001To the flag of Americy and justice for all. >> All right, roll call. Derek's gone. Julie >> here. >> Chad here. >> Lee here. >> Melissa >> here. >> Mike's here. Greg >> here. >> Nathan's gone. John here. Gretchen >> here. >> Sammy here. TV. >> All right. Adoption of the agenda. >> Melissa moves it. >> I'll second. >> Julie seconds. All in favor say I. >> All oppose say no. >> Motion carries 5. Okay. So that's what we're doing for five. All right. Warrior Pride. This would be to accept a montory monetary donation from merchants bank for the middle elementary middle school high school buildings and a monetary donation from rain for a needy student milk breaks and media centers. >> Lee moves it. >> I'll second. >> Chad seconds it all in favor
002say I. I. All in favor say no. Motion carries 5. No board showcase tonight. Uh, student school board report. >> School school started back up on the 5th. The PSO classes started up on the 12th. We had the day off yesterday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and we're doing a blood drive tomorrow. All our sports are going well. basketball, gymnastics, wrestling. That's it. >> All right. Fantastic. Thank you, Sammy. Uh public comment beyond the public comment. >> No. Okay. And then the consent agenda. Is there any discussion on the consent agenda? >> Okay. No discussion. Will he moves it? I'll second it. >> Melissa seconds it. All in favor say I. I. All oppose say no. Agenda passes 5. Action items. This is the addition of the junior high uh junior high gymnastics coach
003for the remainder of this year. Basically, Craig, do you want to >> um I think this was brought up to us in December and I think I sent something out to you guys about that. the possibility of us bringing this forward in January and uh basically we're kind of on the bubble um at our activities committee meeting the other day. We thought being that we're on the bubble for safety reasons it probably be good. We've had a person that's volunteering coming in and doing this so it wouldn't be like we're paying somebody for half of the season. They've been in there doing it. It's just um Scott thought it would be good to uh add a junior high coach for basically spotting and doing a lot of those safety things. Some of the things they're
004doing require two spotters and you have one person doing a move I don't on the at an apparatus or something and you got one other person that's monitoring the other athletes. Yep. >> Any comments, questions about that recommendation? >> Overall, our numbers going up with gymnastics or >> um Yeah, they they've had pretty good numbers. They've also been doing pretty well. I think they got third at the competition. They beat Cassin the other day, which kind of surprised me. That's kind of cool. Um, but yeah, they're around 1819 and I don't know the ages of all those, but 1819 is kind of a bubble number for me. All right. Well, I would I'd make a motion to approve it, I guess. A second. Seconds it. All in favor say I. I. All say no. That
005that carries 5. >> All right. >> So that was to approve it. Now we have to So this would be action item B. Am I on this correct? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. So, this will be for hiring carrying miners to for that position. >> Yes, >> she's currently doing it. >> She's the one that's been volunteering or been doing it the whole season. >> That was Scott's recommendation. We just hire her to be official. >> Okay, >> Julie. Lee seconds. All in favor say I. I. >> I. All say no. Action item B carries 5 Z administrative reports. Mr. Boulder is not feeling well. Yeah. Um this week is pair professional recognition week which those weeks I personally you know they seem a little forced because we appreciate people all the time. However, I
006will say I'm lightening up to it because it creates that like reminder to say a special thank you to people. It's a tough job a special education pair professional. Um it's a very very busy job if you saw the work that people are doing here at the school. Um it's just every minute is accounted for. They go from one thing to the next to a I mean it's just it's a difficult job. So um just wanted to say a special thank you. We gave everybody um Rachel Stack House made a really cool little I don't know like shuderie board in a box. Fancy little snack thing. send a special thank you to everybody. Um I I hope they feel appreciated outside of just this one opportunity, but certainly a staff worth highlighting. Um so yeah,
007um couple other highlights. I I think about this numerous times at these board meetings and um I wanted to bring up a couple things. So Kaylee Olarut is in a really she's a we hired her as our student services teacher and I always struggle going down the boat of highlighting individuals because we I could go down the line and highlight everybody. Um but we we wanted to change that role a little bit. Um you know even retitling it to student services rather than school counselor and reshaping kind of what that position look like looks like and it's just going really well. um she herself um is just super capable anything related to kids. um you know she's a she's a licensed teacher um so a lot of times school counselors aren't licensed teachers and um
008it makes her super versatile for us but um just her approach starting a few new things we have we did our first leadership group with um one grade level we kind of targeted a group of kids and it was very much um trying to take that proactive approach and just teaching kids like what the word leadership means what that looks like um how you can put it into action. At the end of those I joined a few of the sessions and at the end of those we came up with like actionable items that you can leave with you know one example that I'm thinking of is next time you have a substitute teacher you know that's an opportunity to be a leader and teach them and make sure class goes really well for the day
