12/9/2025 FGSD School Board Meeting

001The December 9th, 2025 public budget hearing for the Forest Girl School District is called to order in accordance with OS 294.43 at 5:30 p.m. This opportunity is for public comment regarding the supplemental budget resolution number 25-26R1. and we will give a three minute waiting period for public comment and then I will adjourn that meeting and start the board meeting shortly after. Thank you everybody. Anna to call to order the December 9th, 2025 H Forest Girl School District board of directors meeting at 5:33 p.m. We'll start with a roll call of board members present. Alma Lozano >> here, >> Risa Franco >> here, >> Kate Grandeski >> here, Pete Truax >> here, >> Andrade here, >> and Christy Kaki I am here. And if we can all please rise for the flag salute. I pledge algiance

002to the flag of the United States of America. [clears throat] >> All right. I'm looking for approval of tonight's agenda. And Kate, I believe you might have a move to amend the agenda. Yes. Um, I move to amend the agenda to remove the budget committee nominations for tonight's action items. Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are unable to complete interviews with all applicants last week. We request that the appointments be postponed until later in December. Do I have a second? I second. Any discussion? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Post. All right. Thank you, Kate. And we're going to start with our student representative report with Maya. Andre. >> Perfect. Um, good afternoon everybody. December is officially in full swing and across the campus students are meeting fully into the spirit of the season.

003ASB and student led clubs have been busy bringing holiday cheer and giving back to our community. Groups have organized giving trees to support local shelters while others are hosting blanketing drives to help families get warm through the winter month. Latinos in Action is also running its hygiene drive uh collecting through December 12th. Students are collecting items such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste, and other essential products. And all donations will be distributed directly to the families in our community and our partner organizations to support those in need. Um they're asking for any um contribution big or small is greatly appreciated. ASB is also preparing to launch a major fundraising initiative in partnership with Make a Wish. to kick on this plan early next year beginning with assembly once a sponsor trial is confirmed and students are excited

004for the opportunity to make a meaningful impact and more details on that will be shared with families very soon. I'd also like to take a moment to highlight some upcoming fine arts events. The first high school jazz band will perform their winter concert on Friday, December 12th at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium. And this Friday is also the band and color guards pink spoon fundraiser. On Tuesday, December 16th at 6:30, the band, choir, and orchestra will host the joint winter concert again at Forestville High School Auditorium. And on Wednesday, December 17th, Mont Pixel will be hosting a fundraiser to support the band programs. In athletics, I'd like to recognize our girls wrestling team for the strong performances of the 17th team Jaguar uh past the month uh fifth place and for Addison. And then we

005had a couple fourth place winners as well. Um, and then a champion for first place at 100,000 K. Um, that is pretty much, but I'd like to shift the focus um and close today's report by addressing a major moment on our campus this week. Yesterday, Forest Grove High School um students experienced a significant display of student activism. A large number of students participated in a peaceful walk out in response to concerns regarding lucent ice presence in the surrounding cities and school. Although Horsesboro continues to evolve with government limit to keeping ice out of our community, students wanted to show solidarity with neighboring districts such as Beverton and Hillsboro and to advocate for students who may not feel safe or be able to speak up. The walk remain organized, respectful, and deeply impactful and students are

006already next steps to continue raising awareness and supporting one another. Overall, the month reflected a lot of compassion, leadership, and advocacy of our student body. Whether that was the sort of projects, artistic engagements, athletic accomplishments, or studying together in the moment that matter. Thank you for your time. Thank you, Maria. We'll move on to board um director comments and we'll start with Bruce. Oh, we'll start with Pete Trux. >> Thank you very much. uh Jeriki um had opportunity to attend Senator Solomon's town meeting on November 20th at Bites restaurant. Topics of conversation included legislative days which were just completed at that particular time almost a month ago as they prepare for the short session in Salem. And uh amongst the items of discussion where was the upcoming budget forecast uh there is some some not

007much but some positivity about that particular forecast. We'll see what what transpires in the in the months to come. Also under discussion were unfunded mandates. Unfunded mandates are a uh particular interest to school districts across the state of Oregon because in the past the legislature has uh pass laws mandates that certain actions take place and that those actions be funded out of school districts pockets rather than um by the by the state legislature or by the state. uh and that is not only peculiar to schools but also to local governments. In my brief history of local government, I also had to deal with unfunded mandates by the way not only from state government but also uh from the federal government. Also uh coming up in discussion were some of the uh concerns that the citizenry

008had over uh immigration issues not only in Washington County but across the width and breadth of this great state of Oregon. Um I do want to comment on a couple of other things. one Forest Grove High School choirs to be congratulated for their outstanding appearance and the Habitat for Humanity Community concert uh this Saturday pass at Forest Grove United Church of Christ. Uh Habitat uh uses that concert as a thank you to the community and parenthetically the community also thanks Habitat with contributions free offerings and some of that money found its way into the coppers of the forest high school acquired were much appreciated. Personal note, there are public comments uh across various public media uh both positive and negative regarding um the walk out and I use that term. I would much rather call

009it u demonstration uh at Forest Grove High School on Monday. It it seems to me that uh students like adults have every opportunity are also covered by the first amendment. And it's often been said that students do not put their constitutional rights on the door hook as they walk into school. They don't give those rights up. They are with them from cradle to grave. Uh again the comments that were made also are first amendment comments and people have every right to make them. I just want to make sure that um in case there is any doubt on the part of anybody in the audience or in public as where I stand. And I congratulate the students for their uh willingness to walk out in what had to be one of the most miserable days in

010the state of Oregon uh to express again their constitutional right. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, director of drugs, director. >> Hello everyone. Um I had the opportunity today to go on a speech to the watch. I was invited. I uh dwell in Megan and I got to go to Echo um elementary school and just the amazing work that the teachers and staff are doing there and ensuring that students are able to come to school safely. Um it was really wet and cold and windy and I just got to step into a small portion of what our educators are doing every day. Uh so that was a really good experience for me to see that and be a part of it. So thank you for inviting. >> Thank you. Uh I would like to

011start echo what I know our board feels in many ways is just our my my thanks my appreciation um of what our students were able to show with their leadership and advocacy on behalf of not only our community but the greater community and really what we're seeing across this nation. I think it's not lost on any of us that cities are coming together, counties are coming together. Tonight in force road, there is a know your rights training that's been organized with cities across the region to again bring community out to be able to advocate and support. And I think the responses as director Traxx mentioned I'm not online a lot enough um really at all but when I am able to get a screenshot of some of the responses I was very encouraged to see

012how many people in our community were able to acknowledge the strength and the courage that it took for our students to stand out there in the rain. um the images of all of those umbrellas of students leaving school to go down to the flag pole and stand um to speak as they mentioned so eloquently for people who and many of those are in their own families who are too afraid to be able to be out and speak for themselves was just um was inspiring was inspiring and I also want to compliment the leadership of our our high school administration um the messages from princ Bullberg, the messages that come out from staff, the support that our staff show students and all students, not just students who were walking out that day that but students who

013were still at school and appreciating that everybody everybody's voice deserves to be heard and honored. Um the leadership of the district from a board perspective. Um thank you to David Warner and uh I know Dr. West was in a meeting that day. We received plenty of communication from both of and knowing that um director director assistant superintendent Loli were out um making sure our students were safe and letting the board know what those procedures and policies were um and just all the partnership with our local police as well was is very much appreciated. But um mostly for for Maya, you can take back to your leadership and the leadership that we've seen from Maya on this board has equaled and rivaled um that of our former student reps who sit up here every day and

014use their voice um streaming live to YouTube for all to hear. But you are setting just a fantastic example of how to express yourself, how to understand and communicate the needs of our community to everybody. So, um, a few extra things that happened, this board has not met. This will be our only meeting this month. We have been busy behind the scenes. Uh, the one thing that happened that has not happened before is that board chairs from across the region were able to meet together for the first time ever. Um, just prior to Thanksgiving, we were able to get on a Zoom and we had Banks, we had Gaston, we had I mean, all of our regional board chairs showed up with the with the intent to start streamlining our communication to each other as

015boards, but also to our legislators, especially now that we need to make sure that we are speaking with one voice and being very clear on the impacts that their decisions are having across our districts. So I was really excited to see that connection be made. Immediately that day we had additional communication going from board chairs to superintendents. Superintendent across the region are already in communication in their regular meetings. And so just really closing that loop I think is going to be the next step for us in our advocacy. I was able to also watch the interim committee on education last month. I want to publicly thank Rep. uh Sue Ricky Smith who's newly appointed to that rep position. Vice Chair Hardback and Rep. Emily McIntyre for asking the right questions at the end of a

016presentation on accountability. And their questions continue to be how and how are these legislators going to give us the support we need funding wise, bodywise, systemwide to meet the expectations that are being placed in front of us. And so those reps are starting to hear what we're starting to what we've been trying to say on the ground and that's because we are showing up. I think director Trex, our board is making sure that we are at every town hall. Um, with that being said, I think we're branching out. I was able to also attend Susan Mlan's town hall. At that town hall, I was able to share with her that the board chairs had met and we were also able to thank both her and Janine Sulman for spending the day in our district. in

017that interim committee meeting at the state. Uh Senator Sullman is in those meetings publicly now using forest grove examples uh of what our needs are and what our input is. I've talked about this before. These examples are coming directly from Director Clute, Dr. West in all of these conversations. So these these advocacy pieces and the relationships we're building I think are they matter. I was in Lisa Reynolds town hall because Lisa is also someone that's very passionate about education but doesn't but admitted that she is like many legislators if they don't have someone in their space sharing what's going on in education they are just going to hear from the bodies that they hear from so one of the questions I asked her is she's fairly new to that position and I said where in

018your role are you having discussions at the state about the larger vision for where this state needs to go not just with funding but with vision with a vision of what our schools need to look like. And she admitted that that conversation is not happening really difficult to have with the amount of turnover, the two-year um space between when committees meet and sessions happen and reps being elected or not being elected. And so she she asked that we have a separate conversation about that that she wants to learn more. She also acknowledged in that meeting um the impact that Senator Sman is having with legislators. And so when we are speaking to Senator Sullman and we're showing up at those town halls and you're sharing on email your examples, those things are resonating and she's

