001The June 12th, 2025 meeting of the Corval School Board is now called to order at 6:31 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 board members and district staff. Public comment is available at select meetings both in person and virtually. Details on how to provide public comment are available on the Corval school district website. Tonight's agenda, board packet, and a link to district's YouTube channel can be found on the schoolboard page of the website. All public meetings are livereamed on YouTube and recordings are typically posted the day the following day. Tonight we have Sammy, Chris, Judah, Shauna, Bernie, and me in attendance in person. And Theres will be late. Uh the first item
002on the agenda is acknowledgement of Pride Month. Corvalis School District 509J, acknowledgment of Pride Month, resolution number 22-0501. Whereas the Corvalis School District recognizes and pays tribute to the significant contributions made in our community by LGBTQI2S plus people. And whereas the Corvalis School District affirms that LGBTQI2S plus students, families, staff, and community members should be valued for all aspects of their identities. And whereas Pride Month grew out of efforts of the LGBTQI2S+ liberation movement in the 1970s. And whereas the LGBTQI2S+ liberation movement is widely recognized as growing out of activist efforts at the Los Angeles Cooper Donuts. Donut. Yeah. Dunet's San Francisco Compton's cafeteria and New York Stonewall uprising in response to violence against LGBTQI2S plus people. And whereas one year after the Stonewall riots, organizers launched a gay pride month or gay pride march
003in 1970, which continued annually. And whereas LGBTQI2S plus people have been and continue to be targeted by acts of hate and whereas LGBTQI2S plus people have historically been criminalized and institutionalized because of openly embracing their identities. And whereas LGBTQI2S plus people and especially trans youth continue to face targeted efforts that limit their ability to access health care, sports, and education that is identity affirming. And whereas the community-based efforts celebrating LGBTQI2S plus pride during the 1970s evolved to what is now known as Pride Month annually in order to celebrate LGBTQI2S plus identities. Whereas Pride Month was first proclaimed nationally in 1994, and whereas Oregon has yet to proclaim Pride Month at the statewide level. And whereas LGBTQI2S plus people have contributed to the history and collective future of Corvalis in Ben County, Oregon. And whereas Pride
004Month provides an opportunity to continue the district's growth in learning about the many contributions of LGBTQI2S plus people to the nation, world, and local community. And thank you, Judah. I appreciate that. Whereas education is a necessary component for creating a more equitable and anti-racist community, nation, and world. And whereas the Corvalis school district has made a commitment to equity and anti-racism and whereas the Corval school district has a responsibility to honor and respect the diverse histories of our community. And whereas the Clla School District believes each and every student must be celebrated and appreciated for the distinct and vibrant contributions made by sharing cultures, language, ideas, beliefs, values within a school community. Therefore, let it be resolved by the board of education of the creal school district does hereby proclaim June 2022 as well as
005each June annually as pride month in the district and strongly encourage students, families, staff, and community members to join existing local contra celebrations and encourage all schools in the district to help highlight this month in grade appropriate ways as well as highlights the contributions of all LGBTQI2S plus people to the local community nation and beyond both historically and in current times. adopted by the board of directors of school district number 509J Corvalis of Benton and Lynn counties, Oregon at its regular meeting 5th day of May 2022. Thanks everyone. And again, um we're we have another resolution, but as a reminder, we reread our resolutions to reaffirm the district's commitments um to what they contain. And um this month, the Pride Month proclamation feels a little bit more um salient given how it started with national
006violence um that I know people know about um in the communities. And so I appreciate that our district has made this affirmation um to the students, staff, and families. Um the next item on the agenda is acknowledgement of Caribbean American Heritage Month. Corvalis School District 509J acknowledgement of Caribbean American Heritage Month resolution number 24-05501. Whereas the Corvalis School District recognizes and pays tribute to the significant contributions made in our community by Caribbean-Americans, which includes members of the indigenous, black, Latinx, Latina communities and reflects people directly from and with ancestry from all nations and lands in and around the Caribbean Sea. Whereas the Corell School District affirms that students, families, staff, and community members should be valued for all all aspects of their identities. And whereas Caribbean American Heritage Month grew out of a campaign led
007by Dr. Claire Nelson in 2004 to have June recognized as National Caribbean American Heritage Month. And whereas Caribbean Americans are largely left out of academic discourse. And whereas Caribbean Americans have have been and continue to be impacted by lasting impacts of colonialization, including violence, discrimination, and systemic barriers. And whereas June became recognized as Caribbean-American Heritage Month nationally following presidential proclamation in 2006. And whereas Oregon has yet to officially recognize Caribbean-American Heritage Month and whereas Caribbean Americans have contributed to the history and collective future of Corvalis and Benton County, Oregon. And whereas Caribbean-American History Month provides an opportunity to continue the district's growth in learning about the many contributions of Caribbean-Americans to the nation, world, and local community. And Whereas education is a necessary component for creating a more equitable and anti-racist community, nation, and world.
008And whereas the Corvalis School District has made a commitment to equity and anti-racism. And whereas the Corvalis School District has a responsibility to honor and respect the diverse histories of our community. And Whereas the Corvalis School District believes each and every student must be celebrated and appreciated for the distinct and vibrant contributions made by sharing cultures, language, ideas, beliefs, and values within a school community. Therefore, let it be resolved by the board of education of the Corvalis School District. this hereby proclaimed June 2024 as well as each June annually as Caribbean American Heritage Month in the district and strongly encourage students, families, staff, and community members to join in existing local celebrations and encourage all schools in the district to help highlight this month in grade appropriate ways as well as highlight the contributions of
009all Caribbean-American peoples to the local community, nation, and beyond, both historically and in current times. Adopted by the board of directors of school district 509J, Corvales of Benton and Lynn counties, Oregon at its regular meeting this 9th day of May, 2024. Thanks everyone for helping um reaffirm that one. That was our um not our latest one because we adopted another one this month. So appreciate that we keep adding recognitions as a district. Uh the next item on the agenda is board member reports. I'm sure people have stuff to report. We haven't met for a while and a business meeting. Anyways, my sick is playing too. I guess I'll I'll start with the happy graduation. Many graduations. I was fortunate enough to be able to attend CHS and College Hill and the eighth grade promotion ceremony
010at Bridges and I saw many of my um fellow board members at all of these and it was um it's just such a special treat to be able to be with the graduates um and see them in this really special moment for them. So, congratulations to all the graduates. Um well besides all the graduations uh and awards ceremonies and everything else, I want to highlight one event I I attended um at the end of uh last month. It was um a speech and debate showcase by uh the Corvalis uh high school as well as Crescent Valley High School speech and debate teams. And this is their second year doing this. And I really encourage the community when they hear about uh this event to go because you you would think well listening to speech and
011debate would be uh boring but it's actually very entertaining and and the kids uh are just amazing and I work at the school of communication and I think they can easily beat a lot of the college kids in the same area. So thanks. Um, yeah, I'd like to tag on to all the graduation ceremonies that we were able to attend. Um, but I wanted to also point out a few things. Um, first of all, it was such an honor that we get to hand those diplomas and um, I had an extra honor of handing my granddaughter her diploma at CHS. Um, but along with all the graduations and the celebrations, I just I really noticed the hard work and um the hard stories that we heard. College Hill does this amazing job of telling stories
012about each kids. And it just as I reflect, I just think back to those individual stories where kids have worked way beyond what we know about and have lived through what you know many hardships and different things and just their resiliency and um the hardships that they have battled and trying to go to school and yet graduating. I just you know, there's just so much more than just handing them that diploma. And I just really want to applaud um the staff at all the schools for all their hard work. Um, and I also noticed, especially at the wings and life skills ceremonies, how many um, alumni came back and I just love the fact that they come back and they're the teachers, you know, still they still have that connection with teachers and staff and
013so and that just says a lot about our programs. Um, I also wanted to give a shout out. I believe maybe Melissa you can tell me right, if I'm right or wrong, Kathy Wright organized the um, grad walks along with Leah Tomlin. Well, that alone is just an amazing um, thing for to watch the seniors walk down their elementary school hallways and seeing teachers. and I was at Adams. Um, and there were a lot of retired teachers that came to to watch as well. There was just a lot of connect connections and a lot of joy and that was really fun. I just really want to commend those two people for organizing because it took a lot of organization, a lot of elementary schools and kids. So, that was great. And then um again, as
014Judah said, the bridges promotion yesterday again was really touching and just all the hard work that those kids have done in the staff. And then it's been a while, so I have one more and I'm sorry about that. But um and I don't know a lot about the new bike safety program that is happening in our schools, but as I was subbing in different schools, I was um just kind of watching what was going on. And I understand now that PE teachers are organizing the bike safety program and I know there's a lot of other work that's happening, I'm sure, from district staff, but I just I just thought, wow, that's a that was a lot of work to watch, you know, the setup and every kid gets a bike and helmet and, you know,
015they're learning great things how to be safe on our streets. And so I just really want to say thank you to whoever and and all the people that are putting a lot of time and effort to make sure our kids still have that bike safety program. So thanks. Well, I'll echo what many others have shared so far about graduations. um being able to go and be a part of College Hill, Corvalis High School, Crescent Valley High School, the Bridges promotion as well and knowing that there were many other graduation ceremonies that were happening across the district were just such an incredible celebration of not just each and every student, but the communities that surround and support them. So really just felt like such an honor to be there and and see and feel how deeply
016families and communities are there to support and uplift every student as well as the educators and staff who clearly have these deep meaningful relationships that really leave so many students feeling feeling seen and valued and heard for who they are. So, it really just felt like such an honor to be a part of that, to witness that um and to celebrate not just the students, but the communities, staff, families, the educators who are part of supporting them, too. Um and as you said, Chris, it's been a while. So, a couple of other quick things. Um the facilities planning meeting, community meeting, I think many of us, maybe all of us were there along with other community members, other staff um starting to share out some information around facilities. So, just wanted to thank folks who
017came to that as well as staff who've supported that, community members who are on that planning committee and looking forward to continuing those conversations and learning more. Um, on that same evening, I rushed over to the orchestra concert, the high school orchestra concert, which was at CHS, but had joint orchestras playing. Um, just phenomenal musicianship happening across um, high school music programs led by Sarah Perkins. Really appreciated that opportunity. and then also had the chance to be a part of and to listen to the Pops and Popsicle concert at Sheldon Middle School um a little while back and just seeing the incredible things happening across band orchestra choirs at the middle school level under leadership of Miss Wells and Mr. Blake there. So, and seeing students honor them for the roles that they've played. So
018really appreciated all of those opportunities to really hear from to be in community with students and see the amazing things that they're doing. [Music] So I want to really reflect on the sense of community that we just heard from many of the reports my colleagues have shared. I've been honored to hand those diplomas. Uh this is my ninth graduation season and I just heard from a colleague from Washington. She had three graduations uh two high schools, 600 plus students at the same day. So I'm not going to complain about a college hell as a Crescent Valley and CHS. It's truly a joy to go from one school to another and see the pride in uh students. Some students go from uh their graduation to celebrate their peers. And uh I'm I'm really truly humbled by
019the idea that our students now are more ready than any previous cohort to tackle the challenges of the future with more credits than ever before. And reflecting on the dual emerging graduation celebration, seeing I believe 68, if I remember the number correctly, it's more than 60 graduates reflecting an increase uh over the years. Um and and and the point of pride is our students from Latino backgrounds uh more than a decade ago they had a 50% chance to graduate. So not for the dual language emergent and the commitment of our students and their families to support them to graduate. Uh one out of each two of those students who were on that stage probably could not had that chance and that opportunity. And their perseverance inspires me. The parents support inspire me and the school
020district commitment to the dual immersion program really inspires me toward what I'm hoping a goal sometime in 2030 or beyond that's every students is bilingual from our school district. I hope that vision materialized one day. Uh so I'm really inspired by all of these things. Uh I'll add few things that has not been reported. I was uh honored to do for the second year in uh in in a row uh volunteer for a fundraiser for the PTA at Lincoln and that's a shout out for all schools to ask us to join in and we will go uh and volunteer our time uh and and efforts or even in Lincoln school uh be willing to be dunked into the water. Uh so I volunteered for 15 minutes and there there might be another schoolboard member who
021was volunt volunteered as well uh and joined me as well. Uh it was really really uh great experience. I want to uh conclude uh the comments for uh one thing that's as you know over the year I go into conferences to represent Oregon and the Corval school district and I try to bring in as many lessons learned or opportunities for grants and I'm excited about one of Oregon districts receiving a grant and they will be announced on Monday uh for the uh uh for the air quality that's not correl u but what I want to share is something I brought physical I brought with me is an organization called seedlings braille books for children and uh these are two sample about numbers and they have texture in braille language and in English and Spanish and
022also uh another book here uh mamur pi uh my love for you uh and uh it speaks about uh numbers and animals and the love for animals uh and it's also in braille and in English and Spanish. Uh and if you uh reach out to the organization, they will provide high quality free and lowcost braille books for children with uh vision loss anywhere in the nation. So I hope this opportunity uh provides access to our students and I will defer to uh the sister superintendent harder and her team to uh decide uh shall those books be uh uh contributed to a library or a student who will benefit from it. Uh I will continue with u Brandon Farstein book a kids book about self-love. Uh I might have quoted him uh when I was sharing
023a report uh about one of his engagements with National School Board Association and the quote that still resonates with me when he uh reminded school board members diversity is not a choice inclusion is. So that's the book from Brandon Farstein and he did uh sign it to Crell's children always remember you are enough. So I would like to share this as well uh for our Crell schools, libraries uh and and for our uh staff to decide uh which uh school school would receive that and also celebrate the genius and joy of every student in your classroom. And uh last but not least, and I I have more uh books that I will be sharing for us to read, uh is uh um same but different uh teen life on the autism express. So that's a
