HOH Board of Ed Meeting 9-9-2025

001out what's going on with these questions. We've spent 90 minutes going through them. >> I have to click there. You can have the links there. >> Sure. >> Um, so I'm not going to read you everything. It's here. system more to give you a a sense of of what really is the detailed work here. Um, so this is a list that Frank puts together through his work in Alterrace and we literally ran through all of these things. Some of it's factual. You see incident details at the top but then it's a series of of very direct questions in terms of initial response communication emergency services involvement going into Roman numeral two you know resources and equipment availability of PPE spill kits and containment materials monitoring equipment going down into Roman three under page one to

002two training were students prepared emergency plans and then uh area four Roman rule four post incident actions and followup you see the set of lists there. Decam decontamination procedures, waste disposal all the way down through even mental health support and then you know five lessons learned recommendations. Uh these are all things that we were looking at today and beginning to list out uh as to what the followup uh if you go to the next link. So come back out of that if you don't mind Jod being a colleague on this. you come back out and go to debrief checklist number two. So that first list was created by Frank and the Alteras team. This next chart was created on on Friday the 5th right after the incident. The building administrators came together and and went

003from the the very first moment all the way through the close and broke it out by the spill, what actually happened. And we have a whole set of running notes now. And the key in the notes is in each of these rows, if you will. For example, spill action steps and some assigned parties. And this is tomorrow what Dan uh Andy uh Frank and I will begin looking at to make sure we actually follow up on this. But you see uh spill response. This is a valiatory bit here. They did very quickly through uh interviews with the teachers actually late Thursday determined there was strong response. Uh there was some issues around hold in place. We now have clarity on that. The minute emergency personnel are coming into the building uh be they medical emergency

004or other. We have to go into hold in place. We were a little confused on that. Uh but we've sorted that out. So I don't I don't expect confusion in the future. Talk through who should go to with students to the hospital if that happens. Then evacuation clarifying who gave the directive or not. Uh even though I think overall this went smoothly. Uh there was a little confusion on that whether to evacuate or not, but this is where when it's hazardous, uh uh Westchester comes in and takes over and they were the one that insisted on a an evacuation. And even though it was in a very isolated part of the building and we'd already isolated that area, uh we had to have the entire Farragate complex go out. Uh we learned through this that

005there are some discrepancies between the high school, middle school, and how we evacuate, the procedures. Uh we're looking to really tighten that down. uh we have students with limited mobility and we have other students with special needs and how might they be affected by this. So we're looking at that um extended evacuation uh that's what we're we were into. So we had to review whether the juniors and seniors should be allowed to go which did occur. Uh a wrinkle in this was it happened at lunchtime uh when we had knew we had to evacuate and I walk out of my office and I see that we're in lunch I go oh my goodness all another level of challenge here. And that was also meant we already had our junior seniors, many of them out on

006open campus. So that affect that actually led to the decision to let those students, you know, head home and not come in. But we looked at that and we're going to come up with I think a much clearer decision rule. For example, our administrators joining us from the DOE, there's that it is always reunification. It's never anybody leaves early. You know, different type of setting, different type of environment, but it makes it pretty clear. Uh so we'll be reviewing that. Um there also is we'll put a hard and fast time as to whether we just do early dismissal or going to reunification so that we have some some procedures that are very black and white for us. Uh because we I think we had to do the reunification on this but we're getting close to

007that time where we might have just called an early dismissal. Um internal communication was a little bit of a struggle. Uh so we have to look at that to determine uh you know how how to improve that. Um Then we had some sense again reviewing whether we should dismiss uh any students early or or keep all students. Part of the thinking is you get as many people away from the situation safely as soon as possible. We want to revisit that a bit and we're going to revisit this quickly. Um we do our the reunifications from Reynolds. That meant that there was a march of some 1100 down Fairgav from Burke to Reynolds. Uh but that was done very much on the strong direction of the HPD. They were prepared. They were they were incredible partners

008on this. They got there fast. They cordoned off all the streets. They kept everything safe. They kept the media in the right place. Uh and all the rest. So they they they were excellent on this. Uh reunification. Uh we actually did pretty well on planned. Uh I had stayed up at the Farragate complex with Meen. Melissa was down at at uh Reynolds working with the principles and others, but Melissa was really on the point there, but certainly with the principles. Um and then we looked at issues of communication. Uh Cara Tamar, our communications associate, has also given me a list of six or seven items that we can do better on. So, we'll be following up on that. Uh one big big takeaway is that uh the site the the incident commander is key. And

009when I arrived here, the superintendent was the incident commander, which in my mind did not make sense because superintendent often aren't in the district for good reasons. Um, and so it is the building leader. Uh, and in this moment we slipped away from that a little bit. Um, I turned into the incident commander and going forward that will not happen. So the incident commander of its far complex is Andy Clayman, backed up by Dan Walden. Uh, and then with and we're going to work with Frank on incident commander training. Andy and Dan don't really need that. But that's to clarify exactly that when they're at the control site, what's uh command central if you will. >> Um that then their assistant principles and probably some other other designated teachers are managing the 500 plus well,

010500 each students, etc., etc. So, um you can see here down on the list some of these other key takeaways, chain of command, communications, uh and things such as that. So I just share this as an example. I don't know I mean you know Wal you can react I think you had used the word it would be sort of pacifying if we gave real specifics that we're really looking at this. I know Marine if you want to add as last what we are having to do in terms of technical review official review because I think the board needs to know >> uh what what occurs >> right so um thank you Bill. So um immediately um the day after the incident we um reached out to our partners and Boseies they have a safety and

011compliance um department there and uh with through that that uh contract they're able to provide us consultants through um contracting through Boseies that can assist us with some some a few things. Um, first and foremost, we um in speaking with Melissa Shandra, the science chair, had some um had chemicals that she felt needed to be disposed of. So, and we've worked with with companies like this in the past. So, we um had a conference call and what our next steps are. We're going to have an external um uh person come in. They're going to first and foremost inventory and help us um with what we think needs to be disposed of. They'll also review our inventory that we believe we should still have on hand. Um either maybe make some recommendations of things that should

012also be considered to be disposed of and then then basically overall chemical hygiene training because other than Melissa Shandruff who is currently our chemical hygiene officer in the district um nobody else in the department has been trained. So, we're also setting aside time for the department to be trained. And quite frankly, we may um in conversations today with with the consultant and Melissa being she is not a chemistry teacher, it's typically chemistry teachers who would be the chemical. Although I think she does a good job of it, she just feels like that is not um you know that that is something we should just revisit and see whether um not that she did anything wrong in this matter, but I think we want to train everybody. And in speaking with him, he just mentioned that

013many times it's people who work with the chemicals more often that are the chemical hygiene officer. We do have excellent records um that are kept in the classroom and and we're up to date and all the rest. But I think obviously this is of utmost importance. It's a lot of responsibility and work even to oversee um be a chemical hygiene officer in a district. um and given the scope of her other responsibilities involved, I think just having the external partner come in and help us with this and then we can see how moving forward um we have used them before, but just to build that into our yearly process. Um they they also made some recommendations about how many you know different schools may be getting away from having um as many chemicals and just

014working more with kits and things and that's primarily because the cost of disposing of chemicals has increased significantly like a I think two or three years ago we disposed of chemicals and it was like eight or $9,000. So there's a the point in which sometimes schools are and that has increased is what he's explained to us. So, we may just want to revisit how we purchase, how much we keep on hand as well as part of this process. So, I um I think that that'll be a good um you know, a good help to our science department as well. >> And let me just go to the last slide, key takeaways. Um you can see through all the questions, particularly those generated by our building administrators joined by Meereen that all students were safe. I

015was here at back to school tonight that Thursday night that night and this is you know a village where people will tell you what they're thinking. I by count some 50 to 60 came up and said thank you and they're not thanking me but they're thanking the team. They came up to Frank and said thank you. So for all needs for improvement uh you know we we did well. We also are very lucky because when that type of chemical splashes and it splashed on three students, their families have been incredibly supportive. Uh actually many were most worried about the teacher. Uh we we dodged one here and that's why we're taking this so so seriously. Um compliments to the teachers and others. Uh we have to do training and orientation on what they need to

016do in these moments. But even without that uh there's been so much training anyway uh that they were were there. the students, you know, were excellent. Uh even even some of the students who are already out on lunch, who still had their phones, which I'm going to come to in a second. Uh everybody was was very cooperative and respectful and very importantly, yes, police and fire, but I want to thank the families uh because there's a tend you know, any parent, grandparent, family member, aunt and uncle, if a relative is in near crisis or danger, you want to rush to be of help. And we know uh from too many, this was not a tragedy. this in the walk of these things in schools. This was a minor incident, but even in this there's the

017tendency to rush to help and it does not help. Uh that kind of crowding can really be a big issue. The Hastings police were ready. They had cordoned off areas if need be and all the rest. But families trusted us to do what we had to do and we are tightening down on some communications. For example, the robocall did not go out. We'll make sure that goes out. Families have asked for that. The communication that goes out, we'll say in big words, urgent. See people look at it. Most got to it. It did say emergency and that's too long a word but we'll we'll do some things like that. Um now let me go to a quick topic and finish which is uh on Friday I have to go share with 30 or 40 50

018superintendents who knew we went through this and their question is not how did you handle reunification. It's not how did you handle evacuation. It's not how did you handle a chemical spill. What do you think their question is? >> How did you do it without phones? So today, sitting with our, you know, all of our administrators, Marine, Melissa, right through all of the principles and assistant principles, what do you think the answer was? >> It it was better. It made life substantially easier. Um, as Andy Clayman said, we we could then manage what we had to manage. and getting to the family piece. Obvious I think that ability to call out often then gets families jazzed and worried and it's often with false information which gets them running in. So we did have some false

019information flowing that lots of students had acid on them that acid was flowing in the hallways uh things like that which was just not the case. So it I mean Melissa Marine, you were in the room and you actually joined in it that they would was without a doubt if we had had phones across the board uh and literally none of the middle schoolers had their phones. Some of the high schoolers did and they they worked well with us on this because that once you got to lunch you can you know unlock your phone. Uh but I think my fellow supers might be thinking I'm going to come in and say it created more of a problem. But to a person all of those managing this say that was a big big benefit not to

020have to navigate that alternative communication path. >> So I it's a lot here. Again I I really thank in our meeting today two days ago yesterday I guess. It seems we're moving fast. Sorry that that Wen and Ella Ellen Wen said give us some more information so we can be assured. >> Thank you. I'm gonna open up for questions. I think um this is a good time to read David Weinstein's um letter. He couldn't be here tonight, so I said I would read this for him. Um I want to commend the administration and staff for their swift and professional handling of the hazardous materials incident on September 4th. I was serving double duty that day, both as a concerned parent and as a member of our fire department. And I feel strongly from both a

021first responders and a parents perspective that the situation was taken seriously and treated with the appropriate level of urgency and care. I was especially impressed this happened during the very first week of school with new faculty, new students, and all the normal adjustments of a new year. Even with those challenges, the administration acted quickly to evacuate the building, notify parents and the community, and dismiss students early, keeping safety and accountability above all. And with new protocols around phone usage and students still adjusting to security pouches, everyone managed an additional layer of complexity during an already stressful moment. I am sure we will review this incident as we always should to identify areas for improvement. From my perspective, it was handled with great care and diligence and our community should be proud of the way our

022schools responded. As a followup, I would appreciate clarity on a few points. Do we have a consistently updated inventory of all chemicals and materials in our labs and classrooms so that if there is another incident, we are fully aware of all potential? Can we confirm that lab safety protocols and equipment such as showers and other safety tools are being properly maintained and reviewed? Given our belltobell phone policy, do we need to provide additional guidance so teachers know how to manage student phone usage in an emergency? with gratitude, David Weinstein. Um, I I would just like to add um had no idea who my child's emergency contacts who who our emergency contacts were because we filled it out kindergarten. And I never looked at it again. And here it is six years later. We actually need

023needed our emergency contact to pick up my daughter and uh we couldn't get in the portal. You know who too many portals these days. So we finally figured it out. But um I think it would be helpful to send out a community reminder to check your who your emergency contacts are each year and make sure they are relevant. Are those in the portal currently or not? >> Yes. >> Are the So, if you go into the portal, your students portal, you do see the current emergency contacts. >> You do. It used to be that you couldn't access your report card until you updated your contacts. True. I thought that was very clever. >> And maybe we need to do that again because it was helpful to be like, "Oh, wait. That person's a contact. It

024doesn't make sense." And I couldn't access any of their information without updating it. Mhm. >> No, that's good. I'm adding that to our our action list. Um I mean to take David's very generous comments again. It's the team that you know that really delivered and we and also and he's a first responder. I saw him there. We gave each other the thumbs up from across across the situation. Uh you know, so you always do the post-action analysis and the team's really stepped up to do better. But in terms of the chemical uh management, that's underway. You heard that heard that very much from Marine and we're going to get some expert eyes on that. One of the compliments to both chem teachers because Kevin came rolling in to help um is that they knew exactly

025what to do in terms of eyewash everything else. So that that was >> neutralizing it. They neutralized it. >> Yeah. That and to get all the other students out of the space quickly. So that they they move quickly. Um so so that that's we're fine on. And then uh this was a a test of what happens when you don't have the mobile phones. I think it's more at the high school level how to manage that because this showed that with uh students having to put their phones in the pouches and put those in the lockers in an evacuation like this, they as as Dan said in the meeting, none of the 520 had had phones on. Um now that meant they stayed there overnight to the next day. uh but that you know worked well.

