001Mhm. >> Mhm. >> calling our board meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. Um Sarah. Oh, um I want to acknowledge that um board member Peterson is um not here today. She's excused. And then also want to recognize that board member Beeson is online. Um next up on our agenda, we have the pledge of allegiance, which will be led by Craig Brinkerhoff, and then our inspirational thought will be shared by Superintendent Smith. Please join me for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Um thank you for the opportunity just to share a quick thought. Um I hear a lot about fear. And something I've been thinking a lot
002about and just wanted to share a brief thought about fear and how we can stop feeding it. Fear grows when it is avoided. Every time you delay action because of fear, you make that fear stronger. Over time, fear begins to control decisions and limits potential. However, fear loses power the moment it is faced directly. Action weakens fear. Experience weakens fear. Consistency weakens fear. Confidence is built by moving through uncertainty, not by waiting for fear to disappear. Most fears are bigger in our minds than in reality. The longer we feed them with hesitation, the stronger they become. Starve your fear by taking action anyway. Thank you, Superintendent. Um next up on our agenda, we have community comments, and we do not have any community comments this time, so we will move past that. Um next up,
003we have discussion action items, Superintendent. Thank you, President King. We have a couple of policies. Um we're going to invite uh Craig Bringhurst to join us. Thank you for the policy committee moving quickly to work through these policies so we could bring them um to the board for consideration. At the same time, we have a uh tentative agreement with our certified staff. So, with that, uh we'll turn some time over to Craig. Craig, we'll start with policy 4062 transfer. Thank you, Superintendent. So, policy 4062, transfer educators, we added a definition to this policy as part of our negotiations. The definition is personnel needs. If you'd like, I can read through that, um but it you should have that or receive that. Uh basically, as part of our transfer process of educators, one of the upper
004or options that a principal can use as far as determining who's going to transfer where and when, um personnel needs is one of those options, but it was never defined. So, the association requested that we uh include a definition, and and human resources has provided that definition, and um it's been agreed to between the parties, and that's what we've added to this policy. Okay, so I will um we can either discuss this or we can take action on it. Um I'm willing to entertain a motion. I move that we approve policy 4062 transfer of educators. Second. So we have a motion by board member Lincoln and a second by board member Wilson to approve policy 4062 the transfer of of educators. Any discussion? I think this just is a a good rather than vague language,
005personnel needs, this kind of um helps our employees understand exactly why actions are being taken. And it's all for the the betterment of the school, whether it's a special need um they have in a program they're sponsoring. It It anyway, they're delineated uh instead of this vague personnel needs and I I think it's a good move. Okay, so um any other discussion? Seeing none, we have a motion um to approve policy 4062 transfer of educators with a motion by board member Lincoln and a second by board member Wilson. All in favor, please say I. I. Did we get Sarah? Yeah, I. Okay, sorry. I didn't hear you. Okay. Um any opposed? That appears to pass unanimously. Next up uh policy 4135 guidelines reduction in force superintendent. Go ahead, Craig. Oh, sorry. I'm just going to
006turn it to Craig. >> Yeah, he's just going to keep going all the way through. Thank you. So policy 41 uh 35. Uh this is another one that has the same addition, the same definition. This is guidelines for reduction in force. So similar to what we would the criteria we would use for transferring a teacher if we had to get to a point where we were doing a reduction in force of teachers. Also, one of the criteria is personnel need, and so we've included that same definition here. And we would uh encourage you to pass this. Okay, so we can leave this as a discussion action, or um I'll entertain a motion if we want to take action. I move that we approve policy 4135, guidelines for reduction in force. I'll second. Okay, so we
