001>> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: —the September 9th 2020 Regular Board Meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. We live and go to school in a city that is the ancestral homeland to the Duwamish People the Muckleshoot Nation and the Suquamish Nation. We acknowledge them as custodians of this land since time immemorial. As guests and in many of our cases as settlers on this land. We extend our deepest gratitude and respect to their ancestors and elders past present and future. Miss Wilson-Jones the roll call please. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: Director Hampson [here] Director Harris [present] Director Hersey [here] Director Mack [here] Director Rankin [here] Director Rivera-Smith [present] Director DeWolf [here]. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Miss Wilson-Jones. Superintendent Juneau is also joining us for today's meeting and additional staff will be briefing the board as we move through the agenda.
002This meeting is being held remotely per the governor's proclamation prohibiting meetings such as this one from being held in person. The public is being provided remote access today by phone and through SPS-TV by broadcast and streaming on YouTube. To facilitate this meeting I will ask all participants to ensure you are muted when you are not speaking. Staff may be muting participants to address feedback and ensure we can hear directors and staff. With that I will now turn it over to Superintendent Juneau for her comments. >> SUPERINTENDENT JUNEAU: Thank you President DeWolf. Appreciate everybody being here and engaging. So start of school happened and things are rolling as you all know we started last Friday and we are tracking numbers of log-ins and such and you know we do have a strong start that is going
003that will continue the rest of this week where we have asked our educators and our principals to make sure that we are building relationships getting students set up with tech making sure that everybody knows how to log on. We all know that the first day Friday we had a few technical glitches our DOTS teams worked around the clock to make sure that we were getting better at bandwidth and other things. They provided updates over the weekend to SPS devices. So things went a little more smoothly yesterday and I think as we continue to build this system of remote learning and working the kinks out that we will be able to provide a quality education to our students no matter the circumstances. As you all know that there is a lot of anxiety that comes with
004everything that's everybody is dealing with right now and so also recognizing that there is a human element to all of this and our families are trying to work out their own systems of working remotely of having to be set routines and schedules at their own home our teachers and our educators also dealing with all these issues at home and often have their own families to provide education to and so just recognizing that everybody is doing the best they can. That we continue to build the systems that are going to be necessary to provide a quality remote learning system. We did have some technical issues. I was and I've been in schools where you know devices are still getting rolled out. People are still coming to enroll in our system so at John Stanford our enrollment
005center is open for this week for those families that are in the habit of having access to in-person and translation stuff and so that's important for the word to get out that you know enrollment office is open at John Stanford taking all the health protocols and putting those in place of course allowing only so many people into the building at a time along with all the sign-in and things that need to happen. And so contacting families contacting students are still continuing. Yesterday we only had 25,680 log-ons and so you know identifying who still needs to be tracked down what's the reason for not logging on. Is it a technical issue is it because there still needs to be devices so all of those things still being worked out for this week. But just wanted to
006point out that things are rolling. School did start. People are logging on and we're still fixing the system as concerns come up. And as I've been telling everybody the name of the game this year is really going to be patience and flexibility. That's I think going to be the mode that we have to be in for as long as we're in dealing with this crisis. So I just want to kind of run through a few little updates from this week. So next slide please. Launch of the 2020-21 school year. Not like any other in history. I just really want to give a huge shout-out to the Department of Technology staff. Some are pictured here. They toured the city. We partnered with Seattle Housing Authority and they handed out hotspots. They did a lot of troubleshooting
007with families provided free internet for where we were able to. And just really want to thank our partners Comcast Amazon and everybody else who stepped in to support our students and our families. This dual pandemic we know is unpredictable and can get lonely at times but it’s reminded me also of the kindness of the human spirit. Most people at their core are kind and willing to step up to help others and so just really want to thank our partners staff and families who stepped up. Know that I appreciate you and this district appreciates you. These are some of our newest learners. These twin girls and their brother are with their dad getting hotspots to support their learning at West Seattle Elementary. And as you can see staff are pretty busy and the lines were really
