(Livestream) Corvallis School Board Meeting 10/16/2025

001Good evening. The October 16th, 2025 meeting of the Corvalis School Board is now called called to order at 6:33 p.m. To support the health and safety of all community members, particularly those who are immuno compromised and their families, the board continues to offer a virtual participation option for members and district staff is available at select meet and Amber on how to the link to the district's YouTube channel on the school and recordings are typically the following. Tonight we have a Theres Bernie and attendance in person item on the Miss People's Day and I did want to say it has passed which was on Monday. Make sure to described as having dis came upon by whereas Columbus America has led to the introdu transatlantic slave position indigenous peoples and whereas the city of Corvalis day Benton

002County people before removal for settlers whereas education is a necessary component for creating a more justice community, nation and world to equity and this Corval school district hasally reached community and whereas the Corval school district has a responsibility to honor and respect the diver where recognizes the significant contributions made in our community by commits to ensure the idea of indigenous was by a delegation of native nations. to the United Nations. Whereas the state of Oregon recognized Columbus, the city of October as indigenous people's day in Corvalis since 201 whereas the state of Oregon October as people's day in Oregon since as this day should be recognized for the by the board of education of school district do proclaim 2020 as well as the second Monday of October as in strongly in members to join local

003and encourage all help appropriate ways to the local community, nation and beyond both historically times October briefly also say that indigenous people's day here Portland. Okay. The next agenda is board member have a report Shauna and then Chris. been a lot happening things that I know other board members too our listening sessions related to and so it's and was to be able to sit with community to hear from family members students and others so thank you engage in collect feedback appreciated opportunity to be at several of the listing. Um I've also had a of some of the innovation which consolidation discussion so I won't get too far into that but it's been really inspiring the educators coming together and but in community with students with community like so there's a lot of with community. I

004know in different coming um that very just honored and gratefully had conversations from the innovation team partners and families in terms of think are the skills for Coralis graduate community members for families engage I too have much listening sessions together and able to have time. I really all the effort into um Kelly all the appreciated They also update and I also wanted out Kim Patton for um making it easy for know very little is going on there at the pool and working along with the city. So I that and it was think you know we um very appreciative of having that information. So schools and who have been doing open um invited come in and the schools and just felt very welcome. I know that that's for teach staff to put those together. I just

005really appreciate that who also was able to out to putting together um a evening of just really good information and connecting with people. told her last night that that meeting fills my bucket. I feel um just some of our really positive. >> Any other board members? I'll just highlighted grateful to have the opportunity to attend them uh one of them uh they range from uh leave around 50 or in the case of one uh that was three excuse myself from that one and I trust that's it was really great to see the intention ity of intentionality of there in every language neighborhoods as possible times and I have seen the diversity of community uh to I want to really give credit to Kim and the school district uh I know you will hear it is

006partnership between the city to above and beyond to uh strengthen that partnership and focus on delivering value for our community members to be swimming pool. Um highlight I did not get but I want to share my appreciation to uh for a multitude of program. Yesterday there wasing bands and in a couple of weeks uh on orchestra. So, I just want to say thank you for the invitations and I'll do my best the Osborne that and it was really nice to walk talk with people the updates as um I was able to go to one listening session but in the one I couldn't It was because of a work and um being able to hear directly from the reports here from people's in those um spaces and then meetings that those conversations and then um I

007was at the DEDI and Delta meeting because of a work conflict as well for um evening programming this month is a lot but um and then also the student orientation um last time. So that wasble to see everybody there and so that's for that part and then uh the next thing on theation I can since it's the Oregon one and then uh for the board and learn the policy updates at the state level to guide the work of OSBA, local board um especially through their polic and training and guidance on UN budget cuts on local. And so that great information to share with our board folk in the region a fall next week for Lincoln one. So if you have not signed up for that if available I would encourage you to attend that. We

008also have national nationalations um with Kim and Brian with um as well. So, I'm looking forward to um details and um about that community. So, go ahead Sammy. >> Thank you, chair. So, as a reminder, I want to thank uh I bear for her as a president of the color caucus representative for the Lyn Benson region. I'll add one more thing. I would like to encourage my colleagues um community members their boards to vote for uh representative uh on behalf Benon Lincoln region to uh retain her association has brought to our board region and to Oregon has been we nominated her and uh every board representing the region. So I would encourage my colleague out to our colleagues across on the national level. Came back from Salt Lake regional meeting for states region Coral and

009Oregon uh states on the national board uh that has been funding board. taxpayers uh did not directly contribute to uh this travel. However, I was able to learn a lot learned that I would like I will share them in a uh moving uh uh from the table from both sides. There is a best fractice handbook achievement in public from the office of the general in Utah and any community member to see this report. It's from general websites legislator. They had an auditor who school district similar to bill sentiment will do. So during the presentation I pulled up Oregon School Board Association OSBA's valuation 13 stand overlap they can uh but there are some layers that learn from them as interview they interview and also they level and they have best practices uh that they can

010um provide positive feedback school districts, school boards and schools. Uh so I would like share this with you and I'll share OSBA as well. I have three copies of to borrow a hard copy from the AI framework and it was really in uh training the best I ever had so far. uh I believe from either Utah or Nevada and I have the contact information for the person who shared some best practices about tools can search purchasing agreements where uh can an agreement of tools that has to actually maintain observe better value from altitude back I received D last minute. Uh tomorrow joining the first legislative committee on the national school board association and the legislative committee few things. One of them review the legislative priorities for the committee. Uh as you may know NSBA is

011uplifting the full funding of for special education uplifting uh title funding protecting title funds uh including other priorities. So I would like to invite you if you have any maybe during the comments period right now or uh between today and tomorrow morning happy to forward those on the uh also we have a legislative government's relation manager who has been retained to really help us advocate uh with members of Congress each from both parties and in the to uh protect education during these challen times. So that will be the charge of the committee and I'm honored to be one of five uh members uh from the NSBA board uh to represent the committee. >> Sammy and just as the national and state our local districts and being involved that are being passed national since there's some

012of us that are representing that. But uh next on is the superintendence report because happen so just a couple of things to highlight. The first one is that this is national week and I know several so it's an opportunity to as a reminder to our community lunches are made available free of chars which is a here and for an aquatic survey. So if fill that output into the priority areas, we'd appreciate you all doing that. Again, at the ESD able to make that I'm sure that they will be talking about the challenges that we Um that is thanks Ryan. Uh the next on the agenda is public comment. Now open the public comment period of student comment as an ouration table outside and now it is your turn to speak. Please take a seat. Microphone

013too. Um may offerism of district oper right here. And when you have 30 red to um follow, we'll have three minutes to engage in conversation. Members would like to revisit a during public comment agenda. And again, um some folk have heard me say this before, but that's a really um hard part. Engage in convers during public comment period. Before you start your comments, please please your name for the record and state the school. >> Oh, we have an online one. >> No. [Music] Hello, my name is Eric 2021 and I reside within the district boundary. I want to start by stating that I oppose closing shuttle and converting view to a K through8 for many reasons presented by others at the I favor a plan which schools instead their community members. I wantate the pervasive

014narrative that I've heard these previous sessions regarding this narrative assumes that has get to remain in close-knit classes longer. I'd like you to consider the experience virgin students to tell you about my autistic friend's experience in the district permission to use her struggled to catch up to grade level. In sixth grade, she discovered of art through the exploratory having love about school and a subset of the day to look forward to every day. She became more began catching up. June she graduated with a bachelor's degree in mathematics and she credits her middleive for inspiring and feeling nurtured. Classrooms and schedule blocks for each gave me a foundation on which I form friendship. schedule to the minute offered more stability than I ever felt in an environment of maintaining the cultivating passions that I still have

015rather than feeling lost in the social dynamics of elementary to flourish setting me up in high school and beyond. While these stories are not the entire student population, consider how your just those reflected in aggregate data in the board. uh input is closing two elements directly. The rationale is to retain the to of my question if I understand that my question for you elementary school challenged by uh capacity we don't if we don't have the capacity could you uplift what is it in the sixth grade in the middle school said that >> um I think it would be difficult maintain that in a K through one thing I would recom more over their schedule by at the beginning of the um that's something that is really helpful in the middle school model. Um, the schedule

016was like put up on the board and really chaotic K through schedule before a whole week before if possible. That way you can prepare over Any other questions? Thank you. Shen, are you there? Hello. Can you hear me? >> Just a sec. can't hear me now. >> Yeah. those hard time following realiz okay district one concerned that the bulk of decision uh school consolidation is already I was just checking boxes off and receive all the productive but you know district plan report tell them basically the same the current plan we still wait when the innovation team figure something out what are we doing about the CV that you know CV has essential we'll think about in three years you know if we them that year anyway FAQ if coming up with these ideas I and

