001I now call to order this meeting of the Stoomen Monroe Falls City Schools Board of Education on Thursday, August 21st at 6 PM. Roll call, please. >> East Jenkins. >> Melody, >> here. >> Sheen, >> here. Sudonic >> here. here. Please join us in the pledge of allegiance. >> Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Everything we do is designed to provide a future ready student- centered learning experience for every single child. Our strategic plan for 2021 through 2026 will help us accomplish this goal by considering every facet of a student's learning experience from curriculum to infrastructure to wellness and everything in between. As members of the board of education, we serve
002as trustees. Therefore, this is a business meeting being conducted in public, not a public meeting. We are grateful to serve an engaged community and therefore encourage and respect input from citizens. We expect that everyone present will behave in a manner consistent with the behavior we expect of our students. We reserve the right to have those who do not comply removed from our meeting. Okay, now it is time to turn it over to the impact group. Uh you have to turn on the mic. There you go. >> How about that? Good evening. Um thank you so much for having us. Um we really appreciate um uh your your comments there. Um that it's a pleasure to serve. It's a pleasure for us um to work with you um here uh this evening as we begin the
003process for um strategic planning. Um Darin Osman and I are going to introduce ourselves um uh in a in a moment, but um it's not only um an honor to be here tonight um uh to help facilitate this process um because uh it's all of you, but it's also um for both of us our home community. Um we both live in Stow and are Stow residents and um and both of my kids um graduated went all the way through um Stow schools and graduated in 2018 and 2021 and um and uh they were extremely prepared for their next steps in their lives as um as they've gone on to Ohio State and John Carroll and um one of them now um starting her um first uh days of teaching this week. So, um, so, um,
004it's really, um, uh, an honor to be a part of, uh, doing this work within our community. So, thank you for having us. Um, uh, tonight we're going to be, um, digging into, um, the, uh, early steps of the strategic planning process. Um we are going to tell you a little bit more about the impact group, tell you a little bit more about ourselves. Um and then we'll begin um uh with an overview of strategic planning um and the different steps um and then we will um really focus on the purpose of this meeting which is um the board's visioning session and SWAT analysis. So, we're going to ask you to reflect on your what you believe to be the strengths, the weaknesses, the opportunities, um, and the threats of the Stoman Row Fall Schools.
005Um, there uh, the administrative team will have that same opportunity, um, to weigh in, um, on those things as well. Um, and those steps help us shape um, the community engagement um, process. And we're going to tell you more about um, each of those steps in just a minute. Um, before we do that, um, uh, we'll tell you a little bit about ourselves. Damian, would you like to introduce yourself? >> Good evening everyone. Um, I live in Monroe Falls, so we have the whole Stow and Monroe Falls um, schools. Um, I make sure we are saying Monroe Falls also. Um, I've we've been a resident, my husband and I have been in residence um, for 23 24 years now. Um, I um, just retired a year ago from education, public education after a 35 year
006career. Um, I spent my time in Maple Heights, um, my first 14 years and then, um, my last 21 were in the Hudson City Schools where I served, um, along that 25 35 year career as an elementary teacher, middle school teacher, elementary principal, curriculum director, and then my last, I think 12 or 13 years was assistant superintendent of the Hudson City Schools. I've also been a member of the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, which is a foundation that supports public p public schools. Um, and so I have read grants and done um been on the strategic planning committee for that um also. So my place and my heart is in um education and serving those who make an impact um for education. And I joined the impact group a year plus two days ago. Um I
007took a couple weeks off and started um another venture. And it's been an honor. Um I worked with Phil Herman um now for I don't know 17 or I was pregnant with Olivia so 20 years um on and off. So it's been it's delightful to work for such an a group and especially with Phil. >> Thanks. Um and again I've introduced myself um already similar to Dorene. Most of my career was in public education as a teacher, a principal, director of human resources and assistant superintendent for 11 years um superintendent. Darin and I got to work together in Hudson for 17 years um together um and uh left that work um to join the impact group and now we work with school districts um around the state and some out of the state um doing
008um uh this kind of work. Um uh really the work we do at the impact group is focused in these these areas. strategic planning um communications services um for schools. Um sometimes we are an outsource communications um department for schools. Sometimes we um help with crisis communications. Sometimes we're just an an element of supplementing the communications work they do um and culture development. Uh we certainly believe um that organizations that recognize that those three things um overall knowing the direction that they're headed and having clear goals um are clearly communicating and have two-way methods of communicating with their communities um and really invest in the people who are serving those they serve um uh we believe that those um are the organizations that have the highest impact. And so we try to help um support
009each of those things with the organizations we work with. about 60% of our work is in K to2 schools. Um and we also work with boards of developmental disabilities um and cities and villages um and parks uh as well. Um but let's um uh do an overview of the uh strategic planning process. Darene, you want to walk through this? >> Sure. Um there are three phases of the strategic plan process and we're starting that first phase tonight. Well, prior to that, actually, Phil and I met with Dr. gold um in June, early June to map out the process and the different um phases and the different um engagements and community engagement. Um I also worked with the cabinet in June um going over the strategic plan process and their priorities. Um so thinking with the
010end in mind with Steven Cvy, what do you want in a strategic plan? How do you want that strategic plan to work for your students and for your community? Um so we're starting with a leadership team. Um and that is you all as the board of education. And then um the first Wednesday of September, whatever date that is, we're meeting with the full leadership team of the Stoman Falls School District and doing the very same process that we're doing with you also. So you are the school leadership. Um phase two is that stakeholder engagement. Um the way that we believe is the best way and um to really get the voice of your community. This is not impact groups strategic plan. This is not Dr. Gold's strategic plan. This is a strategic plan that's going
011to reflect input and the priorities of your of your school community. So, we have focus groups with staff, um students, um community members, parents, and then we also have key stakeholders. And we're going to break that down a little bit for you. Um so again at all levels and the very best focus groups I have to say are the students. Um because how many times in organizations do we make plans? I did it I did it as a teacher. I did it as an elementary principal and curriculum director. We needed our kids our students at the table understanding and and leading us and and getting their input because what we're planning is for them. So they have to be an integral part of that. Um and so the staff also parents and then community members.