019I mean those things are happening. We know from staff as well and um just really thankful for the advocacy in this district. Uh that was that was that was a lot. Oh, and then this but this is also extremely important. So on Thursday, the board of education is meeting. And when I was a teacher, I did not even know what the school board was doing. I did not know what the state was doing. I did not know what legislators was doing because I was teaching. But now that I know what they're doing, um we've you've heard me talk about this before. People are sitting on the board of education who are not yet getting the full story from boots on the ground. Um luckily we have a very strong advocate in Becky Timuk. She's not

020a voting member, but she is the appointed member for OSBA and and Miss Timchuk is asking all the right questions. This Thursday, the accountability bill will come back to the state board to approve the metrics that all of us and people in this audience will be looking at in our schools that will drive some of the changes that we need to be making. We have I asked Dr. West who was in the middle of a law conference and managed to hammer out a quite incredible um I would say dissertation but really a an accounting of the pieces that we need to be considering in this bill before Thursday that people that these directors the questions that we need to be asking and the things that we need of these directors to be doing they are

021listening to that testimony. I am going to do virtual testimony on Thursday. I would like and I have shared this prior with the board and we'll put it in the public packet, but I would like um to hear from the board whether or not there is consensus on our board to send this testimony as a board. And I know you've had a chance to see it already. And so I'm going to open it up for just some comments and thoughts. I did ask for edits and changes and I had not heard back from anybody yet, but I'll pause there and see what we think. Okay. Um, I want to make a couple of comments. Um, from what Pete said and also this afternoon I was at UCCC Church. Um, a lot of people know Charlene

022Murdoch. She turned 80 today and she held um her birthday celebration which was with a lot of community members to bring food for our community and donations. And I don't know how many people came up to me and said they were just so proud of Horse World High School students. their their walk out what they did going to the flag pole and how terrific they were. So people noticed and they felt um the kids were really really wonderful and I don't know how many people were really proud that the kids spoke up and stood up. Um I also heard from Eric Cannon. He said Melissa Tim that your speaking at the city council was just absolutely awesome. I didn't I didn't hear it but I want to say thank you. Thank you. Um it is

023really nice to see not only on the board but the community here but the community at large how many people with our really supportive. Um and then um the uh consensus that you were just talking about uh director Tati uh I I nearly thought it was well done and I didn't see any corrections and I would really be supportive if the board would uh support support that other thoughts directors. Thank you, Chair Katki, and thank you, Director Grandes, for your comment. I want to uh echo those. With the possible exception, I'll gently push back on the fact that you called it a walk out. I would much rather call it an exercise in education. Um the students showed what they learned in class uh through actual uh participation and actual uh running of the running

024with the bulls so to speak. Um, as far as the letter is concerned, uh, it seems to me to make common sense, um, to our friends in Salem that we need to work smarter, not harder. And when we also decide that there are ways to get the same thing done by spending less money, perhaps we might want to look at that. uh a general reminder that uh the state is responsible for a good portion of school district funding and they need to be wise in how they uh dole it out as we have been charged being wise as to how we make it go as far as humanly possible. So, uh I would hope that again the state board of education would understand that there are uh ways to do that. Uh they've been raised

025in this and other letters and I'm sure they'll be getting them. I would hope they would take these comments uh seriously. Thank you. >> All right. And I think that is what where we're headed with the January 7th when we meet with all boards and and superintendents and legislators will come together for our dinner and that is when we are going to be hearing some of that information. We'll be able to share some of that information more directly. I'm going to I'm going to pass it to Dr. West. I really am. But not before I read I not before I finish with my favorite paragraph from this letter because we're going to put it in the public packet. Let's be honest, most people probably won't click in there and read it besides us. But I

026will be sharing this with uh Susan Mlan and Jannine Sman and now a number of legislators who we do share this information with them as well. Senate Bill 141. One of the things that we really are wanting them to acknowledge is the absence of instructional improvement mechanisms as the bill stands currently. The Education Accountability Act clearly outlines expectations for metrics, targets, and interventions, but it remains silent on the most critical factor in improving student outcomes, the quality of teaching and leadership. Extensive research confirms that teacher efficacy, closely followed by effectiveness, is the strongest driver of improvements in instruction and student outcomes. Yet nowhere in Senate Bill 141, nor in the rules proposed today, is there meaningful attention to strengthening instructional practice or building leadership capacity for instructional improvement. As districts prepare to analyze interim assessment

027data at both the school and board levels as required after each administration, we urge the state board to ask these questions. Where in this framework does the state directly support the improvement of teaching and learning? Without explicit investment in instructional capacity, the use of assessments, even highquality ones, will not lead to improved outcomes for students. And I mean, goosebumps every time I read that paragraph. That's just one piece of it. So, it's out of context, but it makes fantastic points that these these directors have not yet heard to your point director tracks. They're not getting a lot of letters. There's two letters right now. So, they're not hearing from people and we need to continue to be in their ear. And with that, I'm going to pass it to Dr. West for superintendent report. Thank

028you. Thank you, everybody. Thank you, Chair Katy. And I'll close out the comments regarding public testimony of the state board of education by saying that some public testimony has already made a difference. uh this bill and the rules associated with it have gone through many iterations. It is still far from perfect and there are many obstacles to actually operationalizing this bill in our school districts. But for those who have spoken up, the board of education has made some adjustments based on what they've heard. So it really does matter that we send in this communication. Um, in terms of my report, I want to start also with the exercise of education as director DrewX, but it as I was listening to the comments from each of the directors, um, a couple things came to mind. One,

029I believe director Trux who were quoting Tinker vlo case. Yes. which is a landmark case and that is the case that established the right of students to speak freely within a school context or in some cases to protest by leaving the school campus. I was unfortunately unable to participate as a safety supervisor. Kind of a walk out, but I had regular reports and by all accounts, students were outstanding, respectful, followed the law, very clear in what they were asking for. And what I want to acknowledge is the degree of courage that that took one to organize and walk out of their school environment. I'm looking at you. I know it wasn't just but right now you're representing all of the young people at the high school. Um the degree of courage that to to organize

030and walk out of the high school for something that you believe deeply in that is not to be understated. And then to stand openly in a public space at a time when people in our community are being targeted simply for the color of their skin. That is courage. That is that is something that I would hope that any of us here in this forward would aspire to. Uh, and so thank you for modeling what it looks like to speak your truth, to speak your values, and to show us how to stand up for those things that I really care about. That is the job of us as a school district um to take care of the kids that are in our charge. So to that end, just a couple of updates for the school board

031here related to some other things that to mitigate the impact of immigration efforts in our community. Um, some of you have been involved in several of the meetings that have taken place over the last couple of months. You have the community based organizations that are or regularly union entities from across Washington County. And I'm I'm saying Washington County specifically right now because by all metrics, Washington County found zero for immigration enforcement in this state. U by far we have the most um detentions here in Washington County and specifically western Washington County which includes storage. Um, so those convenience have been really instrumental because what we realized early on in this effort is that everyone was trying to respond and we were doing what we could within our peer review and often overlapping. And so coming

032together to be able to share what are you doing, what are you doing and then taking those conversations out of that meeting space and carrying them into your week and into other is really beneficial. Um a couple of examples of that is these city of Forest Grove declared a state of emergency as you know many weeks ago because of one of those convenings. We had both our mayor and our city manager in that space who was able to hear about the impact to of course district students and families and through their state of emergency they were able to free up some financial resources some of which they were donated directly to our community and family resource center so that we could continue to provide support to our students and our families. So that's one example

033of how those beings are paying off. Um couple of more examples is that we are now also meeting on a regular basis with um a group known as special districts for Washington County. A school district is not technically considered a special district. Special districts director you probably know this are more like um the water department or fire >> districts. >> Yeah. Fire districts. um sometimes subdivisions within counties and the services that they provide, but school districts in Western Washington County have been included in that in particular the services that we provide directly to students and families. And so that is another type of convening that is occurring. And um that is a different level of support because our city and county colleagues for example are looking more from a policy perspective and from where they

034can direct the resources that they have access to to those support interrupt. And so those are some really healthy conversations that are taking place. Um so that is also something that I am hopeful will bear through here very soon. Um and then lastly there is a very small group of community-based organizations um that have they were activated during the first Trump administration the first time that immigration enforcement was escalated. Um and they learned some things through that process. Now that the second ex escalation is occurring, they've been able to immediately roll out some of those things that they learned in the the first go around and implement them. Um, as I said, it's a very small group that has been doing this thus far. Um, they are expanding um the number of people that are

035involved in that conversation. forestro solisted be one of the entities that they have invited to participate in that conversation regularly and we are happy to do that we share the same families we share the same neighbors so it's really important that we talk to each other in and discover the different ways that we can support each other through this as we are supporting our students so all of that is underway and I think it's really important to acknowledge that people are working hard to collaborate to get the information out so our families and our neighbors can ensure their safety. I also want to say that thus far we've been very fortunate that immigration agents have not accessed our school campuses or attempted to in any way. Um, I had a conversation with Congresswoman Bonichi um

036over the Thanksgiving week holiday and she and several other members of Congress, including some people on the other side of the aisle, are um actively working on some legislation to try to identify schools as protected spaces. Again, I I don't have a crystal ball. don't know if that will actually come to pass, but there are people who recognize that a school should be a place where kids feel safe. And then I'm just going to put a punctuation mark at the end of everything everybody else has said. The safety walks that our staff are engaged in are tremendous and providing great support for our students. Um, some of our staff are going so far as to drive to bus stops before and after school to help students get on and off the bus and feel safe

037while they're doing that. And that is a tremendous support to students. So, thank you to all of you out there in the islands who are participating in that. And we will continue to evolve as we learn and we will continue to share um as things evolve. So, moving on, unless there's any questions about what I shared regarding all of that activity. Okay. Um, so moving on, a couple of quick updates. I was able recently to attend the Oregon School Law Conference and um, I have shared with a few of you that that is my favorite conference of the year. I've had a couple people tell me that if I didn't go into education, I probably would have been a lawyer. They might be right. Oh, shame. [laughter] >> Yeah, I'm glad you're where you're at.

