Special Meeting: Audit Committee of the Whole & Consideration of Resolutions | June 2, 2026

001Hello to the Rochester public, the Rochester community, to our students, our teachers, and our families. Welcome to the June 2nd, 2026 audit committee of the whole. Uh we are excited today to go over a couple of items during today's meeting. Um but before we get started, can I please get a motion for the December 16th, 2025 audit committee meeting? >> Second. Motion by President Simmons, seconded by Vice President Malloy. Uh any questions or comments on our meeting minutes? >> Seeing none, uh all in favor? >> I. >> Any oppose? And that passes. Uh to get started in the meeting today, we will be getting a presentation from our auditors as we do yearly um who will give our audit plan. And so I would like to invite Matt Montalo. There we go. Boom. um from

002um Dresser and Mali um audit business. Thank you so much for being here and the floor is yours. >> Perfect. >> Thank you very much. Good seeing everyone. Um so I'm Matt Montelbo. Uh I have with me Schwarz Abalard uh as well. He's going to help me with the presentation uh going through the district's June 30th, 2026 audit plan for the upcoming financial audit. Go go go go go to the next slide, please. Um, as far as our audit team members, we're going to keep a pretty consistent group uh from the prior year. Uh, Amy Hanley will be back as our manager. Uh, she actually had her first uh baby a couple weeks ago, so she's out. Couldn't make it to the meeting tonight, but she assures us she'll be back uh come audit time

003in September. Um, I introduced Schwarz. He's going to be our senior auditor and compliance specialist. So, he's going to go through some of the the new pronouncements and compliance items. Um, and then Courtney Keys will be our in charge auditor. She was familiar uh with the district on last year's audit as well. Um, and then we do bring in additional staffing uh from and actually change it from year to year to keep some fresh eyes and leverage, you know, again that balance of having the uh specialization and the expert expertise with a new set of eyes. um products of our audit or our overall objective. So, obviously, as a school district, especially a large city school district in New York State, you're subject to a lot of different types of audits. Um so, I want

004to clarify really what our objective is as it as it pertains to the financial audit. So, we look at your June 30th, 2026 fiscal year and we provide an audit on the financial statements. So this is essentially the first component is a snapshot of your assets and your liabilities as well as your fund balances as of June 30th 2026. Uh so what we do through our audit is provide assurance that you can rely on those financial statements or you can rely on the internal records that are being presented to you and the benefit obviously as a board and as management you make very important decisions on those numbers. Um so it's a critical compo critical component that you can rely on the the uh financial information. Um the next bullet we provide a report or

005an opinion on your internal controls as it relates to your financial statements. So this focuses in on how did the processes in place um impact the financial statements. So do you have solid processes and policies and procedures that are being followed that would not cause an error in the financial statements? Um so this is an area that will be of particular importance this year because you did implement a new accounting system. So some of the processes would have changed um and the reports that are generated um as far as the standard practices and and processes. So we'll take a particular look in those those areas this year. Um we also issue a report on the compliance with your major federal programs. Uh so this is again a compliance audit and allows you to run those

006programs from year to year. So again a critical component is that the district is in compliance because th that funding is really critical to run the programs on a continual basis. And then the last three bullets um we do an audit on the extra classroom activity funds. This is looking at the cash balances. uh we provide an auditor communication and a management letter. This provides our observations and and key uh communications of the audit and then we do an agreed upon procedures on your contracts for excellence. Next slide. So really at a high level our overall audit strategy kind of t it starts tonight with this meeting with the audit committee. We want to make sure that we understand any areas of concern from the committee, from the board, uh, or from management. We've already

007had a lot of discussions, like I said, related to the new accounting software. We know that this is the first year that we're really going to see that in action, uh, as part of the audit. Um, and then really a after this meeting tonight, we start getting into our uh our core planning parts of the audit where we're obtaining an understanding of the internal controls. What has changed? Um, and that allows us to really design our procedures going forward. You know, what account balances are we really going to dig into um higher risk areas. Schwarz is going to go through some of those detailed areas uh a little bit later. Um so after we perform the substantive testing and our complying test compliance testing we assist the district in preparing the audit financial statements uh

008and draft our audit opinions to bring to this group in December. Um so that's the final piece uh where we meet with the audit committee the board of education uh present the results of the audit uh we go through the uh graphs and trends of your financial statements and fund balance positions. Um before we get into the uh kind of the detail areas, some recent developments, we talked about the Oracle implementation. Um we we did purposely schedule a little bit time a little bit more time at the onset of the audit to help work through um you know kind of the reports that we're going to be seeing and our expectations for uh for what the uh the system can provide. Uh certainly on the federal and the state level, there's a lot of uncertainty

009as far as you know the budget, the current budget and you know that federal uh federal funding. Um so that's always an area to keep up on. And then staffing and succession planning. This is something that we've been seeing in the public sector uh for the past about five plus years where there's there's been an increase in turnover. or a lot of the the highly tenured employees are retiring and that knowledge uh as we've seen tends to go out the door with those individuals. So we want to see how the district is preparing for those situations and kind of identifying um areas where there could be a vulnerability. And then um AI obviously this is something that has hit you know every industry every um you know um major area out there. how is the

010district kind of handling, you know, policies, procedures, and getting ahead of um, you know, AI more from a security level. So, we look at that just because it it does obviously have an impact on the the financial statements. Um, all right. I I'll kind of turn it over to Schwarz to go through some of the detailed items. We start with any new uh pro pronouncements. >> Excuse me, Matt. Yes. Um do you want to share a little bit about what your plan is or uh what staffing any staffing additions you might have done to address um getting ready for Oracle? >> I know we had a conversation I think it would be relevant for the board as well. >> Yeah. So I mean Oracle it's it's not a system you generally see as it relates

011to the public sector but we do have other um other government entities uh more on the countywide side um that do use Oracle. So, we actually have uh one of our directors we're going to come we're going to have access to and have them come on at the onset of the audit kind of serve as a consultant for us as an audit team um to help us through work through that the Oracle um you know first planning and and implementation stages. So, uh we've had those discussions obviously we wanted to plan ahead and uh and make that adjustment. It's a good good addition. All right, Schwarz now you can go. >> All right. Thank you, Matt. Um, as as for the compliance side, we have um a few new GASB pronouncements that will be applicable

012this year um that will be relevant to the school district during the fiscal year ending June 30th, 2026. And there is also an upcoming one for June 30th, 2027. So we have Gatsby 103 and 104 applicable for this year and Gazsby 105 for the subsequent year. um Gazsby 103 which is the financial reporting model um improvements it's really more focused on improving the MDNA improving the management discussion analysis and instead of just presenting the numbers and changes as far as percentages are concerned but also providing explanation as to why certain things change during the year. um for Gatsby 104, we'll also be going into a little bit more detailed um of the capital assets disclosure and it will show capital asset held for sale which may not impact um the district but if there were

013any capital assets held for sale there's there would be a separate line um that shows this specific asset and for Gatsby 105 subsequent events we would make a a differentiation between recognized subsequent events and non-recognized subsequent events. Such as a litigation that might have been settled prior to the year or during the year, but the payment was made after year end that would be recognized. Whereas like a a major fire or something um not expected that happens after year end wouldn't be recognized, may not be recognized. I'll take um some of the risk areas are that we take a look at during our audit is um we take a look at cash and cash is inherently risky for all audits. Uh so when we are taking a look at cash we typically would have an

014external confirmation of the balances. Um the district have a lot of cash on hand over 300 million. So we will um get an external confirmation of the amounts um and we'll also take a look at what really is important is more than that is that we review the collateral statements. So the collateral is to make sure that every single dollar that the district have at a financial institution is collateralized to the point that if a financial institution was to shut down for any reason that the cash that was being held at that institution would be collateralized and the district would be fine to get the that cash balance back. Um, another area that we'll take a look at is um, receivables um, and revenue recognition. So, receivables um, as Matt mentioned during our audit, we

015take a look at the substantive testing and it we have subsequent receipts testing which is essentially just looking at receipts that came after the year and making sure that it is properly recognized in the year that it should have been recognized in. And that's just overall to maintain the consistency of um the district's financial statement. So it shows that every year revenue is being recognized in the proper year and it will also give you a better idea of what amount of revenue you had this year compared to last year if it if everything is being recognized in the proper year. Um we do uh for receivables we want to make sure that they are being um acred and recognized in the right year and also allowing the fund balance to be more reflective of what