007have a motion by board member Lincoln and a second by board member Bateman. Um any discussion? Okay, seeing none, all in favor of approving policy 4135, guidelines for reduction in force, with the motion by board member Lincoln and a second by board member member Bateman, please say I. I. >> I. I. Any opposed? Okay, that appears to pass unanimously. Craig, policy 4162, health and disability. Thank you. So, our legislature has updated the state code that relates to um parental leave for various reasons. One of the reasons is uh foster parents. And so we have updated this policy to be consistent with the updates in state legislative code uh for um for uh foster parents and parent parental leave related to foster parents. And we would encourage your adoption of this policy. Okay, so we um
008this is a discussion action, but I can entertain a motion to move this to action. I move that we uh vote to approve policy 4162, um health and disability. I'll second. Okay, so we have a motion by board member Wilson and a second by board member Lincoln. Any discussion? Um Julia, I was just going to say on um this uh particular policy, uh if you notice at the top with the statement of policy, we did add that the Alpine School District Board of Education supports families. We included supports families and then recognizes health and disability leave. And it's just something our uh committee felt strongly that again, it's just a reminder that we do work with families in the district uh as we consider these policies, we are linking arms with families and parents in
009our district. Can I actually ask a question about that? Um I respect that the changes are making to this policy um apply to foster parents, which as a former foster parent, fully supportive of. Um but a lot of the health and disability policy is specific to health and disability of an individual, which may not be specific to a family situation. It may just be that an individual is dealing with a personal disability and may not maybe qualify under family, I guess. So, I'm just wondering that. So, this is where we have our parental leave housed. Uh perhaps we could break it out and create a separate policy that would be more appropriate or adjust the title. Um because it is where we've already included parental leave, we also included the the foster parent leave here
010as well. Um but that is something that we could consider as as making it its own policy. It's just, you know, like when we're talking about like for example in 2.1, long-term disability. Um right? That's specific to like an individual I I understand that the parental leave is housed in here. It's just not the only thing that's housed in here if I'm reading it correctly. And so, while I understand the the point and I understand it, I also want to make sure that we recognize that we have individuals. We also support all of our employees whether they are married, have children or do not. And so I'm wondering if um I hate doing this all right. This is Mark's favorite thing is when we do this on the fly. He loves it. It's his favorite.
011Um I know. >> So Julie, are you saying that you would be okay with a possible policy a different policy uh title? I'm not asking for different title. I I and I guess I'm struggling a little bit with this because um I want to make sure we're inclusive for all of our employees. And I appreciate the sentiment and the intent. I'm just struggling a little bit with we support all of our employees whether they however we define family or whatever. Um and I get that we're talking about parental leave. Um Julie, are you referring just to the change that was made in the policy statement? Yeah. Just those few words, okay. Yeah, I'm not a yeah, like I would Yeah. I I or maybe it's just strike those three words. Once again, it's not that
012I'm not saying that we don't support families. We obviously do. We want there that to exist. I am struggling with I want to make sure we're inclusive for every employee. And while I understand that this is, you know, in the 2.1 section we're talking specifically about parental leave. There are other things like long-term disability and extended sick leave that apply that are not suggestive of adoption or foster care or you know, No. paternity or maternity leave. I would want to make sure that we're inclusive for all employees. >> Would you be okay with supports employees and their families? Yeah. I would be supportive of that. Okay. Uh I forget how we do a friendly amendment. I I think I think you can just I think you can just I think because you made the motion,