038Um, the law conference this year was really interesting. There was a great deal of conversation around federal executive orders, as we might guess, and the potential impact of those orders and how school districts can position themselves to be prepared for any type of enforcement effort that might come from that. So that was very practical and beneficial to attend. There were also several sessions about immigration enforcement and what we can and cannot do in relation to immigration enforcement. Um so that was helpful as well. Um those sessions specific to immigration enforcement um were interesting in that we were able to hear directly from a couple of districts where ICE were on their campuses. So for example, many of you probably read about what happened most of the Westland Wilsonville. So it was interesting to get firsthand

039information about that experience and faith in how that might apply to us if that were to happen. Um, in addition, we had several special education trends that were identified through that conference, uh, which I'm sure that director, Dr. Shear knows all about at this point. Uh, one of which I think is important to highlight. There's some renewed interest in child fine. Um and for those of you who are on the mill child find is our legal obligation to identify students who you uh may be best served through an individual education plan and through special education services. So that was um super interesting and something that has risen in our way. In addition, um, we I attended the business summit yesterday and, uh, what was fascinating to me about that summit there, there was a lot.

040I learned a tremendous amount through attendance, but what was really interesting to me through that summit is listening to the way our business neighbors and community partners speak about education. And it's not flattering to be blunt. Um, and so that that experience afforded me an opportunity to have some real conversations with people about what they see as failure the failures of public education. Um, a lot of takeaways from that that I'll continue to share with the board over the course of the next several weeks and with the cabinet as we think through what do we do with this information. There were business leaders from all over the state there. Um there were also legislators from all over the state there and so some really good conversations specific to what they think need to get that

041education and what they identify as some of our areas of opportunity. So that was incredible use of time um and I thank the school board for your support and allowing me to continue to pursue learning like that because ultimately it will help us be a better district. And then I'm going to wrap this up um by saying later on in the session we will have an opportunity to take a look at some draft legislative priorities for the upcoming short session. Just a couple of quick things I want to highlight on there and then we can dig into it more deeply when we get to that draft. The state is projecting a shortfall of roughly about $600 million. All of that shortfall is a direct result of HR1. Had HR1 not passed, the state would actually

042be in a position of a slight surplus. And the reason for that is because of the way the Oregon tax code is tied to the federal tax code. And there's a lot of complexity in there that I'm not going to go into, but I think it's really important to acknowledge that as a state there's only one reason we're in the situation right we're in right now with the budget shortfall. But what that will mean for us as a school district is there will be near certain reductions mid bianium in our funding. The state has already forecasted that. They're telling us to plan for it. We don't know what that means yet. We don't know if that's a 1% reduction or a 5% reduction, but we have been told that we should start planning for some

043level of reduction in our state budget. And with that, I would stop talking. Thank you. All right. We do not have comments from Forest Grove Education Association. And so we are up to finally for the people here unscheduled public appearance. The board appreciates community members sharing information during public comments. Public comments can be made in person or through Zoom by submitting the designated form on the web page. Public comments will be limited to three minutes as is the protocol for board meetings. Board members will not comment or respond to questions. Public criticism or complaints about school district personnel are not allowed. And I think we do have public comment tonight. And I'll ask Bethany to pull our first person. The main screen. >> Is that should be on the other And Megan, if you could

044just state your name and um and your topic tonight, we'll start in a few minutes. >> Okay. Um my name is Megan Fitzgerald and I'm talking about the impact of um ICE honors, students, and families. Um so my name is Megan Fitzgerald. I'm a teacher in the Forest Grove School District. I'm speaking on behalf of my colleagues, students and families who could not be here tonight out of concern for their personal safety to speak with you about the impact of ICE activity on our students and families and staff. During the past two months, my colleagues and I have witnessed our students coming to school experiencing a level of trauma that cannot be overstated. We have sat with sobbing parents to help them develop emergency custody plans in case their children were to come home and

045find their parents had been taken. Many families are no longer able to work and some have lost the primary breadwinners of their family. My students know now that it is no longer safe to play outside or go to the park. Many are no longer able to leave the house to come to school. And several students who love school, their teachers and their friends have been left with no choice but to remain isolated at home and enroll in online classes. Recently, a student witnessed from their window a man being dragged from his vehicle and beaten in the street. Another student told us shocked that he was scared he would be next because of the color of his skin. Our students are terrified they will come home to find their parents gone and this fear is not

046unfounded because many have already lost their family members. My students ask me, "What did we do wrong? Why don't they want us here?" And as adults, we want to be able to tell them that everything is going to be okay and that the adults in their lives will protect them. But lately, those words do not seem to be true. Our students are being traumatized and living in a state of constant fear and stress. Everyone, students, staff, and families have been impacted by the environment of fear created by ICE raids. This collective trauma our students are experiencing is impacting their learning in their critical years of development. We cannot normalize this fear for our students. They deserve better. All of our students have the right to stability and should not have to operate in survival mode.

047I ask um as you engage in discussions regarding topics such as attendance, test scores, and student behavior to recognize the impact that this reality has on our students and families and staff. I teach my students to speak up if they see someone being mistreated. Our children are not only traumatized by what has been allowed to happen. They are angry. They want to know why. And they ask me again and again, why isn't anyone doing anything to stop this? And I know as a school district, we are limited in what we are able to do. I want to extend heartfelt gratitude towards um this district, Dr. West and the board members for the work they've already done to protect our students and families and want to further urge you on behalf of our students, staff and

048family who cannot be here tonight to use your platform, use your power to make it known that ICE is not welcome in this community so that we can look our children in the eyes and tell them that we have done everything within our power to protect them. Thank you for your time. Yeah, >> state your name and your topic. >> Yeah, good evening. Um, my name is Sandra. I don't know if you can hear me. >> Hear us. >> Sandra Para. Um, and I am here for immigration. um discrimination. >> Um so, good evening. My name is Sandra and I want to share something deeply concerning. Um we have students in our district who came here, some who came seeking asylum that are leaving um because their countries are deemed safer than the United States

049right now. And that should be really concerning to to everyone. Um I yesterday I also saw Facebook comments from people um upset that a protest the protest that happened at the flag pole was disrupting their education. Um, some Forest Grove High School students even complained that their education was interrupted for that day. Um, and I just want to say that our Latino students and families are experiencing those disruptions every single day. So, they got the taste of their education disrupted one day and they they were mad. Can you imagine how our students feel every single day? Um, they live with fear and uncertainty that and the constant worry that a parent sometimes even both parents might not be home when they return from school. So, if we really care about protecting students educations, then we

050have to talk about how we can support the students who can't focus in class because they're afraid their families could be violently taken from them. Um, our job is to make schools safe for everyone. And I'm asking for this board and our whole community to listen, to show compassion, and to act. Um, if we truly care about making sure education is not disrupted, then we need to talk about the kind of fear that makes a student unable to concentrate, um, unable to feel safe and sometimes unable to walk through the school doors at all. And that is a real disruption to education in our district. Um, our responsibility, your responsibility is to make our school safe for everyone. That means more than just physical safety. It also means emotional safety, psychological safety, and the assurance

051that students can come to school without wondering if their families will be torn apart. Um, so again, I'm asking this board, all of you, um, and our entire community to listen to our students, to stand with them, to show compassion, and to act. They are telling us what they are living through, and it's time we take them seriously. Thank you, Santa. Thank you. Hi, my name is Joel Rickard and I'm here to speak on the presence of ICE in our community. Um, first of all, I'd like to thank you for your service. It's truly appreciated what you do um to service our students, family, and staff. And I'm truly grateful to live in a place um with a district that supports students by prioritizing an online study option, a union that offers safety watch training,

052and a community that came out yesterday to keep students safe. Um the reason I'm here today is to share with you the reality of some families and students and staff in our district um living in fear of ICE and asking you to keep that reality in mind when you're having discussions and making decisions. Um, I'm going to share some words from um, colleagues that were not able to be here tonight. Um, 120 students or 19% of our student body have shared with trusted adults that they worry about the impact of ICE on their family. They're afraid to come to school, leaving their parents at home, fearful that when they return from school, their adult will not be home and or will not be coming home. Students have shared with trusted adults that they are afraid

053to be at their bus stop because their parents block them due to it being dark and that while the parent is at the bus stop, ICE will come and take them. Students have shared their thoughts and feelings with trusted adults. Several statements that they have made include, I worry that my dad will be gone and we will not know where he is. We saw ice when we were leaving the grocery store and when my mom told us just to look forward and be still. I can't think when I'm at school because I do not know who will take care of me if they take my parents. I thought I saw ice this morning at the bus stop and my heart was pounding. I still can't focus and I'm worried about my mom. They took my

054dad from Tacoma to Louisiana. We think we can't find him. I can't sleep and I'm very tired. Ice was in my neighborhood last night. We turned off all the lights and took the TVs and had to make it look like nobody was home in case they came to our door. I worry about my parents all day long and it's hard to be at school. I just don't understand why they hate us and why they want to send us back to Mexico. Why would they do that? Why did they have to take my dad? And the worst part is now my dad doesn't even get to see me grow up. Um, our FGSC colleagues of color have shared in confidence that thinking about being pulled over by ice makes it hard to focus at work and

055that they are exhausted. They wake up overwhelmed and fearful that members will be detained their family members. They are nervous to drive to work, carrying multiple forms of identification on them. They look forward to getting home to be sure that their family is safe. They spend all day passionately caring for our students and go home to taking on additional responsibilities they wouldn't normally have to do, like driving family members to their appointments so that their loved ones can get home safe. Staff at FGFC have organically organized themselves to support our students and families at bus stops and in the community before and after school. Schools have organized teams after work hours to build hundreds of whistle kits and distribute literature to legally support our families. This is currently be done as it as it needs

