WCS Board Work Session 2025-11-13

001Okay, we'll call our meeting to order. Uh the November 13th, 2025 uh work session of the Williams County School Board. We will first look at our consent agenda. Uh, and you've got those items listed in front of you on the agenda. Are there any of those items that anyone wishes to discuss or remove? All right. Hearing none, we will vote on those Monday night as written. And that takes us to our superintendent report. Mr. Golden. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you, board members. Uh, on your agenda, we have one item, the textbook adoption update presentation, those monthly updates we give you. I do want to let you know, I've added a couple of other u relatively short presentations. Uh, um, had a couple of you ask about an update on the screen time

002committee work. So, we're going to give you a bit of an update on that. If I'm not mistaken, Dr. Allen, I think four board members were actually there. So, we thought there was some value in giving giving the rest of the board some information on the work of the screen time committee. Uh, also Rachel is going to give you a a a start kind of first look at where we are with the budget. Uh, in the coming months, we don't have December scheduled for a meeting. In the coming months, we're going to be doing some work. So, I wanted you all to get kind of a snapshot of what the budget looks at least at this very, very preliminary spot. Uh so so uh before I uh I ask uh Jen Sour to start uh

003to talk about the textbook committee, I do want to mention a couple of just just in time issues. Number one, uh I know we've had some discussions about this, but I want to say this out loud one more time. Today is November 13th. Two days ago was Veterans Day and you all have voted over these last few years and we have intentionally made sure that we've had school on Veterans Day. And I know Dr. Driggers, you and I had a conversation, I think you said years ago, you had expressed an opposition to school being in session on Veterans Day. >> California Veterans Day on Veterans Day. Yeah, >> I was a little disappointed until I went to my first day. >> Kids get out, they study history, they study their veterans. It's a great deal.

004I'm happy. >> Yeah. So, so we we've had some really good Veterans Day programs. Um, you can't make it to all of them because we have so many. This year I was able to make it to a high school, middle, and elementary Veterans Day program. I know Mr. Cash, you you were there. We had we've had a few county commissioners uh um come and I know some of you participated in the parade as well. I mentioned to the county commission at their Monday night meeting that through the school year every once in a while you hit a spot that tells you who we are and Veterans Day is one of those spots in the calendar. Uh so I want to thank you all. Uh we have three veterans uh here. So, um I know this

005is odd, but I I'm gonna ask you all, we're two days past Veterans Day. Those of you who are veterans, uh could you please stand for Thank you, Adam. Thank you. >> So, thank you all for your service. Uh I know it's two days late, but um it's it's just overwhelming sometimes uh thinking about the sacrifices we've had uh from from from those who continue to serve. I I did want to mention one suggestion I had to our elementary students who I spoke to briefly as they were preparing their Veterans Day program. I suggested that they if they know a veteran to ask them to tell a story. Uh my experience is veterans tend to be humble uh and probably aren't going to volunteer something unless you ask them. So uh so for what that's

006worth and I think that's worth a lot. Uh also I want to mention Thanksgiving is coming up and the Girl Scouts uh uh the local Girl Scouts had some conversations with us a few weeks ago when they were looking to do something uh to help families at Thanksgiving time. Uh, and we got involved in in in in putting together a list of food items where we could give folks a Thanksgiving dinner. And if I'm not mistaken, Lydia, we have had over what, 600 boxes now? >> 612 as of just a few moments ago when I had nine loaded into my car. >> So, we had so so far 612 boxes. Um we we we structured it where um we're doing bankers boxes. U Melissa, I know you've been active in some neighborhoods. Grassland community has

007been active and I'm going to miss some because there are so many folks involved. >> Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, uh the Arrington area, the Spring Hill area. Oh, I'm sorry. >> Um we had uh Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts. Uh today we got a you rented U-Haul from the Grassland Middle area, Grassland Elementary area. 257 boxes >> and um it's just been amazing. Uh one Genoway the whale grace works. >> Grace Works. >> Yes. Amazing. >> And so I I was actually asked a few weeks ago by a reporter who was just I think just creating um an interview for multiple stories. She asked about she asked about um some of the issues related to federal funding and I told her you know we generally don't get federal funding to speak of regardless and so

008we really do rely on our community and Grace Works one genoway the well the girl scouts it's it's been pretty impressive uh I will mention to you this is the time of year where people are thinking about that with Thanksgiving dinners but grace works the well and one gen way have a sustainable process where where where families in our community who need help throughout the year uh have that support. The director of Grace Works spoke briefly to the county commission on Monday night uh and she said that their numbers show that there are about 3,300 individuals in Williamson County who need regular food support. Uh and and so so for what it's worth, again I think it's worth a lot. uh we've got a great community uh who's willing to step up when they see

009some opportunities. Felt like I had to mention those two things, Mr. Chair. I think it's the season for it. Uh so with that, um I am going to ask Dr. Allen, your team, uh if you would give the board an update on where we are with this year's textbook selection process. [clears throat] Well, thanks y'all. I thought this was going to be a really really quick presentation and then I got some new information from the state just yesterday. So this is a hot off the presses for you. The first slide is not hot off the presses. A couple of weeks ago we had our very first textbook committee meeting. If you remember, that was intentionally placed before we would have any materials available because the intention was really to kind of set the stage with

010our committee, get them acclimated to the process and really get them starting to think about what can a new adapted instructional resource provide for those teachers and those students in those different courses. So our intentions in that meeting that I think we met were establish the importance of instructional materials both for teaching and for learning. Develop a picture of an ideal classroom in each content area. So one of the things we invited both the teachers in the room as well as the parents and community members who were present were to really think about if you're picturing that ideal classroom in this particular content area. What are the students doing? What is the teacher doing? and then what are the resources that we need to make that a reality. So that was kind of our setting

011the stage work and then they use that to then create those criteria checklists that they'll be using to evaluate instructional materials when they're available. Okay, this is uh yesterday. If you remember, I've been closely monitoring the state uh TDOE website to look for when are they going to post the agenda for that meeting that's happening next Friday. So, yesterday they posted the agenda. I'm going to say several times. Remember that nothing is finalized until that uh November 21st vote occurs. So this is just preliminary information based on that agenda that they've posted, but you have access to this presentation if you want to be able to go straight to the links. So the first link will take you to here's the agenda for that meeting on November 21st. And then the second link is the

012direct link to the list of publishers and titles that are being recommended by the state textbook commission. again until that uh state board votes. That's not an official list, but it is what they have out right now. I pulled from that list. So, I'm going to tell you when you look at the list, it's long. There are a lot of courses on that list that we don't teach in Williamson County. So, rather than having you go through that list and try and tease out which one is the ones that we offer in our schools, this is kind of that curated list for you. So I kind of group them by the content area. So we have advanced manufacturing and engineering. Here are the courses and then those are the publishers and titles. Again, remember it's

013not vinyl until that vote on November 21st. The next slide is the IT courses. So the information technology courses. Again, here are the courses. And then that's the publisher in the title. Reminder, it's not final until November 21st. And then for lifetime wellnesses, which is that high school PE and health course, those are the publishers and then those are the titles. There's two reminders in this slide because as a reminder, the state didn't vet middle school health curriculum. So what we've done is we've reached out to those same publishers that you see on that list to ask for, can you send us samples of your middle school materials? They have them, but they were not submitted to our state for their vetting process. We're, like I said, yesterday is when we got this information and

014until that state vote happens next Friday, it's not final, which means it isn't actionable yet for us. But I did want to kind of give you some information you can pull together if you're interested and starting to look at any materials. So the next step on our side is going to be once that vote happens on November 21st, we'll reach out to all of those publishers to get review materials, both digital access and physical. In the meantime, if you're a member on that state website, they have a list to here are the digital samples that those uh publishers submitted several months ago. So, if you're interested in taking a look at them, what information we have now is here's what we predict is going to actually be put in front of us to be able

015to have to choose from for adoption. Do you have questions about any of that? Wh which if [clears throat] any of those publishers is the one currently that we're currently using? >> So, let me go back to here. Dave, I'm going to ask, do you know for any of those engineering courses? >> I knew you were going to ask me. You can let us know. >> That's [laughter] okay. Yeah, >> it's not critical to know right now. I just was curious more than anything. >> Okay. >> We believe it's Sgage, but we will we will get you that information. Yeah, we'll confirm that. >> Yeah, as far as the the coding classes go, we use primarily code HS. >> Yeah, that one I was pretty confident that we use code HS in most of our

016IT courses. And then when we go to lifetime wellness, these are all brand new. Those are not books that we use in Lifetime Wellness right now. Okay. So, kind of what are our next steps going to be? So, we do predict that on November 21st, the state board will meet and they will either choose to vote for that list or potentially something else could happen. So, we'll be monitoring that really closely. Once that is official, the Tennessee Textbook Commission will publish that final adoption list. Our next committee meeting is on December 8th. So, our intention on that date is that we will have that finalized list from the state. we'll be able to present that to the committee and then we'll meet uh kind of talk in detail with the committee about so what is

017the rest of the adoption process going to look like and then another thing that happens on that date once we know who the publishers are is we have the committee swear that oath that's required by TDOE that they uh have not and will not be inappropriately influenced by any publisher. This part happens really quick because if you remember, you as a board won't have a meeting in December. So, this is going to happen and you guys aren't going to be meeting. So, I won't be able to come and kind of fill you in on that part of the process. We will have a meeting in January. January is right when we're in the thick of going through the rest of that review. So, if you're a member, our public reviews are going to begin in

018January. I have those dates on a slide that's coming up. Our next meeting of the committee is tenatively set for the 16th or the 20th. So now as soon as we know for sure who those publishers are, I'll be reaching out to them to get that date finalized so that we can let you know and we can let our committee know. That's when the publishers will come and meet with the committee to kind of talk through here's what our resource provides. It's kind of a recap of all of those things for you as a reminder of all the dates. And then that final date is February 24th. That's the date when the committee will actually come together to cast their recommendation. Those public reviews are here. Those will be held here at the PD center.

019We'll have physical materials available and then we'll also have access to digital materials that we'll be able to share at the public review and we'll also just like what we did last year post that uh digital access that's available for public review to our website and in both places both here at the PD center for public reviews and then on the website right where we put the link to any digital access we have we'll have a link link to the electronic form where we invite the public to submit any public comments that they have. If they come in person to the PD center, we also have that form available on paper if they prefer that format. We will soon be sharing all of those public review dates and times. I've been in some contact with

020Carol Bird's team. I think what we've settled on is she's going to do a initial publishing in December and then again a reminder in January that goes out through infocus and then we'll have all those other sources as well to make sure that people know that this is when all those materials are available for public review. Okay, that's all I have. Do you guys have other questions for me? Board members, I did want to let you know because we have some links there. We'll send you we'll we'll attach the PowerPoint. You can you'll be able to click on some of those links if you want to look at it. All right. Thank you. Uh next, uh I do want to ask uh Dr. Allen, I think Jenny Lopez, uh to give the board an update

021on the progress of the screen time committee. I know they didn't make any decisions or any any recommendations. they were just learning uh that it at their meeting two days ago if I'm not mistaken. Uh so Miss Lopez, if you would give the board an update and for four of the 12 of you, you've you already know this, but I felt like everybody needed to hear this. >> Thank you, Superintendent Golden. Good evening, board members. Um I want to start by thanking uh board members Tanya Hipma and Melissa Wyatt for their continued uh participation and contribution to the screen time and technology use committee. um they continue to partner with us and meet to plan our committee meetings and provide really valuable feedback that we use monthly. Um I also want to thank Mr. Galbreth

022and Dr. Driggers for attending the meeting um a couple of days ago. I'm sure that when I'm done with my um update, they will have um these board members may have feedback and even uh their own impressions and information that they want to share with you as well. um with wireless communication that that's a topic that we took on for the first two months of our committee. With that um being completed, our next um topic at our screen time um and technology use committee um is technology integration followed by screen time. So, um, what the goal is right now for us, for our committee, is to create technology, um, use guidance, a document that will serve as an official district-wide protocol that establishes standards for appropriate integration of technology and instructional practices, including screen time.

023Um, that is feedback that we got from the committee. So, our original timeline would have had us completing that guidance this month, but we clearly heard um feedback from the committee members saying that they wanted to u look at screen time and app usage as part of technology integration, how we use technology and include that, address that in the guidance that they create. Uh so, this resulted in combining two topics um that were to be um that were to be tackled separately as one. So right now we are last month we really focused on technology integration and safety, internet safety and this month we really looked at um a usage a a data looking at minutes used um for our district. So I'll give you a little recap of October. It's really important to understand

024what we did in October because it really um explains the minutes a lot better once you understand what our work in October was. So the synopsis of that work um uh that we accomplished over um in in October um we provided background information to our committee members on the current state of technology integration and internet safety. We really started with safety because internet safety is is first. So that's that's the most important piece that we look at. So, Phil Fulmmer, our network manager um in an in in the IT department, provided um the committee with lots of information on the work of the IT department to keep our students and staff safe online. He described security and safety measures that we take to ensure that we are safely using all apps and all internet usage

025in our district. Um we provided the committee with the laws and regulations that we follow related to internet safety and the protection of personal identifiable information which is which we take very seriously. Andy then described in detail the application vetting process. So besides having um a lot of work in place to um to to really um ensure our security and safety, we also have an application vetting process. So anytime that a teacher or a school um wants to use an app that requires a login. So if the student is getting into an app with a login, that app must go through a vetting process to ensure that the application meets federal and state privacy laws and are instructionally aligned to the work of the grade. So we look at the app for um for alignment

026to grade level material. Um and we also look of course at all of the laws that would that would keep student information safe. The committee was really impressed with the multiple layers of protection that we utilize to offer the most secure system possible to students and staff. And that is feedback that we that we received from several committee members. Andy Davis um our instructional technology director provided detailed information on how we train our teachers, how we support our teachers in the use of technology. So besides vetting apps, we also train our teachers on how on the correct use of technology in the classroom. She started by explaining that we train our teachers to always begin with the focus on the standards. So before we determine how we're going to teach or what materials we're going

027to use to teach, we start with the standards first. And after looking at the standards, then we begin to plan the instruction. First, we implement highquality instructional materials. and we consider everything that that offers before we look at any other materials. So we look at our highquality instructional materials to deliver the teaching that optimizes student learning around the standard. When selecting teaching strategies for any particular lesson, technology should not be considered for use unless it enhances student learning in that lesson. So basically how we train our teachers is if students learning is optimized without the need to implement any app or technology then our recommendation is that they do not use technology to do that. But if we find that the learning is optimized or enhanced by using technology then we talk about how we're

028going to use that technology. Teachers are also trained um to consider the difference between active and passive use of technology so that utilizing technology is done in ways that engage students and promote active participation and learning. Um we engaged in an activity actually. Um we had our our our committee members up and doing some work and what we did was we gave them a scenario where technology was being used and they assessed that scenario where te where technology was part of the lesson to determine whether using that technology really helped to enhance the learning or whether it didn't whether it was passive or active. So they actually engaged in an assessment tool that we used to guide um the the appropriate use of technology. In some cases they found that the tool was not necessary