024book that I would like to share with my colleagues as a a suggested reading and toward the end of the uh the meeting I will share some other suggested readings for us as a summer reading. Uh, but I want to start and conclude with this one and maybe after we finish it, we can hand it off to the library as well. Thank you for those books. Um, they, as Lou pointed out, are now in three languages and that's amazing. So, thank you for that. We'll make sure that, um, I work with Amy to get them into the right libraries. Thank you. I'll have to look at that one later since it's my turn now. Um I know we're a little bit over on our time for this um part of the report, but um again
025we have not had a business meeting for quite some time. Um, so I did want to also say um that I was able to go to the long range planning update and what I wanted to say about that is I really appreciate the comments we heard from community on how important clarity is um and how we talk about topics, the words we use so they that we might know what they're talking what we're talking about but it doesn't always impact the community in the ways we hope. So, I just wanted to say I appreciated that. Um, and also um I appreciate all the work that the long range planning um committee did to uh make that possible that session. There's a lot of information there and it was like and so I'm looking forward to
026the report at the retreat so we can continue to have these conversations as a community. We have a lot of work to do together in the upcoming year. Um, I also wanted to, um, let's see where else. Oh, Shauna, Teresa, and I were able to meet with a group of students from CV. Was it for honors or AP project? Was it? I think it was AP AP government project. So, that was really awesome to hear their thoughts on um on the music program, on ideas around that. And so, I just wanted to give a shout out for those students for taking the time to meet with us as well. Um, and then I also attended the Lincoln Festival. And this is um, I actually got to fulfill not only one of my dreams, but my
027child's and some other students by being able to swap out with Sammy for a minute because I hadn't signed up on time for a volunteer. And I actually got dunked by a couple of students. And it was a couple of middle school students at this point that used to go to Lincoln. And so I just want to say I appreciated the opportunity to also um volunteer a little bit at it at the um at the event as well as just hang out with and be in community. And I think that that shows that love of the schools that students have if they go back after they leave um to continue to be involved and also the parents as well um with the neighborhood schools. So that's what makes those conversations that lie ahead even more
028um challenging. Um, but I did have fun being able to do that. So, thank you, Sammy, for letting me swap in for you during your 15 minutes. It was my pleasure. No, Sammy did not dunk me. The kids get the kids get to. Um, and then I did want to also say I was able to make it to a lot of the graduations as well. I did want to say I'm sorry I was not able to make it to um the bridges life skills and um dual language um celebrations due to work conflicts and um but I was really thankful to be invited and glad that colleagues were able to attend. Um I also attended the native student graduation with the Indian education program. So thank you Marcenne and everyone who helped um plan that
029the parent committee and other staff that helped with that. It was really a beautiful moment for everyone. Um, and then College Hill, CHS, and CV. Um, and so this was actually the first time I got to go to CV's graduation. So, I was really happy about that because when you have kids that are also graduating high school at the other school, you tend to miss that one. And so, that was um I was really happy about that. And plus, when I first started, we were in the pandemic, so there was no graduation. Um, and I noticed on along with all of the um all of the community and the celebrations, I noticed how many students had a little asterisk on the program. And I didn't do the math because I forgot to add them all
030up, but there was quite a few students that um graduated with honors diplomas. And I was I was pretty impressed by that. um considering some of the um ex the values of the community um around um honors and AP and so I did notice that there was a lot and I just wanted to end by saying congratulations to all the graduates. I know some of them are going to trade school, some of them are going to community college, some of them are going to the military, some are going to the workforce, um some are going to a four-year college, and some are going to just go straight to parenting. And all of those options I think are what works for every student um and each student differently. And um one of the good things about
031it is that CHS or not CHS sorry and CV um CSD is what I was trying to say. I looked at the words on my thing. Um that the district has helped prepare students for any of those choices to be able to move on to their next step in a really positive way. So, I just wanted to um say we're proud of you all um the graduates and um happy for the families and thankful for all the staff that helped get the students there. And with that, the next item on the agenda is the Oregon School Board Association and National School Board Association updates. I'm going to hand it over to Sammy. May I just share one more thing I forgot we forgot to mention. Uh thanks to the Bridges program, they decided to honor
032the school board with a hazelnut tree. uh a tree known for its sustaining regenerative uh attributes and and just want to say I'm really touched by it and for my colleagues please have a moment to go there and even invite other uh former schoolboard members who planted those seeds for uh a tree that many kids now are going to be benefiting from. And uh with that uh transitioning to uh the National School Board Association uh report uh uh you have a report with lots of details that I would like to just highlight at high level. Uh there is a conference the the council of urban boards of education. Usually it's on the east coast. This time it's in LA and it's happening from September 11 to 13th. So if this is affordable and possible for
033fellow school board members, it's a really great opportunity to discuss uh issues around equity. uh a presenter including Brian Stevenson will talk about how we can uh address the deep roots of inequality and encourage uh work to dismantle those uh um inequality routes to uh uh prison and how education can contribute to it. Uh Colin Kaepernick will be also speaking there. Uh in addition to that uh there are so many grants including the go green initiative about addressing air quality and reducing uh emissions from buildings and schools. Uh there's grants that's are coming in uh related to uh high quality math curriculum and educational educator professional development uh learning series and as you see in your packet there is updates and I am trying to share with you on email as well as frequent as
034possible what's happening in the states and the national happy to answer any questions but the high level of it um there is a bill in the senate that's not only uh a budget bill it's going to impact every school district, every community, uh, including the, uh, dismantle of SNAP benefits as we know them and the support for schools, uh, receiving, uh, many of the funds from the federal grants. So, definitely reaching out to our members of Congress and sharing the impacts of, uh, how we receive those funds, uh, Medicaid reimbursement that's help us, uh, care for our students. Uh these are really powerful stories that will enable and empower our representatives and senators to share how impactful it is and I'm really hopeful to touch the hearts of every delegates in Washington DC uh to
035realize the impact on the kids that they serve in their communities as well. So sharing those stories no matter how how dedicated uh our representatives are is really going to be crucial to build the human connection of the impact uh the negative impact of the uh reconciliation bill that the Senate is deliberating right now. So um there are some legislative updates on the state level but happy to share them over email. some of them as are as new as today related to um the u uh unemployment benefits for striking workers and how that could impact the budget of every school district. Uh so it is a conversation that uh we need to be uh aware of as we navigate uh in every school district uh negotiations and bargaining and the financial impacts of them. So
036with that happy to answer Any questions for Sammy? Okay. Um, with Oregon School Board Association, there was a board meeting last week and um, I will say that the majority of the work happening with OSBA is around um, legislative advocacy in addition to their normal board development that they work on. And um it always is surprising to me like how the long session overlaps with such a busy time for school board members to be able to advocate and um especially around some of these key things. And um so I just wanted to point that out that the timing is not amazing for schoolboard member involvement and they do have calls for or call outs to ways to stay engaged. So, I would just continue to look for those from our legislative um policy committee representative.
037Um, and if you have questions about that as our regional representative, I'm happy to answer them as well. Um, or if you need more information around the legislative actions that are happening. Um, but that's I would say that's been the majority of the work that's been happening because there's so much of it going on. Um, and besides internal stuff within OSBA that is we don't need to know about at this level. at this point. So, yeah. Any questions? Oh, I will add in that the special education bill is still on, right? It didn't or did they I I didn't see the latest update because they we meet Fridays and I've been having to work and I read the updates, but I missed this last one. My understanding uh it's did not die basically but the
038appropriation so far does not look promising in terms of appropriating funds for those bills. Yeah. So it was um that's what I thought it was still at that where it's still could happen but then it would be unfunded for raising the so it won't be as helpful as we thought. Right. Yes. That being said, there is the uh I forgot what they call it's nicknamed as Christmas tree bill and also legislators may have last minute uh priority bill that they can introduce. Um I think advocating for a special education uh still in order. Uh recognizing that we need we need to make sure that the funds follow that and the forecast is very really grim in terms of any possible additional funds. Yeah. So, not as exciting as we would we had hoped it would
039be with the special education bills because they are absolutely needed um to have been passed in a way that allows for funding for the school districts, not just passing something and asking for things to be reallocated and which as we know um makes things even harder in other areas in our districts with limited funding. So, okay. The next item on the agenda is the superintendence report and Melissa will be providing that this evening. Thank you. Thanks for having me tonight. I'm happy to sit in for my superintendent and um read to you what uh we have on the report and we're going to honor tonight a lot of our retirees. So, um graduation and class of 2025 graduation was at the top of the list, but you covered all of them. I think I think
040we got all of them. It was two weeks of celebration. And so it was fantastic and it was great to see all of you there. Um I want to um name our 24 25 retirees this year and I am going in order of time with the district. So when we get to the end we will hear the last two folks who have been with the district the longest. So tonight we are celebrating Renee Pippetone from Bessie Coleman, Steven Miguel at Linus Polling, BJ Raboon who's finishing with us at the district office, Lesllyn Vaneir at Bessie Coleman, Joyce Gorley also at Bessie Coleman, Susana Kumaro at Garfield, Michael Miller from the district office, Trudy Caster who taught both at CV and CHS, Sheila Fowler from Crescent or Crescent Valley, Jennifer Rodri riguez at Adams. Jane Keel
041from Corvalis High School. Rob Duval from Corvalis High School. Lisa Krauss, administrator from Linus Pauling. Viomi Wick Ramanyaki at um who finished at Corvalis High School but actually spent a lot of her time at Garfield. Um and let's start with Viomi. She served in our district for 28 years. Um, next on the list is Brian Painter from Corvalis High School who served in our district for 34 years. Tied with Laura Davis who's retiring from Adams who also served our district for 34 years. So, um, thank you for your service and your years of dedication to our students. We really appreciate all of your work. I wanted to make sure everyone knew that summer meals are on and they start on June 23rd. More information about where summer meals can be found and what time is
042on our website, but just for the sake of being able to say it out loud, I'd like to list the schools and locations where families can find um lunch. And that would be um Katherine Jones Harrison Elementary, Leticia Carson Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, and Clemens Primary School. We will also be serving lunchons lunches at Osborne Aquatic Center, OSU Kids Spirit, the Camas Commons, Adair Kitty Park, and if you want breakfast, that is also available at Lincoln and Osborne. We wanted to just let's think about summer, that's more fun, but we do have to come back to work in August, most of you. Um, and kids have to come back to school. So, um, our building will return to work. Our building staff returns to work the week of August 26th. We have all kinds of events
043happening for our staff that week. Um, and on August 26th, we're going to have a building based return and welcome. On August 27th, we do our big district rally. You all invited so we can recognize you. That is August 27th from 8:30 to 10 at Corvalis High School. And then we will finish that day out with uh with training, fun training. Um, and then uh our 2025 school year kicks off on Tuesday, September 2nd. We have orientation day that will look different for different schools, but it's focused mostly on our students transitioning. So, kids coming into kinder, kids coming into sixth, and kids going into 9th grade. And the first day of school for everyone is Wednesday, September 3rd. Um the note on kindergarten is that uh kindergarten teachers and or schools are doing some
044kind of different things at different places. So, it's really important to check in with your school office manager to find out what kindergarten looks like for you at your elementary. Thank you. Thanks, Melissa. Um, the next Nobody had any questions, right? Where did you Did you want to Did you want to Corvalis High School? The question was where the rally was and it's at Corvalis High School. Thank you. Don't forget turn your mic's on. Um, the next item on the agenda is public hearing for public testimony on the 2526 budget. Do we have any comments public? Okay, we will not be opening that public hearing then. Um the next item on the agenda is resolution number 2550601. Adopt budget make appropriations impose property taxes and categorized taxes. Is there any discussion? Sure. Yeah, we could
045do both. Right. If you anybody's ready to make a motion, I will take that as well. I move that resolution number 25-0601 be adopted to adopt the budget, make appropriations, impose property taxes, and categorize taxes for the 2526 fiscal year. Is there a second? Second. It's been moved by Chris and seconded by Sammy. Uh, is there any further discussion? Go ahead, Sammy. Uh, first of all, I want to say another thank you for Lauren. Are you here in the room? Thank you, Lauren. Lauren, thank you. Thank you. I really, really can't say thank you enough for the most transparent, most community engaging, comprehensive budget process. Uh it's been very inspirational to see how much we leaned in on how can we make sure we provide resources where they're needed the most. Um it goes it's
046not uh it's not news to anyone probably in this room or in the larger community that the budget has been a huge topic of discussion in every community neighborhood in the district and I really appreciate that leaning in and with transparency comes discomfort. Uh with uh limited resources comes the challenge. Um, and I I had this conversation so many times with folks when I hear about the discussion around equity, which is you got to give every students what they need, which is true on a good day. On a rainy day or on a tough day, you give students the resources where they need it and you prioritize based on need. those who need the help the most gets the support the most. And that's true equity. That's equity on a tough day. It matters more
047because we got to triage. We got to prioritize and we need to do more with less. And I believe this year we're doing more than last year in terms of outcomes. And it's very uncomfortable in terms of programming. Absolutely. In terms of staffing. Uh I'm going to give uh u a sneak peek of to the reading that uh uh reading recommendations that I'm going to share with the community which uh many of my fellow schoolboard members already have uh have had which is by uh Nathan Livingston. Smarter budget, smarter schools. It's really the standard of how can you really do better in terms of budgeting as a a year-long cycle. Prioritize your budget to deliver students outcomes and engage with community. I truly want to say I think always hard into looking into this book.