056to be. The impact of ICE is detrimental to our students, families, and colleagues, negatively impacting their daily lives whether they speak to you about it or not. The fear is real, huge, and unacceptable both in our schools and our communities. Thanks. >> Hello. >> Hi. My name is Vanessa Martinez. I am um a teacher from the forc school district. >> I stand before you tonight not to discuss politics but to share what I'm witnessing in my classroom. The devastating impact that the recent immigration enforcement actions are having on our children. I have a student who still loses his baby teeth, who is learning how to read, who until recently loved coming to school. Now he refuses to attend. He is terrified that his family will be gone when he returns home. He is consumed by

057the fear that his grandmother will be taken. This child experiences daily anxiety attacks so severe that he shakes, cries, and nearly vomits. He begs to call home just to make sure his family is still there. A child this young who should be discovering the joy of reading should not live in this kind of terror. His family tries to comfort him, telling him that the bad guys are gone and that they can live in peace now. But the reality is clear. He can no longer go to the store, play at the park. His childhood has been stolen by fear. The only thing that helps him escape these thoughts is drawing. Art has become his refugee from a nightmare no childhood experience. And there's another student, a US citizen who was a kindergartener, who was in kindergarten

058just last year, who said goodbye to his father as he left for work, not knowing it would be the last time he would see him. His father, the sole provider for him and his baby sister, was detained and deported. I spent this last the last year inspiring this boy, telling him that success is possible if you work hard, encouraging encouraging him to dream of college, to be the first in his family. Now his future and his sister's future has been ripped away. This is not about politics. This is about children, our children, suffering irreparable trauma. These are babies who cannot focus on their learning because they are living in constant fear. We cannot stand by while our students lives are being destroyed. I urge every person in this room, every community member to use your

059voice and make it clear ICE is not welcome in our community. Our children deserve safety, stability, and a chance to simply be children. Thank you. >> And that's those are the all of the public comments we have for tonight. I think we're going to take a twominut recess and we will give an opportunity for our audience to um consider if you'd like to stay for the rest of very long meeting. But really appreciate your words tonight. You're keeping that front and center of what I think we're all thinking about right now. So let's take a two-minute recess and we'll come back. All right, we are back and we are moving on to consent agenda. It's made up of routine non-controversial items to be voted on under one motion. Are there any items within the consent

060agenda a board member or superintendent wishes to discuss separately? Seeing none. >> Oh, that's we'll call it uh call the meeting back at 6:30 p.m. exactly. So, I'll look for a motion to approve the consent agenda. I move to um to um sorry, I haven't approve the consent agenda as presented. Thank you. Any discussion? All in favor say I. I >> opposed. >> All right. And we are up to the presentation. Student resource officer report with officers. Sam >> welcome Sam. >> Thank you. >> Good evening school board members. Uh my name is Sam Y. I'm uh the school resource officer. Um this is my first year as the school resource officer. Uh, and this is my first time giving the report, so sorry if I sound nervous. Not not great with um talking in

061front of people. But uh, a little bit about myself. I've worked for the police department since 2018. Um, I'm a husband. I'm a father. And, uh, >> I apologize. >> You don't want to apologize. Uh it's an honor to ser serve this position. [gasps] So just a quick recap about what an SR was. We'll take it. Let's just take a minute. All right. >> So, just a recap of what a school resource officer is. Um, >> okay. We're back at 6:30 p.m. >> Uh, a function as a counselor, a liaison, um, [clears throat] mentor counselor, as well [snorts] as a police officer and a detective. So, so far for the school district this year, I started July 1, this is through November, there's been 526 calls to all the four school district calls or different

062schools. You can see it's broken down here. The [snorts] high school primarily being um the busiest one since July 1. uh calls the school locations specifically assigned to me. Uh it's 186. Um in that last slide there, you'll see there's 526 calls total. 186 to me. Um that's 340 calls that other officers have had to take um related to the school. Uh not all of these are calls for service by community members or students or teachers or staff. Uh some of these are premise checks, traffic stops, afterhour alarms. Um not always interacting with students. Um, out of those 500 plus calls, uh, 290 incidents, um, I'm sorry, 290 incidents in total during this time frame, including the 186 to school district properties. Um, about 104 of those were off of school property. So, this is

063a pie chart here of uh where I'm primarily responding to. Again, it's mainly um the high school. Uh Neil Armstrong would be um runner up. And as you can see, a lot of the uh calls for service that happen um lead to a lot of stuff that happens off of school property. Um these will be at homes, hospitals. Yeah. Go ahead, Pete. >> Yeah, officer. Uh, thank you. Um, my question is one that I always ask when we get information like this um with the city. How many of those calls occurred at the same time? Because that really stretches your ability and the ability of your colleagues in Forest Grove Police Department. that we have a call at Forest Grove High School and another call of Neil Armstrong and maybe even a third call out

064in the out in the out in the district. Do you have records of any of those things any of those calls occurring simultaneously? >> Uh I don't have that with me tonight. Um that would be very hard um to pull that statistic. Um and it really is dependent on the day. So, for an example, we've had we we this last month we've been dealing with um a a case up at the high school that has led to um for an example like you uh were saying our entire lobby was full of parents and students and and um people wanting to talk. So, that that takes away um from patrol as well. they have to handle those calls and um as well as the calls that are also coming to the dispatch that I can handle

065um through a phone call to parents. Um so that that's that's I can see if I can get that data for you. It may be kind of um >> I think we can we can we can talk a little bit more about that. We had some similar questions um in the prior year and we're able to see some data about what was being called. I think what I'd like to do is have some have you continue and we'll hold questions until the end. And that's yeah, that's I don't think we need to worry about that dating now, but that's a good question. >> Uh, so calls for service by month. This is just for the high school and the middle school. As you can see, when school first starts, um, we get a large amount

066of calls coming in. And as the school, um, uh, year goes on, that tends to go down. That being said, as it goes down, children begin to settle in to their environment and um at times tend to disclose things that uh lead to more um complex investigations. Follow-up calls involving students and school related matters that do not necessarily take place at the school. These would be uh with DHS or abuse investigations uh or investigating threats of harm to um school or staff or students. Uh approximately one-third of all of my calls for service are off-campus. Uh this is just kind of a repeat on that top statistic. Uh 79 original supplemental reports were taken during this time. Uh two arrests, two physical arrests were made during this time. Um one thing that I've been doing

067and talking to the district attorney about is instead of taking um physical custody or referring somebody uh like as an arrest is just referring the case to them for consideration. Is this something you will prosecute putting the ball in that court in their court as far as what's going to be next? Uh most common incidents outside of this um harassment DHS um sex abuse cases um social media computer phone related cases and criminal mischief. Uh so SRO currently is primarily an investigator who responds to incidents responding to a call's lengthy process that requires long interviews sometimes with multiple suspects victims and witnesses meetings with hospitals, medical staff, DHS, juvenile departments, family, parents, friends, school admin, and district attorneys. Um invest in investigations can sometimes take weeks. Um, in this case, um, I'm I'm getting more

068cases that are going to be taking me months to work. So, outside of the calls for service and statistics, this is just some more stuff that I've been up to. I've still found time to do what an SRO is put in place to do, and that's um, have positive interactions and educate the students. Um, I've taught six fentanyl and drug awareness prevention classes at Neil Armstrong Middle School. I have six more planned coming up. Um, I've furthered my training and threat assessment, sexual assault, and I've attended district uh equity training. Um, I've met with multiple students regarding careers in law enforcement. Uh, and I and I've also had uh the opportunity to do one-on-one training um with a student with a disability to help try to um improve their confidence, I guess you could say.

069Other than that, I've been attending sporting events and other school events and activities, coordinating with district employees, and having daily positive interactions with students when time allows. This is just kind of a slide to give you a brief show of like what my fentanyl [clears throat] presentations kind of look like and the point that I'm trying to get across to them that it's it's deadly. So, some challenges for me right now is the SR alone is responding to three to four calls per day. That's average. Some days it's one or two. Some days it seems like it's 20. [laughter] um again many of the time which require lengthy interviews. Um this does not include calls outside of the school location um or or follow up. Um this has now led me to be so busy

070that I don't have time to be proactive in my position. Every principal wants me in their school zone during pickup and drop off. Um, I guess that could be part of the reason as to why I became emotional is because I feel like I'm being pulled in so many directions and it's it's exhausting. Uh, with our two uh the high school and the middle school being on two sides of the city, responding from one place to the other uh can take up a good amount of time as well, just going back and forth. Um, luckily I will say um that the administrative staff at the high school and the middle school has been a very good has got done a very good job of um when to involve me and when not to involve me.

071[clears throat] Um I don't think this is really anything new that NAMS is now generating close to the same number of calls as Forest Grove High School. I think that trend was in place when Bond was here as well. Um, I'd say a lot of the calls are increasingly felony uh felony related at lower grade levels and it's um requiring a significant amount of time. Um, and I guess another thing as well is um kind of legal limitations and also district policy where um I there's things in place where I have to contact kids outside of school um if their if their parents don't want me talking to them there. Just another brief recap, the SRO is currently responding to many incidents. that little time is available for the proactive things that um when I

072do the Naza, you know, basic school resource officer certification, the things that they say lead to the highest impact um with students is I I it's very hard for me to find this time to do this. One SRO for community of 6,600 students, staff and teachers is it's a challenge. Um, an average workload for a police department is 1.5 officers per 10,00 residents. >> Does anybody have any questions? >> Questions? I would just like to um ask you when u I saw the the numbers of 20% at the elementary level does that include Oak Academy at Call and um Yes Creek. >> Uh not not Gails Creek. Um I don't service Gails Creek even though it is in our school district. It is in Washington County um territory but um Oakrove Academy here in town.