013Ada, I think you can accept a friendly amendment. You can do it one or two ways. You can amend the motion that's on the table or you can offer an alternative or a substitute motion. Which is the Mhm. Sarah, are you amenable with that language where we say um Alpine supports um employees and their families. Yeah, I'm fine with that. Okay. In that case, I would like to amend my motion that we pass um vote in favor of policy with the following change in the policy statement. The Alpine School District Board of Education supports employees and their families. Can you note that, Craig? Okay. Um Joylin, you made the second. Are you willing to second the amended motion? I'll second. Okay, any other discussion? I just want to point out that this also um clarifies
014postpartum leave as well and put some parameters around foster care leave so that like both parents aren't taking uh using the dual, you know, doubling up on uh leave at this um that does not fair. Um anyway, there's other parameters that are that make sense. They're also in the in the bill. Can you What lines are those parameters on? >> Okay, it's towards the end of the bill. Do you want to find that for me, Craig? Parental leaves down at the bottom under parental leave. It's um number two. 2.1 is the definitions. It's on the It's on the screen if that's helpful. Um That's not where I was thinking. 2.7.3 data, is that in section 2.7.3 about Yeah, it's further down. >> has two foster leave eligible employees? >> that's what I'm referring to. And
015the nature of foster care is just different because um there's no pregnancy of course and it can be used intermittently instead of all at one time. So. Cuz children come and go. Anyway, I think it makes sense. Okay, so we have a motion by board member Wilson and a second by board member Lincoln to approve policy 4162 with the previously stated amendments. All in favor of approving the policy, please say I. I. I. I. Any opposed? Okay, that appears to pass unanimously. Next up, Craig, policy 4165 personal leave. Thank you. So, policy 4165, we made a a small adjustment here. A one-year pilot program uh from July 1 to June 30th, 2027. Um that grants educators the maximum number of personal leave days up to 10. Um, and allows them to take those without a
016doc. Okay, so policy 4165 personal leave. Do we have a motion to uh, approve this policy? I move to approve policy 4165 personal leave. Okay, we have a motion by board member Bateman. Do we have a second? I'll second. Seconded by board member Lincoln. Any discussion? Seeing none. All in favor of approving policy 4165 personal leave, please say I. I. I. Any opposed? Okay, that appears to pass unanimously. Next up, policy 4191 salary lane changes, Craig. Thank you. So, uh, one small change on this one under 1.3.1 um, that we're allowing 10 semester hours of USPE micro-credential credit instead of five um, to be earned in the school year uh, for this 2026-2027 school year. Previously, it was five semester hours and this changes it to 10. Okay, so, um, do we have a motion
017regarding policy 4191 salary lane changes? I move to approve policy 4191 salary lane changes. I'll second. So, we have a motion by board member Lincoln and a second by board member Bateman. Any discussion? Um, Craig, am I reading this right that this looks like another kind of pilot pilot program that's really only in effect for one year? Is that accurate? It says beginning >> it says beginning, so it doesn't have an end date. So, this one's not this one's not a pilot one. Okay. Any other discussion? Okay, seeing none, we have a motion to approve policy 4191 salary lane changes with a motion by board member Lincoln and a second by board member Bateman. All in favor, please say I. I. I. Any opposed? Okay, that appears to pass unanimously. Next up, uh the 2026-2027
018certified agreement, superintendent. Thank you, Mr. Brinkerhoff, for that. Um and thanks to our AEA uh leadership who are here, Mike, uh Derek, and uh Brandon, and to the teams, uh the negotiating teams. Um I the names here are on the agreement, you can say, but also thanks to Cammy, uh who led our team and all those who participated. Um a year that uh not a lot of money to talk about, so there were some policies and other adjustments to talk about. And um I just want to express thanks um to the board for your support, and to the teams as we worked through these issues together. I'd invite Mike to come up. Do you want to say anything, or would you rather not say anything tonight? Maybe share a little detail with uh the ratification.