026So I think more at the high school level where we because we want to hold on to our open campus and the open campus allows once their students are out of the building to if they want to access their phone, you know. So um anyway, >> can I say in a lighter note, I asked my daughter if everybody was okay and she said, "Yeah, but they have their phones in overnight." So it's like, okay, they're caring about that then they're probably okay. Um um can we ask our student representatives to reflect on their experience uh during this uh incident? Well, oh yeah, pull it in. Yeah. Okay. Well, I would say that it was kind of confusing because none of us I was in my supera class, so none of us knew what was happening

027and we kept getting um interrupted in our class over the intercoms. And then my teacher gave up and she was like, "Okay, go and take all your stuff." And then once we got outside, I remember a lot of us were trying to unlock our phones, but then we weren't able to because then it was going to cause a traffic jam. And I think once we got outside like and it kind of cleared up, then we were able to go. And then some of the teachers just said, "Okay, since you guys were seniors, then you can go off to lunch." So then we did that and it just initially we thought it was just going to be a longer lunch. And I would say that most people did not want to go back to school cuz

028none of us had any good classes after school and also my classes were both in the science hallway. So it's kind of confusing because we are being told all these different things where one of them was you're going to have your classes in the auditorium. So I thought I was going to sit in the auditorium for over two hours for my classes and I wasn't really I was kind of confused on how that was going to help me learn and like actually do any of my work productively. So, I kind of had mixed feelings about that plan, but in the end, like we were told that we were able to just go home. And so, I think it was kind of a relief like hearing that everyone was okay. And there were definitely a lot

029of stories that like we heard that were different and some people really dramaticized it. >> Sure. Um, so I would say uh I think the reunification process little little >> the reunification process also considered um I would say it went pretty smoothly. Um but there were definitely like in the student level there was a lot of concerns with we were unaware if we were going back in the building, if we're having a longer lunch, if we're going in the auditorium, if we're being dismissed and there was a lot of uh discontent, I would say about not knowing sooner what was going on. >> Um a lot of students were hungry. um and they did not have access to their phones. I think one of the biggest biggest things there was that a lot of students

030were really upset that they had to keep their their bags if they didn't bring them out with them um to the Burke. They had to keep their bags and their phones and their work all overnight. So um in my classes at least I saw that teachers handled it very well. They were they were lenient. They were flexible with understanding students. Some students couldn't do their work because of the incident. Um, but I I remember a lot of students expressed, you know, their their concern saying, "Why can I not go get my bag in the Spanish room? It is nowhere near the science hallway." Um, but we understand that experts warnings, cautions, um, and they told us to evacuate the building. So really, that was the safest option to do. >> Thank you, David. You know,

031let me just underscore I think in in the the administration under extended evacuation that's why they were today stressing what are our structures around internal communication during extended evacuation because they knew clearly we were in this bit of internally this conf which gets to exactly you're both speaking to that what did we know when or not um and so that's something we want to tighten down and strengthen >> it would be interesting I think one of the key pieces it sounds like everything locally went about as well as could be expected One of the especially about the phones, one of the key pieces is that part going out to parents because we don't really have a wellestablished procedure for reunification. Parents don't know it, kids don't know it. I don't know if there is one,

032but it might be something that, you know, we do have the superintendent's communications work group and working on some sort of reunification policy that we can communicate clearly. Maybe it lives in the portal. Maybe that's something that the that the that committee could take a look at during this year just going forward. Sure. >> Any other questions or comments? >> I just >> a quick question. Um the this the chemicals that need to be disposed of. This had no relationship to that. Correct. It was just kind of a freak accident, right? That the container broke. Yeah. Got it. Um, and I thought your uh debrief was very thorough and I know you're going to be going through a lot of different things and speed and other entities are looking for different responses as you know

033these things happen they they monitor them. But I think um kudos to you all. I think it was a really good response especially given when it happened. I'm happy to hear that you didn't let the kids get their phones because it sounded like that could be an issue right if if traffic was backing up and they could be ramping each other or whatever. That sounds like a good call, too. So, my compliments to you and to the whole team. >> Thank you, Marie. >> I think Ella, of course. >> I did have a question regarding the pickup for the Bargate Middle School students. One thing that I heard was that the high school students who had siblings in Fairgate Middle School were able to pick up their siblings, but I don't know if that was

034true if you weren't labeled as a guardian. students. >> You want to add >> speaking to the mic? >> Uh, yeah. I I was actually there. I I asked Mr. Clayman directly because I have a younger sibling. He's a fifth grader and I asked, "Am I allowed to sign my younger brother out to take him home?" And he said no. So, that was that was the rule I was told there. >> Thank you. Thank you all, Bill. Thank you very much. Anything else on that or >> Okay. Thank you. We're going to move on to uh another update from Carbal, our business official, regarding the complex ancillary complex. >> Y um >> change it for me or you'll change it for Bill. It's just two quick slides. Okay, >> there we go. Yep, you you

035could advance the slide, Jody, to the next one. Uh, I'm sorry, back one. Oh, okay. Um, flood and bond, bond and flood these things the past year. Uh, this is just a quick update on where the Farragate um way work is. um as of today and although sometime I walk by the building and you don't um may not see walls up that doesn't mean I think I reported out last week that there's been a lot of work that has occurred and here's just to put some bullet points behind that as we reported last week the the interior wing this was not only to um replace that were damaged it was an actual complete overhaul of the electric and that side of the building with new panels and all the rest um in in total Joe

036reported about six miles of wire that was pulled in that building. It took approximately three months with three staff members that worked on it daily. Um and again, not only is that the wiring for the lighting and all the other um things that that uh smartboards and all the rest. Um we also have new uh PA data wiring that was needed. Uh a new tech closet that was built and constructed um as a backbone of that um wing which did not previously exist. I mean the good news with that is that the um we have a lot of latency issues in the school building because of the the um when wires are are far away from a closet it then impacts like even on the on the hotspots it impacts the performance. So I think

037this will also by having a closet in that side of the building will hopefully improve the performance um not only in that area but in other parts of the building. As far as the electric, I just want to highlight this by Joe and his team doing the work. Um this is based upon our general contractor pricing that work out with contractors versus um the in-house efforts to that we see about 1.5 million on the scope of the work because that was um by far one of the larger ticket items within the um rebuilt and again we spoken a lot about the fire suppression system. Um the interestingly enough that particular system is the most complex although not the most expensive because there's a lot of engineering calculations and things that um even if there's a

038slight modification it requires uh a lot of work to proceed. But all that being said it's a it's a complex system. Um we are well underway into it being installed. But it in total it probably is about a four to five month job in terms of the uh brand new system and and all the um submitts or provisions that was necessary to um have it now um being fully installed. HVAC contractors mobilizing submitts. Again, submitts just know all the equipment and responding to the plans have to go through a review process through about four to five different people um prior to it being approved and then that approval allows them to buy equipment. So again, these type of um jobs even even in a school setting or any type of um corporate setting, even things

039such as like sheetrock and all the rest and things of that nature and ceiling tile do go through a submittal process, although those are of course u move fairly quickly. It's it's a very comp complex um job that we're doing here. And again, general contractor back full-time on site. You'll see all the vehicles in our parking lot. And this work has been phased and a lot of it has been purposeful and they've been working because there are a lot of different prime contractors on on the job. And at times when there's too many, you know, chefs in the kitchen, it's not ideal in terms of their work. So it it really I think now as we see the G GC coming back, we'll start seeing the actual physical walls and things like that and those

040assemblies going up and ceiling assemblies. Um we've been continuing to have our on-site meetings. They'll be picking up a bit as the schedule um commences and again we're still trending about that 1.5 million that we the board released in previous meetings in terms to close out this scope of work. So just to be clear on that, so when we looked at the BCS last year, we tossed around different numbers, but there's $1.5 million of overlap stuff that was on the BCS that got picked up incidentally >> u with this new construction. >> Yeah. And as an example, the fire suppression system was was something that, you know, working with insurance um you know, there was an existing fire suppression system. It was actually the root cause of the flood, right? But in terms of you

041know as as any the way the insurance is required to look at it they looked at it is it does it need to be replaced or can be repaired not because they don't agree that it should have been replaced but just from a insurance standpoint they could put a repair of about50 to $75,000 and it would meet standard code right because it existed. That would be something that there was a decision we had um we have property loss money. We made the decision. Now, by doing so, it was a lot less expensive to do it now than in three or four years. You know, we should have changed out that 80-y old fire suppression system when we had the opportunity. So, there things such as that that the money we released combined with the, you

042know, lion insurance money coming from the insurance recovery that um we're still tracking within that budget of what the money we released. And I think um you know we basically took the money that the insurance would have put toward that repair to augment getting a full new system which I think is in the best interest of the district, you know, to ensure that we don't have a failure like that in the future. But again, you know, as far as the budget, we've um had some budget meetings as of late and I think we're tracking in a better place now, you know, as you know, because it's closer to now being completed. Um, as far as the bond update, um, this evening we had hoped to bring you a recommendation for the construction manager. We opened

043bids last week. Um, unfortunately be due to Thursday, we actually were in meetings with construction managers during our interviews when they also had to leave the building and um, we were we had to reschedu quite a few of those and because they didn't necessarily have the whole team, we've been trying to do that um, on Friday uh, to yesterday as well as today. What we are um hoping to do is to have potentially I don't know if the board's discussed it a short meeting to award that contract like a one item meeting. Um we review we interview three firms. We're finalizing references on the top two and we'll make that recommendation to the board either later this week or early next week. Um and again this is a very important um group that we need

044to get on as as soon as possible. They'll be there helping us with the cost estimating which is we're we're at a point in which with the initial designs that the cost estimator part of their contract on with us. Um and whomever we award the work to is ready to mobilize immediately um for that pre pre u bid effort and then as the field development continues or all the work continues obviously that that component of work is a smaller scope of work and it has been proceeding we would like to create opportunities for stakeholder input so we'll I think we talked about that last time um hopefully I guess we'll send out something to the board to talk about in the next month or so, you know, h how we go about putting the those

045groups together with our professionals, you know, present to to gain to be able to uh provide some initial thinking around some things and get the feedback on design and the products etc. And that's about it. >> Yeah. Let me just underscore first under the Farragate flood work. Let me Alex at the convocation when I did that all award statement um you did a wonderful job of thanking all the faculty and staff because uh everyone is being very patient until we get back in and in particular there we have three teachers there still juggling the Farragate gym or just the two um that we it's it's a viable space they're being very patient it's not perfect on the walkth through you saw that it changed dramatically based on the Thursday, first planning day, second planning day

046back, they came and met with me and a few others and that Friday day off, a number of people came in and rolled up our sleeves just to get it better. But that's just an example, but it's not optimal. The high schools had to be patient. Uh, and I I just I appreciated you saying thank you how people did because it's a time for patience. Uh, when we bring the fair wing back, we will bring it back to code to the quality it needs to be. and a few things that have slowed us up, you just had to do now or later, as Marine said, you'd be ripping out walls and all the rest. It would just have not made sense from a fiduciary or quality standpoint. Now, on the bond, um we we actually

047were on the phone with the board president today in terms of whether we, you know, brought you the recommendation today. Uh we do need to bring it to the for the construction manager, we do need to bring it to you before the 25th, your next meeting, because uh every week matters. Now this e we're down to two firms. Either one would be a great choice. Uh we are just scrubbing them quite intensively. Lots of phone calls, lots of meetings, even a few more tomorrow. Uh it's a big part of the budget. It's a number north of a million. Uh and they're the lynch pin. Uh they are the way that takes a lot of pressure off of Marine, Joe, and others because they are the ones that are going to manage every aspect of this.

048We're insisting and looking at whether you could report to you regularly. October 7, whomever's awarded this uh we'd be here to present to you in the village as to the timeline and all the rest. So, it's quite a critical uh appointment. We want to make sure you have at least a day to look at materials of the recommended uh body. We do a virtual meeting. U Melissa D. Labber will try and work that out. We'd like to do something Thursday because literally every day counts and they'd be ready to get rolling if they're awarded awarded this contract. Um so and we've got two very good firms. Uh one that is some awareness of this community, one that's newer but has done excellent work elsewhere in the state. I mean a lot of excellent work. So

049you you well we're going to bring you one. Uh but I'm asking for your patience and why we pull a virtual meeting and I we just didn't want to rush it tonight and not have let you have the background you need for that kind of decision. I I I want to thank you for the update both about the the Farragate everything going on there and the bond and I think it's really important that we >> I don't think we can hear >> I think it's really important thanks that we continue to give updates um about well both what's happening at Farragate but also with the bond so the people in the community can have a sense of where we are with the project with the timeline and particular particularly around the fields that we can

050remember and remind people that we're going to be able to get some uh community input when we're making decisions because I think it's really >> important. And I think one of the things from last week, Bill, I think that was good was when you had the mayor send out um your letter to everybody in the community. And um I think not on a, you know, everyday basis, but I think every once in a while it wouldn't be a bad idea to send out something to the mayor, to the community about these updates because I think there are a lot of people you know who aren't connected with the schools who have questions especially around things to do with the bonds and I think we learned and we know how important communication is so we have

051to make that primary >> just to re to reiterate the you know the idea had been to bring the recommendation tonight we had they had quite finished vetting so a short turnaround we're going to probably on Thursday strike for a virtual being so we can we'll have the materials ahead of time we'll be able to vote the role of construction manager I think it's important that everybody understands correct me if I'm wrong >> but it's not just one person it's a team knows this there's prep work there pre-construction work there's actual construction work and it is our kind of liaison who I think it's fair to say knows what a correct job looks like knows what it costs how things should be done right it's our eyes >> yeah they're they're almost really representing the

052owner that That's what they do. They they want because it's beyond managing the contractors. It's also managing the architects, the engineers that are doing the plans. It's sort of they're kind of managing the team and ensuring that the budget schedule, safety, and the constructibility as well as the coordination of the build are all happening. And to your point, it is a team and they come from um their backgrounds typically are like structural civil engineers as well as um people. You can have a construction management degree as well and architects. It's a combination of folks that work together on a team and then you have like a site supervisor who's typically a engineer but has done a lot of construction themselves to be able to man or has managed like construction which is it's actually the

053most important I mean they are probably the most important component of >> and you have a lot of personal experience you know these two projects right yeah so you know how they together >> and even the coordination sorry around We were talking with all of them because obviously they all did their homework and it's you know I think we all understand this doing construction on the building even just logistics of that they manage that and they manage you know similarly when you know with the neighborhood the neighbors the traffic all the things that are impacted and both projects you know there's considerable disruption to the area around it you know just the neighborhoods too right bringing hauling in material aterials and cement trucks and cranes and all the rest and coordinating a build and thinking

054about the people in the building, out of the building, the neighborhood. You know, you're in you're in a residential. There's so much of that and that is their responsibility in addition to managing ensuring that the pre the est because they're the estimators of the project the real estimators that are as we don't bring the plans to um bid without their review of that because they will frequently their job is to also review them for accuracy and and issues that they may find. >> Interesting. >> To save money on the back end. I know David had asked about it last year, your concerns about sort of the ancillary effects from construction and is it accurate to say you got you come with us to you have a recommendation for the board consider it vote on it

055and then whoever selected would present on these topics in an initial presentation we would meet then there would be public meeting present on these in and the 25th was the 25th >> we were aiming for October 7th >> sorry Um we ourselves will do an IP date on the 25th because there'll be things probably around the field for other things but one of their responsibilities will be to be at these meetings quite regularly uh presenting as much as you want but also listening in site supervisors daily here but but as you said Marines reinforcing it's you're hiring a team and uh you know they they've had to study the three propositions what's there what some of the issues are all three already raised a wonderfully creative idea to put the cafeteria in the tight space,

056but got to think about how you're going to get it built. Uh so they already are raising those sort of questions. Uh sensitive to uh the importance of multi-purpose and envir varied fields, but sensitive to all of the concerns and and they have already eyes out there to what are those most environmentally sound products. So, so both firms are quite experienced, one in particular around bullfield issue. So, but as as Marine put it, they this is the lynch pin. We've and and very thorough work particularly by Marine Joe. I joined in on this because that's such high stakes. A lot of conversations with superintendent about these two firms. Uh but we're asking for your patience that if we can be ready Thursday for a virtual meeting, at least we can get a quorum. Okay. So

057that that way we can really keep this work going. >> Okay. Any any questions? >> Uh I'd like to get a date on the calendar for a field meeting. Remember we had put together like a little group to talk about pre like musthaves in our field, eco-friendly, green. Um, and we came up with that and it would be great if we could come together again to talk about uh a larger community meeting and how we might select who comes or is it an open meeting or I think >> there facilities meetings before the construction manager would present maybe we could topic >> I might suggest you've got LA group we're having another meeting next week is it I have with them to get an update and we do have an outline of what we call

058the field renovation work group which would happen on a couple board members and that that's when we have some student representation also obviously the athletic director that would be an internal group to be mapping out all of what you're asking. >> Okay. So I think wanted to have a couple board members as part of that discussion but that's that's the planning group to then bring it out further meaning on in that case Bob Kun and LA group to sort of be organiz >> okay >> so meetings next week >> I I think we well the work with other groups would be would be ongoing I think this committee could be because it's I think it was part of a work with multiple voices and have different than the facility committee. So to be very tangible

059once we have this next LA group meeting just a few of us we can in that say one goal exactly >> okay great >> and I just want to me sorry this this evening just as an example they are doing work and um you'll see under the business items item three was they needed some further surveying work of the Burke estate so these are things that are related to their their work but this is just that kind I mean, of course, they've been working on it, but these are the real practical like things in which um that that need to occur even before you get to in terms of the materials and all the rest. So, they're just they're not working on those type of items. They're just really working on the practical like items

060around like soil and borings and uh pop uh we don't have although we've had many surveys out of the Burke being that now it's encompasses more area has >> in order for them to >> David uh with the two con proposed construction managers that are making the final run. You said two right? Yeah, I mean there were more but there are two >> that are making it. Um, have they given you a cost or their fee and is it in what we have budgeted? >> Good question. So I will say that we had a a variety of um beyond the people that were you know kind of lasering in on there was a wide um amount of of bids you variety of dollars that were provided to us. Um, I would say they, you know,

061that's an important factor to us. The budget goal for $1.3 million, more like 1.32 or something like that for the construction manager. There there there is some contingency, but that contingency isn't so much for the bid. It's it's for if the contract extends, then you have the contingency. If there were delays that require them to work further. So, um, the answer is yes. be the people that we are now coming in on both are in around that number above once I leave. >> Yeah. And we're pressing that we're pressing one of the services for that. Yes. But for example, in in one case they're five or not not fulltime you have the full-time site individual but then you have inense that person's director over you know but in one case they're five or six who

062would be leaning in one full-time but we we're definitely on that number looking at how close they are to it and if if we go above it that we know it's a firm uh that that actually finds efficiencies and that's the kind of things that Marine talking to business officials, we talk to the superintendent, we're we're sorting that out and if it's less than that, you know, even if we were to save money there, that may not actually pay off in the long run. >> Yeah. >> Just it really is a this role and and I think it's not just one individual. Yeah. >> Do they have a team that's going to back them up? Do they know schools? Do they know in New York State? Do they know the laws? Do they know construction?