073Um Tom McCall. Yes. So through Dale's Creek, >> uh Washington County, >> Washington County. >> Yeah. The sheriff's office. And that goes the same uh for uh like Echo Shaw and Cornelius Elementary is that when they have an issue there, typically it will be or something that they need law enforcement help with. It'll be um a Washington County uh deputy Cornelius Police Department. >> Yeah. Who is contracted through Washington County. Sorry. >> Thank you. Thank you and thank you uh for the report. Um I just want to comment that I think I was at the high school when we started the SRO program and principal Bob Flegel and the SRO was a county deputy Doug Horn. He was the first SRO as I recall at Forest Grove High School and later when we shifted over

074to the city of Forest Grove Police Department. It was Tom Siciliano who was uh the SRO of lost track after that. Uh but um you're following in good footsteps and uh they've set a pretty good record and there's no doubt in my mind that the ones who follow you will be saying same good things about you and I appreciate the work you're doing. Thank you. >> Yeah. Thank you. comments >> have a comment not a question I want to in a very short period of time offices in our school district as a valuable resource so thank you for that I also want to emphasize um when our SRO says that investigations weeks and months he's not kidding and that is incredibly labor intensive or in particular. And as someone who had just a taste of

075what that investigative process looks like, I totally understand what a drain that can be and how that process can be done in time and the resources. So, thank you for engaging in that fully. What I hear from people is that you don't take shortcuts. um that you're fully vested in your work and the safety of students and I really appreciate that. So, thank you very much. I want to leave you with one other comment too. Um I think it is true for anyone who is in a position of leadership that they are often asked to do the bar more than it is possible to do. Think you need to relieve yourself of the burden of trying to meet all the demands. Yeah, >> we trust you to prioritize where the most important need is and

076we work as a team to try to fill in the gaps for each other when we we can't just be everywhere all at once. Um, and so you're part of our team and you will help support fill in those gaps for us. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> And I'll close. I'll echo that and say we we heard as well last year from Bon. We understand the capacity and that the need way outweighs what one single person can do. I do um I do not doubt that this team is here to support, but also know that the board is well aware that you you can and should only work at the capacity that you feel you can do your best and we're aware that you can't do it all by yourself. Uh, so I really appreciate

077you can tell how much you care and that you've been able to come into this position so quickly and made this kind of connection is so important to everybody here. So, thank you so much for taking the time again tonight and for the presentation and for what you're the work you're doing with kids. >> Yeah, thank you for the support. >> All right, we're going to move on to action items. Uh our first action item is supplemental budget resolution with director. >> Good evening. Uh tonight we have the supplemental budget resolution number 2526 of R1 and I spoke briefly about this at the work session that we had last month. Um, we were awarded a 25% PERS employer incentive fund match and we will be putting $5 million from our PERS reserve account into a

078new PERS site account. This will put about $6.2 million into the new site account between our contribution and the state match. Um, because we received the grant match after the adopted budget, we do have to have this budget resolutions and complete this transfer this year. Um if we fundamentally transfer before December 31st, this will be impacted in the next bianium. If we do the transfer after December 31st, it will be the following by two and a half years from now or three and a half years from now. Um so our intent is to make this transfer in the next couple of weeks. Um however, because of budget law, we can't take the transfer straight from our PERS reserve. We can't create a new appropriation from the 300 funds. We have to create the appropriation in

079the general fund. So, we'll do the transfer from our general fund this year and then budget to pay back in this upcoming budget cycle. So, that's why it looks a little confusing in the resolution is it's coming from the general fund, but we'll reimburse the general fund as of July 1st this upcoming year. So questions make a motion. >> I'm not going to deny a motion. >> Um I move to approve the supplemental budget resolution 25-26R col1 as presented. >> Any discussion? All in favor say I. I >> oppose. >> Right. Motion passes and Taylor Way security item number two. >> So the first procurement item we have tonight is the Taylor way security project with Convergent. Convergent was awarded our RFP back in 2023 as the district security provider for our upgrades for our

080bond work. Um this is for the Taylor facilities for $89,842. Any questions? Motion to approve the supplement. Oh, sorry. Motion to approve the purchase agreement with convergent to pay system work at to high school and way. Oh, apologies for 89,800. Any discussion? None. All in favor say I. I opposed. All right. Motion passes. Burn Hill Classroom furniture item three. >> This is purchase agreement with Verco for the Fernhill classroom furniture for the addition with the bond work. We're adding four classrooms over there. And this would uh supply furniture for all four including all new preschool furniture for the preschool classroom. That'll be part of that addition. Um, and this purchase is for 56,74637. Questions? Um, I'm curious. Uh, do we ever look at what's in the warehouse for furniture that we can reuse? You know,

081I'm just thinking about saving money. We definitely do look at what's in Taylor Way and try to reuse. Um, for a space that we are just moving things around, we would definitely use what's in Taylor Way. Uh, for a brand new space and adding four new classrooms, uh, our intent is to add the classroom furniture for those four so that it's consistent and it's nice in a new space. Um, other renovations, we just use what's at Taylor Way. It's can be very difficult to find matching sets over there. >> I I understand prekinder, you know, they need they need everything. But out of Gills Creek, it looks like um uh the Jenny Reigns building would become the dumping ground for a lot. There's a lot of furniture. It's in good shape. It's just sitting there

082with the sign that says the warehouse. It's been sitting there for quite a while. And it looks like good chairs. It looks like good desks. Um, so I would suggest that it gets moved over to other way and then if they can be used and I'm only thinking because you know save money >> and I think there's other classrooms and teachers um teachers generally come over to the other way multiple times a year to grab what they can find. Um, and so definitely we'll put in a work order and talk with the administrator out there to uh see what furniture is over there that needs to be. There's quite a bit. >> Yeah. Thanks for listening. No questions. All right, let's take a roll call. Oh my gosh. All in favor of vote. All in

083favor say I. >> No. No. Let's back it up. >> Back. We need a motion. Okay. Um I move to approve the purchase agreement with uh Eric for the Fern Hill edition furniture purchase for $56,00074637. >> Second discussion. All in favor say I. >> I opposed. >> All right. Motion passes. Echo roof. All >> right. The next one we have here is the echo shell roof. Uh while we were doing the bond construction this summer and the seismic improvements, um it was noted that we do need to replace that roof before the next bond hits. Um we it was originally scheduled for the next bond, but since this construction this summer and just the condition of it, we need to replace it now. So, we're asking to use bond funds uh remaining bond funds and

084interest revenue associated to the bond to replace this uh $1,426,124. Uh this does include a 10% contingency. So, if when they are looking at the roof and they do the they do a water assessment to try to find um wet insulation and stuff underneath that it allows us to be able to do those change orders as we go. Um, we are using the Omnia purchasing agreement and Garland did get four bids for the project and we are looking at using the uh most affordable one with Washington roof solutions. >> Um, I have a question. Is the roof leaking right now? >> Not at the moment. >> Okay. >> Um, and when are you thinking of doing this? >> Next summer. >> Okay. 2026. >> Mhm. Thank you. >> Well, it's not leaking now. That's an

085act of God. [laughter] >> Motion to approve the purchase agreement with Garland DBS um Inc. for the Echo Shaw Group for 1,426,174. Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor say I. I. Opposed. All right. Viking house. >> Right. The last one I have for you tonight is the Viking house property purchase. Uh we have been actively trying to seek additional properties uh to bridge the gap between um this last lot that we have and when we can develop the veil road property. We're still working on that purchase overall. Um the land owner is working on still subdividing the uh 3 acres that we're trying to purchase there. So we can't move forward with that till that's completed. Um, but this will help bridge that gap and Chris has been working with the owners, uh, Kurt

086and Christine Zimmerman on purchasing this. It's kind of a a smaller lot than what we're used to, but it is one that will work for a one-year bridge. So, >> questions. Madame Chair, I move to approve the purchase of lot 1 and 331C1210 for the Viking House program for $150,000. >> I was hoping you would do that. Should be all right. >> And I want to say a couple of things about the discussion. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, again, as someone who has been around the district uh for a while, um, this is one of those things, this is truly a success story. Um, high school kids almost, I don't say get violent with each other, but as they compete to get on uh the Viking crew, the Viking House crew, it

087is uh it is a joy to watch them wanting to be a part of something that is as positive as this is, not only for the students, not only for the school, not only for the bottom line for uh Forest Pro school district, but also for the community. Uh when you go to the houses when they are built and on display, the number of people that from the community that walk around marveling at what these students have done, what these carpenters and electricians and plumbers and all of those people have done. It is truly a marvel and I u applaud and I want to make sure that we remember the gentleman that started it all the late Bert Hansen uh and the work that he had he did he started that Chris Higen Bothotham Dwayne

088Mueller and others have have carried on for for Forest Grove High School indeed for the Forest Grove School District. I have talked way too long and I apologize and thank you for the opportunity to share. Thank you, Director Chu. I just want to make I want to say thank you very much. I know that this has been really hard to find a piece of priority plus going down and I know you've been working hard on for quite a while. So, I really appreciate your diligency. Thank you. >> We are still looking for another letter or two. So, anybody in the community and places go and just put out the word boss. We know that. All right. All in favor say I. >> I. Opposed. >> Okay. And we are gonna Thank you, director. We're gonna

089move to Enrique Kon, our technology manager about classroom technology. >> Thank you. Um the next item uh before you today is uh a request to amend the contract that we have uh that was awarded in 2024 uh to Portland construction as part of one of our bond projects to upgrade audio and visual equipment across the district. Um we are now moving on uh with a project to its next phase which is addressing kind of the larger instructional spaces such as common areas and gyms. Uh so the angle before we used to approve amendments to the contract uh with Peggy again who was awarded the RFP uh board approved back in 2024 uh to address those spaces. Uh you have the amendments before you u the additional amount would be not to exceed 900,000 which does

090include a 10% contingency uh based on when they get into the spaces to buy what's what's needed logistically. Uh so the request uh by administration is the recommendation that the board approve of the procurement of an upgrade uh to commons and gym spaces of audiovisisual equipment utilizing bond funds not to exceed $900,000 >> questions. >> Um does that include libraries? >> Libraries are part of the first phase. So the libraries that uh where we could upgrade equipment we have. Yeah. I'll make a motion uh to approve the procurement to upgrade the comments in Jim Aquamus utilizing bond bonds of up to $900,000. Thanks >> discussion. All in favor say I. >> I opposed. >> All right. Thank you. >> Contract to staff and services with Dr. Fier. >> Good evening. Um the district has a

