01/13/2026 Educational Services Committee Meeting

001yet since this meeting started. I don't see anybody here wishing to speak publicly. So, uh let's go right to our agenda. >> Um if we don't mind, what I would propose is that we jump to agenda item C, the co-plan to co-serve update. We've got a huge crew here that I know everyone will be very excited to see back in the schools when we're done. So, if there's no objection, if we could move that first and then we'll um hit on our other agenda items after that. Is that okay? >> Very good. >> Okay. All right. S unfortunately is needing to join us virtually today. Um so, I will turn it over to Sarah. >> Yep. Good morning, friends. I do apologize for my absence. I am quite ill. Um Jenny has a presentation that

002she is going to be putting up for everyone. While she's doing that, I would love for everyone in the room to introduce themselves so that we know what teachers we have and what program managers we have speaking today. >> All right, Candace, we'll start with you. >> All right. Um, I'm Candace Pesler. I work at SH. I have worked at SH for I think this is my 20th year where I have been co-planning to co-serve with teachers at SH. My name is Lydia Soel. I have a solid trimester um under my belt here in the WUSD, but I've got about 15 years of um co-eing and co-planning experience at other districts and um at high school. I'm Colleen Good. I'm a learning strategist at Watertown High School and um this is my 22nd year as

003um a special education teacher and I have been co-planning with teachers for the um entirety of that time. >> I'm Becca Foss. I am the special ed program manager for the district. Um I have the privilege and honor to support and serve all of these wonderful people um in all of the buildings. Um, and I am honored to support this work and have been doing it for about 14 years. Um, and yeah, very excited to be here. Thanks for having us. >> I'm Katie Keatman. I am a learning strategist at the middle school. I teach 8th grade and I co-e. >> I'm Sarah Walker Bird. So, some of you know me as Walker. Um, this is my 18th year at the district. Um, I started in self-contained EBD classroom and now I co-plan and co-serve

004with the eighth grade um, math department. >> Thank you for having us. >> Mike Cunningham, co-principal Riverside, 13th year, I guess, in the building, fourth different role. >> Leanne Gra, co-principal at Riverside. This is my eighth year in the building, first year in the role of administrator. >> And then I'll jump over to Casey Casey R, principal at churches. Uh this is my fifth year in the district, second year as principal, but I think it's my 15th year in education, which is very old. >> Time flies when you're having fun. >> Yeah. Okay. >> And then we'll jump over to Jason. These are the folks that are here specifically for >> Jason Whitaker, high school principal. Like Lydia, finishing my finished my first trimester at the high school, but eight years in the district as

005principal. Thank you all very much for that lovely introduction as we move on to the next page of our presentation. Just a little overview of what we're going to be talking a little about a little bit about today. Um cult plan to co-serve is not new to the Watertown Unified School District. You've been doing this for many many many years under the term co-eing. the shift to the terminology of co-plan to co-serve is one of emphasis on the planning piece and the serving piece um because as a partnership our teachers serve together and they plan together um and those are the two major components. A reminder that all students are general education students first. They receive all supplementary aids, services, supports, specially designed instruction, multilingual instruction, advanced learning assistance on top of what they receive

006in a general education classroom. Our mindset is students can and students will. We have to remember that as we are learning engineers and we walk through education with our students, our belief in them is at the forefront of their belief in themselves. The planning time and the partners in engineering our um lessons for all. Again, that partnership. We're going to talk about the pillars and how we plan our lessons. And we're going to talk a little bit about access to resources because our staff has received many, many resources and they not only receive them from the district, but they utilize each other in the most wonderful way because this is a collaborative effort. Jenny, if you could move on. Thank you. Some of the defining characteristics of co-plan to co-serve or co-eing as we've noted

007in the past is two or more professionally licensed teachers in the room at the same time jointly delivered instruction to a diverse group of students and shared classroom space. So again it goes through the planning piece but also the delivery model and the one thing that we have to remind ourselves as we reflect is the question of what do we believe about all children? What do we believe that all children can accomplish if we as the learning engineers have the right tools to do so? A reminder that least restrictive environment is a piece within special education and it's the requirement in the federal law that students with disabilities receive their education to the maximum extent appropriate with their non-disabled peers. Okay. All right, Jenny, moving on. I love this graphic and it takes us back

008decades. On the left hand side, you'll notice a circle with green dots in the middle and different colored dots on the outside. That is when students with disabilities or students that just learned differently than everyone else were completely excluded from education. >> The United States morphed into um having students with disabilities or students that just learn differently. um they went to different schools, they went to specialized schools, and that is still very much exclusionary, but you would see public education with the quote unquote um normal students. And I just hate using that word because normal is not real. Um but everybody else wasn't allowed to go. And then you're going to see that in the 1980s, much like when I attended Shur in the 1980s, students were allowed to come onto a public school campus,

009but they were housed in a separate area of a school and they were not in with everybody else. They didn't have the same opportunities. They didn't have the same opportunities to learn socially or to um have others learn from them. and they were just housed in a building. Now you get to the piece where you're going to see you still have green dots, but then you have some other color dots mixed in. And that is where typically school districts are at. They're at this inclusionary piece of students being in classrooms with everyone else. General education students first receiving their services and supports. where you want to get to is on the far right where every student is represented. There is no normal. Every student needs something. And as long as we do this through the

010universal design for learning lens, we would understand that our students need um extra support in advanced learning, extra support in multilingual learning, extra support for their 504s, extra support for their IEPs, etc. and we would create a system where all of our students are able to get what they need in those general education classrooms with all of the services and supports put in place by the multitude of staff members that work for them. So that's a little bit about inclusion. It's not simply about proximity just being in the classroom. It's about that intentional planning for the success of all students, meeting the needs of all students every day. making sure that their college career life and military ready. As we move on into our presentation, Jenny, you can go to the next one. I want

011to just talk about the pillars. So, in bowling, you have the split and you have one on one side and one on the other and all the rest of the pins have been in the middle. with education. When you go to college, they teach you how to teach to the norm. All of our resources typically go to the norm. And then there's some extension opportunities and there's some opportunities for further differentiation and support that's written in as additions, but they don't teach you this necessarily in college as an educator. What we talk about is when we plan lessons, we must plan our lessons for those that need the most support and those that need the most extension. Because when you do that, you are hitting everyone else in the middle. And I know that Candace

012is going to go through some of that a little bit when she talks about how she does stuff with her most significantly disabled children. But the one thing teachers consistently ask is if I have 26 students, I have five language plans, five IEPs, three 504s, four and advanced learners, how am I going to plan for this? It's through that universal design for learning lens. You have the resources that it that hit everybody. Typically, you've got to plan for the pillars. Who needs the most support? Who needs the most help? um and who needs the most advanced learning opportunities, those extension pieces, and you'll hit everybody else. Okay, we're going to move on and we hit into the elementary and I believe that this one might be Casey. Um so, um we're just going to speak

013a little bit about SH and how we leverage, um co-plan to co-serve. Um, I'm just gonna throw a caveat out there that SH um is going to look a little bit different because of our dual language program. So, we're utilizing uh co-plan to co- serve to both um to meet the needs of all learners, but to both um incorporate our special education staff, but also our dual language staff um so that we're uh meeting the needs of all of our learners um because we have that additional piece of the dual language program at Surers. So this is our purpose um behind co-plan and co-serve. This message was shared with staff at the beginning of the year. I'll back up and give a little bit more context to um we have been utilizing co-plan and co-serve

014um in pockets at shers. Um this is the first year that we have implemented it schoolwide. So it was happening at the higher level grades, fourth and fifth grade um for a significant amount of time. Um but this year we were really intentional about building a master schedule, planning for and um building teachers capacity in co-plan and co-serve um to meet better meet the needs of our dual language program and also meet the needs of our new curriculum. So our purpose when we come together to co-plan it's so teachers can work together to make learning consistent in both languages. So, in both English and Spanish. Um, but then to better support every student's needs, whether we're talking about advanced learners or students with disabilities, that wide range that Sarah was talking about, that's our purpose.

015>> Um, and so again, just went into a little bit about the background. Um, so we built co-planning into our master schedule this school year. Um, and I'm assuming other schools have done similar. So, it is a requirement um in our building that once a week every grade level um is assigned a special education teacher to co-plan with. So, it would be the regular ed English speaking teacher, the regular ed Spanish speaking teacher, the special education teacher. Um and sometimes our multilingual um learning specialists or ML teacher joins um she really focuses on early intervention, so she's mostly meeting with our younger grades. Um, and then myself and our instructional coach, uh, we prioritize those times as well to be a support, um, during that time. Um, and I just threw in some, um, resources,

016some PD that I utilized, um, at the beginning of the school year and throughout just to build capacity of our teachers to understand what that time really should look like. Um, and we won't dig into them. I mean, you have them. But the first one is just kind of like a like a what it should feel, sound, and look like. So, this is what it should look like. This is what it should not look like. Um, again, just to give teachers some parameters and some ideas of what um that co-planning session uh should feel, sound, and look like. Um, there's some topics for discussion. that will, you know, if you want to look through what types of things teachers are conversing about during that time, there's a whole list um that was provided to teachers

017as guidance. Um, and then we I do require um some documentation with our teachers um to um just kind of help assist me and supporting them as well as making sure that the entire team has the same information um to access at any point in time when they're looking at uh their planning and what they're doing for their week. So that is that's the the document that we use every week um to kind of walk through the different elements of co-planning. Um, this is uh just a a suggested time flow. Um, so when you're thinking about uh we really only have about 45 minutes to co-plan and co-serve. Um, and so our teachers are doing a lot of preparation ahead of time to show up to that meeting to maximize those 45 minutes. And so

018this is just a generalized flow of the topics and the things that teachers should be looking in. So, you know, a quick check-in, talking about the the learning goals for the week, what do the modules look like, what are um what are the materials that we're going to be going over, then moving into key concepts. We really hit vocabulary hard and this idea of bridging, bridging between the English and Spanish language. So, again, that we're providing consistency in both languages. Um then we're looking at um the instruction specifically and how we're going to align both languages but but also differentiate for all learners. Then um there's 10 minutes allotted to talk about special education supports and what we need to do to meet those learners and then just kind of like a final check um

019and like task division at the end. So that is the what a co-planning session looks like. The times vary obviously depending on the topic, but that's like a general idea. >> Anybody? >> I just have one. You said multilanguage. Uh could you uh share how many languages we have at Shur? >> Yeah. Um so Shers is a dual language school. So um the majority of our students spend half their day learning in English and half their day learning in Spanish. Um and so those are the two primary languages spoken at SH. Um, but we do have um it's I think it's pretty split right now. 50% of our families um are Hispanic um and have some type of um Spanish speaking background whether they're you know native Spanish speakers or have family members who are

020Spanish speakers. Um so it's it's primarily Spanish that >> I wasn't sure if you had Mong or Le Ocean. >> No. Um, just because of the dual language program and the fact that we're doing instruction in Spanish, it just kind of lends itself naturally to Spanish learners. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Casey, do you speak Spanish? >> Um, I am on day 200 and that's cooling. >> Like I tried my, you know, I went through high school, I was in Spanish honor society and then I didn't stick with it and um, it's like a big regret in my life. So I try very hard. Um, the kids are so like they give me so much grace when I'm doing the pledge and I'm like butchering everything and um they're they're so kind to me

