001Is this the 4 minutes past 7. We have returned from executive session. If you could please call the roll. Mr. Spicer >> here. >> Dr. Collins >> here. Miss Anderson >> here. Mr. Ryder >> here. >> Miss Corsens >> here. >> Mr. Lamb >> here. >> Miss Karns >> here. >> Dr. Bernaby >> here. Miss Collier >> here. >> Mr. to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> We have more action coming out of executive session. So, I will move that we approve the minutes from January 21st. >> I'll second. >> Any discussion on the minutes from January 21st? >> All in favor of those minutes? >> I. >> Any opposed? So, the minutes from
002January 21st are approved. Brings us to our public comment session. We do have a few signed up. Good evening everyone. We are about to enter the portion of the meeting where we welcome public comments. Although state does not require that we hold a public comment period, we feel it is crucial that we hear from our community about their concerns. The board is here to listen. Your concerns and questions may be addressed at a future meeting of the board or you may be contacted by the appropriate staff member or administrator. If you have prepared a written statement and do not have the opportunity to present it, please leave it with the clerk of the board who will say that all trustees receive it. Each speaker will have three minutes and this public comment period will not
003exceed 30 minutes in total. It is important to note that state and federal privacy laws and collective bargaining agreements prevent us from discussing certain topics in this venue, including specific employees or students and pending grievances or negotiations. Any speaker who does not adhere to these posted guidelines will forfeit the remainder of their time. Thank you. Thank you for your adherence to the rules and your interest in the continuous improvement of our district. >> First speaker is Zach Murray. >> Hi, I'm Zach Murray. I'm a English teacher at Miller Middle School. Few of you in the room know me. Um, I didn't mean to really sign up first. I I I came tonight um with the intention of offering some insight into something I was led to believe would be discussed. I don't necessarily need to
004be the catalyst of that conversation. If it's not going to be coming up, I don't have much to say. I was hoping to respond to things I imagine I was led to believe might be said about um about the art department in my school. So, I don't know if I can say if anybody is here to talk about that that they can take my place and I could go after, but I'm I'm really here to support somebody that I think needed my support and to offer insight into something um that I think spun out of control on the internet that I happen to have firsthand accounts about. >> I I make your comment now. I I think that >> there's a second public comment period. >> There's a second >> There is a second public
005comment period. >> Okay. at the end. >> Okay, >> I'll resign off then. Thank you. >> All right, next is Andrea. I'm sorry if I pronounced the wrong Gatsky. >> Hi, I am Dr. Andrea Gatsky. I am a Kingston resident. I have a child at Edson. Um I have lived in Kingston for over 13 years now. Uh I teach at Sunsumi News. Uh I am an educator. I have taught at middle school levels as well. Uh I am here in part to address uh the uh situation I guess with the art department at Miller. Um I uh my understanding about uh a handout that was passed to this uh by an art teacher to students discussing gender identity um sexual identity etc. Um I would like to speak in support of that teacher and that
006teacher's right to share this information and to support a student in his or her class. Uh we have queer students, students who have um who might be non-binary or might be transgender. We have students who might uh be gay or lesbian or asexual. And they are in our classes. They are everywhere. And it is very important for them to see themselves represented in the classes and supported by their teachers. I understand that not everybody agrees with queerness in all of its various forms. Uh but it is the job of the public schools to support all of the students and make all students feel welcome and supported. And one of the important things that can happen when a teacher provides such information to a class is to help that a student not feel alone and not
007feel invisible and hopefully build sympathy and empathy among the classmates for that student. It is also important to consider some of our students who may not identify as queer in any sense of the word may have family members who do. And when a teacher or a student says that's not a thing and that doesn't exist, that also sends our students into a question, a a situation of questioning their own families and their own understanding of the world. And so I think it's really important that we support this teacher. We make sure that this teacher is not disciplined in any sort of way. I think this teacher absolutely did the right thing supporting a student in their class. And uh I would like to see the school board supporting that and um encouraging more more teachers
008actually to support their students in a similar way. Thank you. >> Christopher and I can't even read. Can you pronounce that for me? >> Lei. I'm sorry. >> Good evening. I'm Dr. Christopher Leveki. I'm a Kingston resident. I've been for 13 years. I have a child at Edson in our school district. Um I am also here to speak in support of the teacher who handed out the materials. Um just to build off what Dr. Gatsky said, uh one of the important things for people to remember is that like it or not, whether people are comfortable with it or not, trans, non-binary, and queer kids are here. They exist. They are real. their experiences, their lived experiences, um, show that they face a higher burden of bullying and harassment. Um, they're about twice as likely as
009cisgender peers to experience bullying and harassment and four times as likely to attempt suicide as their cisgender peers. With that in mind and with the dignity for all students act in mind, I think it's very important that our schools make that space for that by recognizing their existence. That doesn't have to involve moral judgment. That doesn't have to involve recruiting people, which I'm sure some people suspect is the case. Um, it is okay to accept that people exist and to recognize that they exist. And it is incumbent upon our teachers who are the front lines of all of this to create a positive learning environment. One of the ways that we do that as someone who has taught is to build respect and to build mutual respect. The teacher who handed out these materials was
010acting in accordance with Miller's values. Miller believes according to Miller school website in mutual respect and in teachers creating an atmosphere of respect and a positive atmosphere. So I commend that teacher and I think that teacher needs our support and I hope that the board will show that support as well. Thank you. Jolie Dunham. Good evening. Is this on? >> Yes. I'm Jolie Dunham. I am a grandparent in the district, a retired educator, a taxpayer, and a former former board of education trustee. I want to address and begin with outcomes tonight. Not intentions or politics, but outcomes. At Miller Middle School, the most recent state assessment data found online shows that only one in five students in are proficient in English, English language arts, and fewer than one in five are proficient in math. These
011numbers reflect a longstanding trend before COVID. And it's not just indi indicative of a single bad year. When the majority of students are not meeting grade level expectations. This is not a failure of individual students or teachers. It's a system and leadership issue and that's what I'm addressing tonight. While student proficiency has spiraled downwards, the sup and this is no offense to you please because you know I respect you. But the superintendent salary is now $269,000. This is not a personal attack as I said by any means. It's just a question of accountability. It's reasonable for families and taxpayers to ask how academic outcomes factor into leadership evaluation. I want to speak about the Miller Middle School since it's been brought up tonight. Art is a is a required and a very valuable subject. However,
012parents did recently raise concern online about a lesson that apparently involved on some level gender or identity based roleplay. I want to be clear, I fully support the arts, but I think lessons of this nature are never appropriate for middle school and do not reflect instructional focus that families expect from required coursework. This is a time when parents are already deeply concerned about academic outcomes and this is just not acceptable. After speaking privately with educators in the Miller building, it's clear that many are overwhelmed and discouraged as well. In fact, several of them told my daughter they wish they could homeschool their own children, but they're teaching at Miller, so they cannot. Ultimately, our family made the decision to remove and homeschool my grandson because he was overwhelmed and intimidated by the atmosphere in the