063In this case, they know they got to know and E they got a new really important new addition for K classrooms but with some creative moves there and we have to understand fields and environmental and political aspects of fields right now. >> I think it's just it's promising that very early on we're in line with where we budgeted keeping the community our word and keeping the bond at a certain level. Uh unforeseen costs might happen but at the first stage we're in line with >> Yeah. So from lots of words and we really precise we are looking at the dollars. >> Yes. >> And if we aren't quite if we're a little above in what we bring in it's because we have data evidence if it's a firm that later will likely save money. >>

064Yeah. And I'd also add it's a good point. You know I think that there's always sort of a concern that the district's like a babe in the woods project but we actually have you know our people who we hire and pay for to watch out for our interest. >> I mean they really do. They're really Yeah, >> they really are. And that's why it's such a >> important decision that they are, as Phil said, as we're comparing the proposals and really digging into what they each proposed, you know, trying to understand well, how did this job exactly what you know, what are the actual manh hours you envision is that also right. So if one is slightly lower, one's slightly higher, trying to envision how they saw the work, why they um what they did

065and what why they believe it needs a certain amount of you know individuals to be involved in the project and and that's why there is there were some that we didn't even bring to the table because they were just even if we negotiated they were just going to afford them and you know to their to their credit they just man it very what I manet or you know they they have a lot of different um they may put more people that's just their comfort level of managing it because if you think about what the role of the construction manager is pretty significant and and if you think about when the work is really occurring you're managing multiple I mean sometimes crews so if they're will be occurring building an addition which on site that alone

066could be a crew of at least 50 people you know of different crimes and not 50 people in one company 50 people with five different prime, you know, contractors. >> Um, site excavation, um, as said, mechanical, electric, plumbing, um, general contractors and then, um, other like testing companies you have to coordinate because all all throughout you have to do testing and then addition field work on addition to have work going on at this site. So, even when we did the addition here, that's what people focus on. We had a major roof parapit and um facade work done and the um oh my gosh the cornness of the building after arrogate that was a huge undertaking that we did last time and I just remember the construction just you know you're you managed to improve at

067both buildings I mean it's it's quite an undertaking so all that to say we want to make sure we are looking at price and and if as Bill said if the final analysis I mean within a slight variation that we would feel comfortable bringing to you would be because we think it's worth it. You know, it'll save us money or hopefully save us money. >> Um, this is also helpful given that we had to make decisions so quickly and in terms of the information given to us as a board. Will we be able to see comps of estimated work and then final product project cost um of the different competitors? we can see examples like I don't know did they work in Helen Bronxville right and like what was the differential there or not just

068so we can compare that type of data >> yes well that's some of the what we try to get we tried not only to get it for the company but we try to get it for the site supervisor um and also so you yes so we can get it some some people put put that um provided that just as part of their overall presentation they demonstrated you know this I worked on this particular project and this is the budget I know save x amount of dollars they don't I mean they give some highle um reasons for why they keep annually but just be able to see those >> comp that is very important but I will say too and as much as that is a big part of saving it's not only do they try

069to save you money they try not to cost you money which is the other side of it which sometimes is the piece that you cannot know because the the last construction manager we had on this job to his credit he really um you know was what you know it's it's not it could have cost us more he not only we were able to do it on budget but he was able to manage you know as things came up we find solutions that were within budget so that's sometimes like I think it's more adhering to the budget but there are times I know clients want and it's 100% case There are times schools or clients do add work too beyond the budget. So >> there's very you know it was important decision that's why >> I

070know we will try to provide you that level of details because that's what we're trying to >> question to student reports. Uh Ella or what is going to go first this evening? So the first day of school was especially exciting for the seniors because we finally got to participate in the various traditions that we have. So one of these was senior sunrise and we woke up at like the crack of dawn which was probably more so around six and we got together and didn't really watch the sunrise because there was it was already risen but it was still really nice to see like all our friends from over the summer and also come together. It's a grade also hearing music in the background. So I say it was kind of a nice marking of our

071final year but the first day of it. >> Where did you meet? >> We met at the estate. So >> you you paint the cars too. Is that thing >> that was prior I did but I know my friends did and a bunch of other people. That was prior to the first day of school. But it was cool seeing everyone's cars and everyone like had coordinating ones. That was really cool. Then also on the part of the school day, we welcomed all the underassmen with like cheering and music and music like for each one who came into the hallway and into the school entrance. And it was funny because my friend's brother is now a freshman. So our other friend started screaming that's my cousin really loud. Not related at all. And then also we

072made our rounds along the hallways running up and down because that's also one of the traditions. And every year we see all the seniors coming together to make a noise in the hallway and kind of disrupt class. But it's also really cool to see how they really like memory the start of the school year. And then also happening is senior photos. So including myself, we have all been taking them and you I'm not quite sure how you have to sign up. So I will have to do more research on that part. But there are certain days that are specified in the calendar and it's around 20 minutes per max for each session. I think it was actually really nice because I finally got a school photo that I like. And we also got to do

073um >> we also got to do more casual photos so you could like see our personality and we got to have a lot of fun with it. So the people were really really nice. And so another first for seniors was our first NHS meeting. So where we briefed on what was expected for the year in terms of values and service as well as the NHS tutoring program. And then we were also provided with committees for service since we have to have 10 service hours that are put towards our community and Casey Hudson. And so some of these were volunteering at the school and also for example we were able to create our own programs. So, one of these could be connecting the high schoolers with elementary schoolers and one of these is actually wonder workshop

074which I know was a program last year and now me and two of my friends have taken it over and so now we're gonna have it's essentially teaching the student science projects and so they can broaden their learning in a fun way like labs and then we also another one was a teaching assistant program in our school where we'd be able to help teachers in our school so I know my teacher mentor the language and history departments and you would be able to have it was a research project in a sense and you would be able to broaden your knowledge and also helping teachers expand on their curriculum. And then also this week in the hindsight of school photos, FMS photos were yesterday and today and then continuing the trend this Thursday and Friday are

075the HHS underassman photos. So make sure you remember because many of people I know have forgotten and then that was their photo. And then moving on to theater, the playwrights festival is this Saturday at starting at 7 and the night will be played written by many amazing students and they actually will be writing these in 24 hours. >> So it's very cool to see and I highly suggest that everyone attends to support them. And then there was also the HHS theater interest meeting today. So there's two more briefs on discussing the high school play while also the high school musical and anyone if they're interested in participating on tech for any productions. So I believe usually there is another high school musical interest meeting closer to the date, but I'm really excited because >> Do

076you know what it's gonna be? >> Yes. >> Are you a liberty gonna say or >> I'm not too sure. Okay, next meeting. >> And then finally on my part is the high school annual club fair. So that will be held in the courtyard. And it's honestly really fun because everyone this week, all the club officers are preparing for it. And so this would include making posters on the names of their club, what is included in the club, and like what their values are and why they run this. And so another part of it is candy. So, everyone has candy at their stalls to sort of draw people in and get more signups that way. >> Thank you very much. Okay. >> Um, so I'm going to talk about back to school night for a

077bit. Uh, Thursday the 18th is the high school back to school night and um that's next Thursday. Um, this Thursday, Thursday the 11th is Fair Middle School's back to school night. So parents are going to go in, they're going to meet with their kids teachers, learn about um the education process, the classroom environment, um ask questions as needed. Um hillside back to school night already happened. Um that was last Thursday. Um parents al also go in be with their kids school teachers. Um I'm told that they got to make bookmarks with little messages for the kids and that was always a fun tradition back when I was on the side reading the next day what parents wrote for us. >> Yeah. Um, I want to talk about phones for a little bit. Um, obviously it's

078a state policy that's being implemented. Um, it's it's more than just phones, but at the moment a little early to get a read on all the other devices like with Chromebooks instead of MacBooks, so we're going to stick to phones just for now. Um, the policy is being implemented through the building. You know, every day we go in, unlock our pouches, put phones in, lock up the rest of the day. um either at the end of the school day or for juniors and seniors at lunch we can unlock them if we're going to leave the building. Um so we think it's going to be a smooth process, but right now the biggest problem we've seen is around the building. So the rule technically is you can't use your your phone outside or you can't use

079your phone on um the building grounds. So this means that freshman force can't use their phone at all from start of school day to the end of the school day. And I know there are some juniors and seniors who have also been trying to use their phones. They want to use their phone outside on the tables open campus and it's really not allowed. It's it's it's against the rules. So administrators have been making rounds um to try to enforce the rules on that part. But other than that, um we really think that again just for the phones at the moment, um we think it's going to be a really smooth uh adjustment period and adhere to the rules. >> Okay. Thank you. Can I question both of you? you know the school the high school

080already had a culture class and you know do you think this incremental change has made any difference in the atmosphere or I don't know if you notice any difference I guess I would ask >> yeah I just um I mean for me personally I haven't seen that much of a difference I'm sure it's different for um administrators and teachers like seeing how we operate from like a detached perspective ive but for me it's not really that big of a deal. the the the biggest there is a glaring one and it's it's during lunch like people you know they're talking to each other now and you see a lot more people leaving the building because they do want to be on their phones so juniors and seniors they will more frequently right now um so access

081>> um I agree with where lunch is definitely a time where now we're talking to face to face one thing I have noticed is that we're still reaching for our phones whenever it's in our backpack and then pull out the pocket and we just we saw it, we just stare at it and it's it's hard to get out that habit. But I think another part is the time because none of us have watches and we don't really think get the clock out much especially like in between periods. So it's kind of been an adjustment not knowing the time and we're asking people on their computers, hey what's the time like I need time but >> other than that it's been pretty smooth and there's not much of a difference in classes. It's interesting though. It's

082great to hear that the lunch and I mean I suspect once the weather turns a little less people staying for lunch. Other questions that raises an interesting question um regarding clocks in schools like I was a lot of schools with work and clocks never seem to work. Um I mean we have a beautiful digital clock here and but the oldfashioned you know dial clock the dial. >> Yeah, I stare at that one a lot. Um But are there >> electric clocks that tend to not work um >> and so students can like see what time it is or in the new middle school are we having digital clocks in every classroom >> inside it we're fine but in our monthly PTSA separate meeting today this exact issue came up and it's interesting you reporting that

083they're on the phones out there the parents are saying they're not on the phones, which is that the watch. They're not sure they can get it in in time. So, they asked if we could do PA announcements as to lunch is almost done. >> We don't have a PA system out there. So, some of us may have to go into our drawers and get our old watches like some of us did in the spring. >> So, we are paying attention. Not to make light of it, but it's but I I Waen that's one excellent presentation. Nell is really coaching you well here. I can see um but uh we'll work on that. So >> good Christmas presents for everybody. >> We actually have a little bit of course. Sorry. Sorry. Um so we we we

084sort of went over the chemical spill. Um we want to give just a little bit more of a rundown on the student perspective. So obviously all things considered the reunification process went pretty smoothly. Um but like we said um there's some irritation with student like just the amount of time that it took in Dr. McCursy's presentation. I'm sure he highlighted like communication between people and the like the the amount of time the whole process took. Um maybe there could be some improvements made there. I know students were um they wanted to have their phones out. Um to us it didn't really seem like there was an issue of students wanting to reach out to their parents as much. There was actually someone there were teachers who came out to the Burke estate um with like

085unlockers like the the handheld ones. So there were students getting their phones on that. I did get my phone unlocked as well and then I was able to text my parents and my site were all so that that actually did work smoothly like once the situation was under control we were able to communicate with our parents after that. So I think that was that was a really great um that was really great that happened. Um I think we'll also be sure to communicate um in our meeting with the student union tomorrow in the morning everything that's been sent here um especially from the presentation because um they'll be able to distribute the information as they see fit through the classes letting um students and parents know what's going on that's going to help improve this.

086What's what have we learned from this? How are we going to prevent it next time? So they're going to they're going to know about it and they're going to distribute that. And the last thing, uh, some lighter news. Uh, it is the first two weeks of school. So, Hastings athletics is starting up again. It's, uh, today is a huge, huge day. Um, there both field hockey teams are playing, both varsity soccer teams are playing, the JV girls tennis team is playing, cross country team is is running, the volleyball team, the boys volleyball team is playing, all at home, all in facilities in Hastings and away are both the girls volleyball teams. So, um it is a really really um big night for the Yellow Jackets. I myself actually just came from the varsity boys soccer

087game. Uh the score was 000 when I left, but I'm confident the guys are going to get us a good result. So, yeah. Um every team is super competitive, um dedicated, and we're all looking forward to the renovations coming up that the last ball got us. >> Excellent. Thank you. Thank you both. >> Who did the soccer team play? >> Uh Putnham Valley. Good. Thank you. Any other questions, comments? Uh we're going to move on to the sort of headline presentation tonight from Dr. This is the state of the district report part one. Part one because it's not comprehensive of all the different um data that we collect, but she will detail that. So, >> yeah. Thank you. So, tonight's presentation event is the state of the district and we'll be looking at academic data.