008long and so that was some good stuff that happened. So next slide please. I also visited Northgate Elementary for their Start Proud backpack distribution and want to thank our partners again at Office Depot. They handed out hundreds of stuffed backpacks. They provided a teacher an entire office setup which is pretty cool and provided a $25,000 check for the school. And so Principal Fauntleroy and I celebrated with the Eagle. We also recognized 3 for their work from the school supporting the families throughout the shutdown. These moms took it upon themselves to serve Northgate families. They delivered food school supplies and really helped with anything that the families needed. And so just really want to again thank them. Next slide please. As you all know we have a big thank you to give out to Alaska Airlines
009and Challenge Seattle. When Chief Berge informed me that our laptops our iPads were stuck on pallets in Boston I called Governor Gregoire to see if she could help since she leads challenge Seattle and this is the type of challenge that they all step up to help with. She put me she got in touch with Brad Tilden the CEO of Alaska who immediately found a way to help deliver the iPads. And as a result of this work Chief Berge and the DOTS team were able to get enough of these ready for delivery to Tier 1 and Tier 2 schools last week. The rest will be in student’s hands by the end of the week and when I was out in schools this week I saw a lot of volunteers who were coming into the school to
010really help get these devices ready. So I also want to thank Director DeWolf for celebrating this event as well. And thank you to Cole and C.C. and your moms for sharing this event with us. There are just many many heroes amongst us and what I've been really I think what's great about this city is you know people want to support Seattle Public Schools and they've showed it in big and small ways. Next slide please. The first day of school last Friday was one of mixed emotions. As you know we started with Strong Start knowing that there would be tech issues that we would have to work out. It's sort of like Chief Berge said driving on a freeway with 5,000 cars and then suddenly there are 50,000 more. So with this in mind our network
011and the team supporting it did their best to support it and it was by no means perfect. But the team held it together for most of the day and over the weekend they worked to troubleshoot and pushed out updates that helped this week. I want to thank Principal Campbell at Robert Eagle Staff for inviting me to the 6th grade open house. Family stepped up stopped by to get computers library books planners Robert Eagle Staff Raven swag and to meet some of the staff. And the lines again there were long but everybody was upbeat and looking forward to learning. Next slide please. sheroes are the sheroes. Miss Velma and her team. This team at Rainier View Elementary worked all summer to ensure that families were provided meals. They often served 200 meals per day and on
012Fridays I think it got increased to 400. Just want to thank Principal Jones and Director Smith for showing up to support your team and the families. This team really is Seattle strong. Next slide. And then there's this team at Rainier Beach High School. Principal Brooks. Assistant Principals Patu and Willette organized the Freshman Drive Through for students to pick up all things Beach. And they also served barbecue and just want to thank them for inviting me out for this event. Our students our school leaders our staff our families and our partners really are truly amazing in this really weird year. But whenever we call they step up and they serve and I cannot say thank you to everyone often enough. Next slide please. Directors as you know we have never lost sight of Seattle Excellence priorities
013during this crisis shut down. My small cabinet and I am more committed than ever to these priorities. We will hold ourselves accountable to centering African-American and Black boys and teens in our decision making regardless of other challenges and obstacles. We'll continue to focus on these priorities and center those voices and other students furthest from educational justice. So thank you again for all the work you continue to do. And just look forward to continuing to build out this school year. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Superintendent Juneau. Well we have now reached the consent portion of today's agenda. So may I have a motion for the consent agenda please. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: I move approval of the consent agenda. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Do I have a second. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: Second. This is Director Hampson.
014Sorry. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Thank you Director Harris and thank you Director Hampson. Approval of the consent agenda has been moved by Director Harris and seconded by Director Hampson. Do directors have any items they would like to remove from the consent agenda. Okay. Hearing none. All those in favor of the consent agenda please signify by saying ‘aye.’ [all say aye] All those opposed. Okay. This the consent agenda has passed unanimously. And we are on time here. So we'll just go over some housekeeping before we move into public comment. We have now reached the public testimony portion of the agenda. We will be taking public testimony today by teleconference as stated on the agenda. So for any speakers watching through SPS-TV please call in now to ensure you're on the phone line when your name
015is called. Board Procedure 1430BP provides the rules for testimony and I ask that speakers are respectful of these rules. I will summarize some important parts of this procedure. First testimony will be taken today from those individuals called from our public testimony list and if applicable the waiting list. Only those who are called by name should unmute their phones and only one person should speak at a time please. Speakers from a list may cede their time to another person when the listed speaker's name is called and the total amount of time allowed will not exceed 2 minutes for the combined number of speakers and time will not be restarted after the new speaker begins. In order to maximize opportunities for others to address the board each speaker is allowed only one speaking slot spot per meeting.