013overall building and unable to learn and feel safe while being there, which is really a shame. So, I want to be clear about how I end tonight. When a district fails to bring the majority of its students to basic proficiency, it's a failure of its fundamental obligation to the children it serves. You are failing the students of this district and that carries very real real consequences. I know the board has the authority and duty to demand better. Not next year, not after a study or initiative, but now. Change is needed and the data already answers this question. My essential question is whether this board is willing to act with the urgency and seriousness that this level of failure demands. Our children cannot afford explanations. They are owed results and their futures depend on. it right
014over. Thank you. >> C Thompson. >> Good evening, folks. My name is Lee. Use here they pronouns. I am a a parent of an [clears throat] child at Edson. I am uh been in Kingston for seven years. My husband has had roots in Kingston or connections at Kingston for the last 25 years. Um, and my kid, um, is identifies as non-binary at the age of nine. Actually came out at the age of six. Um, as a trans person, it was actually surprising to me because I was not expecting that by the any means. And yet, our kid was very confident in asserting their own identity to their educators, to their parents, their family, and to the people in their community. This is not something that is not existence. This is something that is present in
015first grade and in second grade, third grade, etc. Luckily in New York State and here in Kingston, we have supports for students who identify as LGBTQ in the school systems. I want to be clear that as an educator myself, as a person who has been working with adults around a lot of complex topics for a very long time that sometimes it's very difficult for people to build understanding and familiarity with concepts and topics that are outside of their lived experience, that outside their community experience and differ from their own in like deep family or personal or religious values. And we are not asking by having our child recognized in the classroom for any person to shift their deep intrinsic beliefs, but to use behaviors that actually acknowledge their actual and very real existence. A lot
016of people want to debate whether or not trans or non-binary people exist. And definitely people want to believe or communicate to uh often that um talking about LGBTQ issues in the schools is not important. But it's very clear that people do communicate at the grade school level that there are boys and girls, which are gender identities, that apparently are okay to communicate. They're able to show story books that depict relationships between male characters and female characters, and that families that have parents that are moms and dads, and those aren't things that are ever questioned, and those are things that we have time for. We have time for them in math, we have time for them in reading, we have time for them in history, we have time for them in art. And so just including
017the existence of students who are actually attending that school actually say that you deserve to be here and to learn. If we want to talk about failing our students telling students that they don't even have a right to basic existence means they have no reason to try to pass a test. And whether it's that student or their families or that student who's going to come out in a couple of years or perhaps in adulthood, knowing that they are going to be valued and respected for who they are and they're able to learn alongside their peers in a place of mutual respect is necessary for them to actually meet their academic standards and to become valuable and productive members of our community and our society. It's important to me as a trans person who was a
018child in schools. It's important to our kid who is going to grow up and continue to go to Kingston public schools as long as these schools continue to support them. And it's important to our entire community to make sure that every single person here actually is able to live and thrive in our own community and contribute in the ways that are best available to do so. Thank you so much. >> That's all. Is there anyone else who may be with us that would like to address the board? I'm Anthony Fitzpatrick. Um, gender identity is now protected in the New York State Constitution. Acknowledging the existence of people with different gender identities is appropriate at every age. >> I applaud this art teacher. >> Did you want to follow up? If I may. >> Sure. >>
019Um, >> again, Zach Murray, English teacher, middle school. Uh, Kingston resident. My daughter goes to school about 50 feet that way. Um, my son will I'm happy to be sir in a couple years. So, I I I'm very invested in the district, in the community, and and in my job. And I'm a proud teacher. Middle middle and Miller Middle School. Let me make that clear. Um, I I stand in support of everybody that is here to support all of our students. Um, I I wouldn't refute the unfortunate data that, you know, shines directly on me as an English teacher, but we're we're working on it. It's it's a wild time in education. Um, but again, I don't have a prepared speech. I I came to respond to people that might be spinning the truth about
020a good friend of mine. So, I I would like to address the details that I'm aware of. Um, I won't mention names. I won't mention anything of that nature, but Um, I I and many of my colleagues support any student of of any gender identity. Um, but I do want people to know, people in this room, there was no lesson taught on gender identity. A teacher was approached by a student that identified differently than most and asked for certain materials. Um, maybe two or three worksheets were were out there. Somebody took one home. It ended up in, you know, a folder, a mother's hand. A picture of it was posted on Facebook with a lot a lot of outlandish stuff posted about my friend of my friend. Um it was she was providing materials for
021a student asked and and that was it. It it ended up in I'm not going to say the wrong hands. They're children. It ended up in somebody's hands. Somebody saw it and interpreted as they are teaching my my my child to think this way. It it wasn't it was a small aspect of a lesson on identity in which the students had a lot of agency to express themselves without being told how to do so. So my my friend in question provided materials that she was asked to provide. That's it. That is it. Everything else is is Facebook history. Um there there were rumors about tails and crawling around on the floor and I'd like to emphasize how imaginary that is. That's not a thing that happened in this class. Um and that's really about it.
022I'm just here to set the record straight on somebody that that I adore, I support, and I do stand with my community who stands in support of all of our students. Thank you. >> Yes. >> Good evening. I am the parent who came home and found the boulder with a piece of paper in it. I hear everything that everybody is saying in this room this evening and I have no judgment on anybody in this room. What you choose to do in your home, public, with your life, is your business. I'm not in any way phobic of anything. One thing I do not approve of is the way that this was brought about. I appreciate your statement, but my son and several of his friends that are all in the same class together told me that
023there was a whole lesson given on this. Regardless of what you were told, I got this firsthand. I did due diligence. I spoke to several parents. We all got together. We had conversations with our children, not in dictation in regards to in leading in any way. We wanted the truth out of all of them. They all said that there was a lesson given in regards to being able to choose their own gender. Perfectly fine. If this is something that's going to be taught in the school curriculum, I believe it's supposed to be brought up at the beginning of the school year and approved of. Second of all, it shouldn't be done by an art teacher. It should be done by the health teacher who has knowledge on said things. Anybody in any situation knows that
024if you take somebody, it's proven fact. If you take a wild animal and you take that animal from birth and you raise it with another species of animal, it will grow up thinking it is that species of animal. Same concept. It's monkey see monkey do. My children follow me around and they do everything that I do. My friends child follow them around do everything they do. They want to grow up with what is in their home. I don't judge anybody. I respect everybody's decisions to do what they do. I just ask that the art teacher isn't giving my son lessons in regards to this subject when I don't even speak about it in my own home. It's not something an 11-year-old needs to know about. There's two genders in the world. Everything else is a
025decision. It's a choice you choose. Now, you were born male. You were born female. What you choose to do with yourself at your age whenever you decided to transition, that's your business. That was a choice that you decided to make. That's how you felt inside. That's how it proceeded. Once again, I don't judge anybody. I just do not think or feel that it is necessary for my son to come home and have conversations with me about these things that I don't even speak to him about. Sex, none of it. Thank you. >> That brings us to our superintendent report. >> Thank you, M. We'll start off with M carbon and a brief discussion about preliminary. >> Good evening. Okay, just a few points about our very preliminary 2026 27 budget. I'm sorry, no slides tonight.