048What can we do better in our budget process and I can see us adopting more of the recommendations in this book over the years. So with that, I am supportive of this resolution because I know it is the best budget given the circumstances and it is the most comprehensive way where we engage with the community and the budget committee ask really tough questions and the community asked tough questions and they've been answered to us. So I just want to really lean in on the discomfort that we want to do more with more resources. The mandate's on us right now. We need to do more with less resources. And I believe this budgets will get us there, but not only with the budget, but with the people on the ground, our teachers, school staff, administrators, and
049my colleagues on the school board. So, with that, uh, I am supportive of the resolution. I'll vote yes. I I said this at the last um at our budget committee meeting, but this budget cycle was absolutely excruciating and um you know, being somebody I disagree with some of the cuts that were made and kind of where they were cut, but also just to remind the community that the board doesn't have discretion about um you know, we just allocate funds to certain categories. stories and and where those those funds are spent. Um, and you know, I've I just want to let the community know I've really taken into my heart all the people that came and talked and um heard every name of every teacher that was laid off when they were read out to us.
050um that it's that the changes in the district are very painful. Um but I'm hopeful that we as a district and as a board can embrace this opportunity to look at while we're changing the district, how we can change things for better for all of our students as we're scaling down. everyone with you. I'll just echo. I think you pulled up a good word in terms of excruciating, Judah. I was thinking I was just going to say hard. I mean, but excruciating feels that a little bit more deeply. It's not a fun season or a fun time of year. And I want to just also thank all the community members who have come including families, students, educators and spoken about the budget, about concerns about come and shared their hopes, frustrations and also disappointments um
051with having a smaller budget and looking at doing less, doing as well as possible, but also having cuts to educators, to staff, to programs that really mean something to students. to families I know to myself as well. And something that I've heard that I just want to elevate in those voices that I've just have my own notes in front of me to make sure I don't forget what I what I'd like to be able to share is an ask from community members of really trying to figure out where their voices can actually make a difference in the process. When are decisions made across the year? if it feels like folks are coming here and then not seeing anything that's asked for some of the things asked for reflected in um a vote by the board
052members. And so that ask for you know when are decisions being made, what does this process actually look like over the year by whom and then how do we improve that continually by transparency um and with collaboration in different ways. And um Lauren, there's been a lot of gratitude also from the community for you. I think this has been at this phase of the budget process the most transparent the most generous in terms of you know you've offered yourself for community conversations for budget meetings for continual Q hundreds and hundreds of questions and answers that came from the community and you were right there answering every single one of them and really looking at how do we be as transparent as possible for the community and so I just also want to thank you for
053that and I know we've actually had community members write in and say let Lauren know this gratitude even if we don't feel great about the budget or there are things we're disappointed about or upset about in the budget, this process has been really helpful and meaningful. And a couple of other asks that I've heard from community members are um more community conversations around the budget as well as other other topics to feel like we can have a back and forth rather than um the one-way conversations that often come during schoolboard meetings. Um a better understanding. I know that we also recognize this as a need with the community of a better understanding of the board's role as well as what are other roles and other folks involved in the budget process. When is that happening
054all throughout the year? Because it does and from what we know the budget continues to change every single day, every single week moving forward. Um but also better understanding what does that mean in the board's role of well we help set the district goals and we approve the budget and we help set the parameters but we actually don't determine staffing. we actually don't determine what programs are funded. Um, and that can be a hard place to be as a board member as well when we hear the need, when we feel the need, when we also personally feel the impact of those cuts. Um, so just really appreciate everybody in the care and thoughtfulness that's been brought. really appreciate the community engagement and hope to continue finding ways to work together better as a community to
055make this a collaborative process and a transparent process and a process where we're actually working together in every way that we can rather than feeling like as it does sometimes at board meetings adversarial um in terms of folks coming and saying well here's what we need and not feeling like they're getting that back. And so looking at how do we continue to grow in that as a district, as board members, and um across across all the work that we do. Um this was my first uh budget cycle uh as a board member and I was very impressed again also Lauren for your work and the transparency and the whole process itself. Um I'm I'm going to echo a little bit along the themes of what Shauna put out. I think um what we're looking at
056for this budget cycle is the beginning. Um it's not to me looking reading the tea leaves is not going to get better very soon. And this is really an opportunity for us, for our community, for our our other community partners, the city government, the county government, the state government, as well as the public to come together with unique ideas. And we need to start thinking out of the box because we uh we are asked to do more with less. And sometimes doing the same thing as if we have all the resources um is not going to work. And I I really encourage us to go out as a board and uh to to listen to the public. Um you know I I know there restrictions on how we all can go and so on but
057maybe we can uh find some unique ways to go and talk to the community and bring back their ideas. One thing I did see during this uh uh budget cycle were a lot of great ideas coming from uh the community and there was a lot of passion from parents and in fact I've met parents who are so knowledgeable about some of these things that it was very impressive. Um but we really do need to reach out to them a little bit more because we have to work as as a group as a as a community to address what is going to be coming down the line. So there is a reason why we are board of seven because I hear my colleagues. I was like oh I need to sit with something and share it.
058So I was waiting for a moment where I would share with you a communication from a student and with permission from the parents I will share the sentiment that's was shared with me. Um, and I think this is the time uh probably appropriate for it as I'm hearing how we're deliberating on the budget. So, the parents reached out saying, "My daughter has heard about the budget cuts and wrote a letter specifically about her music teacher and I told her it's good to send it to a uh uh to a person who she would want to and she sent it to me and asked permission to send it to the board. Uh, probably sending it over email. uh discretion can be made about furpa but the sentiment of the letter is uh I go to the
059school elementary school uh the student identifies as a protected class and their music teacher is uh leading work around equity uh of a a certain protected class. The student looks up to that educator. quote he has made me feel safe because of who I am. I hope he can teach next year. So I just want to sit with this human element and the impact of our student on our students not only the impact of the budget itself but how we communicate about the budget and who it is impacting. So really thank you for for your work and I want to thank the students and the parents and I'll be sharing the letter uh with the rest of the board. Okay. Um I have so many thoughts about the budget it's kind of hard to like
060condense it down. I'll do my best because um I don't want to take up too much time. Um it is this is not an easy process at all as a board when we have um we're facing reductions from the state and when we are um being asked to do a lot of things that are unfunded. That's why I keep saying that in my reports when I talk about state legislature and advocacies things sound really great and they are and then when they don't come with appropriate funding it comes from somewhere else and it's really frustrating as a board member. Um, and we have to be able to keep our schools open at the same time and and sometimes with the decisions that are happening at the levels beyond anything that we have any control or
061say over don't make sense to us. And so I appreciate that being pointed out. And sometimes we may not agree with them. And um I would say this budget cycle has shown that as well as last year's as well and the year before quite honestly. Um and that doesn't mean we don't care about everyone. Um when I see the the FTE that reduction when it says FTE I'm like those are people and I say this every year when we lose people they are not just numbers. They have names and they have families that are impacted. um they work for our schools because they care about young people in our community and they care about education and learning and um so I know it's just not a number. It's like a person that we lose when
062we see that. And um I just feel really bad about that. And so I just wanted to be really open and honest with the community about how we're impacted as board members by the um by the budget conversations too. and we hear from everybody and we are not the building administrators that see how those classrooms need to be negotiated and that's what makes it hard. So we may not agree with something and we may not have the information to understand why that choice was made. So to me that was more of a call of we need to actually hear from them as well. Um and I know that that adds a weird dynamic because we're not that's outside of our realm. We don't supervise people, but it's worth having a conversation of how decisions are
063made before it gets there. Um whether or not it's a detailed conversation, but I think that something needs to happen where we understand the decisions before we're hearing about the impact, if that makes sense, because we hear about it when we hear about the impact. Um and um yeah, I'm I will say that um I do I'm not supportive of what's in the budget of what we're losing and who we're losing. I'm supportive of keeping our schools operating and I'm supportive of the work the the deep work that Lauren had to do along with the administrators beyond just Ryan and trying to figure this out. And it's just a really tough situation to be in. Um, and so I did want to let people know that um, that it's a it's really hard and a
064lot of the ideas that were coming in, I appreciate a lot of the thought that was put into them and I would encourage community to ask what we're already doing because some of the ideas are things that are already happening um, such as fundraising, such as investments, um, such as looking at what it might look like to have fewer schools or different boundaries. Those are all conversations already happening and work that's already being done. Um, so I'd encourage community to ask about those things. That way they can say, "Okay, if that's happening, what else can we do next?" And not feel frustrated when we are like, "We're already doing that. We're not trying to shut down ideas and we're already doing that." And so I just would encourage community members if they're wanting to think
065about budget ideas that to ask what's happening already. Um that way they're not feeling frustrated with but I thought this would work and we're like maybe it will in time and it can't right now. Um the last thing I think I'll say about it because I can again I can keep going on and on about the budget. I have very many feelings about it. Um is that there is there's not an easy fix here at all. There's none. It doesn't exist. And if it did, we would do it. And um this board is not just going along with a number or something presented to us. We put a lot of thought into it, too. And I wish there was something that magically would appear that would help in the long term. Um and that's about
066all I will say other than um we hear you and we know what we see on the paper is not what represents necessarily the heart of our community members and our staff. um and our students. So, um but you do have a commitment that we'll keep trying as a board to find ways to help less of this happening um and losing less things in the future. So, and I'm not just saying that either to you all. But with that, um since we have taken a lot of time talking again, um we're a chatty bunch this evening apparently. Um Wednesday, is see is is there any further discussion? And that was the last thing everybody got their chance to say. Oh, go ahead. I just neglected to say thank you to the budget committee members who
067volunteered and spent countless hours along with us going through the budget, asking their questions, really helping bring more of that transparency to the community as well. And also want to name I think as many of us are noting things that we don't quite honestly just don't don't like and don't agree with about the budget. also that a lot of that came from really hard decisions that staff or uh district leaders had to make that I know also wasn't easy for them. So just want to acknowledge that that hard and thoughtful work that went into trying to make the best of a really hard situation. Thanks Sha. Again I have so many more comments to make that I won't do because I let us keep going on the meeting. Um, okay. It has been moved by
068Chris and seconded by Sammy that resolution number be adopted to adopt the budget, make appropriations, impose property taxes, and categorize taxes for the 202526 fiscal year. Sammy, I vote I Chris I. Judah, I Shauna I. Bernie I. And I will do a reluctant I. Motion passes. And what time is it? We're in a weird moment. Just so I'm I'm looking at Kim right now because we have public comment um noticed at 7:40, but it says approximate and we're only eight minutes off. So, I think we're okay to just right in the middle or we can The next thing is the CSD college readiness report. Um, I think we're okay. Just we don't have any comments registered. So, I think we're okay. Thanks for that moment to figuring it out everyone. Um, we'll go ahead and
069move on to the if since we have nobody signed up for public comment and folk are supposed to sign up before the meeting anyhow. Um, we'll go ahead and move on to the CSD college readiness report with Nikki. Thought I turned it on. It's on. Okay. Um, thanks Kim for getting that ready. So, I'm here to talk to you about college readiness. I submitted a report that you were able to view, but tonight I have more data to share just and some data that I feel like I can talk a little bit more about than that didn't necessarily need to go in the the report with just kind of the straight facts. So, I do want to make Is this working? Okay. Okay. Um the purpose is really to make the college readiness statistics for
070our district visible to you and also to the public. I feel like there are um things being said in social media and out in the community that the quality of our education is declining and we're not preparing kids for um college and their futures and our data really tells a different story. Um, I got involved in a social media conversation where parents were questioning that and I said, "Well, you know, let me look into it." And they actually said, "We want to see this kind of data." And so that's exactly what I'm going to share with you tonight. So in the report, I included some AP participation and performance data. I'm going to share more um information about that, just get into greater detail. Um, also I have information about our dual credit courses that
071our students take. These are courses that are taught by teachers at our high schools where students get LBCC credit. Um, I'll talk about SAT scores, ACT scores, post-secary enrollment, and then I also have some youth truth uh, college and career readiness data to share with you all. So, in every single measure, we are seeing improvements. Some of the data is goes back three years and some of the data goes back five years. It really depends on when um especially when it comes to assessment when the most recent changes were made to the assessment. So if if folks are like why is there only three years because that's all there is um available on our dashboard because of changes made to assessments. So first I just want to create a clear picture of the um courses