017tell them to come back when they're pushed out and we've done them tied up 10 years plan for serious they're not going to do let's do $22 million a year that will help thousands the next three years yeah I agree all do our jobs then. I hope we can be working together as a community. >> Thank you. Does anybody have any questions from the board? >> All right. Thank you. I'm sorry I'm don't reside in the district but I've worked in the district for 10 years at Bessie Coleman quickly decisions about really spent time in the classroom and that's notative comment in any way observation for you to come in in the just those quick and only passing by like very I don't know if you've ever been and I want to make sure you

018know that anytime you're welcome to come in and have that experience with me and Real quick, I want to shout out Chris Hawkins. Um, very hard morning and so kind and gentle with us. Um, and seeing you on the ground with tense right now can be kind of and deficits sometime to see those. I don't want you to come in for the negative. want you to come in and experience the um and I want you to get to experience firsthand the things that our kids are doing and seeing our student we get to hang out with these cool humans. Um they are the ones who really know our students strengths. Um we know um we want the best for them. They deserve the best that we can give them. Um the only way is going

019to be able to do that if we are at our the currentation plan. and teachers are already worried about not having a job involuntary classroom. >> Um, I work at Crescent Valley on a um shoot me an email um and I can figure all that. I'm gonna um about like what do I want to when I see you I don't know it's just really always so much more and I'm always wishing like stayed around to see this um and those you know like there's just It's really get to show wondering like has anyone um and like I would just start that conversation. Thank you. And then my um can you email Oh, would you be able to do that? >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you, Kira. there. Yeah. >> Live

020withinely work at um working. So, um I've had minimal interaction district office staff five years as a mental health skills and it continues to be true at the beginning of my second year in the SEG. Um those have made me feel concerned, upset with of inerson connection and uh and staff the district level injury that my when you can prize in my view committed safety of its students and staff and the district has been okay results pertain unbelievably hard work to be involved in Sometimes spending up to 30 minutes in a break space using to protect tears are frequently part of this experience and sometimes us out of the urgent care. I'm not talking about minor. I'm talking about concussion. We have to return to work. continue to support students physical and emot have done

021that kind of work. Never done that kind of work. We to kill in the break space job is not for every shouldn't be skill again to support students in the SCG to develop healthy expressing anger or frustration more than what is currently happening but at the administrative spoken about the updates. Do you only tell your time is up? I might have to ask you to >> could you maybe a minute more? >> Perfect. >> Um puts into the importance of who spend the most time with students in the courts. My response, highly trained mental health and hire to help reimagine weights. the in the alter and bridges summary wherement to safety wellbeing for students and staff physical incidents at the elementary level who is going to respect what we bring us to make this program

022safer everyone one deserve better. Thank you. >> Thank you, Chris. It was already on the boundary have two when we talk about capital money budgets cost it's not about what we spend on our kids what we build in them knowledge creative confidence develop over time. It's what see where they fit into the world together. Those things form path efficacy belief in themselves transportation routes talking about is disrupting the kids means few to participate when the number of programs team narrows access team art class and those ability always show up in data right up in many and over. We are human capital isn't about it's about relationship. It's meaningful. And when those conditions weaken, our whole community loses some of its collective strength. We're moving for ask resources down the most val purpose and possibility. Once

023those pathways, they're so very hard. Oh, sorry, Sammy. is that there were a set of goals including the schoolboard goal equity. Um the programs that we want to protect uh saving the for the value they bring that you think we can meet uh the promise that you the human human capital preserving and focusing on relationships and belonging. Is there anything missing or you want to of a particularly in the from these list. Community schools are referred to as like our ele but Crescent Valley is a community school thing that of all of the community not just >> Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Hearing no further is now closed. Thank you everybody bringing your voices in for this um for the public comment period we get started since it is a larger block of time we're

024going to go ahead and take a short break at this time and then we'll Okay, welcome back everyone. The um next item on the agenda is the con consolidation work time and discussion. So um I'm going to turn it over. >> All right. So, um I'm going to give a little bit of uh information for you as we move into forward anosal again an initial for your feed since that time packet we've included the questions docu the information in those through the listening sessions where one of the questions is about questions that folks have. also sometimes they and um as IQ have continued to update that also questions. Um out of listening sessions we asked to take all of the information through code, through the listening and also through all and put that together into

025um they broke down four questions into themes and sub themes and related to each of the four questions that also in your packet based on But at the same time, if there's you want to tonight or by the conclusion of the meeting tonight so we can that information to make a decision state um how this process on I think it's in such a way that individuals are able to that's not vantage point of a con to be able to ask the creating a safe space for those. I know a topic that has a lot of um members and I also listening um you've been thought you to be able to um so I'm going to answer the question um space for you to ask um And again at the end of the meeting I'd like

026to have our team that would be valuable to know. Um so what I've a list I think would help us in this conversation uh moving forward. So what are our long-term goals for student learning equity and community engagement? How does our current proposal support or hinder those goals? What values and priorities have we heard from stakeholders so far? How do we define success once consolidation occurs? And then finally, the one that I've mentioned or alluded to a couple of times, what direction or next steps do you have for me as to the board? So, what I was hoping to do is work our way through those questions. Um, I also want to make sure that um because this is work a work session, if those questions don't align what you the questions that you have,

027I want to make sure that there's space for that as well. Um, so I'm open to modifications if be, but I did think it was important to touch on some of those key um key aspects to any proposal that comes forward. >> Thanks, Ryan. So, how does that sound to sound good? >> Okay, before we get started, I do want to um make one um point um two points that I think are important in terms of the documentation that you have. The first one is related to um the stoplight report and in that um we read um the consolidation or closure of two. Our thinking around that was details to it about if we those students are close to the current local school buildings would go beyond if you boundary district. um we do um

028mean um significant movement in terms of that because as we were working through this we were thinking had a question come looking at it differently and isn't on this document um which was the request from Sammy. Um the last mean section there is around targets has 24 basically by grade to make that we're actually grow a little bit by on grade that I thought we should clarify um so there's yeah for this on the number for the target class size 24 what's the for Franklin for 67 compared to the other it's the same as at the other >> okay so we just >> here that there more clarification on those Sammy >> first of all I want to uh team for providing this data. help us two advisors to the board uh or student representatives

029and I want to comfortable or in my question is this is still a point of um one may ask with the enrollment being but not as declining since the 70s. Is there any insights you believe these two years so much to project for 28 29 20 uh I'm beyond this snapshot that got our nth 11th grade um cohorts um K three cohorts are as we've talked about um based on birth rates cohorts of 500 um over the um important to know level the intermedi are larger than primary grades. So will still be some reduction in our elementaryaries not as it was but more. >> Thank you. Sure. >> And so that middle school these need for middle school space is going. Um you're doing sixth grade. They're out from that start. Before we more discuss

030about these are for discussion I guess is >> these are clarifying >> clarifying questions before okay >> I want to see which ones we've I'm not sure where this fit but there's a community and I answer to the community beyond the say more. We're doing up with all the questions that are coming >> right. We have done the fourth section of that report. the questions we received our best to to make sure >> there's so much >> if you an area that you don't feel like um we're going to FAQ we Um, we're trying to answer everything that coming in questions that are in the >> questions during the community >> like because we get we have had questions >> and then there's the email >> I think um even though we're question so I

031appreciate that they are getting put into the FAQs people can see um thank you for clarifying questions about the answered one of them um report so >> thank you clarifying question okay go um a couple but they're I think they're quick before we have discussion. So one number out and it than we have the size of closed in a significant or important way we are that's average daily membership. So that's throughout this. So this is just a point in time also kind of an important um but so it would basically mean that decline in enire it was more than what we projected enrollment when we last subject of the closure on the numbers Um the as you answered this question, were you answering this schools if the sixth grade moves elementary schools? Um we were

032we've um the most recent one right two K5s elementary school so middle school and the capac towards cap and this is again at 91% keeping in mind that capacity in our mind is of that 90% um >> okay would be 84 and Lincoln >> okay about the um you would need to close we at the middle school uh the school. So doing schools is not close. >> It's fairly close. Okay. question if it's I'm not I won't the last thing I was hoping you could speak to is about the opportunities has had a chance to start conversial conversations about that recognizing that we're keep up. What I would say is that you um the board also that um the savings there creates some additional capacity programming um in um consolidation than in the initial proposal.