088this evening as Alex was just pointing out with part two on the 25th and we'll look at descriptive behavioral data and an overview of our diagnostic screening process, the indicators we're looking at and areas for improvement in terms of ensuring more fidelity with our data in the social emotional realm. And the reason I'm referring to this is as an event is I also want to juxtapose this with the notion that continuous data review needs to be a process. So it does need to be ongoing. So here I am presenting and this is a moment in time and it is an event. The work around data needs to be ongoing. Last year I presented to the board the model model of continuous improvement that we are working through in terms of establishing a data review cycle

089and actually in terms of disagregated data. This was one of the things that was flagged in our recent diversity, equity, inclusion and ENL audit. make sure that we are doing better with our review of disagregated data and our management response to that was around establishing a data review cycle. So this is part and parcel of that as well. So um the information I'm going to be providing tonight is instructive. It's not definitive. And so one of the things that I just want to highlight is when you look at any data or any piece of information um often it lacks context and so there's complexity. There are things that need to be considered in tandem with the data. Some of it is around student cohorts not necessarily being identical from year to year due to enrollment

090shifts. thinking about shifts standards, different assessments, shifts in the rubrics that the state uses against the state data to score. Um, and even the teacher cohorts haven't necessarily been identical from year to year in terms of shifts in assignment, new professionals coming on. So all of this can contribute to variations in data. However, we cannot discount that we need to look at our program and we need to look at coherence in different content areas. We also need to look at continuous improvement in terms of instruction, in terms of leadership and of course we look at the different size of demographic groups in consideration. But all of this is part and parcel of a greater whole. So it is important that we look at data and understand that it's definitely incomplete in terms of the system

091of understanding it which is why it's important to be continually digging into it. So for tonight, I'll be presenting on the local and the state English language arts performance data and that will include the STAR renaissance diagnostic screening which we do grades K through eight. Also the New York State ELA assessment data and that's administered three through eight at the elementary and middle school program level. Uh I'll pause after that and actually after each of these bullets to answer any questions that pertain to the specific area. So then I will review local and state mathematics performance data and similar to the ELA we'll be looking at the star diagnostic screening data and also the state mathematics assessment data. I'll then present on the state science performance data. We do not have a lot of that

092because that is a new assessment administered in grade five. This is just year two of that. And then we'll go into the state regions data. And again, I will pause after each of those bullets to make sure that I open it up for any questions. So, STAR has been introduced since 2021. It is a D diagnostic screener that is administered three times a year. where we administer in ELA and mathematics. Kindergarten students get what's called the early literacy screener which includes mathematics. So they do not have theirs as a standalone mathematics screener. And one thing I wanted to highlight about our diagnostic assessments is we do not have opt outs for our diagnostic screening. This is everyone in our program K through eight gets this screener. And then >> so you're just pointing out so

093because the state test you can opt out. >> Correct. Well, it's complicated. So the the school system is not is we need to administer the state test to everyone. That said, some families choose to refuse and that is considered an opt out on the family end. The school administers to all. And yet we did have actually I anticipated this as a question and I will say to you in ELA some of our grade levels we had 22 or 23 refusals >> right that's pretty big. So when we're looking at state data we really need to think about that. So that was particularly in grades seven and eight in ELA. Um we had no refusals in grade six for ELA which I found interesting but we did have some in mathematics. Um but again highest number

094of refusals was grade seven and grade eight and that is both ELA and math. >> Sorry to interrupt. >> Fascinating. And have those refusals tracked with them like that cohort has been refusing since third grade or is this new? >> I would have to look. Um, I did flag this because as I was reviewing for the presentation, I said, you know what, let me take a look at that because our diagnostics training data is everyone and our state test data is not everyone. So, I just I did want to frame this a little bit. Okay. The other thing I wanted to mention is we shifted to computer-based testing and that was last year. We really did a full-scale shift. The state did require a shift to computer-based testing. ahead an implementation roll out. So that

095is newer for our district. That is also something that could potentially impact performance. So when we're talking about context and complexity, navigating a computer-based test is a new layer of complexity for consideration. And when we get to the regent exams, uh, I want to flag that algebra, we have students in middle school and high school taking the algebra regents. Uh, US history and government was first administered in June 2023, algebra 1, June 2024, that was the new algebra regions. And then last year in Hastings, we administered the biology regions. So the living environment regions was not administered. you will see some little blips in the data and that's what that is all about. So we'll begin with ELA. So what you're looking at here is our reading diagnostic screening results. And if you look vertically

096and we are going to be working on getting a better uh pointer so you can't really see my laser. I will make sure that I articulate it. So if you look at the first column, you're seeing G8 all the way down to K. So those are our grade levels. And if you look horizontally, you're looking at data over time. So if you follow, let's just say G1 and you move all the way to the right, you're looking at how first grade um as a grade level performed, but it is different cohorts of students. If you are looking on the diagonal, so if you're looking at G1 spring 2022 and you follow that up and to the right diagonally, you can track cohort growth over time. Okay, so I just wanted to point that out. The

097large majority of our students in K through eight did perform at or above the benchmark on the STAR reading diagnostic screener. And when we're looking at performance over the past few years in uh for students in grades six, seven, and eight, if you're looking across, you are seeing notable growth in performance. And I will say I have to take a moment to give a shout out to our English teachers. We have been engaging in an English inquiry, our ELA inquiry in the middle school. And I want to publicly recognize and thank our teachers for rolling up their sleeves, digging in there. And I want to thank the leadership of Sarah Walters who has really given a concerted effort um to make sure that we are on continuous improvement. Writing has been a true inquiry process

098which is that it is generative in terms of a problem of practice that comes from the data and our teachers identified writing as an area of focus and the need for coherence in alignment with not only our portrait but thinking about what they're seeing on the dayto-day. So that is that is our inquiry work. So the teachers are working together on the design process of how that unfolds and we've already begun our work around that with our thought partner Diane Cunningham and that is going very well. We actually have work coming up uh next week with her to continue and I will be updating the board on that work. Um so we are seeing that notable growth in performance. We're seeing similar percentages of students achieving or exceeding grade level benchmarks at the elementary school

099as compared to the middle school. If you look at the spring 2025 data, if you jump back to spring 2022, you're seeing quite significant variation there. If you really look way up to grade four, the bands. So you are seeing that happening and at the same time we are seeing inconsistent trends in the percentage of students at or above the benchmark over time as students are moving through the middle school. So that that raises some good questions for us to continue to dig into and unpack. So if you look at the grade five cohort for example, you look at spring 2022 grade five, you're seeing 76%. If you follow that up and to the right to spring 2025, you're seeing that cohort now 84% on that diagnostic screener. At the same time, you can justapose

100that with the grade four cohort. Spring 2022, you're seeing 93% at or above the district benchmark. And then you follow that up and you're seeing some decline. So it raises some questions. So we have to continue to roll up our sleeves. Come back. >> Quick question. Could you remind me or um when did children come back to school from CO? >> So COVID happened in 2019. I want to say >> started in 2020. >> Yes. >> And I know that because I walked in and all of a sudden there was no school and we had to reinvent it. that they it definitely sticks to my head. Fall 21 is when we kind of came back >> came out started really coming out. >> Okay. >> So, spring. >> Do you mind just um like inform

101all of us a little bit about how the the star assessment works and when it's given because here we have also given in the fall. >> Yes. >> In the winter and just talk through that process for people who might not be familiar with. And then also can you explain the 40th percentile benchmark versus >> Sure. >> Yes. So that's both of those things are really important. So we have the STAR is administered three times a year. So it's being administered actually within the next couple of weeks. We go into an an assessment window all the way through October 1. And so there is a timebound period of time where this is given. It's typically during one period in a class and it is an adaptive screener. So it adapts to the student. So based

102on um the the assessment is in front of the student, it is it is a computer-based assessment. So when we're thinking about juxtaposing that with the state test which also has that written short answer component, this is adaptive on the computer. And if the student answers the question correctly, it then moves to a more difficult question. And if the student um has an error, it moves to a less difficult question. And it continues to do that back and forth. and it it toggles until it reaches the sweet spot of where a student demonstrates proficiency. The 40 um the benchmark of students um percentage at or above the district benchmark. So it is it's important to note that for us and for most people the def most districts that are using Renaissance Star it defaults to

103at or above the 40th percentile rank because when we're looking at a diagnostic screener it will ultimately give us us results with students resulting in four different bands. So if they're in need of immediate intervention if they're versus if they're at or above or if they're on watch. Right? So it it segments it segments the results that way. So it flags for us anyone who may through the MTSS process need to be picked up. So if they are in the the lower areas, we immediately eyes go to them. If a student is we're thinking about proficiency, we tend to think of that in terms of like 50th percentile rank. But the issue is that we wouldn't be picking students up for intervention if they were at 40. And so the purpose of that diagnostic screening

104assessment is not only to flag where students may be in need of immediate support, it also gives us a report on different areas that they're proficient at and where to next begin instructions that we're differentiating appropriately for our students. So the diagnostic screener is set at or above 40th percentile rank and it is meant to be in terms of where students perform it is supposed to be indicative of where they will perform on the state assessment. So there is supposed to be a very strong correlation which is one of the reasons where our screening team way back when selected STAR figuring that this is more of the gold standard because not only is it um giving you an idea of where students fall in terms of their proficiency indicating next steps for their immediate instruction.

105It's also indicative and predictive of how they'll be doing on the state assessment. So that was that's a little bit more on the diagnostic screener. Okay. So we will now move into the ELA assessment. Um it's set up the same way in terms of the chart that you're looking at. And what you can see is overall strong performance on the ELA assessment. And the strongest performance at Hillside was in grade four with 90% of students meeting or exceeding the proficiency standard. And then in far at Farragut Middle School, the strongest performance was grade five with 86% of students meeting or exceeding the proficiency standard. We're seeing relatively stable grade level performance from one year to the next over the past four years with a couple of exceptions. So if you look at grade five over

106time from spring 2022, spring 2025, moving from 65% to 86% proficiency in terms of looking at fifth graders of performance. I will again acknowledge our middle school ELA teachers and our fifth grade teachers are generalists. But I will add that our fifth grade teachers have had representatives uh participating in the inquiry whereas our model here in Hastings the department chair structure is typically 6 through 12 or K12 if it's music or if it's art. But the chairs have provided oversight 6 through 12. The inquiry and it it has been a sword that I am falling on that the fifth graders are part of the middle school. I am part of that work. I sit in on that work. We all work together as a team. So even though our share structure of sixth through 12,

107our fifth grade has represent representation in these inquiries. It's really really important that we look at our program coherently and not have fifth grade alone on an island and be unattached to either K through four or six through eight. So again, kudos to our teachers and there's really good work that's happening. We still have a lot to do, but we're moving. Um, yes. >> Sure. I think it is incredibly exciting and that you've gotten this five to 12 alignment too. And I don't know if this would be appropriate, but it'd be wonderful to hear the teachers present on their learning to the board and the community to hear that conversation around teaching and learning because we don't often get that. And I think it's pretty remarkable what's going on. So, if there was some way

108to showcase all that hard work, it would be be special. >> It's funny. I was just talking about that the other day like I couldn't agree more. It would be really great to hear directly from and we'll figure out in which way, shape, or form to do that. But it's really been fabulous. I'm really proud of the work that's been happening and our teachers are really incredible and they're really very interested in what they're seeing and um that's it. I I can't I can't give enough public kudos to what's been going. I'm just very proud. Um in terms of grade three, we are seeing a decrease over multiple years dropping from 90% to 83% proficiency and also grade four cohort performance dropping from 87 to 82% proficiency. We are looking at that. We did have

109our recent science of reading audit. So we have work that will be forthcoming in ELA around that. And again that is based on not only our data but also uh the work of our external thought partner giving us some feedback on that. We're seeing notable increases in the grades five and six cohort performance too. So again if you look spring 2022 grade five you look up on that diagonal and you do the same thing for grade six that is commendable. We are seeing movement. Okay. So I will then shift to disagregated data and um there are some pretty significant concerns that arise in this disagregated data. The first thing that I'd like to share is where you see a star. The star indicates that we have fewer than five students. I've therefore not reported that

110data because I do not want any of that to be identifiable. We want to make sure that we are um protecting students identities and at the same time there's a lot of information that we can glean by looking at this at a glance where the cohort is above uh five students and so level three and four indicates uh proficiency or above proficiency. We are seeing variations in performance for different demog demographic groups. And the major achievement gaps we are seeing for ELA are for black or AfricanAmerican students, students with IEPs and economically insecure students as compared to all students. I will say there is some intersectionality which means some students fall into multiple groups. And the other thing that I want to point out is a moderate achievement gap for Hispanic or Latino students compared

111to all students. And again, that's the demographic cohort as a whole. And what I can say is that as we continue to move through u I I want to point out that that moderate achievement gap and in some cases the major achievement gap when we're looking at groups, I want us to be thinking together about what is recurring. um we did some work internally as a faculty and that moderate achievement cap for Hispanic or Latino students over different assessments. You'll see that as we move forward. Okay. And that when we move into the region's data okay I'll pause here as I said I would Are there any additional questions around ELA? I know we we had a couple >> This is for middle school only, right? This is grades three through eight. And yeah, what

112I just showed is three through eight. Yes. Elementary and middle. >> Let me just underscore. I mean, Melissa's done incredible work on this. I'm sort of around the edges, you know, critique and responding. This is the first time we put out that this aggregated data. A lot of districts have not been doing this. There's uh some tough news here. We don't want to sugarcoat it. Be very very clear. We are not listing numbers of students uh because the proportions and the percentages tell the story. Listen and I know the numbers in a very small district. It's not it's impossible to list the numbers. Uh and and the key is the percentages. And particularly here that achievement gap of 30 percentile points is is very significant. Uh when you get up to the regions it disappears.

113That's a fascinating analytical thing to understand. Uh but you're going to see that recurring pattern here. But you know, we're not ducking this dodging or anything. We just got to take this one indicator. It's one measure. Uh and we have to understand it. But I I I clear what's here. A lot of very good news here as Melissa's already shown. I mean if you look across now four years of spring data whole movements up you know in all those areas you saw but within that for a small number of students there is this significant achievement gap and small district with small numbers we should be able to zero right in on that and figure out what we can do and with some of the intersectionality on a comment that Melissa's spoken to that number even

114more addressable if I can say it and Jean We've already talked with Gan about this. She had excellent perspective on multiple districts and and we're being protected at the time. The later meeting she could come and share what this mean from uh the PPS and and specialist. >> One question Melissa just to remind me because I know sort of the continuum of support the reading specialist that's changed changed a couple times over the years. Can you just mention what the current because again this data is three through eight so it reflects different opportunities of support. Can you just sketch that out a little bit? I don't I don't even remember if you if you have it on hand. >> Yeah. So uh we I mean this year we added uh intervention support in the middle

115school and they areating that's new. We've not had that. I mean we have supports in place for students who are receiving resource room and but we hadn't had um dedicated what we you know FTE around reading and so that is still to come. Um so a lot of what you're seeing is largely programmatic mathematics we did hire mathematics interventionists >> at the middle school. Um so and she and I were actually just talking today because there are some interesting anomalies that we'll see here that um we have to >> talk a little bit longer and get a little bit more curious but um there are and then at the elementary school we did bring in a mathematics intervention some years ago. Um there is the one and only and then we do have literacy support

116and reading support that is built in. Um our MTSS process is strongest at the elementary school and that is based on just objectively that is not a judgment statement. our systems and structures around MTSS are strongest there and as we're looking forward I will recap at the end around this but areas that we're zooming in on and focusing on do include looking at our MTSS do include looking at our grading do include looking at our program and all of this is connected around so this this is the so what and then that's the now what like now what are we going to do about that to then implement and make sure that we're moving forward. Thank you. >> Um Melissa, I I really do want to commend you and everyone because we didn't have this

117aggregated data last year and we have it this year and it's really really helpful to see and I I'm deeply appreciative work. Um when I look at here at the special education numbers being at 59%. I can't help but to think that um I do think it's important that our newest higher gene ratio isn't all the time here, but maybe when we have like a data session where we're talking about these numbers, it'd be fun to hear not fun, it'd be important to hear her speak about her uh experiences, expectations because you have so much to offer, but she's also other leader in this area and I would love to hear from her as time goes on. And I will say she and I met around this and she was very clear that she had

118reviewed everything thoroughly and she was flagging certain things and thinking forward around that as it pertains not only to performance data and program but continuum of services. I did want on her behalf. I I'm careful not to speak for other people, but I also want to make sure that I highlight that that articulation and that conversation did occur. >> Thank you. I know that there are parents in the community who are concerned about all the transition around special education. So to know that that has already occurred is >> I second that. I would I would love to hear from G. I it would be so informative to hear her speak to that percent um >> proficiency. >> Yeah. Proficiency and even just what she can share from her experience in other districts and what she