072that we offer. So we have many dual credit offerings in a variety of areas. Those are listed on the slide. Um, and then we also have a long list of AP courses. Uh, the way our high school schedule is built, we um, people always ask like, how are we struggling to meet instructional minutes at the high school? Like, we're really just right at 990. It has to do with providing transportation between periods um, between buildings every single day. So that often means like 20, 30 or more instructional minutes that are lost because of transportation. That might and it is a lot and it adds up. But because of declining enrollment um by offering classes at one school or the other, we're allowed to actually offer more. Um if we were to try to run classes
073at both schools, we would have much smaller class sizes. So this really is a benefit um to our students and the schedule allows us to have so many offerings. Next slide. So first is our AP data. I think this was in the report. Now um there was a community member that came to a board meeting earlier this year and talked about the college readiness index in the US News and World Report I think is what it was. And so I you know wrote that down. I was here and I was like, well, what is that all about and why is it low? Um, and this data actually helps to explain why it's low. So, the dark blue bar tells us the total number of students and then the blue bar tells us the total number
074of exams and then the orange bar tells us AP scores. So, you can see in all areas we are increasing. We have more students taking tests. we have more tests being taken and we also see an increase in their scores reflected by the orange trend line that you can see there. Um the challenge or kind of the gap that we have in this area is that we don't this reflects that we have a small number of students or a number of not a small number it's a big number a number of students taking multiple assessments. That college readiness index report is just about how many or what percent of your 12th grade students are taking the AP exam. So we have a number of students taking multiple exams. But what we need to do and
075kind of a gap we have is get more students to see themselves as capable learners who can engage in those rigorous AP classes. So that's really the gap and that's why that measure was low. and then we can go to the next one. Um, I know that there are also sometimes questions in our community about what we're doing in terms of STEM readiness. Um, there's a lot of conversations about math and science. So, I pulled out just our AP um counts and uh performance for uh our STEM exams. And so that includes calculus, computer science, physics, chemistry, biology, and environmental science. And so you can see the first bar is um the number of students testing in those areas. And then you can see the percent of students earning a score of three or more
076on those exams. And again, you're seeing, you know, growth in in most all of the areas. you there is a slight decline there in the percent of students earning a score of three plus in the 2324 school year. We also have a lot more students testing over a hundred more students testing and I still feel like we're maintaining really good results in that area. We also have a growing number of AP scholars and you know I do need to point out like everything is going up. Um and the numbers I think with declining enrollment will stay high. I think our students and our community really value these courses. Um and so I see participation you know staying high and I don't see any changes happening to the courses we're offering as long as students u
077maintain their interest. So AP scholars, let me um I had to kind of look into there are three different types of AP scholars. There are those who score three or higher on three or more AP exams. Those who that's a AP scholar. There's AP scholars with honors. These have an average of a 3.25 on all AP exams taken. Um with scores of three or higher on five or more of the exams. And then a national AP scholar has four or higher scores on eight or more exams over their time in high school. So this is a combination of all three types of scholars and those are are growing and have recovered since co and grown. And then this is our dual credit data. So the dark blue bar shows the number of students who are
078participating in dual credit and then those are the number of college credits earned. So you can see our graduates are learning earn leaving our system with a lot of college credits earned for free already on their transcripts. And then I looked at math specific dual credit course enrollment. So we offer um math 111, math 112, math 243 and math 251. Um and then this year we added math 105 at both high schools as well. So we and that was in order to make sure that all math pathways have an advanced course option which um our definition of advanced means dual credit AP or CTE course. So when our teachers reworked the the math pathways at both high schools that was like one of the the things they had to meet. You have to have an
079advanced credit option in any math pathway. And so we should continue to see this growing as well. And then here we have our SAT data. So here you can see the scores the mean SAT score has declined slightly. We also have a lot more students testing. Um in 2023 only 16 students um took that. That was our like the SAT data I will say is not the easiest to pull because there are so many test date. So sometimes it's like one student tested this day and then two students tested this day. So really I went with the test that has the most students on a given day. um because otherwise there's uh it's just a lot of singletons. Um so I looked at the big testing days. So in 2023 only 16 students uh took
080the SAT on that larger testing day and then 79 in 2025. And you can see yes the scores have gone down. We also have significantly more students taking the SAT exam and the math scores are are kind of staying where they are. So I know there are concerns that like math education is declining and so when we look at these students who are required to take the SAT exam for college entry we are seeing that their their scores are are being you know maintained and that's the orange bar. Okay, this one has a lot going on. I just like I know that there is a lot here but I just there were so many measures that people asked me to look at like look at AP, look at SAT, look at ACT. Now our ACT
081test takers that number that N is also pretty small with just a range of 38 to 52 across those five years. Um there are trend lines for all of these and generally like the trend lines are pretty flat. Um there is one that's decreasing and that is in the area of math modeling and so you know that's something I discovered by looking at the data. And so that's something I have questions about as we go into next year and think about what work our mathtosa can be doing um with our high school math teachers. So a lot of these other bars if I know it's it is very small and hard to read. It's actually hard to read even on my paper. So we've got mean math scores up there. So you know ACT has
082many different measures but I included math performance because I know it's an area people have questions about. So I have mean math scores. We have percent meant uh in the preparing for higher math category. that's actually increasing. Integrating math essentials, that's for like solving different types of problems using different skills. And then that math modeling section, and that's the one area where we're seeing a slight decline. Here's our post-secary enrollment data. So, we have a declining post-secary enrollment. As Dr. Whitebear mentioned, we have students who pursue all kinds of different post-secary pathways. Um, and some go to college. This includes two-year trade school and four-year colleges. There is a nationwide trend where less and less students are choosing that option for a variety of reasons. There is uh right now the the early prediction data
083says that it will increase for the 24 25 school year, but we don't have that data in yet. So here the dark blue bar shows you the percent of students who are enrolling in some sort of post-secary institution. I think what we can be really proud of is the persistence. So we have um you know in 22 23 that 90% of those students who enrolled stayed in for a second year. So when we talk about students being prepared for college, we know that if they have success in their first year, they're more likely to stay into their second year. And so we see that persistence into the second year increasing. And I think that's something our district can be proud of. Yeah. Does that data include um the formal apprentice programs that are available locally?
084I don't believe that that does that that's like this national clearing house data and I don't think that's one of the I think it's just those three trade community forear. Thank you. Yes. Um and then I also shared um this wasn't in the report but I said I would share it with you tonight. Our youth truth data. So career and college readiness is something we've really been working on in our high school advisor classes. Um you can see that in two areas we went up 3% in every area we went up three to 7%. Um our 7% gain was on a particular question that we really focused on an advisor but you can see there that um students are saying that we're helping them to develop the skills and knowledge that they will need for
085college and that their school has helped them to understand the steps they need to go to college. Now when you look at this it's like oh my gosh 37 that's really low. I was just reviewing this data with some counselors earlier this week. it is higher than all um than all Oregon schools. So even though it feels low and we know now from this like we're growing and we've got work to do, we're still doing better than all other Oregon schools um average. So I identified in the report a lot of successes and gaps. So you know we have a lot of students taking exams their scores are improving. We have dual credit participation increasing their co the college entrance exam results are either flat or improving. We have really good results and a high
086number of students um in STEM areas. We have students who are um staying into their second year and we're also seeing uh improvements in our youth truth student experience data related to college and career. I think um we have like some SAT ACT participation that's not really that it's still pretty low and I don't know that we have a lot of control over that because some just so many universities are no longer requiring those exams right so that I I it's a gap like our data set just isn't very big um post-secondary enrollment as I mentioned that's declining I think um you're going to see in I have an activity in the next in that last column that I think is related to that um and that has to do with how students can learn
087about like doing a return on investment um on college and the new personal finance uh class that is required for the class of 2027. Um I mentioned the math modeling skills is something like I just kind of have a question about. I also mentioned sorry I'm going to back up one AP participation. So again, we have a lot of students taking, you know, many tests, but we have to think about how to make sure that all students feel like they're ready for rigor um by their 12th grade year and and enrolling in those AP classes. And then um the youth truth, college, and career responses, I mentioned that those are low. Um we are doing better than the rest of Oregon. We have one question in particular we're going to focus on next year and
088that is um students understanding the steps they need to get the career they want. We saw a 7% gain in students saying that they can match their interest to careers but now it's like okay I found a match but like what do I do next? So that's our work ahead of us that we'll be focusing on um enhancing the advisor lessons on in 2526. So you can see we'll be working on the advisor lessons. Um I continue to work on expanding and strengthening our advanced course offerings. So, we have a good partnership with LBCC um and trying to continually increase um our dual credit options that we have. One, there's a few that I'm working that on in our CTE programs um to hopefully bring on for the next year. And then there are some
089f uh parents who have also reached out to me about some classes that are offered in other districts, but we're not doing it. There is um there does the teacher needs to want to do it. I can't say like you're doing this dual credit thing. So there has to be like the teacher has to want to do it. LBCC has really worked with us to remove some of the barriers to that. Um and so that's just you know kind of I I still have had conversations with students like oh I tried to do that a lot or with teachers and they're like I tried to do that a long time ago and it's really hard and I said it's changed like reach out to them and you'll find out because I do think our students
090benefit from um going in with a lot of college credit and not having to pay so much for their post-secary education. Um, I mentioned the financial literacy. And then lastly, just um that that last one, that's our big growth area is helping them to see what they need to do next because they just don't know. They can be like, I want to do this, but even their first step can be a challenge. So, and that's all I have to share and I have time for questions. I'm sure we're going to have questions. Kim, do you want to go ahead and add some more time on here already since we're way ahead? Yeah. Thank you. Probably 10. Thank you, Bernie. I have a quick question. Um, actually more a comment. Uh, being the dad of now
091a a recent graduate and and having gone through the whole uh college application process and watching the AP uh programs and his participation in it. Um I know uh for SAT and ACT um in almost all the colleges that we applied to they said it's coming back. Uh I think I keep on hearing 28 but there were some schools that already uh started implementing that. So I think it will be interesting to see those numbers uh over the next uh couple of years. Uh my question actually is uh is kind of a little bit out there too. Do we collect data on scholarships received and and so on? Use that as an indicator of uh uh of quality. I um I think the schools collect that data. I don't have that like easily at my
092fingertips. This actually has to do with a conversation Melissa and I had earlier today is like one of my challenges in my position is what data I do have um easily accessible to me. And that one isn't one. I mean, I think it's one that the schools track, but it's one I can follow up on and say like, how are you tracking this and how can I have access to that data? Um, it's just not something I have currently. Yeah, I I I attended, you know, the awards ceremony for CV and watching all the kids standing up saying they had a scholarship of some sort and I think that's a really good indication of success in their preparation for college. Uh, I think that data would be interesting to to look at and study and
093track. Yeah. Thank you. So uh if I may ask um uh my second question I I asked uh Kim to share a slide back for my second question if that's okay. I'll ask you the first question first which is are we offering APBC uh calculus BC? So students um forecast for calculus BC and which means so in the in March we ask students to do like kind of course selection right um and as you know we have budget reductions and so I there weren't the number of students that we would run a class with. That's just the reality. It's like if 12 students forecast for a class that's not enough to run it given our our budget. We're looking really at high school classes of 30 and more. Um, and a lot of these classes,
094I will say, uh, I just sent an email to all of our high school staff, uh, two days ago, and I said, "Here's what I think you need." And I had teachers in, I think, four or five different AP classes like, "I need 10 more books, 25 more books, 35 more books." So, we have more students take, and they said, and it has to do with not book loss, it has to do with we have more kids taking these classes. Um, but that is one where we don't have a lot of forecast. And so that is one where we can partner with LB and the students through um expand EOP expanded options program can take that course. So that's um that's actually a requirement um I think it's a state it's I can't remember what
095policy it's in but it pretty much says like if you can't offer something at your high school you have to work on ways to to offer it. And so another way we can offer that is through LBCC and having students take the course there to earn that same credit. and Nikki uh if someone takes it I think calculus BC is integration if I'm not mistaken right u but whatever it is should I not have it should if I want to go to college and have a STEM career is it important for me to have it before my 12th grade or 11th grade I think it depends on what college I think I think more and more some colleges are saying it's okay to slow down in math so you really get those core concepts strongly
096and um get into the calculus when you're in college. Yes, I believe. I mean, and and some colleges are going that way. Now, not every college is going that way, but a lot are saying it's okay to not have calc BC. You'll still get into college. And as you we know, like students are taking eight or more AP classes in our system. Um they're plenty prepared for college and will have time to take those courses in college. um including like as they become more focused on probably what their career actually will be. Thank you, Nikki. And as I hate to put my professional opinion here, I'm a school board member, but uh anecdotally from teaching about 4,000 students and for their freshman year for computational uh engineering, which requires a deep understanding of math. those