009and um that's her creativity and her ideas and you know you just you get good people and you put them in positions to have creativity and come up with ideas and she's just excelling. So hats off to her and and also um yeah just the student services in general really well. Also wanted to highlight our interventions. So when I took the job um you know we've had good you know the teachers here would speak to this but our intervention um system basically what that means is you have your general instruction in the classrooms and then you identify kids that might be a little low in reading a little low in math and they see our intervention teachers. Um it's not special education, but we have a schedule set up um our daily schedule that we
010have a wind block. So it's an opportunity that kids can get pulled from class to get a little extra work on reading and math um but they're not missing any core instruction. So um one of my goals was just to try to tighten that up and improve it a little bit. and we we always had good people, but just systematically um you know there's a lot of acronyms but like the MTSS model is one of those you know and I just feel like we're really rolling and we've made a lot of progress in the last year and a half. Um so I would like to highlight that as well. You know we progress monitor those kids that get intervention. We look at weekly or bi-weekly data to see how much growth they're making. And if
011you see kids like I'm I'm doing this with my hand because you see these lines and if you see plateaus, you know, you try something else with that kid and I just feel really really good about it. Um MTSS model is a big push across the state right now and not just in our state but it's a model that works and I feel like we're close to being that school that you know other schools will look to as like how do you guys do your MTSS model? Um, and that's kind of in the next couple years really hoping to be uh masters at it. So, yeah, that's about it. Any questions elementary related for me? >> Thank you, John. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Um, Monday we open our preschool registration. So, we are excited
012to get started with that. See what our numbers will look like for next fall. Um, daycare is fully staffed, running smoothly. um got a lot of movement right now, kids moving rooms and new babies coming in in the next um couple weeks here. Um and then just the same thing you're going to hear from me for the next couple months is getting everything ready for testing, training scheduled, finalizing days we're going to test and just starting all my prep for that. Um so yeah, that's about it. >> Questions for Gretchen? >> Thank you, Mr. Derky. Um, piggy back off of both of these guys for a little bit. The MTSS stands for multi-tered systems of support. And I would agree with John that uh we're our teachers do a great job, especially in the elementary,
013of supporting our students, not only the ones that are struggling, but then what do you do with the kids that are doing well? So, that's something great. Tomorrow I'm in Maven Canton attending an event where all of the HVED people are getting together. It's an MTSS event for superintendent and um we kind of work together and look at other schools. You guys are doing this really well, you guys are doing that really well. How do we piggy back on that and things like that? So, um, one of the other things Gretchen and I have been meeting with the EDA and we have, uh, they've agreed to help bring in a consult or not help, they're going to pay for a consultant to come in. You know, we've been kind of making the case to the
014city and the EDA and the county that, you know, this daycare we're doing is a good thing for the community, but maybe you guys help us out. So, they are helping us out with paying for somebody to come in and see if there's any cost-saving measures. We have realized some cost-saving measures recently, but if we can find more, we we're interested in that, too. Um, I attended the MSBA conference last week. Um, opening speaker was a guy named Matt Lairman who talked about leading through complexity and it was a real good message from him. I attended a bunch of workout sess or work breakout sessions for I didn't I unfortunately did not do a workout um but breakout sessions uh several of them that I attended were on you know referendums and um good and
015bad stories from different schools that have tried to get referendums. Um, safer schools was another one that I attended um as well as some others. But, uh, those are some of the highlights. The other thing I would maybe need some direction from the board is how we're going to go about filling Spencer's vacancy. Are we do we have anybody to appoint? I'm not aware of anybody. Do we reach out to try and see who's interested that might be willing to be appointed? Um, and then I think we need to know I think last time when we filled for Tim, was it Tim's position? Uh, we sent out a questionnaire, people answered it, and then we use those questions to, uh, figure out who we were going to appoint. um time before that we sent out
016a questionnaire, brought people in and did interviews and we could do it any way we choose as well as we're going to have this person do it. I don't know if anybody's expressed interest to anybody or not, but we need to get probably figure that out because be nice to have somebody you have to make a decision and then there's a 30-day waiting period in case anybody has a an issue with that. So, >> let's do it just like we did with him, I guess. >> So, post. So, should I post some put something in the paper and see who's interested and then have those questions? Do we want to just use those questions to narrow it down and have people go vote? Just do it like we did last time. >> If it's all