026Mic. Okay. As I'm sure everyone knows, uh the executive budget uh recently was released and it provided for Kingston City School District an increase in foundation aid of a whopping 1%. Which translates to $680,000. Even if it's doubled when the budget is passed and we have an enacted budget, that still provides less than $1.5 million in foundation aid. To that end, we are uh and have been doing our work in terms of looking at our other uh state aid revenues, looking at other revenues as well as our expenses. Our maximum tax levy increase this year is 4.04% 4% which is an increase of $4.7 million. What we're looking at and our new normal um and I've been intentionally using that phrase since I arrived because what became clear to me during CO is that when
027we came out of it certain things were just going to be different period. Um, and as we progress as a district and we have been evolving and identifying how to support our students, how to execute our mission that we're not the same district that we were even just five short years ago. Our enrollment is declining, which also negatively impacts our state aid in two ways. First, we have fewer students that we are receiving a per pupil um aid amount on. secondarily in terms of um our wealth and how wealthy we look. The fewer students you have, the wealthier you look. Also, many of you I'm I'm sure have seen the recent Daily Freeman ad that has spoken uh very detailed and very um eloquently about how real estate has affected it's falsely elevated our district
028and we look like we're much wealthier than we really are. So, in addition to our day-to-day costs and the fact that uh we have a housing situation and housing crisis, it affects our state aid because we appear to be a wealthier district than we truly are. So, that also um has shifted our state aid. So, this is the uh current picture. I I I'm doing this to share what we are dealing with and the the various factors. So, last year was a challenging budget season. We knew this year would be as well. Last year was round one. We as a district made certain decisions um specifically allocating a significant amount of fund balance to balance our budget so that we can maintain program and support for our students while we continue to do the work
029that we started last year to identify where we can become more efficient, where we can reallocate resources, where we can um further progress in our evolution to how we as the city school district execute our mission but with our new financial landscape. So on the expense side what we have been looking at um certain how we operate looking at things such as transportation and other areas in how we can become more efficient continue certain changes that have been made for this year. We've been looking at expense drivers uh that we both concerns in looking at such as insurance both uh property or liability insurance and health insurance. And we are continuing to uh turn over every rock, but also think differently and think outside of the box about things that we can do that we
030haven't done before that will help us realign and still support our students, but also um address appropriately our financial situation for not just this budget season but moving forward. And one other point before I sit down, I just want to make note um of the recent conversation and articles about the uh struggles office and their fiscal stress monitoring system and the district's designation. Just to clarify for those who have misunderstood, Kingston has not been designated as being fiscally or financially stressed. We are susceptible is what the controllers um office designated us as. Susceptible specifically because of our unassigned fund balance level. So that's one factor in our financial landscape in a snapshot as of June 30th, 2025. Our current unassigned funding balance is below 4% which usually we were at 4%. As I've just reminded
031uh the room and the community, we meaning the district, the board of education made a conscious decision for the 2526 budget to allocate $5.5 million to fund balance for this budget so that we can maintain programs and supports for our students while we continue to look at our financial landscape that has changed so significantly. That was step one. Now we're in step two. But to that end, we also have a significant amount of reserves. And those reserves in combination with our fund balance paint a more accurate financial picture. So if we look at our whole financial picture, including our reserves and fund balance levels, it's over 17%. So we are sound and solid, but we are very mindful of the fact that in order to get to where we historically have been financially and fund
032balance levels, but also program levels, we have another round of work to do and challenging conversations. um deep conversation and deep examinations, but that's the work we're committed to do and that's the work we're doing and will continue to do for this budget season. >> Any questions? >> I think it's significant just to mention one thing. Sorry. Um, you know, when we talk about where we are now to where we were two years ago, we we we lost nine of of $9 million in foundation aid between 2324 and 2425 when we got kind of, you know, reclassified going from high needs, high poverty school district to low needs, low poverty school district in 12 months. So we went from receiving the most you could receive through foundation aid to now being in that pool of
033about 60% of our school districts in the state that is at the minimum which is 1%. In one year on top of that year on top of that year was also the end of the federal funding the art funding. So, we had an expectation and people who were on the board then I when I presented on the budget, we were talking about the fully funded foundation aid and how it was accelerating our aid in the Kansas City School District. At the same time, our ARC money was going down and how it would meet and it would level off. So, we were able to fund a lot of the lot of the programs that we put in place through ARC that we thought were effective and really doing great things for our students. So, the board
034and we made the decision last year to allocate that fund balance to keep those to keep those uh those those services and and programs in place for our students. Again, we're doing a lot of thinking, a lot of working right now on how we can get to where we need to go. But that loss in foundation aid alone isn't the only part of the story. When we get when we go to from being low needs, you know, you know, high needs or low need and high wealth, we also lose aid in what we call our expense pace drivers, our expense paid a based aids. So that's our transportation, our Boseies, our building aid, all those aids that we that we historically have been very high also came down. The biggest and best and I think
035most impactful example of that is transportation going from 71% aid to 59% aid in one year of a of a cost of $20 million. So that's a that's a significant chunk for us to try to look how do you make those things up. So again, I think the board did the absolute right thing last year allocating that fund balance. Yes, the comproller gave us a little shot across the bow about it. We get it, but we did the right thing. We are financially sound. Um, as as Miss Carbon said, you know, we have more than 17% in our reserves of our, you know, B in reserve of our total budget. So, we're we're confident that we'll continue to move forward. We'll adj we'll adjust to the new normal and um and keep where where we've
036been for the last 15 years, which is fiscally stable, able to provide supports and programs for our students. >> Dr. P, if I could just add one more note to to that. Um last budget season when we were having these conversations and bringing forth to you different scenarios including uh fund balance, this was not a halfaphazard recommendation on our part bringing it to you. I had conversations with uh fiscal adviserss because we're in the process of embarking upon this capital project to ensure that making this decision would not negatively impact our uh standing in the credit community and uh they assured me and they confirmed uh which I had learned in previous districts that they look at the full picture so they're well aware so this and and I want to say this before public
037comment as well because our taxpayers are watching so uh this was not as Dr. had taken lightly, but we did also have conversations with other financial professionals to ensure that we were still going to appear solid, that there would be no misunderstanding or we wouldn't appear uh to be in a a weaker position than we really are. Also, last note, um my budget presentation will include graphics and some of the details that Dr. Pio was speaking to because what I found is it's easier to communicate this to people when I have graphs and charts, but This was a brief update, but I will bring that forward so that everyone can see um graphically what we're speaking about because to the expense-based aids, there was a deep shift year over year as well um in that.