012Um and so those um how that happens um we'll work with Dr. Gold and the and the cabinet team um understanding getting that communication out. Your new communications um manager is awesome. She has great ideas. Um I've been following I've been a a good stalker on on Instagram and following the great things that are happening um in the school district. So a great celebration, a lot of energy there. Um I am so sorry. Um surveys um we also engage in surveys. There's a staff survey and then also a parent and community survey. Um and we work with um we we talk to cabinet and ask them you know what are some of their priorities because a survey the survey is different for every school district. Um and there are some open-ended questions. Um and then
013to round out the last part of this the community stakeholder engagement process is we identify with your team again with Dr. Gold and the team um key community members whether that's your mayor or your um your law director or um Jeff film um chief police chief film um talking to them getting their insight their perspective. It might be somebody that doesn't attend a focus group but we're going to want to make sure that they're engaged and we get their feedback. It could be it could be um your local there's your your state senator or um your state rep also. Um then comes that next phase as we get all that in input from the PL uh from the survey from the focus groups um and from the interviews themes themes come out. So, and you're
014a school, so a theme about student learning or the student experience. Um, and what that looks like, I don't know, but you'll have some kind of goal. There will be some kind of theme that comes out um in their in that um in after the focus group. And then we develop goals and objectives impact group. Um Phil and I and our team, we will draft goals and objectives that we feel are aligned with what we heard of are the priorities from your community. Um and then from there we create action steps and those action steps are something that are um that are planned out. We look at your baseline data. Schools have so much data um and what it's not to create a to-do list. That's not what the strategic plan is about. It is
015about using your data, understanding your baseline data, gathering recommendations, and then also um implementation and then a way to measure it. This strategic plan doesn't sit on somebody's desk. It is it is intended to be dynamic. It is intended to be reviewed um at least twice a year um especially after you have that first year of implementation under your belt. And it's it's it it's intended the way we have it um structured to be reportable and and something that is visible and making it visible for your community. Um I often talk about um a strategic plan. Um our our founder and partner likes to talk about it as a as a bucket list. So, a bucket list is something that you plan for. It's a stretch um and and then you write it down and
016then you you um have action steps. And a lot of times, Patrick, there's a budget. I know. Um so, you you want to make sure that um you can actually and it could be something that you you intentionally save for and plan for. Um and so there's a specific timeline also. And then um part of that action step development is putting somebody in charge. Who is the lead? who is the driver, who is the co-chair, chair and co-chair. Um because you intentionally, we intentionally make sure that there's bench depth in leading those goals. It's not something it's going to be really a team effort. Um and it helps build leadership capacity also. So um and then the final steps is drafting that strategic plan to this and submitted to the superintendent. there is a lot
017of back and forth and revisions um to make sure that it does reflect and it's doable um for your district. And then we um create the strategic plan in three different formats. Um the first version is just the goals and the objectives not just um and that is something the board of education approves. That is the document the board of education approves. Version two is the working document. So you can see there are action steps um that what I'm talking about is identifying your B baseline getting your recommendations um implementation and then the measurement. We also map this out so you're not implementing all I don't know 30 objectives in your first year and a lot of times many times the objectives are building on one another and then there's a post there's a poster
018version that helps brand the strategic plan and is posted um and for on social media it can be posted in your buildings um and so on and so forth. Um so we give you a design that way. um you don't necessarily vote on approve the poster because it's the same content that's in the strategic plan. Um but that version one is something that you would be considering for approval. So I'm going to go back. >> Um thank you for that overview during when we think about um we think about uh I want to see if you have any questions on that before we dig into the part where we're going to do less talking and more listening. Um uh Um but uh one of the most important pieces in all of that is that community
019engagement. Um we find that over and over and over. Um this is really an opportunity to try to engage the community, the students, the staff, um uh parents in a big way. Um uh really creating many opportunities for um understanding their thoughts, their perspectives, um what they feel are the strengths of the school district and where they find there to be challenges of the school district. um we will be working with your communications um folks to help push push push the opportunities to be engaged. We want as many people as possible um to engage in that survey and to participate in those focus groups. Um it's really um uh um essential um to um developing those goals and objectives that are representative of the broad um community in the overall direction. Um it also um
020we often talk about uh strategic plan um as being one method that school districts can utilize to um to build trust. Um um trust is often built in organizations when we do what we say we're going to do. So we've listened um we're telling the community what we heard from them. um here's what we're doing um with the results of that and then hopefully over the coming years we're able to say um uh we can demonstrate to the community what has been accomplished over that period of time that's the idea behind the the whole process but we'll pause there. Do you have any questions on that before we jump into um uh the visioning? >> I do. Yeah. >> Um when we say staff, can we just be very um careful to include the union?
021Because I think in the past we've thought staff included union and and we've made the mistake of not including union leadership and I want to make sure that we are um very um deliberate with making sure that they're at the table as well. >> Absolutely. We'll make sure that that is included. Thank you. >> Yeah. I wanted to get some clarity Uh, unfortunately I wasn't at that May 5th meeting, so there's a lot of things that I may be asking that was already answered there. But, um, I'm sure you're aware we have an election in November. >> Yes. >> Um, potentially this board could look very different. Why are we doing this now and not doing it in January? >> Sure. And I don't know if um, uh, Dr. Dr. Gold, if you'd like to
022um speak to that in terms of the timeline of the process. >> So, as we've uh shared in the past, the reason we're starting this process now is because the strategic plan is up in 2026. You want to engage your community uh earlier in the process because as they stepped out the timeline, you want to have the opportunity to review, revise, and prepare so that when fall comes, you can we can launch the uh strategic plan and be ready to go. So the goal is to launch it in roughly a year. >> Yes. >> So to have all of this input, all of the revisions, all of that, >> it's going to take time. Yes. You got focus group, you got interviews. So that's going to take time. >> So going back to that same
023question, then why are we here then? Because again, this could be very different. So everything we talk about tonight could be moot. >> Sure. Um, as far as the the process goes, um, hearing from the administration and the board of education about the assessment of where the school district's current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats help us um, develop some of those community questions. um they help us um develop the questions for the focus groups um and make sure that we have an understanding of the current lay of the land before we um really go out and engage the community in a big way. Um on the back end of that um is when uh we um begin to draft those goals and objectives. What you're sharing with us tonight really helps us um lay the
024groundwork for engaging the community. Um it's not necessarily um um what we hear um tonight um going to be the establishment of the we're not writing goals or objectives tonight. Um we are um uh making sure that we understand that current baseline. Um and we are going to ask you what is your long-term vision? What how would you define success um um for the um for the district? Um if uh I don't know when you will finalize um the plan in terms of the board of education adopting it. Um, but I would imagine um that depending on that um that timeline, there could be um a chance for future board of education members um to weigh in on that um weigh in on that process as well. >> Well, wouldn't that require another meeting like
025this? >> I suppose it um it probably could. We're glad to dialogue with you about um what you think would work uh what would work best >> because again you're talking 49 days till the well again we said January when it would actually shift. Um, yeah, I'm just, you know, afraid. I mean, we're spending a lot of money here for this and to put ourselves in a position to potentially have to duplicate, you know, um, what we're doing based on potentially new board members that could be the same. >> Sure. >> Um, I don't know. Uh, very respectfully, Mr. hand. I don't know that I would um say that we'd be duplicating as much as um tweaking, revising or adjusting it based on um uh additional um priorities that were shared. Um the a big
026chunk is of the process I talked about is that um community engagement and really engaging those um voices um and uh taking advantage of the time in the fall um to be able to do that um uh enables you to keep on pace to have something that would be in place and operational for next year. we will have um at least one new board member come January. Uh so you know there there would be that need to kind of loop in um whoever is new and into the process. But I don't know that you know knowing the results from an election changes what our community looks like and thinks and feels about this process right now. Um, I mean, we're we're going to hear from the community regardless. >> Also, anybody that is running for
027board of education, we would encourage them to attend a focus group. >> And so, even anybody can attend a focus group. >> Um, so that is something that's really important too. It it gives them um whoever the c I don't know who the candidates are. I I I will by the time I go to on election day or vote prior. Um but I'm just saying that we would we would encourage if somebody wants is interested in in serving on the board then I think that would be important um that they would want to engage. >> That's a really good point. there'll be opportunities but again there's a lot of in that revision phase and in and in setting those priorities too and after you gather that feedback themes naturally naturally um come is come to
028the top they float to the top um so looking at that it is it's really that strategic direction of where you want to go um with that student with student learning with communication with engaging um with engaging ing partners or whatever whatever it is. I I don't know. Um it's not predetermined, but um those are some of the things that we typically see some version of that in a strategic plan. So, >> and I'd add that a large part is coming from staff as well, and that's not going to be changing in January either. So, >> not to mention 49 days might be the election, but these board members are serving till at least December 31st. So correct, you know that even if you are not elected again, you're still a board member through that
029time and have every right to make decisions. >> Also, I did hear you say it's going to be reviewed twice a year. Correct. So >> it it is it is um and and the goals and the objectives um they they do pretty much stay the same, but if they do need to change, then that comes back to for procedural that would come back to the board of education um for for refinement. That would be board action. So, um, yes, absolutely. So, it's reported out. Exactly. >> Have you looked at our current strategic plan? >> Yes. >> I'm just curious, does our current strategic plan say that we start to look at the new strategic plan 14 months before it comes to a renewal? Is that in there? >> No, I believe that is in your
030current strategic plan, but I don't I've written a lot of strategic plans. a lot of part of strategic plans and rarely does the strategic plan say when you should start working on the next strategic plan. >> And I think one of the things I like about what you're talking about here is keeping the strategic plan a living document. >> Yes. >> That we revisit regularly and if we need to adjust things, we can adjust things. And in in my experience, that hasn't been the case in large part with our current strategic plan. Um there hasn't been a lot of evaluation changes as it's gone along. Um so I really like that part of the the design and the intent behind this. >> Yeah. And in different districts um in different organizations, they report out differently.