033on the last opportunity going for more aggressive and elementary any opportunity by going that's I think heard tonight was And that decision influence communities um culture cost that um um in making that decision. does that answer your question? Absolutely. of a community and I don't think we may be preserving tougher situations into Do you feel the same from now as well? I that's why there's about coming back to the um I think um there will be there will be point for this school in this proposal to save all of neighborhood school. This proposal is really and I also know the Ksix is in terms of our enroll and all and so have to make a decision as well. again it's really hard to go beyond what you in birth rates um and um just um

034those pieces are I think that remind us even as board We only have information for like five years and so we can theorize. I think we need to keep that um as we have the go ahead on the assumption reimbursement rate is going. Do you foresee a scenario where the state so in my career um where the state um pulled back the school districts a period of time where many school districts did for um and that um short term um understanding that that was the conversations we're having right but they have one difference is that we are also has um significant savings um and that was point in time they had spent out all of their savings. So there are concerns around funding for K12 because of things like Medicaid and how those um and

035so there um but my from that has only happened and about reserves in the school district and people have lots of those not spent that time neighboring community. One of the current um current hydraulics that we have in our favor. We have those understand that in the beginning of the year you set for would that capacity change once the Corvalis say there's asking for trans to one school would you change that allows more students it >> do you want to talk about our process >> from to the other is one of them is a resident and um another policy that connection um one of those that if we need to do it we can um the secondary school plus or minus number of high school students or middle school students that is that ex could

036put that into place to make sure to hold tight to enrollment process. So um we have a lot more students who transferred from CHS of boundary to CHS. So continue to monitor like and make sure that we're sudden more students are headed to CHS and we control that use [Music] >> has a question fall into the discussion. So just one clarifying question city summary in looking at the pos the enroll if there was a consolidation of something that stood out to me as a numbers this is something I just wanted to clarify and check my math on% 94% capacity but would be at 90 the percent. I just wanted to clarify that because that the middle school and then seeing to swing in the upper toward an 85 >> correct our enrollmentization factor. So that

0378 already applied correct. >> Thank you. Wanted to clarify that. and for community members when I first saw number about the um closure of um it's% rating. >> I thought you did Leah >> between the two high schools. Um passed the 28 29 ify which I believe is um use multiple carry all those students at um at there are a number of spaces that that are really important um across both have enough science labs in one of our schools alone we continue to improve our CTE spaces at Crescent Valley. Um we're going to continue to need as a and I so those are the kind of as we conversations around have to have in mind and there are spaces there um that we would be able to continue to access Yeah. So is that they

038also into those numbers and um so you want to at that high school at that time. Does that make sense? >> Yeah. I guess >> curiosity how many students as of >> maybe >> programs we serve we provide there >> that's including the GED and um College Hill High will round that approximate number. >> Just got to ask that because Great. Thanks everyone. Sorry. Yeah, fine. If you if you we want just move you've I um am my only request is that I know what I do next and so this the questions that to guide the conversation again. Okay. Do these feel like ones that we can chat about? >> I think is it are they important? I don't want to use the word important. Are they valuable to chat about or is it better

039to just move in a discussion? >> What do you all think? I'm I'm okay either way because I think like it I see value in like going over some of these to help guide the conversation and I also know like people might want to also discuss and so um just thinking about time too. So yeah, we spend a half hour asking clarifying questions for example almost and so I want to make sure that we keep that in mind as a board and I do think it's important that we take time in asking questions and having discussion because it's not like a this is not a light decision by means. Um so I just wanted to let people know that we may be asking ourselves to stay a little bit longer this evening too. I just

040wanted to put that out there ahead of time. Judah >> chair I do need to be excused at 9:30. >> Okay, >> either one of you whoever wants to say something. I was just going to answer the question of I I like going through the these questions only because our discussions there's just so much and I think our discussions can be very broad and involve a lot of different going through different avenues and this kind of gives us like a guideline where to start and bring in our discussions and our questions as we're moving along. >> Is that what you were going to say Sean? >> Yes. in a in a sense of saying I think they're helpful as guiding questions and maybe as themes >> because I look at it and I think oh

041one of my fit under the first maybe not exactly in answering that question but under the theme that question so if we can broadly >> define I'd be comfortable with that >> I'm about to say >> yeah I I agree with that too it's it's a good framework to hang on but I really like that we're starting with the long-term goals I We always clarification strategy what the long-term strategy is to inform everything else. >> Are you facilitating the questions, Ryan, or am I doing that? >> I think that at this point I'd prefer to turn it over to you. Okay. So that um it leads to more discussion rather than Q&A. >> Yeah, that makes sense. Thank you. >> Yep. Um, so the first question up there is, "What are long-term goals for student

042learning?" I think that's what that's what it says. Equity and community engagement. The box is over part of it, but I thought it was um, and if you have questions that I think that's a good idea, like you'all are saying, if you have questions that fall under those buckets, it would be a good time to bring them up, too. So, whoever wants to start answering, I see Judah unmuted. Um, so less of a question, more of a, you know, everybody wants to hear. Um, to be transparent to the community, my overarching thinking in all of this is, um, what makes Coral School special is people inside the buildings and that it's truly the the staff families and students that makes things important. So to be preserving as faculty and staff as we possibly can reflected

043this closure potentially this closure saving saving our teachers and saving our staff. So what do we get to keep out of that which we know we would otherwise have to cut if we're not closing a building as we're doing this and think about giving back all the um what what comes back high schools um school middle schools and elementary schools that was such library. Um, all the music and my that is my long-term preservation of our faculty and staff and providing as much of the things that we've had to slice down because of budget budgetary reasons. And I wanted to add on to what Judah's saying really quickly because before that a lot of EAS too. So I think that is felt from what we've been hearing in classrooms too as far as some of

044the supports that used to be there co money that went away which was a bummer but um I'm just it did show that it had results when there folk in there and I don't know that we would ever get but the the hard part in those two um priorities is that they impact each other ability to retain staff um in a lot of ways means means we keep more buildings open but by keeping more buildings the services provide begin to be um less is sort of what we've seen at our elementarymentaries over the last couple of years as in has dropped. And so it's really this piece between how many of our buildings do we decide to close and h and how that impacts the numbers of programs. Well, I'm assuming so like when we're

045making cuts it's been most of that is coming from FTE like that that's going to be regardless that's going to be keep so to say even to the community a little bit that by building here's the things that we are cutting that are not FTE that are not our staff who wants to go >> um kind of I think foiling off of what was saying about the idea of what we could restore. Um I think what I'm what I'm hearing and what it's prompting me to think about right now we use a model for figuring out how many people we need to be on the number of kids that are there and that makes sense because you need you need enough people. Um, but I think that the concept of restoring it could come just

046as simply as in saying that one of the things this consolidation process with is how do we give our buildings a little more flexibility by asking as part of the consolidation that we build in additional FTE to the remaining buildings that don't fit into equation that don't fall under the you need this many people um because this many kids but say we need this many people because we need this much contact. I'll go to our libraries as an example, right? Our not open all day and more kids in the building would theoretically maybe add a little because we've got another kids and so we need a little bit more in there. But what if we decided that what we were going to prioritize is when we close these buildings, we're put back in the remaining

047buildings adequate library time to say that's something that we are going to prioritize giving back. And I think that's maybe what that's what I'm hearing you workforce multiplier that a library space is for a school. That's investment to say we are making a lot of changes and we're going to protect this sacred space that is place for so many kids. Give teachers another resource and give kids another spot to be able to go. And it doesn't matter that the rate that particular building doesn't need seven hours. It matters that our kids in the building need seven hours of library, however many there, they need all day long. And so that's where think about the long-term for student learning open for the whole school day. And I would like to see us talk about how we're

048going to do that. When we and put more kids into a space, we need to reopen some spaces to more capacity. I think I heard that in the community comments and that resonates as something that um may mean that we save in the cons but it does give us something back that we don't right now have another way to get back. So anyway that's my thought on that and I if my question I guess Teresa would be like that sounds like and so like how do we as a board how would we guide that process? I don't we can't the process because it is operational but the question right now is what are our goals for students and so I'm saying that I think I it's not operation a goal is we're protecting access to

049important learning spaces when we >> restaffed in the community where you're coming from. >> Yeah. We because community we can't tell the buildings where they're going to put their staff but we can say student learning out is something that we think is important and now we're schools how are you and one of the ways is think about how do we protect important the spaces that the community has told us over and over are really important to the learners. So to um maintain expectation um recognizing that the proposal that we that we brought to you still has about a $2 million in reductions and 85% of our funding our dollars are on on and so to be adding people is with the initial um so I just want to make sure that we're sort of managing

050expectations around that that piece or managing the expectations of the board around that piece. >> Was it a direct follow? Well, and I think that's one of the tensions that I know I'm I'm holding hearing in too is you know in terms of thinking about some of these examples coming up of what what couldation a budget crisis in the community that was something that community members also acknowledged during listening sessions even if they came and said nothing that I like about the proposal or there's something I like about the proposal and that tension of validation that I've heard from a number of families in the community is if Judah back to point of if we knew we were going to something wonderful where many of the our children's favorite teachers were going or their friends