097who have slowed down, those who took their time to do more uh math on a slower pace in their high school are actually much at much better capacity to succeed in their first year. So I think that's very consistent. Now to my question, I want to just like say like so my husband is also um an engineer and I like to talk with the young engineers at the company and and talk about their math learning experience and they've said exactly that too. like, "Wow, some of the things I felt like I really had to rush through in math because I thought I'm going to be an engineer and I have to do this." They've said, "I I kind of had to go back and relearn because I went too fast to to relearn in college
098the math I thought I learned in high school." And that's been an interesting perspective from multiple like young um new engineers to the field working with my husband. Thank you. and uh the AP exam participation and performance the one with blue, green, and orange. If we can look into that one, it's like slide five or no. Yeah, I think it's around slide five. Yeah. Um no, let's go. Go back. Yep. Back back. It's one of the first data slides. There we There we go. Okay. Yeah. Apologies for the ones with actual law degree, but I need to do some uh examination here. I think you accidentally sold me in a very compelling way about math dtracking and how math dtracking is going to be so essential to make improvements on this graph. I'll get there
099with a few questions if you can tell me true, false or nuance and feel free to explain. Are you ready? Okay. The first thing is overall we're doing better over the years. True. True. More students, more tests, better scores. More students, more tests, better scores. Also, not only from this graph, but from what you shared, we're offering more AP opportunities and pathways than ever before. Correct. Okay. Community member was concerned about our score with uh the college readiness index. College readiness index. Now I'm going to put a pin on is college readiness index what we should aspire to or not but let's assume we need to aspire for that what they're saying the equity gap that we have here is the discrepancy between the blue total students taking those exams and the total exams that's
100delta the number of students who are not getting any AP or not three APs is the problem and they're telling us Corvalis you need to do better yeah more 12th graders s need to be taking AP classes and the corresponding exam. Yes, that's what that's what the CRI is telling us. That's the gap. And my understanding of our values, every student should have the opportunity to pursue a career and uh pursue math if they want to. And that's equity and that's consistent with the same what same thing that the index is aspiring to which is increase the blue. Yes. Increase the dark blue. Right. So either you're going to see the dark blue and the light blue, well you want to see the dark blue continue to rise, but like if you were if if
101let's say you were doing the best in terms of the CRI and this was just 12th grade data. This is not this is for um grades 10 through 12 because we don't have AP classes for 9th graders. Um those two lines would really be equal. Um and and I don't we're not ever going to be there. I think we're always going to have students taking multiple exams and that's great. We want students to take multiple AP classes and challenge themselves. But yeah, we need that blue that dark blue line to continue to increase, which means we're serving more students um in these AP classes. Does DTracking in the middle school help us get there? That that's what that is the you know like one of the reasons for the change is that we build those
102really strong mathematical skills, those foundational skills so that students don't hit a wall. So, if you think about I have a fourth grader right now and I look at the math that he's learning and I um was invited in beginning of this year, beginning of last year, I don't I don't know. It's it was time it was a time ago and it was um I was invited into a high school math class and they wanted to uh talk to me about this assessment they give and they were talking with each other. These two teachers were collaborating and they just wanted me to observe their collaboration about how they talked about this assessment and I will tell you they were like leveling the questions. This is an easy question. This is a hard question. And some
103of those hard questions were fourth grade standards. I was like no my fourth grader can do this. And I think about when we detract and students skip a whole year of learning because they're learning math fast. they miss really deeply understanding something like fractions and fractions come up all through math and so if you don't have a deep understanding there is a point where you will hit a wall and be like darn it I cannot do math um and then you don't persist and take advanced courses thank you very much questions we need to allow other board members some time too y'all are having a very fascinating conversation but I think other folk go next. Does anybody else? Okay, maybe I just wanted to try. No, I did want to make sure we had time
104for everyone. Um, nobody else has any others. Okay. Um, I did want to point out like while that number is something we want to see more increased, the reality is that not all students want to take advanced classes and honors classes. And I think we need to honor those students as well. And u where they want to be academically and um I don't think you need those classes for some of the careers that students are going into or their life choices that they're will be making. Um and I think it's great that we have students that do have these opportunities. Um so I did want to u make sure that students that are going into areas where you don't need that don't feel like they have to to feel successful in our schools. Um, so
105I didn't want to mention that. And um, I noticed some of the classes on there had the Z next to it. I know what that means because I work at a public institute, high institution of higher education. And so um, all the students who get those take those classes that have the Z next to them means that they will apply to any public two-year or four-year college in Oregon. And so I think that's super awesome. And I just wanted to make sure people understood what the Z meant. And it is. Um that means any of them not just not just LB not just OSU but like literally any of the community colleges or four years and I I know that um I want to just come back to math like one of them is 105Z
106and I know that there are some people are like well math 105 that's not this highle math for many careers and for many folks that's the only math that they need and to get that out of the way before they even enter a program to me is a huge success. Yep, it is. And then they can focus on some of the other like content area ones for their majors. Um, let's see. And there was the comment about the SAT. I've seen the number, but I do not believe the SATs are increasing in demand at public universities. I think that's a private school one, right? Or was do you remember? Is it public, too? Okay. I don't remember seeing that yet. So, good to know. Yeah. I just wanted to double check. It's all over the
107place. Yeah. Yeah, it's all over. Okay. Um Yeah, because that had gone away for a reason. And so I'm fascinated to see it coming back because it is there's a ton of research about it being very biased and not predicting successful outcomes in higher education. And so that's where I'm like fascinated that there's a I was excited when I seen it going away, but that's just me. I don't like standardized testing in general. Um, and then let's see. I wish we can see some of these numbers for college readiness that I know you don't have any control over this, but that are linked to things that are more like in humanities and arts and stuff like that because those things all help people succeed in college as well. Um, but we don't have a way
108to measure that. So, I just wanted to make sure folk knew that. That's why that's probably not there, too. Yeah. Um, I actually just reached out to teachers this afternoon. I think it's like the end of the year and I have a lot of the things these like big ideas and projects I want to work on over the summer and I was like oh I need teacher voice on this and one is related to how we can increase career learning um in all classes and so I'll be reaching out to the I don't know 180 folks who volunteered at the Benton County Career Convention like we want you to not just be involved on that day but be involved in a variety of ways. here's a bunch of ways you can so that we really
109are thinking about all the different ways that um students can be exposed to college and career paths in every single, you know, course, not just on this one day. Thanks. Um I seen that the numbers have more than doubled since COVID for AP and dual credit and I think that is amazing because it's not like it just went up a little bit. It like more than doubled. Um, and one of the things that I've heard a lot about in the community is that we're only posting numbers that make us look good or like there's some way to change the data. And I don't understand where that comment comes from. So, I wanted to like how do you acquire the data for like in a way it's just from their test, right? Like they're passing. I
110just go in I log into College Board um to see SAT uh scores. I log in and AP scores. I log into the ACT like dashboard to get that data. The dual credit data I get directly from LBCC. Um and and honestly like parents were asking this questions and I was like you know I haven't looked into that data like deeply and I started pulling the reports and the folks I um that have offices around me will will attest to I kept like wow look at this. Look at this. I mean honestly like it was better than I expected. I still really thought we were further behind in COVID recovery. Everything was surprising and really positive and you know like as a leader the thing I question is like can I can we as a
111system like identify the actions we're doing that are causing these positive changes right because if I I don't think they're random I do think I can identify some really specific activities but um I I would say and everybody around me that was there when I was working on these reports was it was all surprising and all really positive. Thank you. Um, I just wanted to make sure people knew where that data comes from and everything. And you mentioned about the um the math class, the calculus BC not having many students was I I thought I I can look back. I I can't Okay, I know this is a big range. It was like 69 or 12. I don't know why I'm on a multiple of three, but I feel like it was that number that
112forecast for the course. And so um I had principles at both school like well if we have kids forecast for what is the option? It's like well we have expanded options program which is a partnership with LBCC that allows students to take the course directly at LBCC at no cost. Okay. So is that the long-term plan? Because I think that's been one of the things that people are nervous about in the community is that like both coupled with the enrollment decline and not as many students being able to fill those classes that they're going to be gone forever. And so that's is that the option pathway that we're going to be looking at for now? I think it's leveraging that partnership um that we have with LBCC. And then the other, you know, strategy that
113we're using is offering like some courses only at one site and then transporting students between sites. I just want to make sure there is that plan ahead of time. Thank you so much. Yes. All right. Any other questions for Nikki? Thank you for your time and presenting some really awesome data. Yeah, it was it really it truly was a surprise. because I wasn't like trying to find something positive. I was like, "Wow, amazing." And this and this. Um so maybe later I can talk about the strategies we've done that I think have changed that. Awesome. Thanks. I think um at this time since it's 8:07, we could take a short break. Um so if we can take a short break, that'd be awesome. Thank you. That got skipped. I'm sorry. The uh superintendent's 2025 to
11428 employment contract for Ryan Nos. Um yeah, I just needed to say super because you just said the contract that way. It's Yeah, superintendent is okay. Yeah. Still second with Chris. and Chris. Okay, it has been um moved by Bernie and seconded by Judah and Chris at the same time to approve the superintendent's contract as submitted. Um is there any further discussion? Go ahead, Judah. I'm very grateful for the positive working relationship with Mr. Nos and directors do Dr. Ns Dr. Nos he's a doctor. Sorry, Dr. Nos. Um and even though so he's not here so I can compliment him. So, um, and I look forward to continuing to work with him. Go ahead, Chris. Yeah, I know I've said this before, but I just I there's so much that Dr. NS does behind the
115scenes that I don't think people really realize with him. Um, the as much work as he does at the state level at advocating for all our kids. um all the work he does to just really make sure that we um support everyone in our district staff as well. Um and I just with all that was said in the last few months, I just hope that Dr. really knows how much we appreciate him and that we see him and we see all the amazing work he does 24/7 365 days of the year. Well, maybe not 365, but we know that he works a lot and very long hours and puts in a lot of his time into the kids in this district and I really appreciate that and I hope he knows that we appreciate that
116as well. Anyone else? Go. I'll echo what you just shared to Chris in terms of um Ryan's dedication. I don't know that I ever go to any events in the community that I don't see Ryan there. Um he seems to be working around the clock continually. He responds to emails, texts, all times of day, all times of night, through the weekend. Seems to be continually on the clock dedicating his whole self throughout the year to to students, to educators, to this work. And it is often a thankless job and one that comes with a lot of just incredible dedication and care to be able to do it well, to do it at all. And I think Ryan really gives his whole self to it. Something I really appreciate as well is that he is continually
117seeking out input and feedback. Um something that I've heard him ask us as I know myself as a board member individually as well as I've I've seen those conversations in community. So, just really wanted want to acknowledge that Trace uh we've had a lot of public discussion in our community about um the role of the superintendent in our district and some positive, some less than positive. But one thing that I just want to as we I hope approve this contract, I want to say that some of the feedback has indicated that the board doesn't have um uh a reflective relationship with the superintendent that we're just kind of here to say, "Yeah, whatever you want to do." And I just want to say personally as a board member that I have conversations with Ryan that
118as a before I was a board member, I never imagined board members had those kinds of conversations one-on-one with the superintendent, but I do have them. Um there is definitely not universal agreement all the time about every decision, but what there is is a universal agreement that we're going to move through those challenging conversations respectfully. And that is something that I think um our superintendent does very well with the board members and he does very well with the community and I really appreciate that. That's a skill set that I don't think we um I don't know if we could really grasp just how valuable that is to us. So, uh, yeah, I have I've learned a lot as a board member working with him and I'm proud to support the work that he is doing
119and I I hope that we pass this and then I hope that he accepts it and stays for the length of it. Sumi, uh, thank you chair and co-vice chairs for sharing the contract that you uh, have negotiated uh, tenatively with the superintendent. I've had the pleasure of working with Ryan for probably the longest period. I've seen him through the pandemic, through ups and downs, and through challenges. And also, I've got to really meet superintendents across the state and the country. It is not usual to see a superintendent on snow days driving at 4 or 5 a.m. checking out the roads. Ryan does it. It's not usual that uh when it's uncomfortable and challenging, the superintendent lean in and uh don't delegate that. They lean in and they make sure the best of the best
120are in the room, but also he's there in the room. I'm going to share something that we all know here in the room, but this is publicly facing. The way the relationship works, our bosses are the community. the community hold us accountable to their expectations. We translate those expectations to goals to annual goals for the superintendent, annual goals for the district. They're pretty much uh identical. And then we have one employee, the superintendent. We hold him accountable to specific goals, milestones, mile posts, and uh no matter how he's steering the ship, uh east or north or west uh or slows down or push the sails up, have different team, whatever he does, our north star is our goals and we hold them accountable on our progress to the to those north stars that we have.