029um that that technology tool was not necessary and in other cases they found that the tool actually enhanced the learning because it required the student to create something or to collaborate in ways that otherwise couldn't be done without technology. Um we also informed the committee on some of the required components um that we teach students where we teach students which require technology. Uh some of those for example are the Tennessee computer science standards. Um those are embedded in core content in some cases and they're also part of our computer science courses in the middle and high school. We also utilize technology in some cases to administer required assessments. Some of those examples are state testing. So like TECAP. Um right now uh we assess students on TCAP 6th grade and up through high school. Um

030next the following school year, so this 26 27 school year that'll trickle down to third grade. So starting in third grade uh TCAP testing will be done digitally. Also um we are required to provide universal screeners to students um and in grades two so second grade and up those are directly on um the device and that's Ames web in elementary and Renaissance star in secondary in addition to district benchmarks and CFAs which are also administered digitally. Um, we had feedback that indicated the appreciation of the committee members and arming them with so much information related to safety, security, app vetting, and how teachers are trained to integrate technology. So, we always a big part of the committee and it's why we've made so many changes along the way is we are very receptive to what

031the committee wants. We've changed our timeline several times. We have integrated different pieces in our presentations that they have asked for. Um we also have always what we call a parking lot which is where the committee members can write any questions down that they need and that they that they desire to know more about and we respond to that either um through email or in last this month's case for example Andy gave part of her presentation was responding to questions that committee members had at the last meeting. So feedback is really important. We ask for it all the time and the committee is gracious in in telling us what they want because that's that's really an important part of the work is to understand what questions they have and to clarify anything before um we

032begin the work of creating that guidance. So that was October um and that's really important work for what we did this month. So again, due to committee feedback, we determined that at this meeting um we would present um and review screen time data that we were able to receive from Class Link. Class Link is our application dashboard and rostering provider. So when you open your your laptop, you're going to see a screen that has many different buttons. That's that's class link. Um so that's our dashboard. um they're able to provide us data. So Andy's department um took that data, provided and they and they um put the data um in a way that could be looked at by grade level because I know that it was important to our committee to look at it by

033grade level. We are going to provide this board that same data. I know the four board members already have that data, but we're going to provide you that data. We're also going to provide you the PowerPoint presentation that we utilized at the meeting this week because I think it helps to clarify a lot of the points that you're going to find questions on related to the data. Uh before you review that data, I do want Andy to take a few minutes to explain some of the background pieces on that data and some of the other components besides the screen time minutes. >> Thanks, Jenny. Um so I just want to talk to you a little bit. Um, so like uh Mr. Golden said, a third of you have already received the data and I see

034that some people are looking at it now currently. So we're going to make sure that everybody receives the data after tonight's meeting, but we wanted to kind of talk you through a couple of different components. We actually spent at least 30 minutes and in time with our um committees spending about 45 minutes really looking at that data. So you're going to receive actually two separate packets. The first packet is going to be something that we call our digital profile. And what that's going to do is that's going to break down data uh by grade level. So for example, it's going to give you a a profile of a kindergartner and it may tell you the percentage of those active kindergarteners that are actually logged in their that those active users minutes and the average time

035that they spent on a screen during a school day. And then also that's by month. So just know that you're going to have two cover sheets on top of that data. So I just encourage you to kind of read those cover sheets pretty slowly because it will define what you're seeing in the data. So the source of the data like uh Miss Lopez says is provided by class link. So that is our vendor for app management and rostering. But the detail of that grade level data in the packet is not available in real time. While my department and our administrators have a great data dashboard from analytics, from our class link analytics, it doesn't dig in as deep as we'd like for it to on grade level. It's a bigger picture of, you know, across

036that school or across the district. And so we've had to work with their data scientists to do actually some unique polls just for the questions that we're getting from our screen time committee. So we took that data and we um did some a couple of date ranges and we are focusing on August and September. So this is preliminary and just know that technology is going to fluctuate over time, right? August is a little lower. We're building relationships with kids. September it goes up. We're in school for pretty much a full four weeks and then October it drops again because we're out for a full week of fall break. So technology does fluctuate on a monthly basis. But we started with two months with just August and September. But that's really general. On the back sheet,

037you're going to notice that we actually identified two specific weeks, one in each month. And so that way you get a more detailed day by day for that grade band. So that's pretty important to know. Also, what I want you to know about that data is that those average daily minutes are captured through the course of a day, not the school day, the entire day. And I know that that's maybe troubling that we can't disagregate that, but Class Link doesn't necessarily they're not necessarily able to get that for us. But also, if we're talking about screen time, in my opinion, I think it's important to to talk about all day, right? and think and and including possibly after school and homework and those implications and things like that. So the that's the first packet that

038you're going to get grade by grade. You're going to see a lot of data on it and then you're also going to see the top apps that those students participated in by grade for each one of those months. So for you, we have a cheat sheet. Like sometimes I'll look at something that pops up and I'm like, "Huh, what is that? I'm not familiar with that one." Right? We have a lot of applications. So, you're also going to get a separate PDF that's going to be a te a cheat sheet and it'll say top apps by gradeband. That one's just going to be in alphabetical order and it's going to give you just a brief description of those applications. So, I can tell you our committee had lots of questions and they had lots of

039really good questions and they had lots of follow-up questions. So, as you get this data, I just want to encourage you to reach out. I'm happy to talk you through it. Send me an email if you just have questions. If you want to get together one by one, we can zoom and we can really kind of take a deep dive if you want some clarifying information about the data that we present to you. >> Thank you, Andy. So, our committee really spent a great deal of time, most of the time we spent was looking at this data in grade bands. So they only like the groups are like I've described before um separated into grade bands. They gave us like Andy said right on the spot lots of um feedback. We asked them to give

040us what are your your impressions of the data when you look at it. What are the highlights? Maybe the things that surprised you, the things you're learning about the data. And then also we had another column with questions. So they had a column for like comments and one for questions. Um, I pulled out some of the comments and questions we had. Um, for example, the group, I spent quite a bit of time listening to them. The high school group was surprised that the number of minutes weren't higher since the data does include when you look at high school, those minutes include online learning. So, our OOLP um students, all their time is in there. Vanguard, which is our online school, that's also there. um dual enrollment students work that some of the dual enrollment classes

041they do on the computer are in there and also afterchool assignments, right? So all of that is included in those minutes. So they um they thought those minutes were reasonable for the amount of of time and all of the different pieces of data that go into those minutes. K5 commented that the minutes and K and one were very low. of course they don't have a one to one device so their their minutes are staying very very low and then there is a rise in second grade because they have a one to one and they utilize it a little more just um as a matter of by by nature they they take Ames web so that it would make sense that that the minutes would go up automatically there and of course they probably spend more

042time on some apps that KN&N one do not um in three through five the average minutes are consistent in that grade band. So, they don't fluctuate a lot. They also don't fluctuate a lot in six to eight. Um, grade 6 to 8. Um, we didn't get a lot of impressions written down from 6 to 8, but they did have a lot of questions around particular applications and even what subjects use technology the most. And Andy was able to explain that that's that's a hard data point for us to get to because some apps have both math and ELA and some have more than math and ELA. Uh so they have multiple content within one app. There are some that it's very easy to tell. For example, Alex is an app that we only use for

043math. So we know that in that case that that's that's math usage, but in with some other apps, it's more difficult. But they did have a lot more questions related to the particular applications being used. Um so next steps. So now we've looked at safety, everything we do to vet, everything we do to train our teachers. Um then we've looked at minutes and so and how and what kinds of apps we're using, how we're using applications in the classroom. So the next step is for us to share um some research studies, some resources for the committee to review prior to the January meeting, which is the next time we'll meet. It'll be January 8th. So the committee's asked to review um this this package of resources that I'm going to email them. I have asked

044our board members on the committee, Melissa Wyatt and Tanya Hipma, to also provide any resources that they want shared with the committee. We want to provide them um uh data and and researchbased um uh studies and resources that will help them as they come back and think about what topics specifically they want to include in that technology integration guidance. So my plan is to email the committee by the end of tomorrow to share the PowerPoint um for them to review and also to share all the different links and resources for them to prep for that January meeting. So in January the plan is to spend time discussing the resources as a group the same way we've been in grade bands discussing those resources and this information in addition to the work that we did in

045October and November will guide us in creating that technology uh integration guideline. Um so now that's that's a recap of what we've done in October and November. But I would love um to ask our board members um that attended the meeting this week if there's anything that I've missed, any detail or any impressions from your experience that you'd like to share. Thank you. >> I just wanted to say thank you. I feel like y'all have done a great job pivoting based on the conversations within the committee and the requests. So, thank you for that. Um, I know Andy mentioned that the time that we'll see in those packets, it does include evenings, but it does not include weekends. So, just as you're looking at the dates, think about that. And then one question we had,

046I was sat with the high school grade band um for Dr. Webb is the number of instructional minutes in the day for the students. So, I didn't know if we can include that in the email tomorrow for each of the grades. that way when we're looking at total minutes that they're on their devices, you understand how many total minutes they're in class. Um, I thought that that could be helpful as well. So, but thank you. >> And I don't have anything at this time. So, yeah, >> Mr. Goldman, Chairman Brown, if I can just add one thing, couple of couple of highlights. Um the the purpose of a committee is for that's really helpful to us is that they can really spend a lot of time focusing in depth on a complex topic. And so

047if you think about these topics that this committee has taken on and the information that we'll be able to glean from that they've really had I'm thinking five meetings now two hour minimum per meeting. So 10 hours of in-depth uh discussion um that's really uh as I sit as uh uh just a fly on the wall in those meetings. It's really enlightening to hear the conversations that are going on. Um we're we're excited about the document that'll be provided but also the conversations that are occurring in the groups are very very helpful. I want to remind you all that those members that sit on that committee were recommended by you and I want to thank you for for thinking deeply about the the people that you recommended uh to join us on that committee. They

048are learners. I will tell you they are they are thirsty for knowledge. They are sitting in those meetings and they are just soaking in all of this information. They're asking really good questions. Um, and it's just it's from my standpoint as the leader of the TLA department, it's uh very helpful to us to hear to hear those conversations and to hear that feedback. I also want to just recognize Andy for a second. Andy is a very humble person. She works extremely hard behind the scenes. Um, what she did not tell you was that the data that you have that you will have in front of you for have you in front of you right now, uh, is not easy to get. And so I I can only imagine that when Andy picks up the phone

049and she calls our vendors, they uh they act really uh excited to hear from her, but deep down they're they're probably not all that excited um because she's really pressing hard uh to make this data more transparent. And I will tell you that she's also working uh continuously with those vendors to make it even more granular. the committee is asking more in-depth questions about how can we get parent access so parents can see what individual uh students how much time they're spending in front of the screen. So Andy's working tirelessly to answer some of those questions and to push on those vendors to get that. So I just wanted to make sure that you all knew that Andy's working real hard push all that data in front of you. >> Thank you all both. I

050want to add this and then certainly open any additional questions we may have. Um the the committee is a few months removed from any recommendations on on on screen time. Uh what I've talked to our team about is that deliverable that you all voted on last month as one of uh the district superintendent and district goals, a K12 framework with screen time guidelines and developmentally appropriate activities by grade bands. Uh, I encourage you, we, you know, looking back, I we probably should have just had had the screen up with some of that data as they were presenting so you all could get a glimpse. So, I apologize for that. But I do encourage you to uh to look at that when that email comes in. You can scroll through and see see those slides. It

051will give you a really I think a pretty quick grasp of gradeband time, elementary, middle, high. Jason, if it's I I know I I do understand the process and that that data is not readily available. um if it if when we if we're going to start to to kind of gather that information on a on a regular basis and get kind of a monthly monthly download, I it might be really it might be helpful to just compare >> at least one of the weeks um pick a week that that's comparable for the elementary school especially um to just get a comparative look to to prior year because we did make that change in one to one to to not and so I I think it'd be really interesting even for for us, but as as

052well as for for schools to communicate with their parents as far as, you know, changes that they've that they've made from a um from a teaching standpoint in terms of uh they may it may show that they weren't they had them, but they weren't using them. But, you know, in reality, I bet there's there's at least a bit of well non-use because because they're just not as available as they were. I don't know what the answer is, but it'd be interesting to look at the data if it's not too much trouble once we now that we have the kind of the framework for dropping. >> And Andy was raising her hand right behind your shoulder from my from my angle. >> Mr. Galpath, I'm really excited to tell you that we did do a deep

053dive at about the same time last year, one week in November and one week in December. And I think it's actually this current week. So, it'll take me probably until January to have all of that compiled, but we'll be able to do exactly what you just asked is a deep dive between two particular weeks in November and December from last year to this year. It's it's on our agenda to do. >> Great. That's awesome. Thank you. >> And Jay, you're saying that based on the fact that last year they had them taking them home every day with them and this year they don't. Just to Yeah. Yeah. Makes sense. >> Any other clar? I just wanted to follow up with Dr. Allen. So, because it's a a question I wrote down while um Andy was

054talking. So, can a parent look right now at their students screen time on their Chromebook through Class Link or >> or question for Andy? >> No, ma'am. Currently, right now, they cannot. We are working with Class Link to see if and how we can make that available. It's a pri they know that it's a priority for us. We want to make sure that it gets in the hands of our teachers as well. It's really hard to determine screen time when you don't have that dashboard to look at. So, we actually have a meeting with Class Link next week, a onetoone on with them to see how we can make it available. >> All right. Thank you so much. >> And y'all, I want to share one anecdote that you you just prompted. Uh, Leadership Franklin

055and Leadership Brentwood happen to do their education days uh this month. And yesterday uh we spoke to leadership Franklin and today we spoke to leadership Brentwood. We had a question in the leadership Franklin discussion uh about screen time and and what and they were they were asking where the board was in essence where the state is and one of the comments I gave them was we've got conflicting issues. I said, for example, the state has let us know that they intend to to uh do elementary TECAP in spring of 2027 on the devices. Uh and and so but but here we're talking about the possibility of, you know, managing it and controlling it where there's really exclusively a need. So, so that's on our mind as well. Uh because we've got those conflicting those potentially

056conflicting issues. I'm sorry, Miss Clemens, you may have had a question. Actually, that I was just going to ask about the TCAP because I know we talked about that recently. So, you kind of >> answered my question that >> so third grade all the TCAPS will be on devices. >> Yeah. Dr. Allen, can you >> in 2027 starting 2027? Correct. >> That is correct. Everything except writing. So, grades three, grades two through five, as we understand it. Right now, we've not seen anything in writing, but our assessment analyst is at the table with them. So, we believe that that is their direction. Two through five except for writing. And there's been a similar presentation to superintendent at our annual meetings. I will tell you their wise are number one uh the speed to get to

057get the test back. Uh and third grade is a significant component of that because of the uh what we used to call the third grade retention law. The legislature adjusted that and so it hasn't been as honorous as we thought it was going to be three years ago. Uh and then second uh they shared with us that inevitably somewhere across the state somebody loses a box or two of tests. >> And so the idea is that online they won't have that loss. >> Okay. >> Dr. Allen, just one other thing. Knock on wood about that losing test. We don't want to be part of that going on. But um Dr. Reeves, just to follow up on your question just a little bit. So the granular data is really important to us. Um we we we

058do believe that that we'll see um a significant um difference in screen time just because of some of the strategic decisions that you've made and some of the conversations that are going on across the district. But what we have found if you if you uh heard Miss Lopez when she was mentioning the amount of time that the committee spent on educating the whole committee on what our current tech integration philosophy is standard first best instructional strategies without technology only technology if enhances the learning for the students. That's been our tech integration philosophy for a while. But granular data at the student level, the classroom level, the grade level will allow us to see where do we have an issue? Where do we have an a hiccup? Often times I'll hear things like, well, my kid

059is on on the screen all day. And so we're scratching our heads saying, well, that's not that's that's not what we're seeing in some cases, but it's certainly not what our instructional technology and our principles um are leading our teachers in. So we really need that granular data to then be able to reinforce some of our practices and policies that we have in place of building. So we're going to work really hard. Andy's going to work really hard at getting us that data. >> Kind of on that note, I did have a question about that. Like so what like criteria or metric is like used to determine like optimization for when to integrate with tech? like how how is that determined? >> So, that is one of the conversations that the screen time committee has

060been has been tackling um and how what data sources that we're going to look at um when we're when we're vetting applications, right? And so, not all the applications will will be able to um just immediately fall back on on research. It could just be practice. Um, an example that one of our teachers gave in the meeting the other night was um, uh, using the Chromebook for students to speak into the Chromebook and then hear back them reading to increase fluency at kindergarten and first grade. So sometimes the apps are just practice, but we are as a result of the screen time committee already committed to including all of the research studies that wrap around those those applications that we would include in the vetting process to approve or not approve. >> Totally unrelated to

061the question, I just have an update. Um, for some reason our uh live stream has failed. So our technology department is working on that. The irony uh of of that Uh I have one more quick question for Andy. So the top applications are they ranked is it one through 10 or is it just top 10 in no particular order? >> So when you are looking at the graph next like or like the little area next to the graphs those are ranked in order. So if you're looking at the digital profile those are ranked in order. If you're looking at your cheat sheet where it says top apps by grade band those are listed in alphabetical order. just so you can find them more easily. >> Any other questions on the committee work? >> All right.