016it should be um in the current year. Um as far as long-term and contingent liabilities, we have a lot of estimates that we take a look at. OPED workers comp oped changes from year to year and those estimates are generally pretty large, but we take a look at them and we analyze the data that the third party specialists might be might be using to make sure that those balances, those assumptions are appropriate and there that they reflect uh a a reasonable um assumption for the year. And for large federal grants and state grants, as Matt mentioned earlier also, um we have a few compliance audits that we do annually. We have single audits as they call it. Um and it's major federal programs, major federal grants that we re that the district would receive and

017those changes from year to year. We analyze what grants are received in the current year and what programs may be riskier to be tested and what changes in terms of federal funding from year to year. And we also take a look at the compliance supplement which is released annually to guide what needs to be um tested and been compliant with by the federal government. And other areas that we take a look at are capital assets, um, fund balances as they are, um, governed by general municipal law. Um, and we just make sure that those are also, um, properly reflected in the financial statements and that they are um, properly recorded. Any questions for me? Um we'll take we'll take questions at the at the end of the presentation. >> Okay. Um so our general audit

018timeline uh this is starts with our planning and preliminary testing. We really start th that during the month of June all throughout the summer. Uh so we're in constant communication with the district um getting a head start getting s some of our sampling in um planning areas and then like we noted we're probably going to start that uh initial period and initial look at some of the new reports in Oracle uh probably the early part of September uh if not sooner. Uh our primary year-end fieldwork begins September 21st or it's scheduled two. Um we usually have about about 3 weeks of pretty rigorous testing and um where we're on site with the district and working through the the primary fieldwork because we want to hit that timeline of this review of the financial statements by

019the city. Uh kind of that preliminary look. You want all your audit areas really looked at. if there's any adjustments, we want to try to identify them before that point. Uh so they can receive those financials and start to integrate those into the the city final financials. Um and then we provide a draft uh ACFR and the financial schedules um by November 6th. And that typically aligns with um you know the internal reviews and then the ability to get that to the board well ahead of our December meeting. Um so everybody has a chance to uh review and have questions. Uh we have those exit conferences and financial presentation in December. Um and that that's gives us an opportunity to like I said provide those uh those graphs and trends and take any group uh

020questions from the group. And then last two items of note uh these are key components in a financial statement audit. One being independence. Uh that's all of our staff right up to the partner level free of conflicts of interest with the district. That's what allows us to be objective when we're performing the audit. Um that's a requirement of of an external audit. And then the consideration of fraud. Um like I said, our main objective is to provide an opinion on the financial statements. Uh we don't have a responsibility to find fraud. We're not looking for fraud. However, if during our testing and our or our internal controls or our inquiries we come across fraud fraud, we have a responsibility to report that to this group immediately. Um, and so hopefully you don't hear from us

021as it relates to that. Um, and then just final items. Like I said, Amy will be back on as manager. Um, we put our contact information if any questions come up in the meantime, but we can take any questions now uh on the presentation. Thank you, Matt, uh, for the presentation. Congratulations to Amy, uh, on the pass on. Thank you. Um, definitely excited to have her back when she comes back. Um, and this is something that we do every year as far as our audit and this is a process that legally the board is responsible for, one of our biggest responsibilities. Um, and I just want to put that out there before I open it up for questions. Is there any questions from our commissioners? >> President Simmons. >> Thank you, Commissioner Santiago. Um, and

022thank you again. And we've had these conversations. we continue them. Um, and when we talk about the internal controls, we've used you for a while now, so it's good to see your face again. Um, if you could, um, talk about any material weaknesses or significant deficiencies around our internal controls that you've seen as themes over the years since you are familiar with with the RCSD. Um, the just the really significant ones. >> Yeah. And as far as those two terms, so those are those both those both those terms have a lot of meaning in in an external audit. Um in our past audits with the district, I believe we've done three. So this is our fourth. >> Um we have not identified any material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in in the internal controls. Um so

023that certainly from an overall district perspective and being a board member, that's something you certainly want to you want to hear that from an auditor. uh that there's no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies. Certainly, we haven't performed the audit for June 2026 yet. Um so, we can't conclude on that yet. Um but we can conclude that based on our past audits, that is true. >> Good. Thank you. >> Thank you, President Simmons. Any other questions from our board members? >> Commissioner McCulla. >> Hello. How are you? >> Good. How are you? >> I'm doing wonderful. Can't complain. Um, just really quick, so you told us about the key risk areas and everything that the audit is supposed to do. What will this audit not tell us? >> Um, it's not going to tell you. There's

024no opinion on like the budget or anything like like current operations. So, it really is it takes a snapshot of that fiscal year and it's a backwards look to verify that that the numbers that you're being reported you can rely on. So that's really the key component of a financial statement audit. It's kind of backwards looking. It's looking at actual figures versus projections or anything like that. So it won't it won't say anything about projections. >> Good question. >> Thank you, Commissioner McCulla. Any other questions for my board colleagues? Um I do have one question for you and this is the final. Um, when it comes to our audit, I'm just wondering, um, how are you planning and I know that you you talked about bringing in somebody who has experience with Oracle. Um, but

025I'm just wondering how are you planning to ensure that, um, we get accurate outcomes of the audit, although sometimes the Oracle system has inaccurate information. So, we've seen that, you know, part with part of our journey and issues with Oracle is sometimes that's getting inaccurate um, outcomes from them. And so I'm just wondering how are you guys going to ensure that you guys are still giving us and conducting an accurate um audit even when sometimes the system might give inaccurate information. >> Yeah. Yeah. I mean I think heading into any audit you don't necessarily know exactly what you're going to find especially from you know a system standpoint. Um I think just being in con constant contact with management and being aware of maybe some of the issues that you know have have occurred throughout

026the year it allows us to be proactive. We know it's going to take additional time especially at the onsite onset. So that's why we wanted to bring on that consultant from our group. We wanted to spend additional scheduled time at the beginning of the audit to work through maybe those kinks as far as all right the accuracy and testing the accuracy of certain reports or how are we going to work through maybe there's a different report that's going to give us an accurate number. Um so there is going to be there is going to we know there's going to be more more of a time investment especially at the onset. >> Okay. Thank you. Do you have anything auditor before? >> All right. Thank you so much Matt. Thank you Schwarz uh for coming and

027giving the presentation. Um and you guys are all good to go. >> Thanks everyone. Have a good evening. >> Thank you. >> Um so we have to have a motion to accept uh the external audit plan. And so can I get a motion? >> So moved. >> Who do I choose? Eenie meenie. Um motion by Commissioner Griffin, seconded by President Simmons. All those in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? And so that passes. Um, this meeting, we are now going to go into executive session. This meeting may recess an executive session to discuss matters of concern by section 105 of the open meetings law or to receive the advice and counsel of the general counsel. Can I have a motion to go into executive session? >> Moved by Vice President Malloy, seconded by uh, Commissioner

028Griffin. We'll now go into executive session. Hi, I'm Dia Brey, senior at World of Inquiry, class of 2026. When I think of my school, I think of the community. I feel like we're so close. You build a different kind of trust with your teachers. They're definitely people you can come to with any kind of problems, whether it's school work or personal. I really love that about here. The highlight of my senior year has been making memorable experiences with my best friends. Going out to basketball games, spending time together after school, getting as involved as we can. My biggest supporter this year has been the librarian, Miss Lou. She's been helping me throughout my capstone project. I go and say hi to her every morning and we talk about our day. She really inspires me to

029do better and stay involved. After high school, I plan on attending Damon University for their accelerated 3 plus3 physical therapy program where I will get my doctorate at the end of my sixth year. I chose physical therapy because as a three sport athlete, I faced an injury almost every season and you know going to see different physical therapists for different reasons made me really appreciate their work and I want to be that for somebody else. I've been playing varsity softball since I was in seventh grade and I am now their starting pitcher. I have been for the past 3 or four years and I am co- captain of our school's girls volleyball team. I'd say determination is something that both sports have taught me. It's important to keep pushing when things get hard and it's