051were going to be there and they had more opportunities shifting hard we don't know what we're moving toward and so that's something that I'm thinking about as I'm thinking about long-term goals you know the innovation team isly engaged this forward. And just wanting to also acknowledge that the timing of that will be coming after a consolidation decision. And so it also makes it very hard to say where do you best put your consolidation to the best chance to actually be able to do things feel innovative that feel like there's the FTE to bring serve programs that are meaningful to students and families. And along those lines is uh coming up is the benefits of consolidation because we've been talking a lot about just consolidation of and so one of the questions that that comes up

052for me along with that is and I think thank Erica in public comment today on the pros and cons of a K- through5 versus a K- through6 model. what does the research say a benefit under what conditions of a K through6 model and so an ask that I have is and I'll defer Lou and to the board too in ter um even in doing some basic literature review that I've done myself over the past couple of weeks and looking at what are some of the pros and cons of a K through six model there are actually some benefits if the conditions are a certain way through K36. So just to share a little of and maybe if there's some messaging in the the district as well around what are the pros and cons, what does

053chance for this to work? Um there is research showing that there are actually stronger academic outcomes in sixth grade for six models in reading math as well as standardized tests. Fewer disciplinary issues, less bullying, better school culture and climate in staying in that environment longer, a familiar environment comes opporting on some of the things that Erica brought up in terms ofunities for students to haveed experience where they actually get to change classrooms where they have a schedule that looks a little where they have access to some of that that practice maybe not of that full they areations um and those opportunities there is research showing that a K through six model actually can have stronger outcomes for sixth graders but it's contingent on how and what the resources are and what the opportunities are way

054serving as a a bonus fifth grade year students aren't feeling like they have that growth, that opportunity. They're missing out on those electives on them prepare for that transition to school. So that was a thought that I had around understanding the district's on that and what are things we could look forward to if that model was adopted and what are the risks. We also know that there there are needs in terms of teacher endorsements, certifications, specializations and models around how um but just offer that as something that I think could be for us as a board to understand as well as helpful for the community. >> Sammy you I will take a stab at both questions one and four. What are our longterm goals for student learning and community engagement? And I'll I hope I

055will end with how do we define success once consolidation occurs. And disclosure, I'm going to cheat. Uh the school board and the community spent hours on a document in front of me which I'm going to reflect on 2024 2029 board goals and I'm going to highlight a few things. We have four northstar goals. We said and by we is the collective we community school board agreed that this is the document that's will define our four north stars that we ourselves toward and the superintendent will be held accountable to uh get toward and before we talked about this as we said student voice is a core tenant of school board should not predict or predetermine success in school. We want our students to succeed and have their voice uh and success in school um no matter

056what their race, culture, socioeconomic or family status or national origin, gender uh gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation. I know I'm saying things that are obvious for us and we hatch them a lot, but I want to elevate them because this is the we do that and what we want is going to help us with those northstar excellent learning experience where exceptional learning experience all students high level is number one and there are five strategies there. conflicting or challenges between goals as I reflect on those the second mile post or secondar is equa equitable systems want to transform our educational systems to be diverse inclusionary our decisions and actions create belonging for all students families and staff we have agreed on four strategies that goal third north star is relevant and engaging learning students

057will in relevant learning supports their short and longword evolving future. We agreed on five east and this is important. There's a fourth northstar healthy communities. We will cultivate schools and the district that promotes wellness through social, emotional, mental well-being of students and families. I did cross through some nuance in every goal. Uh we have five strategies there. The most important part for this conversation something we highlighted in the documents with asterisk and etalized what priority order and if we have four north and now we have a challenge or a problem or an opportunity myself about what are the long-term goals are the four goals sustainably being achieved year after year long term and I success once consolidation occur that we're not sacrificing one over the other and we're not of better words I'm going to

058use the common saying we're not being pennywise and a dollar foolish I hate to thing I I teaching in a class about cost techniques and corporate money is not the most important thing in in a company or institution. important thing I believe the dollars us achieve our goals long term and that wants us to really reflect value we heard the community it's not about the savings it's about what we do with it and I really appreciate Ryan's response about here's what you some things measurable that we want to be mindful of so to conclude what I'm trying to share center the goals that we have agreed on for the years 24 to 29. And all be very mindful that any hows or any techniques or any decisions now will help us balance our prioritization of

059all four goals with each other and equitably achieve as much as possible of four of them not one over the other long term. Uh mine is actually a follow on on ask um in addition to K to6 you are proposing adding a K to8. So I what I like to hear is what are you going to do with that program? What are the programmatic changes? What are the curricular changes uh that you're going to do in our community? if um so well there seems to be some sort antibodies against Franklin and and uh socating that are we making a complimentary program when we make two um so I about that and get more in addition to uh what Shauna asked Go ahead, Chris. with those goals that are or questions that are up there. My

060question is more about kind of an overall basis of uh what is our staff what our teachers saying with the consolidation and how are we getting input from them? I know they were invited to the listening sessions, but I also know that as a past staff member, that's not probably an avenue I would attended to give my input. Um, and so are we them involved because they are our future and um, yeah, how are we getting their input basically? Okay. Um the answers, but we'll just get started with them. Um we've taken both uh middle school um in the last week to talk about what the um plan proposal um how that would impact staffing so we could get some questions for them about what's kind of on top for them. But that was one

061point in time. Ryan spent tons of time visiting both schools to talk to staff to get their questions. I remember from Ryan sharing was that um the teachers are concerned about their kids like what's these kids? You know, they've been us we um we know how to move them on to high school. We know how to welcome them in from middle, but like what what do we do when they're going away? I think that is a concern that they have um as far as their heart but they are having opportunities to do some um planning and talking with innovation team. >> Yeah. So the innovation team has 30 staff members um on the team and um that group is not different consolidation possibilities but more about like um right now that team is really thinking

062about the future of of education in Coralis knowledge and skills we want students I know some of you got to partake in a few different versions of that um and so in that though what's happening is I'm rarely also getting uh text messages and chats and emails and phone calls from innovation staff members in our district who are like today at us sat and talked about about this thing and so I've been keeping kind of like notes and like lists to bring to us from um but the other part where there'll be more voice for staff in our pieces that we're working on is we're doing a backwards design um from the innovation team starting with where we want the outcomes to be for skills we hope students in our school district and we're starting

063to get feedback on those on those pieces. And so there'll be opportunities for every single staff to give back on some of that work. Um we just started getting feedback like from the district of students the first of December. All of our safe students will be giving feedback on that. We've surveyed 250 high school students on what was great about middle and elementary school and what they would change learning look like for them and what should learning look like for them. Um and then staff will have that those same type of opportunities to give that feedback to kind of go back's question for just a minute. I think that um one of the pieces that that difficult for us to answer that question is because we don't yet know what consolidation looks like and in

064and by saying that what I mean is are you leaning towards the proposal the proposal are you leaning towards going further in terms of consolidation as I shared before um going further frees up additional resources to in a way that proposal wouldn't. And so I um I I really appreciated um the perspective earlier about what it's like to be a sixth grader. Um and we're trying to make sure that those pieces are robust and we're limited by budget. And so the piece that for me to better understand would be that piece is are board. Um are you leaning towards the proposal and bringing back information um related to what that would look like with this? Are you looking towards deeper consolidation and if so what that proposal would allow us to be able to do

065because those two things are different. I think that's an important part of this conversation and that is contrasted with what it means for another school community to close and that is the piece that as a board I think is the most difficult decision that you have to make. Um and that where I think the that's that's why would be I'd answer it differently understanding that But I guess when you firsteded this proposal there must have been some thoughts uh given on the K to6 model and why you pick a K to8 model for view >> so so that that not that's independent our decisions is going to be so I just hear the thoughts behind that and and why do you that would good that was a a workable you you so I think so

066one of the things I think that's interest um just like assumptions about like rees like that and so our growth and experience department and our like leadership team there actually a function of our jobs regular not even through consolidation just ongo is to keep up on what is the best educational research, what is the best type of programming for students. I'd love to reference list because for months same thing of what like what is the best research and the pros and cons of K8s or K or K2s in one building and three fives in one building, right? And like we know from research, there's so many pieces that for different things in different circumstances. Um, and so really where I going back to and this is from like John Hadtie's research. If we think about

067collective efficacy that has like the biggest impact on student learning, the biggest effect size when we look at that and some of the ways to be able to build collective efficacy amongst time and space and collaboration together. And the longer that you can create that time, space and environment where that cross collaboration, that multi-disiplinary approach, that creative approach sometimes um with educators um you have a greater impact. And so part of the reasons when you think about K6 or K8, it allows for an alignment can happen that doesn't necessarily happen in a K5 or a 68 because there's built-in transitions between them. And so when we think about like the research you're talking conditions are right options and those intermediate grades that replicate more choice in scheduling educators can be for maybe a longer you

