tyler Nelson, and myself, the three athletic directors. And I would like to say that they were clearly defined, but I haven't been on the other side of of an RFP. I think they were clearly defined and even I spoke to both companies um as I had a question for each one of them and asked if they had any questions. So I gave you know kind of gave both of them the opportunity to ask any questions. My question isn't more that they understood them. The question is more of I'll I'll pick an example here like years in business 10 points available. Was there a metric that defined how the points are assigned or was or

175did it even say it's a simple pass fail criteria? You know because these things get to when you procure on basis other than lowest price. So, these questions have to be answered. >> Yeah, I don't think that we had a I don't think I had a rubric style for each one of those. Um, and I apologize if that's something that should have been done and it wasn't a pass fail where you get all the points or nothing. Um, I think it was down to a comparison [clears throat] of the two. That's my best answer. Mr. Palomino, did you have something? Yeah, I I do agree with with Mike on the on the uh issue of having everything coming from one location, not getting parts because I've been on the other end waiting for parts for

176a scoreboard that are coming from this town. And and secondly, I I think the important part for him as well as for us is that we need the best product, not just the cheapest product because we are asking the general public to pay for it or donate donors to pay for it. So we need the best product out there that constantly works and I know Dtronics can provide that best product. >> Other questions, Mr. Manley? And just to reiterate or make it more clear, I suppose for the public because I heard some rumblings online about the the source of funds for this and and after what's happened recently and then we're spending some money on on scoreboards. Can you re reiterate where the the funds for these are coming from? >> All private donation. So,

177this is a project that we have been I I guess we've been working on as far as even a thought process for about 2 years knowing that if we want to do this, we're going to need to look at our community and if the community says, and we're talking businesses, if the community says we don't want this, then they're not going to support it. So, again, I appreciate that. And to reiterate, to make sure the public understands, this is not general fund money. This is not their tax dollars going into these boards. In fact, I think it's even more of a savings that that in the past I think schools have bought some of the scoreboards, let's say basic ones. We're helping the school save some money by even asking for fully funded new scoreboards.

178Um, and I think I hope that the public understands that and appreciates the businesses that have stepped up for this project. Other questions from board members? Dr. Lun, >> Brandon, from a century st code standpoint, does it matter if we approve this, but we're not distributing any funds because it's coming from private sources? Is there is there a difference with regards to Century Code and our obligations? >> Um, no, Dr. L, I don't think Century Code would would speak to exactly how we we pay for that. Um, we should just be able to account for that based on the sources coming in, hold them for the project and pay to the right place. >> Other questions? Dr. Hodc, >> just for clarification, Mike, we have on this agenda the consideration of proposals for Red River,

179Grand Forks, and Kushman. When you say that the donors are paying for this, is it possibility that um Kushman gets all the money by donors or are the donors earmarking money for the three different ones or they earmarking it for all three just so that we don't have a oh Kushman got theirs but we didn't get it for Red River and is there any possibility that that could be happening? I've got a lot of things. There's there's a possibility, but what's the probability? I don't think it's it's high at all. When we go out and solicit the funds for this, every business that we have talked to except for two have said, I want to be part of all three. So, the funds are coming in very equal and very smooth at this point. We're

180not there yet. We're getting really close. So, the timing of this is perfect. If we had a business A and a business B that were both interested in the same sponsorship but only wanted to be on a Central or a Red River, we certainly would do that. That hasn't come through [clears throat] yet. As most business have said, I like all three. >> Just to follow up on that, Mr. Mr. Beer Meyer, uh, this amount that we're talking about contingent upon the funding, is there any long-term impact maintenance support that that either these external donors will support on an ongoing basis or eventually might through no necessarily fault of anyone's, but just uh, you know, here we are 10 years down the road. uh could it ever be a case where in order to keep

181them going, it's now a part of the building fund uh or have you talked about a long-term sponsorship plan? >> A great question because often you get you get a project and it's paid for and then you're done receiving funds. In this case, what we did is we did we'll call it like a like a profit and loss where the funds that are coming in from the businesses are going to continue to come in. And what we've told them is very clear that we want to have a set amount of funds so that in the 12 15 17 years from now if that panel has to be replaced at 200,000 we have the funds. So, we've put that together as a protection for the district and I believe it's very solid. Thank you. Other questions

182from board members? Mr. Cleven, >> I think Dr. Hodic hit on a topic that needs some caution. Like we can't proceed with one high school not doing the other high school. We can proceed with Kushman and either the two high schools don't proceed because both high schools and middle schools use Kushman. I I would not be supportive of one high school moving without the other and I think we should hold that until both can be effectively executed. >> Mr. Bman, you want to comment on that? No. >> And I and I think um Mr. Cleven is right when we talk about the equity that is that's one thing that we keep in mind every single day. And and Mr. Cleven, I would agree with you. When we put these together, we're going to we're going