119sees. So maybe she can we put something in the agenda for the next meeting where she can just share some of her perspective and expertise. Yeah, and I think just from the special ed comparison, she can, you know, draw that out. I mean, >> one of the early conversations Melissa and I had is in being explicit now about achieving that data for those who know the field. This is what it is. We are not alone. At the same time, I almost say so what, you know, because we, you know, we we have to in Hastings do what we can. So now we're very clear about the data and again the national data will lighten right up with this quite sadly. We have not done any I'm looking right at the national trends from Stanford for

12020 years. I mean this been you know just it's but we should try and bend that gap here and now that we're putting the data out and have the kind of leadership that brings and we'll talk later about this. I want to be quiet so you can get there. You now have an administrative team committed to data across all three buildings and both the principal seat and the assistant principal seat. They're a little busy right now, but freeing them up. Lori is right there. Uh so you have you have a full team. So you as a board can say, "Hey, we want to hear a bunch this year about that, not just one type." So >> just a quick question um on some of the support positions or the interventionists theoretically could you track that

121and say like two years from now here is progress right theoretically you would >> oh yes correlation and actually I just saw I mean I can there's nothing confidential about this I saw an email today where for example the MTSS team at one of the buildings is getting together and they're doing a whole review so they have systems in place that they are doing this on an ongoing basis and again it's stronger in some buildings than others. So we have some movement that we need to do but this is some they are absolutely tracking students and making sure that they're closing those gaps and the goal is to get everyone to be proficient. Um so I personally do not love the idea of a bell-shaped curve when it comes to performance. I I will just

122say I personally will fall on a sort of everyone should be proficient. Let's move them right. Let's do everything we can so that we don't have a bell-shaped curve. Um so but yes, I I didn't mean to digress. That is the case. They track students over time. Not just to track but to think about what's the next level of instruction for that child. Are there any additional supports that are needed? Do we need more intensive intervention? Can there be a group support that's happening? And again, we have places to go where we can strengthen doing that both through the availability of intervention support, having a a human capital to deliver that instructional support and also making sure our systems and structures are really strong and um and and finally making sure that we are using

123good data. I you know we we are going to be talking about the panorama screener the next time along with the behavioral data and I will speak in detail to that next time but it's not it's not representative it's not valid it's not reliable it's not a good thing for us to be making movement on because we didn't have enough students taking the panorama at different periods of time so I'll get into that during our next board of education meeting I would say so with the data that I'm showing this evening, this this data is important. It is overtime. It is um comprehensive. We're seeing cohorts. We're seeing trends. This is really data that paints a picture of areas of strength and areas of need. It looks at both performance and it looks at growth.

124So this is this is we need to be paying attention to this and we are. >> Thank you. >> So I'm going to move into mathematics. We'll start with the diagnostic screener data and you'll see that the large majority of students in grades one through eight. Again kindergarten has the early literacy assessment so their math is built in there. But you'll see that they they largely performed at or above the benchmark. Um overall we are seeing growth in middle school grade level performance. Um and we are seeing a similar percentage of students achieving or exceeding grade level benchmarks at the elementary school as compared to the middle school. When you look in 2025, so the most recent year, we are seeing inconsistent performance over time from 2022 to 2025 for both buildings. For example, if

125you look at grade eight over four years, you're seeing uh inconsistent, you're seeing increases, you're seeing decreases. We're also seeing declines in grade level performance and cohort performance in grades two through six last year. So that could be due in part to a predicted implementation dip. So we introduced a real mathematics and at the time that we introduced that I said front and center I would anticipate that we see something called an implementation dip. I would not be surprised because as we are working with a new resource sometimes you see some unevenness in terms of how it's being implemented as student as as the adults in the system are getting familiar with the new resource. So one of the goals that we have is continued professional learning in the area of mathematics. So we have

126Peggy Golden coming in. So step one is learn the new resource. Step two is the mathematical standards, the mathematical processes associated with that that particular resource and how to create student engagement around that that focuses on the learning outcomes. And and so teachers are navigating both of those things. And now we're zoomed in on practice, not the not the resource itself. And the reason we shifted once again was a more constructivist approach. So students were doing the heavy lifting with the math So, we'll look at the state math assessment and then I'll pause again. So, overall, we're seeing acceptable performance on the state assessment 3 through 8 in general. We're seeing improvement at the middle school since 2022 with the exception of grade Oops, sorry. There you go. Um, grade six, you're seeing a decline

127of 15%. U, the strongest performance at Hillside was in grade three. 89% of students were meeting or exceeding the proficiency standard in 2025. The strongest performance at Farragate Middle School was grade 8 with 88% of students meeting or exceeding the proficiency standard on the most recent assessment in 2025. And we need to continue to uh investigate the proficiency levels in grades four and five. So we are seeing some notable differences in cohort data from the previous year. So we see a decrease of 18% for the grade four cohort that move to grade five and a decrease of 17% for the grade five to grade six cohort. And so with mathematics um I will speak to some next steps around that. I just want to present the disagregated data and you'll see actually unfortunately a similar

128story in the disagregated data. So I will share that >> um and then I want to talk a little bit about what we're doing >> before you go go there with this previous slide. Yes. A common theme that's coming here is that G5 from 2022 through 2025 they all by the time they got to 2025 they were meeting the benchmarks. What is your takeaway what was happening in the three previous years? because these numbers 65 76 79 and then plus 80 benchmark um seems consistent across the last three slides that were the assessment the uh what assessment the star assessment >> you mean a sag in grade five >> no you're seeing an increase >> you're seeing the increase >> starts low in that's a co um those kids G5 in spring 2022 were in

129third grade in spring 2020. >> So, if you're asking me, which you're not, you're asking Melissa. >> This is a team effort here. >> What I'm connected, >> what would you what I'm asking is what you attribute the low scores that were happening the three years with that exact cohort across multiple >> areas. Yeah, it's fascinating. It's interesting. It is. Was there a large change that occurred with this group? Were there movements of I don't want to talk about personnel, but they're moving. >> What was the reason why they were all in the 60s when they were in fifth grade? And why are they all now at over 80? >> I shared I shared Teresa's hunch in terms of COVID having a really substantive impact on our learners. And then I want to also say

130when you when you see that happening, you're seeing gaps closing, which means people are hustling to help move things along and meeting kids where they are. That would be my hunch. >> There's a I think you're spot on because there's what's going on in grade five for our kids. Where are they for the first time? >> Middle school. >> Yep. So they made a trend because the co effect should be there earlier, right? But you're not necessarily seeing it because they're coming back into the nurturing hillside environment. Now I'm going to say middle school in general. What we're starting to see behaviorally in middle schools is the last several years postcoid have been let's put it this way a headache. >> Um and it's that's on the behavioral side. So I think you're really on

131to something. So it's you know we can understand that which is it's you know how you perform academically does relate to how you feel and all the rest correct. >> So if we so I think that we can look into that but that that's that there's a powerful one too. >> Yeah. We also have to factor into that mix. Didn't you say there's like some high optout rate in the seventh and eighth grade >> that could also impact >> 20%. >> I mean that 20% could really impact those scores as well. >> That's true. and is and MTSS a mass interventionist was introduced during those years. So that could also um help us understand why they are scoring higher because there's >> interventionist in middle school. >> Yes, there is. >> That's now there is

132yeah last few years. So that would only for the eighth grade >> um a three years. Okay. Okay. And I know we're we're talking about math now, but is there ELA MTSS support in the middle school? >> As of this year, there's the equivalent of 1.0 O dedicated to uh ELA intervention support and that was new in the and proposed in the budget >> and that's across four grades >> that right with early intervention being a priority area of focus. So yes, >> early intervention like younger. No, in terms of middle school, we want to get we want to make sure that we're prioritizing intervention as early as possible like fifth and sixth grade. >> Since we're looking at the slide, can we just look at I'm fascinated by the star assessment screener results for

133grade six, that 80% spring 2025 and then the grade six 2025 66%. And I'm wondering what I know they're supposed to be relatively aligned and I'm wondering what you think about that description. Can you just repeat what you were looking at? >> Sure. Sure. When you look at the um grade 6 2025 the district benchmark for proficienc >> it's 80%. >> Yeah. >> But then when it's 60% and I'm like whoa what's that? That's very concerning to me. And we just I do not have a quick answer for that. We only had six student I'm sorry four students opt out of the grade six mathematics this year. Um so something went on and so I we just need to dig into it a little bit more. So it could be I I mean the hard

134thing is the state test is a moment in time right it's a oneand done. So what happened at that time? You know, maybe there was something that appeared on the state test that was emphasized that was not necessarily emphasized in the instruction like some every once in a while something gets emphasized differently and I can point that out actually in our science data when we get to the science. Um I don't have the answer to that but it is something definitely on our radar and it raises a huge question mark for me. >> Right. And is our curriculum aligned to the STAR to the state tests? Like how is >> the standards? The state standards >> which would be then the state tests. >> The state test assesses our program in terms of its alignment

135to the standards. Yes. >> Yeah. Melissa, um, just on the kind of digging into that question that Katherine had, if you went back to the other screeners, would that give you any additional not so not the spring, but if you look back at the other screeners, is it completely different? Is it the same just a different point in time? >> It's different moments in time. I picked uh spring 2025 because it really is cumulative in terms of where where we end. Um I'm not seeing huge performance disparities in grade level cohorts at different points in the year. Um but we have we have work to do in terms of looking at mathematics and and what I will say is I've used the word curriculum inquiry and the curriculum inquiries that we've been doing again are

136generative. So that coming from our professionals who are closest to the work, they identify a problem of practice that's rooted in data and we move forward on investigating that together and we make some shifts and it it turns out to be different for every department that I'm working with. So for ELA in the middle school, writing coherence was a priority area of focus. Okay. when I did my the PE uh curriculum inquiry, they did not have a coherent scope and sequence and that was wildly problematic because sometimes teachers were teaching different grade levels from year to year teachers and they didn't have a program they didn't know. So we got that squared away in terms of the arc of the scope and sequence of the program and looked at how the units were building on

137each other. Right? So depending on what it is, it it takes a different shape. And I love the inquiries because not only are they very respectful of our professionals who really know that what's going on, they are closest to the work, they are involved in the design process of those inquiries. Sometimes what happens is that we look at this and we have some pretty big questions around you know Katherine just flagged grade six 2025 and there's a a pretty big variation there. Um there are moments where as a district in partnership with department chairs and administrators we decide that it's not an inquiry that we decide it's more of an initiative >> like we have to take a look at X here's why and this is the part that it's really critical that you are

138involved in in terms of the how but sometimes it's here's why we need to do this so for example we have demographic data disparities here's why we need to do this you know for another key example we had just delivered management response to the DEI enlit. Here's what we're doing. This is an initiative and here's why we're doing it and here's how we can all work together around it. So in certain areas when we move forward with goals, it is definitely more of a generative inquiry and in other areas it's more of an initiative and then thinking together around how we are really good partners around that work and and I will tell you I am truly exceedingly impressed with our professionals. I will speak to some recent work we just did around this. Um

139and and everyone is very curious, everyone's very committed and we're all rolling up our sleeves around this. So mathematics um you see that there and then I'll move us into science. Yes. Before we leave math, um the so we're now using the STAR math to um decide which middle school students take an enrichment class, right? Math enrichment and which get remediation. It's based on the star. So I will answer the second part first. So the star diagnostic screener was initially put into place so that we are progress monitoring over multiple periods of time. When a student is not meeting proficiency standard and when there is a really substantive difference then we need to look at them through the MTSS lens. There are diff there are performance disparities. We need to know more. We need to

140put some interventions into place. They may need a higher level of team support. they may need an outside intervention that sits beyond their classroom. Right? So that is the second part of your question. So yes, we are using the star for that. Okay. >> Okay. The first part is that there was a buildingbased decision and that was recent and that was at the end of last year that there were were some additional course pathways that were determined at the building level and one of them was that seventh grade enrichment that you were just mentioning and that was one of the criteria that was used. They did use multiple measures, but that was a building level decision to provide that pathway. That being said, as part of our math initiative, we're taking a look at our

141course progressions. We're taking a look at the resource we're using. We're taking a look at student performance and we'll be making some decisions um around what is our progression ideally going to be. Does it remain the same? Does it shift? and also what is the very clear criteria that we are using to make those decisions where there is a decision point to be made. >> That sounds good. And I would just encourage the building leaders to be transparent with the children and the parents when >> the course when when the deciding fac you know the requirements >> are solidified the criteria because they seem to be shifting >> and um students don't really know why they take the star. uh there's more built around the school culture is more built around the New York State

142assessments. you know, the kids will say, "Oh my gosh, you know, tomorrow's the state assessment and I need a big breakfast and we've been prepping and um but the star just sort of is like, oh, we took the star today and I I don't really know what it's for, you know, or like I was tired and um I'll do better next time." But some some children really would be incentivized by knowing that their math placement for the next year is dependent upon the score. >> So I'll just add um the diagnostic screener agreedation around making sure that people know take it seriously because it's helping us to understand where to meet you in terms of instruction. I'm also really careful to not want to create anxiety around it because fear >> radically interferes with performance.

143Um so we don't want anyone feeling afraid of this. Um and at the same time it it is it is important taking the screener seriously because then we know how to meet you where you are. >> That's a really critical point I think also sort of dubtailing with what you're saying. It's not that we don't want parents or the community to say that, you know, how you do on these screeners determines your tracked math pathway. >> It doesn't. But you really interesting. Well, it it does and it doesn't. And I think the thing you mentioned 10 minutes ago about not accepting is very interesting because the goal is to move people to proficiency. Why? Because it's almost like I when you mention that stuff to me is almost like it's a personal prerequisite. We're talking

144about third through eight, right? Mostly if you don't feel proficient in something, you're not going to self- select to try and push yourself or to move forward with it. You will downshift. And we see a lot of that. We we've talked about that. We see a lot of that amongst amongst children. It's almost like I make the analogy that you know for so many kids it's gym class where they you know I like the sport or I'm pretty good at this or they get a taste of it. So while I think I think your point is more it's not that kids should go and study for assessments but they should at least take it seriously enough to know there are some stakes. I think that's the line that >> I can I mean this is

145what I mentioned last time. You may recall in the spring I had to get involved because for a lot of the reasons you're saying it it wasn't being well managed. I was saying that at a public meeting and I've said it to all the parents I've been dealing with. I mean the good news and and I said we said this to the PTA Septa leaders today because this topic came up is it's no accident on math. It's no accident Lawrence expert on math. I mean because the epicenter for us getting better is is the middle school. Also I'm insisting and it came from the buildings. Our goals are crystal clear on literacy and math at Hillside for multiple years, math and grading at FMS for multiple years, and then grading at the high school. And

146those are all fundamentally equity issues. >> Um, and but we've got to get better at differentiated instruction, the right matching, right for students in math starting in elementary all the way up. So if we're doing that well, the the the multiple measures we use at some some placement decisions will work out quite well and we're actually pretty close despite not managing this as well as we should have. I mean Greg Stevens done an excellent job. The teacher doing an excellent job. It's just sort of how we managed around that. Help families one know what the criteria are. What does that what does that mean? Because if we can inform early in private late fall this year, inform early that can help bring down anxiety. If we can also show that we're going to provide you

147high quality math instruction wherever you're landing relative >> to that we have to begin to have longitudinal data here. I'm not gonna you know where I used to work. I was lucky enough when I got to Weston not a dissimilar community in demand of families for high quality work. They had been long before I got to the beginning to create data patterns. So that seventh, eighth grade family getting anxious about if my child isn't taking algebra and in eighth grade, are they done as a mathematician? Forget about it. No way. You know, because if you because you actually if you over push them, Weston had data that if you over push them, they fall out earlier. and and so even if you're taking eighth grade math and algebra one in ninth grade, you still have