021as I try, but I am not bilingual by any means. I um >> Well, I took embarrassment. So, >> okay. Uh, any other questions? All right. Where we moving now? >> Uh, me. Um, so I have been working at CHRES with fourth and fifth grade primarily. Um, this year I get to co-plan with second grade and do some work in second grade as well. Um, but we include everybody in those upper grades. Um, if you're aware, SH also has housed some of the most significant um, disabilities. And so we also have been working very hard to include them in the general education population as well. Um I believe very strongly that the best education happens in that general ed room. Um general education teachers go through college and learn one thing. Special education go through

022and learn a different thing. So putting us together is the best. Um separately I can't teach what she can teach. And the same like she doesn't know what I know. So if you put us all together, that's where the best happens. The magic happens in there. Um when we can work and plan together. So we, like I said, uh Mrs. Wise is our fifth grade teacher and she's been at SH for 19 years. So the two of us have been together for a long time. Um and we've really seen a lot of kids come through and seen a lot of change happen and see those kids grow and just really flourish. Um, and I really am not not a data person and I should be because some of the data coming out of what we've

023done is has been really good and I should have been keeping track of all these years, but I haven't. Um, so um maybe Chris can help me catch some of that up, but I do have a slide at the end where I put some data in there because I talked to Chris. Um, so I don't if you want to keep going. >> I'm not sure when to click. I'm sorry. You feel free to tell me to click. >> It's all right. It just it really takes the right supports to make it work. If you have the right supports and you work together, you can figure out anything. I mean, last year we took um some significant students that had never been in general education and we put them in there and we weren't sure what

024they needed. We weren't sure how it was going to work. We weren't sure if it was going to work, but working together as a team, we figured it out. And I would say by like end of October, if you came in, you would just see the color dots. You wouldn't know who was who because we figured it out. We put in the right supports. We got it to where they could all fit in and learn. Um, so this is an example of one of the things that we're doing this year with the new reading curriculum or ELA curriculum. Um, so this year I have in our fifth grade classroom a nonverbal autistic intellectually disabled student. And so we are making storyboards and they're amazing. And so now we've instituted them building wide and we're making

025them throughout the building, but they go along with all of the stories that our teachers are reading. Um, and they allow anyone to be able to participate in the discussions of the story. If you're a Spanish speaker, if you're non-verbal, if you're just not sure what the words are, these story boards are helping to support the stories that the kids are being exposed to and the teachers are reading with them. And that's a brand new curriculum. So, we just started doing that with this year. >> I skipped the slide with the data. >> Don't do that. So the student growth percentiles from last year's forward I just threw in there if you look at SH this is our fifth grade class from last year our students with disabilities and our students without disabilities had amazing

026growth. So, if you compare it, we have district Douglas and Webster up there with us and our numbers are at the top. And we've been co-planning together, like I said, Tanya and I for 19 years. So, we kind of have a little bit of magic in the room. It's a lot of fun. You should come and watch us. We're open to anyone coming in anytime. So, yeah. Um, we'd love to see it happening like that all over. That would be >> the best for all kids all the time. >> Yeah. >> Question. Yeah. >> Were those numbers percentages or what? >> Yes. >> Yeah. The student growth percentile, the average student growth percentile for math from their third to fourth grade forward test or fourth to fifth grade forward test. Yeah. >> All right. Good.

027So we looked at the at cabinet and at our data team at like the growth scores for the different populations, our multilingual learners, our students with disability by grade level and that to identify like areas of focus. And one of the things we were saying is students with disabilities need a little bit extra focus, but then we saw that there were specific buildings that had really good growth and that we could learn from each other. >> That's taken off of the forward test you say. >> Yeah, the state gives us those numbers based off the forward. They also at the high school level do it off the ACT and the preacct as well. >> Okay, good to know. >> And if you know last year we implemented a new math curriculum. So it was brand

028new for everybody. So those that's a new thing too. >> Are you using wood and wisdom or >> Not at elementary. Are you using bridge at >> bridges and math? Yes. >> Okay. >> Anybody else? So, are we retiring the term special ed or have >> No, no, no, no. >> Okay. >> Special education still exists. This is a um this is a way of meeting the needs of all of our learners in a general education classroom. Um that allows for the empowerment of teachers and the growth of our students. And what I will say is going back to the data piece, students with disabilities may not always achieve at high levels. They they can, but that growth score is the most important thing for us to move with any students who have challenges. Um,

029and so I'm I'm unbelievably proud of all of our teams and what they're accomplishing with our with our student students. So, we're going to transition into Riverside a little bit here. >> Sarah Craig has a question. >> Yeah. Um, so at the elementary level, I just want to under can you please explain to me a little bit more about the act 20 level of interventions for um special ed students then at that level um because I'm not I'm not quite gathering that information from representation quite yet. Um, >> oh, I was going to say I don't know who wants to dive then, but if you go ahead Jason clarify what I failed at correctly, but um right now so if a student um is identified um as meeting a reading plan for act 20 and

030also qualifies as a student who um is in special education. Uh generally uh we kind of mirror those plans. So their reading plan will actually mirror what is stated in the IEP. Um and so what is happening is um those students are receiving um additional intervention in their area of reading but also it's part of their IEP as well. So it's almost like we're tank teaming that um to work on meeting those goals. And so, um, where our regular education students are working with, um, other regular ed teaching staff on their interventions, our special education students are receiving their interventions per act 20 from the special education teachers. Um, just to try and kind of um, spread that load, but also knowing that our special ed teachers are the most qualified at uh, teaching our

031students with disabilities. So, is there a a scenario where um a because part of back 20 is if they're not meeting benchmark at like a third grade level, right? They're um they're potentially held back. Um is there a scenario where that h can happen? >> Yes. Um you know, I I I don't know how this is going to play out, though. I mean, we have um and maybe Jenny and Sarah are far more articulate than I am, but um we have students who have significant learning needs and there's significant discrepancies. Um and it's truly related to their disability. Um and it's um it's not that they're not making growth. Um but it it's not comparable to the level of their peers. And so, um I I don't know what that's going to look like right

032now at that third grade level. Um I mean we have students who um like we have um the rise program measures with our most significant learners um and the reality is that those students are not going to meet those benchmarks but it is due to their disability. So the way I'm sorry but good that's a really good question and it's something that we'll be navigating into this spring because the way we adopted our policy is the first group of third graders we consider that for our this group of third graders and the way the uh policy and the law is written is essentially like it's a team of educators making a decision in the best interest of the student. Okay. And so for students who might have some severe disabilities the team would come together.

033I presume it would be an IEP team as well to just say is it in the best interest of the student to retain the student in third grade or is it in the best interest of the student to promote the student with additional inter intervention into fourth grade. Um and so that's um the consideration the process that we'll be using this this spring. I almost said this fall this spring. >> But it's a good question because those things do definitely play. >> Right. >> Yeah. The other piece, Craig, is that our students who have special education services and supports have a right to education through the age 21. And if we use up all of those years before the age of 21, um, they are not exposed to the transition programming and the job coaching

034that we do in our 18 to 21 year old program as much as other people. And so we're not setting them up for success to be successful members of society if we are using all of those early on. >> I I realize that every special ed um IEP is different. I get that. Um but I I also realize that a child can't read throughout the duration of their educational experience. it's a real it's a real struggle to get them to learn anything. Um, so I think it's very essential in those formative years to to get a firm foundation, a grasp on reading. So I I was just particularly curious on on what the plan is there um and the level of intervention. That sounds like It sounds like uh that's what's happening to a degree,

035but I I'm still unclear of that. I I I just want to know that that that we're being supportive of of our staff in the buildings when it comes to uh the level of uh supports, the level of need, the level of staff to make those types of things happen for those kids. Wow. That's that's extremely important to me. >> Well, and I can speak about other build other elementary buildings because I'm in all buildings and um and even sharers too. We work together with our reading specialists for all of our students as well. So, we have some students that also receive reading support from our um from our reading from our reading specialist if they have not qualified in reading in reading specifically. Um so they're getting support from so many different avenues and

036reading and um reading specialists obviously that's like their main goal right is like specific to reading. Um so our teams have been working really well together as like an entire team to look at all of our learners regardless of IEP 504 or whatever. um they are looking at all of our students and working as a team of like okay who is the best person to deliver this needed instruction for this kid. Um and we have seen tremendous growth even from our students with significant disabilities um and navigating like even if we have a student who is nonverbal for for well how do how do we give them a voice? How do we teach them? you have to be creative and and our teachers do a fantastic job um figuring out like because other districts have

037found ways like to teach students with most significant disabilities to improve reading reading and so like we are really gathering resources and working together like it has been really really cool to see. So I I hear you. I just want you to know that like we are all working very diligently together. So, so, um, this has always been like an age-old debate in education. It seems like whether or not you, um, you streamline kids or you have special breakout sessions by which you have in individual um, interventions. And, um, I I realize that there's a delicate balance and that's why I appreciate the conversation today. And >> Sarah, can I ask you a question or clarification? Um, you mentioned to me one time to us, I think when you were talking to us, that there

038are severe uh, special ed students that are sent to another program not in the district. Is that correct? >> Uh, David, we have a handful of students that due to significant safety concerns, um, they do not attend school in the Watertown Unified School District, they have been alternatively placed. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yes. want to make that clear. >> Yeah. Um I have a question for Casey and Candace. Candace, I think you mentioned the right support makes it work. Well, what support do you need from us that you're not getting >> that we're not getting? >> Well, if you're not getting it, you know, >> I mean, right now, I think we're doing really good. Things are are moving really well. We're doing well. Um, every student is different and you just things change.

039You have to be fluid and ready to move with whatever comes your way. Education kind of, especially in special ed, just has to be ready to switch dayto day. Sometimes students change and >> also sometimes new people move into the district. Tomorrow I might have a new student show up that I need new supports for. >> So, to follow up on that. Um, in February we're going to be speaking about uh getting volunteers and I think I mentioned to you Casey a while ago but I don't think I mentioned everybody else that we're going to encourage the principles to come with job descriptions that you know we can show to volunteers. You could help with this. Would volunteers work well in uh the this program? like in the classroom helping out. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

040Come in support, you know, like a grandma comes to read and so forth, that type thing. >> I mean, more hands are always welcome. >> Okay. >> We often um suffer from co- teacher cop like in our student services meeting. Um we're often talking about how we need strong mentors for our young students, especially males. Um, and so I think any opportunity to connect a kid with a positive adult is well worth everyone's time. >> Good. That's good to hear. Write that down. >> It's true. >> Okay. >> Slide is the middle school. >> That's us. >> All right. All right. So, our school looks a little different than elementary school. Um, we have blocked schedules all day. Um, so Sarah and I have an SDI, specially designed instruction period in the morning and then

041we both are in co-t talk classrooms throughout the day. Um, we kind of hop around. We both co-plan the co-erve with two different teachers. So I co-plan the co-er with the English language arts teachers and then she's with both of the math teachers. Um, in each classroom we have 9 to 15 students with disabilities. um they are sitting alongside their peers learning everything that their peers are learning. If you were to look in the classroom, we hope that you can't tell who's a student with disabilities. We hope everybody is just an eighth grader. Um student goals range from basic reading skills in an IEP, um reading comprehension, solving multi-step equations, classroom and social skills, executive functioning, all sorts of goals. Um, student disabilities range from intellectual disabilities, autism, specific learning disabilities, other health impairments, and