183to put them together. It could be Kushman goes first and the other ones are going to be held back with not fully funded, but we're going to hold them until both get to go forward. Very much agree with you. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, Miss Flynn. >> I have a couple questions. Um, did we just put this out to bid for oursel or did we use like a third party vendor like a source well or something to find biders for us? >> Both, but I'd like a little help on this. Yeah. No, members of the board, we we certainly discussed those options, cooperative purchasing, buying, but there's no no way to I mean, there's only one way to understand this situation. We put it out to bid ourselves. So, we are not leveraging any cooperative

184purchasing in this. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So, I take my both back, meaning >> Okay. >> We we did it. >> Okay. My second question is each of these are individually costed. Um, but was there anything in the RFP that said, could you provide a discount for doing them all together? Or if there wasn't, is that something we could negotiate if we approve all three? Can we go back to them? I don't know how the RFP works, [snorts] but um I would hope that if we chose someone that they'd be willing to negotiate on prices given the total cost. >> If I may. Um so there's there's important procurement process involved with this um question. There's just thresholds involved. So the the process we've taken here um was advised by me because I saw each

185of these projects being broken up. There's an equity question for sure, but the fact is that we can conceptually do just one of these projects and the others do not rely on it. So deliberately we said do not try to price this as a bundle because that's a slightly different process. So, if you exceed $50,000, you follow a bid process where you need to publish it once for 10 days before receiving bids in. If you exceed $250,000, and I think in this case, you would if you're packaging these projects together, then you're going to get into a public improvement type of requirement, it's going to require just a couple additional steps, including longer uh advertisement uh as well as some some engineer work, architecture design work upfront. And so if that's the path we feel

186we get we're getting near then we'd want to take a pause uh and and go back and procure it with according to those requirements. But right now deliberately uh because I think there might have been a vendor question about well can we package this together and we we said no not with the way that we're bidding this right now. So because of that and because we received the bids back, we can't go back to them and say if we picked them all like if we picked electronics or all of them, we can't go back to say congratulations, we picked you for these three, can we get a discount? >> Yeah, and fair question. So your choices tonight would be to accept one or the other or reject all bids. And so if you wanted to

187kind of go that route, you'd have to reject all bids and then go through that full procurement process as if it was a public improvement. Okay. Okay. >> Any followup, Miss Flynn? >> Yep. I have a couple uh other questions. So, um because we have not yet secured all of the donors, how long do these bids last for until they say, "Hey, our price has gone up." >> In the in the bid pro or the language was 60 days, I believe. Is that correct, Mr. Bombach? >> I believe so. Yeah. And how many more donors are we waiting on to complete? >> We are past the for sure past the 60% threshold at this point. And I would also like to say that some of the donors or the the the levels that I thought

188would be the most difficult are the ones that we have found donors for. >> Okay. Okay. So, what's remaining, I think, is going to go fast. It's going to be a little bit easier. >> So, I just have a follow-up question about how that money is procured. So, the total dollar figure is $560,547. So, if we say yes tonight, we go back to Dtronics. Are they going to accept payment after the installation? And then have we collected or will we have collected prior to the installation that same amount or is that amount over a certain period of time? So that amount is over a 5-year period. And one of the options that we have is Dacttronics would be our I guess what you would say would be our bank. And that fact that amount is

189factored into my profit and loss spreadsheet that we worked out. So we will not collect all of the dollars in the first year. >> Okay. Um, is there any p So, let's say Amber Flynn decides to sponsor and I sign up for a 5-year contract. Is there a penalty if I do not fulfill my donation? So, you know, then someone could say, well, that amount's not collected because they withdrew their donation after two years. Well, it's a contractual obligation that we've uh put through our our lawyers. Um, so there would be I mean, it's possible for someone to not fulfill it. I'd have to go back and look at our contract for any kind of penalty. >> I personally would not feel comfortable making a decision in the affirmative today without knowing the answer to

190that question. one and I also am a I could have missed it but I I didn't know that the amount was going to be given over a certain time frame. I would prefer that we do not pay any amount over the amount that we have come in. And if that means we have to have a financer type thing so that we're a wash every year, I would certainly rather go that option, but I don't know if I'm comfortable. I I I absolutely agree with the project and that like I think it would be great and we need it and I think you've done tremendous work but not knowing that like a donor could just withdraw funds after 2 years and certainly that would be then a cost to us if we have to go and

191you know it's a a breach of contract but I don't know what the terms are of the contract and so I don't know if I feel comfortable approving the affirmative until I know what the the dollar checks and balances are going to Mr. Beer Meer, Mr. Bombach, either of you. >> Sure. I'd be happy to respond here. So I think this is I mean just the way I'm thinking of course. Um so for [clears throat] one I think to be clear if you choose this uh bidder it's still completely contingent on execution of the project raising the dollars and actually going forward. So every time a bid is approved there's still some of this contract negotiation. And I think when it comes to the donor dollars, I don't know exactly the contract mechanism we'll use,