148a shot at quite high math opportunity. So it's so what I'm saying it's programmatically the patterns the flow that we offer for students starting in elementary we have to heighten that strengthen that but then particularly in the middle school we open that's one and then two clear about what the the benchmarks measures indicators are to get into those choices but if it's just that we we can't just leave it there I I don't know if I'm saying it's helpful but we very much focused on it >> I I understand what you're saying This this year there are quite a lot of seventh grade students who are bummed not to be asked to participate in the math enrichment class and maybe they were on the cusp. Um there's a new criteria that you have to have

149a 90 on the star in math in order to be um asked to take part in this math enrichment class. And I don't know if you're aware but um there is something in this area maybe in Greenwich as well called the Russian school of math and um so many of these families I know them um have said well my child didn't get into the enrichment class we are going to the Russian school of math which is about $3,000 a semester. And because we don't want our children to not have these these opportunities and I hear you well then they'll just get the opportunity next year when they're ready for it. But I think that >> I keep going. But I >> So I >> Well, I'll just say we're insisting right now, even if you're

150not in that enrichment program, it's about the families having the teacher and then that course isn't challenging your child enough. >> There is a conversation to be had there because we should be challenging students if they're, you know, even if they're not in quoteunquote in the enrichment program, we still be challenging them. And if we're not, that's a conversation that has to happen between that family and I've been saying this to parents. Yes. So because I had to dive into this thing in the spring more than should frankly um it was the right thing to do, >> right? But um that I have a pretty keen sense of of exactly what you're saying. And then it's saying and Dan and Lauren the way to manage this to say okay let's have that conversation and we're

151trying to then get teacher support such that we may still choose to do whatever that external >> opportunity is but still in within say wherever you land we're we could we could be to you >> I'm interested in getting underneath all of it. So this enrichment offering at the middle school is a new thing. >> It was a decision at the building level. It uh it was coming at a time where there was um communication out about criteria. There were questions coming back about numbers associated with the criteria. Uh I am interested in getting underneath all of that and looking at our entire progression and let's take a look at backward designing. Make sure that we're creating opportunities for our learners where they have differentiated pathways. They have access to elective offerings in mathematics at

152the high school. They have opportunities for support. maybe we decide to go in a different direction with our progression and we address student needs differently. And so Dan and Greg Stevens and I have already started action planning around that. Um otherwise we would already have that criteria out and printed in the handbook because I definitely do not want any kind of repeat ambiguity um or any concern around that or or um nor do I wish to turn the star diagnostic screener into a high stakes assessment. This is a progress monitoring. I think it might be too late because I definitely have heard families moving in different directions around the star being in this way and I agree with you. I think that's deeply unfortunate because in my view the star inform student learning and growth

153we can create instruction but also look at teachers and look at where their strengths and weak are with their given class so we can drive instruction in every single way. I'm wondering if because we I too have picked up some middle school parents if there's a need for some sort of larger middle school discussion or meeting because in essence I didn't even realize this last time at board meeting last year we introduced tracking in middle school in a way that I don't think people realize it happened. So maybe we need to backtrack and inform the community because I feel like there's some just lack of information, you know, rumors, confusion that I think we probably want to get resolved sooner rather than later hurt our new leaders. >> Yeah. Let me just repeat exactly what

154Melissa just said because we're going to do exactly we can't we can't go back to we're not let happen again. So it's Melissa, Greg and Dan sitting to say how do we get clear on what is happening what progressions what what we will use and get that out there and then as necessary have all kinds of conversations with family early families early on and and then balance out the a mix of family demand that's there. uh but it's it's definitely comm sorting out what is the course offerings course patterns two what are the criteria we sort out if there needs to be decision where and then three >> right I think I just that 66% and great it could be a a oneoff with that grades spring it does also make me think we need

155to dive deeper in the data soon you're doing this looking at the sort of like the teacher effects three or four years and isolating those cohorts of students, >> right, >> that may not be growing, right? Like when we talked about those growth models and I think the star can be helpful in that. Yeah. >> So we can make sure that while we're giving enrichment to some, it seems like we might be needing to support in many different ways and I just love to hear a little bit about that. >> Sure. And I also want uh we'll we'll be digging in more deeply to something called the building benchmark report. So when we're looking at different mathematical concepts, we can actually see how our students are performing in those things. So we can look at

156it through a program lens too terms of the content that we're we're focusing in on. I just want to say one quick thing. So um I I do want to dispel the idea that anyone in seventh grade enrichment has now been tracked. And I know that's probably not what you meant but no it is because it'll be checked into eighth grade to algebra and then perhaps not access. It's not but it is a it is for any parent looking ahead to algebra one. it is part of it. Those children are getting three extra math classes a week. >> So that's something that we are looking at and that's why I wanted to flag it. And I wanted to say if someone is in seventh grade versus someone who's in seventh grade with the enrichment does

157not preclude either of those groups from moving forward into an algebra. >> It doesn't. But when you're looking at access and equity, they're getting a different number of course class. The class time is different. And I would also love to see in that enrichment class, I would love to see that disagregated by special education students, students of color, low-income students, because I think that would be really interesting and telling. >> It is. It is a fact that there it's more minutes dedicated to math per week for those children. I think it's two class periods a week. So I mean this is where the board interactions with the administration are excellent because I think it's the question being answered in a couple meetings and that's why a few minutes ago had said that we're going to

158be talking about data and evidence now a lot in these things and it's it's not a gotcha it's there to support a lot of communities use it as a gotcha and that's then why a lot of professional educators don't want to go anywhere near that evidence maybe that's why we're only four years old in in being public about that in this district you I'm going to give you rolling my eyes at you. This has been 20 years in the making these data discussions and many districts don't I just don't even like the term gotcha being part of it. It's got to be an embracing because if you gota it becomes negative. >> No no I'm saying that's why it cannot be gotcha because I'm saying and what because I think what we have to be

159affirming in the use of the data and evidence and I have to be saying that in a public meeting. So all of the teachers who now many are working with open arms with Melissa let's look at the data. Let's look at the evidence. We weren't there a while ago and because not necessarily here, but in a lot of districts when you start bringing up data and evidence, I'm agreeing with you actually. I might be >> I think we have to be really careful about our tone and language because that's like that's the that's the fallback and and I' and I've been teaching leadership classes for the past 20 years now where data has been part and parcel and it's not a fear tech. It's learning professional learning communities. It's growth. It's trust. It's all of

160us leaning into We're saying the same thing. >> I know, but ask you not to use the term gotcha. >> No, I'm saying >> you used it last year and you're using it this year. >> I'm using it because we're not going to do that. I've had to be clear that we're not going to do that because and I'm every day in the building. I'm every day talking to teachers. I'm every day talking to administrators. I'm intentionally saying do not worry about this being used in that way. I'm sitting with our union president having to say do not worry. Let's embrace this and work with it. So that's a very internal ongoing conversation. So what I'm saying is we have to talk a lot about the evidence and which we understand for all the reasons

161you're saying. We come to the math piece. I think what we have to do within the next several meetings when Greg and Dan and Melissa are ready is come back and say we've heard these exact questions. you as a board need clarity on what's happening with the progressions in math, what it means, and then and have multiple conversations on that. >> I mean, speaking a little bit about what other districts do, I think it'd be really really helpful with all of this data. Um, to really think about what are the next steps, what's the action plan? And then I saw some districts have building level people distort or department chairs just so we really see this as a systematic approach that really moves it because if you hear frustrations you're new to this but Hastings

162has been struggling with math for a long time now. So I think we're ready to see some substantive change whatever that looks like but it needs to it needs to happen. So >> because ultimately sorry we're talking about teachers and leaders and stuff but we're ultimately failing the kids and that's what's problem. So our what I can say is okay the model of continuous improvement effort that I presented last year right includes comprehensive needs assessment establishing annual goals developing action plans presentations and feedback publicizing finalized goals and then engaging in progress monitoring it's presented in a linear way however it is iterative I mean we have to just keep coming back to So in service to doing what we said we would do in terms of the implementation and also that peace and management response

163to even the recent audit to say we said we'd establish data review cycle that has started and things have been shifting and so over the summer the leadership team met a big chunk of our leadership retreat was around data dive and talking about that and thinking about our next steps and also what additional data do we need? The other thing is um I think it was yesterday, sorry, all the days seem to be blurring together. Uh at our chair council meeting, we did a data dive and we went into that and our um professionals are as as I would expect were really interested and they were curious and they were asking each other about certain things that they were seeing. uh what came out of that is around what's the best next step they've actually

164we were trying to figure out if for this first goound they're working with their departments around the data or if I'm first doing a faculty presentation around the data so we've made some decisions around that I've been working to get them level one administrator level access as teachers so that they can go in and they can play there's a very high appetite and a high level of professional ism to do right by students and knowing that data is one piece of the puzzle, right? And then thinking about program as a piece of the puzzle, looking at our continuum as a piece of the puzzle. Looking at entrance criteria where there is a decision point that needs to be made about a differentiated pathway to a student to enrollment in a course is a piece of

165the puzzle. There's a lot of complexity around this and I do want to say we are moving on this and I want to again I have to commend our educators they are they are in this we are all linked arms around this and we all want to do right by all students. >> Well the research really does show this kind of work with professional with educators is a professionalism. These are really highly skilled educators who when you give them the data do amazing things. I'm so pleased to hear that this can just go in the same um you know just it's way too early to talk about budget but so much we're talking about here is about professional development I just it is a very small line item >> I really appreciate that >> what

166should be a small line item >> well that's one thing but also you know because when we when we talk about the budget we always very abstract. Oh, here's the professional development line item. But just it connects so many things and this is I just want to highlight it because we're really talking about >> I mean it it it's come up in the I mean I'm gonna I mean we are newer district now in that kind of ownership that you've talked about because you have a high school now they're going to be willing to data. you have a a a interim middle school principal comes out of Wagner where you get conversations through data discussions. So that's kind of where they're going. And but the important thing high school now department chair is talking department

167chair. So it's embedded even more. Uh but now here's where I want to go to your point. Okay, I'm learning something about how we can get that much better at practice. That means I need some support and getting better practice, which means I need to do professional learning. uh and that's been is you know so even at Hillside which is saying how do we get even deeper and strong in our literacy work that requires professional learning and and the budget for that is this thing. So I think as we think about the the the great needs we have and the difficult decisions coming at us working for the board and whether we're have to go above a certain cap sorting out what might get us there but we we have to be I appreciate you

168saying that because it's looking a couple steps down the road that right >> I'm gonna take it one step further because it has to also go with like what are the visions and goals of the district and of the people in the district, right? So, it's like, do we want to put the money and time and effort in the instructional piece in arts piece and the, you know, and the sports piece. I mean, these are key questions and it does, we spoke about this as a board, but really getting the community involved in that budgetary process and questioning and maybe even doing some surveys to see like where do we want to go and where should these resources be be put because it's a really depressing question. It's tough. It's a tough one. I just

169want to pause here briefly. We're approaching nine o'clock students, you know, I keep you on schedule first week, you know, so feel free at your leisure. >> Thank you both. Thank you both. Sorry. Carrying on. >> Sure. >> Um, so the mathematics, the disagregated data, we're seeing a similar snapshot in terms of variations in performance and again that is very concerning. um that is something for us to carefully attend to through program through individual students and through our MTSS process state performance science. Uh so this is year two of the grade five science assessment and once again I need to commend our wonderful teachers and uh our science department chairperson I'd like to highlight Melissa just as I highlighted Greg Stevens for great work around moving forward with mathematics and Sarah Walters LA when we

170saw that 60% proficiency on spring 2024 and I looked across the region, we did quite well comparative to other districts and still not well enough for us. So we knew we had work to do. So we went to the data and we did a data dive and Robin Ferrell was a part of that work. Our fifth grade was a part of that work. Um and we what we did was we we did a data a full data dive. We looked at um how our students were performing. We looked at that report I referenced earlier building benchmark report to take a look at which areas in science were less strong and which were more strong. Then we drilled into questions and we looked at the we did a distractor analysis. So, we took a look at

171why would students answer our entire program. We took a look at what needed to change in terms of what we were emphasizing in terms of teaching. We took a look at where we needed to provide additional review for students because of what was showing up on the test in terms of content and what grade level it sat in. And teachers did a ton of work. And so I am very confident saying that that difference that you see from 2024 to 2025 >> was due to data informed practice and shift in program. >> Great. >> They did a phenomenal job. They should all be commended. >> Another group come and share some of their work. >> Really good. So that's uh in science. Then we'll take a look at this aggregated data in science. >> You

172are seeing a difference um in some of the groups of students that you're seeing in terms of achievement gaps. Um and again the numbers are much smaller here because we're looking at grade five and we're looking at science. And again it's a bit more it's it's tighter. It's not three through eight. So, we're not talking about large numbers of students. So, I wouldn't I'm not surprised that you're seeing differences in what's showing up in terms of the gaps that we're seeing and we need to close them. >> Okay. Before we move into regents, any questions around science overall strong proficiency on the regent exams, almost all content areas other than earth science. And we're we're trying to figure that one out. It's it's an interesting one. There's a we're not quite sure why that occurred.