091need to fill um a temporary leave of a speech language pathologist um beginning in I believe January. And so I'm here tonight to ask the board uh to approve up to $70,000 for a contracting service. Uh we would use current budgeted sub costs to cover this and we would convert those costs and this would just be um for a portion of the school year. When you say portion of the school year, what are you referring to? This is a temporary leave. >> Okay. Motion to approve spending up to $70,000 for 1.0 FTE speech language pathology position cover with absence in student services for a portion of the 2025 2026 school year. >> Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor say I. I. >> Opposed. >> All right. Motion passes and high dosage tutoring literacy contract

092with assistant superintendent Mar. >> Good evening. Good evening board. Um bringing before you today contract for high dosage tutoring which is new to our district. We recently received notification that we're eligible for supplemental resources. um additional funds supported by OD's early literacy grant program. We are eligible over the next two years a bianium of $371,650. And these funds are specifically designed to expand tutoring programs focused on improving early literacy outcomes grades pre preK through 5. Um what's different about these funds is that uh districts must prioritize hiding schools, must establish new tutoring activities, the new tutoring activities and must participate in OD's um community of practice program. So um and which are which are research based practices that they're promoting across the state. Um, additional requirements include um, uh, using contract services through thirdparty providers

093if you choose to use a third party provider and again follow those researchbased criterias. Our plan um, for for these funds. Our recommendation is to use high dosage turing during the school day at Joseph Gale and Fernill Elementary Schools. And we're going to target second and third grades which are which align with our district goals around third grade literacy achievement. We are going to target students at those grade levels at those two schools. Identify students, have them participate in high intense short dosage of tutoring. We will contract out to hey tutors um where they will hire and train the staff to come into our schools and provide that service for us. Um, this is certainly something new and different for us. We're going to be piloting it this year. We'll we'll track data. We'll um

094we'll figure out lessons learned to figure out what adjustments we need to make for for the second year of the bienium. Um because this is over 50,000, we're bringing it to you today for approval um to be able to we are asking the board to approve the expenditure of up to 185,825 which is half of the allocation um to hey tutor provide high dosage literacy literacy tutoring for the 2526 school year. >> Questions Dr. Sprinkle. >> Um, you had mentioned like getting data in the pilot program. Um, I was wondering if you could talk a little bit more about how >> Okay. So, my understanding is they're coming here to train the educators. >> They will actually hire and train the their own staff. >> Oh, I see. >> We will partner with them. Um,

095they will be using their own curriculum which aligns with ours which is one of the reason why we chose them. Um, we interviewed three different providers. They definitely align with our science of reading um expectations and and philosophies and they also um uh have partnered with our amplify curriculum provider in the past. So are very familiar with our curriculum and so um they will hire and train which is which will help us right and we will have uh I believe three in one school and two in the other because of the difference of size and and they will um coordinate with our second and grade third grade teachers and our principles to determine at what point in the student schedule makes sense for them to push in and provide that high dosage tutoring. We don't

096want them to leave their core instruction, meaning their literacy blocks or their math blocks. So, it'll be a little bit of a of of um some scheduling that needs to happen to ensure that we're really identifying the right kids that would benefit from this and be able to target that that support. >> And how are we measuring how is success being measured for the pilot program? And will there be consistency? Yeah, we'll use the same measurement tool with all the student groups. Um, and that's something that we'll work to work with them on. But be able to provide those pre and post tests assessments and being able to measure what kind of growth they've had within those those blocks of times and with their those specific skills that they might be lacking. >> And is

097there like a Sorry, I have a question. >> No, I love it. Is there like a a timeline for when like I know it's a pilot program and I know like how often you're checking the progress of the students and how it's working schedule-wise and then looking at if you continue this program if it works out great. We love it. We're seeing the progress. If the consistency stays with those same individuals who have been trained and we working there like that like look in the future if that how that work. >> Oh that would be ideal, right? Ideally we'd be able to see those gains. uh be able to track that progress and folks will love partnering up with us and stay with us in future years because I think that consistency really matters. Um

098yeah, that's that's that we'll see how that goes. >> Okay. Um and then when Sorry, sorry, I'm taking a whole time. >> That's great. >> Um when will this be implemented? And then when Yeah, we'll start. >> Yeah, we we hope to start by February 1st. So go to February to May. That gives us a pretty good chunk of time uh about 12 to 15 weeks dep we're hoping to be able to provide this service oh sorry >> are these services bilingual services or just in English >> this would be just in English just in English >> okay >> will this be available for summer for if we have summer schools >> we do have separate summer learning funds and if it's something that we a strategy that we feel like is worth investing in.

099We can certainly look at that. It hasn't been the topic of conversation yet. >> These tiers are open to um all separate leaders or specific groups that we're helping out with student will identify um certain student groups um based on skills um as well as needs that they might have. And really we we want to we have to develop that criteria still with with um hey tutor figure out who our target groups are. Sometimes you can think of um students who are maybe a couple years below grade level or maybe just missing the college sometimes bubble kids because they're right there just need a little bit. So what we want to do is make sure those groups of two to three kids because you don't want to go over that have similar needs so that

100we can target those those interventions. So it all depends on on what the data tells us what the students needs are in those grades and figure out how far we could stretch those dollars and those opportunities. >> I have one more question and then we have Lisa. Um, are any other um, schools around using this organization? >> Um, that I don't that I I don't know. I'll have to I'll have to circle back with you on that one. Um, I do know this strategy around high dosage tutoring during the school day. Um, we've seen gains in districts such as Portland Public. We actually met with Portland public prior to getting this these funds not knowing that these funds were were coming because we were considering using different funds that's going to be my next conversation

101to do something very similar. So we were excited to get the this award um because what Portland public has done in the last few years has shown gains. So we'll be learning >> they they are using they are doing high dosage tutoring. They're not necessarily using hype um this this company, but they are using a similar model that we intend to follow at. >> So, have we did you do some research to see other school districts using this? >> Yeah, our um Magda, who isn't here today, looked at three different companies that are on an approved list from >> OD. Uh-huh. >> Um, and uh, it was Hey Tutor. I can actually tell you it's um, Hey Tutor was the one that had the closest alignment with what we were hoping to see that we

102also um, worked with a group called Kelly and University. All the list all all of these were providers approved by OD to work within our state. Um, and so we decided on Heyu based on our needs and what they were able to provide. >> Thank you. And just briefly looking at the website for this organization. They do have several partner school districts identified on the website here. So I don't know if we spoke directly with those school districts. We would need to visit with Monica as she did that would have but it there they seem to be pretty transparent with the work they've done at least a few school trips. >> We met with them. I felt like they were the most aligned with our values and what we were hoping to achieve. Um, sorry.

103Referencing what you're hoping to achieve. Are there projections like I know this is a fivemon span 17 schools kind of like what how like I know I don't know if that's enough time like I'm not sure how that works and what we're specifically looking for. I mean that that's contrasted between what we've already implemented and what we're already trying to do. I don't know if that makes sense. >> Yeah. I mean, we're trying to amplify the learning, right? Or enhance the learning. Um, we we know that um our kids need need more, right? And so, this is going to be a learning opportunity for us. We're going to um identify what those targets are, who those kids are. Um I hope to come back to you and report back to you some of those findings,

104right? Um and uh you know, but we don't have all of those targets lined up yet because we just got the award 3 weeks ago. Um we went through that process of identifying who made the most sense in hopes that we could start this school year that one to take advantage of the of the money that we have right now. So we have some work to do still to to line out all those all those outcomes. >> I'll I'll augment that answer in this way. First of all, thank you to Mara who's watching. she's giving me the information right now. Um, she said that they have an excellent track record. She looked at the results that they shared during the vetting process and they were excellent. She also said that the organization will meet with

105principles to make individual student and growth goals um, and group goals, excuse me. But what I I think I'm going to answer your question in a couple different ways because there is the individual student goals that we need to work on. And could we over a period of just a few weeks make a difference? Yes. It's incredible how rapidly student gaps can be proposed when effective instruction and it's intensified instruction. Um the other question is how do we know that this program versus the other programs that we're doing? I think that's a more complex question for us to answer and that won't necessarily involve hate tutor directly. That is a question that we need to assess as an organization and something we should be doing all the time is asking ourselves is what we're doing

106working how do we know and then adjusting if the answer to that question isn't an affirmative yes. So that is the right question to ask. We just won't know until we implement. The other thing that I want to be clear about is this is a two-year grant. So we are uh implementing in February or hope to at least by February resources that we don't use between February and June 30th which is the end of the fiscal year for the state will roll over into fiscal year 27 and we'll be able to reach those resources as well. We do not know if the grant will extend beyond the end of fiscal year 27. So, we're going to take advantage of this and use every penny that we have available to us to accelerate learning for kids.