030important to bounce back from injuries to get better. I'd like to thank my volleyball coach, Mr. Sacket. He pushes me to be a better person every day. In 10 years, I'm going to be a physical therapist for a sports team. Hi, my name is James Petardo, senior at Padia High School, class of 2026. What comes to mind when I think of Padilla is probably the staff members. All of them are really kind, helpful people in like every regard you can think of. The highlight of my senior year so far has probably been AP literature. You know, all the classes there have been really insightful when it comes to like college writing. A staff member that's really made me feel seen has to be Mrs. Fal. She's really been uh kind, personal, and helpful. One of

031the biggest personal victories I've had ever since coming to the school is being able to say that I've cleared every single goal that I've had ever since coming here. For example, uh getting val Victorian. I was really proud of that one. And then also getting to the University of Rochester on a full ride. Has to be one of the biggest goals I've accomplished. After high school, I'm going to be going to the University of Rochester to major in psychology on the pre-med track. I always uh thought that was an interesting uh path to pursuit. And medicine was also interesting to me because I've seen the benefits of it time and time again with my own family and friends that I've uh been with that needed to take a lot of medication. I've seen how it's

032been helpful. I've seen the dangers of it and I really want to like be there to be involved with their process as well. Someone that's really been there for me has to be my girlfriend. I don't have enough fingers to count how many times that she's uh just been there, you know, make sure I stay happy and uh keep my mental health up all throughout high school. In 10 years, I'll be finishing up my studies in order to become a psychiatrist. Hi, I'm Christian Franklin, senior at Monro High School, class of 2026. What comes to mind when I think of Monro High School is a safe space to come learn, make friends, and get educated on life. I just feel like it's a great place to just grow yourself and find yourself to make yourself

033ready for college in the real world. The highlight of my senior year has been winning the football state championship with my team at Moro High School. Made history, the first Rochester City School District team to win states. So that was a great and big part of s. I'm very proud of that. If I could relive one day in the district, it would be the parade in the city after we won the state championship game. It was a lot of love. Cars that were firefighter trucks. Felt great to be seen. So I I appreciated the love from everybody. My plans after high school are to attend Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire to study health sciences and continue my athletic journey of football. I chose health science because I wanted to help athletes stay healthy and

034to play this sport where they love. I want to put my knowledge up for use and help other people. The advice I would give to my ninth grade self would be to stay on the track you're close out all distraction. Put grades first. Put school first and continue to keep your head down and focus. Personal victory I would be celebrating is that I finally made it after years of all the school hard work I put in. Finally get to say I graduated and made my family proud. In 10 years I will be a successful athletic sports physician helping athletes all around the world. >> Hi, my name is Toki. I'm a senior from Wilson Magna High School, class of 2026. What comes to mind when I think of Wilson is the close relationship and friends

035I've made at the school and the lifetime experiences I've got here. I don't think I'd be the person I am without them. I think of my friends and my teachers. They also push me be better than the person I was yesterday. My highlight of my senior year is getting done my internal assessments with IB. Internal assessments. It can be anything like a essay procedure experiment. I've been working on these for 2 years now. So it's important to me I get it done cuz it's 20% of my IB grade. Another highlight I would say is just trying to keep my grades on track to get get closer to graduation. Some staff members that made me feel seen is Miss T, Miss Hillary, Miss Darn, and Miss Sickles. They made me feel seen cuz I feel like

036they um relate to me on a personal level and I feel like it just talks to them about anything. If I have a problem, I can confide in them. If I can give my ninth grade self some advice, I would say to get into some of my clubs earlier, like Student Leadership Congress and Matro for Matro, I think it'd be cool to learn more about it cuz everyday life, anybody could learn more about the law. My plans after high school are to study nursing at um I got a couple options like Northol State University, Virginia State University, West Virginia University, and Morgan State. The reason I want to do nursing is because I I like helping people. I feel better about myself and help people. I feel like that's my purpose in life is to

037help people and I love science. So, I think it'd be cool to learn about science. So, I get to help people. In 10 years, I'm going to be a registered nurse working at a hospital helping people. Hi, my name is Jamie King. I am a senior currently in the PEK program at Edison, class of 2026. When I think of PEK and Edison, the main thing that comes to mind is how it prepares students for a future and a good career. It's really taught me the fundamentals of programming. It's taught me how computers work. It's also taught me about how computers can communicate with each other. The biggest highlight of my senior year has been when I got into the top 20 GPA in my school. It really highlighted how dedicated I am to my education

038and marked how well I'm doing as a student. When I think of staff members who have made me feel seen, people who come to mind are of course the counselor for PEK, Mrs. Armstrong, my computer science teacher, Mr. Murphy, my chemistry teacher, Mr. Monaco, also one of my previous computer science teachers, Miss Cody. Those teachers have been people who really listen to me and people that I really enjoy talking to. My plans after high school is to continue with the two free years of college, get two more years for a bachelor degree, and then after that get a solid career in networking. In 10 years, I am going to be a network architect or a network administrator. All right, welcome back uh to the audit committee uh June 2nd, 2026. Uh we'll now be getting

039a update from our office of the auditor general, Anissa Willer. Um I'll hand the meeting off to you for your presentation. >> There we go. Just wanted to provide an update on the work performed by the office of auditor general. Um we have actually started with some work within the Oracle system in the dispersement process. Um trying to work on the dispersement cycle handling areas such as PECARD travel. We've just finished some field work in accounts payable and our next uh opening or next project is in the payroll side of the system. We've done smaller things but we're really trying to get into the payroll piece. We've done work in um an Oasis compliance review and also financial the annual financial audit support that we'll be providing student activity funds. We've actually are looking at

040that because the extracurricular audit is performed every year by our external auditors. So we do make sure that we do some work at the very at one at least one or two schools. In addition in addition, we've taken on a life insurance project. And um the one thing I do want to just put as a reminder, the board has asked for the Oracle post postimplementation audit. And so that work is um getting ready to start. Um I have been uh speaking with that vendor uh for that work and resolution 613 which we will see in the special meeting this evening. Do encourage you for your support. um the audit function will be supporting that uh initiative with cost composition work um as uh suggested and directed by the board. In addition, we completed a special

041education follow-up audit and I just wanted to walk through the highlights of the work performed in that particular audit. Um we did follow up on the work that from the 245 school year. Um and as a highlight, we just wanted to touch on a number of the recommendations. There has been some progress um when we were looking at the existing data on the sped drive and ensuring protocols and procedures are current and available for um the various individuals in the unit and making sure that dated materials then are removed or archived so that it's readily available. In addition, we would want to make sure that they develop, communicate, and enforce special education documentation storage and retention standards across the board. um this would be very helpful to ensure staff and school personnel can do that

042work. In addition, we're looking from frontline utilization, which is our system of record. Um commissioners, I apologize. We do not have a presentation this evening, but one will be posted later. Um we will evaluate, update, and document. We're looking for better training and operation on front line to ensure we have resident experts as they need to be. We want to obtain training in the service management system which was a newer module to ensure we really know and identify some sort of expert at the district level to provide the data and information that we do require in that system and this would be supporting the organization for the operating processes under referrals. We really wanted to develop, communicate, and implement um procedures to make sure that the process from the referral to implementation of the IEP

043occurs um consistently in compliance with part 200. And we want to make sure we're complying with things such as date stamps and making sure all referrals are uh accounted for with the withdrawal process that we have. As it relates to withdrawing referrals, we wanted to improve the control environment surrounding the uh withdrawal of referrals. In addition, for evaluations, we want to ensure all evaluations are performed tightly as required by part 200 and um ensure that there is the appropriate level of access. This actually was an item that was completed by the organization where in our initial review there were items identified and consent was provided for evaluation of additional tests and materials that were not completed when the actual um meeting took place. We actually did find complete compliance in this area when we went

044and looked at it. We do want to ensure timely finalization of student IEPs after the cse meeting. uh that timeliness is pretty critical as well as establishing procedures to tighten up timely receipt of parent receipts and and consent for placement. We wanted to ensure the timely placement of classified students in accord with the programs that required. We want to ensure there's tracking and monitoring of placement time frames. There's been some movement in this particular area, but there hasn't been full compliance in this area. uh we want to ensure the timely start of related services and compliance with the students IEP some consistency around that and ensure protocols for any missed sessions are documented and the students are actually receiving services when the sessions are missed um excuse me for recordkeeping and ratios we wanted to