173Um so I Melissa Plandra and I were just talking about that. We are digging into that. We are expecting um additional uh attention to earth science because the the assessment itself is going to shift again this year. It's anticipated that it will be harder. So we're really paying attention. We're really paying attention. >> It was supposedly very hard last year and I heard >> we didn't take that one option to when when we were going to make the show. >> Okay. because there was a lot of chatter um that it it was more biologyheavy than it was for science, >> right? And we knocked it out of the ballpark with biology. You'll see when we get there, but um yeah, so but but you'll see. So I I do want to point out a couple

174of other things. Um I did speak about earth science global increased marketing since last year. I I said we would pay attention and they paid attention. They they were rocking it. I mean really really good. And wait until we get into some of this uh some of the other data too. Um gaps uh between proficiency and mastery though we are seeing for all exams. So students who pass versus students who get above an 85% we do have room for growth there. Um and I will reiterate we have strong performance on our regions. I mean this is undeniable. This is really fantastic. Um so and you know me and I had this conversation at chair council too. It's just an opportunity right? We are invested in continuous improvement. What else can we do um to move

175towards better? And so that is not any kind of judgment statement. It's just we are we still have room to go in terms of mastery and I have full confidence in us to try to keep closing that up. >> Are sorry are are students with IEPs represented? >> I'll show you that in a disagregated. Oh yes in this data absolutely yes. Um so in ELA and global history um we are seeing least sizable gaps in terms of proficiency and mastery. So basically students are doing uh students are stronger in their mastery performance um and then in other content areas mastery performance is below 61%. So we do have some opportunity. >> Everyone takes the English regions, right? So it's really I mean as someone mentioned earlier, it's really interesting to see those discrepancies in the

176middle school and then it changing in the high school. >> Okay. >> Just a quick question. >> Sure. Do we have data on the mastery regions? >> We do proficiency. Um, I love that you asked that and I am happy to present it. So, this is algebra 1. So, I I just want to take you through just very briefly what you're looking at. So, up top you are seeing straight across algebra 1 performance for Farragut Middle School. Then you are seeing um performance level. This is passing right. So 65 to 74, 75 to 84, 85 to 100. And where you see next to building count, that's the number of students that scored in that band. District count in terms of U to the right there. and you will see the exact same district count below

177it because district count takes into account both buildings. So the right side of this chart you're seeing Farragut and the high school together. All right? And on the left side of these charts on the top one you're seeing middle school performance and on the bottom one you're seeing high school performance. All right? So we have very strong performance districtwide across both buildings. to walk to your question. Higher percentage of students scoring at or above proficiency at the middle school as compared to the high school 100% as compared to 91%. And you can actually see mastery here. So if you look at scored 85 to 100, okay, and you go all the way to the right for the district. So when you combine both buildings, all kids that took algebra 1, we're seeing the mastery level

178at about 53%. >> Okay. Yeah. Um I'm sure we'll get to it, but I um I remember this summer I heard a lot from the incoming sophomore class that they found the biology regions especially like difficult or they weren't very well prepared for it. >> And they did very well. So I will I I will be proud to present that. Um, so it doesn't surprise me that they didn't feel quite as prepared, but nevertheless, they performed very well. Okay, so here's disagregated algebra 1 data snapshot. Again, some pretty significant concerns around variations in performance that we're seeing. And on to biology. very strong passing performance at 99%. Weaker mastery performance around 54%. But when you compare that against what we just saw in the algebra one, you're not seeing such a difference in that mastery

179performance, but we do have room for growth. Disagregated biology data snapshot. we'll start seeing with the regions data a recurring theme of moderate achievement gap for Hispanic or less Latino students and that comes across the regions in multiple areas. So I did want to flag that as a pattern that jumped out for me. Earth science passing was 86% mastery performance 61%. Again, you're seeing that moderate achievement gap. You're also seeing some major achievement gaps that are flagged here. Our ELA strong passing performance at 98% weaker mastery performance 75% arguably still strong and also definitely room for growth. And there we go again with the disagregated data achievement gaps. global history 100% passing performance weaker mastery performance at 72% room for growth again arguably strong and like I said before we have to contextualize things any

180shifts any kinds of rubrics that are different but this is really fascinating >> it is >> and our chair council raised this and we talked a little bit about it and This is the only regions that we're seeing tonight where we're not seeing the performance disparities and we are seeing 100% and so I find it a really interesting bright spot that we will need to learn from and one of the things that I said in that meeting we all have areas of strength we all have areas for growth but we cannot assume that this is accidental and we need to scale it. Whatever is going on here that is a bit different. We need to be able to scale it. >> Um just a question about that when in your chair's council did did across

181the region did they see that the positive growth and there's and no achievement gaps or is that really unique to our district? >> I've not dug into the disagregated data from other districts. In fact, I'm still waiting for access on some of that comparative data. Um, but that is definitely something we can take a look at. But I will say anecdotally that and I I believe that Bill mentioned it earlier when you're looking at groups of students and performance. I'm not suggesting that this is at all okay. I think it is endemic and it is problematic and it is not unique to Hastings that you see demographic disparities. What is unique to Hastings is that Hastings has agency over Hastings data. And so when we find that there's a problem, we need to move on

182it. >> Just one more because this is really interesting the global and I have to say my my daughter was in 10th grade last year and the curriculum was excellent. Um but to see to track those students who have the gaps maybe in math or like just it's really interesting to note why there's no achievement gap here but we see it elsewhere to think about like why students might have not had the gap in history but in English or math like there's just such interesting data work there. >> I mean I depending on time for Melissa and others I mean we can chase that because the numbers are so small we can actually chase we can't then divulge individuals for you but we can >> Oh no not for us. No, no, we we that's

183the advantage of our scale. We we we down. We also should bring multi-year data here. >> Yeah. >> Because because the achievement gaps have been narrowing >> um over time data >> um you know not enough yet to but they are narrowing you know so we have to see just kind of how we've been doing but here our numbers are so small we can actually go in and say students what's going on. >> Yeah. like why did they have success here and I think given the extended gap is average by a fair amount I think we have to go in and understand it. >> Yeah. And then finally US history strong performance 97% and weaker mastery performance 55%. Um, so you're seeing for the most part in terms of mastery around the same around the

184same areas with a couple of differences on some assessments that were a bit higher in their mastery performance. So, so we do I see that as an opportunity. I don't want to couch this as a deficit. We see when we go back to our passing rate and how students here are performing on the region exam, that's commendable. And also it's exciting to have an opportunity for growth. We should always be moving in that direction. >> And again variations in performance for different demographic groups of students in US history and government u particularly for economically insecure students major achievement gap. And then there's that moderate gap uh moderate achievement gap again Hispanic Latino and students with IEPs as compared to all students. Um, again, the groups are smaller and I will reiterate that I still don't

185believe that we should be having bell-shaped curves on any of this and we need to continue to dig in and understand this better. I will say um we've committed to implementation of a data review cycle. We did that both formally through our audit. We did that well before our audit when we talked about the model of continuous improvement. We have an appetite for working with data because it makes a difference. People were asking each other how did you make a move on a program like how did you see this changing and um and really getting curious like we should I feel like data is wonderful because it raises more questions and also I really feel very strongly that I want to focus us we have enough information through the data that you're looking at now

186that I really want us focused on change efforts. We know what we have to do. Okay, >> so we could go down the rabbit hole and I love data. I really do. I find it fascinating. I love it. I'm I'm a bit of a data fiend, for lack of a better word. I also think that you can get analysis paralysis and we need to focus on improvement efforts and the things that our professionals have flagged as areas that we can improve upon and move on. So we will be enhancing our focus on groups of students where we see those variations and that will also be largely done. Uh one of the strongest equity endeavors we can engage in is strengthening our program, strengthening our grading practices, strengthening our MTSS approach, uh our curriculum inquiries, our

187program initiatives. again particularly we're focused on ELA in the middle school and the elementary school mathematics in the middle school and the elementary school um and um that's what we're doing and we still have lots of good exciting work ahead and again I can't reiterate enough how proud I am our teachers really excellent work on behalf of children >> thank you very much um coming up again for follow-up questions. Anything that we haven't asked. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you, Melissa. >> Thanks, Melissa. >> Appreciate that was comprehensive. >> Thank you. I wanted to say this was like a remarkably deep dive that we've been needing and much appreciated. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, for sure. Okay. So, and we will have part two which is more the side. The next meeting that we

188have will focus on the behavioral data and the need for better behavioral data more refined to pattern that I will also talk about the panorama diagnostic screener and why it's not in a state of readiness to have valid and reliable data and what we will be doing about that. >> Thank you. >> I have question. Yeah, I have a couple questions and I wanted to start with a statement um just to make sure my thoughts are clear. Uh thank you again. Absolutely. I know how much hard work this compared I was looking at the data set from last year and you know I appreciate all the subgroups being listed because we were asking for that and it really is helpful. So while overall achievement levels appear strong, the report reveals potential potential significant disproportionality in

189outcomes for many groups. Black students 30% 30 point gap in ELA on page on slide 18. Students with disabilities 29 point gap in math slide 27. L students 64 point gap in math page 27. Economically insecure students 47 point gap slide 18 Asian students and special ed students 25 26 and 25 point gap in earth science on page 544. So I understand that data tells a story. It doesn't tell a story and we know you're doing really hard work. These inequities could could reflect disproportionality and access to effective instruction, supports, and resources. To understand the data more, I would like to request the board receive year-over-year longitudinal data that Bill spoke about in those subgroups as far back as you can possibly go up to two years so we can see what the trend with

190direction is going. >> Sorry, five years. Hm. >> You said two years or >> I said two, but you wanna you >> I think five is good. >> So I have three questions. What systems are being developed to track multi-year disproportionality trends for students most at risk? >> So the first thing I can say is that we're accountable under ESSA the state gives us like if we're flagged for I mean we could we can actually be flagged for the state. Um, so we give different ratings to each school district and if you have a demographic group and if they're seeing trends over time or you're seeing large enough groups of students with this and again my personal value system is we have work to do regardless of whether or not we get a flag but

191we would know it. We would be put our status would change. So that's the short answer. So the we monitor but the state >> is on us with that. >> So we're I mean we're monitoring now but this is a new moment to actually bring it out very clearly and we need to go back and look over multi-year. Uh the number of students in here is very small. It's very small and so I think that as we look back over years that's always going to sort of affect it a little but actually that should energize us that much more to say we can actually go with our current students. we can go in and understand exactly who they are which we can't divulge here uh who they are what's happening how do we address that

192and where we may have some overlap in terms of the different categories so one is beginning to share the data as we are here and do that in a multier way it's protecting privacy to kind of give a better handle on students because your conclusion is exactly right in the sense of this the story it presents about some sign you know way beyond significant statistically speaking disparities here and how do we address those but that's part of this over time but then us administrators and the educators digging into with these particular students does that give us an understanding >> I'm interested yeah >> yeah I mean in much bigger system it would be a different kind of question and inquiry process here it is about particular. >> Yes. So for example, and this is not

193always the case, but we may receive one year a student uh who has had interrupted formal instruction. For example, a scythe stu, it's under the heading cy um student who's had interrupted formal education. And if we are receiving a student in that may be in a number of different groups in terms of intersectionality and maybe it's their first year. I'm just being theoretical here for a second. They're taking a region's exam. They're new to the country. They're new to Hastings. They have multiple demographic groups. Being able to look at the exact student, it matters. Um and it matters if that's our trend over time or if we're seeing different things. And then again, I'm still paying attention to the stars that I presented this evening, the under fives, because that matters too for those children.

194And in some cases, proficiency is being met and in other cases proficiency is not being met. Um, but I agree with your point. We can certainly I can bring longitudinal data over the five years for the groups. I I think it's also retaining families that would might want to leave based on looking at some of the data. If they're part of that subgroup, if I was a black family with a student that is a student with disabilities and I look at this data, I would say why do I want to stay in this? Or if I was a family that wanted to move to this village and I data, I would say, but look at this data that I'm seeing. So those pieces of like really >> ensuring Yeah, and I can tell you the

195numbers here are so small, we could have additional conversations with each of those families who may be worried and we have to be doing that. >> But they they reflect real children. >> Exactly. That's my point. >> The data doesn't show that we're having those conversations to really move. I'm not I'm advocating for these children because a lot of these children don't have a voice to advocate for pointing fingers and not >> No, no, I know. I'm saying I mean we're very action pointing around. I think the upside is that we're putting this data out there. Not we're not ducking. We're going right at it now. But it's also it's fewer than the number of people sitting at this table. I'm not going to say that again because I want to protect privacy. So when

196it's that small, we have to be individually having conversations with each of those families in a sustained way to say how do we understand the gap that is there for your child >> and and that's where we have to work. So that's >> it's not the asterisk, right? I'm not talking about the we don't have data. >> No, I'm talking about >> students with disabilities aren't such a small >> students aren't a small number of students, right? >> In the gap they are >> in the gap. Yes. >> Let me bring the five years and then we'll have >> I I think what we should do here because it's such a key issue and we're all aligning on this. we are matching totally is >> I want to find a way to legalize an executive

197session not to talk about interest talk about what because we purposely went through and Melissa and I made a decision I made I said we're not putting numbers in that we're putting proportions so the proportions tell one story but but then the end does matter the number so I think we got to find a way to for you as a board to understand it then we can help you stay where we are and then back Internally, I think you would say, "Aha, that becomes a number that that we want to see you go after because you should be able to shift that number over time when it's that small a group of students, right?" And then if a family's looking at the data saying, "Eats, we should have a conversation with the family not to

198talk about other students, but say here's what we're trying to do for you. So, this is a good district." That's what I'm >> Yeah. I mean these are data driven goals that seem that can move faster than larger populations right we can create some level of goal based on building leaders or superintendent team to say that these 17% of economically disadvantaged or 30% of student right if it's such a small population we should be able to move those numbers >> possibly not significantly but we should move them in the right direction if we're having those individualized conversations and we're giving more access and resource to those families >> to your point and assuming there's the same students in those cohorts. Right. >> Right. So if you have an economically insecure family and they're there and

199the students are counted in that data count then next year it's a different >> right. So to your point I think like knowing whom is really important even though we can't disclose that part but I I agree that having the multi-year analysis will be very helpful so I will start working on that. Yeah. Can I just touch though what Dave was saying? You know, I think as from a parental perspective, it's not only assessment of where your kid is at, but to your point, does this district manifestly have the capacity to figure out where a child is at and move them to a higher levels? I think again this all ties back to to I mean we're gonna we're not talking about budget now but do we have that sort of capacity machine that can

200take a child and move them no matter where they are you know and especially those who are at risk you know we've talked about certain certain students are easily identifiable at risk um and but there's also an entire cohort of kids who we've talked about that kind of waft along till they eventually fall through the cracks so I think that's something that's absolute marquee goal what all of this is is about in my opinion. So, thank you. Great. Did I cut you off? >> No. >> Okay. I have one or two more questions. Um with with gaps with black, Hispanic, and Asian students in some specific areas. Um back to like equity focused intervention, what we're doing around equity work. Um what equity initiatives are being implemented at the school to ensure that those students

201see themselves in the curriculum? So the we had the three audits last year and we have taken the cherry beckard report and thinking about the uh management's response and the areas that were focused were I mean those are those are things we're moving immediately on because we've given timelines to them it's going up to the state mor you would know best about how that reporting circle back goes um but that's happening making sure that um Dr. Denise Toledo is included all in the curriculum inquiry work that's going on. So she's participating in the work at the middle school around the ELA inquiry. Um making sure that we are um taking a look at disagregated data through the MTSS process and looking at it that way and honing and refining there. Um, but a lot of

202the work that we're doing is around ELA core, math core and program and making sure that our program is strong and then also grading practices. Um, Janice and I participated in a study group um around grading for equity and we did that through the tri-state consortium and actually um Andy was familiar with the text. So is Dan actually we're all familiar with the same text and we started talking about that. So as we're looking at grading practices this is something that's really important. It's a really really good text and will help us to think about grading also from an equity based lens. We did a study group last year um it was small at the high school level around that and then what we're looking to do is now do some scaling work around some

203of the grading practices. I the scale here. I'm going to flip it around that we should build on this because we could do sort of a macro. It's a great question and it got my it woke me up because you could we could go at this from the standpoint of big group work. How do we get the make sure we're representative in the cricket, you know, in terms of all kinds of things. Um, but what do we really understand around the particular number of students here? those within the identified special ed area. They have an IEP and we're working like crazy now Jean's leadership to to get stronger and stronger. So we have a gap for that population which does track with other areas within that identified processes there. Can we strengthen that so we

204might get at things for those particular students that may help them narrow that gap for students who may be in another subgroup that isn't in that IEP group for example that's a small number. How do we get around what each of those students needs and how do we address that? That is getting the MTSS strong tied to that particular student. At the leadership uh retreat actually a much stronger session was each of the buildings talking about their MTSS what they do what they don't do to get that much more systematic uh from K through 12. It's a great question because again repeating myself purposely if we went at it to say in general what are we providing to make it culturally relevant the curriculum we may lose time instead of saying let's zero in on

205those small number of students to say what is let's it may be a culturally relevant moment may also be let's provide much more robust support learning math let's provide much more robot robust support in literacy is that's what I'm >> I think the cultural relevancy piece plays into facing learner not just but also I'm not saying you keep that going >> yeah totally but >> also >> no they're intertwined but but I I I've just seen in the equity discussions so often we go for the first published piece I had in 1986 was rational for multicultural curriculum and independent schools so I've been at this a long time so that's an argument but if I the invisible man out all over goes right through it. Is that going to help the child who needed just