038So, we're making up a lot, but we will do the work and we will get where we need to go. >> Thank you. >> Other updates? >> Just a few things. I I just want to hit I know we had facilities come in yesterday, but it's been a couple of weeks since I've given any real updates on facilities. So, I'll just be very brief on that. You know, phase one is still in continuing. Um we're gearing up for the for the second summer work. We're also there'll be some some work done second shift starting basically around the uh around spring break. So, we have some some work being done at Edson and Bailey during those breaks. B and phase 2 A, which we're not really calling that anymore, but but we're gonna say we kind
039of folded it into phase two, which is the Bailey kitchen. So, we are in negotiations with with um a property owner to put a temporary kitchen in for the school district. So, we have uh our kitchen consultant coming in to help us map it out how it would work to make sure this is most efficient. As you all know, you know, the Bailey kitchen feeds the entire school district except for Kingston High School. So, we need to have the right space and have it be ready. So, uh, Joe Beans, our director of food service, who was here last week for the week before, um, is is working together with him as well as as well as Mr. Bogart, our director facility. So, we're um really close to getting that getting that where we need to
040go. Um, phase three also work will begin this coming actually we're going to start a little bit of the work in February. We have that we have the 4-day weekend. Um, we're going to start some of that work then over at GW. So, they're going to start doing a little bit of work there and then they're going to continue to do some work in second shift. Uh we met with facilities last night. We don't know if we're aware of any after school programs and those kind of things, but they'll do the uh that work, excuse me. Um you know, later on in the afternoon, including starting work on which is one of the biggest parts of the GW um project, which is the elevator. So, they'll start some of that work during that time as
041well. Um phase four, we got the project, you know, we're looking to submit this month to to New York State Education Department and phase five, the kickoff meetings have started. So, we're getting ready to start doing some of those plannings for for phase five. Um couple little things that are going on in the district. Just want people to know about. Um we are investigating the possibility of repairs on the walls at Hston High School and GW. We know this is a concern. [cough] Excuse me. But this is uh this is expensive stuff. Uh you know those walls are historic. Um they really need to be mostly taken down and either replaced or rebuilt. You if that's the way we want to go and this is a project that does not drive any state aid. So
042any um repairs to those walls that we do will be dollar for dollar even though the state aid lasts. Two years ago we did have a an estimate on the high school wall which was between 4 million to replace the entire wall. So, we're we're continuing to look at it and again the I think the G the wall GW and the wall came both probably equally in you know in disrepair and in need of fixing. We did propose the possibility of removing the walls alto together and grading down that didn't that really wasn't very popular recommendation but we're going to continue to work on um fixes. We are doing right now we're doing the patch jobs and you know just trying to make do where we are but we are looking at a long-term uh
043you know solution there. I know I've had spoken to you know several parents from GW and spoken to people at Kingston High School and everyone's people are concerned but we're concerned as well. Um it's just a matter of finding the funding to do to work you know um with that type of a of a structure. There's a reason you don't see very many of them anymore. There a reason they're historic. Um, so we're we're moving forward trying to figure that out. Hopefully we'll talk to you more about it in the spring. >> Dr. has there been any exploration regarding like historical landmark status of the structures themselves or any opportunity to dig into that or partnerships with >> Well, our understanding to this point has been regardless of who's [clears throat] interested, it's our responsibility
044and we're going to put the bill kind of thing. So it's, you know, um, and I think that there's and, you know, the money around a lot of this is a whole. >> So it's >> Thank you. >> So again, it's just, um, we're going to have to make some decisions about how we do it, give prices on how we do it, show some options to all of you, and and then try to move forward. But it's, um, it is a concern. We're not ignoring it. We're just trying to figure it out. Is this the wall? That's Can you specify which wall this is? >> Brennon Broadway. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Just call it the wall. >> I figured I just wanted >> I would have to say that wall is valued by students. I
045think you can go there after school under Broadway and not see kids sitting on it. >> Oh, no doubt. >> So, I I think that finding some way to maintain that wealth would be important to a lot of students. Okay. Uh just one other thing. Um Crosby boilers are holding up. They're holding up well right now. I know it's concerned and we we have moved them up in in the construction project, but they have been holding up and working properly at um over at Crosby. And last but not least, I want to thank our facilities team for all the work they've done over the last couple weeks. Well, actually all winter uh especially last week during what was pretty much a historic snowstorm. um with our with our people working, you know, 14 hours on
046on sat on f on Monday getting up first thing in the morning trying to get our place cleared for Monday morning or Tuesday morning. Obviously, we we we did close both the days, but uh they did they was they were out there. Um so, I just want to give them credit for the work they did and thank them for um everything. I know I was here on Tuesday and afternoon and they were loading so much snow into the back of the dump trucks and dragging it away. I'm still not sure where they put it, but I don't guess. Better not ask. Don't ask. I'm not going to ask. But uh so yeah, just great job and I appreciate them. I think, you know, they all owe them a little debt of gratitude for having our
047our buildings ready on Wednesday. Sidewalk safe, our driveway safe, our parking lot safe. So, thanks for that. >> Any questions or comments for Dr. Okay. Thank you. Um, do our student reps have anything to share or a couple things actually. Um, first of all, something some interesting and good news for the high school. I am working with the turnup voter registration program and at the high school to help our students and mostly our seniors uh, register to vote. I will be doing a tableabling project and hoping to further people's uh, commitment to voting and being involved in political landscape and community. And I think it's a great way to not only educate them on some things but give them a tool that they are able to use the rest of their life. They only have
048to register to vote to vote once. Onetop shop. Um second of all, I want to say on a matter that was discussed in public session, um I don't and I albeit I've only been at Kingston High School for four years, but I want to say that I don't think I've been in a class for all four years that didn't contain at least one person that identified as queer. And I want to say that as a way to both represent them, to show that these voices are real and that they are here, but also to say that it needs to be okay. It needs to be heard. They need to feel seen and respected and cared for by their district. That is our that is our job. It is to protect, educate, graduate all of our
049students. But it is also to make them feel safe where they are. People don't want to show up to school if they don't think they are valued. And I think that is a huge thing that everybody here agrees with, but sometimes it gets lost. And that's all I have to say. >> Yes. >> And I would just like to second Sophia's uh statement. I do agree that in a school district and any school facility, students should feel like they're heard and they're both respected and they feel safe in their environment. And I'd like to continue and talk more about our initiative and provide a new perspective for our action on the vaping crisis in our school district or our school community in general. And I'm very well aware that two of our committees are working
050for or working to make a comprehensive plan in order to tackle this issue in general. But I'd like to also bring up the fact that there's a new growing epidemic of Zins, a silent one. Yes. Or not even that new, but they're growing. I believe Sophia I could say in every single one of my class or every single one of our classes there's at least one person who's a Zen user in them. >> Benny, could you could you just for everybody to listen though, could you explain what a Zen is? >> Yes. A Zen is like a they come in this circular um under your gum. >> And the real concern about this is that they're not as vocal as Bane products. They're not as vocal as Geek Bars. They're their silent nicotine and their
051silent addictions that we can't identify in the school district. And what I'd like to tackle, especially in the committees that are working for this comprehensive vaping plan, is a focus on why students fall for these substances in the first place. And I'd say for majority of those reasons, they're based off stress, anxiety, and societal pressure. And I think a reinforcement in all our schools, in our elementary, middle school, high school, every single part of our schooling education, there should be a reinforcement of these values and how students can tackle them. >> Thank you both. >> One of you could be using a Zen pouch right now, >> right? >> No, it's just a nicotine delivery system. spell. >> If you go to the store, you can't bright colors. >> They sell them in bubble gum
052flavor. They sell them in like Froot Loop flavor. So, they're meant towards >> like they are targeted and not every state allows that. >> Um, you go to Massachusetts, you can't have a flavored tobacco product, but in New York, we allow for 50 different flavors. So the convenience store is a block away from our school >> for sure. Thank you both. You bring a lot to our table. We appreciate it. That brings us to our consent agenda. Are there any items that trustees would like pulled from the consent agenda? >> Hearing none. If we could have a motion. So moved. >> Second. Any discussion on the consent agenda? >> All in favor? >> I I >> Any opposed? The consent agenda passes. We do have a donation statement. I believe yes. So, the board of
053education of the Kingston City School District hereby accepts with grateful appreciation the following generous donations to Kingston High School from Mr. Vincent Singara. A donation of four backpacks valued at $65.35 33. Thank you so much. And to Miller Middle School from the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley, a donation of $800 in support of an art field trip. We do love the arts. So, thank you for that. >> Thank you. >> Um, we have one board of education uh committee report. It's really not even a a committee meeting report, but we have policies to uh >> we met on February 4th and you had is that right? Today is February 4. We met on >> January. January what? >> Sixth. Um, and we had these four policies for second reading tonight. First one is 2120
054school board elections. >> I move that policy. >> I'll second. >> Any discussion? All in favor of 2120? >> I. >> Any opposed? 2120 is approved. >> The second policy to be voted on and approved is 2120.1. It's candidates and campaigning. I move that policy for approval. Second, >> any discussion on 2120.1 >> Dr. Bern a clarifying question so that I can make sure I understand the language. So around line 59, I'm looking at it. Um, is this about any individual organization requesting to use a district's property and facilities for introducing a board candidate? Is it about that opportunity being made available to any candidate so that it's not just being used for a specific candidate? I just for some reason 59 through 66 was like kind of complicated and a little dense for me.