045ensure that um we record all related services provided to students in the service management system uh there this there was some improvement here. At the time we originally saw there was um parent counseling, training, music therapy, and skilled nursing. At one point they were not all logged and in the service management system. Um that was a concern. Um skilled nursing services are now actually entered in Welligent, which does go into service management, but we still have parent counseling and music therapy that is not in the system. So we do want some consistency and visibility to those services. We want to comply with IEP ratio requirements for related services as well consistently and we recognize and there was some monitoring that was happening by staff to ensure on in cases where perhaps the ratio was not

046met because of absences etc. That really wasn't what we were looking for but definitely for cases where a student would have on their IEP they would benefit from say small group well it certainly may not be helpful to have one-on-one service. Um, we are looking as far as annual reviews and evaluations. We want to make sure there's compliance with part 200 regulations regarding the re-evaluations and ensuring the timeliness of those reviews. For transportation, we really had concerns surrounding special transportation and making sure that the accommodations truly align with the students disability and they're only getting special transportation when necessary. Um this is definitely an expense to the organization and we had to do more in this particular area. Uh we identified more than half of the students with disabilities get special transportation and house pickups

047were requested for like 91% of what we looked at. So it was just a very heavy amount of special transportation outside of that for the manifestation determined proc determination process. We really wanted to evaluate the feasibility of ensuring that we're fully utilizing powers school and frontline for that process. Um, so there's work that needs to happen in that and the monitoring around that area. For behavioral referrals and assignments, we wanted to ensure that there was documentation by the teacher and they're entered in power school so that all documentation's maintained and we wanted standard procedures surrounding this area. for the continuum. There was some improvement in this area, but we still are not completely have not completely addressed that. Um, there's appropriate functionality to kind of automate some of the continuation work, continuum work. Um, in

048the interim, we want to make sure there's reconciliation with P school to make sure we have all needed classes rolling forward into the next year. Uh we really have found the district has found that power school is not able to be utilized for the continuum but we did still note errors and we saw days as they made days delays that would have caused um classroom delays in opening necessary classes for students um for MTSS or a multi-tered systems of support. We really wanted improved training for school leaders and teachers to help them implement some of these supports for all students because it doesn't just benefit students with disabilities, but we wanted to make sure there's improvement in formal training in this area. For crisis prevention and intervention, we wanted to make sure that there's actual

049training throughout the schools that seem to be a need and an interest and we wanted to see if that could we can support students better in that particular way. Last but not least, when we're dealing with monitoring, we wanted to improve comprehensive monitoring processes across the entire specialized services division um to ensure compliance, monitoring, and modification as that needed to take place. That does conclude my summary of special education and other audit work. >> Uh thank you, um Auditor, uh Anissa Wheeler. Appreciate um the work that you're doing and the findings that you found. Um, I I'm really hoping, you know, in my tenure on the school board to see, you know, us really drastically support our our most vulnerable students in the district. Um, and so with that, my question just to start off

050is what are next steps in this audit uh phase? Um, what will we be seeing from yourself or the administration as far as next steps? >> Thank you, Commissioner Cantiago. So actually we did have some conversations to ensure increased to fidelity as it relates to the improvements that are needed. We recognize that there are recommendations in special ed from a number of different places. Um one thing in meeting with Dr. Right. Uh she wants to make sure that the visibility and fidelity takes place in the accountability in her shop that as recommendations are completed and as dates are approached that her leaders are expected then to individually forward those to our office so that we can see the progress and potential progress made on these various items. So that gives us a little more timely

051um content as far as what they're doing. In addition, it will allow us to give them feedback so that they know if they haven't quite met the mark in order to close the recommendation. Still, we will be in a place where we would perform follow-up work. However, we would at least make sure that we're moving the needle and moving making some progress on some of these items. >> Yeah. Thank you. Um, I do also want to open it up uh to the superintendent or deputy right if you guys have any statement that you guys would like to make. Thank you, Commissioner Santiago. Board members, we look forward to working closely with the um auditors on our special education program. Uh it is a very complex program with lots of room for improvement, but we have

052ideas to ensure that as you have stated, our most vulnerable children get everything that they deserve by undoing some systems that simply don't work and then creating new ones. um getting into a cadence of meetings, keeping our eye on all of our recommendations and putting them under an umbrella so that the work is manageable. So, we look forward to closing out all of those open um issues in the audit. >> Yeah, thank you. And and I look forward to seeing that and I do believe that you guys um have the will to do so and so excited to see that in the future. Um any questions from our board colleagues? I'll start with Commissioner Griffin and I'll come down Thank you. Um, Commissioner Santiago, um, I guess my questions would be directly at the school

053level, at the building level, um, where our children are at daily. Um what what um kind of what what any is there anybody let me rephrase that. Is there anyone at the building level that is able to oversee that these things are being implemented with fidelity and and able to outside of the we know the principal is there but I know like we have an associate directors here in the building. Um would there be an ideal to have someone boots on the ground in the school that is able to maintain that maintain that that that it is done with fidel fidelity there at the buildings like we have it here. You want to take that Dr. professor or >> um doc um Chief Swan, can you also approach the microphone because there may be some

054very specific questions that your response given that you have much more of a um direct responsibility with this, you know, will help serve the commissioner well in understanding. >> Good evening, commissioners. So, Commissioner Griffin, there are associate directors. They're actually in the building um designed and and their purpose is to support classroom instruction as well as these compliance issues. Um, as Deputy Wright said, they're complex issues. And so, we're working to really improve in these compliance areas. and we have made compliance improvements, but just as an example for finalizing IEPs. We currently have seven associate directors who are out on leave and so those buildings sometimes fall behind. It's not as if our processes aren't correct, but we're doing the best that we can to ensure that there's coverage in those situations. That's just one

055small example of the work that the associate directors and the directors are trying to oversee for a growing population. >> Okay. Um another question um are we making sure that we're not overloading kids in particular schools? Are we level setting them that so that all schools don't have uh uh more more schools that have level three than others? Um I think that might be a big concern is that we have kids going into schools that are already overloaded and the teachers and the teachers or the the people that could help them, they don't have enough help themselves to help the children and other schools do not. So are we level setting there to make sure that it's divided amongst all the schools and that we're able to collectively address the needs of our children and

056not overload the children into one particular school or across the board. How are we doing that? What do those numbers look like? >> I can give you the numbers or get you the numbers um in in the board log by the zones. That's the continuum of service that I prevent uh excuse me presented about a month ago and I'm happy to break that down by zone and what that'll look like in regards to um our audit general report and the work that we're doing is we're trying very hard to ensure that we are monitoring the placement of all of those students per the continuum of service in each of the zones. And so that's you know our placement work is ongoing. We have utilized power school and frontline to manage that better. Um but again

057if you're looking for the specific number by zone in building I'm happy to get that information for you and put it in the board log. >> Okay this will be my last question. What who is placing the children in the schools? Who's selecting the childrens to go to what school? who plays that part, who plays that role. >> So that is part of our placement process. Um, of course, parents have school choice and we look to place students in their homeschool at the elementary level in their network zone and then uh where there is school choice to also try to honor what parents school choice is. So there's a it's a complex process and that is led by the placement department. >> I I just want to follow up just with that quickly. I'm sorry.