042emotional behavioral disabilities. >> Sure. We do have quite a large number this year. Our case load in eighth grade is is quite high. So, that's why you're seeing that number of 9 to 15. I think that's the highest I've ever had being at this district. Uh, we do have three paras at our grade level. So, that helps a lot. Um sometimes when paras switch positions or we lose a parah it takes a long time to find another one that's a good fit. So that's something that we're working on as a district with um Sarah and and Becca to help us get some good paras in the classroom that we can keep and retain um because we do a lot of training with them for behaviors and and all kinds of different um needs that we

043see within the classroom. Um the co-planning Oh, >> am I too soon? Okay, sorry. >> Not excited. It's very exciting. Um the co-planning that we do consists of building linear lessons um for our students. So, let's say they're learning slope, finding a lesson for a student with a significant intellectual disability um at their level that matches with that math lesson. um assignments, prologue lessons, which is pre-teaching, vocabulary building, retaching, modifications, and scaffolds. It also consists of assessment planning, um scheduling, providing modifications for those who have specific modifications in their IEPs, so we're compliant. Um co-planning happens continuously through shared documents, pacing calendars, weekly scheduled prep time. We are constantly talking. We're constantly together. Um, we both work with fantastic teachers. Um, I will say our ELA teachers at Riverside are phenomenal. They're very organized. I

044think you could say the same for math. >> I could say the same for math. Yeah. The two gentlemen that I work with are very strong in math. They're also very accepting of my needs and the needs of the students that I'm incorporating into their classes. Um, and I feel like we work really well as a team. Um, especially on assessment days. Um, a lot of our students have separate settings that they go to, a smaller setting for their assessments that um, I planned a lot of support from my team for that. So, areas I can go to, what the test is going to look like, how much time they have, extended time they have, and everyone is working on the same same page. So, I appreciate that. >> And then co-serveying what that looks

045like with us. We are delivering specially designed instruction within the classroom as well. um we meet their minutes within our specially designed instruction hour in the morning, but we also have students who aren't in there and we deliver their minutes within the classroom. Um so we support goal progress within the classroom. We provide accommodations. Um we support behavior needs and we carry out the curriculum standards for all learners to access. >> I find that I support a lot of and and deliver a lot of SDI and social emotional behaviors in the classroom because that's the environment they're happening in. I mean, when they're with me and three other students, that usually isn't when I'm seeing those behaviors and those social skills deficits. So, that's where we're delivering a lot of that in the actual, you

046know, right in the field. So, >> ready? >> Yes. >> All right. >> Um, I just wanted to share a typical prologue lesson, which is a pre-teaching lesson. Um, we typically do these before we start a new novel. Um, this type of lesson. So, prior to beginning All Quiet on the Western Front, um, in the Whiten Wisdom curriculum, we invited multilingual students into our SDI period. The lesson took place prior to starting the book. So, it was, I think I want to say, two or three days prior. Um, I collaborated with ELA teachers to determine the most important vocabulary. I thought that was pretty important. Um, background information. You'd be surprised how many kids don't know a thing about World War I. I don't think I knew much about it in middle school. Um, connections

047needed for a higher understanding of the novel. Students received who, what, when, where, and why of the war as well as vocabulary and background knowledge with multiple checks for understanding throughout the lesson. Um, once they were in the ELA classroom, that's when we see the magic happening from a prologue lesson. Students were raising their hands. Um, they were confident, they comprehended what we were talking about, they were very engaged, and they had a reduced cognitive load on the day of the first lesson. >> Have any questions? >> I'll hold my questions. >> Okay. >> Um, so for math, we are using a new math curriculum. We received that three years ago, illustrative math and I have to say I love them both. Um, at first it was a lot different than what we were previously

048using um, for illustrative math. Um, I feel like just vocabulary was different. The way I learned things were different. Like for instance, slope intercept was a little bit different. So, I'm teaching it differently than I was taught it. So, that took a little getting used to. Um, is great. It's a digital platform. I did teach it in summer school as well. Um, I feel like it hits everybody at everyone's level. So every student I can push goal math goal items out to them digitally and they can work on them anytime they want with me in STI specially design instruction or they can work on them at home. They can work on during the summer. They can work on them in their study hall when they have nothing to do. Um and I it's huge. The

049data that Chris provides us is huge. Like I've seen a year's growth from September already. So we're wanting them to go up 10 points a month and I've seen students jump 40 points in one month. Um so it's huge. it's working. Um, and that's what we want to see. Um, I I like that program a lot because it can throw out um different skill levels without it looking like, hey, this is a second grade level and you're in eighth grade. So, it is a grade and age appropriate and I I'm very fond of it. So, I'm glad that we went to EXL. Um, preassessments and practice tests are completed prior to classroom assessment dates. So, what I do, similar to what Katie does for math, I will get the pre-assessments, I'll get the practice tests,

050and we will work on that in specially design instruction, which is our first hour that we share. Um, and so they will see the topics that are going to be on the test prior to that happening. And I feel like it just helps their confidence. Sometimes we have a lot of students that don't aren't aren't great test takers, but if they see what's going to be on it and they have a a guide to help them with it, I feel it's it's huge for their test taking levels. Sarah is Mrs. Wer still one of the teachers working with Y. >> I had the privilege of I was subbing in special ed and I watched her unbelievable job. >> She's very good. >> It was like the kids were wrestling special ed. You mean you were

051co-eing in special ed on that day. That's kind of what >> you were co-erving. You were co-serving in in that math requirements on that day. Don't sell yourself short. That's what we're having. >> Damn. openings now. >> I might be a little late on Tuesday. >> So, so my question is similar. Um, are the level of supports adequate for what you need to be able to be successful in this program? >> I think the supports are adequate. I think we would benefit from smaller class sizes. Um, it's it's crowded. Yeah. >> Um, it's very very difficult at times. Um, I have I have 30 I have 30 in my third hour and 30 in my 31 in my fourth hour. That includes 11 students with special needs. Uh, three students that are non-English speakers um

052and two students with a 504 plan. And that's it's just it's me and that's regular teachers. So, it it is a little bit light on support. Um, like I said, this is a high number of needs that we have. We did incorporate a different program into 8th grade this year. So, we did see a couple more students with significant needs join us. Um, and they're doing great. They're thriving. Um, but I feel like that could have come with a little bit more support. >> Um, I I really appreciate um some honesty on on the challenges because if we don't know what the challenges are, we can't help you. >> Um, and that's important. you know, >> thank you for asking those questions because I feel like it's been a long time I've been in this

053district that and not all not everybody has asked that. So, appreciate that. >> Yeah. And I I just want to speak sorry to the middle school and just really tout and preach about how wonderful um the middle school is just rallying um with, you know, with the these supports and having students with very significant needs in their classroom and they're like, "What can we do?" Like it's all it's what we just want to be better. We want to do this. We're we're in, you know, and these two ladies who have come to my office and they're like and I'm like, I got you. Like I'm here. Like I got you. It's okay. And then they're like, okay, Becky, you you were right. >> Yep. You were right. Yep. I thought you were nuts um in

054September, but you were right. They're growing and thriving. Good job, Becca. >> And that's important. That's important to comm communicate that to the rest of the staff and too that yes, it's a struggle perhaps. We're faced with um some challenges in this particular area um but it is showing significant growth some of these students >> and um you know but uh but also allow us as a school board to try to help partner with you to make those things happen. Um, and if there is like a a programmatic change that's that significant, um, my hope is that that the staff is h has some buy in a little bit. Um, that we're trying a little we're trying something new and and this is the reason why. Um, and I'm not sure I feel like there

055was a disconnect there somewhere and I'm I'm not sure what it what it is. So, um, understand her knowledge of that situation. Thank you. I'm I have a question for clarification. When you say trying something new, what are you talking about? >> U because because I feel like between previous years and uh this last this this current school year um there was levels of support in the classroom that has changed. And um when we when we then change the terminology uh that that brings along a stigma well all of a sudden uh co-plan does co-serve is a negative thing if if it's not um well uh if you don't have the buyin of the staff and um I guess I I'm I'm I'm glad I get a chance to learn about this u in better

056det detail. Um, but I also want to be supportive of the communication with with the classroom level teachers on the importance of this and and how it's working. What levels of you mentioned levels of support? What levels of support have have been adjusted? For instance, we do have some children that I'm aware of that um are are all of a sudden uh streamlined in uh sixth, seventh, and eighth grade that don't have um a lick of ability to read in their class. And previous years that wasn't the case. They weren't streamlined in that classroom. And quite frankly, I'm not sure how that really helps them because I'm I'm aware that some of these ELA classes are high school level rigor that they're receiving in the class and yet they can't really read at all. So,

057what what ends up happening it seems like is that they they become a behavioral issue or they get extremely frustrated and um I I just don't know how that really helps them. Um, so I know I know that that is happening and I'm really concerned about that. Uh, what are we what kind of interventions are we putting in place to better serve those particular children? >> That's a great question and I'm going to put that on um the teachers because they're the ones who are doing the service of all of our students who um who may fall into this category for you. >> Okay. Can I just >> I just want to I just want to get a very good understanding of what you're saying, Sarah. So that so if a child is not at

058a uh third grade literacy level and they come into seventh grade or sixth grade with without an knowledge of reading, you're expecting that that classroom level teacher is going to bring them up to that particular grade level. >> No. So some >> Okay. No. So some of the stu like so there are some students that may never get there but but it is our job. That's the reason that they have individualized education plans is because we have accommodations and modifications and specially designed instruction in order to give them the skills um so that they can grow no m like so that they can grow in their skills as they get older like and I know high school is going to go to go into this next but as they get older like there are different

059there are different accommodations and and modific ifications that we can give them where if they're reading at like a second grade grade grade level, they can still access that material because research is very clear and re and research shows that the most growth happens when students are learning alongside their their regular ed peers. >> Um and also and we have Yep. and and as part of our STI, as part of our specially designed instruction, we do specific reading intervention to those specific skill gaps to help them grow. Like that's the point of it. Um because in life, like they are going to have to access things in in in a job um in college. Some of them can go to college, but they're going to have to learn how to access some of some of

060that information that is that will most likely be way above their their um their level. So, our job is how do we give them access in order to make progress in those skills? >> So, where where I feel like I'm I'm a little frustrated and I'm hearing a disconnect to that. Okay, we we happen to have um less resources. we have more we have more student uh students with uh these types of needs in in these classrooms because we have larger class sizes and then now we're putting it on the teacher to to to um somehow lift these particular individual students up somehow. I'm not helping intervention as well though. >> But do we do we >> not special ed >> like reading intervention and math intervention >> and some some will get both our

061higher needs get both. So they don't have an elective they have a reading intervention and they have specially designed instruction. >> Yep. So, and that's something that is we've been working on a lot this year um is really looking at our we have data meetings and really looking at our data and looking at okay who are the students that need this specific intervention regardless of IEP regard like we're looking at all students. >> Yeah. Yeah. But please understand this is not just teachers that we're hearing this from. We're hearing this from parents that they're frustrated with that level of uh of interventions that their ch child is no longer receiving. That's what that's the feedback that we're that we're receiving. And I I'm I'm still trying to understand I Yes. I I guess I'm you

062can hear the frustration. Um but I still want to learn more about that. Uh because I want I I I I don't want it to seem like a contentious thing. I want it to be like, hey, how can we get there? How can we fix this? you know, >> so we have also talked a lot about um we have implemented some modified grading um for some of our students >> um who have like significant needs like we're really looking at how are our grading practices meeting the needs of our most students. Um so we just we have been talking about that a lot. Um and parents seem to be like okay you know like I have I from my experience being in many IEP meetings um with these two ladies and also the other teens