031Um I'm working with the county board of DD and they have a stoplight um system that is reported out on it's every you know like and some of it it's not it's just not started yet. It wasn't intended to be started either. So um so but it is a quick like scorecard they I think they call it their scorecard. Um and again it it reflects the it reflects the the organization whatever that reporting out is and sometimes it's quick and sometimes it could be um with a narrative or it could be it just depends. we work um we can work with um the organization. We want to set you up for success. >> Um that is part of the that is an essential core value that we have at the impact group is setting you
032up for success and we're not going anywhere. That's what I like about hiring local folks. >> Yeah, we're not going anywhere. which again and I will apologize because I wasn't at the May 5th meeting but that does bring up another question in talk and I did a little backchecking and in talking to at least the last two boards that were involved in a strategic plan they did it within the board. >> Yeah, >> we did not bring a third party in to do it. >> And so let me let me say why we're bringing in a third party and I also want to address the concern about the cost. Uh this did not cost the district any additional monies. This was money that was set aside uh through our educational service center with our f
033foundation dollars and so there were some um retirements that happened and also some reductions in some contracts and so that money was already there. So this is not any additional um money. The reason you want to bring in an outside facilitator because it brings an unbiased perspective. That unbiased perspective allows for you to build that communityowned trust that's needed. Um the strategic plan is a road map. It tells you exactly where you're going, where you're going to start, where you're going to end. The current strategic plan uh that we have, if I were to go around and ask people what the vision is, what the number of goals we have, what each one of those goals say, many people would not be able to articulate that. this is a something that we want to have
034an invested interest in. We want to not have it on the shelf. We want to set direction. We want to know where we're going. So, being involved in the strategic plan starting early so people understand and that we get the number of people that we need uh all across the Storm North Falls community to have an invested interest in this. The earlier we start the better because 2026 will be here before you know it and we will have to unveil a new strategic plan and we don't need to start later. We need to start earlier. >> And I would I would say um when we were first talking about uh this possibility of having a third party help us with this. Um, I did kind of reach out to some of my schoolboard contacts around
035the state and it is pretty typical for boards to have some assistance in getting solid community feedback in generating the strategic plans. Um, I can't speak to why previous boards here did not do it that way. Um, but it is pretty standard practice for most boards. >> And I want to add um to Dr. Gold's comment about being um really not biased. Um really when we are doing the focus groups, we ask somebody a leader somebody a leader in the district whether it's Dr. Gold or um one of her uh cabinet members um introduce us and then they leave. They leave. You leave and it is totally and that's that's for our staff including our intentionally making sure union representation is at that table. Um so it it it is truly unfiltered. um feedback and
036it's not a complaint session. People are at that table. People are there because they want they want to they want to see that vision and they they want to make a difference. Um >> right. We're going to get more honest and and easy. you know, we're going to it's going to be a lot easier to get that feedback from folks when it's being led by someone outside of the district than we're not dealing with, you know, trying to give the right answers or the politically correct answers in that situation. We're hopefully getting true impressions and feedback from the people involved. So, just to get some clarity, this educational service center is where these this $34,000 came from. Um, could that money, let's say we didn't do this here, could that money have been used for
037the children in any way? >> The strategic plan is going to be used for the children. Your first two goals of the strategic plan right now are focused in on children. We talk about curriculum and structure. We talk about wellness of kids. All of those things. Again, this is for the children. This is for the staff. This is for the community. That's what a strategic plan is. It is not anything in isolation that does not fit into what our goals, our mission, and our vision is. No, what I'm referring to, yes, I assume that this plan is for the children of the district, but as far as again, the money, could it have been there to help with any kind of costs or any that >> in all due respect, that is entirely off topic?
038>> No, I'm going to answer. >> Okay. >> That that $34,000 the work that is going to take place in the gold areas, that work is for students. We are here for students in whatever we do. So that $34,000 is going to impact them to come back and take care of us because we want them to come back and be productive citizens. So whatever we step out in those goals is helping students. I'd like to add that, you know, as as one of the primary roles and functions of a board of education is to set long-term goals and strategic planning for the district, which is directly um affecting student outcomes. Um so you know the fact that we are able to engage with um long-term educators in a especially from a very successful district um
039that is very well regarded in the state I think is a a boon for us >> and I do think that in dealing with the uh the document that we have been dealing with it's cumbersome it's difficult to uh understand and manage there's far too uh any um goals with no action steps and no measurable um uh no no way to measure success. And uh therefore I think that um we could not spend these dollars in a better way than than to uh engage and make a um successful long-term plan for our students. >> Right? The goal is for for everybody to be engaging with this plan and have an idea of what that overarching goal of the organization is and have that investment in what the goals of the district are. And with that
040investment, we're going to see outcomes. >> Um, one last question in regards to the finances. Um because again I wasn't there on the 5th so I don't know the entire conversation. Uh was this put out to bid or was the impact group the only group that was was approached? >> On the May 5th meeting I shared that I had several um proposals and the impact group actually came in at the lowest of those proposals and had more expertise than the other proposals that I had. >> And Mr. She I understand you missed that meeting, but that meeting was the time to have these discussions when we were approving the contract. >> Well, I wasn't there and I'm asking that now. >> It might be helpful just as this process goes on to go back and
041watch that meeting too because it's all there for you to answer the questions uh the the discussions that were had during the process. And if you have questions um during the process um please um you can funnel them through Dr. Gold um or if you want to and and she can share them with us. Um whatever your process is for that um tonight is not your only night. If you wake up or you're driving to work or you're driving home or you wake up at 2 in the morning thinking h I wish I would have said that. Um please know that we are available um via email and phone call at any time. Happens all the time. Mr. Shan, I I appreciate the question about um doing it internally versus hiring um someone to assist
042with the process. Um uh school districts can do it by themselves. Um it's a tremendous challenge um for them to do it. their administrators have um heavy loads. Um and uh and in addition to the um kind of the unbiased um third party um as listeners um it's just difficult to engage the community on that scale. Um and to process that amount of information, whether it be from the focus groups or certainly when we're talking about um reading through hundreds of surveys and processing that information and generating the themes, it tends to be a tremendous amount. Um and so school districts often um seek either someone like us or Mattel for Kids or EXMI or um other firms um to do that. You're certainly not alone as a school district. Um I would say it's
043more common for a school district to have someone to help them than not. Um some school districts do um go it alone. Sometimes they end up with a successful plan. Sometimes it sits on the shelf and never gets done just because of the workload. >> Um I appreciate the question. I would say that this the the current plan did a lot more sitting on the shelf than I would hope that we do moving forward >> but well-intentioned because there's a lot I can see just being in the schools for 35 years a lot of work went into that plan also. So I don't want to take that away from them from the group that did that and I I um and who led that. So, we're here and we're here to do the he that