121uh and we sets on behalf of the community and uh by that they're continue to the relationship continues where staff are being held accountable uh by the superintendent and he manages the day-to-day work. It is really challenging for any individual, any parent or any uh employee or any individual board member to have feelings about what's the best thing about something we know something about or we care most about. But for the superintendent, their mandate is the northstar. And to really balance between competing objectives, whether it is programs or it is five or six goals that we set for the superintendent, it is really challenging. And with that discomfort, I want us to realize sometimes we will do well in one dimension, not well in the other dimension. And this board during its evaluation process with
122the superintendent puts all of that on the scale and say you're doing well with what we agreed on and we understand why you're doing well and you progress much more or you put much more effort in one dimension over the other. So just want to summarize the relationship that we take for granted but frankly it is not something that people process all the time or school boards process all the time and I want to really elevate that to this milestone now once a year or once every three years we have uh negotiation of the contract and we want to say how can we proceed and I'm supportive of this contract for multiple reasons number one as my colleagues mentioned our relationship with the superintendent as a relationship of accountability, transparency, oversight and trust and also
123mutual governance and shared governance with the community. Another point that was mentioned in the past three months I heard about the superintendent contract much more than I heard about the superintendent contract for the last seven years and for many reasons I wanted to lean in and answer any questions and frankly the conversations are three d three types I would say. The first type is someone heard something from an article or from uh a neighbor and they share it and they think it is the truth. They're not willing to engage in any discussion around context and they move on and that's okay and it's honestly it's a minority of the conversation. The majority of the conversations we would have 10 minutes discussion and 10 minutes is a lot on a topic but it is really critical
124for this where we go into detail. What is the market rate of superintendence? What does longevity of a superintendent mean for the school district? Did he pay off his salary by programs that are bringing federal money through partnership with the CCOs? Not only him but his team as well. And did we increase the yield of what we're investing not only in his contract but in the school district by having more graduates graduating that will have a lifetime of income much more because they're graduating. All of that comes into the balance into this conversation. And when we have this conversation for 10 minutes, many people say, "Sami, I get it." Or when they see the competitors districts that we use for our teachers and they see the other salaries, they say, "We get it now." So,
125I really I want to lean in and say I'm intentionally wanting to elevate all of these topics, the relationship, the accountability, and also how we uh vote on a contract because it's important and this is the only employment contracts that we vote on as a school board. We have one employee and we do it in front of the public, which is really important, but also we need to really engage with the public with all of those dimensions. So, I want to really thank community members who leaned in and shared their feedback. Um, some information that the community have heard is just plainly not accurate. Uh, this year, this is the first time we vote on Superintendent NS contracts. So, there were no raises or no uh budgets that were voted on uh in the past
126year uh since the uh calendar year started. That's number one. Number two, we're voting on a contract that's retains uh the equity formula, which is the cost of living increase is equal to the lowest COLA offered to any represented employee groups. I think when we introduced it in uh uh earlier in in the 2021 or 22, I can't remember. It was the first time we introdu introduced to any superintendent in Oregon. And I believe now I know of two executives that have that in their formulas. Um now the conversation needs to continue in terms of community hold us accountable not only on this vote that's we believe is the best vote for our superintendent to continue doing this work on this in the context of the goals and the expectations that you set for us
127every year. Are we progressing and are we progressing at the rate that is satisfactory? what can we do better and in this process are we providing feedback and is the superintendent providing us feedback to make the right progress and I believe we are uh and based on that I'm voting yes thanks Sammy anybody else okay um I just wanted to say I share a lot of same thoughts that have already been expressed around Ryan's work I actually had that written down as well about him getting up really early in the morning um to make sure the roads are safe for staff and students and families um and make those calls. Um I don't like getting up early, so I appreciate that he does and um does that for everyone. Um I did want to mention
128that supporting our superintendent doesn't mean that we don't have work to do as a district and the board is fully aware of the areas that we need to continue to work on. And I strongly believe that Ryan knows that too as our superintendent. Um it's been mentioned that he's the only staff that we supervise and oversee. Um I always like to remind people when they come to me with those questions about the perceived lack of accountability that because he is our employee, it's inappropriate to have those conversations in this room in the public. Um, and I would remind people to remember how they would like to be talked about if something that they were doing may not have um, been where they hoped it would be. And in those conversations that I've been in with
129Brian, he's always really taken it to heart and worked on things um, when concerns are brought to him like what is going on with this? And I really appreciate that he does that because he could easily be like, yeah, sure, okay, and then moving on and he doesn't. um he puts a lot of deep thought into it. Um and he is always up for the challenge it seems like. I know early on when I was a board member, it was my first year. It was a little bit of a wild year because it was a pandemic started and there was also um the racial justice movement that started and a lot of school districts were saying we're going to sign this Black Lives Matter document and say we're anti-racist school district. And I was like
130whoa whoa. I was like, "Ryan, if you're going to do that, I want to tell you right now that I'm going to ask you to actually do that work. I can't be on a board that says that we're um supporting anti-racist school district and we don't do that work." And he has continued to show that he's committed to that, that it's not just words on a paper, that he wants to make sure that students from all backgrounds and all lives and all um and all identities are supported in the schools. And you can see that reflected in our youth truth data. You can see the areas where we need to continue to improve based on that. Um, and I just still believe that he does an amazing job in leaning into that challenge from five
131years ago. Um, and so I appreciate that. it I don't think it's good to tear somebody down because um they because of perceived um income inequities when um he's worked his way to where he is and really stepped into all those ways that the system has set up to become a superintendent and also to um support staff along the way so they can continue to grow as well. Um, and so I just wanted to share a couple things about that. In understanding that we know what work there is to do, um, we've seen the work that Ryan does. And, um, it was really interesting helping negotiate his contract as well. And I wanted to say thank you to, um, Shauna and Theres for helping with that as well. Um, and that he, um, has continued
132to move numbers up in our district. We just had a great report on that and it was really good timing for that. Um, and he's also increased access to students who really need it. I think about the u free meals for students. I think about the summer school programs. I think about all these positive impacts he's had in our district that from the vantage point of serving on OSBA's board and working in our region that not all school districts have. even within our threecount region. I feel like we're very fortunate um with his leadership and with Melissa's support of his leadership as well to um continue to do the work for the students that we do. And so that is my I'm very chatty this evening um comments on Dr. Ryan NS's employment contract that
133I am in support of. And with that, I will go ahead and call for a vote. It has been moved by Bernie and seconded by Judah and Chris to approve the superintendent contract as submitted. Sammy I. Chris I. Judah I. Shauna I. Theres I. Bernie I. And I vote I. Motion passes. Now we are on consolidated action. I was ready to talk about something obviously on that one. As a reminder, the items under this portion of the agenda are for action. Does anyone have a question about anything in consolidated action? Were you raising your hand? I was going to raise my hand for the um the board's schedule, meeting schedule. Sorry. And then the um hazing harassment the policy JFC which I also need to pull up again. Was there do you have another one?