063um I have actually heard very positive things from parents in my experience. Um, I have heard parents say like, "Thank you." Like this. I've seen growth. Like I've seen them meet their goals. Like kind of like at at first I was I was nervous rightfully so, which I completely understand. Like it's new. It's it's it's different and it makes people nervous and I get that. Um, but I when you when we explain it more and when we talk about the IP process and give them those appropriate supports for what they need, including including that modified grading piece where we're looking at, okay, what is their specific target and how do we how do we assess them on the road? Then parents seem like, okay, this makes sense and I'm glad that you're meeting the needs

064of my student and also assessing them appropriately to where they are and it and it's been helping. Um, so like I have received very positive feedback from parents and from staff about how this is going. >> So, so um it's like with anything, right? uh when you get a new curriculum, right? >> Um and you introduce that curriculum at first grade. >> Mhm. >> Um you can do a roll up so that it makes sense. Um so that you're not just all of a sudden having your your fourth grade class that's completely um disconnected from the next year's fifth grade class, right? So So you do this roll up. It feels like there wasn't a roll up in this particular process and all of a sudden the same supports for those kids that lacked the

065the skill set to read they immediately got streamlined and the the uh support level of supports were ripped out from underneath them. Now, I understand that that might seem like an unfair characterization based on what you're saying, but that's not the perception that the parents have on this particular circumstance. So, >> well, can you >> No, whoever. >> Sorry. >> No, a reminder that all of our families are in the IEP meetings making these decisions with those teams. When we talk about a rollup, um, Candace and Casey can talk about that roll up that we've been doing since elementary school. This has not been a cut the cord and move on. This was a very strategic move through attrition of um, students growing growing up. One of the pieces that we can talk about a

066little bit is standards versus um elements. And so Becca can talk a little bit more about this, but just a reminder that all of our families are partners in every decision that is done for every IEP meeting, for every placement, for all of the services and supports and specially designed instruction. This isn't a staff saying this is what your child is going to receive. It's a partnership and decision- making and those families have made those decisions with those teams. I'm sorry, Becca, you can continue. >> I was just going to say as far as roll out is concerned. So, like last year we did a co-planed co-serve or I I did a co-plan co-erve presentation for the middle school team um the entire staff um where I talked about like the purpose of it, why

067we're why it's happening, the research behind it. Um, I talked about my own experience. I have a son with an with an IEP who's five. Um, so I talked about my own experience as a parent. Um, and just and really talked to the team and and allowed them to ask questions. Um, I went into classrooms starting last year and was like and talked to teachers. We had um we had students that were starting last year and even the year before who were like never in a general ed classroom um in the general ed classroom more and more starting small. We you can just say like you're you know like we started like with an elective class and then we're like okay how you're in ELA for half the time and then you do like we

068really did strategically like um like expose them um expose like those particular students um and back to what Sarah was saying and also involving families and letting them know like every step of the way that we were um that we were going with office. Um, so I I just wanted to explain that that piece that like we did do some strategic work um, last year and and since I've been here, this is my third year. So like we've done some strategic >> I guess I guess I'm my intention isn't to >> late Wayne or she or any of that stuff. >> I just want to be clear. >> I just want to understand more of the process, but also want to be honest about areas of improvement. >> Sure. And um if there's there's ways

069that we need to to to figure that out, um I'm I'm all ears and I want to make it sure that that it's abundantly clear that I want to help make this a successful program because I do believe I do believe in the uh general principle of hey, you you challenge a kid, you know, and and if a kid happens to be streamlined. Uh, great. But it can't be that much of a gap. It can't be that much of a disconnect. Um, and and I'm I'm still not completely there. So, yeah. Thank you, >> Craig. I have a question for you. Are you mostly concerned about the frustrated student becoming a discipline problem? I think that a frustrated student is likely to become a uh discipline problem because uh they become truent. They don't uh

070show up to class. They don't participate in class. What else is there to do but become a class clown, you know, sometimes because they, you know, they're going to laugh about their own circumstance and and I >> Is that what you've been hearing from the parents you've talked to? That type thing? >> Yeah. Some of them discipline I think segueing to the high school practice might some way on that because we're seeing the last four years of this long journey and we do see those gaps widen over time sometimes because disability means can >> I wise former student services director told me that and it stuck with me. If they could just do it, they would just do it. And we're certainly throwing every effort we have at it through interventions early response intervention um

071literacy instruction literacy coaches for our teachers specially design instruction IEPs year after year um different curricula and still when we get to the high school we still see those gaps sometimes you know there's a um that learning disability in reading they don't um you know they cannot connect neurologically the letter sounds to the letter so we can't change their neurology students with autism we can't students in neurology or students with intellectual disabilities. That's a permanent disability. There's no overcoming that. So, um our goal at the high school, I believe, is to ensure that um we have access because these people are going into our community. They're going to be working jobs. They're going to be living with us. They're not separate once they leave the high school. They're part of our community. So preparing them

072for that in high school, wherever they're at, meeting where they're meeting them where they are at, helping them get as far as they can, and preparing them for life after high school is the job of inclusion at the high school. We work with our co-teers. were content specific um so that we get good at the curriculum because it's not easy to just jump into a physics class or an algebra class if you haven't done that and know what supports are needed to know where the gaps are in the learning and to fill those. So staying with our content areas rather than jumping all over the place is really useful. um natural proportions is tricky and that means whatever the natural proportion of students with or people with disabilities is in the community that should be

073the percentage of students in our classrooms is not possible given our staffing and our our class sizes and just to um just to paint the picture for you um our team that um Lydia and I are on with the cross categorical teachers there are six of us um to cover the four grade levels with four pair of professionals Um so and we have high numbers at the high school. Um so um getting into those classrooms to do the co- plan to co-serve is very challenging um to meet the needs of all those students. So really um our top priority is getting into math and English classes um and um what our main focus is um is driven by the IEPs. Um and a lot of times um when the students uh reach us at the

074high school, their focus um in their IEPs is in English and math um and a lot of times executive functioning um working on um those skills that are going to help them be successful um adults in the community um once they graduate. Um, in just um going off of our current practices, um, some teams at the high school are just beginning their partnerships. Um, other teams have had time to build capacity and establish um, roles and relationships. Um, part of the reason for that is turnover at the high school. Um, we have some new teachers that, um, are teaching our freshman and sophomore classes. Um and that is um it just is the level that we have a lot of our teachers supporting in um is our freshman and sophomore classes. And so um that

075it just so happens this year is where a lot of the turnover took place is um we have our newer teachers teaching those levels. Um so those are new partnerships and so they are just starting to build that capacity. Um we at the end of fall um Sarah came in and did um a similar presentation as the beginning of this one um to our entire staff um just to reestablish focus around inclusion um and that this is what the district follows um and um that we are going to focus on the co-plan to co-serve model um learning strategist All of us were given resources. Um we um were given books and supports such as um planning planning forms that we can use to um work with our co-teers um in the classroom. Um something um

076really cool that I think we're doing our learning strategist, the special education team, the multilingual team, and the interventionists at the high school all um kind of we sit down together and we look at our schedules to see where we can um plug ourselves in to make sure we are covering um all students to make sure that um all the needs are um being covered. Um and um the multilingual team has really played um a solid role in teaming with us too um to make sure um we have just teamed and we'll talk a little bit about um how we're using universal um design for learning um in the next couple slides, but um we've really teamed together to make sure um we are using um UDL to um incorporate into all of our lessons

077that we're doing. sure you can go to the next slide. >> So um we there's I came from a place um last 15 years where we started this journey and I watched us go from um you know segregated students with disabilities through um building that capacity through um to full inclusion and it was a painful journey. It requires a lot of um training of general ed staff, buyin from everybody, community, parents, teachers, special ed teachers. It's a shift in thinking about where students are educated. Um I've seen incredible um building of culture, building of capacity, building of student learnings, relationships, integration in the community, and that sometimes can't be quantified, but it is invaluable. um and to go back to a place where you know students who are different get something different somewhere else um

078it doesn't benefit anybody >> um so as far as future goals for us I mean supporting common planning time so teachers and general ed and special ed teachers have time to work together um supporting um professional development for general ed teachers who are working with students like across the spectrum of ability And regardless of label, um just differentiation, um um continuing to support learning strategies and becoming more proficient in whatever content they're aligned with is helpful. Sending us to the same trainings that you send your math teachers to if they're with math. Um learning about the curriculum that we're, you know, sending them to those curriculum trainings. um and really helping support a culture in a building and within a district and a community that says that um you know all all teachers teach all

079students. All of our students are general ed students. They're all members of community and need to be included and um we need to show respect for those of our scientists. So part of that UDL piece um you know they say like the rising tide lifts all boats. When we plan for an entire classroom using those universal design for learning um structures every student benefits. I was just thinking this morning about um you know a a classroom built around executive functioning skills for high school because let's face it most of our freshman and sophomore boys don't have executive functioning skill. It's just not there right neurologically. It's not there yet. So when you structure a classroom to support that for your students who need it most, it's helping everybody in that classroom. It's not like it's

080something that the students who don't have exactly a functioning def deficits don't need. They benefit from it as well. Um so when we incorporate the universal universal design into our coping and our instruction, everyone benefits. Um and it is our nexus. >> Yeah. and and really just the the main takeaway for universal design for learning is making sure that it's removing barriers to ensure that every student has a seat at the table for high levels of learning. So when you are planning like Sarah was talking about you um you're looking at your high level learners, your your learners that have the challenges and you will catch everybody in the middle. So when your focus is on um those two ends um you you will catch everybody in the middle. And then um you know what

081tools, what accommodations um because what is good for your advanced learner is going to be good um for your struggling learner and what is good for your struggling learner is also going to be good for your advanced learner. >> In reality, is that what's happening though? I mean because because um we have our advanced learning uh program and uh I I I almost think it I don't know maybe that seems a little utopian a little bit to to try to teach to the again give as much challenge as you possibly can to the advanced learner and yet teach to the the lowest learner in the classroom but yet still be able to hit the middle. >> It's not easy and you know we're we do what we can with a lot of barriers frankly. I

082mean there's a lot of things standing in our way. It's not it's not perfection every day and we'd be lying with you said it was. It's the most challenging thing I've ever had to do as an educator is try to meet the needs of this diverse range of students in one room in 72 minutes when there's, you know, there's a lot of need. And so is it perfect? No. Are we doing it perfectly? No. So, we we need to continue to focus on growth and progress and learning and working together that collaboration um and and building capacity for everyone. And I was just going to say continuously working as a team to come back to the table like each and every day after you know and just refocusing and and being um vulnerable as a

083team to come back to okay what didn't work what went well and what can we change for tomorrow um to be different so that we can serve the needs of a student >> and that's a continual discussion between um within department within our our um general teachers with our administrators is you know we have these challenges how can we meet them what we're doing isn't quite hitting that how can we adjust so we're constantly pivoting being flexible um because it's a moving target because these kids are growing they're changing year after year as well >> so you know just when you think you figured them out they change and that that is a it keeps it interesting but it also keeps it challenging >> and Craig to that point I think it's helpful when the

084board is supportive of the curricular implementations and the pieces that we bring forward Because it's like okay this is giving us a foundation in order to find the ends right whereas otherwise you are leaving it up to everybody to have to figure that out daytoday like what is the middle what is the foundation to then also build those ends right the high end and the low end and figure out how we can meet everybody where they're at um and so I just want to point out the fact that the board has been really supportive of the curricular adoptions that we have put forth um which has allowed us to get into that work and really truly start meeting the needs of everybody in truly unique ways because we have that foundation laid. >> I think