058Um M um Commissioner Santiago. So if I'm understanding you correctly, the parents have school choice, right? But we still have a hand in saying that that child may not be able to go to that school and we have to you know let me back up because with my understanding if I if I in a perfect world it would be a round robin so the kid wouldn't make it in this school but they would go to their second choice and then they would go to the third choice. I guess I have a concern with the fact that we are we are playing Russian roulette with the children and saying, "Hey, we I don't want that child to go to that school. We're going to put them in that school." That's what I think I have a

059concern with is that it's not done with fidelity. I think that's the biggest issue I have. And if I got the numbers and had them in front of me, I could probably see where more kids are at Freddy Thomas than another middle school. Um I I guess it's it's not balanced for me. So I don't understand how it's so unbalanced when it comes to this area of concern for our children that are in need. And I would also I would also state that if it was balanced that we wouldn't have so many issues at certain schools that it would it would definitely be that not that it would be less um confusion and maybe fights and we would see levels different if we were just being fair across the board. >> Yeah, I think that's

060something we really need to look into. Thank you. >> Thank you, Commissioner Griffin. And uh you definitely you bring up some good points and I think in the audit report some of those things are covered and some of those things have been looked into and so we're hoping to see improvements in those areas. Um Commissioner McCulla, >> I do have a question. It was kind of a followup from what Commissioner Griffin has asked about when um your response to the associate directors in the buildings and that you have seven of them that are out. Are those the only level of final of IEP finalizations that you have in your um of the to those who actually finalize the IEPs? It's are they only in done by the associate directors in the buildings for their buildings

061or is there like another level that can do it? >> The associate directors do finalize the IEPs. We do have directors of special education that support each of the main zones of the area. Um so our directors are looking at that finalization and that compliance work on a weekly basis. They meet with their associate directors on a weekly basis. So we know um we we chart everything like the auditor general evaluated everything from referral to evaluation to placement to finalization and we know where some of those vulnerable spots are and uh the the variables behind that and working to help provide support in those areas. >> Okay. So it's not just the fact that there are seven that are out, right? >> That certainly creates a hardship. Okay. >> Because we're covering for that. >>

062Okay. And then lastly, with the um the MTSS, like where are you guys at as a department with ensuring that your students are starting with the multi-tered supports before they're getting to the referrals. >> And so that's a collaboration with the Office of Teaching and Learning and our MTSS department. One tangible piece of data that we're looking at is over the course of the year, all of the students, for example, who've been referred to the Committee on Special Education. We look at those referrals and we look to see how many of those referrals actually resulted in classification for the Committee on Special Education. And we have a certain threshold that we're looking to establish. We look to see that 85% of our evaluations and our referrals actually are appropriate referrals to the committee on special

063education. And although that number has increased over time, there are many buildings that don't meet that 85% uh threshold which can be inferred as a vulnerability around MTSS. Are we referring to the committee on special education too early before providing a number of interventions? That's just an example of one data point that we're looking with the school chief buildings, with our department of teaching and learning, with the office of special education to strengthen that MTSS process. >> Thank you. Uh, Commissioner McCuller, President Simmons, >> you're muted. Here we go. Just more of a just recognizing in a statement. You know, I'm reading the audit report and it says that the Rochester City School District is responsible for approximately 6,200 students with disabilities. I just want to say that again. The Rochester City School District is

064responsible for respon uh approximately 6,200 students with a disability. And when I think about that, our national average, and I'm not sure, I may have this off and someone would have to correct these numbers, but around 15% is the national average. And if we consider our school district, which has approximately 20,000 students, that puts us well above the national average. So, I just want to make sure we are recognizing that the Rochester City School District is responsible for approximately 6,200 students with disabilities and not only servicing their needs and making sure that they're identified and they get the supports they need, but that we are supporting them in a way that allows them to progress. they should not be held at a at a standard, but that they should be getting the opportunity to progress

065and and move forward as they develop. So, that's a general statement and I just needed to know I said it. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> You have any questions? >> Um, Commissioner Feman, >> greetings from Colorado. I just want to ask a question on whether or not the changes that are coming up and that are being affected by the new sped programs that are being implemented in schools. Is that um changing what it looks like now? And how are you going to make sure that parents know what options they have? I think you might be referring to the committee on special excuse me the continuum of service. All of those conversations are um held through the committee on special education as I presented um last month. Just a a reminder that the committee on

066special education drives the recommendation and then we build the continuum of service to match what students need. Um and so again, we have a number of students requiring intensive educational programs. We've got a host of professional development um outlined for those programs and supports at the building. So I I hope that's answering your question, Commissioner Fineman. Well, I mean, I've had a parent reach out and I've seen this that a parent was told that they could go to one building and then that building apparently is no longer available. And I'm just wondering as we change and move things around, how are we going to make sure that we're um allowing our people to see what's going on? >> I'm sorry. I had a difficult time understanding the question. >> Yeah, I did. I did too.

067Um, Commissioner Fman, do you mind repeating your question again? We're having a hard time hearing you. >> So, basic >> I'm sorry. So, we have a lot of changes going on in this bed department and it means that we're going to be um I want to make sure that we're making sure that our people can see where the changes are and how are we going to make sure that we're making sure that the changes that are taking place are going to be in the public eye. So her question is um there's a lot of changes that will be happening and her question is how are we going to ensure that our community our parents our students are updated on those changes that will be happening. >> Okay so all >> thank you. Yes. Thank you.

068So all of the transition work that's specific at the building is happening between teachers, associate directors, building leadership and families. In addition, um I as well as the directors attend our monthly CPAC meeting and we're very connected to the parents and the concerns that are brought up via CPAC. Um, so I would encourage parents if there's any concerns, any questions, uh, we're constantly trying to communicate our contact information starting with their classroom teacher, their building administrators, their associate directors, but we will always uh be present at the CPAC meetings as well, just to serve as another contact for our families if there's any questions or concerns. >> Thank you. Um, is that all your questions, Commissioner Feman? Yeah, I guess that's it for for the auditing. Thank you. >> Okay, thank you. Um I just

069have u one more followup. I'm just wondering in the 2020 um 6 and 2027 school year which is coming up. Um what are the plans of implementation? Not really the plans of course this would take time to create a plan after the audit, but how how is the budget specifically going to be supporting our our students in the progress of these services for our students in the next year? So our budget of course you know addresses a number of different um things related to our students with exceptionalities as we all you know clearly understand that we have increased the per pupil aotment um at each of our buildings for students with exceptionalities and there's other things that are built into our IDA budget as well as our general fund and special aid um budget that

070Chief Swan will speak to in terms of what um we can look forward to for this upcoming year. >> So, specifically in regards to our general budget and our IDA grant, there's a considerable focus on professional development and support at the building level. Uh both for professional development that we are designing inhouse, but also to bring in community partners and a level of expertise into our buildings. and um support our highly intensive classrooms. And so the funding for that has been built into both our general fund budget as well as our IDA grants. >> Okay. Thank you guys. Um and thank you for the presentation. Auditor General, as our board president said, there's 6,200 students who needs us and so uh definitely rooting for you guys um for better support for our young people. Do

071you have any final statements? All right. Um, our next audit committee meeting is December Yep. Our next audit committee meeting is December uh 8th, 2026. Um, and now if I can get a motion one second, I'll tell you what the motion is for. Um, can I get a motion to approve the special education follow-up report? >> So moved. >> Moved by Vice President Malloy, seconded by uh, Commissioner Griffin. All those in favor? I. >> Any oppose? All right. Uh, again, our next meeting, our next audit committee meeting is December 8th, 2026. Um, can I now get a motion to adjourn the committee meeting? >> Motion by Commissioner LeBron, seconded by Commissioner Griffin. All those in favor? >> I >> call this meeting to close. >> Thank you. >> Tom, you're going to cut the feed

072for a moment. We transition. Yeah, just cut. Good evening and welcome to the Rochester Board of Education. This is our special meeting for consideration of resolutions. Today is Tuesday, June 2nd. Time check 7:25. Uh, as I call the meeting to order for again the consideration of resolutions, we're going to open this meeting into executive session. So at this time the board may recess into executive session to discuss matters related to the appointment, promotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal, removal of particular persons or matters leading to the appointment of a particular entity and or other matters permit permitted excuse me by section 105 of the open meetings law and to receive the advice of the general counsel. Uh so move to uh enter into executive session. Vice President Malloy. >> Seconded by Commissioner Griffin. All in favor? >>

073I. Any opposed? We will exit into executive session here on the third floor conference room. Hi, I'm Congressman Joe Morelli. I'm glad to join you, if only by video, for Project Soapbox. I want to thank the Mikva Challenge Organization and the Rochester City School District for creating space where student voices are both heard and valued. Because here's something I've learned over a lifetime in public service. Change doesn't just start in Washington. It starts in communities like ours. And often it starts with young people who see a problem and decide to speak up. Before I joined Congress, I served for many years in the New York State Assembly. And before that, as a member of the Monroe County Legislature. In fact, when I first ran for elected office, I was only 24 years old, not too