044heavy lifting so your teams can do their jobs, too. So, >> okay, we're going to ask you to um uh start answering some of these questions as we go through this process. And the very first um question that we're going to um uh ask again um understand that tonight um you're offering your perspectives as board members that will help us um shape the direction of um that engagement. Um this is not um uh the what you say tonight will not be the final vision um for the um for the strategic plan. Um but let's begin by imagining that it is 3 to 5 years from now and the strategic plan has been in place and it was um it was successful. Um uh what where do you want the organization to be um in in
045uh in three to five years? um or what has happened that has caused for um celebration? Um what does it look like? >> And I I'm going to take notes. So, >> we'll give you a minute there to think about some of those things and then uh uh and then we'll um begin sharing and and capture some of these up on the screen. Give you just another few seconds here and we'll go ahead and get going. So what are some of the things you uh wrote down there as you reflected on those um those uh questions? Uh where you want the organization to be in uh three to five years or what does uh what has happened um over that period of time that would be cause for celebration? Um, I had several different ideas
046in in different areas. Like I we've been making academic improvements and I would like to see that continue um and expand. Um, I would like our students to feel safe, welcome, ready to learn, maybe be fed. >> Um, and and in buildings and facilities that are set up to give them the best chance. um staff who get the support that they need to do their jobs in the best way possible. Um and to keep similar to the kids to keep that continuous improvement moving um and and who work together as a team uh who have that investment in one another and the kids and and the district as a whole. Um, I'd like to see us continue spending within our means and keeping our budgets balanced. I think that's an area of challenge as we
047see some of our funding sources shrinking. Um, but uh, you know, we've we've managed to keep that budget balanced the last couple years, and I'd really like to see us keep doing that. I think that builds a lot of of trust with the community. Um, and I'd like to see maybe a closer relationship between the district and our communities. >> Um, I'm I'm not sure exactly what that looks like, but but more maybe more teamwork there as well. >> When you say um a close relationship between the district and the communities, um, do you mean uh uh um city administration? Do you mean um uh with community members as a whole? Um what are some of your thoughts on that? >> All of the above. I I think we we do have those relationships with
048like city officials. >> Um and those have continued to grow. >> Um but I'm I'm envisioning more interaction as a whole from the community. you know, are there ways to bring more community members in to offer things to our kids and and vice versa to have our kids going out and and helping the community. They do, right? That's there. Um maybe have that continue to grow. >> Great. Thank you for getting us started. >> Others, uh I have um making sure that students are at the heart of every decision, big or small. Um, and I'd like to see our administration, our unions, and our school board um, all working together in harmony. And I think that we could, uh, we could grow our Stow Monroe Falls relationship. I think we have room for that because
049I think that a lot of times Monroe Falls feels left out. I don't know, maybe Tina can speak to that a little more, but I feel like whenever I speak to some, we we drop it all the time. It's people say Stow High School or, you know, even even sometimes uh uniforms are branded as Stowe and I think, you know, we need to to make sure that we remember that we are a two community district. Um, and then I I I wrote our community is very supportive across the board. Um, and we should capitalize on that bulldog pride. Um because I think whenever whenever we put a call out for anything, whether it's, you know, um this family needs help or, you know, whatever the case may be, this community knows how to show up.
050Um and I think that we can if you know, if we can figure out a way to capitalize on that a little more, um that it would be good for students. And then finally, I'd say I'd like to make sure that we're right sized and um hopefully moving towards new buildings while we um have make sure that we're focusing on what our district should look like in 30 years at that time. and and you know making sure that we're not you know making our buildings too big and and making sure that uh that students are getting the best educational opportunities in the classroom because I think right now our buildings are are set up for what education looked like 50 80 years ago. Today is different and we don't have the space we don't have
051the right space for them and I would really like to see them thriving in in a better environment. >> Great. Thank you. Thank you. Um, and by the way, um, we're going to be capturing this in bullet points tonight almost as reminders of what you said if you want to look up on the screen. Um, but don't worry if there's something that we kind of missed. The very nice thing about this, one of the nice things about this being streamed and recorded tonight is that we get to go back and reference against it. So, um, if you feel like, uh, we missed a point or something, we'll go back and catch that. >> Yeah. No, I'd say big picture here is, you know, to be a top 10 district in the state. You know, just
052having been a coach, I'm always kind of focused on, you know, that aspect of of um something that would bring pride to top 10. You're top 10 of anything. You're pretty good. Um, and then more mechanical stuff, and this is me personally, but you know, I'd like to see the elimination of the Chromebooks and get back to books and get back to real learning and not the dependency on technology. Um, and then there's more, but I just the other one here in this in the fairness of time is uh the just allowing the teachers to teach and and get rid of these endless surveys and this focus on mental health. you know that that's what the parents are here for. So, >> thank you, Mr. Chan. When you think about top 10 district in the
053state, do you have particular measures that you would think about for that or um >> Well, I don't know, but and what got me thinking about it, we got Solen right up the street, who I just saw as number five. So, what's Solen doing? They're right in our neighborhood. >> Yeah. So, some of those um academic measures that they use to rank school districts in the in the state. Yeah. Right. Thanks. >> Um, I'd like to see us continue to uh put professional policies and procedures in place so that everyone that works for the district feels that they are respected and treated with dignity. Um, I'd like to see us fill the gaps in the educational system to have some earlier testing of the students to make sure um, you know, we can catch things
054like dyslexia or other um, learning uh, hurdles in the kids before they get too far through the system. Um, I'd like to see us engage our alumni more. We don't really have um an alumni office or any kind of um person that they can reach out to or we can reach out to them. And so I had a really good experience at um one of our events where I sat at our booth and we had stickers for the alumni and so many people came up and really just that little symbol. They were so excited to get that and really, you know, told you what class they were from and, you know, how much they loved going to school uh in the Still Monroe Falls system and um so I think it's really important to tap
055into that pride that they all have uh going to school here. >> Yeah. Great. Thank you, Miss Lady. I I love that you mentioned our alums because that's also um our alumni are such a resource for our students, for our district. Um that Yeah, I think you're right on that. Mhm. And I I do think we need, you know, quality facilities in order to make our district the district of choice that people will choose to move here to go to our schools because they are the best. And I think that we need to embrace technology and prepare our kids for the real world that's out there where they're going to have to deal with AI and they're going to have to deal with all these new things coming uh down the line and know how
056to use them properly uh and know to watch out for things that might be a scam or whatever. and we need to make sure that they're prepared for the future and the future is going to have that technology. >> Thank you. >> And that reminds me of something that that I um forgot to say. I mean obviously we need students who are ready to step off into adulthood and into the world of work. Um which includes technology skills. It includes practical skills. It includes those three Rs, right? It includes those soft skills of getting along with one another uh and working together in groups. Um but that made me think, you know, one of our strengths uh is our variety of CTE programs that we have through the sixth district >> and we have a