192but to Mr. Beermire's point, we're going to absolutely need certainty before we move forward with the project. I mean, that's been the thing that's underlined twice is there won't be any general fund dollars uh involved with these projects. So, the sentiments I agree to and if if there's a requirement to see that contract up front, then we didn't see that coming. We can um work to accommodate that request. >> Mr. Mr. Beer Meer, anything to add to what Mr. Bombck said? Miss Lind, do you have a follow-up? Yeah, I would I would look to the language of the recommendation speaking directly to securing external project funding and and in my mind, securing means exactly that is a a a guarantee, a certainty. And yes, of course, anything can happen, but but to to a legal

193standard of securing funding is is I believe the recommendation put before us tonight. Dr. Hodc >> Mike when you said 60% is that 60% of Kushman and then 60% of Red River and 60% of Central because I'm coming from I really hope we don't put this community into a well Red River got it but Central didn't. I would prefer that we get it all upfront and that it's one lump. You are not just contributing to Red River. You are contri contributing to all three areas where we need these. I do agree with I think you've done a good job. I do agree with Dacttronics. I think every one of those pieces of the puzzle. It's the funding for the community to understand it and I would be much more for it's all stated upfront and

194also a clause if nothing else if you do not pay your amount of money we might take you to small claims court I don't know but that's what I would prefer >> Mr. Mr. Ber, you want to speak to that? >> And to answer your question on the the 60% plus, it is for all three projects. So, we are on par with exactly what our intention was of getting all three of these together. I I do have to assume that you you may have a community member, a small business who has a connection to a school who would, you know, is is more apt to sponsor in one gymnasium versus another. And on balance, as long as there are enough of those A but not B, and then B but not A, the projects get

195funded. But I'm not asking you to speak out of turn or or uh uh tell stories out of school. But just generally speaking to characterize I I have to I have to believe that at a practical level having the ability to say if you are a fourth generation from this school and and you want to know that you're supporting this that you're at least open to that. Is that a fair way to characterize that? >> It is. And and in some of the conversations we've had I thought we may have had a few more of those. And for some of those that are the fourth generation at high school A said, I do want to be on both it. This is an advertisement for my business and I'm not going to withhold that just because

196we're from this high school. So more and more of that has come through my conversations and going exactly that that's what we it's what we think of advertising. So, um, this community has done a a great job with those four generations understanding this is for Grand Forks. >> Thank you. I saw a couple over here. Mr. Cleven, >> thank you again. Uh, this there was a statement earlier about donations are over a 5-year period. Does that mean that if we proceed with these, we still have to take a loan or some kind of carrying cost to go from year one when the donations start to year five when they're complete? Or will we have all the money upfront before we turn a nut or sign a contract? >> Mr. Beermire, >> they are five-year contracts.

197We will not have all of that money up front. But there are some businesses that want they do not want five like a to write a check five times every year. So there are some businesses that are saying I'll put all my money up front right now for 5 years. So, I think there could still be a slight gap in there that I'm going to need to get into year two, even maybe year two and a half before it's completely paid off. And the funding source will not be the school district. The funding or the bank would be Dacttronics. And they have a program for that. >> And did I hear you say, Mr. Beermire, that's baked into these numbers, correct? >> Yeah, >> Mr. Cleven. >> Yeah, I'm going to apologize uh cuz I

198just I'm just worried. Let's say this Dacttronics Bank does its business and something happens. Are is the school district not the final signer of the contract and we're responsible financially if things go insolvent? I and I'm back to what we heard earlier about we're not using taxpayer money. I just can't see how we can avoid that if we don't have all the money upfront. Mr. Bemmyer, Mr. Bomb, we'll go to these two first and then to you, Dr. Hodc. >> Well, I think I mean I understand your concern and I and I I I really do appreciate that and I look at what might be considered the usual and customary when other schools even even universities have done projects like this. I hate to say that this is how it's done. Um, I think we

199want to reduce that number of years until we get all of it paid off. We want to reduce it as much as possible. But Mr. Cleven, I'm I don't know what other I'm trying to come up with the right words to ease your mind and I understand where you're coming from. Well, I'll just interject as you're looking for a response. If we can show cash flow-wise that any given year the the donor dollars cover our cash flow, that will help address the question. But I still think it it comes back to if something goes wrong, and these are all fine people with fine intentions, but sometimes things go wrong. How are we not on the financial liability side of these projects? I can't see where we could avoid that. So, someone's got to prove that.