017right with you guys, I do it the same way we did last time, right? >> Okay. All right. We'll get something out. I don't know what the you guys know what the deadlines are for the papers for >> not off. >> I'm just trying to think. It may it may not be until March when we appoint somebody. I think that's okay. But I just trying to figure out the timeline. If we can do it in February, great. If not, we'll do it March. >> Okay. Questions for Craig? Okay. and Barb's uh report was emailed. So if you have any questions on that uh feel free to contact her directly. Okay. Old business items. There are none. New business items is the 2627 work school calendar. We have to get this thing approved by February or
018we approve it tonight, I guess. But it had like at the very latest February, right? Um, so >> well, and it it's goofy because the either one of these proposed calendarers will require us to be accepted for the flexible learning year and they don't have the new form to apply for the flexible learning year available yet or they didn't last week when I checked. So it would be approving pending the approval of >> Right. But either one of these could be submitted on the form. They don't care, do they? >> Right. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Okay. So um we got the proposal one and proposal two. The first semester there's no change between they're the same, right? And then the in 27 then January is the same, February is the same. The difference is March
019and April >> and then May >> and May going up and May you'd be getting done on the 21st instead of three days earlier 2 instead of 26th. So the what what do we got discussion talks the the weird thing about I'll say this the weird thing about 27 is that the Easter's in March and that happens about once every five years you know and so it's a strange year but in every other year if you even looking back before we did the early start I got the calendar somewhere around here from 2020. This is 2019 2020. Um there is a break in March, break in April and I this year break in March break in April and in the subsequent years of 28 2930 when Easter's all in March or in April rather you'd
020have the break in March break in April again. This is the only year where we have this weird situation. So this encompasses all required hours. Is there any any benefit for meeting from teachers getting done on the 26th versus the 21st? >> I mean one thing so just to start the discussion there's probably a lot to talk about but taking taking days off the end of the year just condenses everything forward a little bit as far as the spring assessments go. So, um, you know, like the and I and I'm just starting the conversation for everybody, but you know, if we end a little bit earlier, that means like the academ like the testing we have to do that those academic days you lose when doing assessments, they just get pushed back a little bit.
021So, um, you know, I'm not the one doing the teaching, but, uh, you know, I know one thing was that the big 10 days off right before we start our like MCAs and assessments and talking about like 10 days and that's obviously including the weekend and concern about um, you know, any sort of progression and you know, I don't know I don't know how the public comment works, but we have a bunch of teachers here that can answer our questions if Um, >> yeah, you guys free to speak. I the on that note and and Julie has to leave in 8 minutes. So I it would be nice to like get like a your opinion but I guess because you know if you don't mind >> I'll drive past you. I want your to be
022very honest with you. My personal opinion is what's best for the teachers and the students. I feel >> the gal that was in here last time and seeing the numbers of the testing, it's working good the way it is. And if that's what works best for the teachers, that's what I'm for. >> Okay. >> To be very honest, I mean, I just feel like our testing is crazy high right now. And why change a good thing? It's obviously working well for the teachers to get them to do well in testing. Why rock the boat is just my thoughts, >> right? the the way I understood her presentation was that the just the justification for the early start was more instructional time prior to testing. Right? That was the idea and provided data that showed that,
023you know, we're at top the pack and every metric's three month, but then it came back with a calendar with 10 days right before testing, which seemed counterintuitive to me and I don't really understand that. And to me, given the fact that it is a weird year with Easter there and also Memorial Day being on the 31st. >> Yeah. But I mean, if the idea is to try to get instructional time in prior to testing, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me for John's point to take 10 days off right prior and then run through to the end of the year for the first time ever with no break in April. And that's from what I've seen this has never happened before and would not happen again 28, 29 or 30 due
024to Easter. So I Seems to me that having periodic breaks throughout the year, every month, 4 day weekend or something, and if families or teachers want to work a spring break in, add another day or two to the 4-day weekend, they have that opportunity to do so versus a giant break and running straight through the end of the year. But yeah, the only thing that I noticed when I was looking at this at home was I thought we had one proposal like proposal one, but then the second proposal had larger break in April. >> It had a Yeah, it had a two-day break in or a four a two-day break in March and it No, was it three days? I don't remember. It was a two days. was the Thursday, Friday before Easter >> and