062Thank you, Mr. Chair. >> Hold on. I do have a quick question about the ranking because um in March of last year before the budget meeting I asked for a report about app utilization and it basically provided what was provided for me was just the number of teachers and number of student loginins. So do you act are you actually using utilization reports or you act are or are you using how many unique loginins there are for the app to rank them? So for this particular project when we worked with the data scientists they actually pulled this for us. So when we pulled for you in March we pulled it straight off of um class link and for this project they actually exported those for us. So that's based on like the um amount of time.

063>> Okay. So actual utilization not number of login. Okay. Thank you. >> You're welcome. And I I want to drill down a bit because I we've had this discussion. The utilization would include for example if class link is sitting up passively class link will show up right. It it's that as an example and I guess when y'all is it is it possible to to just expand the top 10 just a little bit because the the top 10 get a lot of the kind of the big applications especially at the at the high school level. I mean, it's it's class link, it's schooly, Google. Like, I'd love I'd love to I'd love to see kind of down the next however far it needs to go just to be able to see kind of the the um

064like the McGra Hills and like to see to see where those rank like >> content content are >> content areas. Yeah. So, I mean, I don't know. I don't I don't really I don't really want to see all 500, but I think the another 10 or top 25 or something like that I think might get us if you and again that's if it I'm if they're if it's readily available and not not too much too much. It just give it would just give a lot more information for the especially for the high schools. >> So Mr. Galborth, it's funny. I feel like we're on the same wavelength. They've already started with our October polls and they are pulling top 20 for us and the way they're pulling top 20 is applications. So the apps that

065you're actually clicking on on the dashboard, but also any URLs or websites. So that's why we expanded it to 20 so that we could go a little deeper. >> That's great. Thank you. >> Well, I'll just add my thanks to the team, Dave and Andy and everyone on the team because I know when we create a committee like this, we're creating extra work. So, thank you for the great job. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, the final final item I want to give you in the superintendent report is a thumbnail of the budget. And I really want to emphasize thumbnail just so you all can get just a just a very early preliminary perspective of uh where we are with the budget. Rachel, >> thank you sir. Uh this will be very brief

066because uh the first thing I want to remind you all you voted on the the timeline and the calendar and the first date that we have deadline is tomorrow actually and so department heads will finish entering in all of their information requests for this year and November 26th is the last day. What happens then is I take it all and turn it back to them in a format that we review and they'll have time to go back and make any changes. and then the 26th will be the last day. So the next two weeks will be super busy for us and then um compile it all together. The first weeks in December, December 8th and the 15th is when Mr. Golden and the assistant superintendent will all go through everything and see it all for

067the first time. So those are the important dates coming up um in the next few weeks before we we meet again. One thing I wanted to just kind of remind you is this is this year the information you have above you or on the screen is um this year's information. So in total expenses we are a $562 million budget and 85% of that is in salaries and benefits. Operations as you see was 81. And so we do expect to see just with cost of living um related to operations things will go will increase a lot of our technology applications will have a slight increase. So we're looking for ways within every department of how to keep this budget as flat as we can. Uh operations this includes everything from just 10 million of that or

06811 million of that is in utilities. 10 million of that's in janitorial. Um, then you get into things like the trustes commission is 5 million of that. Insurance related to workers comp or risk, that's another 6 million. So that 81 million goes pretty fast. And so I just wanted to remind you of that. What we do know, and this is rough, so I'm going to tell y'all don't hold me to this. This is rough estimates right now. We would look at the cost of the role for next year which I'm reminding you that um pay charts have years of experience teachers role each year up until 21 and then classified role on a five-year increments. That cost would be about $4 million and then we looked at just roughly today what a 1% raise would

069cost uh across the board and that would be about 3.8 million. I don't know that we're doing well the role we're we're required to do the raise. That's just something to think about, but I wanted you to have that in the back of your mind is is information to have revenue-wise. This is a slide I gave y'all last year, and it doesn't change. It's pretty pretty standard that we get. 60 to 61% is going to come through local, 38% through state. Federal is 0.25 and other is 75. And I listed those things out. A question has come up related to federal several times because when I say make this statement about 0.25, 25. That's within the general fund budget. We also have a federal budget which is fund 142. And this year we're going to

070we've received about $10.5 million. If we lumped all that in together, total federal funding would be about 2% of our our revenues that we collect. So again, just wanted to keep you >> Rachel. I would take one little one little rabbit trail related to that. That 10 million is v the vast majority of it is special education. about 10 of it and a half about a half a million is related to CTE. >> Uh I have a question about this the sped money because um our district continues to grow in the sped department and we we kind of have a bigger burden than many other counties because we provide such a good sped program. Um is there is that reflected in that the funding at all? Um, may I ask Miss Gri I go to

071speak on this, but I will say a lot of our funding is still related to it has uh fiscal capacity factors that tie in to um economically disadvantaged and we're lower in that regard. So, we're not going to receive the funding that others might receive around us. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I think I would add that the the vast majority of our special education funding is is through local dollars. I mean, we we do get about approximately 10 million um from the federal government, but the majority of our our funding comes from local dollars. Does that answer your question, Tanya? >> Okay. >> But Rachel, I mean, so the TISA formula gives us the TISA formula gives more, but then it takes it away because they don't actually give it to us. Right. Correct. So

072it's supposed within the form without it we would get less but within the formula itself when you really break it down and I will do that for y'all this year >> um we really don't get anything from it >> but it's supposed to take our high dollar >> correct >> sped so it is part of the formula but when you really look at what once you break down the fiscal capacity we really don't get hardly anything from it if we didn't have that though we would get even less in total so it's still I mean it benefits us but we're not getting >> I I just jotted myself note um to uh to run a quick exercise to give you all at some point a a raw amount estimate of what we spend on special

073education services out of this entire budget. >> One other thing I do want to bring up too when we're thinking about revenue, fund balance is not revenue. Fund balance is is on the balance sheet. So it's not a revenue expense. But as a reminder, we used fund balance last year and have traditionally we use it to balance the budget and it was 67 million last year um that we used to to to be able to fund the budget. Uh fund balance doesn't just regenerate itself. And so it's just like your savings account as you spend down unless there's money coming back in. It doesn't continue to grow. And so we'll have that factor that we do have to consider in this year's budget. The um state has not published our audit reports yet, so I

074can't really speak to it specifically until it is published. I checked this morning and it's still not on the website. Um but I can tell you a lot of times when we when I look at fund balance and I believe Mr. Galborth has asked me this, hey, how did we end up did we end up with more? And I will say we did not. We were right on. You have to keep that 3%. So there was no extra and we've already gone into fund balance um as a reminder to pay for the buses. then we have until the end of the year to get it back up to that 3%. Um and and we'll be able to do that, but um we'll have to that will be a factor this year. >> So, but what's

075the what was the impact because we won't feel it until this year um of the the change going from from what 90 98% or >> so that was about $4 million more that we were able to put into the budget which would be 4 million less that we'll have in fund balance. We're start off $4 million short from than we were last year. >> That's exactly right. So, just as a reminder, when the county commission found a way to get the get this current year's budget approved, historically, they budgeted property tax revenue at 92% of projected. Uh that went up two percent two percentage points to 94. And that's that four million that Rachel's talking about. And Mayor Anderson just about every year would say this is if we do this, this is a one

076time onetime shot, >> which is coincidentally the amount of a 1% raise. >> Yes, it is. >> That's exactly right. >> So, >> and by the way, that's not a coincidence. Right. Obviously, right. >> Yes. >> One other thing, um, just a couple other things I wanted to point out. Property tax. We haven't collected hardly any property tax yet. So, this is really really speaking, um, in terms of historical data. we generally can look at uh what we've collected and add about 1% onto that for the next year. So when I have projected for 2027, all that is doing is adding 1% onto the budgeted for 26. But we don't actually have our actual collections yet um for 26. Uh so we are looking at being able to do that if with a 1% that

077would bring in about $1.9 million. So if you had to if I had to guess right now, I'd say we're going to get about $2 million more in property tax. And then the same kind of thought process for sales tax. Um, we're running I've only got a couple of months sales tax for the year to look at, but it's been about 1.6 more 1.6% more than the prior year. So if I added that on that would add about another 1.9 million in sales tax. So here's your $4 million again. It's odd that we keep coming back to it, but additionally it looks like there could be about four million more in property and sales tax. Way too early to know that for sure. which if that ends up being accurate is just flat >> flat.

078And so all I can tell you is the work has begun and we're in it. Um and look forward to to digging in and can go ahead and say thanks to all the work that's being done this afternoon was great. I kept getting little notifications so people are getting everything entered in. >> Rachel, the projection on property tax, which is a projection, >> is that based on an assumption of 96% or 92%? >> 94%. That's what it was at last time. >> That's what it was at last time. It went from 94. So, >> you're basing it on them doing 94 again. >> Correct. >> So, from a timeline perspective um ultimately, Rachel, trying to give the board the months. >> We will present the full um budget to you in February and then you'll

079have a month to review and vote in March. [clears throat] Again, it's required to be to the county commission by April 1st. So, that would be the plan. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I've got one other small thing to mention. Um, uh, the city of Brentwood had a meeting last night with their elected officials and invited the elected officials who represented portions of that area. And, uh, uh, I know we had three board members there. And, uh, um, Mr. Galborth actually asked me to mention uh, ebikes. Uh, ebikes were a a a common topic uh that folks were talking about and and it was something I mentioned. It was something the city of Brentwood mentioned uh as well. There's there there has been in many of our suburban areas a discussion about the

080increase in ebike traffic uh in in those in those municipalities and as students ride ebikes to campus. So, we are working with a a bit of a task force with city leaders and county leaders, including the sheriff's office, to discuss number one, what do we need to know about ebikes? And number two, what can we do to help families make good decisions for their children related to ebikes? And I know Mike Fletcher is here. He participating in that. Um, one of the things I mentioned is that through Carol Birdong's office, one result from those committee discussions is the schools are working on a PSA with a target audience of our students and our parents to give them some ideas for student safety and our media programs are actually competing uh for that. And they're they're

081they're as as we speak uh during these weeks working on some draft PSAs. We're going to have somebody win win the contest uh so that we can initiate a communication program with our families about safety issues related to ebikes. From the municipal side, I can't speak for them in detail, but I know that they are brainstorming over some of their rules and regulations uh related to ebikes on sidewalks, etc. Um board members who were there, is there anything else you all feel like need to be needs to be shared? I I've been going to these for I mean we for the seven years that I was on the board before before COVID and then we kind of stopped and I reached out to uh to the to the mayor and um the city manager to

082see if we could start them up again and they did. Um I I guess I would just ask you all to um to go to your go to your local local cities and see if they'll do the same thing. It's been it's been really invaluable to um to us uh to me and and even and the people around the around the room just to to get to know each other and I mean when we it establishes relationships when I mean we always have some interlocal things that we're doing that affect you know not just not just the school board and the commission but the cities and I mean the um our state senator um was was there and um representatives usually um usually our congressman senators are have some repres representation. They were um a

083bit preoccupied I think this this week. Um but it's been it's been great. So I I know I think Brimwood's the only one that does anything like this. Um they're also the only one just by the way that that give extra money to our uh to our schools over and above. So, just go ahead and plug that as long as you're talking to uh talking to your cities, but just encourage all to see if they will kind of do something similar. >> Thank you for that. The the discussion we've had about ebikes has included Spring Hill, uh Nolanville, Dr. Webb, is any other municipalities involved? >> All the municipalities have were either in attendance or in communication with us in regards to this topic. >> Yeah. So, so there are some opportunities for us all

084to work together as teams. Mr. Chair, that's my report unless we have any final questions. >> Anything further for Mr. Golden? [clears throat] Okay, let's move on to the operations report. Mr. King, thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, a couple of operation updates. Brentwood Middle School. Uh remember we were working on phase three which was the outside that uh that was all that we lacked in that project and it is completed. Uh contractors still working on punch list items and final cleanup but middle is completed. Uh the innovation center uh the HVAC system has been installed. The flooring will be completed next week. kitchen equipment is has been delivered and is being installed and that's for the culinary program that will be uh run out of that uh innovation center. Uh the final asphalt will be

085completed by the beginning of December. So everything's running uh really well with the innovation center. And then I do want to mention because we're talking about the five-year capital tonight, our uh phase two of our internal fob system and uh intercom and alert system is going great. It will be completed before the start of uh the school year next year. And um phase three, which will be the final phase of that, is in this year's five-year capital. uh if we decide to approve that, that will be the final phase of getting all that taken care of. So that's my report. Unless anybody has any questions, be happy to answer. >> Questions for Brian? >> I just have a quick question. Do we have a list of the schools for the FOB project? >> Yes, ma'am.