057lot of students um who benefit greatly from that. And I wonder if there's opportunity there to potentially keep growing and keep responding to changes and to what the students need. Uh we've had several problem or programs over the last few years that have um changed in response to, you know, changing realities that the students are going into. um and to make sure that we're continuing to update those offerings and and making sure that we're also kind of meeting those employment needs of our local businesses, right? Like are we are we making sure that our kids are learning skills that, you know, they could go down the street and and grab a job? >> Yeah. But I I just want one caveat with that technology piece is they still need to know how to talk to
058people. >> I find I find a lot of our interns if we ask them to do a task and people don't answer the email, they don't know how to pick up the phone and call them then and follow up. and and they need to be able to still actually talk to people versus email and text and all those things. So, yes, definitely. >> Again, >> thank you. >> If you don't think that I'm acc we'll go back and watch it, too, but I'm trying to keep up the large screen in public. That's great. Yeah, >> I have some misspellings. But >> anything else as we think about those questions from the the the vision um or uh or what the district looks like in uh in in 3 to 5 years? >> One last thing
059I think I'd like to add is just if there's any way we can still try. I I know academically we've accounted for the gap that co has you know uh you know hit with the students but I still think I think a lot of that soft skills is related to that. I think a lot of the COVID um pandemic caused a lot of issues with some with our students and um I don't know if there's a way to address that but it seems important >> I think especially with those soft skills like there's some catching up to do from the years of less social interaction. Thank you. We're going to move on um to um strengths. Um Darin is going to uh facilitate this part and I'm going to take my uh shot at keeping
060up with you on the keyboard. >> Okay, >> I have it ready for you. All right. So, this is the f this is what I've lo this is one of my favorite segments is strengths because there are so many times I think boards of education or administrators or or or staff members um we get so bogged down in the day-to-day work that we don't pause and say, "Oh my gosh, what do we do really well? What is cause for celebration and what makes you proud? You ran for this board. It wasn't for the the paycheck. Yeah, trust me, I know. Um, it wasn't for the paycheck. It was because you wanted to make a difference to something bigger than yourself and because you believe in kids and you believe in serving your community. I mean,
061those are main reasons why people run for boards. So, which is great. So now take it this moment, take a few moments to reflect and jot down what do you feel the Stow Monroe Falls schools um do really well? What is cause for celebration and what makes you proud? Okay, Phil is running low on battery, so it's okay. We'll figure it out. We're good. You have some time so you Okay. So, what do you feel you do really well? >> I mean, I mentioned the CTE programs. We have amazing opportunities there for our kids. >> Um, our arts programs and extracurriculars in general, >> uh, offer a lot to our students. Um, you know, like I've I've been to uh plays and musicals at the high school that outstrip the ones I have been to
062at Kent State. And you know, not to rag on my employer, Kent State, uh, but our our arts programs are amazing. Our band a win wins all kinds of awards, right? are, you know, we have a a huge variety of sports and clubs so that students can always find a place that's that they belong. Um, obviously our academics are are solid and have been improving. Um, and we have such a wide variety. And I guess I'm thinking like high school because that's where my kids most recently were, right? Um, but we have huge AP offerings and lots of different classes and different interest areas. So again, >> our our students have those opportunities to find those things that they're interested in and those places that they feel like they belong. Um, so and and you
063know, we have we have amazing staff, >> right? We have some award-winning teachers. Um, we have lunch staff who know the names of every kid who comes through their line. I don't know how. Um, you know, all of all of that and amazing administration uh and some real strength from from the top down >> in terms of our staff. >> You obviously reiterate everything Dr. W said because you probably stole most of everybody's already, but that's okay. Sorry. That's a good This is good that we all think that way. Um, I do think, um, I just want to highlight, you did say administration, but I just want to really call out our superintendent and treasurer. I feel like we've turned the corner um, on some rough years, and we have a fantastic team that is,
064uh, wants to keep students at the forefront and have us a lean mean, you know, fighting machine. And I think that there's I I just could not be more uh proud of the work that they do. Um thankful for them. I think we have great partnerships in the district uh with our community such as uh whether it's the um with our nonprofits like Rotary for Stuff the Bus or whether you know who the groups that got together bulldog bags for like the Bulldog um bash, the foodie palooa with the Stow Community um foundation. I really think that there's some really strong nonprofit relationships and then also I'm proud to have a district where we don't have pay to participate so that those um opportunities that Dr. Wind was talking about are accessible to more students.
065So it's that's my >> I focus more on just the uh the people >> and I had here you know we have a lot of very strong teachers who um can still perform who can still perform admirably while surrounded by challenging situations. >> Thank you. >> I'll just add a little bit. Um we have great opportunities for advanced classes. Our students can earn um like my son's in 8th grade. He'll earn two high school credits in 8th grade. So then he'll have more opportunities to earn college credit when he's at the high school level uh because he'll have more time on his schedule. Uh so um there are wonderful opportunities for uh advancement and to push the kids so that you know they can leave with uh college credit that's free. >> Yeah. >> To
066them. >> So those academic pathways that have been created really not only at the high school but at at Kempton, >> right? Uh and then we also have the six district compact uh with the surrounding districts and focusing on different areas where the kids we can really engage them what their interests are right now and some of them earn college credit some get licensing in certain areas. Uh so it really is a full range uh of opportunities for our students that um I know wasn't available when we were in school. >> Um and then CTE is not that CTE is so different now >> um in the advancements from even 20 years ago. Districts is amazing. One of the things that I've learned in talking with um our CTE teachers and learning more about our
067CTE programs is a lot of them are set up so that the students can they can get that college credit, go to college, they can get that license and go out into the community and it's not a predetermined pathway. It's they're giving the the students some flexibility for what that next step will look like >> that C tag to the course that they're earning that dual credit. It's my background's curriculum so you're speaking my language. Uh, and then, um, I'm proud of the fact that we really emphasize conflict resolution and teaching the kids kindness and, um, teaching them how to respect each other. And um that's something that every every school from uh preschool on up, they they really do a good job of um teaching the kids how to engage with each other. Uh
068so um I'm really proud of the way that our kids um behave. >> Anything else before we move on to the next one? Uh just like to reiterate on the clubs, my son got a list like four pages of clubs whether they were art related, um academic related, uh even inter mural sports if you're not playing on one of the teams. So there's a lot of opportunities there um to be a part of something uh even if you're not playing a sport. But let's add coaches to that list of things that we have that are fantastic and coaches. >> Did you get coaches? >> Yeah. And that's that goes to that sense of belonging that you envisioned that I think somebody talked about in in the vision statement and having those opportunities. Not all schools
069are able to do that, how important that is. So the next um the next slide or the next part is um is weaknesses, but I don't really like that, but it fits with that SWAT analysis thing. Um, so I like to say growth growth areas. Um, if you've ever read um, growth mindset set by Carol Dwek, it's not an oldie but a goodie. Um, but it's those things that aren't there yet. That power of yet. So in that spirit, what are the areas you wish to improve? what areas require either deeper planning and or resources and not only um money monetary resources but human capital or um some effort. So I'm going to give you a few minutes weaknesses or growth areas um areas you wish to improve and all strong organizations identify their growth