134Yeah, I just have a question about the academic integrity. Is that on the um Oh, I ki. Okay. And I ki. Any others? Just quick comments and just to make it so the record for those who may have seen the agenda before today uh election certification. You want to pull that one? Um just a comment about it. So you want to pull that one? Sure. Yes. Yeah. You have to pull it to do that. Um so which one was it again? Sorry. the first one, election results. Okay. Um, any others? Okay, let's go down from a down. So, um, go ahead, Sammy. So, of course, I'm not going to object to anything on it, and I I take it really with a serious note. uh I said this about this agenda item in 2021 and
135I say again uh taking uh the responsibility of certifying the election for whoever have prevailed in the election of this board of this body is a huge responsibility uh it's a responsibility that uh uh really upheld our constitutional republic in 2021 in Washington DC and uh I think I take it seriously and I want to acknowledge uh the uh investment the districts puts in to uphold those elections. We pay for those elections. Correct. And also the community participation, the voters who lean in and vote and make their voice heard and uh board members and candidates uh who have engaged in the conversations that uh keeps this public uh institution accountable to the public represented by the public for the public. So, uh, just want to highlight that and, uh, thank him for running to the
136election office as of today. Is that correct? To get the results. Uh, thank you and, uh, thanks for the voters for taking that responsibility and right, uh, diligently. Thanks, Sammy. Um, I pulled the meeting schedule. Um, I always mean to bring this up and I remembered this year in way late um because our one of our co-vice chairs um was at a middle school graduation and I don't know if we can amend it and or if we have to pull it again because I really would like to see us it's on a Thursday. We meet on Thursdays and it's it's probably overlapped with the middle school graduations. So, the board never gets invited probably because we can never go and I'm not I don't know if we discussed this before. I can't remember if we
137can meet like on a Tuesday that week or a Wednesday. The date is June. It's June 11th. So, can you hand the mic over, Bernie? Um, after this election cycle, which is every other year, I would suggest we move it back a week. I know that a lot of people want to leave for vacation, but we only got our certification today because the um, elections office worked really hard to certify us specially. Um, so I would suggest we just make it a practice and have it one week later later. Okay. Maybe earlier in the week. Yeah, we could we could do that. Can we amend this um schedule later this like when we come back? Can we approve it and amend it for the June meeting because it would be nice to put it in
138practice instead of Yeah. I need to send it out to schools. They're asking because they're scheduling around it. So, right. Y if we approve it with the intent to request a change for that week, can you let them know that or would that mess it up? Well, I So, school will be out that next week, so should be fine. It won't matter, right? It won't matter. Okay. Yeah. Okay. That's my That was my one request is if we can change it later so we can start being invited to the middle schools as well. So, we're talking about moving it one week later and then to Tuesday or one week later and then to Thursday. It'd be nice if it was earlier because staff want to go on they want to leave and so for is
139there stuff on Tuesdays or um No, I was also saying that that'd be nice because the next day is Junth and a lot of people are getting ready to celebrate it around and we want to not inter interfere. Yeah, exactly. Did you have something, Sammy? Or Yeah. I mean, that's like a that would be like a major societal conflict, I would say, or school related one. It'd be nice though if we we're not Yeah. Okay. So, in looking at the schedule, um eighth grade promotion always happens before the last day of the last scheduled day of the year. As it happens for this coming year, the last scheduled day is June 11th. So, the promotion would happen on a Wednesday. So, we may be fine for promotion for next this coming year, but what we
140want to be doing is as we're forecasting schedules ahead, paying attention to when the last day of the school falls so that we are um we don't end up with a eighth grade promotion night being a Thursday when we're scheduled. I agree. And I think we do need to move it to the next week just because of elections. make that practice if we can. I don't have an objection Thursday. We can do it probably earlier. I have to look at the calendar. Okay. But I'll bring it back. I mean, if we can approve it tonight, I'll bring it back August probably. Okay. I don't have I don't have any objection to putting it forward. I just wanted to raise it because it's some again we don't get invited probably because we're not available and we
141want to support our middle schoolers too. Yeah. I haven't been to one for a long time. Um the next one is um the policy JFC. I was a little bit conf I don't know if anybody else has questions. I was a little bit confused on the comment to just refer to scope on the um off-campus cyber bullying reference. So we were we had a long conversation in the last meeting about this connection of things harassment that happens off campus and its connection to onampus. And so um I put re um to ensure further clarity the cyber bullying definition was amended and in it it says refer to the section in this policy titled scope so that if you are looking at cyber bullying you can you can connect it to that section and understand that
142cyber bullying is our scope if it is going to you know in some way um create a situation at school. That was my that was my hope. I mean, technically it makes sense. I'm wondering if it'll make sense when somebody reads it. You know what I mean? Because the scope's big and they're like because when you go back and read it, you're like, "Oh, yeah." Because it says this applies off campus. Yes. You can just be specific and say it does. Or I don't know if I mean when you read it and you say like, "Okay, let me go back to scope." It's in the second parag is it in the second paragraph, right? In the second paragraph, it says it's off-campus. Um, but I'm wondering if that's just like if people automatically get it
143or if it's clear enough. I may have it may just be like I just like it just to say it, you know, kind of person. But, um, if it makes sense and it does it does go back. So, I do know that. But, yeah. Yeah. The the line right now as it reads is refer to the section in this policy titled scope to understand how harassing, intimidating, coercive, or bullying, off-campus electronic communications fall under the scope of this polic. But I can be more clear. Yeah. I mean, it was just kind of a I'm okay with it, but I just want to make sure. Go ahead. I have a comment on something. I I thought it was clear when I read it. Um, but I also wanted to um take a moment to thank the
144community member that brought these changes to our attention and just to note that somebody came in, made a comment, and here we are. We're changing this policy. Um, and I think it's a wonderful change. I'm very grateful to that community member. Yeah, same. Did you have something continue on me? Um, yeah. And I just want to say probably I can see the intention of leaving it under scope because you can't really say off-campus without the qualifier which is the entire paragraph otherwise you may end up with the uh tinker as supreme court caveat like the whole paragraph tries to really uh say this is the off campus conduct that's not allowed anything beyond it does not apply. So yeah, I think it will be really challenging to bring it back there unless you want to
145add the full paragraph again, if that makes sense. Okay. Yeah, I'm okay with it as long as it helps prevent students from harassing other students from home on their devices, which is what's happening. Yeah. And so as long as it addresses that, I'm okay with it. Okay. And that was my main question if it's going to address that need. Absolutely. Okay. Um, next one is policy IKI. Well, actually, I reread it. I think I've answered my own question, but um I just wanted to make sure that that on on this policy, there's reference to the use of AI, but also making sure that teachers have a prerogative to to allow students to use AI when it's appropriate and when it's cited correctly. And so it looks going back and reread I think yeah it's done
146there that sentence about using artificial intelligence when not explicitly permitted by the instructor. And so I think that was what we were hoping there is if the instructor is allowing you to use AI which a lot do um to do an assignment um then you're fine you're not um committing academic cheating. But if you were not supposed to be doing that if they were explicit in that direction then that's where the problem lies. Okay. Yeah. Thanks. Yeah. Just want to make sure. Okay. All righty. We have discussed the items we pulled and then everything is remaining in. Um does anyone wish to make a motion? Chair. Yes. I move to approve consolidated action as presented. As submitted. As submitted. Is there a second? Second. It's been moved by Sammy and seconded by Theres. Any further
147discussion? Okay. It's been moved by Sammy and seconded by Theres to adopt consolidated action items as submitted. And um Sammy I Chris I. Judah I. Shauna I. Theres I. Bernie I. And I vote I. Motion passes. Okay, the next item on the agenda is consolidated information. As a reminder, the items under this portion of the agenda are for discussion. Uh would anyone like to discuss an item in consolidated information? All righty. The next item on the agenda is to swear in newly elected board members affected um July 1st. Tonight we will swear in board board members elected in the May 2025 special election to positions 1,4 and 7. I would like to invite co-vice chair Jones to administer oaths of office. Thank you chair. Uh I would like to ask the candidates to move forward
148to um presenter mic number two and I will meet you right over there at number one. Okay. Wonderful. All right. Gather Oh, okay. Well, wait a second. Okay, we're waiting for the most important witness to make it into the room. Okay, ready? All right. It uh is my privilege to administer the oath of office to our recently elected um or reelected u board members for Corvalis school board. Um the board chair or the superintendent or the co-vice chair in this case shall state the following before beginning the swearing in. Pursuant to OS 332.005, directors must take an oath of office before assuming their duties. So Lou, Shauna, Sammy, and Bernie, please stand, raise your right hand, and repeat after me. And you can all repeat at the same time. We don't have to do it
149individually. Okay? I each of you say your name. I do solemnly swear or affirm domly swear or affirm that I will support the Constitution of the United States that I will support the Constitution of the United States. the Constitution of the State of Oregon and the laws thereof. The Constitution of the State of Oregon and the laws thereof and the policies of the Corvalis School District and the policies of the Coral School District. During my term, I will faithfully and impartially discharge the responsibilities. That's maybe too long. I will faithfully and impartially discharge the responsibilities of the office of school board member to the best of my ability. school board member to the best of my ability. Congratulations. You are sworn in. A round of applause. Congratulations. Congratulations. Handshake. Do we have to do that
150part? Uh the next item on the agenda is the election of 2025 2026 officers effective July 1st, 2025. And we do not need a motion, just names of people you would like to nominate for the positions of board chair for the fiscal year 202526. Sure. I would like to nominate Lou to serve as chair for 2526. Is there any other nominations? I was going to do the same. Okay. Um I think I just say I would accept that nomination. Thank you. And then um I I'm like slowly I'm losing my place on this sheet. Um I do not have to say anything because there's not multiple people. Okay. So I would need to take a vote now. That's what I need to do. Yes. Sammy I Chris I Judah I Shauna I Theres enthusiastically I
151Bernie I and I will vote I for myself I suppose for the um new chair or continuing chair effective July 1st 2025. Thank you all for your support. I think we have time to talk about that after we do these. So yeah. Um then the next one we do not need a motion just the names of people we like to nominate for the position of board co-vice chair for the fiscal year 2526. Does anyone wish to make a nomination? I would like to make a nomination. Yes. I would like to nominate Dr. Tomminy as one of the co-chairs and I didn't talk to the We're only We do one at a time. Dr. Tommy I accept the nomination. Thank you. Is there any other nominations? I would have also nominated Shauna. Um, okay. And is
152there any other nominations? Okay. I'm going to go ahead and take a vote then for Shauna um for co or for vice chair. Sammy I Chris I. Judah I Shauna I Theres I turned myself off. I Bernie I and I vote I. Congratulations Shauna for continuing your term as um co- vice chair. And then um we our next position we do not need to make a motion. Just names of people you would like to nominate for the position of board co- vice chair for the fiscal year 202526. Does anyone wish to make a motion? What was that? Nomination. I'm sorry. Thank you. That's not a motion. I would like to nominate Dr. Jones. Is there any other nominations? Okay. Would you accept that nomination? I would. Thank you. And um since there's no other nominations,
153I will take a vote for U. Theres. Sammy I Chris I Judah I Shauna I Theres I Bernie I and I vote I congratulations Theres for continuing your um term as co- vice chair this is a very interesting process because we don't have discussions so it's a little bit thrown off from throws me off so thanks for your patience as I fumbled through and thank you to the chair and co co- vice chairs for their additional service to this community Um, it doesn't have on here that we can talk about the things, but I think it be nice if we said like something about the positions um about serving on them. Board member comments. That's true. It could be part of our board member I'm going to do board member comments. We'll make board member
154comments and we can include them there if you all would like to say anything about um certifying your reele or your serving again or serving as leadership. Thank you. Okay. Is there any board member comments? Yes. Um I just like to the community to be aware that you here in Benton County we're seeing an increase in overdose deaths and you can receive training and nrexone through Benton County to um be aware and be alert and be ready to help save someone's life. and that I've done the training and it's very very simple, really fast and really easy to um have the Nraxone, which is um an overdose um opioid overdose reversal drug. Um and it it saves many lives in our communities. So, I'd like people to be aware and to be ready to save
155a life. The training is very easy. It is so easy. Please take the training. Yes. Chris. Um, well, first of all, thank you to our leaders. Um, I I know that you spend a lot of time doing additional meetings and all kinds of things. And uh, Lou, I know I mean all those emails that you respond to and you do it so well. I really appreciate that. And so, thank you for being willing to do it again. Um, I did have an idea and Hopefully this is appropriate to throw it out here at this time, but you know, we've heard a lot about us trying to get more community involvement and feedback and that coming to board meetings is not always, you know, it's hard for us because we can't answer, we can't have dialogue.