055So if someone could just walk it through for me. 59 through 66. >> Is that actually part of the law? >> Yeah. >> Is it supposed to copy and paste? >> It's Yeah. >> Do you know what it I I just it was so dense that it wasn't really usable to me. So and I and I can read. So, I was just trying to figure it out if somebody who reads even better than me. >> It really means that for the most part, I believe it means that you can't only endorse a candidate in an event like you would have to use >> at the property, meaning specifically, right? It would have to be for all, not just, >> right? One candidate couldn't have a campaign rally, but we could have meet candidates. >> Got
056it. So any person, any candidate could also request to use a district facility, but then others would be made aware of it and they'd be allowed invited to join basically. >> Okay. If that's the case, I'm >> would a lot stuck in there. >> Would they be approved? If one candidate requested it, they would not get approval according to this law. >> Correct. David, >> Mr. You can so I mean the beginning part says any organization requesting to use the district's property can do so but must do so in an even-handed manner and all candidates must be who want to attend that meeting will be given the opportunity to present at that meeting and submit information which will be presented on their behalf. >> Okay. So you can't >> you can't invite two and not
057the other seven or however many initiated. All are welcome >> even if initiated by a candidate. >> David, do you want to weigh in? >> What's some notic? >> Thank you. That was all I had. I just wanted to make sure I understood what it said. >> All in favor of uh 2120.1 >> I. >> Any opposed? >> The next policy is 2121 board member qualifications. I move that policy for approval. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Dr. Uh during my original candidacy, I had some folks who were um district residents but were not um able to vote in sort of state or federal elections, but had just mentioned that it would be amazing as a local community member to be able to have their voices heard in local elections. I learned that that actually
058happens in some places where you don't have to uh if you're a legal resident, you're allowed to vote in school district elections. And I was curious if we had ever explored that or if this was just this individual who was pleading their case to me because she really wanted to be able to vote in the district. So, I was wondering if anyone had ever heard about that because it excludes a lot of people who are are our community members, a lot of whom we actually have to serve clearly because they can join our schools. But has anyone ever heard of that like local elections that our school board elections where you don't have to be >> registered voter citizen of the United States so to speak? >> I would say I think in other states
059I have heard of that. I don't know if it can be done in the state of >> Once again David you're on you do your own registration in addition to I'm not going to I'm not going to say no to this but I just want to say that um we so there's a lot of members of our community that are not US citizens and participate in our schools as well as lots of other institutions and it's a possibility in the future for us to consider how can we make sure their voices are heard and if it's possible in New York State to do so we might want to consider it in the future. because I've had two people say it to me. I'd love to vote for you. You know, I'm not allowed to vote
060in Kingston. And they said, "Unless I am for the school district." And I was like, "No, you're not." But okay, that's all I wanted to say. >> I think state law actually requires for school board elections >> for them to be a citizen. >> Okay. We have talked about this. I want to say several years ago, we talked about this. Um, and I that was my recollection was that state law was the overriding. Thank you. >> Unless I'm just looking at legislation, but there's like a section 2603 and state law. >> Okay. Thank you. I'll also do more. >> Um, so all in favor of 2121 board member qualifications. >> I. Any opposed extension? >> Do you I'm just I just want to make sure you understand this policy is for people who are running
061for the board, not voting on the Okay, thank you. >> I just wanted to make sure. >> Yes, thank you. I I had a sort of separate side question. I appreciate that. >> And the last policy is 2130 resignation and dismissal. I move 2130. >> Second. Any discussion on 2130? All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? 2130 is approved. >> And the next policy meeting is Friday on the 6th at 9:30. 9:30 in this room. >> Thank you very much, Mr. L. >> Thank you. brings us to old business. >> Mr. L can go first and then Mr. >> I'm back with the our rules of order have they've been on the table for the current list of rules of order have been on the table for over a month now. They have been
062discussed for over three years now when we discussed whether we used Robert's rules or other rules of order. And I think in in respect of new members coming on and respect of other members of the board, we need to adopt a rules of parliamentary procedure as any other organization has for their board meetings. So, I'm going to move the rules that of order that David listed. Anyone have a second? >> Your motion is that we take them off the table because they've been tabled. that we take that we vote on them and have discern that that we have a um motion a second we have a discussion about them and move them one way or the other. But I I think the fact that we have operated for over 3 years without any real rules
063of order in place is not a healthy thing for for the board. I'll second it for the purpose of discussion >> discussion. >> So it's my understanding that if we don't have a rule of order that we fall back on Robert's rules of order. Is that not correct? >> Policy that refers to Robert's rules. >> No, you don't. So then you're really operating on your own good faith so to speak and also the rule of the quarum essentially that most voting requires a quarum of all board members to vote in favor. There are some super majority voting requirements, but otherwise you're dealing with an agenda formed by the super and the board president and you're voting on resolutions for vote passes unless this majority requirement. If there is a debate among the board members on
064an issue, the debate comes to an end now by coming otherwise you could debate almost endlessly. You had a called question which under Robert's rules would require motion to second and a super majority vot. Um but I think it makes sense to have relatively simple rules that everyone and understand no one becomes superior through the knowledge of Robert's rules and the commissioner has often said their rules of order not rules of substance at the end of the day if the majority of the board of quirum votes approval of something that's on the agenda that's going to be legally sufficient. >> The document that Mr. Lamb is referring to was prepared for us by Mr. Shaw. Um, and I find it very helpful just in terms of um of the kinds of situations that can arise.