068know a more educ that can help students from K through six or K through eight because K8 and most research shows even has stronger outcomes than a K6. I think part of that the nuance educators have time to align and work together. So the eighth grade teacher can go down to the teacher and learn how they taught numeracy when maybe something at that grade. And so opportunity doesn't exist when educators are split up. And so I would go back to you could find pros and cons for lots of different models, but when we can create conditions where educators can vertically work together across grades for a longer period of time and get really aligned on what skills kids need to learn and what knowledge they need to learn each grade level and then they can

069backfill and like know what didn't happen in the grade level before um the stronger outcomes we can have academically for kids. So I think in the research I look what I look for um versus some of the other pros and cons that are more nuanced by funding or things like that. So I think some of my ask and maybe your was around how do weation with families more broadly. So you've clearly done a lot of a lot of that work and and even just shared some of it right now but in terms of having something thinking about rather than really just looking at scary things coming up or sad things and hard things coming up. Are there things to look forward to? How do we know that under what can we be asking for, advocating

070for, looking for? Um, so just a thought there. >> Yeah. And I just wanted to add into the part about long-term goals for community engagement that that's one like sharing information a little bit more because I think that could help answer a lot of questions if we know if the community like that you all have been looking at this because um I was on assumption that you have been looking into these things but there may have been an assumption because it hasn't been discussed that people thought looked at and so I think that those kind of things are important for community engagement and with the um with the community um listening sessions and the feedback. How many families do you think we have in the district? Is there like a rough estimate for a number

071of families? Um I think if you think families have one and a half kids >> students and we have 700 families >> then I would do that by 1.5 or you basically thinking about families as that and so >> okay I think that's for people to think about because >> this packet is representing 100 that is not reflective of the majority of who's in the district. So when I think of community or like how to call more in from community to contribute or to feel like there's a way for them to contribute and I don't know what the barriers are. That's something I think that is part of the ongoing probably I think that we've been doing what we can to increase um community engagement over the years. Um, I just wanted to point that

072out because sometimes people think that that's like if we did like that representable per thing, that's still like way under the majority of families in this district. And so I think that's important for us to think about both as a board and for community members that are reading this um information. And I think we have a lot of stuff in the FAQs too that um that is also not in this packet too, but is there's some crossover in it of course, but um because this was about community engagement ones. I do think that this process still works though and has helped give us really valuable information and that was one of the things with the goal kind of process. I still think we get really good outcomes out of it. Um, and people seem to

073have been okay with the goals we set through that process. So, I'm hoping that it has similar results where we're going to come to a decision that the can live with. I don't know if it'll necessarily means every because nobody wants to close schools and see staff go. Um, and I did want to do a time check because our we our past, um, I'm seeing where we are on the agenda though is if I can find it. We have so many papers right now. Um >> consolidated. >> Yeah. And so I mean we're still >> we'll still be okay if we another probably 20 minutes on to conver to the conversation. Can you add 20 minutes? Thank you. >> Yeah. Well, they're not required to be here tonight and I already told them. >> Yeah,

074they can go at any time. Um, okay. So, I think we've been bouncing around on the questions. That was my other thing I wanted to point out to everybody that we don't have to go in order and we have not been order. I think we've been going over these questions and I have I wanted to do a pulse check for the board on are we still engaging in these questions or are we doing more open discussion doing a combo because I feel like we're doing a combo. >> I think it's a combo. >> Okay. Are you all okay with still with >> Yeah. Okay. Just wanted to make sure we're all on the same page on the process for discussion and so we can chatting. Go ahead, Trace. So, um I I appreciated that we

075had um I also because this for we are information we this what uh quick search. I also found interesting information about the strength. It made me wonder if we thought about whether or not all of our schools should be K8. Um I don't know how feasible that is, but if the K model is as strong as some of the literature says, like really why would we look at any other model? Um was curious. So I also have an interest in understanding a more about the um you didn't happen upon six just because that's where the kids would fit. So I would not tonight probably because we have 19 minutes. Um, but I think it would be really valuable and I would appreciate understanding what made that particular model stand out to you um as opposed

076to um the other options that are and I heard you um maybe I'm wrong, but I felt like you were kind of maybe hinting at that we need to rip the band-aid off and say about what do we think of this proposal? Um because that needs to happen tonight. That has not happened yet. read you write on that that at some point you need for to leave tonight with something more concrete about >> I mean that's one of the questions up there is but then he then he kind of he said that but then he didn't say basically tell me what you think like I want to know are we at that point do you feel like we are at that point where you are looking for us to say this is what we like

077or don't like >> I think that's on there too >> what we like or don't like I can't even read that Does the support or hinder the goals? >> Oh, so I guess we're I guess we are stakeholders and Okay. >> Yeah. So, I think that was >> Okay. Yeah. So, I'm going to jump into the deep water then and say that I think the proposal has some things important and I I don't feel like from what I've heard from the community, I don't think the proposal goes far enough in addressing our gap and I think it sets us up if we only do this to be in a very painful position again sooner than we need to be. I think I would like to see a prop that takes us a little bit further

078in closing the gap and that closing more of the gap right now I think gives us the time to really think about a bigger restructuring of our district. We we know is coming if the the enrollment cliff is what it looks like it's going to be. So there I said that I think we need I think we need to talk about more cuts. Judah, >> I'm glad Teresa ripped off the bandit because I was thinking the same thing. Um, and horrible as that is to say, I would rather see the cuts that we need to make instead of making a big cut this year and a big cut next year and to have that transition happen. rip off the band-aid instead of stairstepping painfully making these um transitions to better adjust. What we know in

079the next two years is going to be the budgetary concerns and enrollment concerns that we have on this on the table. Um I would like to add in that it's not just our enrollment right now too because we're like there's other declines due to um state and federal matters that h are impacting our funding too. And so it's it makes it even harder for the current proposal to make sense text of what we're facing budgetary wise. And so I wanted to just add that in, not as like a challenge to anything, but more like I do I agree with you all on that. And I think we've heard from staff too that the this caused a little bit of anxiety too of knowing that there additional um I would like to add I don't think

080I would so far to say that we should put high schools on the table at this point if I would not recommend that. For example, >> I'm strongly opposed to on the table, but >> they won't. But besides that point, I don't know if because that's been another ask from the community is to just have that conversation now and I don't think it's the right time. >> I for you, Sammy. I did want to just throw in because I forgot to say um I am I would be extremely concerned about two elementary schools and then having to redistrict all of our elementary school that the majority of our students are going through a major change >> and it wouldn't address school issue in a couple years. Sammy, your up. >> Yeah. Um thank you Ryan.

081We can ask of ask questions freely. So I'm gonna ask a question freely here. You heard uh that we may want to go more aggressively the mandate quick and a little bit more. They say sometimes if you do gradual change, you're more likely to have stability and if you go uh strong uh sometimes you have pendulum swing back at you somewhere. So I want you to sell me if I would you gave us the capacity summary. This solves a problem here. What am I what opportunity for an additional elementary school on top of that? What opportunity am I missing and what possible instability other than creating boundary review uh challenge uh other than creating a additional school culture and community replaced other than these two is there any opportunities I'm missing from this proposal that

082you think is not enough for a steady change? So I I'm I think what you were a asking was what opportunities going further would provide. >> Yes. And are they worth the sacrifice that we're going further than what solves the problem for the day and probably for a year or two or three >> hoping to understand from the board. um as you're I'm trying to um give you the information to make an informed decision. I think that you what you gain from going further is the possibility of maintaining programming in a way um the current proposal does. Um the the cost of that is again the impact on a school community. Um, and at this point we'd be talking about elementary schools. Um, because we've already made disc I I haven't heard modifications to the

083K6 model or the junior high. So I think at what I'm hearing is the which would be the um closure of an elementary school >> and that um has um additional um community connection all the things we've talked about thus far. Um, not trying to discount what happens in middle schools, but um, it it tends to feel different to families when you have a 5-year-old. >> Yeah. Um in addition to that, do you feel the capacity summary for a model that you put on the table initial proposal plus an additional elementary school would the utilization with capacity adjustment still be manageable? Uh are we increase size less flexibility with class size? >> I' we'd have to do some additional modeling. What I would think um is a couple things. One is you would have um

084you wouldn't modify class size because class a ratio that you have in that graph with some slight modification because it's on the average. Um so that would be in terms of this the space themselves. Um I don't believe I mean we still have it built on the 90% capacity up to um and so I think we would want to look that well with as limit the number of schools that are impacted um so I wouldn't think the full boundary adjustment would necessarily do that for us or be need to happen. I think those are some of the other considerations. >> Last but not least you talked with probablyation decline in student population. Is it's unheard of where you have multiple uh consolidation steps within a decade or five years? Uh like do you see like