025Thursday, Friday and April 22nd, 23rd. >> So >> yeah. So why the change? >> When we met with the calendar committee, there was with which is comprised of teachers. There was a big uh push for having the full week long spring break. um cited, you know, mental health and for the students and the staff, which I could make the case for breaking April, too, because that's a long stretch. >> If we end on the 26th, we're still ending before Memorial Day. If we end it on the 28th and put two days in April somewhere, is that an issue? >> The only You mean like two days off in April? >> Yeah. So, I mean, Gretchen can help speak to like the testing calendar and stuff. The MCA testing calendar starts to get pretty tight when
026you have days off. And I'm not saying, you know, two days is not possible like it is. Um but when that was brought up when we had that one that had the >> there were two different breaks in April on one of those suggestions and that just would be really chaotic for me and everyone trying to get all their tests in in that time frame. >> Yeah, there was one that had two breaks in April, but the one that he's referring to had just one four day weekend at the end of April and historically that's always the case. So, I don't know why we'd all of a sudden need no breaks in April or have it be a big uh why is it such a problem in 2027 to have a break in April, but
027every other year we have a break in April as far as the testing schedule is concerned. >> Am I missing something? I mean, just some of the feedback that I heard was having those breaks were a healthy um break to recover and move forward. I mean, one of the big takeaways from the surveys from the parents at least was they did not want the weekl long spring break. And so, I get what you're saying. We need to teachers are important, students are important. I look at it as their customers are the kids, their families. And like Delta never asked me my opinion on how to do things. They care about what the customer wants. You know, I wish they I I wish they would ask me my opinion, but they don't. And so I think
028we got to focus on what's best for the customer. That said, you guys are all welcome to speak up or say whatever you'd like to say. And >> you know, when you when you say the customers, you know, there are students and so I think we as teachers see those students the seven hours on the day and we see how much work that they put into their day. Um, you know, in a spring break it is, you can talk about how some parents take vacations when they want to and that's great. you got to go when the airlines are cheap. Um, but there is a huge population of children that can't afford a vacation. So, putting in a natural break like this gives them an opportunity to reset, recharge themselves. Then that way they are
029prepared for when we do our MCA testing. And you know, in talking about like April here at the elementary school, um, third, fourth, and fifth grade, we meet in the fall with our special education teacher and like I can't do my fifth grade reading MCAs at the same time as third grade because of resources um, space. And so needing multiple weeks to do our testing is very important to ensure that each grade gets enough time, days, space, people. Um so having more days in April um to allow for that MCA testing um is important at the elementary school. >> One of the things people might not know is all the some of the individual education plans have accommodations for separate setting and things like that. So that's why we can't have two grades going at
030the same time because we only have a finite amount of people to have that separate setting and have it potentially have a math test read to them or or whatever. So that that's why that time in April is so coveted. How are we going to deal with it in this year when we got a four day weekend in April? >> Is that it for April this year? >> That's it, right? We have a Friday and Monday off at the beginning of April. And so, like I said, we coordinate and every year we feel like we alternate which teacher gets the short end of the stick. we feel like of having to butt up to a break in April whether it's before or after to make sure that you know a testing window but the reality
031is the more days we have to be able to be flexible for each grade to allow for maximum time and learning environment um I think it's beneficial not just for the individualized you know planned students but for our entire generalized population of students to ensure the best testing environment time. Um, and again just being ready for the testing because it is ruined for fifth grade. They have three tests. They do MCA reading, MCA math, and MCA science on top of I already reading on top of fastbridge. Um, so it's a lot to try to squeeze into a short amount of time. So in 28, 29 and 30, are you suggesting not to do take Easter off in April? >> Easter is one of those I think it is a break that we'll have to adjust
032as needed. Um like you said, this is an an odd year where Easter is in March. um we make it work. But as a calendar committee, you know, I think this is what we felt in the days that were presented where holidays fell. Um that this would work for students and also >> we submit this to the state. Are we bound to >> can we still integrate in the subsequent years that they have? Yeah, we can the we submit proposed calendars and they're well aware that those calendars have not been approved for the following years. But >> so we got to do this every year. You're going to have to approve 28 and >> the same issue is going to keep coming up. >> But if we don't put a break in April saying for