065So, but I want everyone to have reviewed them and to understand before we make that decision. >> This is current. >> Yes. based on them being tabled, I was not prepared to bring them back on the table today. I would have done more thorough homework and read through them, but I thought there was a pause in order for other things to be reviewed and discussed. So, I mean, for for that reason, I'm just I think it's too critical and processes are too important to me to just put something in place for the sake of putting it in place. Um, I do understand and agree with the urgency, but a new board member. Um, I'm just now starting to wrap my head around the importance of par parliamentary procedures and while they are not required, right,
066that if we're going to put them in place, I think it's essential we do it um thoroughly as it represents this body. >> Mr. Land, >> my understanding was we agreed to table them so that people that were had not looked at them would take the initiative to look at them. so we could discuss them at the next meeting and approve or disapprove. And I I three years without having any kind of rules of order is outrageous to me as as a even even student organizations have rules of order that they operate by. And we're sitting here as the board of education without any current rules of order. And I I think that's irresponsible of the of the board for three years. >> Mr. I have a couple comments, but I have a question. So
067you why why three years? Was there some set of parliamentary rules? >> There was a board that existed longer than 3 years ago. There was a No, there was a board member who insisted that we were to operate by Robert's rules and it became a very heated argument. So where in reality this board has never had a set of parliamentary rules? >> Not well I've been on it. >> Okay. So it's >> for at least the last 14 years the board the board policy says will will operate with a generally agreed upon >> agreed upon rules of order. So it doesn't give a name. Doesn't say right. Just generally agreed upon rules of order. So generally agreed upon by the board. That's been the that's that's you that's the board policy, >> but it's never
068been laid out like what those rules of order have been. >> Generally agree. >> Again, I it was at my request that this be tabled last time because I hadn't had a chance to look at it. I'll admit I still haven't had a chance to look at it. If people wanted to vote on it tonight and a majority felt comfortable, I would live with that. The one thing I would ask is if it's not in there that any you can't any parliamentary set of rules can't cover everything which is why a lot of places defer default back to Robert's rules. My suggestion would be that we refer to Robert's rules in whatever our parliamentary order is where if it's not covered there then we fall back on Robert's rules. So if that's not in it,
069David, then I would request that we consider that. But >> well, you certainly could have that as as a fallback position. I imagine there might be very occasional situation where that would apply. I think these rules cover most of the very common situations in a way that board members can understand without looking I have Robert's rules for dummies. It's like two pages front and back. So, >> you know, it's it's it's less complicated than people think. But >> actually, can we see that Robert's rules for dummies and just look at these two things and then pick one? Like, I don't know. Does it I just want it to be obvious. And as somebody who finds it extremely opaque to figure out how to talk on the board, um I would love us to make a
070decision about this. And if it's a if it's a Robert Jules for dummies or it's Mr. Lamb's piece of paper, I don't, you know, if if something's missing, we can add it, right? So >> it's it's not my piece of paper, but it came to us from our council. Okay. So, excuse me. Council >> and and just so you understand one thing, if Robert rules order, we have to have a parliamentarian and we have to have someone who is willing to be that parliamentarian to take care of all of that part of it. That's that is a requirement in Robert. >> Mr. >> If you're going to consider Roberts for dummies, I'd like I'm not saying that we >> am not recommending that we adopt Robert as our [music] parliamentary procedure. >> It's just a
071cheat sheet. >> I see that this I very much appreciate the preparation. This reads like instructions, not like a layout of a par parliamentary order, which is why I have a little bit of a problem with it. I'm also on many boards where we don't have rules of order. There is a common understanding and we operate under general procedures. That said, I have not been sitting with this for three years. I completely understand your frustration, but I cannot rush my decision on what is a good document to refer to for us now and for future members that I haven't done due diligence on. And I have to just stand by my comfort level and take the time needed to process this and ensure that the way it's laid out can be digestible by any member,
072new or or existing. Shall we shall we add this to can we just formally add this to an agenda then in the future so that then it's in our board docs again and then we can plan to vote and or revise accordingly if we need a more >> I would support that because yes I know we were asked to list it review it last Um, but I have to admit when it wasn't on our agenda, I did not do that. So, I was remiss in that. So, I'm not comfortable moving it until I have or voting on it until I have the opportunity to truly review it. >> So, we could plan for it to be on the agenda for >> Well, so it's currently on the table. So, we'll have to I mean, yeah,
073>> but again, we don't have a rules of of take no action on it like in Robert's rules, you could take no action. >> Take no action. I'm assuming we could take no action and it would just pop up on the agenda in two weeks. >> I don't think we have that. We've ever taken no action. I I don't I don't object to that as a rule of order. >> We don't have to call the question right now. Right. We can just um unt it. >> It's already been moved. It's already been >> unable and it can be taken off the table next meeting. I will make a motion that table >> David. motion to table or to postpone table would be not debatable postpone debatable you're going to send it to another meeting >>
074so I'll make a motion to postpone it for two weeks so our meeting on the >> second a motion >> all in favor I >> so we will have this on the agenda for the >> wait we didn't we didn't we just voted for it >> we just Negative to postpone. >> Oh, and this will be in the board docs >> for next week. >> Yes. >> Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you had another question or another old visit. Any other old business? Mr. Spicer, >> I just want to thank the trustees who participate in the building walkthroughs. Your feedback becomes the basis of conversations at the facilities committee. Our principles are also really grateful to have very detailed conversations with board members on their building condition priorities. So really, thank you. And a reminder
075that Graves and J key walkthroughs are still set for tomorrow 3:30 and 4:30 uh respectively. Any trustee who still wants to join can let Karen know. Uh your walkth through um check sheets are going to be at the building when you get there. So you're all set. All you have to do is let Karen know and and jump in. And even though I didn't give a facilities report because we just had our facilities meeting yesterday, I still want to let everybody know our next facilities meeting is February 24th. >> Thank you, >> Dr. Bern. I have two items. One, uh thank you again to everyone for uh last meeting's approval of the resolution that we we shared about um non-local agents in our community and in our schools. Um, and thank you for pointing to
076me where it lives on the website. Um, there's been a request for it to be translated into Spanish and catchy to other languages that are spoken in our community. Someone sent us a Spanish language one. I know of course you probably have your own process or we have our own process to see if the translation is accurate. Um, but that has been provided to us already by a community uh a community member and they can provide also I I believe they could probably provide to us the the source of it and then catchy which not everybody has access to translators but we also have a community member who wrote to us saying they had catchy translation. So, I'm just curious what the board process is for us to move to have those bows translated and
077then also make them available to the public. >> Our website does automatically translate great >> to to Spanish. I think a good point is and maybe we could use one of our um one of our Spanish speaking faculties maybe or one of our bilingual family members to look to make sure that our tool does it correctly. Great, you know. So, it's >> legal ease, you know. So, it's kind of like the one they sent us was I think legal easy. >> Yes. which makes it hard to translate, right? So maybe we could have a double check. I I mean as far as I think we probably would like a resource because I don't know if we have one miss resource. >> Is it written? >> So the Yeah, it's >> it is it can be.