085like what I'm hearing from your questions um like I think these are philosophical questions that every educator and every school system struggles with. Um like I truly in the past couple months have been having these same conversations. you know, when we have um a a non-verbal student who cannot read and cannot actively participate even with the one-on-one adult assistance. Um like is it meaningful to go into that third grade classroom? Um and if it is, how like how do we make it meaningful? How do we um again like I think from the parent lens um having that self-contained classroom setting that's very comfortable. It's very comfortable. Um you form that really tight-knit community. Um but it's also at the end of the day not the not in the best interest of every kid. And that's

086where we really have to lean into all of our kids are regular education kids first. Um and remembering that they have a right to be there. I think we have to remember that there are laws in place that provide them access, right? like every kid has access to a free appropriate public. Um, IDES tells us that kids have access to the same supports and curriculum and instruction as their their peers. Um, and this is I these are questions and things that I've struggled with in the 15 years I've been in special ed. And like special education is my passion. I love it. It's my favorite thing in the whole world. And some days I have my core beliefs and some days I'm even questioning my core beliefs. Um I don't think there is a black

087or white answer. I think it's change. I think that's challenging for everyone. >> And I understand from that I don't know what it's like to have a student who, you know, is in high school and can't read. I don't know what that feels like and I don't know, you know, what I would hope for my child in that situation. Well, yeah, I you're you're you're not wrong. And I think that it's equally as frustrating to have a mere genius student in a classroom that doesn't get the um the level of challenge that they >> Absolutely. I have felt that too. I have a child who um one year lost all of her supports and I was how is she going to grow? Um, and I I think these are things that we tackle at least

088every single day. I think you're absolutely asking the right questions and pushing us to think about things holistically. Um, but I also think it's really student dependent, family dependent, and there's no black or white answer. It's it's super gray all the time, and that's where it becomes so frustrating and so hard what we do every single day. Um, >> all right. Thank you. >> It was just my two. >> No, I appreciate it. And maybe we'll talk >> back to your comment too about like their behaviors and their acting up. >> That comes into like the co-planning part. >> You know, what supports does that student need and how can we put something else in place so they don't act up so they do feel successful? you know, whether it's using technology to help them

089because there is technology that is out there that can help them >> or something like the picture board that I had showed or some other way to engage them so they don't feel they have to act up. >> You know, that's where we come to the table and plan around it like, okay, we're noticing Johnny's having trouble during this every day. What can we do different for him? >> Right. Absolutely. Are there gaps in um in numbers when we have a lot of kids with IEPs that require one-on-one in the classrooms? I mean, Colleen brought up, we only have four people to get to all of these classrooms. >> Dan, any student that has a one-on-one within their IEP is provided that one oneon-one by law. What I will say and what we continue to

090say is we will always have openings for pair professionals and special education um across the district. We definitely have openings right now. We encourage people who want to work with students with disabilities to apply. Um it is hard to um find and attract uh SEPs and to retain them. And so, um, again, if there are volunteers, Dan, that you know of that that want to come in and work with our students, that would be wonderful because our teachers definitely will embrace them. >> All right. Thanks, Sarah. We ready to release these people? >> I do have a few questions. I just wanted to make sure we were at the end of the presentation before I moved on. >> So, um, I really appreciate you guys talking about this. I think that the uh integrated classroom

091model is fantastic. I remember when I was in high school, I had some really uh transformative experiences. Um being in English classes with uh some students that had disabilities and it gave me a really great respect for what they're capable of. The concern that I have and it's not just in this in this school district whatsoever and it's not with you guys particularly. The concern that I have it's about um the inclusion model and the concept of the dignity of risk. So what concerns me is like we talked about or like you talked about early on in the presentation the ultimate idea or goal for the inclusion model is to eradicate the concept of uh category between disability and non-disabled students. That was the last kind of circle on that progress chart that Sarah showed.

092And while I think it is true that everyone has strengths and everyone has areas where they could improve, my concern is that if we take that view and we apply it with the uh the system that we have with IEPs and providing individualized supports, there's a there's a risk that we end up not distinguishing between choice and disability. And my concern is that students, and I remember seeing this when I was in high school, students, whether they have disabilities or they don't, they still have free will and they do have the ability to choose not to engage or to engage with the material. It seemed like when I was listening to the presentation, there is a perspective that we should approach all lack of success as a failure to provide proper supports, but I think

093that that runs counter to the concept of the dignity of risk. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but I'm wondering, and I suppose this could go to any of you, but Sarah, I'd be particularly interested to hear your perspective on it. How do you balance between uh choice and disability? How do you make those determinations? And how do you allocate supports considering those things without removing the importance of providing the dignity of risk to our students? >> I love this question, Sam. And what I will say is the first part of not seeing a disability, right? That last circle is about seeing everybody for who they are and providing what they need. So it's not that we're not identifying students with the disabilities. It's that we are and they're receiving what they want. That's

094kind of a utopia. We are not there. Just like there's multilingual learners in there that receive what they need all of the time. You just see students for who they are and you give them all of those supports. The free choice, man, that is a struggle sometimes, Sam. um students absolutely will um choose to not engage and we see that a lot at the high school level. We provide the supports, we provide the opportunity for them to engage and sometimes our friends choose not to and then we have to pull out little tricks from our tool belt of how do we empower the student? How do we find what works for them to engage them in the curriculum so that they learn and they're successful and they earn those credits and they're able to graduate

095and and move on. Um I think that Lydia and Colleen can talk a little bit more about that. But honestly, that's a struggle every day, Sam, and um there's no denying that we have students that are just lacadasical sometimes and we have to meet them where they're at. So, I'm going to toss this over to Lydia and Colleen just for a little bit so they can talk through that for you. >> So, Sarah, they had to step out. >> Oh, I'm so sorry. >> Yeah. So, Sarah, Leanne, so Lean here. What I will say to that I think is where you're going is the idea of like our curricular focus has been in productive struggle and creating that for students, right? and like getting them to want to engage with, you know, rigorous curriculum and

096creating those opportunities for rigorous engagement. Um, and then finding ways to be able to motivate and support students. And ultimately, like you identified, yeah, they do have the free will to choose not to engage. But I can tell you the team of people that showed up here today and the team of people who works with our students every single day is going home exhausted, trying to make sure that they have pulled every opportunity and every tool and trick that they know to be able to avoid that from happening. And then being in communication and partnership with families when that student does make that choice to make sure that we are being really clear and asking for help when we need it, right? Like saying, "Okay, partnership with family. Here are all of the things that

097we have tried to help create that engagement and that choice, you know, that you know, free will choice for students." And if they are saying, "No, I'm good." The parent can step in and say, "Here are things that we think we could try at home. Here are things that we think you could try at school." and just having that open dialogue um as our folks are all trying to work together to support students. >> Craig, >> um I think I think you have a really interesting question. I think that's great. Um, I think that's definitely something to keep in the back of your mind, but I also think it's very important to keep in the back of your mind that a lot of these teachers, almost every single one of them, has an instinct uh

098when it comes to whether or not that child is um, you know, playing a game and, uh, whether or not that child actually is struggling with with that material. Um and and I don't I don't want to discount that. I really feel that there's an intuition that uh a a teacher um gains by working with that student on a regular basis to know exactly um what they need um and to to give them a little bit of a kick to like you know what you can do better than this. I know you can. And give them that challenge. So I I I don't discount that at all. >> Sure. I absolutely agree. Um, thanks. I really appreciate the insight there. That's very helpful. I do feel like I still want more clarification on how we

099maintain the dignity of risk for our students. I think that's a very important quality of any experience, whether it's going to school, uh, doing something social or getting a job. Any of those categories, you really need to maintain the possibility of not succeeding because it's the only way that you ultimately grow over time. Um, and I know that that's a big question and that can come across in a lot of different ways from individual assignments to tests to overall uh grading and even graduation. >> I think to answer that that question, I think it's about pro providing the right support, >> right? So not over support, not like so like if you have a student who you know has the has the ability um to I don't know um know his math facts. I'm just

100random example right like you don't have to immediately be like oh let me help you and give you a multiplication day right like you are you are engaging in that productive struggle like you are telling them like okay I know that you know how to do how to do this and it might feel scary and it might because you are being tasked to do something that may be challenging for you but you but you can do this and we've been working very hard at that um as I know they're like laughing because um I review all the IPS um and I will ask questions and I'll be like hey is this is this support really appropriate for this student um do they need do they need the Taj Mahal >> or do we just focus

101on the just right supports so they can feel that like and be able to have um those opportunities because we know and even myself personally I learn the most when I fail right so like that's how you learn And I think as as teachers, we're like, "No." Cuz we don't want them to feel that because we know that it's scary. But I think like teaching our teachers and having those conversations of like just because you have an IEP doesn't mean that >> you get everything. You still need to have that productive struggle. And we give the just right supports and the just right environments that they're need specific that they need specific to their disability related needs. Sam, I'm gonna I'm gonna really talk a little bit about that dignity of risk because I do

102believe that failure is a key component in growth and people have the right to make choices and sometimes those choices end up in in a in a challenging situation or in a a failing forward type of moment. Our students have those. What I appreciate is that yes, they have the right to do that. Yes, they frequently do that, but we also have a team of really well-educated, supportive people that will help them and guide them to get back on track if that is what they choose to do. Does that mean that we can quote unquote save every single kid? No, Sam, we can't save every single kid all of the time. And it's um free will is a thing. However, we can show them um what it takes to be successful in our society, get

103them to that level that they can accomplish, but failure is such a key part of that because you learn through that and it's okay, it's okay to fail forward. Um and it's okay for them to take those risks. >> I think it's important to remember that um special education doesn't preclude someone from failing. I think that's a meth misconception. I've had lots of conversations with parents over the years that they thought uh their student um being identified as having a disability and being in special education meant that they couldn't fail. Um and that's not the case that the supports are provided, but it is up to the student themselves to um to access and utilize those supports we provide. But um no one's in the business of forcing kids to engage. I mean, kids just

104don't do that. Um, and I think also just knowing that there are safeguards within the IEP paperwork um, to ensure that we aren't providing that Taj Mahal. Um, when we put in accommodations, you have to link it back to a disability related need. Um, and so you have to directly tie it to their disability and articulate and show how this support is related to their need. Um, so you cannot just throw in a calculator if they don't have a disability in the area of math and have a need with calculation. Um, so that's kind of like built into the paperwork side of things. Um, so just something to to also take into consideration as you're um considering this. >> Thank you. One of my sons said everything he learned in pre-calp he learned the day

105after the test and he's a financial adviser today. So he learned >> anybody else. >> All right, sounds good. And next item I think we'll move to on the agenda is our um endeavoring camp. >> Can we dismiss these people? Oh yes, >> I just want to say you hear them all crying from Riverside. My people >> Thank you, ladies. >> Thank you, Jason. >> I can't imagine why service. I guess that's probably >> Yeah, great conversation. Yeah. Thank you. >> Thank you very talker. All right. So, moving on to our endeavor and ecampus uh data driven dashboard um presentation. I'll turn it over to >> I always want to start with gratitude. So, I want to thank the members of the board for uh your support of our culture. What Chris and I talked

106about is building a culture that's studentdriven and data informed. I think this highlights that your culture. I also want to thank uh the leaders of Endeavor and E Campus Chris Malloy and our governance board for really uh leaning into what a data dashboard for our two charter schools group. This is a reflection of their work. I want to pause here for a couple introductions. We have two people here with me to help um present today. I'm Chris Mallaloy and I do data for the district. So help put some of pull some of the data with the work with Tracy from eCampus and Judy from Endeavor who's not here with us today. >> And I'm Tracy Poches. I'm a lead teacher at EC campus. >> Thank you for being here. I just want to re ground