033next year >> the subsequent years we could reinccorporate it. >> Reinccorporate. >> Yeah. And and I think everybody would agree that when Easter falls in April, we're going to take a break around Easter. Couple Good Friday for sure. Usually I think we've done Friday, Monday. So that's historically what it's been. >> So we kind of joined two breaks. I think our calendar committee is we actually have a few more breaks this year. So we kind of joined two of them into one. So is it the proposal one is reflective of calendar committee? >> Yes. >> Yeah. And we took that that break April 30th which was that Monday and put it at the 29th of March >> 29th of March so that we get Easter Monday even though we already had that week. I mean,
034a lot of people go places for Easter and so it would be nice to have that Monday to reset and before we come back versus having it the 30th of April. So, the benefits of the students, you're not recommending any breaks in April to help with the testing. Well, that we can or if we incorporate within our class, you know, I think a day off um I think is better valued in March right now. Um again, if Easter was in April, I would argue we'd probably put a break there because again, families travel, kids travel, kids come back, they you know, they they're with family. You incorporate a break there. So knowing that this is just for next year and we can tweak it for subsequent years. I guess in line with Julie I trust
035the teachers to support our customers. So I'm not against that. Good. So Julie, you're for proposal one >> before you leave >> your proposal one. Chad, you're proposal one. Yeah, I mean I like it. I, you know, from a family sense and and from what I think John had said maybe in line with that other proposal from the teacher that breaks are good. So that's my only apprehension of of going with one is not having that break in April. But if it's conducive for Jessing, then yeah, I'm for one. >> Why Why couldn't we move the 29th of March to the 30th of April? Easter Monday >> because you're worried about people coming back from Easter. >> It's just nice to have Easter Monday. I mean, we have had for years. So, taking that away,
036I mean, for families, I think is especially for traveling through Easter. >> Is there any concerns of not having a break in April from what we've heard? >> Not I mean, you're going to take one day. I don't think one day is going to give a whole lot of >> now you're going you know that time frame which had been valued in the past of not having any break. So >> that date is the 30th is actually better we'd be better off with zero breaks than to have that day because that's the MCA window ends a week after that. So those last two weeks, the last week in April, first week in May are arguably the most important because that's when you're cramming in the last couple tests. If anybody was out sick, those are
037their last days to get them done because once the deadline passes, they're that's just it. Um there's no going back to finish later. So >> So the window does not end at April 30th. >> It does. >> Usually the first Friday of May. >> Yeah. the first Friday. >> Well, the science the science window is a little longer than >> I can't say for certain, but it's historically the last or yeah, first Friday in May is when the windows All right. Well, we're down to we still have a forum. Um, just can somebody help me understand this because I'm really struggling with it to be honest with you. But last meeting, the justification for for the early start was more instructional time for MCA testing and then this came back with 10 days off right
038before MCA testing. So the parents that were here that were concerned about the fair issues which is a legitimate concern seemed to look at the data presented understand the logic behind it and the need for more testing and they were like you know what I actually I can see that and then they would see this and they would think hm that could that's counterintuitive to what I thought was the justification. I'm struggling with that. You guys, you know where I'm coming from or not? Am I missing something? You know, >> I think the days that we're losing with the second option are the end of May. We're not right. Unless I'm looking at it incorrectly, like >> well, April 30th is a vacation day. >> We're losing at the end. We're not losing like instructional
039days. I mean, we are, but >> four instructional >> and I I think going historically back, I think one of the things that we were originally trying to do, and Easter does screw things up every year, was to make sure that there was a break some point, preferably a VFA quarter, I think. Um, so that there was just a people could catch their breath and restart because when you keep going going, going going, I'm not an educator, but I know if I keep going at a task for too long, I'm not as productive. So I think that was a thought process originally was that everybody needs to have a break just to reset but Easter I think every year kind of just makes it more complicated for us and so I think that there definitely
040needs to be a break somewhere and I'm not on the calendar committee side kind of support whatever decisions because I know it's not it's not ever going to be perfect but >> when does this quarter semesters I think is what leaning towards more notes but more semesters. >> It's just nice to have a break. >> So I know going back with the fair discussion it was the big thing of well if we move school back a week closer to Labor Day then we're going to interrupt the natural break for semester one and Christmas. So I don't think they correlate directly with the fair discussion. It was more based on keeping semester one in front of Christmas so that all the testing was done before Christmas break. You know the justification was more instructional time prior