086I can send that to you. >> Okay. Please send that to me. Thank you. >> Sure. Thank Okay, we'll move on. Uh, there is no board chair report, so we can go right to new business. First item is approval of the five-year capital plan, capital improvement plan. Mr. Golden. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, board members, as you know, we presented a draft to you last month. we got a um some feedback from you uh related to that plan and I did want to mention that we actually as a result of that discussion pushed back a year uh um an ele elementary projects um maybe not every one Brian I'm trying to remember exactly just one elementary project so I refer you to the to the uh top section related to new buildings uh with

087right now our projection for any new school the most the the most up and cominging new school is projected to open uh no earlier than fall of 2030 which is 5 years from now. Now the reality is as you know we look at this annually and so there's a possibility that that could extend. Uh um uh also there was a question that came up that uh Rachel worked on. The detail of the question was uh I think there was an ask how much did we actually have in our intent to fund needed for for the for the current year versus what we ultimately asked the commission for. So to just give you an idea in 2020 2024 25 we had in our five-year cap plan an ask of 55 and a half million. We actually

088uh delayed some of the request and made a request for just under 30 million. So 60% or so is what we actually asked for. The year before that it was the exact same number we told the commission we might ask for. The year before that it was a million off. So especially this past year we did defer some of uh some of our some of our ask of the county commission. So open to any questions you all may have. I know Brian invited you all to ask questions over the over the course of the month. We had a really good detailed discussion about it last month, but we are open to any questions you may have. Uh just as a reminder, we do focus the county commission on this year's column and what we will

089be asking for. [snorts] So Jason, um I have a [clears throat] have a few questions around this. And some of this is presentation, but would it be would it make sense to to move the the addition the two 22 classroom additions um up to the top like where it would be new buildings and additions. So basically all the things that we're adding new classrooms or new new space whereas the the rest of these are just all renovations. Um and so I think it might make more sense as we're talking to the commission like hey these are these are things that are based on growth and and need. These are the things that are this middle section is really just based on age and maintenance. Um so that just a >> it's not a bad idea.

090Um, >> yeah, it would be, yeah, new new space versus old, >> right? >> Yeah, not a bad idea at all. We could do that. >> Um, and I mean, obviously the the I guess my my next question around that would be as you looked at 26 and 27. Um I mean granted these are these are all starting out in 2930 or you know potential start dates out in 293031 but given the um and and I'd like for you to show if you don't mind just tonight the the um what you sent us this afternoon because I think that would be be really helpful for the for the public to see. But um What are you prepared to um to say that we need that right now if we were going to if we were

091going to be asking for to start projects? Would um would you would you say that we we were going to request that the county commission start all five of these projects or well I guess the first one the the performing arts center I presume have we have we already done the intent to fund on that first million? >> Uh actually we have not. >> Okay. Um, so for this year in the current budget year, uh, we do intend to ask for that $1 million to do the to do the the planning work, the architectural work for for Spring Station. >> Okay. >> And then but then for what about the what about the rest of this of this 252 >> for the other intent to funds? I anticipate that based on the timing of this

092with the intent to fund needed in we will have one more discussion of the five-year capital plan before we actually make a request of the of the board of the commission. >> So we won't we won't really do that until next fall >> until the middle middle of the year at best it will give us one more year of actual enrollment numbers. Uh, and so that that we had that discussion about the about the timeline of Eric's work still being one year out. >> Okay. Um because I just want to I'm I'm just interested in in thinking through as you as you look at the [snorts] as you look at the um the the makeup of of the of the county whether or not you're you know whether or not in the next in the

093next 12 months we're going to need to start start talking about you know potential reszonings of some places that are that are over. I know Mil Creek is is one of those that's been, you know, we've been we never did the we never did the resoning from from Nolanville Elementary that we said we were going to do seven years ago on the on the heels of the of the last resoning. And so just want to be thinking thinking ahead about that. >> Thank you for that. Brian, Rachel, >> one thing I would say um is Hillsboro and Grassland, we've already last year had partial intent to funds. So, we were planning on coming a little bit earlier with that because the work has already started to finish see if we'd be able to finish that

094project. >> And those are the renovations, >> correct? And renovations. And then the same thing with the lights. We are looking at going ahead and asking for that because of the extensiveness of the project. So, the other things we would wait until probably closer to the end, May, April, May, which is when we did it last year. But we there are a few things that we kind of want to go ahead and look at in January with you all and then take it to them in February. >> Sounds good. >> And Mr. Galbbert as to as to your your questions about reszoning. I've had some discussions with individual board members for with particular areas. And I will tell you this, there is a possibility that we may be asking for reszonings in the Nolanville and

095Paige areas. Not this fall, for this coming, not for this coming fall, but for the next based on our projections. >> Okay. Well, and yeah, I think that's that based on the based on the pictures and the and the numbers, that makes sense. I I guess I would, you know, so you're when we when we when you present this to the county commission, um you're you're not you're not planning on on telling them necessarily. You're you think you think that you you're going to have another another cycle before we before we actually kind of on this 325 the the 32.5 million for 26 27. You think you're you think you're going to want to you're going to want another you're going to see enrollment from next year before you're really going to kind of put

096pen to paper on >> that's correct >> on what you recommend there. Yes. Okay. I think that's fine. Um, and that's a I mean that's important to it's important to note like hey we're we're evaluating this but we're only going to recommend that we do it if we >> if we need to which is which I think is appropriate. >> Um and uh and I think I asked this I don't know if I got an answer but there last year and this year the the two middle schools split log and Cox um I think they both have we we own the land on both of them. I believe that's correct. Um, and why is why is one of them why is why is one of them $8 million more than the other? >> Uh, Eric,

097>> it's not just Brentwood, I promise. >> Yeah, Eric, I I I know generally speaking, it's related to some site work that would have to happen, but Eric, can you speak to that? >> It's a rock. Yeah, there is. That is true. That's fair. Um, and uh, >> and by the way, u just just because Eric Eric's comment didn't reach a microphone. Um, Eric, would you mind? >> It's there's extensive. >> There we go. There's a lot more >> engineer can't operate a mic. [laughter] >> There there's a lot of um, a lot of grading work uh, behind split lock, excuse me, behind Jordan Elementary. Sorry, I just wanted to make sure that >> there is there is a large mountain. Yeah. >> Yeah. And and that's why if you notice, we had pulled out

098$10 million up front to potentially do the grading work ahead of time. So that's that's why it's larger and that's why that number's uh seti set out in front. And I will tell you that the the the the growth and the the the pinpoint accuracy that our system will give us related to where the students are is going to drive uh those you know the the timeline of those two middle schools where the where the greatest need's going to be. Well, it is it it is always hard when we're when we're having to make funding decisions, you know, four years four years out to um I mean we so it's it's always going to be a bit of a bit of speculation, but you can explain if you don't mind. >> And thank you, Tim.

099Thank you for getting that. Whoever forwarded that on to Tim, thank you. Uh so u so just just so everybody knows and I know you all as board members got this email a few hours ago. You may not have all had the opportunity to look at it. Uh you all and I know Mr. Galba, you specifically mentioned, hey, do some do some heat maps that shows our our our enrollment numbers and and so the red represents our high schools that are 90% or higher capacity. The yellows represent 75 to 90% and the greens represent under 75% of their of their capacity. So this happens to be the high school map. You all have this emailed to you. We will make sure we post this as well. Uh again, this just for this year, right? Because

100this is actual actual enrollment as of end of first month. Uh and then if you could pop down to the middle school just so everybody gets a glance. Oops. You jumped to elementary. There you go. Middle school. You can see what we're talking about, right? With uh with those numbers. And by the way, Sunset Middle is at 83% capacity. So it's still in the yellow, but it's at 83. Uh, and then tell me when y'all are ready for the elementary a little bit more confusing because we have so many more elementary schools. Uh, but you can see those red spots. Uh, I will tell you a trend. I mentioned I think in my email that these give you a good snapshot, but you really need to look at trends as well. Arrington, if I'm not

101mistaken, it's still in the yellow, but it's maybe at 8, what was it? 87%. Yeah. So that one is noticeably that is noticeably growing and we have all that data on the far right of these slides. So thank you for the prompt for that by the way. It the just the glance just gives you a really good look. It this was excellent. I really I don't I don't know how what my expectations were that it was going to look like, but I mean there's always some surprises, but this is this is really really great view for much better than the than the percentages. um especially for for our commissioners to to understand that we you know I mean if you go back to the middle school number I mean that it it's um you know

102we're we're talking about on our on our list those two middle schools we were talking about is is between Woodland and and Sunset and of course if you if you combine Mil Creek and and Sunset those are all those are all over over 90% and so you've got a you've got you've got one in between Woodland and Sunset and then Cox Road is is down there in the in the Page Middle School section where we're where we've where we do continue to have a have a lot of growth. So >> that's right. And then next door to Paige is Legacy that's in the green. >> That's right. And I would like to remind [clears throat] everybody that we will have the updated uh capacities for middle school. U we've we finished that work. Uh Heather

103Hayes and uh Eric went out to every middle school, mapped it out. Uh those numbers have been in there a long time, so it'll be updated. It's not a lot of change, but there is some change in some of the schools. Uh, so you'll you'll see that those new numbers uh soon. >> Change to the good. >> Overall, change to the good, but some of the schools actually reduced capacity uh because when this was done years ago, programming has changed since the the numbers were put in there years ago. And so a lot of that was factored in and that's why we had Heather Hayes from the uh instructional side work with Eric on that to make sure that we were getting an an actual an accurate uh capacity number. So we'll get that to

104you. One question, Jason, based on something Jay was mentioning about the timing of when we fund these things. >> Yes. How far into a fiscal year can you get and get approval and realistically start the project in that same fiscal year? >> Um Rachel, I'm going to ask you to speak to that um after I give this answer. That's usually driven by a conversation with county government as to as to how they want to fund it and if it's a bond when they intend to go to bond market. Uh so I have seen it vary from time to time depending on how they want to fund it. So, for example, uh the uh uh the um impact fee. Yeah. The educational impact fee. If they have funding sitting there ready and they choose to to

105uh to fund it with that, it's it's a month. Uh if if they are going to bond market, we need to find out their schedule for that. >> Yeah. Yeah, I mean the reason that I asked the question is because if you think about it, numbers can be in this column for for a certain fiscal year, but if you push it out far enough in that fiscal year and get the intent to fund approved, you're not starting it until the next fiscal year. >> That That's right. And there are also some dynamics for those of you who watch the commission. if if we're making a request two months before the operational budget, they're going to be asking questions tying that to operational and and so they might say, "Well, let's wait till we make an

106operational decision um to decide how they fund it as well." Uh so usually when we're doing that planning, we have conversations with the mayor and the finance department to figure out from a timing perspective what's best based on the schedules that Eric uh or Adam have if it's a if it's a maintenance project. One other observation I'll make is that I think the first year that I was on the board and I saw this plan, the total of all the five years combined was about over $900 million. Um, again, we all know it's a projection. It's not a commitment. I think if my math is right, that number is what, 600 plus million now? 650. >> That's correct. >> Pretty dramatic reduction. >> Yes, but we've cut it by about a third. >> Yeah, pretty

107dramatic. >> Um, and I will say some of those are almost almost uh annual cost of doing business, right? Um, a lot of the work that Adam and his maintenance team does, we have to maintain that every year. We have too many facilities not to do some of that capital work every year. So, Jason, I think this is where I put my annual plug in for >> You [snorts] know where I'm going with this? >> Yes, sir. I do. >> Am I jumping ahead? >> I'm on uh we always do our zoning as a a top down as it was laid out >> 16 years ago. And so, we're we're taking the the biggest chunks and then fitting it in backwards as opposed to or or vice versa. Yeah. as opposed to zoning upwards. Yeah.

108And where we can really microtarget the kids and the neighborhoods and and everything else >> and get them more locally so that by the time they do get to the the high schools, there's much cleaner theater patterns, the numbers are smoother, there's more um full capacity across it. It just would have been a better way to do it. And I realize, you know, we got to start from scratch if we do that. But it would give us a lot more flexibility in that if we had way back when smart enough and and sort of done it the opposite way. Thank you for that. And I will tell you this one even has the potential to be middle school driven, not elementary potentially u based on what we've seen with numbers. One of the things we

109will probably be asking you all about um uh maybe this spring or summer is what are your priorities? uh because it's been years really since we've talked about that. Clean feeder patterns, minimize split feeder patterns. Sometimes that's a that's a that's an issue. Uh and so we may not just, for example, recommend reszoning middle school, but but look at how that feeder pattern goes from elementary up to middle to high. >> So I have a couple questions. How much money is in the education impact fee? Boy, Rachel's shaking her head. No, I don't know either. I tell you what, we we we'll we'll we'll we'll check on that and let you all know. >> I think it's $75 million. >> Okay. So, 75 to 80 million is a guess, but I'm sure you are pretty

110close. Um to piggy back off of uh even what Jay and Eric have said, um you know, our enrollment overall is declining. However, you know, we have these hot spots and um if we're going to reszone, I would like to recommend that we start >> talking about it in January to try to get ahead of it so that our families know it's not for August of 26 27. It would be August of 2728. Especially if even our first school might not even I mean realistically it's probably going to be 30 31. Um, so that's just something I would and I do like uh the idea of us giving you p uh priorities cuz I know feeder patterns. Um, I know we've gotten emails about like one neighborhood, they'll go to this school with these friends

111and they go to this school and those friends go to another like, you know, trying to keep kind of neighborhoods together. Um, but I would like to recommend that we not put that off too far because I think if we can get ahead of it and give our families some input in it and it won't be like what happened to my little neighborhood in Nolanville where, you know, we were told in March we were going to reszone in August and it was just I think we deserve our our our community deserves better than that. So, >> thank you for that. A couple you've you've prompted a couple thoughts. Number one, if we start talking a year and a half out, that's an extra window for open zoning. So, that could potentially motivate individual families uh

112to make a decision a year ahead. Uh, another another prompt that you gave me is typically having that discussion start in November or so for the coming year where we're what, seven months out is is we have found that generally speaking that's a good that's a good start. Um, but but letting folks know it's probably going to come the next year is wise. >> To to that point, um, were you were finished? I'm sorry. Um to that point on the on the resoning if we um how this plays in because you you almost have to wait until the fall to see to see what recommend recommendations we're going to make for new schools because if we are building a new school then reszoning those kids away isn't isn't really the preferred method. like we we

113tend to we tend to squeeze and you know and add portables for the for that time to to deal with if we're going to be if we're going to be adding a adding a school or doing an addition um as opposed to reszoning them for three years and then and then sending them back. So we we tend to be able to squeeze like we have at Mil Creek for for a while. But I mean it gets to a point where when you're 120% over capacity, you kind of have to do something. >> Yeah. And final final final bit that's very particular to two locations. Thompson Station and Mil Creek's building designs give a little bit of flexibility that's not great, but it's functional where middle school might borrow some elementary classrooms or vice versa. I

114will say that does not work at Sunset. For those of you who've been in the building, you know why. Because you walk in and then you go to the wings and they're too far apart. Okay, the next item [clears throat] is approval of the 2026 27 calendar uh including the early release and late start days and then the um 202728 calendar as well. Mr. Golden. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm about to uh refer uh to Dr. Webb who leads our our calendar committee with a with a couple of prompts. Number one, you all have already approved the 26 27 calendar. We have added the uh proposed early release and late start days uh which you did not vote on last year. And then we have the upcoming calendar uh for for you all to

115consider as well. If I'm not mistaken, actually, Mr. Galbbert, you mentioned this last last night uh to some to some folks in Brentwood. I think this is going to be Dr. Web, our third year of having two calendars, maybe just our second. >> This is our second year. >> Second second year. Uh to help our families plan a little bit better. So, Dr. Web, if you would speak to some of the particular uh items that that that calendar committee worked on that may that may be those key points for the board to consider before their Monday vote. >> Very good. Thank you. The um calendars that you see before you are very similar to the current school year calendar. In fact, for the upcoming school year for uh 26 27 um very few shifts in