016If a speaker cedes time to a later speaker on the testimony list or waiting list the person to whom time was ceded will not be called to provide testimony again later in the meeting as there is only one speaking slot per person. Those to not those who do not wish to have time ceded to them may decline and retain their place on the testimony or wait list. Finally the majority of the speaker's time should be spent on a topic they indicated they wish to speak about. And with that Miss Wilson-Jones will read off the testimony speakers. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: Thank you Director DeWolf. Quick logistical note. Speakers please remain muted until I call your name to provide testimony. When your name is called please be sure you have unmuted both on your phone and also
017by pressing ‘star-6’ to unmute on the conference call line. Each speaker will have a 2 minute speaking time and a chime will sound when your time is exhausted. With that moving to the first speaker on our public testimony list Bob Watt. Bob Watt if you're on the line you can please press ‘star-6’ to unmute and you can begin your testimony. >> SPEAKER 1: Good afternoon board members. By way of introduction I spent the last decade of my worklife first as the CEO of the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce and then as Vice President of Government and Community Relations for the Boeing Commercial Airplane Company. I want to thank Principal Laura Davis Brown Vice Principal Joe Powell and the whole team at South Lake for supporting this proposed name change from the very first time they
018heard about it. Last week you heard from state Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos about Al Sugiyama’s remarkable record of leadership in pursuit of equity and justice including his work as a Seattle School Board member. I’ve been asked to address why the Seattle business community loved Al and his lifetime of work. The answer is simple. By creating the Center for Career Alternatives and later on while leading the Executive Development Institute Uncle Al and his team helped tens of thousands of people gain the confidence and skills they needed to find their first job and to move up the career ladder so that they could achieve their financial and career goals. In so doing he created a talent pool for this region that was deep diverse and motivated. That talent pool has helped this region’s business community thrive. Al
019left many legacies. But it's safe to say that by helping so many people many of those people from diverse communities get and keep jobs he did more to enhance the economic vitality of this region than almost anyone. In this challenging time in our world recognizing and celebrating Allen T. Sugiyama who spent his lifetime creating good trouble as the late John Lewis would say is a wonderful way to add hope and light in a time when we all could use it. Thank you so much. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: Next for public testimony as Emily Cherkin. >> SPEAKER 2: Good afternoon. My name is Emily Cherkin and I'm an SPS parent. I'm outraged that SPS has rushed screens-only approach to remote learning. This failure is a direct result of a refusal to consider
020that remote learning would be on the table again for the Fall and a refusal to think about how remote learning could mean something other than iPads and laptops. As a result of this failure you are further exacerbating the very inequity you claim to prioritize. This is inexcusable. This collective failure has resulted in 4 disastrous outcomes for SPS kids only 3 days into the school year. First every SPS student is asked to sign a Network User Agreement when they log into their school-issued device. This agreement is designed to protect the district in the event of student sees or shares inappropriate content but the user agreement puts the onus on students to avoid inappropriate content which is a developmentally misguided and puts children at risk. Second the school-issued devices are flawed in many ways and many students
021are turning to personal devices which are often owned by families who have resources. But most offensively a kid logging into the SPS system through a personal device is not forced to sign a Network User Agreement which means that a kid on a personal device has less legal risk than one on an SPS device. Third these devices don't come free. You are voting today to approve 12 million dollars in funds to pay for iPads for preschoolers. Aside from the fact that a 4-year-old on an iPad is repugnant to an educator that 12 million could fund the Outdoor Learning Proposal you were so eager to promote last month but about which we've heard nothing since. Finally it is wrong to expect children to spend hours a day on a screen. Preschoolers need hands-on tactile tools for learning
022not iPads. The AAP recommends less than an hour a day for young children. This is not a win for kids. It's a catastrophe. Please explain why there is no low-screen option available to families. Please do not spend 12 million dollars of taxpayer money on iPads until you set aside money for the outdoor option you promoted. A district that cannot think creatively cannot think outside the box and cannot send your children in its decision making [chime] will not produce students who are flexible inspired or empathetic humans. You are failing the children of Seattle. It is inexcusable — >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. >> SPEAKER 2: —you can do better. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: Next for public testimony is Chris Jackins. >> SPEAKER 3: My name is Chris Jackins. Box 84063 Seattle 98124. On the name change of
023South Lake 3 points. Number 1: district staff discussed how the naming was chosen to be Alan T. Sugiyama High School at South Lake in order to retain a recognition of the work done At South Lake. Number 2: I attended the board meeting when Sharples was renamed to Aki Kurose. Few district people at the time expected that it might be seen as disrespectful toward a previous school board member. Number 3: perhaps a similar approach to South Lake could have been used or could still be used such as a name like Aki Kurose at Sharples. On the racial imbalance analysis for Kimba Kimball Elementary 4 points. Number 1: Kimball hovers on the edge of being racially imbalanced and was racially imbalanced just 6 years ago. Number 2: the capacity of Kimball will increase. The district analysis presumes
024that this will not change the racial composition of the enrollment. Number 3: in other words the district expects that the enrollment will become racially imbalanced again within a couple of years after the project. Number 4: this means that the project will be used as part of a student assignment plan that is expected to create racial imbalance which violates WAC 392342025. Please vote ‘no.’ On the personnel report. Erinn Bennett is leaving as Executive Director of Relationships and Strategic Initiatives. I wish to thank Erinn Bennett for her good work. Also my compliments to speaker Emily Cherkin on her testimony today. And to let you know a hard copy of my statement was faxed to the school district 4 times and the board office staff kindly let me know that the district has not yet found the copies.