019The short one. The short speech. Okay. Um so, thinking on the way in uh from my house today, uh 26 years ago, I stood here, and there used to be a podium right here, and I was introduced as uh from by Lilly Taylor as the next AEA president. I'm like, "Hey, this is great, you know, only only 3 years, and I can get out of this." And 26 years later, I'm still standing here. Um so, that it's kind of bittersweet to stand here tonight, because this is the last official Alpine contract that we will approve. And uh we've had our ups and downs over the years. Uh the very first time I I went into negotiations and I'm just going to I'm just going to say it. You know, we had people from both sides
020of the table climb climbing over the table to try to hit each other. And I'm like I'm chairman of negotiations and I don't like this. So, between the superintendent and I and a few of us, we changed the way that we we do a few things and we built a very strong relationship, a very strong relationship. Probably one that you don't see that often between a union and a uh and an employer. And part of that is because we have great board members and great superintendents and great administrators to deal with. And so with that said, this is this is kind of bittersweet because there wasn't a lot of money uh this year. Um and so we we tried to focus on some things to help teachers with their um workload and uh to try
021to free up some time for them as well to prepare for the split. Um and uh we knew that as the communities voted on the split, this was going to be difficult uh to to try to determine contracts and money and and everything else. Um I just want to say one thing um because many of you were on other boards as well. As we move forward into the into the different districts and everything our bread and butter is our students. We're here for our students. But if it wasn't for our employees, our students wouldn't be successful. And let's not forget our employees. Because our they are very important to the success of any district. We do appreciate the contract, and we appreciate everything that you have done. And we we hope that we can get
022this approved and move on. Thank you. Okay, so we have a motion regarding um the 2026-2027 certified agreement. I move to approve the 2026-2027 certified agreement. Second the motion. Okay, so we have a motion by board member Bateman and a second by board member Clement. Any discussion? Um President King, could you clarify or maybe this is a Rob question, I'm not sure. Clarify um according to the law um policy that was in place at the time of the vote. Correct? Is can uh creation date uh carries forward and applies? Uh so what is the situation with these changes that we make? Between the creation date and between the new districts um they just apply to Alpine, correct? Correct. >> Yeah. New board new boards could choose to between creation date and when those new boards
023launch and the allocation date, they can choose to add to existing policy, they can't reduce >> reduce. >> existing policy. Okay, that's just what I wanted to make clear. For 1 year afterwards. Sorry, I should do all the asterisks. Yeah. We think we all know what we're talking about, but yeah, we should say it. Any other discussion? Um I just want to say thank you to Mike. Um you have done this job for a very long time, and I think probably the majority of the people that you worked so hard for have no clue the depth of um the weight of your role and the responsibility that you carry. So, thank you for always always coming with your best self and looking out for people who have no idea what you're actually doing for them.
024Um I appreciate all your work over the years, and uh hope that you leave here feeling really proud of the people that you represent. Okay, so we have a motion by board member Bateman and a second by board member Clement to approve the 2026-2027 certified agreement. All in favor, please say I. I. >> Can we hear Sarah? I. Uh any opposed? Okay, that appears to pass unanimously. Um next step, Superintendent, the 2026 summer and fall adjusted board meeting calendar. Okay, thank you. Um in discussions with board members Tuesday morning um superintendent meeting, um we have learned that there might be need of a meeting like tonight, and it might be more helpful to board members to have those meetings on schedule and cancel those meetings if not needed rather than to find a meeting as
025busy as you are and try to say, "Can you all come?" So, we've uh presented to you in your packet um meeting additional meetings for the month of September and October um and put them on the calendar. Again, if there are not business items, if there is not a ratification or a concurrence item from one of the new districts that we need to take on, we can always cancel those meetings. And so, would recommend your approval of this adjusted board meeting calendar for 2026. Okay, so do we have a motion um regarding the 2026 summer and fall adjusted board meeting calendar? I move that we approve the 2026 summer and fall adjusted board meeting calendar. I'll second. Okay, so we have a motion by board member Wilson and the second by board member Lincoln. Any
026discussion? Seeing none, all in favor, please say I. I. Sarah. >> think I don't think you guys ever hear me when I say it when >> We we can't. So so there's sometimes there's an awkward pause. It just means we need you to repeat. >> [snorts] >> I, sorry. Thanks, Sarah. Um any opposed? Okay, that appears to pass unanimously. Um we do have need of a closed session this evening. Um we are required to do a roll call vote. I will entertain a motion for us to move into closed session. The purpose of personal litigation or negotiations. So moved. Motion by board member Wilson, do we have a second? >> I'll second. Second by board a roll call vote. Um I will ask each member to say I or nay as their name is called.
027Board member Wilson. I. Board member Lincoln. I. Board member Clement. I. Board member Bateman. I. Board member King, I. Board member Beeson. I. Okay, that appears to pass unanimously. Um we have We are now closing the meeting and moving into closed session. Thank you. 6:28 p.m.