085some other school districts went aggressive one year the hassle of doing it multiple times in a decade? >> No, I think most do it um more ginger because it's painful. more gingerly is one side >> no more people the step approach because it's some change in the community >> um but I can tell you that as an example uh Bethl that has discussed here they um closed Clear Lake Elementary which they did a year and a half before it closed back at the table conversations about middle schools and are feeling like gosh I wish we would have done this all at one time at the same time decision because it's hard and painful to go through all of >> think about like how we're talking about it too like I don't think we should use

086the term like hassle and um just because it's think it it's hard in general and so it's like saving I don't know how to I would describe it but it just how that landed I don't know how that for the community so I just wanted in general when we're thinking words. I don't know why that word in particular stood out, but it did. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. So, I I don't I'm not trying to call you out, Sammy, but I was just kind of like I was like, is there another we can use? And I don't know if there is, but >> maybe it's just because it's so hard, right? >> I I think the word is grieving. Like this is gonna there's this is a loss to our community. Every in this community

087is cherished by the people who walk its halls and have graduated or have moved into a neighborhood forward to sending their kids there. There is no school that makes the most sense to close from how we feel about there are schools that make the paperwork side of doing this maybe a little bit easier. Um or it might make it seem like oh well this will give us the most return but that language is all that's language and we're in the land of feelings and we're grieving. I'm grieving that we're having the conversation. and we haven't even made I'm my heart is already heavy. >> Yeah. >> Cuz I've been to every one of these schools and I don't want to see our community not have any of them. And I also very worried about the

088quality of education we can offer if we don't do a hard thing. And so I think that I think the word is grief and I community the listening sessions were one space the boardroom is another space. Whatever we do we we have to figure out how to carry this grief together. because the alternative that it and our kids are off. But we can find a way to figure out a space where this will come at a cost to will look different. But no one is getting through this process without bearing some of the cost and um that is hard and is sad and that is grief. Judah, well just just to clarify what I was saying and to jump on what I don't want to happen is the community knows that we're going to have

089to take another big action everybody there's swirling around and everybody about well what are they going to do for the next because they know we have to and instead doing or even rumors for years too for that matter. Go ahead, Bernie. >> Um, going back to discussion and and something uh Bri Byron brought up, we have, you know, we increased the the time right from from K to 6 or K to 8 that the the eighth grade teacher or the teacher can look at it. But that presupposes of a steady environment where you're not changing the terms of that because if you're looking at a long-term academic change, programmatic change, curricular change, then we got to get resources as early as possible to make that change without additional need for disruption or changing course. So,

090you know, it's sort of like flying a plane. I don't know if there's a a place called one. That's a decision point where you decide to fly or you decide to down and and and line up for uh for takeoff again or board the takeoff. But the thing is you pass that point, you're going to crash. Now the other thing about V1 and is also you got to mature you may be able to take off but you need to get into a sustainable flight keep going and because it doesn't it doesn't do anything if we just you know take off and then crash back down. So we I I was looking at in terms of resources and the bandage uh you know ripping off the bandage and as bold a move as possible because we

091need to buy that room for us to be uh in steady you know and and and we can continue to climb and um I think if we do it if it's not enough basically doing a go around and line up for takeoff and you know what that burns the most on a plane gas because now you're you're burning additional resources yet no effect at all. So I that's what I I am sort of that's why I support the idea of looking at other options. And speaking of other options also heard in the listening sessions a few about um the K to uh K to 6 and 7 to 12 model. What about uh those both middle schools? Now we have that long run time that Byron was talking about and I know there also studies

092out there that says the effectiveness of that model as well. So so uh I think we should look at all options not just elementary school. >> It's like a really technical question about capacity too. I think with the with the numbers in the high schools, right? >> We've done we've done >> um the around a couple of those other models. >> I seen Shauna. Did you have your hand up, Chris? >> How about Chris? Sha and then >> this is so hard and so much I worry about like I I first heard the 712 model. I was like absolutely not. I can't even putting seventh graders next to 12th graders. I mean if you look at developmental that that's huge but if you look at it a model of seven where it's really two different

093programs in one school then I don't know like that's an an option I I think to look at but at point of the game just worried we've done all these community meetings based on closing a Now we're talking about doing some others which I agree that's is important and that we as mentioned before look at how we're going to reserve and save so that next year and two years we're not doing additional additional cuts and that maybe we can look at a strong program have at what at this time but I if we're looking at very different models at this time at this point like what kind of I just what's the community going to give them time to respond to that as well? I mean there it was some of their ideas as well.

094I just wanted to point that out, Chris, that from community that this one is not doing feeling like it's doing enough. >> Yeah. Yeah. And so I think that we have heard that feedback and the consistent thing that I know that in a lot of my responses and even in messaging is that this is a that was an initial proposal based on Ryan to bring us one option that didn't what we and that's been a very consistent message from both the board and um in communications and so I think that people would the an initial proposal that could be modified has been the consistent message. So, while I do think that people would be surprised if it was a different one that came to the board, have a first read on um we've been pretty

095clear that that was not necessarily what we see at the end. Just wanted to make sure that >> Yeah, I appreciate that. >> Yeah, I'm glad you said that. >> I forgot. Was it you then? It was you and then Sammy. Is that right? Okay. Sorry. I was like I should have wrote it down. We're also 23 seconds left of our extended time. Just wanted to We're going to let it turn red so I can see how overtime we are with this conversation. >> Yeah. Thank you. So, I I have a short series of related questions and just in terms of thinking about where to start on this, I really appreciate up wanting to look at I'll say deeper cuts, but looking at how we put more of the cuts into consolidation efforts that preserve

096staff, right? We heard from us here today that this is bringing up a lot of anxiety for staff. hearing that across the board because any consolidation comes with reduced FTE as well. And I think one of our goals is that we are putting more of the cuts into building FTE as well as possible. So in in my questions I just name that any if scenarios that come up also feel very heavy in terms of saying if this closed or if that closed if this happened. um we are talking about more school communities. So my series of questions, you addressed this a little bit earlier and I just wanted to make sure it was really clear when we're thinking about length of if school were to close next year and that was where the cuts and

097the consolidation cuts stopped the rest came how long would it be do you estimate have to have of an elementary school and then the same vice versa if there were one or two elementary schools closed this year rather other than a middle school. How long would it be in projections before we were having the conversation again about a middle school? >> Kim can correct me if Kim can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that you're probably going to be back at the table in about years to have another conversation about some sort of consolidation. >> Okay. So, within three years, we'd we'd probably be looking at both unless something changed. I I would think so. >> Okay. Another question. Last year and late since we've had this year's budget conversation, but we had

098I think it was about $3 million last year predominantly from staffing. And I know that some of that came from I don't want to make light of of any cuts to staffing, but some of it came from natural attrition of needing fewer class. And I know that of the numbers that was brought out was specials. I think it was about $800,000 was cut music-wise or or to other specials. And some was very very apparent to students and families in terms of the experience that students have. Some felt even though we're talking about people losing people because it come with natural attrition in the classroom. When we think about the $4 million that we're looking at for this next year, we know that now from all of these just very helpful estimates, $2 million in consolidation

099savings, we know that some reduced FTE as well. An elementary school is included in that because of the cost savings is about a million dollars. And so as we're talking about the need to look at might be what do you have a sense of the level of cut that would that you know it may not be a full $4 million because we're also looking at some natural that aren't going to impact student experience or family experience with the school. Do you have a sense of what cut in consolidation would help pres maintain a status quo of services and people for students and specials and options versus to add? That's a really hard question to um and I'm not trying to skirt it, but um in the middle of October with all of the things that

100happened during school year um to be able to say that I think that you position yourself in a in a more positive way to maintain programming um by ma making a deeper um deeper cut point in time. I think you are where maintenance there there positions that are lost when you close school that to be the case but in terms of maintaining programming um that we currently have it put you in a really strong position to do that if not the ability to bring back um some additional um program it's um I think we're we're close to either one of those by going further at this point. >> Okay. And so just in thinking about that and just wanted to chime in and affirm what other members have shared that it I think it's important

101to look at at least to consider what deeper cuts would look like whether that was um and and and I just even hate to say that an elementary school or looking at some of the other models that cuts not necessarily to consider changes happening all at once but some another ask that I've heard from the community is and just a concern is how this This has been a long process. I know that there have been so many steps that have come with this and the piece that the community feels the most deeply from the consolidation proposal was announced to the decision feels like the shortest amount of time for the >> and so a question that I've heard from folks is why wasn't this brought up or why wasn't it planned earlier. We are looking

102at deeper cuts. I think a piece of that should also be considering something comes to the table. I know it may not preserve things for the next year, but weighing out the cost benefit of one and one cut that is planned that deepens that con consolidation cut that saves staff in a second year know it's coming so that staff know it's coming. I know there are pros and cons with that too, but just to put on the table that in thinking about deeper cuts, wanting that to be a consideration for next year as well as just thinking about what a phase a phasing could look like if there would be helpful aspects of that. The two things I know I understand about that. One is the um process that Bethl went through. Yeah. They made