116addition um and outside of the addition of the early release late starts that mirror what our current practice is. Um there's also in that calendar a shift in how we're utilizing one of our um teacher professional learning days but doesn't affect the substance of the calendar. and the 2728 calendar. Again, it's a uh very similar. The basic structure uh mirrors our current schoolyear calendar. Um both uh both of the next two-year calendars do not have teachers uh returning um outside of new hires. The teachers don't return until August. Um we do have one change in 2728. We have an additional election day. There's a March presidential primary. Uh so we will have an additional day that the calendar committee is recommending that no school and teachers are present on on campus for that high expected

117turnout day. Um and those are the major uh shifts. There is an in 2728 one additional teacher admin day shift uh that takes place uh around winter break. But those are the only uh major changes that you'll see in these two calendars. I'm happy to answer any questions you have. Any questions? Uh, >> so I see the early release days are still on Wednesday and I know I think Claire's talked about Fridays. Is there any way like what might keep us from moving those to Fridays instead of breaking up? I just know if I had an elementary school student, Wednesday would be not very convenient for me. >> Uh, Dr. Dr. Webb, I know Dr. Royer isn't here tonight, but can you speak to that in the discussions the committee had? >> I can. The

118the committee spent quite a bit of time speaking about early release and inclement weather and uh those were two topics that we brought to them actually from a schoolboard work session where those topics were brought up. Uh there were three primary reasons that the calendar committee elected to keep the early release in the same uh places as they currently are. Uh the committee believed that midwe midweek was a better place for teacher planning. Uh there was a fear that um having the the Friday half day could lead to um a long extended weekends where uh students would not attend for the half instructional day on those days where they would fall. Um and there was conversation about how families are um currently utilizing those Wednesday early release for afternoon appointments that may not exist in

119the same capacity for uh Friday afternoons. Those were the three main uh reasons. And then in regards to inclement weather, we did discuss the fact that we haven't used 10 inclement weather days in the last several well in in the most recent history, we haven't used all of them. So, we spent some time talking about the um pros and cons of leaving the 10 inclement weather days versus having a small reduction. So, as a reminder, we uh the state of Tennessee requires that we attend school for 6 and a half hours a day. We go an additional 37. 30 of those minutes are stockpiled and we use um for a total of 13 instructional days. We add three of them um to the instructional calendar. So we actually attend 177 days and then we stockpile

120for three which the state allows. And then we have 10 um inclement weather days that come from the most additional minutes of as a part of that 30. Then we attend an additional seven minutes every day and those stockpiled minutes are utilized for early release and and late start. So in regards uh to the inclement weather uh the recommendation of the committee is to continue with the 10 days. Um there was a lot of conversation and I know Miss Dr. Warrior is not here this evening, but a lot of conversation in regards to elementary and that uh any any reduction of instructional minutes uh for an inclement weather day would be approximately two and a half to three minutes that we would lose for each additional um day that we took off of the 10

121for inclement weather. The feedback from our uh elementary teachers was that um the gain isn't worth the loss. um they didn't want to lose any instructional minutes and and take away. Um and then our parent rep kind of echoed um the likelihood that families if we did happen to go over the 10 um or have an an excess of our stockpiled inclement weather days, the likelihood is that families would since they already had those vacation planned uh to go ahead and take them and there would be a loss of potential instructional minutes there too. So for those reasons, the recommendation of the committee ended up being uh with a heavy conversation around elementary to keep early release in the middle of the week and to keep the inclement weather days stockpiled at 10 days. And

122my last question is fall break um because I had some constituents ask about that. It is aligned with like the end of the first quarter. >> That's accurate. That's right. Okay. That's what I told them cuz they were like, "Can't you move it up a week?" And I'm like, "Well, I think it's no." >> Well, you're you're exactly right. That is the reason it's at the end of the nine weeks. >> One additional thing I wanted to add is that early childhood does not attend on Wednesdays as well. And so that does help um for early release to be on the the day that we don't have early childhood. >> And as an aside, I got to jump back to an old one since you mentioned early childhood. uh TISA does not fund early childhood.

123It's not included in the in their analysis at all. Um so that's that's largely on us with that with a little bit of support from the federal funds we have. >> Oh, actually I do have one more. Oh, go ahead and then I'll go. >> Is an early childhood uh funded by the state? >> Uh it is it is funded in part by the state. Uh but uh Maria, if you would speak to early childhood. I want to make sure we've got some clarity, too, for folks who watch this. We call our uh preschool special education services program early childhood. At the state level, they typically call it something like special education prek or or some version of that. So, when we're talking to folks at the state level, they might not know what we're

124talking about when we say early childhood. Uh as opposed to voluntary prek. It's interesting. Marie actually spoke to this to the Leadership Franklin group yesterday. So, uh, um, Mr. Cash, when Tissa was created, they did not include the number of students in early childhood or special education prek in the numbers. So, when they count our numbers of students and who they fund, they do not fund any for those students via TISA. Uh, we do have some funding for that. Uh, and Ria, could you speak to that? >> Yeah, so that we have two different sources of funding. We have a very small budget that comes from the IDEIDA preschool budget. So those are federal funds. It is very very uh small and limited amount of money. And then we do in the last maybe three

125years, we have a state preschool grant that we get for um preschool at the elementary level, which I mean, excuse me, early childhood level. Um, and that funds a part of our early childhood programs, but not nearly all of them. >> So, it is there's two different There's two different early childhoods. >> That's correct. >> This is for special needs. >> That is correct. >> Ours is specifically for special needs. >> That is That is right. And every every school system has that. But when they count the number of students enrolled for TISA purposes, those don't count. That's >> do you have do we know like just off the top of the head like what the enrollment is for that or like >> including peers >> it's about what am I around it's around >>

126by the end of the year it will be probably close to 500 >> okay >> right now it's I think it's somewhere around 250 300 students >> times two or that's the actual >> that's total >> okay and the moment a child reaches the age of three we start serving them >> gotcha yeah >> and that also doesn't account for all of the evaluations we do that students may choose another option or or may choose um to stay with TEIS. >> Yeah, sorry for taking that digression. It just hit me. I know I know uh Mr. Chair, Dr. Johnson may have had another question related to uh the calendar. Um, just one other thing that's been brought to my attention is moving the graduation window to make sure that our student athletes who compete in

127state and track and field and I know it affected our baseball team one and I know it's probably just a few schools that happen to do their graduation like the night of, but if we could move that back, I think I think one day it would actually take care of it. But look at those TWSAA calendars cuz it's disheartening that a scholar athlete has to decide between competing at state and or going to a graduation and like the track meets had been at MTSU and literally we had two or three at Nolanville graduation run in >> but this year it's going to be at Knoxville so there's no way. Uh so if they compete at state they'll have to choose. Dr. Webb, I know we've had some discussions about that. Can you give the board

128an update on those discussions? >> Yes. To Dr. Johnson's point, uh, Tito Bless sets those um each year and so the location did change. We have spoken with our principles about reviewing those calendars as they place their uh, graduation dates. Uh, so I'll I'll have that conversation with them again. Thank you. Just circling back on the um early childhood funding about I know you said that we use the federal funds and the state grant. What what's the percentage that's covered and then what I just kind of is it how much >> Maria may have a better idea than me. I'm going to say it's it's substantially less than 50% but I I don't know that I have a good number. >> That would be correct. I couldn't give you an exact percentage. I can I

129can get it for you if you >> we'll get that. That's a good point. We need to get that so we have those discussions. I will say also u TDOE sent a survey out to superintendent u about elements and I know you and I had a discussion about this about elements of the TISA formula. Uh and um I I focused on two things in my response to the survey. one, their communication because when they tell us that um that uh that that the TISA base is $7,400, it's not $7,400. Uh that is the base before they take out the local share. Uh and and I've I I shared in detail, please correct your communication so that you don't represent that every LEA is getting that money. And then the second piece was early childhood or

130the or the uh special education prek. Factor in those student numbers uh in your TISA formula. >> Okay. Any more questions on the calendar? So Jason, I I just talking about the early childhood made me think about the enrollment numbers that we used for Did you include early childhood in those um in those p in those capacity percentages? >> Um yes, at those schools that we did that early childhood is there, we did include those in the percentages. >> I know I know sometimes we report it with and without, but that's good to know. >> Yeah. And and and by the way, when we report that uh and we have this posted on our website as well with the end of first month, we show both numbers uh because for budgeting purposes, we do not

131include early childhood or voluntary prek in our total number because the way the state counts them, but in actuality, we have those those students. So we we we we include both in our reports. >> All right. Let's move on to board policies. First one is a policy for first reading 3.210 naming of facilities and we want to go to you Jason or Jay. >> Thank you. Thank you Mr. Whatever you prefer. Um Miss Osbrooks is uh is out tonight. Um so so for first reading uh we have naming of facilities. uh we brought to you some recommendations related to naming uh a portion of school facilities and that detail is there. I know that that the policy committee had some discussion about it uh and it includes some recommended guidelines related to naming things after

132individuals uh and also financial contributions. The net of this and Dr. Dr. Webb, I know you and you and your team worked on this in in quite a bit of detail. Is that this would require board approval within all these guidelines before there was a particular naming of a portion of the of a campus. I don't know if there's any detail you want to share. >> The only thing that I would add is that we already started collecting I think it was Mr. Galbreth who brought up uh we do have some internal over time some internal and external portions of our school facilities that are currently named uh after individuals and so we have started collecting those from each school site so that we'll be able to present to you what's already been named uh

133just for yourformational purposes as well and then we'll keep uh a running log of those as you approve them. just want to speak to this one at for for those who weren't at the at the um policy meeting, but um it was it was news to me and I mean things like this kind of fall through the cracks sometimes, but it was news to me that we I mean I know I know some of the names of at least of the facilities that I'm familiar with that um that have that have been named. Um, and it just never crossed my mind that that the board hasn't hasn't approved these. We name all the schools. Um, but we we just haven't been a part of that of that naming process. And it and it does put

134a it puts a tough um burden on on staff to not have not have structure on how to do this. So, this is a really really clear um and I just want to make it clear that um that while while we while the board chooses a name for um for these, all we're going to do with respect to approving these names is approving them um with respect to the to the qualifications that we give. So, all we can do is we could deny one, but we can't we can't propose another another name. And it's usually not the way that that these things are coming in front of us anyway, but that's just going to be that that's the process that that's laid out here. >> I can't remember. It seems like two years ago we

135built like two schools. Um, one was Arrington Arrington Elementary, right? And then Amanda >> Amanda North. So it seems like I was a part of the process and I don't know if I was chosen to be on the subcommittee but there was a process that we had to choosing the naming of the school. So somebody can somebody refresh my memory on how that occurred. >> That is correct. Uh the policy calls for a naming committee uh and they meet and that there's detail in there. They submit a uh they um I appoint a naming committee composed of board members, county commissioners and WCS staff members. And then there's some detail related to the work uh with some restrictions. You don't name it after commercial developments etc. Uh and then the committee um goes through getting

136community input and then makes recommendations uh to the board with which includes a list of two or three names and the justification. And so that's what happened with the with the Amanda North Elementary and Arrington as well. >> Thank you. But this policy would also include it would change it where like if they named an auditorium or they made a name named a stadium, it would also go through the same process. Is that >> Yeah, very similar process. Yes, ma'am. >> Yeah. >> Well, I guess not very difficult. >> Yeah. So, we wouldn't be there wouldn't be a committee for that. >> The it's it's essentially they're going to they'll go through >> still come to us. It'll come to us but not for the >> That's correct. Like it'll it'll it'll essentially go the

137the school will meet and however they decide if it's if it's you know a lot of time it might be a donor it might be just a an alumnist or some community member it it'll end up going to the assistant superintendent and then Julian Lee will will make a recommendation to to us is essentially how it's written. take it to me and our leadership team would make a recommendation to you. We anticipate it's largely going to be driven at by the school level uh to us. All right. So that one will be on first reading uh on Monday. The [clears throat] next one is four also on first reading is 4.600 report cards and grading systems. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh you can see on page three of five of this this is a

138this is some detail related to some proposal that we have related to transfer GPA and recalculation. You may recall that we had some discussion with some students transferring uh and and uh their their their ranking uh re related to uh validictorian and saludiatoran and and our concern related to the University of Tennessee scholarship process for top 10%. Uh and so we have some propos a proposal here to to number one communicate with everyone on the front end via policy the standards that we have for transfers. Uh and then number two make sure that we're as fair as we can for students to qualify for those scholarships that again was largely driven by the University of Tennessee uh giving giving um admission if I'm not mistaken Dr. Webb to the top 10% automatically. So Dr. Webb

139can you speak to that? >> Absolutely. That was a change um that was new for us in the state of Tennessee last year and it's guaranteed admission for that top um percentage of each graduating class. And so this gives us the continuity to ensure that we're reviewing and submitting those students consistently uh for that guaranteed admission. Um, and it also by adding this procedure into the board policy, it makes it clear to families who are transferring in what that procedure looks like um, and how their GPA is is specifically calculated. This information uh, largely is currently in our high school programming guide, but it seems like it's such a a a huge impact to someone who's moving here with an established GPA from another school district from anywhere across the country. Um, we agree that

140it's important enough that it should be in in schoolboard policy. >> Any questions? >> Okay, that one we will also vote on Monday night for first reading. The next one is our one policy for second reading um that we'll vote on Monday night and that's 6.312 use of wireless communication devices. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh uh obviously you all know that there's been uh quite a bit of discussion related to this. The board at first reading had a vote uh in which there was an adjustment that was taken to the policy committee. Uh and Mr. Chair, I know you often refer to those who who have brought this policy. I do want to point out that Dr. Reeves originally brought this policy with the detail that's included in your packet. Uh and certainly open

141to any discussion the board may have uh related to that. Claire, >> do you want to speak to it first or you want to just open it up? >> Open it up. >> All right. Any any questions or comments, Dennis? >> I did some research. uh going back to September, I started doing some deep research on it and I've completed the uh the device policy in the 95 counties of Tennessee. I have that here. I was surprised the large number of belltobell that already exists. 38 of the 95 counties already have a bell to bell and there's a couple of counties that are changing from partial restriction to a bell to bell but no one who has bell to bell is reversing that. Then I did the 50 states and Washington DC and got those

142numbers and it's about 60 40 60% have some kind of policy about 40% actually have the stricter belltobell and we just got a notice tonight and may maybe some of you did uh there was 27 states five more states have come on board and um it looks like they're going to go bellto bell So it looks like the policy nationwide is becoming stricter. I was stunned when I found out that Washington DC has an absolute bellto bell and then I found out it was to handle the crime among the juvenile population more than any brain damage. Uh but California has it. uh New York State have it and they have a very strict bell to bell and they represent what about 9 million students or about 18% of the total student body in the US.

143So it was kind of interesting and then I went and I looked at the world because actually UNESCO tracks student cell phone use worldwide. It's different very few partial restrictions. they are almost exclusively bell-to-bell and that ex that's if you look at you know Russia, China, things like that uh Africa I liked Indonesia the teachers can take the phone and destroy it that seemed Saudi Arabia they cut your hand off Saudi Arabia has the highest per capita use of cell phones of any kind I was there for a year and I [clears throat] remember that. Are you offering that as an amendment? No, I'm just saying it was it was it was very interesting. Um the European nations tend to go with a partial restriction where Africa, Asia, Middle East, they tend to go with

144a stricter. So it's the reverse of here. Here we tend to be partial more than we are bell-to-bell 6040, but in other countries is a little different. So, uh, then I looked into the, um, what actually happens to your brain on Celttofel. I'm now up to 44 changes in the human brain by using a cell phone if you use it improperly. Uh, anything more than two and a half hours a day is um, you start getting in the yellow zone. Uh the American students use it 7 to n hours a day. Using a cell phone more than one hour a day cuts the adolescent cognitive ability by 50%. So I couldn't do the negative math. If one hour cost you 50%, what does seven hours cost you? So it was interesting. I put all together.