070areas otherwise they remain stagnant. So this is not something that is I don't want it to be this negative connotation at all. It's really where you need to grow. Look at that. All right. What are some areas um that need attention or deeper planning or areas that we want to improve? I think facilities are a big obvious. Um, when we're dealing with buildings that are I mean the high school is the newest building and it's over 30 years old, >> we're we're dealing with the other buildings all being between 50some and 80. >> Yeah. I remember when Wakeman was across the street where Markx is >> back in the day. >> Back in the Yeah. the olden days as my kids will say. So, you know, addressing addressing that that physical facility piece, I think
071is a huge opportunity. >> Um, I feel like we've already said some of this, but, you know, build continuing to build that community engagement and build that community trust. Um, I think there's opportunities there to build those partnerships um with businesses in the community and that might assist us with some of the the dollar piece um because obviously we've got to stay on top of our finances uh while we offer all of this to our kids and that that there there may be opportunities there um that you know sponsorships, grants, donations, I don't know but you more of that of those partnerships as well as that overall community trust. Um, I think as as we have um started to settle into new administration who are awesome, um, there's still some growth there to do in
072um, our our staff and our administration and that that teamwork um, and teamwork with our with our unions and making sure that that we're all working toward those same goals. Um, and most importantly, um, making sure that we're continuing to grow in meeting students where they're at and getting them where they need to go. Uh, making sure that our students are are ready to learn and um, get what they need. Um I think we have a lot of room to grow in just process improvement infrastructure it seems like every time that you know uh whether it's Dr. Gold or Mr. Glano like looks into something of how do we do X Y or Z? There's nothing there. There's no uh there's just no infrastructure and and slowly over the last year and you know or
073two we're starting to build that up. that you know there needs to be um processes in place and you know for and and um measurable goals you know even in you know department at the department level and you know there's they're starting to work on that and and and I'm happy with that but you know that's just something we still have a lot of room for growth on um and I think our comms are uh you know I know we have a new a new uh communication instructor but I think you know, our our communications are still tough. It's with I think ever since we lost the newspaper, we lose out on communicating with our our seniors. Um, and I I still I think that that's it's been a blow. Not, you know, not just
074to us, but to anyone who's lost their local paper. I think Hudson still they still have theirs, but I can't think of any other district that has it, you know, and and it's that's that's a way that, you know, we really we really struggle there. Um, and then I think uh investigating some alternative funding resources um as our taxpayers feel the crunch with property tax and as our um state and federal government uh attack our funding. I think every district probably needs to be thinking about alternative funding because our students need resources and we need money to give them resources. So, has to come from somewhere. >> Yeah. So, that's >> um I I just want to add uh I agree with many of those, but I just want to add clear expectations for our
075staff and our students. And I really am happy that we're doing this because I think that if everybody knows what's expected of them and has clear goals, then we'll be able to all move in the same path and and get things done. >> I'd like to add really quickly just making sure that our staff feels um respected and you know I think that we >> supported respected and supported. Yeah, and I'm not saying they don't, but I just think there's always room for growth there. And I think that, you know, everyone could do a little bit better on that. >> And I think that does go along with some of the processes um that that you both are talking about, right? When we have predictable, understood processes, goals that we're working toward, right? All of
076that helps everybody be aligned and be um happier with their jobs and feel respected by their upline and feel, you know, a part of the overall uh organization and the growth of our students. Yeah, >> I positively I do get a sense that the next few statements I'm going to make are changing. Um, but just looking at the immediate past, um, a weakness I saw, parents were intimidated to speak because they were afraid of what of being attacked, uh, of their child being attacked or them being attacked. Um, same thing with teachers and staff were intimidated to speak. I understand that or in fear of their job but >> so re retaliation. Yes. Okay. I just want to I want to in your mouth >> and I think that's changing where people are starting to
077speak out and speak up. you know, they've reached their point of that uh they need to do that, but that I saw as a weakness and um you know, already with just the shortness of the school year, but uh but I heard this, you know, last year there's there's just seems to be a disconnect between what the staff believes and what is actually happening to students in the schools. For example, bullying and um equal treatment. Equal treatment as far as discipline. There just seems to be a disconnect still. anything else to add? So, I like to go a little bit out of order. Um, the next part is threats. Um, if you took a science of reading class, this would be against that. Um, it does not follow our science of reading, but I like
078to end on opportunities because it's helpful. Um, but threats. So what are um the external fears that could strike at any time and what are items um you need to be prepared for. It's not it's it's it's there are things that are out of your control. So I will give you an example. This bianium budget is out of your control but you have to through your organizations whether it's OSBA or BASA or whatever you have to be able to be informed and then also be nimble to change and to and to prepare. Um, and that takes all those processes that are in place. So, and and that is not it's not good, bad, or indifferent, but that is an I that is an example of a threat um is how Ohio funds funds public schools
079and you know, and all that goes with it because it is a it is a little complicated for a lot of people. Um, so what are the threats? What are other threats? Um, what do you worry about that could impact the Stow Monro Falls Schools? and what are items that you need to prepare? And I'll let you reflect a few moments. who would like to share first. >> I'll go. Yeah, >> I think um there's a there's a ballot initiative uh on elimination of property tax. I don't know if that went anywhere or not. I >> but >> I think they have the legislature has um so many I mean it's months to to put it back to try to ve to overturn the veto. >> Okay. >> How many days? >> That's a concern
080for me because if it hits then that's not only does is education defunded but I mean police is defunded and cities are defunded and county boards of DD county boards. Yeah. It's terrifying to me. Um >> because Yeah. Anyway, and then I think there's a concerted effort from some groups to attack teachers unions. That's become a focus I've noticed over the last 6 months. Um, and that concerns me. Um, and then I think the the um continued um issued there are statements coming from the the federal government and like eliminating the department of education, things like that. Those are those are pretty scary for education. >> I would agree. I think a lot of that is is on my list as as well. you know, we have the the funding uncertainties at the state and
081federal levels. Um, we also have the costs of maintaining our facilities which are not easy to predict. Um, you know, a boiler can cost us I I've even forgotten how much money because it scares me. Um, so there's there's things about having those aging facilities that that cause difficulties and problems that kind of folds into some of that budget stuff. Um, I think I'm I'm glad that you had mentioned uh communication previously because um when when there's poor communication uh that can lead to distrust, misinformation, miscommunications um and and that's been that's been a challenge. Um and as as we look at changing our strategic plan, there's going to be some kind of change in what we do. I would hope because that's the goal here is to focus what we do. So we're we
082have to we have to look at how we are including the community in that and messaging the community in that and making sure um that they are on board for whatever changes we're making as a district because we can't exist without the support of our community. Um and I think longer term and bigger picture there's um a lot of potential for you know demographics changing in a way that we may or may not be able to predict. Um job situations and needs and you know the career outlook and and expectations for our children to change and we have to be able to to kind of flex with some of that. um the the work environments, the technology, just the expectations, the the fields that are most in demand, right? All of that is a flowing