200So, cash flow and proof that ultimately the school district's not on the hook financially if something goes wrong. >> Mr. Bombach and then back to Mr. Beer. >> I I think that's a fair observation and then it's fair to say the liability would be on the school district and there would be a financial a financing component to this unless of course Mr. Mr. Beer Meyer is able to raise all those dollars up front. >> Mr. Beer Meer, anything else to add? Then I'll go to Dr. >> Agree with Mr. Bomb. >> Dr. Hodc. >> So I would say if Dacttronics is going to be our banker that we need to um really and I'm I'm just going to assume that you two have done this. Um but to protect us, we need to make sure

201that we understand their terms. um is it what's is there interest on the the dollars that aren't paid for? And the other question around this is five years we're out and um in in keep paying and such. What are the warranties on all of this? Have we taken a look at that? And what happens if you know because the district still has to be taking the risk and is picking that up as well. So that's all I'm asking. >> Mr. Bemire. >> Yeah. And the warranties on these are without it right in front of me. Um I want to say they're they're at the 10year mark. Um and that's I want to say parts and labor. Um I don't have the contract in front of me, but that's what's in my head is we need

202to be prepared for that 10ear mark. Now they also have boards that even some of our boards are out there a lot longer than that. So if we can get through that warranty, we should we will be fine. The interest rate that Dacttronics is one option. We have other banks that are interested in this project that we're talking about better interest rates, but again all that will be in that in that proforma. >> Thank you Dr. Brener. >> Mike and some of the other school districts that you've talked to who have worked with Dacttronics and maybe are doing the sponsorship over five years. um any any good experiences that you could share with the board, you know, about how they got into the financing piece and it didn't become born on the school district. I

203I'm not sure. We haven't talked about that. >> The the the boards that are out there that are the most recent boards um have the same funding mechanism as we do that we we would like to do. and they're in year three, some are year five, some are in year two, and they're not experiencing any of those hiccups. They're saying, "Yep, we have a 5-year commitment from business A, and we're in year four right now, and things they can they continue to pay their bill." Um, and it hasn't been it hasn't been a problem at this point. I can say that in the 40 or so that I know about in m northwest Minnesota and and North Dakota. >> Thank you, Miss Flynn. And then we'll go to Mr. Palmino. >> Um I just have

204two things. I'm not necessarily concerned about financing through Dacttronics being a big company, them going under or anything like that. I am more concerned about not having the information that I feel would be necessary to move forward with seeing what the donor expectations are over that period before we approve something with over a half million dollar price tag. I I trust you completely what you're saying. I think you will do great due diligence, but I think it is the responsibility and due diligence of this board to be able to see what the requirements are of the donors, it we are in a changing economy right now and at any one moment if someone decides to pull their funding, it it would be I think then we would go back and we'd be a story in

205the newspaper that says Grand Forks Public School said you aren't paying tax dollars with this. And now look what happened. We approved two video boards outside each of the high schools with reference to getting donations and those are not filled. This is a different process. I will recognize that and I know we've talked about that and that part of that will be advertisements on those boards, but that's already been one situation where that has not been filled for a couple of years and I don't feel like I have the information to move forward in this instance. If we have the contract for 60 days and you are still or the bid amount and you're still doing the work, I personally don't think that it would hurt the project to postpone a decision until the next

206board meeting to get a few more pieces of information. Um, so I'm not saying no. I think this is a great idea. I think it would help support our community in a variety of ways, especially if we have a costneutral plan, but I just feel like I need I'm 80% there and I need the extra 20%. >> Thank you, Mr. Palmino. >> Yeah, I I would uh first of all, I've worked with Decttronics for many years. Every scoreboard at Apollo Complex was done this way. There were people that after a few years backed out, but they were always, it was always very easy to fill those spots with additional people that would want to sponsor. I would project to you that when you're done with this project and people start seeing whose names are up

207on the board that you're going to have more people come forward asking to get on that board because these are going to be in both high schools and out at Kushman. So, I'm not concerned over losing one or two [snorts] sponsors during the process because there are other sponsors out there that can come in and jump on. And just a quick note is uh Choice Health and Fitness was less than 1% of the donors on a on a 14 15 million project that backed out on their pledges. So, I think when a pledge is made to a school district and it's up where the public sees it, I don't see that being a problem with a pledger backing out on it. >> Other comments from board members? Dr. Lun, I >> I don't I don't

208have a problem waiting a couple weeks and trying to get some more information for Amber. I don't think that'll screw the process up too bad. I have a tendency to agree with Bill. I've been on a lot of fundraising for lots of different things and we've got a our CIA executive director back there can talk about the percent of donors that that haven't paid up. We we we have to admit it's probably not going to be 100%. Somebody may drop off or a business may go defunct or or something like that. And I'm assuming you're not you're not going to cut the donor list so close that if we lose one donor we're we're shafted. You're you're going to have have extra. So, I don't I don't have the same kind of concerns. On the

209other hand, I don't have a problem waiting a couple of weeks. I I I'll be surprised if your agreement says that there's some big clawback thing, though. It's probably It's probably not. If if a donor backs out, there's probably not going to be a lot of financial repercussions for that donor. And I think to try and go back now and ask people that, well, we don't need a five-year commitment, we we need a 30-day commitment, you we may as well just start over. It's not going to it's not going to work at that point. So, >> yeah, I suppose to your point, Dr. Lun, this idea of a five-year commitment also comes with uh a marketing opportunity, an advertising opportunity. And so the quote unquote penalty is the company's no longer on the board rather