041to MCA testing and starting the early start. That's why the the data here the data she brought showed this is what she had and the justification was that the reason that these scores are the way they are was due to the fact primarily due to the fact that or one of the reasons why starting early and having more instructional time done before MC has the most important thus keep the early part. That's what it that's what the justification was. And we're losing from cal proposal two and one. There's four less instructional days prior to MCA testing in that second, you know, in overall. But I get I get you need breaks and stuff. I don't 10 days seems like a strange thing to do, right? Right. March. But was it this year or am I
042thinking a previous year's, you know, if it weren't for an early start, then a a big break in at the beginning of spring is pretty much off the table. Was that this year? put the semester that goes past Christmas where right now the semester stops at Christmas break which I think is the right thing to do because it's hard to have kids come back >> and you guys can talk to but I I think it's hard to send kids back and still finish out a semester or a project or whatever the case may be. >> I think it was when I was teaching and probably involved in this very process that something that was on the table is either you do an early start and have a big break in the spring or it was
043a like kind of a normal start date, a later start date and there wasn't a break. So, I think I'm >> Yeah, I think >> kind of recalling previous because certainly >> there were discussions that well if we have a spring break we're going to be going into June, >> nobody wanted that. That's >> right. If it was late start and a spring break, then the school's getting out. So, I mean, if we were doing a late start or a normal start time in September and talking about spring break, I would have to and and focusing on academics, people would probably be thinking you're losing lots and lots of instruction. Not only are you starting later, losing a week or two of instruction, and then losing another week. So, I'm not sure if that's making
044any sense. Um certainly the the week in March you're losing some instructional days. The cost benefit of starting early but the benefit of starting early is still you are you know gaining some of those still like you're still capturing more instructional days not as many instructional days as if you start early and don't have a break you know. Yeah. Well, to Chad's point, one to Chad's point, the our one of our goals was to get first semester done before December, which is just for the early start. The justification for the early start of this was more instructional time. So there I mean kind of >> I think the more instructional time coupled with breaks to reset and focus I think was kind of two of the big things. >> Good J. Yeah, I was just
045going to speak to you brought up the question earlier about having that break which is you know 10 days and then like you have some regression over that. I was just going to speak to that quick that is a valid concern. >> Yeah. >> So that's roughly the same. you take that as the same length as like Christmas break >> just for the upper grades at least if I can speak for um we don't there's really that's not on a long enough time to really see any significant regression at very worst uh you might have a class that has zero regression you can pretty much pick up where you left off or you might have to go back one day to kind of just get everything going again but it's not it's not a long
046enough break to to cause any significant issues there. If that makes sense. >> Yeah, that makes sense. >> Um that coupled with the getting out a week earlier in May is um it's kind of a big pickle to deal with because April and May for every grade, you know, there's a significant amount of testing, but almost every grade backloads their field trips for that time of the year, too. So, when you're scheduling testing, um there's a lot of testing that happens outside of MCAs. That's when we can get our fast generators in, but then you throw in all the field trips and field days here and this and that. Um losing the week or even the the three or four days in May to get out the 21st and the 26th. That's it's a pretty
047significant difference there. That makes sense. It's to have that extra week in May gives us a lot more room to work with scheduling stuff. >> Well, okay. It's two and a half days. It's not a week, but it's two and a half day difference, right? >> Yeah. Yeah. But even even two and a half days, it doesn't sound like much, but two days three days because you're getting done on the 21st. So, you are getting three days. >> Oh, there's a Okay. Three three days. Okay. And >> I think as a calendar committee we we discussed the idea of quality over quantity. We felt proposal one provided quality instructional time for students. Um again yes for teachers we can come back and give quality um instruction but also then students can receive quality education instead
048of just trying to shove five day weeks into amount of time so we can hammer as much to them. you know it is about quality over quantity sometimes and I think that we felt calendar one provided good quality education um by providing enough time for instruction but then also a reset to then be prepared and ready once testing does keep reminding myself to and I hope we're all doing this, you know, just like thinking of the kids, thinking of the kids and what's best for them. I don't know. I mean, I I do like this year I was a little more in tune with kind of the feel of kids, you know, being somewhat new to elementary and like I do I do recall this year after Christmas break like feeling like kids did have