145Um, I just didn't realize it was such a big topic because I thought we were just looking at it here in Williamson County, but it's it's a big issue. Um, I did reach out to a woman, uh, professor of psychiatry, um, University California, San Diego. She's written over 200 articles. uh for 25 years she's been tracking cell phone changes in the adolescent brain, written a bunch of books and stuff. So I reached out and she returned my call. We had a nice conversation and she supports a bell-to-bell restriction even for high school. And somebody we also had the other doctor yeah Dr. Gupta the local person. So that's just kind of what I found out. Very interesting topic. It seems that most places are becoming more restrictive, not less restrictive. And it comes down to

146the science, the medicine, the psychiatry, the behavior, uh, versus the, um, the parents who want to keep contact with their kids. That's what I found out. >> All right. Anyone else? >> Okay. Um, I guess I'll go next. I just have um a couple of things. Um, I I just wanted to highlight a few things from Dr. Kupta. Um, her the email that she sent the board on November 3rd. Um, because it it brought some things to to my mind. So, she is um she's a pediatrician and a digital wellness researcher um from the Freedom Foundation. She's also located here in Franklin. So, she probably um sees our our students who have um issues with um you know uh digital wellness. And um I I just wanted to to note that what just what she

147said. I've witnessed firsthand the impact of wireless mobile devices on student learning, on their attention, emotional health, and school culture. Not just when devices are used, but when they are even present. Um, and she points to her academic review article and that's what she summarizes in the email that she gave us. And I'm not going to go through all of them, but just I think two two points that I wanted to to remind everybody about is about the distraction of phones. And there's there's the internal pull, which is the endogenous distraction, which is the attention it's drawn to the device um because we're craving the dop dopamine. And then the exoggeneous distraction which is the external pull because of alerts, notification, app cues. And um that reminded me of when we were sitting in the

148policy meeting and um Dr. Web was kind of summarizing the the student committee that met with Jason Golden and the students were, you know, affirming that we really like the the current cell phone policy because um, you know, we could just drop the things in the in the the little uh cell phone cubbies and they retrieve them at the end of class. And they were, you know, saying, you know, it was really helpful because otherwise, you know, we get distracted. And um I'm I'm just going to paraphrase because that was a couple weeks ago we talked about that. But um and and you know we we might go into our our backpacks to you know because we want to see them. So we we we like that that we have that um that policy set

149in place. But when I you know when I evaluated that those those thoughts from those students um instead it made me realize that actually these students are addicted to their phones. um they they crave that dopamine. They want to go in their backpack. Um because I was actually thinking, you know, if we went bell to bell, let just let the kids give have some autonomy, let them have some responsibility and put it in their backpacks. But apparently, um I'm not sure now that I would I would I would go that way if if we went bell-to-bell um because of the distraction that just the devices presence gives uh to our students. And um then another thing I wanted to point out was the motiv motiv motivation and gratification and that's when students earn gratification from

150effort and mastery in class motivation rises. So that's an internal validation from you know doing the hard work um yourself and just just the desire to the the satisfaction and the motivation that gets children to start to love learning. Um and then and that's replaced when um the dopamine is the w the reward because of the um the devices then the the motivation for academics falls and this is all from from uh Dr. Kupta and then she says these devices are designed to compete with and often override the satisfaction that should come from learning. And so in that regard um you know as a former teacher and just you know as a grandmother and raising kids um that was one of my my goals and that is the goal of like every teacher is like

151we can be a facilitator or we could be a teacher and the teacher's job is to teach students you know just to like have passion you know to share your passion for history or for science with with the kids and just get them to start to love learning and to think critically. ally and to contemplate because in our busy world there is not a lot of time set aside for like deep thinking and um and I think even now especially with cell phones and all the technology with AI that it is really important that our students learn um or have the opportunity to um have an environment where they can think critically and not have the distraction of cell phones and I look at the Waldorf school in um uh and that's the school that

152all the tech kids go to and and the employees because those kids or those parents they realize that um the apps that they create and all of these devices are very addictive and they want their kids to um you know have a um you know experience real books and engage in in all their senses and things like that and so they understand it and they want their kids to think critically. And so, you know, I look at at them and what they know and um I think we should follow suit. And um and then the last thing on her paper or her email was um our constant online connectivity is not harmless. It rewires our brains. It leads to shortening attention spans and a diminished capacity for deep thinking. in a screen saturated world, our

153schools can be the sanctuary for focus, calm, curiosity, and community. Um, so I I just wanted to, you know, just highlight some of those things as we think about that. And then the next thing I wanted to um talk about was on Monday we had um uh Dr. uh Reeves had requested the raw data about um [clears throat] the the parent um questionnaire. And so I wanted to I wanted to ask Melissa if she could uh tell us because she was the one that uh initiated that when we were in our uh tech committee work session. And I I think it's really important for her to explain why she did it because I thought it was a good idea. And um and I know in a lot of that research the the technology committee has

154talked about um with the with the with the committee and I'm going to sh I'm going to share some of those things because I I took that raw data and and um just laid it out in a linear information. So Melissa, can you just share a little bit for the board and for everyone listening? If I may just add one caveat when you're talking about the raw data, just make sure you don't tell a particular family story that might that might be personally identifiable. Just as a reminder. >> Sure. And the timeline for that collection, I'm looking at Andy to make sure I have this correct, is that um we met in July and talked about how important it would be to just have an opportunity for families to be in touch with the district.

155Initially, we were thinking, oh, you'll let your principal know. But then we were like, that's a lot on the principles, right? Then to then turn around and get it up to Dr. Webb and Dr. Oyer. And so we thought, what if we just collected all of it and the way it was designed, we could tell what grade level the students were in. So, um, we collected the data, I think, for about three weeks. Is that right, Andy? That it was open. >> Miss Wyatt, I'm looking. So, you keep going. I'll get this for you. Yeah. Um, and it was timed with when the communic when it came out from the communications department about the change in policy for the year and then I think went through the first 10 days or the first two weeks

156of the school year. So that way just was available to parents and they could say, you know, this these are their initial thoughts and if they wanted to hop back on and share again how it has felt in their family. So that's the timeline of when the data was collected. But I was really glad that we did it. I think um high touch, high communication and just giving parents that easy access really mattered and I was glad to hear about the responses that we got. So that we received. Thank you. Sorry. >> It was sent it was actually communicated in um in focus through our communications department and it opened on July 25th >> and then it closed closed uh September 3rd. So it was longer than just a few weeks. >> Okay, great. Okay,

157thank you. So if that helps with the timeline that it was available. So that feedback. >> Yeah. And um and then I just want to before I go into this this um what I've compiled here is just to ask um uh Dave Allen about the was it the foresight school? Did I get that name right? Okay. Good. I had to ponder that this afternoon. So can you tell us a little bit about when um our little group was together and you had showed us the the website of the for foresight school because and and tell us about the characteristics of it because it's very similar to ours and that's why you pulled it up and um and then I know you shared it with the board and I thought before our work session um maybe

158you could share it again um but if you just speak to that a little bit because um that was that all showed a very similar I don't want to I want you to explain this but just show a very similar school or district to ours and how they um how they laid out to the families um their unplug thing because they had um they have a bell-to-bell policy and how they make make it work. So if you could just add a little bit more for us that would be appreciated. >> Thank thank you for that lead in. So, uh, Forsythe County, Georgia is, uh, just outside of Atlanta, one of the school districts that's in our benchmark consortium that we we work closely with and, um, they do a great job and we learn we

159learn a lot from them. um they actually uh had a campaign I believe they started last year and and very similar to kind of how we've started our approach with bringing in uh parents and having conversations and and on the back side of the work study that they did that our committee is is doing right now. They had a really nice um I would say community uh community uh press to to to kind of um bring parents up to speed on everything that they had found. They created a slogan for it. I'm trying to remember right now off the top of my head. I think it's disconnect to reconnect. Is that right? Did I pull that out of the air? Okay. So, um and and they held um several community meetings and and took kind

160of a road show. They took all the information that uh and the research and the the studies that that our group is kind of doing right now um uh with with our locals and and kind of took that on the road kind of similar to what we're um planning to do with our screen time committee after this. They had really good feedback. They had really good outreach through their website and through those uh meetings. They they they videoed recorded those meetings and have those on their website. So, lots of good information from the community. Andy dug even deeper into that probably than I did. Did I leave anything out that you want to add, Andy? >> No, sir. You did a great job. >> Great. >> Yeah. And um and I I thank you so

161much for um Melissa and Dave for your input on that because um actually regardless how how the um the vote goes on Monday, um that that can be a that can be a great resource and that'll I'll explain that a little bit more as I pass out um these things. there'll be one for everyone except for um [laughter] except for Bobby. Um anyway, so what I did is I just took this data because I needed some linear information and so as this is passed out, um I won't highlight everything, but um there's a few things I'd like to just to to read off so that the people out in the community can can hear. Um and um so I took the raw data and put it in the computer and um I I took the

162question that was posed to the parents which was just very general and then I also included um how supporting a bell-to-bell policy and how did that um how did that data um the feedback you know uh align up with that data. So the briefing summarizes key insights from stakeholders, the feedback on the proposed wireless communication about policy and it focused on actionable themes beyond simple support or opposition. And the overall sentiment was most comments were neutral or informational. Um and among respondents who expressed a clear position, support for the policy exceeded opposition. However, respondents consistently highlighted considerations important for implementation and that's where again that website would be very um beneficial. And then um I go uh to number one executive summary of feedback and to the bullet points. Um more respondents again supported the

163wireless communication policy than opposes it. The support tended to be tied to reducing distraction and improving academic focus. Uh the and the opposition, we know this too, as generally rooted in student parent communication concerns, especially related to safety, transportation, anxiety, and medical considerations. And so I'd like the community to know that um that the state has already, you know, put into effect the law for medical considerations for for phones. And then um you know we talked a lot about the communication aspect uh at like at the policy meeting and um I know myself I'll just speak for myself I think those are all reasonable requests that you know uh that that parents should have. We have communication now um for students to reach out to employers or parents for different things. um there's a lot

164of issue with dual dual enrollment and I think there's you know the administration is capable of of implementing um any kind of communication necessary with the students and so I don't really see that as an obstacle for um supporting a bell-to-bell because um I I have faith in our um administration to be able to imple implement that by an August 1 deadline. And so just as a quantitative uh position summary, there were a total of uh 2,656 um emails basically. And so um the support was uh 643 and the oppose was 289. Uh the neutral non-position was 1,724. And so the conclusion was that the support was greater than the opposition among clearly positioned respondents, but most comments are neutral and they were asking for clarification. So I thought that was really important that the

165board needs to know and that's what the the tech committee has has talked about as well. Um so they they've shared that to to the tech committee and they were um and they talked about procedural suggestions rather than arguments. And this is also really interesting. Um, by gradeband, the elementary schools that supported it, um, there was 175 parents and those that opposed it were 103. In the middle school, um, 97 supported it and 52 opposed it. And high school, it was 207 that supported it and 67 opposed it. And then we also have uh parents with multi-grade students and that was 164 that supported it and 67 that opposed it. >> Hey Tanya. >> Yeah. >> I just have one question. I'm sorry. >> Is this is this on the policy? Was this was this

166on the policy we're looking at now? >> No. No. No. This is from the raw data. This is from >> this is feedback, right? Like what Josh is saying this is feedback on the policy that we have right now. Yeah. not feedback on the policy we're voting on on Monday >> on the one okay that we voted in at the end of last >> bell to bell K through eight. >> Okay. So this is about this isn't about the proposed one now but just so we get an idea of what the parents are thinking. >> No no you're I just I was just confused. Thank >> um and so the imp interpretation uh was that the support peaks at the high school level. Um and then we can go on. Um and this was interesting.

167The opposition is most pronounced among elementary parents largely due to communication access. So they want to be able to be able to um communicate with their little ones. Uh then I go on and um I just for your information there was some representative quotes on supports and opposing and then um and then the primary concern this is really important too is communication access with parents and those issues that they they mentioned most were transportation changes after school pickup coordination the medical needs again anxiety or emotional support needs emergency in or around school property um and again I just go to um a lot of these things have already been addressed at the state level and it's not a sufficient reason to oppose the bell-to-bell because our school board or our admin administration will be able

168to um uh you know to design ways around um around that. And then um this was also important too. If the district wants strong acceptance, it must clearly communicate how and when students can contact parents, what the process is during emergencies, how staff will support urgent needs without phone access. Um, and that that has also been discussed at the technology committee. Um, and then I wanted to go on to number six. Um, many parents want guidance, not just rules. And um I think this is really important for as we move forward into the next section um because um I've picked up two books that um that that talk about it. It's mostly for parents and it talks about how to incorporate uh a balanced life of technology in your home and and you need to

169encourage the um the schools to implement Belltobell um to support that. And then you can see um what the families and that would go to the the the website as well as educating families and students about um this is what parents were concerned about healthy techn technology habits, digital citizenship, online safety, screen time balance, social emotional impacts of device dependency and so um those are concerns of of parents. And then um this was also very interesting. middle school environment is viewed as the critical risk zone. And so that's where uh the respondents describe phones as socially harmful, cited bullying, screenshots, rumor spreading, rumor spreading, social comparison. Uh another bullet point was uh they connected the phone used to anxiety and self-image issues and peer pressure. Um so that is um something that that [snorts] raw

170data provided and I thought was very uh interesting. Um and then the last thing I just want to emphasize is many supportive respondents note that the policy may improve socialization but others worry about students feeling exposed or anxious or coping without or without a coping tool. And I thought that was a little concerning and alarming uh because the um if I'm understanding that right, students kind of feel it as a a safety net for them. Um I don't know um so I'm not quite understanding that that it's a safety net um um like a you know pacifier or a security blanket. And um I think I don't think that's that's a healthy thing. So that's something we need to to look at. And um yeah, and then that's that's pretty much it on the back.