074much older than all of you. In Albany, in the state legislature, I saw how the decisions we made directly affected classrooms, neighborhoods, and families. And I learned the most important voices in the conversation were the people. >> Hi, I'm Congressman Joe. I'm glad to join you, if only by video, for Project Soapbox. I want to thank the Mikva Challenge organization and the Rochester City School District for creating community members, people who understood a problem because they were living it. And that lesson has stayed with me at every level of government. >> I work on issues that affect young people and families every day, like access to food, transportation, and basic economic stability. And I meet with the people who are impacted by those issues. Those stories matter. They're what drive action and create change. It

075starts with real experiences and it grows when people organize and speak together. Civic action isn't just voting. And it's definitely not just for politicians. It's researching an issue you care about, talking with classmates, and building support, showing up at a school board or city council meeting. That's why I encourage you write an email, ask for a meeting, tell your story. And if you're wondering who to contact, here's a simple guide. School issues, start with your school board or superintendent. Neighborhood or city issues, reach out to city council or the mayor's office. Statewide issues, contact your state legislators. And federal issues, issues that affect the whole country. That's what my office is here for. However, when it comes down to it, if you're not sure who to reach out to, just pick up the phone and

076call. All of these offices are here to help you. You don't have to wait your turn. You don't need to have all the answers to get started. Some of the most powerful advocates I've met are students who simply decided their voices mattered and acted on it. So, I hope you leave Project Soapbox knowing this. Your ideas matter, your experiences matter, and your voice can change your community. Thank you for showing up, speaking out, and believing in your power to make a difference. I can't wait to see what you do next. So, we have we've met our Congress I mean our civic partners, right? >> Y'all want to stand up again? >> Okay. It's all about the kids. >> Well, thank you all for being here. Um, we can't wait to hear your feedback that you're

077going to give the kids. Uh, >> all right. All right. So, we have our list of speakers. Remember that we our agreements that we agreed upon and make sure that after every speech, we're going to do what? >> Applause. >> Wild applause. So, as we get ready for our first speaker, Frederick Hawkins, are you ready? Oh, I I I got ahead of myself. If if all the main stage speakers could come up here and have a seat in these first first seats. A person with no knowledge of their history is like a tree with no roots. It's a tale as old as time. As those in power, they try to silence us. They try to keep us poor. But worst of all, they trying to educa uneducate us. I want you to put yourself in

078my shoes for a second. Getting stared at funny by some white people in a bowling alley because I was the only black kid there or white parents covering their kids' eyes when looking at me because the United States education system doesn't want these these very important leaders to be known and their message to be shared. Imagine being called a because white kids thought it was funny because I wanted to play on the swing sets. or a grown adult white woman looking at you in disgust after you go up to say hi to her son and goes up to your mom and asks if I'm a terror or another kid saying to you that out of anger that if he ever saw me again he would kill me and his dad had a shotgun all because

079of the color of my skin because they want to divide us because they want to keep us uneducated. Do you Now let me ask you another question. Do you think ending gangs, giving starving kids food and equal rights for people who just want to be treated like humans is a good thing? Malcolm X, Fred Hampton, and MLK did all these things and they were named the most dangerous people in America. Just to get killed by the US government, their work censored, silenced, and their image altered. And the future generations would never truly know the extent of what they did. History is doomed to repeat itself time and time again. MLK deframed by the government portraying him as a as a capitalist even though he was really a socialist. When he realized that the solution was

080socialism and when he realized that it wasn't a race problem, but it was a poor versus rich problem, he was murdered not so long after he made that discovery. That BI sent him suicide notes, but nobody knows anything about that because after tearing him down, they named him a hero so he could be a a safe image for white folks in the American image. Malcolm X forgotten about. He is apparently too extreme. Couldn't keep him around. So they murdered him. And with his work being burned symbolically and literally with his house being burned to the ground with his four sleeping daughters inside. Why? Because they were afraid of him. Because they knew his thinking was too advanced. They saw the hold he had and they couldn't let that happen. So they erased him from history.

081And when he is taught in school, he's taught as a terrorist. In reality, he was a symbol for American, but he was forgotten about. Fred Hampton. Fred Hampton was brutally murdered December 4th, 1969. He was drugged and shot over 90 times. This was organized by the FBI as a mission to neutralize and destroy the Black Panther Party because the part because the party encouraged change because they were scared of his ideas. Because they were scared of his way of life and his thinking. So they killed a man. But you can but you can't kill his idea. You can murder a revolutionary, but you can't murder a revolution. Sadly, most of my peers don't know who these people are. Uh, Race and Kim almost worked, but sadly the United States, you can you can you can't

082kill an idea and the contributions that Fred, Malcolm X, and MLK made. Fred, an immense bill, immense local presence, and a big player in the Black Panther Party focused on trying to end police brutality called the gang truce between two really big gangs, free breakfast programs for starving kids, and the rainbow coalition. He united not just black people, but he united people of every race. But he was too dangerous, I guess. And I guess it doesn't matter if eight and nine people are targeted because of their skin color and are murdered because American adults are uneducated and because the system tries to keep us uneducated. Thank you for your time. You're not off the hot seat yet. >> There's still more. >> All right. >> So, I would like to ask a question. I think

083in a world that we're all realizing in a country that we're all re realizing is purposely kept divided so that we fight amongst ourselves and don't look up at who is benefiting from it all. Who do you think needs to hear your speech? I think well I I would just say take like the outing and say everybody because I do believe that everybody does need to be educated and that would stop a lot of the problems I address like me personally personally but I also think people in power like the president hear that >> we'll give him a call. I I particularly think as we've uh watched the president eliminate the federal department of education, you had a strong theme running through there of wanting to make sure certain people stay uneducated. So I would

084uh really harp on that as a place to for next steps in terms of um who needs to hear it. Are people empowered? at making decisions about education. >> I really enjoyed your speech. It touched my heart and it spoke to my core. Thank you very much for your research and for your bravery. I really appreciate you. You said that MLK, Fred, Malcolm were qualified as the most dangerous men However, you also listed the amazing innovative things they did to support the black community and even to unite other cultures. Why do you think these men were labeled most dangerous? >> Cuz it's easier it's easier to control us when we're divided and they try to unite us. And you are absolutely right. How do you think we can get the message that these amazing men

085were actually heroes? How do we re-educate the miseducated? I think it's just important to just share just like all the things I did like ending gang violence or like giving starving kids food like just to share some of the stuff that they have done. >> Thank you. >> All right, next up Hello, my name is Estis Croni, uh, 8th grade and I go to school the arts. How would you feel knowing that there's a product designed to be so addictive it could lead to fatal outcomes? A product that users average two and a half hours on it every day. A product that teens feel they can't live without. A product that solely eats away at our time in our life. a product that has become so universal, so ingrained into who we are today that

086we almost can't avoid it. Well, you'll never guess. Social media. People who know me well know that I don't have social media. They'll often say that I've been living under a rock my whole life, but I see it differently. Not having social media has given me a whole new perspective on the world. My life is vibrant and full, but some people can lose that just as easily as they can lose themselves. I've seen a lot of my friends struggle with this at one point, but I've also seen them overcome it. Their determination, their courage, their unwillingness to lose this battle was inspiring to me. The National Library of Medicine states, "Social media use by youth is nearly universal." Up to 95% of youth ages 13 through 17 report using a social media platform, with more

087than a third saying they use social media almost constantly. Although age 13 is commonly the required minimum age used by social media platforms in the US, nearly 40% of children ages 8 through 12 use social media. I would like to take a moment to share a story called the girl who was never enough. She was 13, bright and artistic, but she began to measure her worth by the number of likes she received. comparing her daily life to the edited im images of influencers. Soon she was deleting her own photos, convincing herself that her hair was ugly, her body was wrong, and her life was dull. This constant comparison fostered a deep toxic sense of anxiety within her. She slowly began to lose her confidence and even more herself. She found herself surrounded by friends online,

088yet she felt more alone than she ever did before. Tell me, how would you feel if you found out that this story was about your own friend? How many more of us have to suffer before we get blindsided by this imperative issue? My friends who have Tik Tok or Instagram like to go on it for fun, but I see their mood almost always become worse after they start scrolling on it for hours. Even though their feed is full of funny and cheerful things, heartbreaking and devastating things will pop up once in a while. This could range from a kid not getting ice cream cone to someone getting shot at an anti- ice rally. Social media can allow people to access inappropriate and harmful content very easily. In this type of content can be extremely harmful