049a little bit more of a pep in their step like coming back from Christmas break and the the youngers certainly it's a little bit more like Becky's laughing a little bit more about harnessing that but I think of like you know third through fifth grade I don't know you guys have you're in there with the kids and have the experience like the big break you're certainly you know it's a big break right before a really important time and I see you know the benefit of that could be like a huge you know resp-spark of energy for kids as we hammer through the rest of the year but also you could see it as you know like Mike is saying like it is a a big chunk of time off right before and I know you
050know Jake you just spoke to the regression and saying it's not a concern and and I trust your input, you know, but what's your guys's feel on that? >> Maybe not. Sorry. >> Well, I feel like by that time of year, we're not teaching a whole lot of new material. It's a lot of just practice and review and practice. And then um like what I've done in the past with my teaching is when we come back from that break, it's a lot of how do you take the test? How what kind of strategies do you use? It's not even we're going to add in a whole new reading skill. You know, that's already been done the first semester and the beginning of second semester. It's just it's a lot more of review. So again, looking
051at those days and speaking to the regression, it's easy to pick back up and there's not a huge slide to the point where I feel like it would be detrimental to our students testing scores. >> Yeah, I know. I think April I'm going to take accountability for what seemed to be a really bad idea for everybody else but me. like making a long weekend like having that comp day in April because like as I looked at the calendar I was like you know that's just a long stretch and for me I see like I I hear people saying you know like just having a Friday or a Monday off that long weekend when you're used used to five day week five day week five day week is can be quite refreshing for people like having
052that you know basically you wake up Sunday and you're not thinking about work the next day you're thinking about you know oh I actually have a whole another day or whatever that is. Um, so that was that was my idea I think in just our admin meeting like let's take a comp day and throw it in April. Um, and I don't you know not that we have to be hung up on the Easter thing this year or anything but um I get it. You know, it's a big it's a big great counting weekend and stuff. Basically my rambling is saying I hear what you're saying. >> Yeah. you know, I mean, you know, the kids that that aren't going anywhere on spring break, uh, or can't afford it or whatever, they're going to be sitting
053at home for a week, uh, all the, you know, I don't know if that's a reset or not. uh the kids that are in spring sports, which represents a I don't remember the percentage, but it was a pretty big percentage if I remember correctly. Uh all those kids aren't going anywhere. They'll be going to practice and um I don't know. I I think it's weird that they bring but okay, I guess. Can can you help me understand one thing on the on the uh testing calendar? So the one that you sent out well so the um it was this was for this year our last test is on April 30th. Is that correct? Am I reading this correctly or because I just don't understand where the the testing is going into >> science is missing
054from this. So I need to >> science is 28th 29th and 30th of April. Right. >> Um that's 8th grade. I'm missing fifth grade on those. >> Did you say there's makeup dates, but the window officially closes for all of it on the 7th. >> The window closes for math and reading on May 1st this year and then for science May 8th and the amount of makeups we have to do with kids being absent or sick or whatever. And um >> even though our our last thing might be scheduled for April 30th, >> yeah, there's still a lot of work for me and everyone like I need I will take any every day I can get because that last week is super important for >> I can't remember the last several years >> everyone's done.
055>> Can't remember having that us not be crunched with makeup stuff. >> We're always crunched with makeups. So, but the only makeup you have in May though would be science. >> Everything else ends on the first right >> period, >> right? >> So, you're talking are you talking just fifth grade makeups? >> Fifth, eighth and um 10. >> So, what is the math science mark? Oh, okay. What? MTA. That's not MC. Okay. All right. The MTAS stands for Minnesota Test of Academic Skills. There's a few students that written in their IEP. They get to take a different test, >> a different version of it. >> It's not It's not the online Pearson test. >> Okay. Well, you know, my opinion, I think the week long spring break is harder on some people than you might
056realize, harder on some parents. And uh but I'm one opinion. So, what do you guys want to do? Do you want to vote tonight and just get this over with, or do you want to roll it to February and when everybody's here? What do you think? I don't see any harm. I'm gonna want to pass it along, but there's no reason to vote if we can't even apply. >> I think the main thing needs it by a certain date. So, I think he would appreciate >> it. Middle school, >> right? >> He was he was hoping it could be voted on tonight, but he said we absolutely have to have it by February. So, I mean, we could wait till February. We need to Okay. Um, might as well just do like a Well, is
057there any other options or ideas associated with this or are we going with proposal or proposal two? Okay. So with the uh the reason I mean I I'm getting what Mike's saying with valid points and we all know that parents take vacations when they're going to take them. Do you feel like the the week is excessive where one one proposal was to have like two or three days like a Thursday, Friday, Monday and and still have school to allow for and and still not have a break in April. I'm not saying to put those days, but then finish on the 21st if uh but then that does impede on the field days or whatever. >> Well, like if if we move up the last days for May, then that shifts our I read and fast