107us all just for context and a little bit of history here. Um this idea of a data dashboard really came about from our conversations uh around the ecampus contract last spring. And so since then uh we worked with Endeavor eCampus leaders Chris Moy our board of governance to develop this this really at that time draft draft draft I call it uh data dashboard. We brought the uh kind of template to ed services in the fall for feedback um after bringing it to the board of governance for their consideration as well. And um since then we have populated as you see today data from trimester 1. I think that's important to note that it's trimester one only data. Uh we recently presented this to our governance board last week. Got some feedback from that group and

108we're here today to share with you. Uh this data again I just want to highlight is a reflection of try leester one data only. We will come back to ed services later in the year with try two and try three data as well. I think it's important to note that when I think about being data informed, I think there's three goals or three reasons we look at data. One is to really uh understand the current reality. Uh two is to celebrate the hard work of students, staff and parents. And the third is really to identify gaps and uh develop a plan to attack those gaps. And I think this data dashboard does a nice job of achieving all those those goals. Now we have definitely divided and conquered the the presentation. I am going to

109transition to the endeavor piece and then I'll turn it over to Chris for some data conversations. And again this I want to turn over to the on track descriptors. Again, I won't read things to anyone. This has not changed since we last spoke. Right? We see that we have three kind of categories of ontrack descriptors. One is engagement, academics and life readiness. Uh the uh but you don't want to read but engagement is really connected to two pieces. One is attendance and attendance is reflective of our students reliability and consistent engagement. We track that data through Skyward. The second piece there is student agency really tracking participation, active participation in our weekly advisory uh checkins. Our we've asked our staff to keep records of that. They've created some nice systems to to to afford that

110opportunity. In the academic area, we really have two areas again to to look at. One is core area credit. Uh if you're familiar with endeavors, it's really project based and challenge and empower our students to develop projects that hit multiple standards in multiple areas. What I believe the endeavor group has found is that our students typically gravitate towards non-core areas. So we wanted to focus on that because we saw an area of opportunity. And then the second piece is just tracking that individual credit earned by trimester. The third category is around life readiness. Two pieces again 21st century skills and then college career and community readiness or life readiness. And so 21st century skills endeavor as course or courses that really uh delve into expect our students to grow in these uh skills. We hear

111that from our our community and business partners how valuable and important those pieces are. So, it's great for me to see that. And then we also expect our students to engage in I don't know if this list is comprehensive, but certainly things like youth apprenticeship, volunteering, college investigation, advanced placement, and and and the list is long. And so, this is how we frame this data dashboard for Endeavor. I'll turn it over to Chris to talk to us about some of the trimester one data from Endeavor. Thank you, Chris. >> So, at the top of the sheet where Jenny has posted, it just kind of redefineses what was needed to get a one, a two, or a three. The three is what we want the kids to be at. They're kind of exceeding expectations in that

112category. Two, they are meeting our expectation. And one, we say that they have some room to grow for us really in what they're doing. So if you would scroll down then Jenny we look at the next part and we are looking for first their um attendance data and if we look at this exceeding meant that they had no absences just remember that for um the first trimester and so you see that there's five students I have it by student count and also by percent because when you have a small population understanding that there's not a lot of kids that you're dealing with can really kind of sway the data. they had 19 um students or about half of the students were meeting expectations which was one to three absences really kind of being in that

11397 93 94 well actually 95% or higher. So we have about 60 days in a trimester. So missing three would put you at 95% or higher which is really like kind of our goal for all of our students. And then anything less than that 95% they would be in the approaching category there. Our next area is their weekly advisor check-ins. You'll see that the approaching number is very similar there. If they're not attending, right, they're not going to be there for the weekly check-ins with the student uh with their advisor. During that time, the teacher is really working towards making sure that the students are on track, working on the projects, making things. So, these are something that they think are very important in both school. So, checking in, being at those meetings, keeping yourself

114on track. So, you see that we have 41% of them needing that, being at those 70 to 99% of the time. and we have six students that met 100 were at school 100% of the time and were able to make those meetings. Obviously, you could miss a day and still make your meeting depending on the day that you missed in the schedule with that. The academic part, the core area credit is really making sure that by the end of the year, they're going to have made enough credit that they're on track to graduate in Endeavor. So to be at the um 2 point or to be at the exceeding which is the three they needed to get two and a quarter credits is kind of what they were looking at for the first trimester. Now

115they don't have the deadline of the trimester in Endeavor which makes it a little bit more complicated. They could be you know two days away from completing a project but if they did have it completed and had not earned the credit then they didn't have that um they were not put in the exceeding. um to be in the median category, they had to have like two or more credits, right? So that they were on track to get at least six credits during the year, which would still put them on track for graduating with the credits required. And then approaching means that they earned less than two credits during that first trimester. Um the um progress on their pacing guide is really also them looking that they're getting them in the specific areas. This is a

116difficult thing for students. we tend to do like if it was up to me I'd be doing math all day and I'd have like three credits of math in the first trimester and I'd be like English we'll save that for later. So it's important that they are meeting with these kids and having these meetings say okay you have to stop doing math Chris Mallaloy and you need to do some of the other areas and doing that. So you'll see that a lot a lot of the students are exceeding that they're getting the uh credits in all the different areas and some are struggling with that and then they have these meetings where like okay you've got enough credits in this area we need to have you focus to make sure you're working on a science

117credit or a social studies. You'll also notice that um we do have a large amount of of kids exceeding if they've met the credit requirement for math as seniors. They don't have to keep doing math, right? That would be a choice they could make, but they don't have to. If they've already because they did lots of English their freshman, sophomore, and junior year, they do not have to do more than the four credits required. So, the kids that had already met those expectations for graduation requirements, they considered that they had met that specific um area uh in the exceeding or the meeting area for that content area. So, to meet this, you had to have it in all of the content areas. you had to have had.3 credits of English and a quarter credit of

118math, social studies, and science done by the end of the first trimester. Okay? So, if they weren't getting the credits required in all of those areas, then they would be at a lower level of one or two there. Um the 21st century skills, if we skip to the next page, the top there, um they are going to be looking at they have um project foundry. Is that the right name? Did I get that right? Yes. where they collect this data on students having those 21st century skills. This is something that if you talk to the students in Endeavor, you see how they are different from the students in the regular school. Their ability to present and talk to people is just at another level because they are really focusing on those skills there. And so

119they track the students progress in that in the project found and have whether or not they were meeting that. And then the specific what they needed to do that um what percent of the credits were completed in there is at the top of that previous page. Um and then finally participation in the life readiness activities. You can see that they do have a large number of students 23 of them that are exceeding that that they were in two or more of those life ready things. They've taken an AP class. They've done a workplace experience. They're doing things um where they're volunteering. So, they're just tracking how many of those things they're going to be life ready for after high school that they have completed um at the end of the first trimester. And this would

120not have to be done just during the first trimester. It would be during their high school career they have done those um I think that that is the end of what I wanted to talk about with the data and so I'll turn it back to Jason to talk about the next steps. >> Thank you. And so as we developed this data dashboard, we also wanted to talk about next steps given the data. You know, we talk about so what, now what, right? We know the data. What are we going to do about it? And so there's really two highlights here coming from or connected to Endeavor. One is around the weekly meetings. Uh the Endeavor staff understands that those weekly advisory meetings are re pivotal touch points for our students and staff and they'll continue

121to think about and plan for refining those meetings but also ensuring they're leveraging those sessions with students to the best uh they can. The second is around that core area credit. really again it's an area of growth and so the staff and students are really collaborating around what does the uh what could be done differently around um supporting students to create uh obtain credit in core areas. The last section there is future happenings just giving you some highlights about what's next at endeavor. Certainly some dates that have are in the rearview mirror at this point, but some dates that are in our our future around senior class meetings. Start thinking about how we support the transition from Endeavor to whatever's next for our students. And then we also have freshman parent night is this week

122Thursday and there's a group of students actually uh that have taken upon themselves to uh do a good great job of informing students and parents about what endeavor is. And so there's a group of students supporting uh Q&A at at Riverside. They'll be uh ingrained in the freshman preview night and thinking of other ways of just educating our community around what endeavor is. Turn it over to uh Tracy and she's going to talk us through the on track uh descriptors for ecampus. Thank you Tracy. >> All right. So we um looked at the same areas um engagement, academics and life readiness. And so engagement really taking a look um are are our students consistently demonstrating behaviors their need to stay on track for graduation and life. And so um we measured um attendance. And so

123we track the number of unexcused assets per trimester. And um we also take a look at student agency and once again um how consistently did they attend the required advisory check-ins um which is really you know looking at you know are they going to engage in the planning reflecting communicating about their learning taking that student agency and so we track did they attend or did they not um for academics um we wanted to make sure that they're making the appropriate progress towards from graduation. And um so we looked at credit completion and then we also took a look at did they complete their individual academic goals that they set in um with their advisor. Um and those of course are focused on their graduation and personalized pathway. And second and finally are students forward focused.

124We took a look at life readiness and um we too measured um you know what act um activities are they participating in that gets them ready for the next stages of their life whether that be college would that be career um or and then of course moving out into the community. So for college and career development, um are they participating in such things as career exploration, dual credit, CT aligned coursework, maybe AP course work, um employability skill development or industry credentiing? um community engagement. Are they have they um partaken in any uh service learning, leadership roles, um civic engagement activities, peer mentoring, volunteering, um anything that gets them outside of themselves and and being part of the larger broader community. And so with that, I will turn over to Chris to talk about our data.

125Then I will come back and talk about what we see. >> Thank you. So at the top you will see again the definitions and a little bit more clarity possibly on how you get the one, two or three and knowing again that our goal is for kids to be meeting but we do love it if they get to the three and they are exceeding our expectations. When we look at the data you would scroll down then the attendance at ecampus is different. Um, that was one of the definitions that is different because at Endeavor they're just tracking any absence excused or unexcused and at eCampus really they only have unexcused absences that they're recording because kids don't have to do math at a certain time every day and so they're just looking at overall did

126this week did they engage in enough time to be making progress towards completion of the class. So it's not like daily attendance. It was far more complicated to pull this one and look at it and they're looking and it's not dayby-day attendance like it'll magically change overnight by lots because they said okay we're going to see how much they've done in the last couple weeks and if they have not been engaging in their courses we need to do that and they can be working on a Saturday and a Sunday and not on a Monday Tuesday it's just a highly more complicated process to do that so you will see that 70% of the students were exceeding meaning they had no on excuse meaning they were making progress in eCampuses in their courses on a regular

127basis. They had um three students that were meeting and then it kind of is like at the other end then they had 11 students that really were not engaging at a level where they were going to be completing their classes. The weekly advisor check-ins um similar to Endeavor this one is they do meet with their um advisor weekly to talk about their progress to make sure they are working on their courses and checking what supports that they need. So, you can see the percentages there where they have a few more that have missed the check-ins than have um been at the level one for their attendance, but they're still going to be then having 39% meeting and 29% exceeding doing those weekly check-ins. Um the academic credit completion is looking at did they pass the