107Hopefully, learn some things along the way to make our own practice and programs better. And then we'll see what the department does. >> Thank you. Thank you for that addition that point. >> Other questions? I think I think it's clear on this one in particular and I know this board is hyperfocused also on what's happening with literacy that um we can do some work too in leadership to maybe bring more frequent updates of how things are going not necessarily the the data but just how it's rolling out and and getting our um depth of knowledge on that a little bit better. So yeah, thank you for answering all this on the fly and >> I love the qu I mean no >> love the questions. >> Love it. >> Um but I do I would

108also love to make a motion on this motion to approve the expenditure of up to $185,000 sorry $185 $825,000 to Hay tutor to provide high dosage tutoring for the 2025 2026 school year. Second any discussion all in favor say I. All right, >> I post and we're gonna move on to Hydra's dosage tutoring math contract. >> Yeah. So, as I mentioned, we were in the process already of um thinking about how to use our Title 4 dollars a little differently. In years past, we had used Title 4 dollars to provide after school tutoring and and that was um something that we wanted to relook at going into this year. And so that's when we initially reached out to Portland Public because they had made some gains and they connected us with Stanford University and gave

109us some of the research behind some of the decisions that they were making around during the school day high dosage tutoring. So now that we have the literacy grant, we still have the title $4. And what we'd like to what we're bringing to you today is we'd like to use the title $4 dollars to contract out to hey tutor to provide high dosage math to math tutoring at the seventh and eighth grade level. So our idea here is that we will focus on literacy second and third grade but we know we still have a math need especially at the middle school level and so we'll use those title four dollars. And the reason we're coming to you is because it exceeds the $50,000 threshold. We need board approval for that. But we will use those

110funds to al to um to [clears throat] provide um additional contract with a tutor but specifically for seventh and eighth grade math. >> Thanks. >> I move to approve the expanded tutor to provide high dosage math tutoring for the 2526 school year. >> [snorts] >> Second >> discussion. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. All right. Motion passes. Thank you. And we're going to move on to student investment account uh grant agreement with Dr. West. >> Yes. Thank you. Um so we submitted our application for the student investment account resources that are available to school districts study by hand. Um, as part of that process of submitting the application, once reviewed, the Department of Education sends a grant activity that we then enter to the school board. This is unusual. There's no other

111grant agreement that is brought to the school board for approval. The reason that this one is brought to the school board is for two reasons. It's actually written into statute that we need to provide an opportunity for public comment related to the SIA grant. So having it um within the board agenda like this and providing an opportunity for public comment and set but second there is content within this creative grant agreement that is unique um among all grants that are issued by the department of education. I don't expect you to read it. It's many pages long. But um what I will draw your attention to if you want to hone in on anything in particular is that this is the grant that has performance targets associated with it. Those targets are co-created with us and

112the department of education and there are potential impacts to a school district if we do not make progress towards those goals. So as it is written in statute, if school district does not make progress towards the goals that are identified through the SIA and integrated plan process, the department of education can take over the school district. Um so that's a nomenclature for the department actually leaning into the school district and directing our funding and our activities. Um so it's important that the board be aware of the content within this grant agreement which is another reason why we're required to bring it forward. Um what is unusual about this benium is that the accountability bill Senate Bill 141 was passed in the long session of 2025 and that actually adds some additional metrics to the growth

113targets. um the goals for those growth metrics have not yet been determined. So if you look through here, what you'll see are the growth metrics that were agreed upon prior to SB41. Um those targets will be updated once the department figures out how they're going to go about implementing SB 141 and I'm sure at that time we'll receive an updated grant for that. >> Questions? Yeah. So, are these targets based on our school demographics? Is it just like a general target all across the board? >> Excellent question. Um, the original process, I don't know what the next process will look like, but the original process that every school district went through is we identified a baseline. So, for example, one of the targets is nth grade on track. So, what is the percentage of students

114that are on track in Forest Road School District? We look at that historically and then we identify growth in that area that is benchmarked to be no higher than the average growth of the top 10% I think it was the top 10% of districts in the state. So in other words the state helped us to not get in front of our skis and try to set a goal that might be unattainable for us. But they also said floor, for example, the third grade reading metric. Um they said no district can have a goal below 34%. So every school district had to strive towards reaching a 34% benchmark rating of that third grade metric. I will point out, we've talked about this, that the third grade leading metric is available only in English. So for Forest

115Grove School District said this before too, I reject that as a true measure of where our students are performing academically at the third grade level, but it is a metric that we need to attend to because it is part of the statute. Can you um so I'm curious uh will will the smart balance be timing for this at all looking at the smart balance or no? The common metrics that are used currently within the integrated plan include some of those smarter balance assessment scores. So third grade is one of them for example. The new metrics bring in a grade map as a second score and then there will be five local metrics that school districts may choose from. The rules around those five local metrics are still being determined, but one of those metrics is

116fifth grade science. So, school districts would have the opportunity to choose a third smarter balance measure if they chose. There will be four other local metrics right now that are shaping up to be more local than that state assessment. So, that's encouraging. So, um I'm concerned about also the the emotional upheaval when ICE in our community and the impact of testing and outcomes from testing. The kids may not do the best because of their life and we have over 60% Hispanics in our community. Um, you know, I I don't know if this is realistic that we can, you know, make the outcome that the state will be happy with. I certainly don't want them taking over our school district. >> No. And and school takeover district wouldn't happen right away. It would happen after several

117years of monitoring. Uh it's written that three years of unsuccessful growth would result in the state starting. Um I share your concern. I think for Forest Grove School District, maybe for Hillsboro School District and Woodburn and Jervis and David Douglas and some other school districts around the state with a significant population of Latino students will probably have a testing year. similar to what we experienced during the pandemic. So for us it will likely be an asterisk here. >> Um I have asked the question about that impact and what if any consideration school districts impacted by immigration enforcement made realized from the state and so far there's no answer to that question and I think one of the reasons there's no answer is the impact is uneven. So there are communities in our state that are

118experiencing no impact with immigration enforcement and then areas like ours that appear to be ground zero. >> Director Shrix. >> Yeah. I have one question has nothing to do with this. It does, but it so would this be a topic for conversation that January 7th legislative meeting or dinner? Uh that the mitigating circumstances for test scores being challenged by outside influences such as immigration misbehavior. >> It could be the agenda for that meeting is still being determined. Um I think we we're going to get to this in just a little bit here. We found some success last year with format that I believe it would be wise for us to at least repeat that format, but the specific topics that are generated within the conversations at all the tables could encompass this. We are still

119in the process, we cher and I are still in the process of talking to our peers about what we want that to look like. We're We're not the sole determiners of that evening because we have so many other >> Well, that's what she told me. >> Well, I >> I don't think I said soul. [laughter] >> I I don't feel like I can speak for the other superintendent in the area at this point, but I'm meeting with the other superintendent in the area on Friday. And this is one of the topics that we'll be visiting. I'll add a little bit more when we get to that part. Sorry to go off subject there, but >> that's like six stories so far this meeting which are look I would love a motion. I move to approve

120the student investment account grant agreement as presented. >> Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor say I. live clos. All right, and we're on to out of state trip request. Thank you. Uh, this topic is certainly more fun. So, the Forest Grove High School cheer team has been invited to compete at the JAMS Nationals. This is a national level cheer competition that's held in Las Vegas, Nevada every year. Um, your team earned this invitation after completing all of the required qualifications including the fundraising, the submission of the national bin, the video, extensive practice, per district policy, out of state travel for student groups require schoolboard table, some details about the trip. Again, it's in Las Vegas, Nevada. The trip dates are February 18th through February 22nd. The participants are cheer athletes and acquired coaching staff

121and then necessary shop owners. Um the total cost of the trip is $24,870 and all expenses will be fully covered by the cheer ASP account and this includes airfare accommodations, entry fees to the competition and then of course meals and any local events or sites that students would like to participate. Joseph, what the um this is really cool. I was thinking about it, but um question about like that's I know that's a what that five days times every day. That's such a great question. So, as a former student athlete at the high school level and as a teacher and as principal, I can tell you that everybody who works in the school space has a lot of experience for those athletes. So, oftentimes they will be sent with assignments that they can be working on

122while they're traveling and competing. And then for those assignments that can't be done without the support of a teacher or other support staff, students will have an opportunity to make that up when they return or do it ahead of time. In some cases, students are not penalized for their involvement in athletics. They are expected to demonstrate the same learning, but teachers do not penalize athletes when they have to leave early for example to get on the bus to travel to them or when they are at out of city question. Is it the total cost that they will be eligibility for them just in general or will there be some fundraising and then whatever remains we will cover? >> Yeah, the fundraising will cover all of it. Um, so their ASV will cover the cost of

123everything that I outlined and they have the resources to do that. Your team like many of our athletic teams and clubs, they do regular fundraising to replenish their welcome. No, I'm I was going to ask if there's any need to send a board member whose granddaughters live in Las Vegas. >> They might be. >> You can reach out to see what their shop means, though. >> Okay. >> Encourage you to do that. >> Never mind. >> Strike that from the minute, please. Move to approve the out ofstate travel request for Forest Grove High School cheer team to travel to Las Vegas, Nevada to compete in JM's Nationals for from February 18th, 2026 through February 22nd. >> Any discussion? All in favor say I. >> Opposed. >> All right. Motion passes. Thank you. >> OSBA elections.

124We have had the opportunity as board members to go in and read applications for all the positions. One of them has two people running for it. The others are uncontested. So, um, what I'm going to look for for the board, we have to move through each position individually. We'll look for a motion. We'll have a second and then we'll have discussion and then a vote and we'll move to the next one. Any questions about that process or those applications? Okay, we'll start with position 16. Madam chair, I move Forest Grove School Board Dominate Tristan Urban for the OSBA school board position 16. Any discussion? >> All in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. All right, we will move on to position 20, uncontested. Um, Nancy Thomas is running for that position from Hillsboro School

125Board. Madame Chair, I move the Forest Grove School Board nominate Nancy Thomas for OSBA school board position 20. >> Second discussion. All in favor say I. I oppose. All right. Um, position 15, Melissa Potter and TJ Johnson are both running for that position. I move that the Forest Grove School Board nominate Melissa Potter for the OSBA legislative policy committee position 15. Second >> discussion. I am going to add in the discussion for this particular position because it is contested. TJ Johnson reached out to me from Gaston last year to ask about the impact of being a director at OSBA. Um, I've recently stepped away from that position for reasons mentioned in a previous meeting, but that organization um has plenty of people who have been in these positions um because no one else is running

126for these positions. So, finally, we're starting to have people and people in other positions are running contested, which is great because it means more people are wanting to be involved. I've been able to work with Melissa and Tristan and Nancy. Um, and Melissa Potter is no one does more homework and has more information probably and really is involved at the state level. However, I will be casting um a no vote for this one because I do feel like my issue with OSBA is we have a lot of people in these positions that mean well and have the information and go to the meetings. But this organization is at a point where it needs people in there that are going to say the things, the quiet things out loud and be willing to step outside the