089to children who are already struggling with mental health problems. In severe cases, suicide and self harm related content has been linked to social media. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, despite social media providing a sense of community for some, a systematic review, more than two dozen studies found that some social media platforms show live depictions of self harm acts like partial asphyxiation leading to seizures and cutting leading to bleeding. Sadly, this case is true. Consistent relationships are found between depression and social media among children. According to well Cornell Medicine, by age 14, almost one in three participants had a high addictive use trajectory for social media and one in four for mobile phones. More than 40% of the youth had a high addictive use trajectory for video games. These adolescents were

090significantly more likely to report suicidal thoughts or behaviors. Believe me, I know I don't have Instagram or Tik Tok, and frankly, I'm just looking for the like button in real life now, but I guess since there's no floating heart icon right next to my face, I'll just have to settle for the prehistoric sound of your laughter. It's like a notification, only it's more real. Perhaps one day I will try social media. There are ways to use it that are fun, and it allows you to stay in touch with people as you get older while they come and go in your life. But for now, I can say I've never wasted a single second ever worrying about how many likes I've received on a post. We are told that if you don't document your life, it

091didn't happen. But if you're too busy documenting your life, are you even living it? You can get this ball rolling by just putting down your phone when you're in a room or leaving a supportive comment on a friend's photo and maybe unfollowing some accounts that make you feel negative emotions. If you truly want to do something impactful, start an online petition, volunteer an advocate, fight to help ensure the safety of online communities, and raise awareness about digital well-being. Parents can help by modeling responsible social media behavior in teaching children what the power of technology can do to them. Policymakers can also help by requiring a higher standard of data privacy for children and pursue policies in ways that limit access to minimize the risk for children in social media. In the end, where do you

092want to be in the next 10 years? A person who can't go a second without this product or a person who thrives without the product that consumes us all. Thank you. What a great targeted message. It makes sense to everybody in this room, doesn't it? I loved it. I love the fact that it was relevant. I really enjoyed the fact that you said that social media artificial intelligence is not a substitute to the brain. And you reminded me when you when you mentioned that life is happening and what are you doing about it? Are you missing life because you're so busy about reading about others? Right. Great message. What's your plan to take this message other places because I believe you should. Uh so uh I personally don't have social media but I plan to

093get with help of my friends too spread awareness actually on social media like telling people hey even though you're on here oh yes it can be fun it can be great you can learn new things they it all comes with a cost like next thing you know your friend could be like on social media one day like, "Oh, look at that video that I saw." And next day, maybe they got a comment that said, "Hey, I don't like you. You should take your own life." And next thing you know, you know, they're dead. So, I would like to try my best without social media to get the word out there. >> Thank you. Well, I found that to be incredibly inspiring and so relevant for today as the mom of two teenagers. Uh something that

094I'm also dealing with my personal life. So, I learned so much from you. Um I guess my first thing is what made you want to get off of social media or never engage with it? So my parents uh they are supporters when it comes to children who want to express themselves whether that be online but they knew it would obviously come with risk to my mental health. So they decided that when they gave me my phone that the best bet would be no social media only YouTube. I am a YouTube kid, but uh cuz they I mean they love me so much. They just want to keep me safe. So that's why. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Well, thank you so much. I thought that was very inspiring speech. >> Thank you. Good evening

095and welcome back. This is the Rochester City School District Board of Education. Again, uh this is our special meeting for the consideration resolutions. Time check 9:54. Uh and we're going to move forward with our resolutions at this time. And we're going to start with uh Resolution 553. Entertaining a motion for resolution 553. Moved by Commissioner McCulla. Did I hear? >> Second by Commissioner um Malloy. >> Open for discussion. All in favor resolution 553. >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Resolution car. Okay. Okay, we have one nay >> for resolution uh 553. All righty, we're moving forward to resolution 576. Entertaining a motion for 576. >> So moved. >> Moved by Vice President Malloy, seconded by Commissioner McCullum. Open for discussion. >> I'm sorry. >> Oh, I'm on the wrong one. >> With no discussion, all

096in favor of resolution 576. >> Any opposed? You can't sit down. >> Moving res uh forward to resolution 608. Um I do believe we have an amendment >> entertaining a motion to amend resolution 608 removing Manuel >> Turnquist. >> And Turnquist, excuse me, Hbertton and Turnquist from Resolution 608. >> Approved. Yes. >> Uh motion by Commissioner Griffin, second by Commissioner McCulla. Um, all in favor of uh, so let's entertain a motion to accept it as amended. I'm sorry. >> No, you were going right. So you needed a vote to amend. I didn't hear that. >> Amend. Yeah, I put that open. So I got the sec second. Yes. All in favor of this amendment. I. Any oppose? >> Okay. Nay. By Commissioner Mallaloy. All motion carries. And so accepting resolution 608 as amended. You need

097you need somebody to motion for that part. >> Entertaining a motion to accept resolution 608 as amended. >> I Any opposed? >> All right. >> Motion. I need a second. >> Oh, >> it's okay. >> Okay. I wanted to hurry up and get out here. Motion by Commissioner McCulla, seconded by Commissioner >> um Santiago. All in favor? I >> Let me slow down. Taste makes waste. Okay. Moving forward to resolution 613. >> Motion >> entertain a motion by Commissioner Santiago, seconded by Commissioner Lebron. Open for discussion. All in favor of resolution 68 613. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. >> Okay, we're moving forward into resolution 614. I was getting pulled >> pulled pulled >> to resolution 614. >> Sorry. >> Yes. I am requesting that we um pull this particular amendment. >> Excuse

098me. Not amendment. >> Resolution. Thank you. >> Okay. >> Motion. >> Entertain a motion to to withdraw resolution 614. Commissioner Santiago, Commissioner Lebron. All in favor? Any opposed? 615, excuse me, 14 has been withdrawn. We're moving into resolutions 619, 20, 21, and 22 if that's okay for me to bundle them that way. Entertaining a motion for those four resolutions 619, 20, 21, and 22. Moved by Vice President Malloy, seconded by Commissioner McCulla. All in favor of resol Well, open for discussion. All in favor of those resolutions through 622. >> 619 through 622. I >> It's a yay. A yay for me for 619, but um and 620, but a nay on 621 and 622. >> Yay. >> Okay. Commissioner Santiago, >> I'm sorry. Oh, you said yay. >> Yes. >> Okay. Yes. >> Thank you.

099Resolution 630. Entertain a motion for resolution 630. Motion by Commissioner Santiago, seconded by Vice President Malloy. All in favor? >> I >> um open for discussion with none. All um any opposed? I >> I >> All in favor, should I say? Okay. 6:30 carries. >> Motion for 631. >> Second. >> Y'all help me out. Entertaining the motion for 631. Uh we actually have a motion in a second on the table. So, open for discussion for resolution 631. With no discussion, all in favor of resolution 631. Any opposed? >> I. >> All right, we're moving into resolution 632. Um, entertaining that motion by Commissioner LeBron, Vice President Malloy. Open for discussion. With none, all in favor resolution 632. >> Hold on. Hold on. >> Hold on. >> Sorry. >> Amendments. >> No, 32. I didn't have

100amended. >> No, y'all amended 633. >> That one um >> that one's not being amended. >> No, it should have been. >> No, it's it's the one after we >> No, it's the next one. >> It's the one after. So, that's all set. Um, just to be clear, all in favor of resolution 632. >> I Any opposed? >> Nay for 632. >> I'm the nay for 632 as well. Okay. LeBron and Griffin are nays. >> I have LeBron, Santiago, and Griffin. Correct. N. Okay. >> Okay. >> All right. Entertaining a motion for resolution 6. Actually, I'd like to entertain a motion to amend resolution 633. >> Motion by Commissioner LeBron. >> Second by Commissioner McCulla. And this is amendment for uh we would be removing. Let me catch up on here really quick. I forgive