078>> Yeah, because I I checked in on it with with [laughter] the community. There are Spanish and catchy speakers that do both kinds of translation. Of course, some words aren't perfect oneto ones, but um I I believe that like considering the Spanish speaking community and the speaking community are the primary both side that needs to be done. And then the other question is so if not um can we do do we think what's the timeline on how we would pay someone to do the catchy translation? >> Yeah, I think that we'll check tomorrow with our bilingual family workers. If we don't have some time, we I will bring you up. >> Amazing. And then the other thing just to say is does the board or the district do anything other than post the resolution on
079the website. So does the board for example I don't know when you have done your most previous resolutions maybe in 2020 or 2016 for various reasons but how do we make sure that the resolution besides of course our our newspaper friends um gets out to the public what's our process as a board once we produce something like a resolution >> I think we've always relied on the site as our primary um um distribution >> distribution. >> Okay. Is there any other way that we can imagine doing that or I I guess this is a question that we can take somewhere else. >> I mean I don't think we've ever done it as a board. I know your question I did read your email in your question about a press release. I don't know if the
080board we've done press release for things in the district but I don't think we've ever done a board press release. >> I don't know if that's Can I >> Yeah, I don't I don't remember the board ever doing a press release. >> Can I ask what the purpose just in your thoughts would be of a press release because all three papers that cover the district have covered it in various ways of accuracy? >> Yeah, it's I guess it's not I'm not thinking about specifically a press release. I'm just curious how we make sure that our parents and families who are most impacted and who for whom the resolution might provide some level of feeling like the leaders have their backs because of course the policies are already on the books. So we understand that but
081how we might be able to communicate effectively with them. >> Well I think if you like kind of you look around the room um we have these posted in all of our schools. I mean if we wanted to we could could have the board's resolution, you know, memorialized in that way and put it in every building. >> I like that idea. >> I would be in favor. I think that's a a very physical because I think um all of the digital means are not necessarily reaching all of the community members. So, >> yeah, physical. So this is >> can I ask just I mean so the whole resolution seems like lot there was pieces of communication that were required to be posted in schools based off that resolution that feels like a more immediate necessary
082step is to ensure that whatever the resolution required as opposed to necessarily the text of the resolution but >> absolutely I I'm totally open to like we can we can talk about it even in a small group just making sure that things that are being demanded of us by the community that the board like maintains our responsibility to making sure people have access to the information. Um because the again the goal of it was to not do anything new, right? We have these policies on the book. It's actually to say and we're standing up for you and we care about you and we we see you. So um yeah, thank you. >> I think Mrs. Karns Oh, I'm sorry. Dr. >> [clears throat] >> I was just going to um piggy back on this idea
083for a more general point. um looking at our website recognizing that even this suggestion is still kind of passive but if there was a place where we just had news from the board and so if we pass resolutions there's a place to that people would put it's you know it's prominently featured under safety of our students which I think is um absolutely an appropriate place for it but it's not necessarily clear that the board has made a new action so is it possible for us to add or would people be in support of adding um a a place where we might be able to post when the board makes a move that would be of broad public interest and didn't require that someone watch the whole board meeting to learn. >> Mr. >> When the
084board summaries used to be done of the meeting, they were posted somewhere or were they just posted on social media? >> Right. They were sent out on an email blast. >> I don't remember. They were sent on an email. They were also posted on the website. It was the old website, so the pages looked different. I'm sure they if we still did it, they would still be posted here, but it would be a little >> I think the question >> the question is, you know, if the board is doing something, not everybody goes and clicks board of education to the board. So, you're looking for a spot that's maybe more accessible to people to say, "Oh, I know this is this is news from the board." So, so I think Miss Bon and I can
085speak with with our communications people and we can see what we can do. >> Cool. >> Or could we send it through an email the way we used to send those? >> I don't know. Maybe that could be >> if we create a spot like um Dr. Collins has suggested, couldn't we put our minutes of our committee meetings there because people don't know where to find those either because it would be all the important new information from the board of ed and they would all be in one spot. >> You already have that. >> Yeah. But it's not but people, as Dr. Peter said you they people don't go to the board of educa when you look at that it's I think one of the things that that that the communication department has done in
086the past is when we create a new feature we kind of go out there and say hey we got a new feature so here is and I think we the board decides that you are well they don't have to decide it we could we could do you know a little thing about hey a news story saying hey everyone looking for news about the board of education it's here kind of thing. Um because then then we'll just have two board of education place. Miss Bos wants to speak. >> What you really want to do is you want to drive your public to the spot to which the information is. So just what Dr. Pedalino just said is exactly right. So it's more about driving them or excuse the expression kind of training them to go to
087that board of education link and then finding the information in that as a central repository for information. So it's really about driving that and in doing that too when we report out to the board annually and we have the data to show you know visits to the page and things like that then you're also getting that accurate data. So that would be my suggestion is to kind of do something more on the lines of what you just talked about. >> Yeah. And even if during our during our meeting, you know, at the end of the meeting or at the beginning meeting, we say, "Are you looking for more information about this meeting? What's happen? Go to this." We can have we can have it across the bottom of the YouTube presentation, you know, when people
088watch it say, "Go here. If you want information about they do to drive people to that area, >> Dr. Baker, um, and not bury the lead though because yes, I think it's a great idea and we're talking about folks who whether they go to the website or not, we want them to get the information. So, I think it's a twoprong strategy because um I don't know if this resolution makes every parent who is experiencing hell right now feel better, but we've heard from the like where is it? Why isn't why haven't you all splashed it out? And it's kind of funny because it's like oh right people are proud of this people want to be able to share it beyond the newspaper, right? Um and also the text itself they have to drive back to
089the website. So I just want to re name again that like for our catchy speaking and our Spanish speaking community, not everyone but some um just going the extra mile whether it's posting it on the wall or making sure that you know bilingual people, bilingual um case folks inside of schools have it, whatever it is. Um because this is a moment of for us to take a stand and for people to be able to feel like they can trust us and that's a really important thing. The school district already has its strategy to be able to do that and this is our strategy to be able to do it. I also just want to say I had two things that I wanted to raise when I when I first started. Just wanted to say on
090the on the point of communication, Dr. Collins. Um, Miss Corzone and um, Mr. Spicer and I met previous to this meeting from our last meeting on communications and we looked at the themes that we came up with about how can we be more clear and um, I would say mutual communication with the community. Um, and so we aren't ready to share it what we've talked about yet. We didn't, you know, we want to be able to present that to the board in a comprehensive and coherent way. But I think we have some really good first steps um about ways to start to use tools that are in in the district around surveying um making sure we have norms set and all the good things that we talked about during that public conversation. Um and I
091think it's part of this, right? I think these things are in lock step and we can use some of those same tools and not just the board resolution but other ways of communicating to make sure everybody knows what we care about and what we think. So um just to say that I hope those four, three board members, we'll meet Tiffany again. If anyone else wants to join us, you're welcome. Um because this is really important and again from that October 6th conversation, we've been trying to have the conversation and we're finally having it. So, I'm really grateful. >> Do you have another meeting? >> We don't have one set, but um as soon as we do, I'll send I'll send it and then we can make that known. >> Okay, Mr. Ryder. >> So, I
092just want to jump back to the resolution and read the piece that I think is really re relevant. It says the district shall provide multilingual communications including written notices, interpretation, and develop signage to be posted at entrances and common areas in all school settings. Summarizing that non-local law non-local law enforcement cannot enter grounds without explicit permission from district counsel and to inform students and families of their rights and protections, including in Spanish and catchy. So, I would just ask that we that in two weeks >> we at least have an update on where that's at. >> Not that it has to be done, but that we have an update. >> Dr. Um I circling back to your suggestion there about um a text or email blast to list the effect because we I agree we