171There's one more thing. Um u many comments are requests for clarification and not necessarily opposition and you know where would the devices be stored and again that's something that the administration can work on as they um you know they roll it out the policy because we have a good communication department. So um does anybody have any other questions maybe about that? But that helped me um to take that that data and just put it in a linear focus um just going from step to step. So I just want to point out so we're all on the same page. So this is about feedback on the existing policy and that more responders support the the wireless communication policy than oppose it. And then also your point about middle school environment is a critical risk zone and

172that we are currently bell-to bell in middle school. >> Yes. and and well, I don't want to say too much, but I I do think we need to make sure um I was reading some other things too that that we have the support of the teachers and the the the principles because we want to make sure that um oh I don't want to say too much um you know that because if they're not supporting bell-to bell and we have issues that come up um that's the reason why. So, um, just to make sure that we implement it fully if that's what the desire is of the board. >> Jerry, >> thank you. Um, just a a couple things that really I guess we talk about the talk about the research and the data. I mean,

173it's it's really clear on um and I think the the focus certainly is um is the instructional time, but but I think we have the opportunity to um to to greatly uh well, one to address all the concerns that have that have been brought up and and a lot of the a lot of the opposition, if you will, a lot of the opinions that have come up um are it's almost straw man against against a against an argument and against a um a decision that has not been made yet um with regards to this policy because it's it's clear that I mean to me the three things that that the district would have to um really have discretion on and and and have to decide on um is the method of storage um and then

174um how and the method of storage is going to drive the things like communication And then the ability of student like how how accessible is the are the are the devices going to be for students to be able to to contact their parents? Are they going to you know where are they going to do that? Like well that's that's all dependent upon are they in their backpacks or are they stored away in a in a secure um pouch or locker or something like that. Um, and then and then the enforcement piece. I know I know it's it's been described as as working fairly well um right now, but I I I still the the um the the fact that they're they're touching their phones at the at the end of every class, the beginning of

175every class, and and they're in in the in the hallways and it's largely um not not enforced at the same at the same um level as as the class period. It makes the makes the current policy just um potential to for the um for the enforcement to to slide over time and and the the closer the students are to their phones as they even spoke um the if you if you separate the students from access from their phones um they're just the the temptation is just less. And so I just encourage us to to look at the hey the goal and and understand that we that we still need more u there well there's some decisions to be made around these things that can that can make all this all of the u not all

176of them but many many of the uh of the concerns um can can make those bring those into solutions but um but one thing I wanted to I guess I wanted to ask um uh fletch about is because it came it came up early and with if with students not having immediate access to their phones about emergency use and so there's a difference between urgent and and emergent. So I think most of the concerns that we've heard is is kind of urgent used to um that hey I want to I need to get in touch with my kid my kid needs to get in touch with me and it's more of an urgent thing um sometime before the end of the day and lunch seems to be you know as as as offered in the

177current policy seems to be um okay with the with the parents that that that seem to think that that's working fine. Um, but Fletchkin, you I talked to you, it's been six or seven years ago now. Um, not about cell phone use necessarily, but it was it was about self, it was about access to cell phones, um, with regards to our cell phone signals not being as strong in this in the school. And I was I was contemplating whether I would support um you know boosting that signal to um from a from a safety primarily a safety perspective. Um and the conversation that you had completely changed my mind on on thinking about that in terms of cell phones as a um where they rank in our um in our um kind of emergency protocols

178if you will. So can you just speak to kind of the role of cell phones in especially especially by students but I guess even by staff um for during an emergency situation. >> Sure. Thank you for the question. Um overall cell phones, you know, dependent where you're at in the county, depends on what kind of signal strength that you have in the first place. And then certainly being inside the building and depending on where you're at inside our buildings is going to affect um the cell phone, meaning it's not consistent uh throughout the county. So therefore, I don't really rely on it at a high level at all to be one of our primary modes of communication to call for help. Um, we've got several other robust methods that uh work well and and I

179actually think communicate better in that sense. Um, and then throughout the county, the the the inconsistency of the cellular service throughout the county um does have an impact. Now, that being said, to be able to call 911, when you call 911, whatever system is out there, whether it's your service provider or not, is going to grab that and send it to 911. Um, so you can maybe not be able to make a phone call to somebody, but you can get through to 911, which is a good thing. Um, so and I and I I know that our 911 center uh gets those every day all the day. And it's pretty interesting in areas where you probably can't get a cell signal, you can get a 911 call out. So, it does have the ability to

180do that, but as far as as our notification piece, it's not something that I rely on heavily because it's too inconsistent to really try to apply that across the board. Um, if we were going to harness that as as one of the methods, it would be we could say do it well at Brentwood High, but at Bethesda Elementary, we we wouldn't, right, because of just the inconsistency in that. So, it's not something that I take uh too much stock in as far as a communication method to summon for help. Um the system, the telecommunication system, you know, potentially could be overloaded in some sort of, you know, mass incident. Uh and that has happened in our community in the past, not in a school. Uh but back uh during the floods, we had some issues

181with that. Lots of people calling needing help. It can impact the system. Therefore, it then could be, you know, unreliable. That being said, you only need one or so notifications to 911 and you're going to start to get the help that you need. It's going to be dispatched accordingly. U but that is, you know, something that that could happen. So if you are relying on it and then everybody uses it, then it could fail you in that in that moment, so to speak. Uh so from that perspective to answer your question, cell phone's not something that I think is high up uh as far as reliability to summon for help when we've got many other mechanisms that work so much better and faster and actually communicate to more people all at once rather than just

182one phone call to a point of a warning point to be able to to summon help. Um, and this might go to Bobby or whomever can help. Um, it seems to me like there's still quite a few tweaks that we want to make with this policy. I know Tanya's mentioned, especially after we heard from Dr. Webb, in the backpack versus not in the backpack, how we store it. I know Claire at the policy meeting mentioned like the high school, how it's got the like the consequences. There's really no way to enforce the current consequences that are in here at the high school level in terms of first offense, second offense, third offense. So, what might be the process if we want to defer this to to like push it out? Do we have to make

183a motion for that at the board meeting or >> you will once it's on the floor? You can make a motion to postpone to a certain date. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Hang on, Dennis. Dennis, hang on. you've spoken already, so anybody else who hasn't spoken want to speak before we go back to him. [clears throat] >> Um, I know for me, and I I brought this up, you know, policy in the last time we've talked about it. Um, um, I do want some kind of solution for access, which we kind of talked about, and I know we had kicked around like email and then it seemed like maybe that wasn't the ability to do it. I don't know if there's an update on that. Um or lunchtime or a phone zone. Seemed like the

184phone zone idea from what we saw. I think everybody kind of poo pooed that one a little bit. So lunchtime I guess or email in some way. I just I know um I hear the data. I even grant it all in in a way um when it comes to it. But I just think for me and of all the people I've talked to and I've talked to a ton of people the last two months on this, parents and teachers and everybody in between and you know that's like the real big concern is access to parents or access for those kids that have to work and scheduling things and all of that and extracurriculars and you know driving your sister home from school and changes in schedule and just all of that. And I know that

185an argument to be made against that is like, well, you know, we need to help them to be more prepared. Um, and I I guess that's the case maybe, but I mean, if we're if we're helping them to prepare, you know, I think also preparing for life after high school with this as a primary mode of communication and work. I mean, I do all my work on this throughout the day in my career and a lot of a lot of people do. So, I mean, it's nothing magical happens between graduation and the start of college. Um, so I I just really really would love to see a solution for access. I agree about the enforcement. One of the things I would and I'd put this I'd love your thoughts on this, Claire, but just I'd

186be willing to make like the first offense also have confiscation as well. I think that'd be the easier way for them to track what's a first offense, what's a second offense, you know, because they have to take it and therefore they have to get it back at the end of the day for so for tracking that type of thing cuz you know if you're coming up on a student that has it, well, who knows if it's first or second or third and they just do like a warning or whatever, you know. I don't I don't know. Um, and then the storage. We kind of talked about this, but so Tanya, I know you had mentioned like not even in the the backpacks necessarily. So, are we are we thinking because I know there's like several

187>> Sorry, Don. I'm going to steal your things here. I know there's like several um choices. Where did I see that at? >> Right here is where >> Oh, yeah. Right here. Yeah. Right over my eyes. Um this is on I think page one line 28 and then after that but devices must remain silent stored off the body and and then we give options but are we wanting to like take those options away and just make them all the pouches or is that like an amendment to this in some way or like what are what are your thoughts there? Um well well my thinking is that I know the parents wanted consistency across the board like you know with class to class school to school that was in in the briefing that I didn't you

188know happen to mention uh so yeah I um you know I I thought backpacks would you know be suitable but I think it'd have to be uh in in in uh Jonathan Height's book it's has to be level four or level five so it's either putting it in a locker or in a storage unit like a a yandra pouch and things like that. Um that's yeah and then currently just just right now I think the policy that we have and I don't even think I would have approved it if I had thought it through a little bit clearer but um the way it is now the kids have the phones in their hands all day long and um there's it's I think it's very difficult to enforce and I know I would not be as

189a child as you know young person I'd be looking at my phone going to class to class I mean just to be honest and so I don't think it's fair that I would ask them you know to get in trouble for it if I wouldn't do it myself. So that's just my thoughts. >> So is that for So I'm just trying to So are you for pouches? I thought like pouches because the students liked it because it took the away from their backpack. >> Yeah, that was that's the cell phone pocket. So the pouches would be like a yonder pouch. >> Oh. Oh yeah, I'm sorry. I meant pockets. I'm sorry. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Pouches. Yeah. I'm sorry. Yeah. Okay. Like the yonder pouches or something. And I would that was like my last

190thing and now I just you know when I come to think about you know their their lack of impulse control it it's just I mean it it's for adults too. I mean you just want to check your phone all the time and see if you got messages. >> So So you'd prefer the pockets versus like backpacks. >> Yeah. Yeah. For me I think the backpacks are out just based on on you know what I'm seeing and what my observations are and I'd rather see in their originally I thought the lockers and they say well they don't. Well, that's kind of good actually. If they don't use their lockers, they can keep them in there. >> Gotcha. [laughter] Okay. >> And then at the end of the day, you can pick them out or whatever. But

191yeah, just something that's more secure that so it's easier drop it off type of thing. >> Yeah. Well, and that's the other thing, too. I I've said this at the work session or at one of the tech meetings is the simpler that we can make the policy, the more the easier it will be to implement. when we start to add um you know like it is now it's very difficult and it's difficult for the teachers it's difficult for the principles and so um it's it's a very um average you know on a a a scale of zero is no policy to a five it's about a three >> so >> well I mean I I I would agree in that sense like I would I I would like to I guess instead of having like

192the options I would prefer us just to say it's either in your backpack locker or thing or it's in the pocket or something like that. >> That would be that would be my um thing there. Uh with going through this just that was why I wanted to ask. So it seemed like everybody you know that was approval or supportive of this. That's with this current policy was a bell-to-bell ban in elementary and middle school. Correct. But in lunch lunch for high school. >> That's correct. So when we're talking about that's what everybody, you know, was supportive of, I mean, that's what all all of this is about. Um, which I think goes to like I think most people are on board. They they seems they understand like the pitfalls of the cell phones, the problems

193they cause with class and even social and all that type of stuff. but a an access point particularly for those in high school I think is paramount for the majority of people. Um and I just for me I any anything I would vote for would have to have a solution for access in it. So I don't know if we want to Was there a update on email as a solution? >> Go ahead Brian. >> Was that Brian? >> Yes sir. So, [clears throat] we have talked to several local districts, uh, our IT team and myself and, uh, Andy Davis and Lee, they went to the consortium group that has the, uh, the six or seven school districts that we work with with them. They they asked them, all of them, I believe, were like us,

194had outside email closed for their high school. Some of them had a away for the entire day um phone policy and some kind of had the what we're doing now with the lunch, but they all had closed email. They they still didn't do it. Uh we have checked with some local districts uh and I'm not going to give their names, but there are a couple around our area that do have open email, but it's not just for parents. they just open it up for high school students that they can get outside email. Um, >> and that so what you're saying so is there a way where it can be and I know it sounds like probably a lot of work but is there a way that there can be an access with email where it's

195just like the parents that are opened up to the students email? We have not found that yet and we have checked and we've checked with vendors >> or their work I guess to >> yeah we have not found that solution and if that was a solution which we haven't found that still doesn't fix it for work or extracurricular or anything like that it you see what I'm saying? >> Yeah. So, >> and some of the feedback and this is just comments from some of the school districts about why they kept it closed >> even for away for the day is if you allowed outside email or parents to email them when are they going to be doing they're going to be doing it during class while they're on the Chromebook. >> Yeah, >> that they

196would be. So, that would be a distraction there. That's just some of of what >> Yeah, thank you for that. I you know [panting] I I I I don't you know I would love to see us work within changing just some of these things in here because I think a lot of the clarifying language in this policy that Claire that you put in there I think we need it's what people asked for. Um and I think we need it. I just for me I I I really I have to have a solution for access. in some way. That's just where I'm at right now. >> So, could I respond, Tony? >> Yeah, only. >> Sure. Yeah, I'm done. >> Um, so I think, [clears throat] you know, we we pushed the implementation date to August.

197And for me it comes down to we we can extend and extend extend and try to find solutions or you can say do I agree with the concept of a way for the day based on what I know based on all the data I've seen knowing that more and more states in our country are going that way. Um, and we are giving the district 8 months to figure out some of these pieces. If it's a yonder pouch, then there's a magnet in the office. That's your cell phone zone. you can go. They're still built into the policy that teachers have um the ability to say to a student, yes, you can go and make the call you need to make, go unlock your phone, make the call, lock it back up, and come back. And

198so giving some time, we're giving that time. Then, you know, say in the spring, we revisit this and we get an update. what what what are some of those pieces look like? And we can then tweak the policy if we need to at that time or someone can bring it forward and say, you know, bring it up for a vote again. Um, that's kind of how I see it. When I think about what what we were doing this time last year, we were reading books, getting ready to decide at a specially called meeting whether five books were going to stay in our libraries. And we had to make that determination because of state law. But the concern was about content in those books. And we also got the data from the libraries that showed us

199that the kids weren't really checking out those books. And yet we're perfectly okay with letting kids have devices where I mean I have a stat in front of me. I think it is a third a third of high school students a pornography exposure a third of all teens report that they have been exposed to pornography during the school day and yet we're worried about the books and we're willing to make exceptions for the phones. So I mean I can't look at the data in good conscience and say that away for the day isn't the way to go. When we look at when we hear the reports coming out of school districts that have done this, it's nothing but positive. There's reduction in bullying um a steep drop in bullying. 40 46% of girls and 43%

200of boys experience a reduction of bullying after smartphone bans were enacted. And that's from um this is all data that's freely available on the phone free school movement website. So we we we know we acknowledge that there's a increase in um anxiety and depression and suicide rates among our adolescents and we've in we've introduced social emotional learning into the curriculum. We're introducing more school psychologists. But we ignore the one thing it's like the elephant in the room that that we could do that could make a serious difference. And you know, Adam Wright sent us that study that was um published out of Florida based on the Florida schools systems and they saw improvements in test scores after bands. They saw um I have the abstract up. Let me see. So, oh, it they saw um

201it significantly reduced student unexcused absences and um there was a significant increase in test score gains. So I don't know how we can ignore that data. Um and so that's I think the the question that you all need to decide as we take this to a vote is very simple. You know, do you agree with the data and want to go with the ban? And then we'll give the district time to figure out exactly how implementation is going to work and how we're going to allow for that that legitimate communication that kids need to make during the school day. And if if we can figure out a workable solution just like many other school districts have from New York City public schools to huge school districts in California and Texas and Florida, I I think

202we're quite capable of doing it. But if if we're not for some reason or people are still uncomfortable, then we can bring it back up for a vote. >> So, one thing I agree with here is, you know, this is about agreeing with the concept for a way for the day. And it is. That's kind of what this all boils down to because there's been a lot of scarecrow arguments comparing nothing to everything. And that's not what we're doing. We've already restricted it from all the classrooms. We're already doing a bell to bell for elementary. We're already doing it for middle school. What we're talking about here is something very specific. High school only and lunchtime only. And so we're doing comparisons here. I'm talking about the data. Is this data comparing 97% to 100%