128courses they were taking during the first trimester. Okay, so exceeding for that means they passed all of their classes. 100% of their grades were D's or higher. Okay, the meeting would be for credit completion that they passed 70 to 99%. Really, when I was pulling that data, different kids at different they could fail one class and be in that meeting. Okay, they had to pass all of the other classes and then approaching me generally meant that they were failing failed more than one class during that time. Okay. Um, it is also again a little bit more complicated with eCampus because they have some other courses that are not supposed to finish till the end of the semester and not the trimester. So, we kind of excluded those classes from our data pull and we'll see

129them if they haven't completed them at the end of the next trimester. So, there's a lot going on with trying to meet all of the students individual needs for eCampus in both the credit completion part and then also in that next part, the PLE goal met. So this is are they on track with their overall credits to be meeting their goal to graduate by the end of their senior year. So looking at the students that are on track for that, what is their goal? And this is the conversation that the advisor had. What is your goal? What are we trying to work towards here? And then are they on track for meeting that? And really looking at the credit that they have earned so far through their high school career. If you turn the page

130then we have our college and career activities. Um we'll see that in this page is with the students being at home they don't have the exposure to some of these activities as much as we would see in our general population. So um the college and career activities you will see that 63% of the students are in the approaching area for that. Likewise for the participation in community engagement activities, 69% of the students are at that level of one. They are not having the um extracurricular participation, right? They're um by nature not necessarily wanting to put themselves out in the situations outside of um the classroom setting of their computer, right? So possibly an area where they are now talking to the students about this during their advisory and pushing them to do a little bit

131more beyond what they're currently doing. I'm going to turn it back over to Tracy then to um talk about the next steps. >> Yeah. So, um, one thing that when we were looking at this data, we're like, what is the lever that can help really help support our students with with their engagement, their academics, and and getting out of from in front of their computer and being part of the community and um, and having that forward focus. And so, we we find this to be our advisory. And so one of our um looking at this, we're going to strengthen and really make it more purposeful, more consistent, have a predictable structure. Um you know, so we we've already been doing we're checking the progress and the pacing. Um we're really working on, you know, recognizing

132and celebrating those success, driving those relationships, and then identifying their challenges with them and their obstacles and um you know, giving those kiddos strategies for moving forward if they are struggling. Um, I think it's so important that they have that connect that that adult in place that can and they they might have their parents, but that that teacher to say, "Here's what we need to do next." And and as we've really seen some powerful things happening um as we start to grow our advisory um capacity for academic support. We're really looking at, you know, identifying through our advisories, you know, what what's getting in the way of progress. If there's something getting in the way of progress, how and how can we help you work through that? Um, oftentimes if we have some of our

133students, if they run into a stop gap, they they they stop and they close that lid up. And so we want to be in we want to get there to keep that lid open and and have them, you know, engaging in that work and not coming to a stop when they feel maybe defeated. Um, we are teaching, you know, a lot of executive skills fun um functions and um how to break larger tasks into smaller manageable steps. um re, you know, celebrating those small those small um wins to build some motivation. Um and then this is where we revisit those those goals and where are you at? How are you doing? Um and how can we make help you get to the next step? And then um one thing the data showed us is I

134know you know Chris brought up that you know our kids don't really see those opportunities to um support their life readiness activities but that's on us. We they they can we can bring those to them and we are going to work to do that. Um so we are going to start increasing college career and community engagement opportunities and making sure that they are aware through multiple communication channels. Um we are going to start strengthening our partnerships with um Madison College other technical schools universities and we need to you know provide that meaningful real world exposure and these post-secary options that that can be open. We um looking ahead, we've always had in the last few years, I guess, um monthly face-to-face field trips and not overly all well attended at the high school. Um there

135have been some, but we're going to continue offering those, but we need to focus those. We need to make sure that it's not just about I mean, there's there's good in getting together with community, right? That you know, going to a Brewers game or something like that. There's good in that. However, um I think there's more good in getting together with community with a focus. And so one of the next things we have coming up on April 15th, we have MATC healthcare showcase where um we're going to take hopefully a lot of students who are interested in healthcare pathway. they have like an on hands-on um showcase where kids can really go into each of the different fields and see what what is it like in in a day of this and what does Madison

136College right here in Watertown have to offer that they can start looking into. We also just found out last night um we are going to be traveling to WGB to their cadaavver lab for those students who are a little more um interested in something like that. I don't know how I feel about attending, but I'm going. Um, and maybe we'll swing by field. Um, I think that's important, too. >> Swing by. >> Stop in. I don't. Um, but definitely I think this is the way we need to start looking. What we Let's get together, but let's get together. What's the purpose? Here's our pathway. Are you interested? Another thing we are looking if we can get the dates to work out traveling to Truax to the well by Truax the Air National Guard base and

137taking a look at their their uh we have like we look at our planes uh field trip for kids and so we'd like to get a group of students to do that as well. Another thing and I'm excited about this. We need to strengthen parent engagement because if parents are engaged, kids will be engaged. And so the first parent advisory committee meeting is happening next week, Tuesday. And we have some um excited parents. And hopefully that's going to really help us make that connection and get some input from their perspective on what can we, you know, how can we better serve the family and here's what, you know, the parents, what they see and definitely taking that input and improving our systems. I'm done. >> Thank you. >> Um, I think I appreciate the information,

138but as a as a board member, I I feel like I'm still trying to understand a little bit more about the level of success that these kids have. And an example would be to um see if there was any way to disagregate information. For instance, in the life readiness category, we track students progress in building postsecary direction and job readiness skills through um intentional activities, youth apprenticeship or job. Okay. of of those students that have participated in a youth appren apprenticeship or job what what does that show employable skills? Okay, what does that metric look like? How are we measuring employable skills? Development workshops. Okay, does that mean that they is this part of their plan and they they've taken a development workshop and what is the outcome of that? uh college invest in investigation.

139Okay. So they visited how many colleges? Dual credit APCT align courses correct connected to career goal? Um okay so they completed the course. What does that look like? Um okay. Did they take the ACT? Of the students in eCampus that took the ACT. how what does that comparable look like? What does that data look like? Um those are the types of things that that I would like to um understand a little bit more in depth. I don't know that this particular tool allows for that. Um but just those are just some of the examples. Um we want to track the percentage of students that are meeting their personal academic goals established in their personal learning plans for the current term. I think you've kind of laid out every single particular uh personalized learning plan is

140different, but the ones that that are let's say uh collegebound in that particular case, how are we how are we measuring that and what does that data look like? How how are we getting to the that level uh after school? um are we able to see well these particular um graduates have gone on to this particular trade school or have been placed in this particular apprenticeship program. Those are things that I'm interested to know whether or not those those kids are actually achieving um their uh life readiness. Um I just some of those things go >> I was going to say for uh for clarity and for simplicity for for their sake um would it be possible for because I have a lot of the same questions about the detail of data. Would it be

141possible for you and me and I mean even David for us to potentially send the specific kinds of data points that we're looking for to the eCampus team and endeavor team and then have them return that data to us and then we can hopefully discuss that data in a more in-depth way next month >> because I mean I would with what we have in front of us right now I don't know that we'll have a lot of conversation about those specific data points but that is what I would hope to see as well. >> Right. Yeah, Craig, I think you said it well. I like what's here, but I'd like to see those things as well. And I think they're important and endeavor as well. I know they're different and uh and kind of a

142different way of grading, so to speak. >> But if they are doing those kinds of testing, if they are getting jobs, let's find out where, how, you know, how many are. Those kind of stats, I think, are things that we would look look for when we're looking at this. So you said well appreciate it. >> Go ahead Sam. >> So we have 33% of the students who as it stands are not completing the credits in this in this program. What is the kind of like we were talking about during the last talk there's a dignity of risk. People deserve the right to fail if they do not you know if they do not succeed in the endeavor that they're they're going after. What is the I guess fail state here? What what happens when these

143students don't complete their credits if this is how it continues for the rest of the year? That's that's a question that I was going to ask. Maybe if we had the data of where the students were at when they came into these programs because I know a lot of them didn't like the regular ed and so if we had that we could better see that it's going to be hard to get them to exceeding. So >> I agree a couple things. I mean at the first trimester especially at endeavor like they have chosen their path and now we are saying okay that's great what you have done but we need to send you in the direction of getting the credits you need to graduate. So I think we I would want you to give this

144data the time to see the growth that happens between first and second trimester because I think that is something that I believe will happen. Um I am willing to give you more data. I think that the one I'm cautious about that I don't know how we pull is kids that have already left our district and what they have done after they left us. >> Um I don't know I'm not calling 200 students to say what are you doing right now one at a time. So I'm not sure how exactly while they're in our building data yes but once they've left our building data it is going to be we have exit you know interviews what they say they're going to do but that is not going to be realistic to what they actually do. I

145can tell you what they told me they were doing in March of their senior year. How many of them followed through on that? Right. So, there's that. There is I do think like the some of the stuff you were also asking for we can do easily. Other it becomes very narrowed down to like there's three students that did this. So, I don't know what kind of data specifically you're wanting to do like that did a workplace experience. You know, three kids did this one, four kids did this one, two kids did that one. So like the data points and like averaging groups of two and three are not going to give us a whole lot. I mean we can try the extra data points but I do wonder about what we will see because they

146all are working towards their individual goals and when you have only 25 students in this group interesting point >> yeah just I understand what you're saying. >> Yeah >> just the number is probably sufficient on that and what you're saying three did this two did this. >> Go ahead Jess. Thank you. I I I want to make sure that when we u bring data to the team, it's the right data. And so again, we brought this data dashboard template in the fall. Yes, you positive response. I think there's one suggested revision to ecampus individual goal uh from President Wartman which we we made that change. Are we making suggested for suggestions for changes in the dashboard or would you rather hear stories from our students? That's a wondering I have. >> So, so my my

147perspective is uh whenever you get into you don't always know how a dashboard is going to be um utilized until you see it utilized. And if we need to be able to make some sort of adjustment to to see some sort of data that uh that indicates a level of uh success in some particular area, then we may have to need we may have to make those adjustments. Um I guess I've always I've always looked for more resolution or more uh deep level of detail on on the ex uh the uh success uh of the students in the program. Um I'm I'm struggling to find out find that this particular tool is as useful as I would like for me personally and I maybe other board members share that share that thought. >> I I

148would clarify I don't have an issue with what you brought forward to this meeting. I think this is what we asked for. I think we agreed that this is what we wanted to look at. I would say that >> with almost any kind of uh data collection um for our purposes at least there's going to be a period of time where we tweak and continue to improve it. So this isn't so much like oh like actually like this isn't really what we asked for. This is what we asked for and these are more improvements on or adjustments to what we're looking to see. So I think that the data we have here is good. It definitely helps us have a greater understanding compared to where we were because even just a year ago, we really

149didn't have >> any idea of what was happening and what percentage were completing their credits. So, I think this is a great start, but getting more of that detail. I I would contrast that with stories from students are nice, but anecdotes don't provide us with conclusive evidence for how we can best move forward. So, I love to hear stories. I mean, I'm certainly not opposed to it, but I think that we're looking for the data to get a better level of uh level of information for making decisions. >> Thank you. Um, then I would I would tweak your recommendation if that's okay. >> I would I would uh just suggest that Chris, some members of eCampus Endeavor, Chris and I meet with some members of the board to get some clarification and then we would

150we would implement that when we bring this back. try two data. >> So just getting some clarity on exactly what you'd like to see. So because that'll take time to run the data and collect that data and get it ready, we would do that. I know that this sounds probably um easier said than done. But um a lot of times I'm kind of I like I kind of do like data in the sense that I like to see I I like to see some of this information disagregated like okay so um the the activities that they participate their PL goals u you know x amount of students completed and and see more of a breakdown of those individual categories somehow and like How did you get to that level? How did you ter determine that?