093don't need a press release particularly in this case because the press covered it but um but if we can get those translations it makes sense because text is a very common communication that might be a way to at least reach our district community. Um so I would like to I would like to move toward that. investigate that strategy. >> Mrs. Yes. I just wanted to ask, was the Kingston High School facilities visit rescheduled yet? >> No. No. Um, thank you. >> And and thank you for bringing that up. No. Um, uh, Miss Anderson and I have to meet and and talk about rescheduling that, but thank you for asking. We have Kang, we have GW, and we have >> to reschedu >> that all need to be >> res. Thank you. >> Any other old
094business? Any new business? >> I guess mine is new business. I go back and forth as to whether it's old or new, but we'll say it's new business. Um, at uh your place tonight, you have a two-page front and back page document that identifies five bullet points um about um how the governor's proposed 2627 budget impacts our district. And I want to thank Ms. Carbett and Dr. Padalino because um I only did some word smithing. They basically did this um as doc both have alluded to earlier tonight in their presentations. Um between general foundation aid and the state aid formulas um this budget is very very challenging for our district. I know that earlier in in audit and finance, we talked about board members being willing to go and talk to people about this and
095maybe even make this available for our community to be part of to meet with our state legislators um if they're comfortable here in their offices. Um the points we try to summarize them into English points. ever with those. I know the foundation aid formula and some of the state aid formulas seem like Greek to many people, but if you need to understand anything behind it, I know Miss Carbon or myself or Dr. Padalino would very happily provide you with more details about it. So, this is what I'm proposing in draft form. I don't know again um honestly I did this with them late yesterday into today so you haven't had the opportunity to see it in advance but this is what I'm we are proposing I'm proposing pretty >> is this going to be posted
096on the website >> so that people can >> yeah I mean as soon as as soon as the board decides this is what you're going to this is how you're going to move we can again find a way to communicate it that's not a So, I just think time is of the essence and I haven't had a chance to read it, but it's talking points and it was done by professional staff and um so I I didn't I would I would move that we accept this draft priorities and recommendations. >> I can second that. Okay. >> Any additional discussion? >> Any discussion? >> And anyone who wants a cheat sheet on how foundation aid is calculated, um, we have that as well. And I do promise to put it in color. I have had the
097request that this be put in color because our legislators react better to colored handouts. >> Oh, yes. I'm sorry. I just wanted to say thank you for pulling this together too for me. Thank you. I appreciate it very much. >> All in favor? >> So you'll send out a non-draft. Put the color back in and send. >> Okay. All right. >> Thank you. >> Any other new business? >> Mrs. K. >> I said a couple things. So I wanted to um Thank um Edson School for hosting World Readaloud Day today. It was a pleasure to meet with the kindergarten class um and read to them and be so welcomed by the principal and the staff there. Um so I wanted to thank them for that initiative and that opportunity to connect community with school activity.
098I also wanted to acknowledge all the students um that participated in all county. um those are very meaningful and important opportunities for student musicians to showcase talent and we really haven't mentioned that and there is a very very strong correlation of um between music and academic success and I think it's essential that we um call on music and the arts as a critical component of education and how that's celebrated and acknowledged in our schools and I'm very proud uh that Kingston City School District prioritizes that equally among other academic um contributions. >> Thank you. >> So that was kind of board member announcements, but >> are we done with new business and any other board member announcements? Mrs. Corollins and then Dr. Collins. >> I had the opportunity to also participate in World Readaloud Day.
099Um and um it actually was I saw many members not just board members but many members of our community there participating and it was a great event. So I certainly want to thank uh the principal and the staff for supporting that initiative. >> Dr. Collins, I just wanted to announce that we have a TNL meeting on Monday the 9th at 9:30 in this room. >> Mr. and the band is back from Florida. And I'd like you to know my siblings called and asked if the band directors would come back and take their weather with them. >> Mrs. I have one more thing. Um, now that we've officially moved into this section, I wanted to call upon the community to um connect with any committees um that are public facing to join the activity of the
100school board and the work of the administration. Um, I think it's important to name that in this moment um and remind our community members that it's an essential opportunity to join in on conversation um and be part of the movement of the important work of the committees of the school board. Thank you. >> Uh I said I would say it and I almost forgot. Um and as we are coming upon elections, it's encouraging also for folks who are interested in joining a school board. Where's the camera? Um to make sure that you know like now is the time you have to start campaigning because it comes quicker than you think and we want you. We want people from our community to join us. So please please now because I started kind of late last time
101and y'all know how that worked out. So, um, but please start now and if you ever want to know what it's like, any of us know what it's like. So, please reach out to us. Thank you. Any other announcements? That brings us to our second public comment session. Is there anyone out there who would like to speak to the board? Um, my name is Heather. I'm a parent at I'm also a member of the DT. I love the idea of having a new news or big news from the board. While sitting back there, I was like, "Oh, let me test it out." The parent on her phone. How do I There's so much board information. It is not intuitive. Trying to find I just felt local law enforcement and it pulled up stuff from 2017.
102nothing current. So I think having a central spot even if it's in the parent portal of like the big stuff, the big important thing is just something you know very easy to figure out because there's a lot of drop down tabs. You click on a thing, you have to click on the agenda and they have to scroll down and you have to see a little document that says that there's something there. Um I'm not going to do that. I have I have too many other things. I am not going to be, you know, and then that's when people go to the Facebook parent groups to hear what other parents are saying instead of going straight to the source. So, if we can make going straight to the source as easy and accessible as possible, then
103more people will have the opportunity to get direct from the source information than around the world. So that's >> you stay for the meeting. >> All right. Um Dr. Andre Gatsky again. Um, I just wanted to sort of respond to a couple of the comments that were made earlier with relation to um, teaching gender, teaching sexuality as uh, some of the terms were used. I'm I'm sad that they are not here um, still because I had some thoughts about some of the things that were said. Um, I I first want to start and say I also am deeply concerned about academic performance of the students in the school district. Uh, my my child is in third grade and I am constantly ringing my hands trying to figure out if he is where he is supposed
104to be. Um, and I think that that is very real and something that this district needs to look into more. I do not think that teaching one class or not even teaching just having a conversation because a student brought it up is taking away from that. It is again providing a safe space so that students can feel comfortable to learn the other things. Um I also want to address the idea that an art class is not an appropriate place to talk about this. Art is all about self-expression. Art is all about exploring the humanity in us and exploring different sides of us and maybe even exploring sides of us that don't actually exist but using the imagination to think about how they could exist. That is absolutely an appropriate exercise for an art class. Um,
105I also think it is absolutely an appropriate topic for a health class. I also think it's an appropriate topic for a biology class and a social studies class and an English class because education is about learning about the human experience and about building community and hearing different ideas and sharing ideas and understanding how your experience in this world is similar to and different from mine. I'm a history teacher. I teach about all kinds of world cultures and one of the greatest things to do in a classroom is have different students with different experiences and different backgrounds come together and share the different ways they encounter a text. These are important parts of teaching our students to be citizens and community members. We cannot just teach fractions. Obviously those are important but we cannot just teach
106these sort of abstract things without also connecting to the humanity. The last thing I would just like to point out is there are many things that are taught in schools that are not taught at home. That's part of the point of school. I don't teach my kids sports. He is not going to learn that from me. I am glad there is a teacher at school to teach that. Do I want him to come become an athlete? I mean not particularly but if he wants to cool whatever. But I think this idea that a student should not be teaching learning things that they're not taught at home makes absolutely no sense to me. Uh and I just again I I want to reassert my support of the teacher and um >> thank you. Thank you. >>
107Anyone else? That brings us to our final >> move to second. >> All in favor? Thank you very much. Second. >> Wait, did she ask for oppos? >> We got a second.