103a decision about mid-Marchch um not for but for the year that and the amount of um unrest or concern that that school went through for a 16-month period of time was challenging. Um the other thing about that is uh the other consideration is that um by not identifying like which building that would be we're we're kind we're having a similar scenario to what um have had in terms of rumors about schools for a while and those two things are concerning to me. Um, again, I'm all things that I think are important considerations. Um, and I understand the um pace of this and the pace of it is really meant to get the information to staff as soon as possible. Yeah. >> Um, I even, you know, um, spoke, can you just tell us now? and

104that was month ago because they just to know. And so there are those pieces in terms of trying to um come in um holding people and also coming in and um having a decision so people can understand it again that's I can see both. >> Yeah. No, and I appreciate that and I think in thinking if we had a phasing my thoughts would be being able to name and know exactly and you know students at different schools who may have an extra step an extra school switch whether it's a different middle school than they expected or in the middle of their middle school year switching or consolidation. thinking about those students and if they were feeding into calling already they switching to another school and then going there versus those who may switch from fifth

105grade elementary school sixth grade and then into seventh and eighth. So just trying to think of prepare families and students and minimize the number of transitions students would have to go. So thank you. >> Yeah. Thanks. Before we go, Sammy, I just wanted to um there was um something you said earlier about um about staffing and I think that we're asking for two different things from Ryan right now. Asking for him to bring a plan that going deeper. We're asking him to retain as many to retain staff. You can't do that necessarily, right? Obviously, there's it's just impossible to both. And I wanted to just name that because I pretend like that's not true. And um and I don't like that also say that. But I just wanted to bring us back into the reality

106of what too. Um, and I also know that there's a lot of staff that seem like um that there are losses to staffing in buildings that people may not have ships to like staff or custodial and things and people like that that are also necessary staff. Um, and so I don't want just think of only teachers in these conversations too all different. I know that in that building there's staff besides folk that people are in here that we've lost over the years too that we don't see anymore. Maybe the school board might know because see them and interact with them but they're gone. And so I think every time that it's hitting all levels, not just one area. And um I just wanted to I wanted to make sure that was also said. I'm just

107trying to make sure things are set here in our conversation. Sammy, >> thank you. I'm going to preface is I want to acknowledge what you just shared and also share the business that my colleague Dawkins have shared as well. I want us to commit. I believe we are at the V1 level where if we want to add bills and widgets, we either we're taking off going around the runway. So I will ask a few questions. The first one is a bit opinionated. Ryan, how early in the year would you recommend we engage in a boundary review study and a boundary review uh process if we would uh do that? How early in an academic year for the next year to be in effect? >> Um about this time would be when you would need this

108>> about this time. >> Um which was um which was >> microphone. Sorry kind of front of me. Um I say >> all right I've just been sitting here a while um I think we would need to be um up to that right now. >> Yeah. I was in that process in 201. I uh interviewed folks who were in the midst of it uh in the thousands uh where I believe Jefferson boundary I believe that in discussion time it was brutal it was challenging there was a cost so that's my opining there that in mind I have a question for any additional uh consolidation or cuts we want to propose that's appear to rationally you got to Go elementary, go high school, you can't go another middle, you got to go additional elementary, two elementaryaries,

109you're going to impact your capacity elementary sounds to be the only rational possible path. But I want to ask what is theal cost additional cost need to add for us not cost money al only time capacity labor emotional labor all the things that my colleague my colleagues mentioned which is uh cost you can't cannot capture with money uh the conversations that to get to build the trust this is the best boundary review plan that to commit with all the discretion that we're adding right Now I believe we're at the V1 speed and if you want to engage in boundary you need to plan ahead and and players over each other makes me question. So my question is what kind of additional costs we need to engage in to fully implement an additional elementary school closure

110or that's may entail um boundary review and it's an open question answer now or we can say maybe we need to come back to the drawing board. I think that you would need to look at that. Um, like I said before, honestly, you would look at um decision that had the fewest um schools impacted. Um, so you'd be looking at building and where those students would attend and looking at all the word. I think that's you would have to look at it at this point in time. >> Yeah. Thank you. Does it make any sense to do a gradual closure uh since we're see that this is going to be critical in three years? You're start with the K1 then two and then uh and eventually you close the school. Is that a model that

111you have seen >> the problem similar to with which is fewer classrooms in a school and resources get thinner and that's um has a has an impact and that savings doesn't quickly so you're not able to um build up that you have in schools that have a higher density rate. >> Okay. my curiosity >> add one that Ryan just said too um with goes with what some of you have said um in our department we think about mental health and wellbeing for students and staff and families and thinking anticipation of grief and grief are two different things and so you basically could set up anticipation impacts grief and then when something happens then the grief cycle as well and that That's a lot. Um, and right now we're kind of the anticipation and then once

112decisions are made then there'll be another grief cycle too. So that's a thing to think about. >> I want to add one thing also. >> I've been through this before and what I would tell you also is that when you close a school it doesn't only impact that school's staff. When we apply the contract and the bargaining agreement, it impacts teach. We're looking at their seniority and so we will be looking at moving staff across you draw that out, it's going to happen more than one year. >> For those reasons, I feel I have three questions that will help me evaluate between committing to that we have vetted with the community. It appears to me it will work. It appears to me it will work for uh short and medium-term. Long-term we don't have enough

113data, but it looks like long term we will need to have another decision. invested really great resources to know how we can make it work. The only reason I say let's have a pause, let's slow down, go around the runway and have another plan can fly with is three questions. Honestly, I'm not sure I have clear answer that it is worth it to go back to the community and say let's do it. But I hope you my understanding is different. the marginal gains and marginal gains like the additional benefit we elementary school closure on the schoolboard goals and programming is itificant enough to justify right away what are marginal gains on staffing FTE how many savings on FTE if any we are going to get one elementary school benefits we're going to get for retaining

114programming for closing one elementary school also is this sheets going to change significantly enough to additional numbers are going to be the same on the capacity summary page. So these are the three things really curious about as it stands now I don't see the marginal gains are significant enough but please I want you to feel also comfortable to say no we believe the marginal gains on schoolboard programming saving FT uh and impact on community and the capacity is really worth it uh to actually navigate that and put another school name on the on the on the table. I'm gonna I'm gonna put that question right back to you. >> I I was just going to say I don't think that's staff. It doesn't feel like it to me because information you're asking at one time

115and >> have that information readily available and we're I don't know if that's a question for them honestly. So maybe it's a radical question have that information and we're at the V1ly I'm ready to without exacerbating the anticipation of grief and say for this year for the foreseeable future assurance for the community we're going to get this right as possible. Let's not have the perfect be enemy of the good or the other way around. >> So a proposal right? We don't even have a first read of our I think what we need to do is like ask Ryan. We have to come with some kind of way to ask Ryan to bring us back or just bring us back or find or he needs some kind of direction because he's not the one who's actually

116deciding. We're deciding and we need something in front of us to decide on. So if it's that if it's already proposal original proposal of one that we asked him to bring or if we're asking him to bring a modified proposal I think is what to know tonight. So we have something to look at and so I think we need to start moving in that direction with this it's getting that point but and does that make sense? I just I don't know if they can answer that without data in front of them right now unless they data off their top of their head. the So again, I'm decision to make. So I understand where you're you're wanting me to be definitive and that's um what I can tell you is that it helps with capacity because

117you have school more students in each one of them because there are fewer of them that are um that are running. Um what are your other two questions? uh FTE. How are we going to save more FTEEs being cut? >> You will have fewer FTE because you will close two schools. So that means that you have fewer people, you'll have fewer principles, fewer office staff, you'll have of all positions. Um less so with teachers because you'll still have the same number of students and ratio for class size. Um, and then in terms of question you asked, um, it it would allow you it would allow the district more flexibility in programming because you would have made the cuts that you need to make for the most part by consolidation rather than um just through staffing

118process and the budgeting in the spring. >> And roughly we're talking million dollar flexibility of program. we um that we save about 2 million when we close a middle school and about a million when we close an elementary gap is about four million. Um so it gets us much closer at an early period of the school year with a lot of changes to come. >> Thank you. I seen your hand up. Yeah, I kind of l summarized what I was um really leaning toward discussion right to decide if we want this proposal. It's to decide if we think we have enough information from you to make a decision that would let us the pros and cons of all those or costs that we've been talking about. What do we get if we close an elementary

119school? Closing more of that gap. what do we give up if we close an elementary school even if it closes more of the gap and I just don't see how we can do that if we're comparing this to an imaginary proposal that doesn't have any numbers on it know you have that information and so um I appreciate you guys have done so much work already and it's it's hard it's all distilled down to little pieces like you know snippets that go out and and so that that doesn't communicate maybe the hundreds of hours that have gone into thinking about what are we going to do? You've done that and it is a big ask to come back and say can you go and a little more information for us and tell us about an alternative