151You know, in math they call it showing your work, you know. So, uh that might be a step um to understand a little bit more what what goes into these numbers and how students are being successful. >> I appreciate I'm just suggesting sitting down offline. >> Sure. to capture your vision or the team's vision, >> right? >> And then bring it back uh with try two data uh and and and >> continue the conversation. >> So yeah, Jason, if you can reach out to definitely Craig, I think David would be interested in it as well. Um and then, you know, maybe we'll send out maybe just send out a message to the full board saying, "Hey, um I'm looking to sit down with whoever's interested." And you can get some of that some of that

152detail. >> Yeah. I think a member of our governance board would be important as well. >> Mhm. Most definitely. >> I I have like the odd side here, but my concern is a lot of the kids that are online for their whole school area may not have the life skills that are affordable when you have engagement classroom. Okay. That they're missing that piece. Is there any way to incorporate one semester during eCampus where there would be required in-person engagement so that it would take the fear out of being in a classroom situation if there is that component that's in there that we're not seeing. It's I'm just raising it. >> Sure. I think it's great. I don't know the numbers off the top of my head, but I would tell you that the vast majority

153of our students have had spent time in face toface or andor uh take advantage of face-toface courses up to two courses at the high school or other places. We do have that. It's not required, but many of our students and I don't know the numbers >> uh take advantage of that. >> Okay. I think it's a another important piece is what Tracy was talking about is is our team is thinking about and executing plan to engage our learners and not just classroom experiences but those experiences that she spoke of at MATC and other places. And we had a STEM activity right in this very room not too long ago where a large number of students and their families came to engage in some STEM activities >> because sometimes there's just fear of what you think

154might happen. >> That's right. >> And to just quash that down. >> Agreed. Yes. I just want to add, I know Jason said this, but that we would change or add more to try two. I do not want to ask our teachers advisors to go back and pull more for try one when they've already spent the hours to do that with us. So, we can come through an agreement on what we do and then when I present the try two, we'll have the extra information you're asking for for those data points. >> Yes, that's what I wouldn't expect you to do. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Great. Can I ask what some of the activities you would have them do out in the community? So, >> it was interesting because both um buildings pulled the

155data. They made their own Google form and then shared it with me. But they had um listed in Endeavor some of the activities so that I could see and I could I actually have the data for which activities kids did for the one building but not the other. They made it more difficult for me to pull them, right? But then ecampus just said they were in zero, they were in one to two, they were in three. And so it was easier to pull that but then I got a little more information. So I think it won't be something that will be difficult for us to pull. We'll just kind of actually do both like add the eCampus question to the endeavor and the endeavor question to the eCampus survey. So um the light readiness things

156were like um they did a career this is at endeavor a career investigation project. So one of their class projects was looking into a specific career. They did a youth apprenticeship. They have um volunteered in the community. They did a college investigation. You've heard some of these. They filled out their actual college application. They took a career course. Specifically, they're interested in engineering. So, they did an engineering course, probably in the WHS or an agriculture course or a culinary art or a childare. So, they're taking specific courses towards the career that they're hoping to get a job in, right? um they're in a career organization, meaning they are part of our FBLA, Skills USA, HOSA, so they're in an extracurricular that is guiding them in a career that they have an interest in would be

157um another one that they have. Um and then the I think she has it for the other one for me, too. No, the um that was the lightweight one. Yeah, the 21 Oh, yeah. They didn't have the they had the 21st century skill as their other one. So, I didn't have the specific things for the um eCampus for what they counted as those. She had a general list of them, but then I couldn't see which of the ones that they did, right? Where they gave me different information and we can pull it differently. It's just as long as we know what you guys are looking for next time. >> I I just want to say I appreciate you trying to help um wrap your minds around this. This is a little bit of a digma

158in a way for me because every student is a little different that happens to have their you know their learning plan for the the program and it's it's not as you know um straightforward as you know other other um traditional education models. So um I I I I realize that's a challenge. So um I appreciate your effort in that area. Yeah, I I thank you. Right. Um I also I think we have communicated uh as early as when we were talking about this as part of the contract that the dashboard will be fluid, right? We will >> we will end up with something different than what we started. >> So I appreciate the collaboration. We just want to bring the data that you're looking for and we we'll collaborate around hitting that mark. So appreciate

159>> appreciate what you did. I really do. I'd like to ask this before I forget or get it goes away. I was over to Endeavor earlier and uh talked with Joe. He was my man. And u I was I I like that program. I've always liked those kind of programs. And so I talked with I can't think of her name now. Person who's in charge of there over there. Judy. >> Judy. Yes. And I said, "Can we have a presentation to the board sometime? Can Joe do this?" and and Joe, we talked him into it. Um, so I came back and I I talked to Lynon and I talked to Jared about doing that. He said, "Yes, we can do that sometime in March." So, I really would like the board to to see something

160like that. Joe did a great job. He's taking uh he's an engineer type person, >> hands-on type person, and that's what this is all about. And so, I wanted to see if we could get that on that little calendar there. >> Yeah. Yeah, >> you saw the 21st century skills that I was talking about, their ability to just talk and explain and present and you're like, "Yep, you can present to the board." >> That was a stretch for him. >> Yeah. >> But we both knew he could do that. >> And I thought it'd be great for him to Yeah. to a board. >> Seems like years ago, but I think it probably a month or two ago that I saw a string of emails between Judy and Landon, myself. Um, so there's that that

161plan is Yeah. Yeah. Good. Thank you. You're welcome. Thanks, David. Anybody else? Okay. >> All right. So, two short agenda items uh remaining. Maybe I shouldn't say they're short. Um we'll jump to the last one. >> Um we do need to do our annual um open enrollment declaration. This is something that we do in the January board meeting. Um, and we discuss it here at ED services is how we've traditionally done it each year. And Sarah, if you can chime in as well each year, we have to uh determine how many seats we have available for open enrollment as we've done for the last um several years now. Uh you'll note that the seats for regular education at this point are listed as unlimited. And due to special education case loads and case load projections

162um we are limiting the number of special education seats but creating a weight list for any of those students who might be interested. Um I believe that this year we did add Discovery Academy as a separate program um that has proven to be um a program that has been um filled um and so we would set that to zero for regular education seats. >> That's why there's all these zeros there. >> Yeah, it's exactly why there's so many zeros there. Um, if the ED services committee is comfortable, then I would move this to resolution in the January board meeting. >> Yeah. >> Any questions about that? >> Okay, >> let's do it. >> All right, good. Um, and then the last item that I just had on the agenda. >> So, >> oh, go ahead.

163I'm sorry. >> Let me just Sorry. Um in the event just just a clarification is uh in the event that let's say special ed student uh came from the appropriate school within our district we would still be able to we we would be obligated to >> to take them right >> if they are a district resident. >> Okay. So this has nothing to do with that. It just means if they're um if they're from a different from a neighboring district that they wouldn't be able to open a special ed student in our program. >> Correct. If a family was living outside the district and had a student with an IEP, we would at this point say there's no space available, but that there would be a special education wait list. >> Okay. If someone were

164to move into the community or as you pointed out lives in the community and is moving from a private school to the public school, um we would be obligated to provide those services. >> Excellent. Thank you. >> Good question. >> All right. And then the um no other questions, just that my director update is incredibly brief this month. Um I just wanted to give you an update. um January 19th which is Monday for the majority of the district is a teacher work day which is uh coincides with the end of the trimester or I'm sorry the end of the semester um giving our teachers time to do grading and enter grades for report card. The high school however being on the trimester does use this one as a professional development day. Um Mr. Whitaker and

165I had a conversation and the plan all along was that the high school was going to be able to dedicate this day to uh refining their curriculum course guides. Um I really give a lot of credit to Dave Lockstein. He's been working with department heads with Ask Gus to get information into Gus um so that we can get um just sort of first drafts to teachers um so that they can review that. Um I will also talk about this a bit at the curriculum committee as well. Um but then just hoping, can't guarantee, but hoping that we would maybe get some of our first um high school curriculum course guides either in February or March of this year for the curriculum committee to review. So that really is the bulk of the time on Monday

166for the high school. The next full staff development day, I believe, comes in February. Um and then the elementary and middle school have their staff development day in March when the high school then would have that for grading at the end of the second trimester. If we remember the majority of the elementary teachers did um HMH into reading training in August and used that as a sort of swap out day for the March staff development day. Just a little preview for that um as we look at the remaining professional development days in the district. question Jenny. >> Yes. >> Um on our for the board that was what the professional development day at the high school on Monday was presented as an opportunity for a table to be there with schoolboard representation about the referendum.

167Do you feel that would be more of a distraction or because you have goals and with David and other goals for this that you've just identified. Do you feel that would be more of a distraction or a benefit? >> Uh Mr. Bull, I don't know if you want to chime in. Um >> I guess my opinion would be neither. I think we might get uh very few participants. I don't think it's a distraction. >> Okay. I just think that um one of the pieces of feedback we got from last year's referendum work is that there's an opportunity to engage or inform our staff differently or better and we have done that this year thus far and so we have sent a number of um messages to our staff that include like those key messages. Uh

168Jared's been at staff meetings I think even more than last year. So I think it would not be a distraction. I just wonder if people will engage. But again, >> that's my guess. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> I would say they always love seeing you. They honestly do, right? So that um that's an important message as well. >> Okay. So we ready for action items? >> Action items. I have two. one would be the open enrollment uh consideration as a resolution in the January 4 board meeting. And then the second piece I have is a small team um including board members and members of the charter uh committee to come together to refine the data dashboard for uh an update for the semester 2 um update

169or trimester 2 update in the spring. Um I also will make a note of the student voice from Endeavor um coming to the board to present. Um I think we always love an opportunity to have our students in front of us and that might be a nice one too. >> Okay. Uh future agenda items. We um in February we plan to have JustinRandle the AD and myself deliver um a division of what we call captain's club u which wouldn't be limited to athletes. It's a leadership program that we're trying to develop and um he's been working with Jason at the high school and have some ideas and we want to just bring it to this committee to get it started with the possibility and the hope that we could maybe get it started before the

170end of school so that we we don't do it at the end of summer and we can even utilize summer. uh we want to talk about volunteerism and we're going to ask the principles to give us that job description of what they would want from the volunteers so they know what they'd be getting into and and uh allay some of those fears that they might have. And then uh the board has uh discussed the idea that they'd like better metrics for measuring growth in the middle school and high school and and David has agreed to do some research on that and if you want to share some things David. Well, what I've done research on so far, I've written some things up, is on different types of standardized testing and aptitude testing. And uh I'm

171going to need more information on how we do it here already because I don't want to reinvent the wheel here, but there are a number of things out there on standardized testing, aptitude testing that may be used and helpful to our students and to our faculty. um when I know that's been done and we've used that uh we're also looking not only test scores uh based on other schools and other places that give a similar test or that test but also the aptitude are they working to their ability or are they overachieving or underachieving kind of helps and they usually give some details information on where that is so it helps the teachers to know where to be focusing sometimes so um I'll give that to you later I'll have a handout All right. Thank

172you. >> All right. >> Anything else? >> Okay. >> Uh other than I appreciate the the discussion about u co serve um thank you for putting that on the agenda and um working that in because it looks like you were able to have a very productive meeting. So I appreciate that. So then we are ready to join adjourn at 9:54. >> That's what I see. >> All right. Thank you everybody. >> Everyone, >> thank you. Every