058bridge testing up into April, which then moves our MCA testing up earlier in the year. So, it's just kind of a a shift. So, then it's a kind of a new point of getting those instructional days. Anyways, because we'd be then testing earlier so we're not doing multiple tests in the same day. You could you could take uh March 24th, 25th, 26, and then 29th. And that would put you with a and then April 30th or something. And then that would put you with a May 25th and be a two-day week there in March followed by a six day break. >> They were worried about the April 30th. >> So April 30th is they're not a fan of that. Well, I mean I on any other year I I would have to imagine I don't
059want to speak for everybody, but a day off in April isn't an absolute killer, right? Well, it can be because we have at least two days off in every April. >> Yeah. So, I mean I think honestly and taking away that Easter Monday, >> right? So, we could leave the Easter. >> We don't have Easter. Well, if you leave it now, but in the other calendar, you don't have it, >> right? But I'm I'm saying what we what would you guys what would the calendar are you guys all in the calendar committee? >> 199. >> Okay. >> What just what what about Wednesday through uh the 24th 25th 26 and then Easter Monday. Okay. So then instead of getting done on the 21st, you get done the 25th, >> you'd be you'd be adding a
060couple extra days to it then. >> No, because if you if you take away the 22nd and the 23 I'm looking at proposal one. >> Oh, I'm looking at proposal two. >> All right. So I would look if I'm thinking proposal one because I want to get rid of that April 30th. That's like too late in April. So, if you got rid of the 22nd and the 23rd is kind of what you're saying of that spring break. >> Okay. >> And adding it to the end of the year, our last day of school would be on Monday, which is weird. Sorry. >> Last day school would be on Monday the 24th, >> which is just kind of weird. >> That's super weird. That's why that's why I'm suggesting you take those two days off in
061or you add those month that Monday Tuesday 22nd 23rd and instead do a 4 day weekend in April like we do every other year and that gets you done on the 26th just like current. So you're you're wondering if you could swap the 22nd 23rd on the calendar I have shown here for two days in April somewhere >> like every other year but you know >> yeah okay um how about who who wants to vote on it tonight. Show of hands. I'll vote on it tonight. Um, >> you don't care either way. >> You're either way. >> I don't care. >> You don't like I'm leaning towards one just because historically that's what we've we've done that break. It's the same extent of time. Test scores aren't affected negatively by it. Like why reinvent the
062wheel? That's kind of where I'm at. And every year it's be different. This year is kind of wonky on here, but they're okay with it and I'm okay with it. That's kind of where I'm standing. >> So Melissa's proposal one. >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> Yeah. I'm still leaning towards one. I mean, I like the idea of having two breaks as well, but if it disrupts things, then I don't like that. >> Is that a yes? >> Yes. For one. >> And you're one or two? You're a one. And I'm a two. Okay. So the Can we just call that the vote? >> Who's going to make the motion? Which calendar here are we going to go first? >> Motion for calendar one. Do it that way. >> Motion for calendar one. He makes a
063motion for option one. >> I'll second. >> Okay. Chad seconds. All in favor say I. >> I. >> And all post say no. No. So motion carries 3 to one. Okay. Done. Um, school policies. Any discussion on the school policies to review? >> Craig or John, do you guys? >> No. And these these will be coming again because we're in a three-year cycle. So, I think I mentioned that in my >> Was the mission statement one on here? >> Yes. I opened that earlier in the week and it's the old >> you clicked that link on 104 >> like it says admission statement there is that I thought we changed >> January 20th did we never update the policy on that one >> well just the actual you know what it actually says >> maybe
064they'll be ever doing changes on I I bet we updated the student. It was the handbook >> was what got updated and this probably didn't. >> Okay. If somebody could get me that information, I'll make sure we get that policy updated for 104 then. >> Well, the the elementary student handbook was good. >> It has it in there. >> Yeah. Yep. >> So, >> and it's also on the website just like that PDF. >> Y >> and you know obviously having it written here is in >> but I figured might have it accurate, >> right? Yes. >> All right. Any other discussion on policies? Okay. Board member reports Melissa. >> Um just I went to MSBA conference with Greg. It's always got tons of information. Um I did go to several different breakout sessions on
065Minnesota PE childare CTE. Um I guess I think you all probably got that like magazine that they have. So I think right and it's got all the different like breakout sessions they have. If there's anything that you would be interested in, I think I can still access the handouts from those sessions. So if you're like, "Oh, I wish I would have found the notes on that." I can pull them for you. So just let me know. But yeah, it was really great. Wish you guys were there. >> Sounds good. Thank you, Chad. All right. And I do not have anything. All right. Motion to adjurnn. Uh we'll say Melissa did it. Seconded. Correct. >> All in favor say I. I. >> I. All post say no. >> That motion carries. Four to zero. And it
066is 502. Let's go.