101me guys. I'm almost there. Okay, so we would be removing from resolution 633 numbers one, four, five, and nine. >> Excuse me. >> All in favor of resolution 633 as amended >> to the amendment first. >> Well, okay, let's accept the amendment. So with the those are the removals. So are we accepting those? >> Yes. >> Okay. All in favor of those. >> Can are we splitting it a 634A and 634B? >> No. No. You're just making a amendment to remove 145 and 9. And then you'll vote to approve as amended. >> Have been removed from 633. And so all in favor of removing 145 and 9 from uh resolution 633. I >> I nay for me. >> Nay for you capture those. Okay. >> And and um one point of clarification, President Smith, and

102the intent of the board is that these go to the >> Thank you for that clarification. >> Anything being removed would go to the June 18th meeting at the latest >> to be removed and those particular numbers move forward to the June 18th. Is it 18th or 19th? >> 18th. Uh June 18th meeting. >> All right. And so motion on the table to uh accept resolution 633 as amended. Motion >> motion by Commissioner Griffin, second by Commissioner LeBron. All in favor? >> I. >> Okay. Any opposed? All right. 634. Entertaining a motion for resolution. Okay. Actually, for 634, I believe we have uh we're entertaining a motion to move resolution 634 to to amend it or withdraw. What are we doing? Good. >> That one's good. >> But to correct. Yes. Can I just comm

103uh >> You're right. I did take that off. >> Commissioner um Simmons. The only thing with this one um was getting an update on the signature. That's it. Yeah. >> Right. Right. And I think we think we can do that afterwards. So >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> We're we're good to go then. Okay. So with that, entertaining a motion for 64. We have the motion on table. LeBron and McCulla. All in favor? >> Any opposed? 634 carries. Resolution 635. I'd like to entertain a motion. >> I'm sorry. >> 634 is a nay for me. >> Okay. Did you capture Commissioner Griffin? Thank you. And so we're moving on to resolution 635. And I believe we're entertaining a motion to amend resolution 635. >> Okay. Was it >> I think it's number seven on resolution 635

104that we were um entertaining a motion to amend that resolution and are we moving that uh number over to the June 18th board meeting? >> Um entertain a motion to do that >> motion. >> Okay. Motion by Commissioner Griffin. >> I first heard Vice President Mallaloy when you first started. Are you still motioning? And then Griffin would be second. >> Okay. >> I just want to clarify. >> Perfect. Thank you. Vice President Malloy motion. Griffin second. >> To move number seven from this resolution to the June 18th business meeting. Um so entertain a motion to accept resolution 635 as amended. Right. to amend it and then you have to vote to >> we amended it. Okay. So we we just did that. We got the motion. All in favor of that >> I >> nay.

105Okay. >> Um >> the amendment we're all >> in favor of the amendment. >> I and then we got a nay and a nay. Two nays. >> I'm a yay for the amendment. Right. This just to amend the resolution. >> Okay. >> I'm a yes. >> All right. Did you capture? I just want to make sure. >> So I heard a no from Commissioner Culla, a no from Commissioner Malloy, yes from Griffin, yes from LeBron, but I didn't hear anything. >> Yes. From >> Yes. Yes. >> Okay. Motion carries. So that's a uh 635 is amended. Entertaining a motion >> to 4635. Resolution 635 as amended. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Griffin LeBron. All in favor? >> I. Any opposed? >> You okay? I said I >> Okay. I thought I missed something. I thought

106you I saw a hand. Okay. So, now we have resolution 636 here on the table. And this is entertaining a motion for resolution 636. Okay. Motion by LeBron McCulla. All in favor? >> Any opposed? >> Did we finish >> one more agenda item? So, so we amended them, amended it, but then we didn't vote on the rest of them. Right. >> We did. We voted on the amendments first and then it was a little bit confusing, but we did vote appropriately. >> But we made it through. >> We made it through. And we did vote. >> Okay. >> We are actually on the board meeting updates. Yep. Okay. So, we got them all and we are at board meeting updates now on the agenda. Am I turning this over to you correctly? >> Yes, ma'am.

107>> Okay. >> No, I was saying. Okay, good good evening, commissioners. Uh, so tonight I want to talk about some potential board meeting updates that we would need you all to take a vote on. I will be as quick as I can. Um so in response to some ongoing concerns from commissioners regarding a lot of time for meeting preparation and the need for additional information related to ongoing um district business, President Simmons, Superintendent Roser, state monitor, your CGCS governing coaches um and myself met and uh came forward with the following recommendations to make adjustments to the board meeting calendar and protocol which would take effect for your 2627 excuse me 2627 calendar. This these changes would mean that the work session excuse me the recommendations the work session will now take place on the third

108Tuesday of the month swapping spaces with the speaker forum which would then take place on the second Tuesday of the month. Additionally, Superintendent Roser will add in a bimonthly superintendent update meeting which will be paired with your speaker forum. Okay. So, what this will look like um and how it impacts your timeline providing you with additional time to review resolutions is that the work session will continue to go live on the first Friday of the month as it does now. This would make it available publicly to the community and commissioners. By maintaining this current release date and shifting the meeting back, it provides an additional week for commissioners to review the meeting materials and be prepared. And in order to support more effective discussions, commissioners would then provide administration all of their questions by the

109Thursday prior to the meeting. This is typically the third the excuse me, this is typically the second Thursday of the month. In alignment with your current practice, the administration would have 48 hours to reply to questions. Submitted questions and answers would then be posted in the business meeting agenda. No questions would be accepted after the work se session with the exception of the progress monitoring report. That report will still continue to be available in your work session agenda in alignment with your current practice. So you could always ask questions in advance. What this looks like is an example using your May business meeting that we just had. The works uh the board docs work session was made live on May 8th, Friday, May 8th, and that included all of your resolutions for the May meeting.

110The deadline for board questions would then be Thursday, May 14th. You would hold your work session on Tuesday, May 19th. The deadline for additional questions related to the progress monitoring report only would be May 25th. On May 26th, the final business meeting agenda would go live as it does now. And then on May 28th, you held your business meeting. So that gives you a snapshot using your last month's meeting of what that timeline will look like. And essentially, you'd be getting 11 days between your work session. um your go live in your work session. Okay. The way that's going to impact then the resolutions at the business meeting, we will reorganize the business meeting agenda to allow for more flexibility in the organization of resolutions and support increased use of the consent agenda. This kind

111of came up at your last business meeting when you were talking about the order of um budget transfers and the NOVA modus and um audit resolutions. we would move from the multiple categories we have now just to two categories which would be the consideration of resolutions um excuse me under the consideration of resolutions you would have your consent agenda and then one section for all additional resolutions this would include any resolutions not moved to the consent agenda um and any items needing corrections from the work session your HC resolutions legal and board resolutions please note that legal and board resolutions have not been typically included in the work session just because of the timing of when some of those things come forward. Um, but we will include them as much as possible. Um, at times,

112as you know, these require executive session prior to a vote or policy items which are not known until after your work session. Because the work session is moving to the third week, there are times where it will fall in the same exact week as your business meeting. That means that there will be limited opportunities to add any items to the agenda after the work session. And so that's important for administration to be aware of. There are several months in the calendar, I believe three to four, where that will occur. It is the recommendation of your CGCS coaches that all items start in your consent agenda and are only moved to the additional resolutions if at least three commissioners make the request. The only exception to this would be for conflicts requiring a commissioner to abstain

113from voting on a resolution. Um, the additional thing I want to say about weeks where the work session falls in the same week as the business meeting, this also means that the business meeting would be made live after the work session because that's where you move items to the consent agenda. So in those months, you would not get a 5:00 p.m. go live meeting. It would only occur after the work session. Okay. Then finally in regards to the bimonthly superintendent update meeting starting in August by monthly following the speaker's forum Dr. Roser will provide a superintendent updates. The topics would be informed and selected excuse me would be selected mostly by him but informed from collective input and approval from the board. Um and they would be focused on ongoing initiatives significant planning and other

114pertinent district business. And I turn over to Dr. Ross if he'd like to add anything related to that meeting. No, for the purposes of um time, I think that you captured it well. >> Thank you. So, with that being said, um in your this will require um calendar updates obviously um and so there needs to be a motion in order for you all you're in agreement to accept these board updates which um then change your calendar and kind of some of your internal processes as I just discussed. >> Motion. >> All in favor? >> I. Any opposed? >> Motion carries. Board meeting updates. Thank you for that. >> Thank you. >> Motion by Commissioner LeBron. But to to exit, Commissioner Santiago. All in favor? I. Any opposed? Good night.