210than no you promised etc etc. Um I generally speaking I agree with both Mr. Palmino and Dr. Lun that there are others to fill those spaces. Uh but we'll see how the board wishes to act on on this recommended motion. Other thoughts from board members? Dr. Hodc, >> I would conser I would prefer that we would wait and get as much information that we've talked about tonight that we would like to have before making a um final decision. As I said, um I completely support everything that you've shown us and done. There's just a couple pieces of information further for us to need. Thank you. >> Others, Dr. Len, >> I don't think we've asked those two. Gentlemen, what does a twoe delay do in this process? >> Sure. Mr. Beermire, do you want to

211speak to that first? >> A twoe delay wouldn't wouldn't uh set us back a lot. We I think we do want to have everything signed, sealed, and done by June 1 so that we can get this project going and be ready for August, both indoor and outdoor. So, I think we're still okay to come back in two weeks. >> Mr. Bombach, anything to add to Dr. Lun's question? >> Okay. Thank you. Others, Mr. Larson, >> just just to belabor this a little bit. Um, sponsorship agreements are like any other contract. So, there's always risk of someone not following through on a contract and you have to deal with it and there's expense to it and there's liability. Um, I think this is a pretty lowrisk situation and that if we get the right donors to

212commit to the right dollar amounts, if you have a uh, hey, Joel is individually saying $25,000 per year for 5 years, don't trust it. But if you're saying any of our big area businesses, I won't name one individually who says the same thing for 50k times five years and it's the right donor, I think we can trust our administration to do that. Two weeks I don't think is going to kill us. But these are legally binding contracts. Every entity I think that we work with, including the one I am employed by, has lots of them. So I think it's a low-risk environment, but it's okay waiting as well. That brought up a great point that I'd like to make that these larger donors that we that we have reached out to and spoken to, Mr.

213Larson, I agree with you. They have said, "I need to go back to my board." So, it isn't just one person speaking on behalf of that. It is, and that's taken us some time cuz those boards don't often, you know, meet that often. So I appreciate sparking my memory about that too that it is the business and the business as a board that's agreeing to these >> other questions comments from board members. Miss Flynn, >> I would also say that if we delay this and bring it back to our next board meeting, I would like to have a more definitive answer on what how we are going to end up paying for it if we're doing a bulk up front or if we're doing the financing option and what that cost would be because if

214we do not have $560,000 on the date of installation, I personally would not be in favor of paying the bill. And if you've baked in the cost of whatever the financing option is, I would like a definitive we are doing this option and here's what the cost would be year one if we decide to approve our recommended donor or uh vendor >> other you want to speak to that Mr. Bear. No, I think we can. We have to put some hypotheticals together with that because you you want to go to the bank and whichever bank that is or if it's Dacttronics and they're going to have to make some assumptions on that on well what is the what is the remaining balance that also will help determine the percent. So I'll come back with something

215and it's going to be the the best case that I can actually portray as far as what would be the truth. >> Thank you Mr. Cleven, >> sorry. Thanks again for the floor. Uh, you probably have an idea of your year one pledges. >> Mhm. Well, they're all fiveyear. >> No, I know. But but year one, there's x number of dollars. Yeah. >> That's pledged for year one, right? >> So, you'll you'll know your initial payment in your >> in your amortization. Yeah. That's why I wanted to make Okay. >> Other thoughts, questions from board members? Well, this is an item for action this evening, so we will need a motion on the floor. Uh, we've heard quite a bit of robust conversation, but uh I would entertain a motion uh from a board member

216uh who wishes to at least take us in a direction of how to proceed. >> How do you want to proceed? >> I don't want to prescribe that, but uh Miss Flynn, do you want to give it a give it a shot? I would motion that we postpone the consideration of proposed revised sorry proposals for scoreboards at Grand Fork Central High School gymnasium and then obviously we take the next ones that we postpone it to the next board meeting. >> Okay. So there's a motion on the floor to postpone consideration of proposals for scoreboards at Grand Forks Central High School Gymnasium. Am I to understand until our next meeting or is that not that language not necessary? Yep. >> Okay. So that's the motion on the floor. Is there a second? Second by Dr. Hodc.

217So we have a motion to postpone this consideration of 6C. Is there any further discussion? Mr. Cleven, >> I just wonder for the sake of some expediency if the motion can also cover Red River High School and Kushman because I suspect reading the information we'll hear on the next two is like identical. So if if we can make a motion the amendment to include all three. >> I appreciate the question. I'm going to turn to Mr. Mr. Bombach because this might have something to do with the bid processes being separate rather than combined. So, do you have any particular opinion about that, Mr. Bombach? >> That'd be my commentary as well. It might be the agenda integrity, but I would really like to see these projects separate and if there's a different direction, then we