083kind of thing and we have to be able to flex with that. >> I think that's everything. I'd say a threat would be the decrease of our enrollment because with the decrease of the enrollment, you're going to be looking at situations where you're going to have to be eliminating staff, which I wouldn't want to have to do that, but it's a real thing. Um along with the funding piece, um you know, we have some of our federal funds frozen and probably in the near future we'll not have federal funds for our special needs um population. We won't have uh reading tutors and um some of those services that will probably have to absorb some of those in the general fund, but uh in our district that's $7 million. So, uh it's a it's a pretty
084large sizable part of our budget. Um, also along with the property tax, um, possibility of of that going on the ballot is, um, they had a a bill to, uh, eliminate school board's ability to use income tax. So, if we can't use property tax or income tax, that really kind of leaves us with nothing. Um, so, uh, I'm not really sure where we go at that point because that it would we would not have the ability to get money from, uh, our citizens to support their community schools. Um, and then, um, you know, just the warm, safe, and dry that we're trying to maintain, uh, in our our current buildings. uh the 10-year plan to just maintain them is the same amount of money that it would cost us to build new buildings. So, um
085it's it's kind of either way you go, we're still going to have to spend the same amount of money. And I'm not really sure where that's going to come from. So, um, that really concerns me because pretty much on a regular basis we have, uh, some sort of facility issue. Um, and, uh, that's only going to get worse. >> Thank you. >> And unfortunately, there's times where those facilities issues interrupt operations, interrupt the the kids school days. Um, you know, if heat goes out in a building in the middle of winter, we we can't keep the kids there if we can't get that heat back on pretty quickly. Um, and that does affect our our learning and our opportunities with our kids. Warm, safe, and dry. >> So, see why I want to end in
086something a little bit um uplifting. Um, so opportunities and there's there's so much that weave through this and it's not we're not operating in silos for the SWAT analysis. So you might have some opportunities that were also um were also weaknesses or they were part of the visioning um pieces of that or strengths even um to build upon those strengths. So opportunities, are there available resources that you don't currently leverage? Who is willing to help? And where can we find community support? and really focusing on those opportunities on those three questions. But it can you can make it broader if you choose if you think of something [Music] All right. Who would like to share? >> Mr. Sheen. Um, and I've heard this for a long time and it just kind of hit me again
087is I think an opportunity because of the number of seniors that we have in the community here and the amount of businesses to either institute or to make it easier for them. uh because I hear about them wanting to tutor or assist or mentor, but there's all these kind of hurdles >> because of administrative union things or whatever where, you know, you have people that have life skills and they're willing to donate their time and they're told no. So, trying to figure out how we can better uh capitalize on um you know, what's right here at our fingertips that will help the students >> and maybe removing some of those barriers. There's a lot going into buildings now. You there's a for safety reasons too and managing safety too. >> Yeah, >> I would say
088I I agree with with a lot of that. Um I had written down our senior citizens and our high school volunteers. I think that goes both ways, >> right? that there's opportunities um for our seniors to come in and offer things to our students and there are things that our students can offer to our older population and that partnership could it is nothing but beneficial on on all ends then um and our business partnerships um making sure that that we're connecting we have so many businesses and an active chamber of commerce Right. And we have those relationships. Um, and I think there's an opportunity there to um to partner more. Um, and our alumni, as as Tina was saying earlier, you know, a lot of times our alums are excited to try to help with
089something, right? Um, and as if we keep building those relationships and that pride, again, it does nothing but benefit everybody involved. >> U, I think that we could do a better job um, working with our state rep and state senator to uh, access potential um, special funds. Well, obviously we're way too late for this year, but this ban bianium bud bianium budget, but um you know, thinking ahead to the next cycle and um if there's any, you know, funds that we could use for um for growth, that would be good. Um I'm was also thinking, we do so well with our six district compact. Is there any ways that our six superintendent could work together um maybe to help share costs? I don't know if there's any any ways that we could um leverage a
090larger buying, you know, um out of power. I don't know. I'm just just thinking. >> Yeah, like leverage the buying on healthcare or something like that where you if you have more employees, you can get cheaper rates. Uh however, I mean, however that works with their union agreements, but you know. Um, also I'd like to see us utilize our restaurant more. >> I don't think the community really realizes it's even there >> except on um what is it? The holiday um buffet which is amazing and then the spring one. >> Yeah, >> trust me. I have it on my calendar because you have to get reservations earlier. You're out of luck. I just think it gives people an opportunity to engage with the students and kind of see what's going on at the high school
091and um you know maybe we can get more groups. Uh I know the chamber of commerce is host hosting a breakfast at the the restaurant coming up. So, um you know, maybe getting more groups like that to host a meeting there and um you know, just let them see the facility and become familiar with it and also utilize the fieldhouse more. Um and you know, let the community know that that's also available space to them. Um, now that we have that um operational um and also with the alumni um I know the athletic boosters is working on um having a a Hall of Fame game. uh Larry Zanka who is an alumni and also a football hall of famer uh is going to be um a part of that and they're trying to get that
092scheduled. So just you know looking at maybe some of our very successful alumni and maybe you know utilizing that a little bit and just being aware of who they are and um maybe they can help uh engage the community. Uh I guess he recently put he went over to the stadium just randomly and sang the fight song and put it on Facebook. So, a lot of people have been sharing that uh and enjoying following him uh as an alumni >> and and we were talking earlier about making the district a destination of choice for for people to be um purposefully seeking out our communities in part because of our schools and working with those alums who have an audience, right? that that elevates our profile for sure. >> I think there's one more thing I
093was thinking of. Over the last couple years, um we've added um a dance club that's going to, you know, uh I think soon, you know, hopefully transition into a a sport. Um and hockey was recently added. So, I think we can if we continue to grow our um athletics. So, um to have opportunities that maybe surrounding districts don't have, it might make our district more attractive. >> It is my understanding we have all 28 sports that the state allows us to have. >> So, so at least under the state, >> you have girls wrestling. Do you have girls wrestling? I don't know if that's because I've been to a few schools and girls wrestling is >> it I know >> a growth area >> not sure >> I'm not sure if it's I maybe it's
094a like a junior I don't know you know how they grow up to be sports like boys volleyball and >> from a long time ago I'm going to add one more I know that we have room for growth to connect our youth sports through to our high school program I've heard that from a number of um >> coaches community members that we have phenomenal youth programs and phenomenal high school programs. So, we just need to find a way to make sure, you know, those Yeah. that that that the succession is happening and that the students that the the great students, the great athletes that are coming up through our youth programs want to continue through at our high school. >> That's a really good point. We do have some amazing youth organizations >> and there's
095a bit of a drop off in those middle years. >> Yeah. In that vein, I I would like to see our coaches engage more with the gym teachers. Um there was um like a shooting clinic for uh the students uh and they were videotaping the shooting techniques and showing them things. And I said, "Oh, the gym teachers need to be here so so they can um you know, teach some of those skills." I mean, I know they teach those skills, but to really kind of hone in on the details of it. >> To be clear, we're talking basketball shooting, not target shooting. >> Correct. Basketball shooting. Sorry. >> I did see a lacrosse shooting uh clinic, too. Like the I don't know. I don't Yes. But more commun but the point is more communication and