156And I'm wondering if well I I guess I'd like to see that we have more of a maybe a community leaison person that attends like and I say this because I've been thinking about doing this myself but attending some of the city council meetings and attending or hosting other meetings where we can just sit down and talk with people. you know, Sammy, you've done that quite a bit on your own. Um, but having that kind of person is designated to like attend those kind of meetings. Um, and so I just kind of want to throw that out there and offer to as the only retired person on here that has a little more time that, you know, I'd be willing to do something like that. Are you saying you would like to volunteer to attend
157things to represent? Yeah, I I Yes, I think that's one way I can step up as a board member and try to find different ways to have more conversations as well as attend some of our city meetings. Thanks, Chris. Appreciate that. trying to think of how how do we do that to add I noticed on OSBA site that that is like one of the roles that they suggest as board members. So so we would we would needed to put it into our structure or can we just say yeah I don't think it needs to be official but Sammy is wanting you really want just unmute the mic Sammy at this point. So uh yes historically I can share we did have we still do have leaons for example the chair now is the de facto
158leazison to the foundation uh board uh for some time we had designated PTA leaons and now we uh invite PTAs to invite us and we respond accordingly. There was seak and other committees that the superintendent has. Uh we also have a designated person. Those committee appointments traditionally has been a decision of the chair or leadership uh where the chair will appoint people. You may solicit people for uh who's interested in those. So I would say it could be an informal one. Um as long as and I think we are for lack of better words we are a mature board where we understand our roles when we go into a city council or uh anything like that we have that understanding how we present ourselves as individual board members liaison so long story short I would
159say does not necessarily need to be enshrined in a policy or a board action uh because there's no actions being done on behalf of the board by that leaison. Can we just add it to the list of So Kim puts together the list of like where we're representing the board in those capacities so we can just add this one on there. Does that sound okay? Yeah. And I'm glad you said PTA because that was the other thought I had was um trying to attend more PTA meetings. Yeah, I have some comments about that too later. So yeah. Okay. Yeah. Thanks, Chris. Any other board member comments? Go ahead, Britney. Yeah. Uh just um uh again I want to reiterate and uh also congratulate all the the people who graduated and all moved up uh all
160the students. Uh but now and also concluding a good school year. Uh we we have summer coming up and I really encourage everybody to be safe. We want to see everybody come back uh in the fall. I I know this is a tradition I had uh in the Navy because the summertime is when when most of the accidents happen. So, please exercise good judgment. Don't drink and drive and and and just um um be safe. We want to see you all back. Thanks, Bernie. Other board member comments. Are you trying to go because your mic's unmuted? So, okay, there we go. Thanks. All right. So, just wanted to make a final congratulations to to graduates to retirees as well in that transition to staff for another incredible school year of supporting students through that journey
161as well as their own journeys. I'm really hoping that staff will also in addition to being safe everybody in the community take some time to rest as you have it because you really it's very very welld deserved. So hoping that staff also are able to take some time a little bit of time um as well as possible for their own rest and um taking care of themselves. And then something that I'd forgotten to mention in board comments or in our comments earlier was um one thing I did attend that Marcen reminded me of was the youth truth focus group with students um a couple of weeks back and it was just incredible to see students receiving the youth truth data from their schools and making action plans that they are actually in process of or
162have been over the last week or so. um bringing back to leadership at their own schools with their own ideas for how to make meaning of that data and then steps that they could actually take together um for the next school year. So, just wanted to give a shout out to those students doing that work as well as staff supporting that work. And finally, just gratitude for um the community for being able to continue this work as a co-vice chair as well as a school board member in general. And Chris, to your point too, I know you'll probably mention this as well. I'm thinking about in the year ahead and the years ahead, an area that we've identified in the past year or the past two years as a board is really communication and community
163engagement and continuing to think about what does that actually look like in practice in ways that the community is asking for. Um, and so PTAs as well as other studentu uh parent leader groups is something else I was thinking about too in terms of both engaging more frequently as we're able to in meetings, but also thinking about what would it make sense to have a say a quarterly parent and family leadership meeting where folks can come whether they're involved in PTAs, SEAK and other groups that are really supporting families to come and meet and greet or just have conversation with a board member or two. So kind of thinking about what are things that we could do that helps build capacity in parent and family leaders to bring information out from the board by having
164those engagement opportunities where we actually have conversations um as well as other groups as we as we think about that. So it gets me wondering about um just things to bring up if the board retreat isn't totally packed in terms of agenda. I don't know where planning is for that yet. Um that that might be a conversation for us to bring there. So, thank you. Thanks, Sean. Go ahead, Sammy. Well, thank you, chair. I would like to uh I'll try to be brief because I have a very long statement and it will be just brutal to keep staff uh after 9 and over after 9. So, I'm going to share recommendations for myself to read or reread some uh summer readings and I want to share it with uh the community and my fellow board
165members. So just for the record, those are for you to borrow and then let's meet up over coffee uh so we can circulate it. Uh and then I will share a little bit of reflection of my service and uh looking forward uh given the results of the election. Um but before I start with any of that, thank you for our graduates for working so hard to earn those degrees. It's truly the highlight of uh the year for me and I'm sure for many uh of us in the school district to see this highlight and congratulations for my colleagues who got reelected and for the leadership for your hard work. Uh the school board is in much better shape because of your diligent and shared responsibility uh leading this board. So I'm going to start with
166the first book that I mentioned Nathan Levenson smarter budgets smarter schools. uh it's really guides around how we engage with the community year long and focus on students outcomes uh when we discuss budgets and I want to thank the school district staff for recommending that book for us. Uh speaking of math, I believe this was a book that was assigned to us at a certain year uh prior to discussing math uh dtracking and math programs, Limitless Mind: Learn, Lead, and Live Without Barriers by Joe uh Bowler. Um and uh it was really insightful and uh eyeopening. I mentioned that Mr. for Brandon uh Ferstein uh 10 feet tall. Step into your truth and change your freaking world. I think that's okay to say. Uh the other one I believe was also a summer reading for
167us uh last year uh emergent strategy shaping change changing world by Adrienne Marie Brown. And another one which is uh dare to lead. I believe this was also a signed reading for us uh some previous summer by Bnee Brown. She have uh multiple books on vulnerability and leading with vulnerability and actually getting what vulnerability means. And last absolutely not least and I had permission from the author that I'm going to brag about this book for a little bit. uh as we engage with parents and support parents and understand how we can uh create compassionate kids, I recommend creating compassionate kids, essential conversations to have with young children by our own Dr. Shauna Tomminy. Uh so I recommend this book. I appreciate uh Shauna. Uh early on she gifted me this book and it's been very
168insightful for me uh to build empathy and understanding and it has really helped me a lot. Um and I'm going to say I was holding the constitution while I was saying that oath of office. I take it seriously and I believe it's an important reading for us for obvious reasons. the republic stands on us on the checks and balances. And when on a on a really somber note when I see a state senator who was a former attorney general um being attacked physically uh while he was conducting his duties uh holding u the federal government accountable uh earlier today it's really gives me a wakeup call. I I I did not want to stay in Bahrain when I saw civil disobedience being uh uh threatened with violence when violence was the name of the conversation.
169I I do have hope in our country, in our community, that we're going to be civil and how we hold each other accountable and uphold our constitutional republic, our checks and balances and our public institutions from school employees to librarians, schoolboard members, and all those who serve the community. we hold them accountable and the the public who wants to protest uh they have to they have to have the right to do that civily and I believe that's an important reflection and reading for us to know our own rights and understand it. Now I'll try to conclude uh very briefly and if the chair allows uh I would like to maybe submit that as a comment for the record. I have two reflections. A decade of service to Corvalis schools from 2015 to 16 as a
170budget committee member and uh 2017 to present. I'm just going to highlight my appreciation and gratitude over the last 10 years. How we built safer and modern schools by passing uh bond measure success capital projects delivered seismic safety and sustainability. How we centered equity and education with equity policy implementation and inclusive curriculum and belonging. How we focus on the whole child, whole community and invested in universal free meals, mental health supports and no cost participation in sports and extracurricular programs. We've done a lot in the past 10 years. The academic achievements and opportunity. We raised the graduation rates districtwide rose from 82 in 2015 16 to 87% outpacing state average by five to six percentages. Uh reducing the disparities uh increasing students uh with disabilities graduation rate uh to 82% and former English language learners
171exceeding 95%. access to rigorous learning opportunities, early learning expansion and response. Also, we have worked on responsible budgets on financial stewardship, sound fiscal management, preparedness for uncertaintity uh by protecting our reserves and transparent budgeting. And uh we have uplifted student voice and public engagement where student inclusion has been strengthened through schoolboard participation for our students as advisors, community trust, bridging local and national advocacy thanks to my colleagues uh for their support and their participation in this work and state and national leadership for equity through OSBA caucus of color national schoolboard association. This decade along journey has been more than public service. It has been a partnership with a community committed to building a better future for every students. This works continued continues. And I wrote this before knowing what's the election results going to be.
172But I added I'm proud and grateful to be part of it and of what we achieved together. It is important for us to reflect on where we are and the challenges that we have navigated over the years. And as we go, I want to forward I want to really thank the community, the Corals community for their trusts. I'm grateful for trusting me for another term to serve our community. I take this forth out of office with a sense of gratitude. It's this victory ensures that I can continue to serve children of Corvalis and retain the roles that I do alongside of my colleague Luhi Whitebear uh on Oregon School Board Association on National School Board Association and the way I see it stands uh as a testament from the community of their unwavering confidence of
173the Corval's voters in the imperative of safeguarding and enhancing public schools. Now I want to share an important reflection here. I feel privileged of the opportunity that I had an advantage of having oversized voice during the election cycle because it was a contested cycle. So my voice and my vision was more likely to be heard and shared more than my colleagues who were running but uncontested and also more than my colleagues who have been serving in their midterm. And as I continue this work, I want to center the work of the school board as a work of team of seven uh board members and the vision is a shared vision. And I'm grateful for the opportunity that I was able to share my own perspective, personal experience. It's been very important for the community to
174uh hear that uh to make their decision on voting. After election day, I can I return to a school board of seven board members I'm so grateful to work with. And with that, uh um chair, I ask for your permission if I can submit the the letter to the record. And I really apologize. It took more than the five minutes I was hoping for. Thanks, Sammy. Sure. Um, that's fine. I think Yeah. Um, any other board member comments? You haven't gone through a studio? No. I just want to say I'm really grateful that the school year has uh ended on a high note. Um, and I want to particularly say how much I appreciated the work of Lionus Pauling staff to make the promotion ceremony tonight a very special thing. U, I was able to
175attend to Garfield's um, fifth grade graduation earlier today as well. I really appreciate that we value those benchmarks in our district and that we encourage kids to have something to look forward to. and watching the younger kids watching the fifth graders today was like, "Oh, I could see on their faces, oh, that's going to be me someday soon, actually." Um, it was very special to see so many of the dual immersion kids walk across the stage and remember them from kindergarten. And so, um, I, uh, I know that our enrollment is lower than it was, but, I also know that we are keeping some families in this district because I watched their kids uh, not know how to read and then I watched them tonight walk across and get their rec their their certificate of
176recognition. So, congratulations to all the eighth graders and all the parents who made it on those not very comfortable bleacher benches um for the whole time and all the parents that set up and are chaperoning and that are going to clean up because I am not any of them. So, really grateful for them. Um yeah, I just really it was just a really special experience to get to see so much gratitude from the staff toward the kiddos and the kiddos to the to the teachers. There's a lot of love going both directions in our school buildings. And that's it. Thank you. Thanks, Theres. Um I had Everybody had their comos. Yeah, they had their comments. Um I wanted to go back to the comments about the PTA involvement and Shauna's um comment about the quarterly
177meetings. We really want to hear from PTAs what they how they would like to see engagement as well. Um as mentioned we need to be invited to things and we've expressed that a few times like to staff student groups um and PTAs and PTO's so if people are interested in having us they would need to get a hold of Kim to help coordinate that so we don't end up in a quorum situation. Um, but we do want to try to figure out a way for us to not just only be in the meetings. So, these conversations and um the other one that I would like to see happen next year that I wanted to chat with the board about is continuing to have community conversations. And so, we had one on the budget which I
178think was incredibly needed and important. And um I would like to see a couple next year if we have enough time and capacity and folk are interested. Um specifically one about math and specifically one about arts and music and um performance arts too. Um those are conversations that um have been coming up over the last couple years and I would love to see more engagement around that from us as a board. So, those were some ideas to float by you all. Okay, cool. Um, we can figure this out how we're going to do it. So, I just want to make sure the community heard us say it because they've heard us talk about that and like some of us anyways in little small conversations. Um, but it's more of that committed to engage in the
179work that lies ahead and we need to um do that with community in community, not just in the boardroom. Um, I see you want us to assign a reading this summer. Is that what I heard you ask for the board? I have a unless district staff want have more assignment for us. So I have suggested assigned reading. I picked out the last assigned reading and it was emergent strategy and um there's plentice chairs can chat with Ryan um and Melissa on a reading if you all maybe if you have time to read the whole book but did you have a suggestion? Oh, I thought you were okay. Yeah. Um, we're committed to continuing to learn as well as a board is basically what we're saying with these readings. Um, and Sammy, thanks for bringing up
180the bringing the Constitution in. I use it in my classes in my native studies classes just so people know what classes they are. And um it's always surprising when people when I ask someone the last time they read it was or if they've ever read the whole thing or if they read the Declaration of Independence and they're very engaging conversations in a native studies class because they didn't apply to native people at the time they were written. Um and um so I appreciate you bringing that up as for the community to remember to take a look at the values that um society has committed to um in those documents. So, and I will say one more thing about serving on the board, um, is I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I first
181applied for appointment and, um, whether or not I would run for a second term. I knew I had to run for to serve a full term. And I um, I just want to say thank you for the community for showing up for um, us and continuing to show up. And um I view it as an honor to be able to serve the community and have your trust in this way um and to bring your voices here when you reach out to us. We ask questions um that are based on a lot of the things that we have in individual conversations. And so I just want to say thank you to the community for continuing to trust um to trust me and to the um the co-vice chairs to thank you for your leadership and your
182work too. I'm sitting here on the mic and running the meeting, but they do a lot of the work behind the scenes too and especially stepping in when um they need to um for me at um foundation meetings or in replying to emails. So, I wanted to say thank you to you all too and um I want to say thank you to you all for your trust and confidence in me as a board chair for a third year. So, thank you for that as well. And I know that we have some tough conversations um ahead next year. And I'm really um committed to engaging in conversation with the community around um what those will entail and welcome your feedback along the way. Um and with that, I wanted to say I hope everybody has a
183good summer. We will be meeting again in August. I hope everybody gets some rest. You can still reach the board um if you would like uh over the summer and we will respond. Um and with that and no further business. The meeting was actually scheduled till 9:35. So we're good. It's 9:20. It's 9:25. All right. Have a good night everyone. Meetings adjourned.