218should really follow a different bidding process. >> I do appreciate the note, Mr. Cleven, but uh we'll keep this there is a current motion on the floor with a second. So, it's motion by Miss Flynn and second by Dr. Hodc. Any further discussion on postponing 6C? Take a roll call vote. >> Flynn, >> yes. >> Hodak, >> yes. >> Anderson, >> yes. >> Manley, >> yes. >> Lun, >> yes. >> Cleven, >> yes. >> Pomino, >> no. >> Larson, >> yes. >> Burger, >> yes. >> HS1, no. Zero absent. >> Motion to postpone passes. Now we're on to 6D. Consideration of proposals for scoreboards at Red River High School Gymnasium. Uh is there a motion from a board member regarding 6D? >> Miss Miss Flynn, >> I'll make the motion to postpone consideration of proposals

219for scoreboards at Red River High School Gymnasium till our next board meeting. >> Okay. So, you heard the motion on the floor to postpone 6D until our next board meeting. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Mr. Cleven, any further discussion? >> Dr. Lun, >> are we postponing the discussion about these as well then? Just so I'm just wondering with Mr. B. Are we We're not going to talk about these. We're just going to postpone the whole thing. >> Uh let me make sure I understand your question, Dr. L. Are you saying that >> is he going to Is he going to talk about the proposals for Red River and Kushman or are we going to postpone those discussions till the next meeting as well? >> So that's a great question. Uh I I would

220I I would ask So we have we have a motion on the floor to postpone uh 6D and a second. So, um, is there a board member who seeks additional question or clarity from Mr. Beer before voting on this action to postpone? Anything else requested? Any other information, Mr. Cleven? >> Thank you. Is there anything substantively different in the in this project relative to the first project we heard other than you know cost and you know we know that's different but other than that method of bidding method of evaluation method of discussion of finance and cost is there anything substantively different? >> No. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Anything else that board members would wish to have clarified before voting on the motion to postpone 6D? We'll take a roll call vote. >> Pomacino, >>

221no. >> Lun, >> yes. >> Larson, >> yes. >> Flynn, >> yes. >> Anderson, >> yes. >> Hodak, >> yes. >> Manley, >> yes. >> Cleven, >> yes. >> Burger, >> yes. >> H, yes. One, no. Zero absent. >> Motion to postpone. Passes. We're now on to 6E. Consideration of proposals for scoreboards at Kushman Field. >> Is there anything you wish to present relative specifically to 6E that might help this this conversation and and uh recommendation for action? Mr. Bermire, >> nothing that would be substantly different. Okay. Thank you. >> Yes, Mr. Cleven. >> I'm sorry. I can't help myself. Are you are you replacing just the scoreboard and leaving the structure in place or are you taking structure down to footings and then putting up new? >> In the Kushman project, the structure the

222footings remain the same. We're using the existing infrastructure. Therefore, the cost is much more friendly. >> How about time of game clocks? you know, all that sort of associated football equipment. >> Those would be replaced and the sound system would be replaced. >> All right, we are on 6E uh consideration of proposal for scoreboards at Kushmanfield. I feel comfortable enough saying I'm seeking a motion to pro to postpone uh 6E to postpone consideration of proposals for scoreboard at Kushman Field. Do I have that motion? >> Until what time? >> Until the next meeting, uh, which would be on May 26th. >> It's been moved by Miss Flynn to postpone 6E, consideration of proposals for scoreboard of Kushmanfield until our next regular meeting of the school board. Is there a second? >> Second by Mr. Cleven.

223Any further discussion, clarification from board members? >> We'll take a roll call vote. >> Anderson, >> yes. >> Flynn, >> yes. >> Cleven, >> yes. Hodak, >> yes. >> Pomicino, >> no. >> Larson, >> yes. >> Lun, >> yes. >> Manley, >> yes. >> Burger, >> yes. >> HS1, no. Zero absent. >> Motion to postpone. 6E passes. Thank you very much, Mr. Beerm. >> Thank you. We're now on to 6F, consideration of memorandum of understanding the East Grand Forks Public Schools and Grand Forks Public Schools for participation in Career Impact Academy. Mr. Bombach, do you want to kick this off? [clears throat] >> Sure. Sure. I'll just be introducing our our u the talented Mr. Ripley. I think we'll go with that again. Um just for the uh career impact academy, I think he's going

224to have a lot to say. What I'd like you to know from my perspective is that this agreement has been read through by our attorney. And so this is coming um directly from her. >> I I caught the talented Miss Tripley this time. Last time I missed it. So thank you uh Mr. Bombach, President Burgerer, members of the board. Uh happy to be here tonight. And uh I also appreciate uh Chad Graassel from East Grand Forks Public Schools, the Wave Academy coordinator who's been here I think the the duration of the meeting. And so um but uh obviously showing his support and excitement for really a collaborative project that has um spanned multiple conversations and meetings between representatives of our school district including Dr. Brener, Brandon, myself uh and representatives from East Grand Forks Public

225Schools including their superintendent Kevin Grover uh Chad. uh just on the conversation of what it would look like for East Grand Fork students to enroll in the Kimpack Academy um next school year. And so what is before you tonight and happy to answer questions is that memorandum of understanding as it relates to uh enrollment uh fee structure um responsibilities um of both parties involved and um again it would be our administrative recommendation to move forward with that agreement. Uh and um we're excited about this partnership. >> Thank you. Any questions from board members for Mr. Ripley. Miss Flynn, >> I may have missed it in here, but do you have an idea of how many students we would be potentially seeing? >> What a great teup question for Mr. >> Gra use of his time.