096more alignment opportunities for alignment between the um PE teachers and the coaches. So, they're they're speaking the same language. All right. Thank you. I'm going to turn it back over to Phil Herman. Oh no. What did I do? I did something bad. >> You did? >> Yeah. >> All right. Uh remember when I showed you this uh graphic, these last two questions that I have um for you um are really see the part where the uh the greenish or yellow overlaps with the orange right there. That's that's the space these last two questions live in where culture meets um um strategic planning. We know that all the things that we just talked about um uh um are enabled um by a successful culture within a school district. um they are also undermined by um a
097culture um that is not a high functioning culture. Um and so um when we think uh these last two questions um really ask you to reflect on your cultural aspirations. Um um again I'm going to ask you to think into the future and think um and and complete this sentence. Imagine it is um five years from now and you're answering this um in regard to your culture. Um we are now fill in the blank there. Um so we are innovative, we are caring, we are committed to educating the whole child. Those kinds of things. So what do you want your culture to be? This is a little harder than some of the other questions um u I asked you. But um uh so uh that's what that's what we're going to ask. And then u
098the next step from there we'll we'll think about what type of behaviors um do we think need to go along to create that culture. And we'll talk about those in a minute. that if you could complete that sentence, it's five years from now and you're completing that and you're thinking about the culture here and you're saying at Stoman Row Falls Schools um we are Okay. What do you think? >> I'll say we uh we are a place where everyone wants to be. >> Excellent. Consistent with the desire of a top 10 district. >> Say we are the place where everyone has an opportunity to find their personal best. >> To find their >> their personal best. for their success there. >> Good. Thank you. I just >> their future. I don't know how to say
099it, but you know, it's >> Yeah. Good. >> I mean, I used a lot more words than either of you, so I'm trying to mentally um but to me, we're we're academically excellent with all types of learners. We're a professional team. um welcoming, invested in everyone's well-being, staff, students, community for that matter. Um problem solvers, Dr. I'm going to ask you to slow down for just a second so that Darin can keep up with you. These are fantastic, but yes, >> the the invested in everyone's >> everyone's well-being. um problem solvers, innovators, >> yeah, >> a destination and responsible with our community's money. >> Great. Thank you. I put uh we are critical thinkers and then I and I put engaged citizens. Then I put we're bulldog proud. >> Yeah. I was wondering that bulldogs
100was going to make it up there in some capacity. >> I got it in there. >> There it is. Yeah. Um, >> great. Thank you. So, looking down that list, if that's what we aspire for our culture to be, a place where everyone wants to be, a place where they can find their personal best, academically excellent, invested in everyone's well-being, problem solvers, innovators. We are responsible for our community's money. We're critical thinkers. We're engaged citizens. We're bulldog proud. Um, I hope those words give you pride in hearing that and thinking about that's what we're setting out to do. That's what we want our culture to be. How do we have to behave in order for that to happen? Um and that's the second um piece. Um completing that sentence. At Sto Monroe Fall Schools, we
101find solutions. We smile. Um we um uh we listen, we focus on opportunities. What What are those? How would you say um or what would you describe to be those behaviors? And now we're talking verbs, actions, what we do um to uh uh in order to create these cultural aspirations. And we'll leave the aspirations up there while you're thinking um on that Okay. What do you think? >> Um, just one word that we're um we include. >> We include. Great. Thank you. >> We bring our best selves. >> Bring our bestelves. >> Work together as a team. >> Try our best. care for one another um and provide opportunities and support. >> I have we we set clear and measurable expectations and goals. >> We provide consistent and clear feedback. >> We hold people accountable
102whether that's ourselves, our students, our our admin or everyone. Um, and we remember to be thankful and show our thanks. >> Thank you. >> I put that we're good listeners, hardworking, kind, empathetic, and respectful. I would uh add provide opportunities for growth. >> Opportunities and support were on my list, but I think I fur Yes. Again uh coming back to um what you provided in terms of your vision three to five years um uh uh down the road combined with your cultural aspirations. It truly is um the combination of both your culture that you create as well as um the goals and objectives. I talked about those being a three-legged stool and then the communications piece of it. um uh without investing in all three of those um areas um it will fall short. You
103can remove um uh communications um you can have great goals and invest in the um in the culture and your cultural aspirations, but if you're not telling people internally and externally um where you're headed um and how you value them um and uh and creating those opportunities for two-way communication, it won't get done. um we can have great communications two-way, a lot of discussion back and forth and have a positive um culture where we're investing in the people, but if we're not setting a clear direction um uh at the same time um the culture will begin to deteriorate um uh vice versa. Um we can leave the culture piece out, not have those behavioral expectations, those cultural aspirations. Um, and we can have great goals and telling everyone about it, but if we're not investing
104in the people that are doing the work on a daily basis, um, and I'm saying, um, this is how we aspire to behave and to act. Um, um, because we want this to be the spirit, um, of how the district acts. Um, then eventually, um, your communications and your and your goals will fall apart as well. It's all three. And that's why we do that activity at the um, at the end. Um so uh that um is also a good um uh sort of measuring stick as we go to um create strategic plan and um we go through this process. We listen to the community. We surface um interests. Um we begin to draft goals and objectives. Um towards the end we should be looking back at those aspirations and behavioral expectations and say will
105this plan help us achieve that? Will they help us will it help us get there? Um we um Darin's going to talk to you about next steps. Um and uh but I just want to thank you already for your participation um tonight um for your um engagement uh in the process um for allowing us to um facilitate it but um for really just um digging in um and providing great thoughts in a short period of time. >> So just to to recap our next steps um we are meeting again with the leadership team of the schools um the first week of September. Um Dr. Golden and Phil and me, we will sit down and we will map out the best times for those focus groups. It was a priority first thing that Dr. Gold said.
106Um, we need to make sure that we're at every elementary. Um, and every and so we are at we're adding focus groups. Um, so we want to make sure that every that staff has have that opportunity to meet with us and to talk and have those focus groups. Um and then and we'll work with um the leadership team here and especially to make sure that the teachers unions are and this and the support staff union I'm are you Oopsy >> Oopsie. >> No OEA both are OA. >> Okay. Um your your unions are definitely included um in that in that seat at the table if they want to be there's going to be that opportunity. Um and then again if they don't attend a focus group or they miss that if something happens they can't
107attend then we have the staff the survey. So those come together and then we'll work on those um those one-on-one interviews also. Um so all of that will happen over the next four to five months and again we'll be coming together and identifying those themes. Even if you reflect just tonight now we're going to step back and we're taking we're taking all of that information together. just think about the themes that kept emerging and kept rising up. So, it really um it's enduring. It's not one person's theme. It's it's a collective theme that comes out. So, um we're excited about that. Um and then again, goals and objectives. There's a lot of of revisions back and forth. Um and then delivering a a strategic plan that reflects what your community, your students, um your staff,
108your parents, your administrators, um and this board want for their schools that goals, the goals and the direction um and provides clarity um in in the processes. So, and celebrating the successes along the way um and we're here to support you um during that time. So, we're very excited. Does anyone have um any final questions? Phil, you said something that really just resonated with me, but you said something. You said the words invest in our people, and that just sounds that just really feels like the the start of something really good. >> Thank you. >> I just want to thank you for doing this brainstorming with us. >> Thank you. >> It was a pleasure. >> It almost makes me coming to board meetings. I did say almost by almost. >> Okay, our business being
109done. Do I have a motion to adjurnn? [Music] >> Second. >> Roll call, please. >> I. >> Sheen. >> I. >> Sudonic. >> I. >> Wind. >> I.