120scenario but the one thing that's clear is that four million is more than two and we have a bigger number than what this proposal can close. I think it would be irrespons us not to at least ask you to to show us what would happen if we tried to close a little bit more right now in a way that it seems inevitable that going to have to do it anyway. And I think we have three years. I really don't. I think we probably two years before we will but we certainly don't have five years. and it's going to take that long for this consolidation to work their way through and then we would just be doing it again. And so I I would like to see another proposal and I I think the community would

121appreciate if we saw another point of to make a decision that we will have to live with for a very long time. I need to do like a clarification that if we're asking Ryan to a proposal, that doesn't mean we're choosing between proposals on a first read. We're going to have a first read of something else. It wouldn't be clear because we're asking to do a first read then vote. And so we would have read on something else, not the proposal. That's not the original proposal. Correct. >> Thank you for clarifying that. Yes. >> Yes. So that's where I want to make sure that that's really clear for the community too. So it's not like >> both of them if we ask you to bring us something else, you're going to bring us something for

122a first read, right? >> That already outlined. >> Yes. >> I just want to make sure that that's very clear for everybody because I think sometimes we know what we're talking about and then um community is listening and they're like, "You said you were going to bring two what we're gonna that's not what we would be asking Ryan. We'd be asking him to bring something else. And I want to just take a moment and give a nod to Lou because something that you do really well as chair is you make sure that the language at the table translates to the folks that are not sitting back here and I really appreciate that because we are not the way that we are um we summarize things sometimes misses key pieces and it does it misrepresents. So

123I'm not saying to choose between them. I'm saying I would like a first read of something else entirely and then we'll have discussion about it because that's the process. So thank you very much for being attentive to that. >> I appreciate that clarification as well. >> Did you have something Shauna? >> So just just more clarification in terms of process. So if we're asking for that moving forward which would well another proposal you said and I think what's come out is about deeper cuts the potential of an elementary school. So just in terms of would that mean naming an elementary school and actually having conversations that potentially disrupt even even in that possibility a school just so we we understand the impact. >> I think that's important to do. It's hard to do. forward to

124doing that. Um, but I think it's important to do because that's the way we've moved forward with this thus far where we've had um the opportunity to go I've been able to go talk to a staff before they heard it during a meeting. I think that's important um because we also established a care room for staff after having we had lunch ask questions. Um I think that those things are still important um with whatever proposal you're asking me to bring forward. And so for to me I think that that those are important lessons learned that I'd want to be able >> Thanks Ryan. I think I just wanted to on our end so that we know the impact and even if an updated or a new proposal for board that did not just the impact

125even in the interim of for families for staff for students as well. So you for taking that that care and really being personally as well and making space for staff. >> I think it's that um with that trying to maintain our timeline. So this will be um of a quick turnaround but I think that's where we're at. >> Is there any other board comments? I just want to remind the community and people that um this is really really really difficult and um we are all deep in our hearts and um I know Ryan and your whole team it's the same. this is not where you want to be doing and um I know it's difficult because these are you work side by side with and it's going to affect their lives and as we mentioned

126grieving grieving is really difficult and um it's really hard when we're doing this you know and and we as board members called evil people and other names is that I just want the community to know this is not easy for us and that we have worked really hard and diligently to figure out what's best and to do this the best way we can knowing that it's really difficult and we don't want to be making these decisions but we are and so appreciate that you're thinking about the personal part of all of this and how difficult it is >> is the most difficult work I've done in my 27 year career. >> Yeah. >> Wanted to piggy back what Chris said that like board members are also personally impacted by the decision we're making and I

127think sometimes people forget that and so yeah you had your hand up Sammy. Yeah, really want to appreciate uh thank you chair. Again, I want to echo what T said is you really center the language. Um I will support the will of the board. I want to share my reservation about proposal willing to commit to a proposal to whatever on the table as long as it's work. If I would recommend right now I have sufficient for a first reading. If we would have a school name proposed and already by those conversations that conversation the teachers, classified staff and the students are going to have with elementary school is a cost have committed to. That's a decision we're making right now. I will support that because there are some marginal benefits might be making it worth

128it if commit to but because of that costs and because of my inclination and I I heard Ryan really clearly say like we have lessons learned where people really wish they have done everything together like Bethl they all together at the same time. I'm the mindset of we can not really in the in 2018 we had a forecast of how the school districts will look like we had a pandemic it changed the whole and I can what will happen in three years now because of those reasons because we have done personal individual recommendation is I do have enough to commend all the costs that we have incur incurred for what we can do. But if the will of the majority of the board is to explore, I will support that for the reasons and all

129we incur incurred very important grieving costs that you cannot recover from. They're even if we pull back, they're going to think about it. They're going to anticipate it for the next three. and that neighborhood school uh the community members in that are going to anticipate that. So that's where I want to say I know first read and then second read and then it's formal decision. Personally I I believe that I need to commit to a plan and at this stage with the information and I feel this is enough information for me to commit with but I'll support will go >> do we we don't need to make a motion though or anything right >> does anybody want to I mean I don't do you have enough information >> I have direction >> weigh in on

130this conversation of what you're asking of what we're asking >> or I guess maybe a question is has anybody not shared is important for Ryan about before we before we move on I would say Ryan that thing that hasn't come up I don't think is um having information about possibilities if you're bringing us a proposal which it sounds like you are with um that goes a little bit further some of the benefits with that like you talked about them a little bit but I think it would be helpful in bringing something forward to us that that's included >> perfect okay >> and I just want oh go ahead >> go ahead >> little question because of some of the comments um that I've heard at listening sessions as well as seen in some of the

131reports around you know even things like going back to the K8 model of where another K8 model would live. So just a question, I don't know if this is an easy question to answer. It doesn't have to be in this moment, but thinking about which buildingity to be K8 buildings. So a question that came up I see on the stoplight report is well could Sheldon be the building that houses a K8 versus Mountain View? And I see that that's it's yellow in here in terms of there would be some significant costs with that. Um but a question that thinking about some of the benefits of different wondering if that's a relatively easy to ask an which buildings could be converted with maybe minimal modifications to Kum versus those that can't because there were also other

132aspacity and programming to the fit of a K8. And in our bond program, we added the art science rooms in every elementary school. So those those are the the school moreable as a K8. Um the the thing view as a specific it has capacity for 200 more students than it currently has significant amount of spaceable. Um and so that's one of the one of the considerations of that. um also um and 5-year-olds coming into that it's pretty expansive and so some of those considerations as well um there while there's potential that some would be could become K8 I'd also be cautious about how many K8s we create because then again we start to um lose our ability to provide programming >> thinking less about more K through8s versus where is the best fit. >> Yeah.

133And I was kind of including uh Bernie's question in there or too. Um before we move on to the next thing I just wanted to and I know that this is not easy and we ask you to do and now we're asking you I wanted to recognize that that's a lot of work on you that we're asking um and supporting the staff with this ask and um say thank you for um going that direction and I know it's not easy and for all of you up here either >> yeah my team's been working really hard to answer all the questions that are coming in, FAQs are um almost a full day for to complete because of the information that we need to put into them. Um so I just appreciate the folks that I work

134with that does make it this um this task easier. >> Yeah, you are working overtime on it. I that um but thank you for bringing something to us at the meeting to look at. Oh, wait. It's not that we didn't I just want to make sure that was clear when we're asking looks like and I think we heard from the community solidated action as a reminder of the agenda are anyone have a question about You have a question sir? >> I'll be very brief. Uh person um a person personnel action uh for a question. So, uh, I ask for your permission questions about retiring decisions to recognize uh and pro school district. Do I have permission? Uh, awkward uh reflect [Music] for um andated the staff that um throughout that we've had to work staff

135is extremely to work with and I've worked with great and I've >> Jennifer thank you chair points of personal privilege knowledge over served uh Jennifer's and really ability to way whether negoti or navigated over the years that's I just want to say over well-earned retirement thank you Jennifer Not so much. >> Okay. Anybody >> item? Is there anybody would anybody like >> motion? It's been moved by Sammy. Any fur by Sammy to adopt the consolid as submitted? >> Judah >> I >> Chris >> I Shauna >> Theres I >> Bernie >> I >> and >> I vote I motion the agenda is consolidated information. Reminder of the items under this portion discussion. Any board member comments? I do have one member comment or two just so you all know. Very short though. um view of

136our like how we want to do that. Is that something we can look into? Maybe the board leadership can chat and come up with something. Is that okay with you all? Because I think some things have changed in them um either at the state or national level perhaps that we may need to update on some of our stuff. So, just having a review of the proclamations we read. Okay. And then the um the next one is about the um I think it was 20 was it 2021 the last time