226>> Chad, Chad, come on down. I feel like the price is right here. >> There there is a difference between initial student uh interest and I think what actually fits in their schedules with the certain courses. Uh but I'll let Chad uh reference uh maybe what that interest looks like and perhaps some of the areas. So Chad. >> Yep. So we agreed on five areas. So we we put a limit on 50 as of right now 50 students up to um we currently have 20 to 25 that are looking um mostly in the CNA program, the construction trades program and automotives and culinary. Um those are our main our kids are very excited um when we were able to tell our sophomores and juniors. We had some upset seniors, but um it's been it's been

227a great process um working with Eric and his crew and and uh the administration um to get this going and we're excited to um have that opportunity. So, thank you. >> Other questions from board members? Dr. one >> just a quick one and it may be in here but I don't speak legal ease like like Mr. Larson does. Um I don't know do you have do you have students from other school districts War in Alvareo or other that that enroll in classes in East Grand Fork school district and if so would they be eligible to be able to participate in this as well? >> So they'd have to be open enrolled in East Grand Forks to be our student and then they would we they would enroll through us. >> Yep. Okay. So, if they're

228taking just if they're taking they're they're enrolled in in their school district but taking one class from you that they would not be eligible to do this. >> Yep. And we we don't have those that we they have to open enroll fully not just one class. >> Okay. Thank you, sir. others. Miss Flynn, >> is there any considerations for example like the CNA program for certification or the instructor maybe teaching a certification process in North Dakota versus Minnesota if they're different or >> Sure. So, uh I actually had the conversation with our CNA instructor, which is uh incidentally our our teacher of the year for our school district. So, um a pretty good one to to put up uh for discussion purposes. But we will uh deliver the class and have the students test in

229the North Dakota standard. They'd be that would be our recommendation because the the class um is based around the North Dakota certified nurse aid training requirements. And then if students test and certify North Dakota, there's reciprocity within Minnesota uh for that. Now students can also opt to take the exam in Minnesota, but then they do run the risk of potential skills that um they may not have been specifically trained on in the class that they'd have to study for themselves. So that would be what her response was when I asked that question. >> I have a related question. It's really just out of curiosity. These will be the first students from across the river, so to speak. Correct. From from a Minnesota school. Was there anything in this process that did or didn't make the

230memorandum of understanding? Anything that was a stickier wicket because we have perhaps different state standard or graduation. They're coming back across the river using that credit. Yes, it's an elective, etc. But could you just walk us through whether any of that came to be? I'm not saying it's going to get in the way of of thisou, but anything that came up. >> No, I I appreciate the question, President Burgerer. I think ultimately it comes down to we know that there's student interest. We know that there's workforce demands that don't just magically stop at the at the river. Uh and so from our our regional employers, um they certainly appreciate that. uh because we're trying to keep talent within the region and the region is comprised of both eastern North Dakota, western Minnesota. So ultimately then

231it comes down to the adults in the room that help and want to make this work. And again I give credit to Superintendent Grover, our superintendent, Mr. Dr. Brener, u Mr. Bombach, our business manager, um you know, Chad, myself just again putting forth the collective efforts to say what does agreement like this look like? Um where is it a win-win? And again, it's staff and programs we already have with the opportunity to have open spots to then bring in um students that have that interest from East Grand Fork. So, we're excited about that collaboration. >> Thank you. Other questions, Dr. Hodc? >> I'm I'm assuming that this was done, but under section 8, academic credit um records and reporting, there is discussion about the award of credit. Um did you have the discussion if there's

232any differences between um grading policy such as a 90% is an A in Minnesota 96 is an A here and um the the other part would be how are you going to make sure that students and parents understand that it would be as I'm seeing all Grand Forks grading and reporting ing and such. >> I appreciate the question, Dr. Hodc. Uh, it's the same process that we have with all of our member schools on North Dakota site as well. We follow the Grand Forks Public Schools calendar. Um, we provide that, >> [clears throat] >> um, percentage that is earned and the grade that's earned back to the school and then they place it on the student's transcripts. And so um I think the just the is the understanding of the schools in terms of you

233know which schedule do you follow, which calendar do you follow, which attendance policy do you follow, which grades do you follow. Um I think that's that's part of a regional center concept. Uh otherwise, you can imagine with seven different school districts in there trying to do seven different grading policies. I just I don't I don't think that would work. So So we'll we'll follow the Gravericks public schools and report the grades back. >> Other questions from board members? Miss Flynn? This is just a comment, but um when I uh traveled with Mr. Ripley to some of the other CTE centers, um he was very forward thinking in um the thought that maybe we could work with East Grand Forks counterparts in providing opportunities for their students. And um you know, the school district could have