127box and be willing to share perspectives that aren't currently there. Melissa and Nancy and Tristan are all people who have been on the board. Um, and so I'll be voting no. Not because I don't believe Melissa can do an amazing job, but I I am voting no because I think TJ Johnson would add a voice that represents a smaller district and something different and maybe is what might be needed to interrupt the process of how that general board operates. So, with that, I think we'll do um an all well, I think we'll do a roll call in in that for this particular one. So, all in favor for Melissa Potter, OSBA Legislative Policy Commission mot was the motion. All in favor? Oh my gosh, I'm not doing it right. Roll call vote. Al Moana >>

128for >> no. Brieesa Franco, >> yes. >> Kate Brandeski, >> no. >> Pets, no. and Christy Cocky is known. Ma >> Madame Chair, uh I move the fourth girl school board nominate TJ Johnson the USPA legislative policy position 15. >> Second discussion. >> Yeah, I'd like to say something. I have been I won't say hammered but I have been gently persuaded to look at this position. Um two things caused me pause. One is I've been in this position as a board member for considerably less than a year and consider myself a neophite as far as this is concerned. Secondly, um when I did look at the possibility of doing this, I checked online for the information and I couldn't fill out the form. Um, and that's probably my fault being uh technology caveman, but I

129was a little bit concerned about that and expressed my uh disappointment at what I felt were obstacles being put in the way of participation uh to OSBA and didn't get [clears throat] a whole lot of satisfaction on that. So maybe coming up in the next year or two, you might see another name being banded about as soon as I figure out as far as whether computers are stuck or pumped. So >> and I Yeah, and I'll lay it in. I mean, it's been no secret that I I don't feel like OSBA is an effective organization the way that directors represent or don't res represent. Even in the position I was in, it was difficult for me to figure out how I am communicating with different boards. How should we share information? And to your point,

130Director Traxx, it it's not you. It's it's a failure of this that particular system to make simple corrections to remove barriers, but also for people to have communication. So with TJ, I I don't know TJ. I believe TJ and I have completely different politics as my guess based on the applications and just a little bit of research, but I really do believe that people who are willing to see something from a new angle in that organization and pointed out could be of value. Um, and I know Melissa Potter, as fantastic as she is, will continue to stay equally involved just like I am not being in that position. So, so we'll see. and and one of the things he was able to send sent a email to our board yesterday about a concern he had

131about OD and their representation and I thought okay reaching out. So we'll you know we'll see what that partnership can look like. All right we will take um a roll call vote on Lozano. Oh voting appointing did we motion? Yeah we did second down. Okay. Roll call vote is on. >> Yes. >> No. >> For TJ. >> Oh, yes. >> Okay. Is that Let me Yeah, that's where we are. Okay. TJ. Yes. Brieza. >> Kate. >> Yes. >> P. >> Yes. >> And I will be Yes. All right. Thank you. We'll move on to uh the next position 16. This is Becky Timchuk running unosed for legislative policy committee, which is not a board director. serves just on legislative policy only. >> I move that the Forest Grove School Board nominate Becky Tim for the

132OSPA legislative policy committee position 16 >> discussion. All in f all in favor say I. >> I opposed. >> All right. And position 20 is a new person running for position 20, Crystal Wesson from Wesson from Tiger Jalatin. Um unos that the Force Grove School Board nominate Crystal Wson the OSBA legislative policy committee position to second. Any discussion? And madam chair I am going to abstain on this one because I have absolutely no history as to crystal. So okay with that we'll do um we'll do a >> you can still in favor. Okay. All right. >> But you can if you would add the all that staining at the end of Yeah. Hi and naysay. And >> got it. Okay. All in favor say I. I. >> Opposed. >> And extensions. >> All right. And

133the last one, Forest Girl Parks and Recck Commission liaison. Uh we have had the pleasure of having Brad McFarl, a longtime school board member serving as a parks and rec lea liaison. And this board extended that liaison role although he is not on the board to allow him to finish out his turn term. Oh my gosh. It's turning into a pumpkin. Right. So what's happening? Um >> his term is up in December. The city council is going to meet but needed to wait for us to meet to make our liaison official so that then it would be approved or brought to council verbal. Um I've been able to talk with each board member individually. Those liaison that meeting in particular is 7 am on Wednesdays. It's a very important position especially now as we are

134really building our relationship with the school district and again looking at melding sort of things like the fees and field usage and all of those things for our community and having a person that can be there with a voice and sharing that with us what's happening um would be appreciated with that. case. >> Who who are we appointed? >> Well, I'm gonna I was gonna I was going to move that we appoint Pete Truax to that position. Currently, Alma is a is an alternate and I'm going to move that we appoint Pete Trux to position and Alma Lozano as an alternate doc discussion. one. >> All in favor say I. >> I opposed >> abstensions. I'm just kidding. All right. Thank you. Thank you to both of you. Um I also talked to other directors

135who wanted to go and observe and watch those meetings. Those are public meetings for parks and wreck and and people are welcome to do that and we will evaluate um people's ability to have time to make those meetings as we go along. So, thank you so much to the board for that. And first, >> thank you. Briefly, Mr. Lis, briefly, um, you have within your packet, I believe, a copy of our draft legislative priorities. Um since many of us are new to the school board this year just an overview is that last year for the first time I believe we as a board had conversations around what are the priorities for the school district >> oh you do okay great um what will we as a school district it's in the pack and online is

136what I believe I'm reading the Right. Um what will we as a school district unite behind in terms of our advocacy when we have an opportunity to talk to our local elected officials and our state elected officials. And so this is a draft um this draft has been put together through for my part conversations with other superintendents in the area and what they're focused on. Um, I believe I'm not misspeaking by saying that Chair Cotky had shared his draft with other chairs at school boards in our area as well and has received some positive feedback. The one thing that we know about working with elected officials at any level is that when they hear a chorus of similar voices, they tend to pay more attention than to single individuals. And that is really the rationale

137behind the whole board. supporting what our priorities are. Just briefly, I'll answer you to the two main areas that we will hopefully be navigating for. The first is stable and adequate funding for K12 public education. We do have a rainy day fund for education in this state and while the state is forecasting right now reductions to education I guess you could mitigate some of those if we are united and saying this seems like the right opportunity to access at least a little bit of those rainy day funds. Um you'll also notice there's no new unfunded mandates within that section. And then accountability that matters. We've been talking quite a bit about accountability and Senate Bill 141 and what that means to school districts and you've had a taste already of the impact that rushed decision

138making and lack of stakeholder engagement has had on school districts with the proposals that have been put forth so far. So we want to make it clear that well we're not afraid of an accountability conversation and support the conversation. We want it to be done in a way that is meaningful and authentic and can actually make a difference for kids. So this will come back for a second read in January. I'll add to that to Pete's point when board chairs did meet we I was able to share this draft and there is an interest in boards. Now this is a fastmoving train because we met last week and the January 7th dinner is coming up and most boards are only meeting one time this month or have met. What we asked boards at that time

139were, can we all together perhaps create a countywide legislative document? Um, what you notice in this one, I think the strength of this one is is what we talked about in the board chair meeting, which is the impact where um Dr. West has listed what this what are our numbers at the bottom of each goal or what what does this look like? What is the impact? The conversation the board chair meeting was what if all of the boards could add to those. So when legislators see the same two really the unfunded mandate which by the way was also mentioned at the Westside Economic Alliance they said they're adding that for the first time ever to their legislative goals what that looks like on one page. And the Sherwood chair this was a really important comment.

140Sherwood came for the first time last year to the January 7th meeting and in the past the questions and the conversation we had at the board chair's meeting is we had this meeting last year and to your point Pete it was the first time that we anchored the meeting and when I say we I mean Dr. West and my Scoffield with input from director clue anchored that meeting with a budget 101 and that is where legislators are. So the conversation about having them understand the impact of ICE on potential test scores is a conversation yes we should be having but they were at the point where they had not even understood that only a percentage of our budget can be used for this and this and it was an eyeopener. The feedback this year [clears

141throat] was that they would like us to double down on that kind of presentation and where we are particularly now with the budget in mind, but because showing the disconnect of this is what we talked about in the chair's meeting. We said all this to our reps last year. They went to the meeting in January. and we broke out and we sat at the tables with those arrests across the region and we said these things and then [clears throat] and then people said and then they went and they just did something else. So what we're thinking about for this meeting is acknowledging the new reality with the budget and again like budget 102 many of those legislators are will will be new. So, but then at the tables, the discussion before we even get into

142the weeds about test scores, the discussion needs to be how can we have these conversations? How come no one is going to a town hall? How many of everybody on our board has reached out individually already to Senator M just for We don't know. But those are the pieces that we need to be able to do so that we then can have the conversation. And in order to have the conversation you're talking about, they need this foundation to be built up in their brains. Like you heard, you know, Rep. Reynolds say, Janine Sman is our expert on. She said, Janine Sman is who people go to when they need answers about education because they know Janine is talking to people on the ground and she has information. So that's a bigger answer to that question.

143And hopefully what I think we're going to try to do at the seventh and ideally last year Forest Grow had our legislative priority paper and we had a folder and we gave it and Beaverton had a folder of their legislative priorities and they gave it. So these legislators left with all these different school district priorities and papers and we're all trying to say the same thing and we want the impact and the board chair said can we get that information out early so that when we come to that meeting those numbers are already there on the paper. Now, that's a very that's a very lofty goal because it's dece mid December and there's three weeks. But we are working with board chairs and superintendents to maybe see if we can streamline that. But I think

144that's that conversation on the seventh is going to be new and it might be hard to say like we're telling you these things, you're not doing these things. Where's the disconnect and how do we do this better? Okay, we'll get back and get going for an action second. Right. >> All right, everybody. Not too bad. 7:50 p.m. we're adjourning, everybody. Thank you for all the time. >> 7:30. Oh, I know it says 7:30,