203or comparing 0% to 100%. And I haven't seen that other portion of it. So, let's let's be specific and honest kind of about the comparison of of what we're doing here. Um, I haven't quantified the parental feedback from those who actually actually have a child enrolled in Williamson County Schools High School, but I've seen and read the emails and so have all of you and it's somewhere around 100%. The actual parents who have a high school student enrolled in a Williamson County school high school that have emailed us, we've all seen this. Do not want this. We got the email from Dr. Webb. The principles do not want this. The assistant principles do not want this. The teachers do not want this. And all of those groups, I think, also care about their children. Uh,

204Donna said something last time we talked about going and watching the kids at um during lunch and you inspired me. I did the same thing. I went to Franklin High School during lunch and I watched them and what I saw was kids interacting. Kids being kids hanging out, chatting, eating lunch, often small groups, roaming. There'd be a group and sometimes one would pull up a phone and do that and they'd put away and they'd start talking. And I went over to one of the assistant principles to one of the groups and I and I asked him and I said, "Hey, what were you just doing on your phone?" You know, and of course immediate reaction wasn't do, you know. I said, "No, no, you're in trouble. I'm curious, Tom. What you doing? What were you

205doing? What were you What were you doing?" So, I was tracking package on Amazon. Boom. Oh, there it is. Put away. Um, another one. Uh, I was checking my work schedule. It changes sometimes. I got to see if I'm working today or not. Uh, another one. I was communicating with mom about practice, letting her know when I need to be picked up. And then one specific, oh I was showing one of my friends here. Just a photo from vacation. We were chatting back and forth. It was interaction. Uh, you know, I I think you can make a strong case for freshmen probably, but that that really sounds complicated. How are you going to have separate rules for freshmen and everything else? And it is. Um, the other end, you know, sophomores, juniors, seniors. Well, I

206was a senior in high school. I joined the army. I committed for multiple years to go into the military and six months later there was a war that was started and they're sending kids my age to the Middle East to go shoot and kill people. So you can vote, you can be tried as an adult and short time afterwards you're gonna go off to your career. I with you I'm working through my phone a bit that all this to say when we're talking about this let's let's keep in mind specifically what we're talking about here it's not whether or not these kids should be Facebook streaming during math class we'll say no they shouldn't we've already banned that already said you can't do that and everything else it's about saying, "Do you have enough flexibility

207and everything else that if you need to pull it out and check a text or something during the day and put it away, that's fine." And from what I've seen overwhelmingly, that's kind of what the kids are doing with it. And I just don't get I don't see it the boogeyman stories that because they did that because a young lady checked on where her Amazon package currently was 5 seconds to put it away that she then couldn't concentrate in her physics class two hours later. And our scores don't reflect it either. Also question the timing. We're talking about it something going into place in August. It's November. Why do we We have the committee. They're talking through. They're going things other things can change. We've got time to adjust this. We've got time to adjust

208it with everything else. I think I don't know who said it. Maybe said the rules aren't for the rules aren't enforceable. And here we are on a Thursday night potentially putting something in place Monday for nine months out where we ourselves are going well wait a minute how do you foresee this happening well what about this rule what we do it feels very halfbaked and it feels halfbaked for a process that again we all know this is true the parents of the children that are impacted by this do not want. They don't want it. And we all know that's true because we have all seen the emails and the communications from the people who actually have a child in these high schools telling us we don't want it. >> Anyone else who hasn't spoken yet?

209I'll I'll jump in. Um so I also I went this uh this week also to Brentwood High and um at lunchtime and I would just kind of look around and gauge about 10 kids how out of the 10. How many are on the phone? Maybe one sometimes not even that. And same thing at Franklin High Fast math you know it was around 10% maybe less. And they weren't on them for it wasn't a what family jokes and calls it brain rot. um they were just checking a couple things and um and then we went into the lunchroom in the cafeteria and there were some kids sitting around their Chromebooks, you know, working on projects and things like that. So, um I I keep going back to the the saying, let's keep the main thing the

210main thing. We're about educating kids. That's our number one thing and having the best education in the state. Um, and where I struggle is, and some things I've learned as I've talked to more and more people, um, I I don't see us fully implementing the policy we have, um, I talked to a sub, um, this week, too, and he was complaining that the kids are on their phone in the class time during instructional time. They didn't have them in the pockets. Now, I was a teacher for years and I know and I was also a student as we all were and you know when you have subs you kind of squeak by with things. So, but I think I would like to see in our policy and I I'd like to request for our Monday's

211meeting if we can have our current policy also in the agenda so we can kind of see what they look like. But I'd like to see um some um consequences that if the kids have their phone in instructional time, take it immediately. you know, that's that let's keep the main thing the main thing and let's really focus on get that getting um fully implemented. Um so that's all I had to say. Anyone else hasn't spoken? So I'm I'm going to share a couple thoughts just as a board member, not as a chair, but I was not at the policy meeting so I didn't get a chance to participate in that discussion. But where where this comes down for me, and I've processed a lot of this just like everybody else has, um, no one disputes

212that the impact that phones and screen time have on kids. No, no one disputes that. Um, and for me, the where I've had to land on this is we we [clears throat] have these kids from bell to bell. We the schools the kids are in school btobell for seven hours a day. What we're talking about right now is 30 to 40 minutes of a 7-hour day, but we have them for seven for less than onethird of an entire day, an actual 24-hour day. And I think we probably all realize because my kids do it that when they get home from school, the minute that bell rings, they get on the bus, they got the phone and and they have it depending on the family, depending on the situation, they have it maybe non-stop until they

213go to bed. So to me, the impact of the harm that's being done to these kids from using cell phones is significantly happening more outside of school than it is in school. And that's just that's just a fact. So then it comes down to a question of convenience. Is there a is there does it matter to have convenience for these kids and for their parents to have access to the phone for 30 minutes or 40 minutes a day? Is a convenience an important thing? And does the convenience of having the phone for 30 or 40 minutes negate the benefits of not having them the other six and a half hours? I don't think it negates that. I think we get the benefit in our current policy. We get the benefit of not having them in

214instructional time, which is what all of our goal is. We also get the benefit of saying there's a convenience factor that if you need them, you get them. But f folks have anecdotally said that even when they have access to them, they're not necessarily using them. But to me, that convenience factor is important. And I think we've heard from quite a few people in the community about that. So, you know, the other thing is, and Eric kind of alluded to this, that the fact is that most of these seniors are adults. They're not even kids. I mean, they're they're adults. Um, and maybe even some of the juniors are adults. Not not many, but some. So, we're talking about legal adults who, you know, are making decisions as legal adults outside of that building. So,

215it's it's not to dispute the science. It's not to dispute the impact of these electronic devices on kids and their brains. It's not to dispute any of that. It's to say the time we're talking about can it really be that much of a distraction um compared against the the desire for convenience which is that's just where I've had to land on it as I've thought through all the different arguments and and I don't necessarily think that we're that I'm in a position to say we're going to put something in place now that bans lunch for next school year when we're this far out there there's a lot of conversation that still has to happen as we as evidenced by this tonight about some of the other aspects of enforcement and storage and those are legitimate

216questions we've got to deal with and we may have to deal with them inside the policy we may have to deal with them outside the policy um but we still have to deal with them and so I'm not opposed to dealing with those in this policy now if if that's the desire the will of the board um but as to the particular part about the fundamental change from the current policy to this proposed amendment is is obviously it's the high school lunch period. So that's that's the part that I just spoke to and really can't get comfortable with. >> Dan, you haven't spoken yet. Go ahead. >> Yes. Thank you. I I can't say I've ever been in a work session where I have agreed with I think every comment that has been said. Um,

217I personally have been going back and forth on this uh this whole situation. The data speaks for itself. It's kind of scary, but the time frame 20 25 minutes, maybe 40 minutes for lunch, um, I'm kind of in agreement with that, too. But the main question I want to ask since we're going to be investigating this is how did everyone in this room survive without a cell phone? >> [laughter] >> I mean, really, I know things have changed, but we've been going to college for 200 years. Everything's been done. We work, but after school, the schedule's up. You go in on the schedule. You know, parents, uh, I think that's a lot of the problem is parents. They just can't think that their kids are away from them that long. I don't know. I don't

218know what the deal is, but sometimes I think take them out because a lot of those emails that everyone speaks of, uh, parents are saying, "Well, my child needs to call me a couple times a day just to make decisions. We we talked about adults, right? When when do we let our children make decisions whether they're good or bad? The best place is in that high school. So, how do they do that when mom is waiting for a phone call or we're texting back and forth, oh geez, what do I should do now? You know, I got I failed this class. You know, my teacher's not fair. You know, I I'll give her a call or whatever, you know. So in that aspect I think you know just just leave them in the locker or

219a pouch or whatever you want to do. Uh but on the other hand uh sometimes the freedom um just to get on put your earbuds in and listen to a music while you're in study hall. Um, you know, there's many different reasons for for having the phone, but it's 40 minutes at Summit, uh, Franklin and Brentwood, I believe, and the whole class goes, you know, the whole high school class goes to lunch at the same time. the rest of the schools is 25 maybe 30 minutes by the time you get your food and run around here and there and do what you're going to do and eat. How much time do you have? So that's what I'm saying. That's why I agree with what everyone here has said tonight. But I I don't know. I

220We'll see what happens. All right. Who if anyone hasn't spoken, this is the chance. And if anybody who has spoken wants to speak again after that, we'll do we'll open it up. All right. Any anyone who hasn't spoken going once, going twice. All right. You've spoken again. You've spoken, so you can go again if you want. um all the problems that have been raised have already been resolved by thousands of schools. We just have to go see it. The point I had for Jason and Maria, for our students who have the exemption because of their IEP or some medical condition, where do they carry their cell phones? Whether it be now or whether we change the policy, I assume they have to have it on them given the severity of their condition >> and it

221varies depending on that very thing. But Maria, can you speak to that? >> Yeah. So, if it was a medical condition, let's say a child with diabetes, they may have to have their phone in close proximity to check their blood sugar. So, yes, they would need to keep [clears throat] the phone on them. If it were for some sort of communication or app or something like that, then yes, they would there should be an exemption for them to have their phone on them as well, but it it would be a specific accommodation either in their 504 health plan or IEP plan. >> Thank you. >> So, I shared this at the policy meeting and I'm I'm going to share it again. You know, this whole conversation is taking me back to the mask mandate. And

222there was a lot of data to support masking students in school. And as a parent, I chose to actually pull my children from school because I didn't want the local school board deciding when my kid might be in school, when my kid might not be in school, when they might have to wear a mask, when they might not. If we leave it the policy the way it is, parents have a choice. on whether or not their child has a cell phone. And having parented three children, we all know they're all different. I have one son who he he either didn't have his cell phone or it was so locked down he couldn't do anything with it. But my current son who attends Nolanville High, I want him to have the phone. Like he's very responsible.

223we use it to communicate because he drives and has responsibilities and things like that. So, I just had to share that again because I don't know if the policy committee was recorded or whatever. So, >> so just a little anecdote related to that. Um, we had a trouble with converting the file and so we lost the file. Is that an accurate description? Yes, sir. All right. Anyone else for round two? All right. I I think we have [snorts] gotten through that. Um so again, just as a reminder that that will be up the the amended policy was passed on first reading. It'll the amended policy will be up for second reading on Monday night. All right. Approval of board norms. >> Mr. Golden. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Our your annual agenda, our annual agenda

224calls for you all to review and affirm the school board norms. It's in your packet. Uh open to any discussion you may have related to those norms you set for yourself. Just as a reminder, this is different from the code of ethics which which is a financial structure. This is a commitment you all are making to each other. Any questions on the board norms? And that we're not voting on that as a policy per se, or are we? >> It's officially a policy. We just It's just that the annual agenda calls for an annual affirmation, annual review and affirmation. So, it is it is officially a policy, >> but it' be a first first and final reading. >> Oh, I'm sorry. That's correct. It would be first and final. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Any questions?

225Okay. And the final item for tonight is the approval of the superintendent evaluation instrument. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh the proposed superintendent's evaluation form is exactly the same form as last year with the with the superintendent district goals plugged in. My thinking on that is while if I was starting from scratch, I might want to tweak it, I like having some longitudinal history. So I think it's just the wise thing to do to leave it a as is so that we have that longitudinal history. >> Say that again. >> Can you scroll through the instrument? Thank you. >> Thank you. >> So if I may, since since you're asking for a scroll, the state law requires the demonstrable characteristics is to be part of the of the superintendent's evaluation. That's the back end of

226the part that the school board in in this particular document counts as 20%. Uh this this particular structure counts the observational goals which are the annual goals that we discuss as the 80%. I have a quick question to follow up. Um because um at the last work session I talked about trying to do smart goals because these seem more like action items. Um were you able to investigate your contract and any other policies that we might need to change if we want to move more to a like a smart goal structure? Um my my uh understanding of that discussion was it might be something we we work on next year based on the board setting these four goals for me this year. Short answer is yes. Uh I think so. From a timing perspective, it

227might take us adjusting uh a a piece of my contract. My advice on that would be we probably need to talk about that in the spring, maybe about maybe in between the third and fourth quarter to prepare for the next year. So this is very 11th hour and I apologize for it but as I was kind of going through some things today and this is kind of this you have these moments of you know epiphany if you will a moment of clarity. Um, and here here's what I ask everyone to kind of do real quick is think of a one sentence real quick. What is the whole purpose of this? The district, the school system, everything. Boil it down. Simple sentence. What are we here for? >> What's the best for the kids? >> Yeah.

228Prepare students. >> Educate kids. some version of that I think is is probably what everyone's got in their mind. I'm seeing nods pretty much. And so when I do this and I look at the goals, all of these things are in support of that. They they are all of them are, but it's a really small percentage of it that's directly that that's tied into it. And I I think it's it's a lot of what what you're saying on it as well. Um, it's too far and and I'm not gonna try and say, "Hey, let's all redo this and everything because Eric Welch just changed his mind and at 11:59 before the project's due, but I I I do think and I would just kind of wanted to say it here as we're think about long

229term, I I I do think we need to get more focused maybe on some of the the student measurables with it." And I think about some of the things we had in the past. And I'll give you an example. It was stretch goals like, you know, what's our um ACT scores and what is our enrollment in AP classes and things like that measurables for the students. And I I think part of that maybe is something that we need to think about and get back to. And it's not a discussion for now because again, I I do apologize. This is the 11th hour and should have done this a lot sooner. But it was just as I was looking at it again, I kind of had that moment of what's the whole point of this, boil

230it down to the forest for the trees and then let's define the goals based upon what we think that is from there. So at least wanted to put out there and say it though. >> And and one other thing I would like to bring up is um I do believe that you have to submit an LEA plan each year to the state. That's correct. >> U can we get a copy of that cuz that's where we could probably start seeing some alignment too. Like what are the LEA goals >> and you know what data are you using to measure your progress and and that also speaks to that book I talked about coherence like let's try to start like aligning these so that >> we're focusing our impact on student success and not trying to

231go in 400 million directions. So >> I think those are good suggestions. I'm encouraged by that discussion. >> Am I understanding correctly though that that would be helpful to have you said in the spring that discussion? Okay. Yes ma'am. Okay. Let's all remember that. Okay. >> Good to know. [laughter] >> Thank you. >> Do we noted? All right. Any other questions on the evaluation instrument? >> And just first and final. Yeah. Just as a reminder, this these are as he said these the goals that we set for him have been plugged into this document. >> So when we approve it, if we approve it, then we'll be evaluating him against using this against those goals in May. Okay. All right. We are journed. Thank you.