234chosen somewhere like land behind furniture row and the south end of town, which likely wouldn't have made something like this possible. And so sometimes we look back at our building projects and say, you know what, we probably would have done that differently. Um I think this is one that on all aspects of how we could grade it. The forwardthinking u mindset about who would be involved in really opening it to everyone about the region, the amount of uh collaboration with the city, the city donating the land. I think this is a pure example of doing things the right way, both living in the present and future thinking. So, I just want to give props to you that um very early on I heard you talk about a potential partnership and um the school district has

235supported that and the city and EDC has supported that as well and and the donors as well. So, kudos to you and everything that you guys have worked together to to collaborate on for future students. So, >> appreciate that. Thank you. >> Yeah, thank you. others. Dr. Brener, do you have something? >> I too want to thank Chad for being here tonight and sitting through a long meeting uh getting to the microphone. But you know, one of one of the other >> back memories, [laughter] >> one of the other uh topics that we talked about because we don't have welding uh is there may be an opportunity effective 2728 school year where our students could go uh to East Grand Forks and take welding because they offer it. uh more logistics to work out, but

236uh we have found that the the muddy Red River isn't so muddy when we're trying to cross uh cross state lines. So, thanks for that uh option as well. So, we'll work on that. >> Other final thoughts, questions. Anything else that we haven't covered that you wish to share either? Just give you an opportunity before we get into the business end of things. >> We're good. >> Okay. I would seek a motion to approve the memorandum of understanding between East Grand Forks Public Schools and Grand Forks Public Schools. Been moved by Mr. Cleven. Is there a second? >> Second. >> A second by Mr. Larson. Is there any further discussion? >> We'll take a roll call vote. >> Cleven? >> Yes. >> Larson? >> Yes. >> Pomacino? >> Yes. >> Lun? >> Yes. >> Manley?

237>> Yes. >> Flynn? >> Yes. >> Hodak? >> Yes. >> Anderson? >> Yes. >> Burger? >> Yes. >> Nine. Yes. Zero. No. Zero absent. >> Motion passes. Thank you both for being here. Move on to seven. These are the other items on our agenda. 7A, announcements. Are there any announcements? >> Yes, Mr. Anderson. >> I uh just wanted to um say that I got the opportunity to enjoy the uh um National Technical Honor Society induction ceremony last Wednesday evening at Grand Fork Central. And uh um along with that goes um the recognition of their very important teachers which is always a very uh um um enjoyable experience. I mean a lot of words you can use for it but um reminder this Wednesday is Red Rivers. Uh this Wednesday evening I believe it's 6 p.m.

238at Red River High School. So just wanted to make all aware. >> Thank you. Other announcements 7B board requests for future consideration. Any requests from board members? Dr. Lun, >> I don't ask very often. So, I actually have two tonight. So, uh, one is one is an update about roundabouts. I love roundabouts. I think they're really great, but but I've observed pedestrians trying to go across and around roundabouts, and it can be a challenge. And I just with with the with the proposal of having a roundabout in the front yard of one of our elementary schools, I just want to make sure that uh you know, I have full faith in in engineers and in engineers in the city, and I'm assuming they're doing it all right, but we haven't heard a lot about that.

239and and I don't know that we necessarily need a seat at the table, but I think we have a vested interest in the safety of our children. So, I so I just want to make sure that after it's all done and in, we don't think, oh jeez, this didn't work very good cuz I've watched people struggle pedestrian-wise to go across roundabouts and it's sometimes can be a challenge. So, I just that's one of them. And and the other I I I I think we should have a conversation about is um schoolboard processes. And what I'm thinking about is work life balance for our administrators. And and I I know I've talked to administrators about this before, but we have a lot of schoolboard meetings. They're at 5:00 or later. Uh and and and I've often

240wondered, do we need all these administrators at all these various committees and things like that? I just think we need to have some ongoing conversations as a board and as an administration about is there some way we can streamline some of these processes so that it's a work life balance uh for us but more importantly for our administrators. So those are my two. >> Thank you. Other board requests for future consideration. Miss Flynn. >> Um, we heard a wonderful presentation from a school today and um I was surprised to hear that they don't have a busing route. I didn't know that Wilder didn't. Um I think even five students who miss school because they don't have access to getting to school is more than enough students. And so I would like to see uh or

241hear a presentation on the work that we do with Valley Busing in terms of creating routes for all students. I certainly know there's going to be some workarounds with having to price uh routes as well. Um but I know there's some survey that goes into it and things like that too. But I would love for us to see what it would look like to at least offer a route for every school A.M. NPM and what what how do we get there? So, >> thank you. Other board requests for future consideration. >> 7C school board meeting norms. Mr. Manley, how did we do >> to answer that question? I had my manly AI >> listening to the meeting and uh being the power hungry beast that it is completely um depleted the batteries on my data

242center here. So I'm looking at a black screen now. So I will say we did just fine. If if I could ever back up to 7B and have the board request for future consideration be to hear that report at our next meeting. uh if that would at all be possible. But uh with that, we're adjourned.