206better core learning earlier? And but I think here our skills so small we got to take advantage of that and say if you come to Hastings and earn Hastings we're going to in your subgroup with respect and dignity dig into how we help you be a stronger learner and and and it's only in the last couple years been able to build out the MTS stuff more. I >> can I just Dr. You know to both your points you know I think the push in the district has been higher level thematic for quite a while six years we've been using your NYU school is it education >> we've been using culturally responsive sustaining education framework well the mandated no my point is that that larger high level thematic work has been ongoing >> oh by the

207New York metro >> center We've used weinart we did some we did some work around that when we were looking at the cultural anal >> to build >> we don't have we have not had the same focus on the sort of handmade capacity that sort of we're uniquely well situated to do because we're so small we have a cohort of students that largely go through here you know K12 let's call it for a very long time we have them a long time will come and So I think it's a it's a it's an interesting area that we could get a large return focus like case in point it's just this year we have ELA support in the school you know so we're behind I think on some of these um you know concrete you know

208handmade type things. Yeah, I do want to caution us though in this discussion of achievement also think about the panoramic panorama information even though I know it's complicated because I do think a lot of this is all I mean some of this can also be linked research shows to a sense of belonging in your school and community um implicit bias like there all these other factors so it's like >> and I don't think necessarily like disentangled from achievement right I think they're all part of the complicated mosaic that's impacting a child's educational journey. So, I just think I think it's important to keep that in mind as all the different, you know, pieces that are, you know, impacting a child. >> Yeah. I think doubling down on just the core curriculum could lead to not

209the outcomes that you want, right? Saying like, hey, we just need to drill these math lessons. I know that's not I'm I am not I'm a blind guy. I've been a blind guy since I walked in. >> But that's what a lot of districts do. They they backtrack or even individual schools. they say, "Well, we tried that for a minute, but we really just got to get the curriculum in the hands of the kids and they'll do it." Um, so I appreciate that. Um, follow question regarding grading because you brought that up and, um, >> what student voice piece plays into grading? Are there grading committees that student have access to? Yeah. And at that place a larger piece of particularly students with IEPs that can advocate for themselves but they have an authentic youth

210partnership so that they can speak to their experience so teachers can have more empathy toward their experiences. >> Yeah. So, uh, uh, Andy Clayman and Dan Waldac have taken a great amount of agency in moving forward with an action plan around grading. Specifically, I did have the opportunity to sit with them, to meet, to ask questions, to unpack, really think about how that work is going to look in each of the buildings through faculty meetings and and what the goals are. Um, so to answer your question, I asked the same question. to what extent did students have a voice, you know, in in their own grading process. And I do know that there was surveys that were administered. I'm not sure beyond that there were focus groups, but my understanding is is that once there

211is a decision point around some of these grading areas based on information that they got from the student survey and also from what what we're seeing in terms of grades like actual grades in ESchool against and we did look at this part of our data dive actually grades in ESchool versus performance on more standardized measures and any kind of disparities we're seeing there and asking questions around that. So, there's great work going on around that. I will continue to ask that question because my understanding is once some of those decisions get made resulting in part from feedback that did originally come from students, then there will be an additional opportunity for some feedback. But let me circle back around that. Um, I know that student voice is something that's valued and I know that there

212was an initial attempt to make sure that that was included before those conversations start happening. >> And and I think beyond feedback or surveys, it is just like we have our student representatives that sit here that we can turn to if we have students at a a grade level meeting or a grading meeting. What do you call it? >> Yeah. Great. >> Assembly. >> A grade, right? where they're speaking where you adult can turn to a right so giving those students those opportunities to sit on committees where their voice can be heard not just in hey we sent a survey out right 20% of kids said they don't like the grading policy and then the adults then make a decision based on that survey but without having students the qualitative information >> right right >>

213that we might need >> sure and I I mean I'm personally familiar with something that we it's that it's interviews where you have conversations and you're asking some very pointant questions, you can find some themes that emerge quickly, but really understanding the lived experience of the person that's closest to where this is happening. So, let me circle back around that. But I do know that there is a firm commitment to make sure that the student voice is in this process >> and it's all to these numbers forward, right? >> Yeah. >> It's it's exactly like you said, Bill, it's not a gotcha. It's not that it's none of that. We want these numbers to move forward because they represent real and children and we want to serve them and we want them to be successful

214and have every advantage that they can have. >> Yeah. >> So, I'm glad with the work that's happening here and I'm really eager to look at I am 100% a data nerd and I looking at these numbers for way longer than I would like to admit. I love just analyzing it and it just tells a little it's a little snapshot. That's all it is. Well, we're all on the same page and I can say there's been a lot of curiosity from our faculty around data and again that I I think the most stark contrast that I presented tonight was that science data. I mean that is it was remarkable what they did and I will tell you that the amount they did around using data to stra analyses getting curious about why would they pick

215that one and not pick that one and that's so curious like if we teach it this way it's generative it's really exciting and interesting so I'm I'm excited about it for us um I and I really value hard numbers numbers as a piece of a puzzle where there are also these other softer things when you're having interactions with humans on a daily basis and you get information that way too. So >> thank you. Thank you all. Thank I want to thank the teachers for their participation. We talked many times they don't you know districts bring this data and also trustees for the robust discussion because all of this I don't think would happen the district. So very happy to see it. Um, so thank you. Moving on. Public comment. Thank you all for being extremely

216patient us. We're going to open public comment. Please just respect the three minute rule and uh Melissa will will time it. Thank you. >> Good evening. And if you can just grab the mic from the stand. I have to speak in. You have to speak into the mic. >> Um, not one for mics. >> It's so that people at home can >> otherwise don't hear you at home. Yeah. >> Have you generated a job posting to hire a replacement? >> Have you generated a job posting to hire a replacement for sewart? And when do you anticipate posting it? Okay. So, with public comment, it's mostly to hear certainly your questions or comments, but it's not usually a back and forth during, you know, the administrators hear your concerns and then often times >> I was

217just curious to know when you're posting um a job placement application for the administrator left when we replacing him. My my point is so with the questions meaning it's not Q&A >> oh >> public comment just >> the public would like to know when he's going to be so that's just a general comment >> that that's thank you and and >> as well you can follow up by email >> with an email >> up to the board >> or to the administrators also >> uh my other comment is I know that I am very concerned with the disagregated data and I think I would and many others would really like to have a detailed plan for how you're going to address the differences in scores and vulnerable groups be presented so we have a very

218clear understanding of what your plan was you've spoken to it at the meeting but I don't have a clear understanding and a presentation very much appreciated Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Good evening. >> There you go. Good evening. >> Hi friends. >> Maria Grapha. I um grateful to be here. It's very comprehensive um presentation. Uh, I love data and I'm hoping that we can also take a look at things like the dibbles and the spelling inventory because star is great but the dibbles does other things. The dibbles is a assessment that's written to be K through eight and it's administered three times a year and it provides a real detailed look at what's going right and wrong for literacy. the parents don't actually know it's being um administered and they don't receive it. It's

219not sent home. It's not on the uh portal. I guess there isn't a way to put it on the portal. Um but what we're doing something really great. We brought the duples on board and we're beginning to expand it. Now it's in K1 and two to the best of my knowledge. Um, I want to see more of that and I think it would be really great uh for us to look at this as a team, especially when we look at um the disagregated data, which by the way, Melissa was nice enough to present 10 months ago. I do remember you put it out there. Um, so it's it's not great showing that it looks like the first view. Um, but bringing the uh the dibbles would be fantastic. Um, okay. Many things that are not

220related. Uh, transitions, transitions. Um, I'm so grateful that you were talking about professional learning. I think Alex, you mentioned that at Hillside since April of 2017, the balance literacy consultant was brought on and then they stayed except for I believe last year. So, I'm delighted to see with uh what the pivots are going to look like. Um, I'm really excited to hear, but I'm disappointed that parents were not included in the audit. I think that parents are important community stakeholders asked to be included, but that didn't happen. So, I am looking to see what's the result on the back end. I'm hoping that there will be a professional learning pivot because seven years of the same professional learning, that's already not great. Um um but then uh it would be really nice if we could

221move it into um uh something like the something that we're already doing well foundations. It's there. We can do more of it. We can do better. It's a program that's written K to three, but we ended at two. Um and then the program that's written, it's called words their way. a program that's used in grades three or this could all be part of why the title looks like it does um to speculate um words their way they the publishers say that it is for it is meant to be used as a supplementary instructional uh model on top of a direct phonics instruction and so we don't do direct phonics instruction in grades three and four the the ah the program we use is designed to be supplemental So, I really think those are things we're

222doing well that we could build upon and I'd love to see the data after that. >> Thank you. >> I'm tired. >> Thank you. >> Anyone >> else? Huh? >> Okay. >> Good evening. >> Okay, I'm gonna hold this. Uh, so Libby Copeland, Farragut Avenue. really appreciate the segregation and really really appreciate that. Thank you. Um and I agree that the differences on the disparities children of color and IEPS is deeply concerning. Um I can't help but notice at the same time as we're seeing these numbers, we we've also lost a number of our black educators, including a special education assistant director who was wellliked and trusted by staff, children, and families. I can tell you that I've looked at the data for Hastings specifically and our district has a retention rate for black teachers

223of 33% over the five years ending in 2024 compared to a retention rate of 61% for our white educators. And I want to note that this is not inevitable for a mainly white district. For example, our district's retention rate for black teachers is 67% slightly higher than that for its white teachers. I have that data which is courtesy of the education trust and I'm happy to send it to anyone would like to see it. I can't help but suggest that these are linked that if we're not providing environment where black staff can thrive, it's not so surprising that children of color are not succeeding compared to their white peers. I'm uneasy also with the idea discussed here of zeroing in on those children as if the issue resides with them. What is equally, if not

224more important is looking more broadly at the systemic issues that we already know persist within educational systems like ours. From implicit bias to unequal disciplinary systems to curriculum that does not represent certain students to not enough teachers of color. We know that the New York State audit released two months ago looking at how our district is doing with respect to inclusivity backs up that we have a lot of work to do and it also offers concrete approaches to tackling this. So, we already have a starting point. Um, it's worth noting that among the recommendations by New York State audit are something that many parents have been asking for for years, which was briefly discussed here a few months ago and hasn't been, as far as I know, discussed since, which is to make university coordinator

225administrative position. We continue to believe that that is a good idea. I do believe we can do better and many of us are eager to work with the school on how this can be improved. Thanks. >> Thank you. Thank you. Awesome. Okay. Excellent. Moving on. We're going to move on to business items. It's a small set. Oh, crew. We're having our meeting. Um, let me see some some bus stuff. Okay. There are some new items here from when I saw it at the beginning of the meeting. So, are there any questions or comments regarding business items 1 through 13? Is there a motion to approve our business items 1 through 13? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Thank you. Moving on to personnel as a consent agenda. Are there any questions or

226comments regarding our appointments, our amendments, our resignations, or our leaves of absence? >> Is there a motion to approve our personnel as a consent agenda? >> So, there second. >> All in favor? >> I on to minutes. These would have been from the August 26th meeting. Are there any questions or comments regarding the minutes? Well, I have a question about the schedule B. Um, how do how is it that the stipens work? It seems like there's this variation in um payment and is that because of the different places the faculty are on their steps or their experience coaching or whatever or is it just the step piece? >> Yes. So I mean there well there's a few things there are different related different roles >> and it's based on the number of hours sometime obviously

227of a varsity sport and the required amount of days right even modifying six days so it is a combination of what they're the it's really all related to the amount of hours and effort because it is really based upon this a relatively dollar amount and then occasionally there are steps related and others that just are you know flat amount for like clubs and things and then like for the sports how it's decided that some teams have just some don't >> the number of participants and the safety of them so occasionally if they're running well this also occurs if sometimes they fold a JP then they But I do think primarily it's it may have to do with the school safety and then just members and then I have seen where there was team that maybe

228didn't that coach would join the varsity with a few players that may have you know been folded into the varsity. And this is one last question just because I'm curious like what's the process of um appointed positions of like clubs? Is it seniority? Is it everyone who wants to do it? Are you begging faculty? >> No, I think I think they apply. I mean I think many think of certain things recently. Sometimes they're um the clubs in particular uh sometimes maybe students ask a teacher to consider running one. Many times it's an interest that the teacher may have and they they run it for a few years unpaid and then they bring it you know then it kind of gains some popularity and then it may end up being something we add as I mean

229robotics saw them last year they were here they presented this is the first year teachers we paid for those efforts so they had run it for a number of years I think based upon students and personal interests in it and it's a wonderful service teachers are doing. I was just wondering >> so but even you'll see this year when that was previously proved that time and effort it's a that club the robotics example is a 12 month 12 month 10 months but it is actually quite rigor like the amount of times they meet that type of club requires a lot more time and effort and then they do a lot of competition so the stipens for that although the dollar amounts significantly higher it's aligned effort effort to do that work. >> Of course, um

230we had stopped at the approval of minutes. This would have been for the August 26 meeting. Any questions or comments? Is there a motion to approve? >> So, is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Thank you. Second public comment. There is no public left. So, we're going on to agenda review. Currently, Ted off stuff. We have part two of the district report and I guess I had spoken that there would be an update on the the construction manager else that >> yeah I think it just we'll be reaching out at some point tomorrow get virtual set review on Thursday >> of the uh that contract the CM and then we will try and do even ahead of that on the 25th and I will respond to the board's request for the

231five years the disagregated data I start working on. >> So board of ed comments >> first of all I want to thank everyone especially Melissa for your excellent work I know it's a heavy lift and it's it's somewhat new for this district but it's exciting work that's we're doing. Um, second to copy to to follow up on what Jody was saying about engagement with the community. It's not lost on me, Bill, that you have these really nice um letters that you sent out to all the families in the community about Hastings happenings and all the wonderful things that are going on with our students, with our faculty. And I wouldn't say we have to do this all the time, but if like periodically we could share that with the larger Hastings community, I think that

232might be a wonderful way for them to stay in touch with what's going on in our schools, which is pretty exciting. But I think unless you're in it, you don't know. Um, so maybe if we could somehow think of sending a few of those out, it could be a really nice way to continue our relationship with the community >> in the mail. >> Yes. to the mayor like in the in we do that email blitz um with our lovely hopefully you know or maybe even with our next um in the future. Um but it would be wonderful to keep these alliances alive and well because I talked to some members of community who just want to know what's going on and we do have a lot of wonderful things going on. I think I think

233it really touches on that piece where uh community members that don't have kids currently in the district or kids that have graduated that no longer receive the emails have a touch on what's going on too. We spoke about that with the bond way back when and it continues that uh conversation with the broader community. >> Yeah, for sure. >> Um two things. Um I just wanted to um note maybe for people people in the community who may not know I'm gonna cry that Velvet Ed the passing of Velva Edwards was a beloved um guidance counselor here for many many years right Morin >> and um I won't go into the details but she after she retired from here she moved with her husband Joe I think down to North Carolina >> and um we just

234found out this week that she had >> passed away and I think there's a viewing and for her this week in the city and there was one uh in North Carolina I believe >> she's got two daughters and um she was someone who was really very much a part of the guidance office and was really I think beloved by a lot of families and faculty and staff members here. >> And on a much more mundane note, I just to um check the email that was sent out about student lunch, student union lunches, lunches with student officers. Is there any that you can I know it's hard especially if people are working or not especially working not around here but even if you could attend just one during the year it's really wonderful to have that

235contact with students it sort of makes you feel like yeah that's why that's why we do this right >> um so just wanted to draw people's attention to that >> thank you I just quickly note that I think everybody thank you very much about the There are on the communications comm things we touched on tonight probably fall just to mention that anybody needs that doc sent around the link just text me and I'll send back >> anyone else no it's a motion to adjourn our meeting >> so moved >> second >> all in favor I thank you thank you very [Music]