025Thank you very much. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: Next for public testimony is Mari Sugiyama. Next for public testimony is Mari Sugiyama. If you have joined by phone you may need to press ‘star-6’ to unmute now. >> SPEAKER 4: Good afternoon. My name is Mari Sugiyama eldest daughter of Alan Sugiyama. Thank you to Principal Davis and Vice Principal Dr. Powell of South Lake High School for your great support and commitment in renaming your school in memory of my dad and ensuring the history and legacy of a local community activist is not forgotten. Thank you to Bob Watt and Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos for your tremendous efforts as well. My family and I hope renaming and rebranding as Alan T. Sugiyama High School at South Lake will cultivate and bring a reinvigorated sense of pride for South Lake
026students faculty families and the community. This would be a remarkable honor for my dad but not only that it would teach and remind people of the work done by one of our own community members. My dad's activism and was inspired by the Black Power movement and rooted in Asian-American civil rights. As the community needs changed so did his activism. This school would not only represent the Japanese-American community but also the many other people impacted by his work. Vietnamese refugees adults impacted by the criminal justice system East African refugees gang involved and impacted youth job trainers and trainees corporate entities and his professional networks that supported and hired his referrals and last but not least students of all ages. For my dad learning never stopped. Whether it is a middle school reentry program a GED program
027trades programs universities or professional development in the corporate world the key is identifying the formula you need to further your learning. Bootstraps don't exist for all of us to pull ourselves up. But for many people across many communities in the greater Seattle area my dad Alan T. Sugiyama provided the boots and bootstraps of opportunity and education. As we face 2 pandemics COVID-19 and continued racial injustice we know representation matters. School board directors I respectfully urge you to vote in favor of renaming to Alan T. Sugiyama High School at South Lake. Thank you. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: Next for public testimony is Sebrena Burr. Sebrena Burr. >> SPEAKER 5: Good afternoon. Sebrena. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: Go ahead. We can hear you. Sorry. >> SPEAKER 5: Believe inspire empower. Those are the pillars of South Lake High School.
028I had the honor to work with Al Sugiyama. But I also had the honor when I started my career to work with San Sugiyama. Al Sugiyama’s characteristics are generational and came from his father. As a diversity affairs specialist for Nordstroms I had the honor of watching Al. And he had a way of putting a mirror up to our youth and letting them know that they were not their story. That all they needed was already inside of them. So I think that renaming South Lake High School in the name of this iconic community member is a great idea but only if the commitment for this on the district side is bigger than a name change. If we put this man's name on the building it must be done in the spirit and energy of his legacy
029and of his life's work and the ancestral commitment to excellence and community that he comes from. On family engagement we must tell the truth. We must stop creating silos that further erode the little bit of trust that we have with community. Superintendent Juneau you sent out a letter to community members asking them to partner with you to collect community data to meet with you quarterly. The letter basically was asking family members to do your work for you for free across affinity groups. The same people that you had listening sessions with that rendered no result just more false narrative. We must demand authentic family engagement with accountability and [indistinct.] [chime] We now have cameras in homes. How will you do things differently than you have in the past few years. How will you build it a
030process for predictability for family’s experience. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Sebrena. >> SPEAKER 5: Do you even understand the opportunity that is here. We work we worked to find a visionary but now we have a politician. And do you — >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Please. >> SPEAKER 5: —even know how to lead. Please — >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Please conclude your remarks. >> SPEAKER 5: —we have to do right by family now we can't wait. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Sebrena. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: Next up for public testimony is Manuela. Slye. >> SPEAKER 6: Can you hear me. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: Yes. >> SPEAKER 6: Hello. Good afternoon everyone. My name is Manuela Slye. I'm the proud mother of four children and President of Seattle Council PTSA. I have listened to community and I'm here today in
031full support of renaming of the South Lake High School to be the Alan T. Sugiyama High School at South Lake. This is to honor not only his name but also his legacy in Seattle Public Schools. I also want to commend Director Hersey’s work in community as he has been meeting with our Seattle Council PTSA’s Southeast Director and a group of Southend PTA leaders. Director Hersey this is for you. We appreciate you in this very first step towards authentic community engagement. Next I would ask you to please be intentional and unapologetic and bring ELL communities to this table. They continue to be missing. SPS Policy 4129 Family Engagement states the district will provide support and guidance to families teachers and staff as they plan and implement effective family engagement efforts. Unfortunately we do not have support
032and guidance and that is the simple truth. We do have a Superintendent Procedure 4129 approved last year in May. The procedure highlights accountability by convening annually with the stakeholders. As President of the Council I have asked when this group will meet and I'm still waiting for a response. Additionally communities demand SPS to honor Policy 4110 and bring back the Family Community Advisory and Oversight Committee as a true commitment to family engagement. The time is now. We can no longer wait. Thank you for your attention. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: Next for public testimony is Francisco Irigon. Francisco. >> SPEAKER 7: Can you hear me. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: Yes. >> SPEAKER 7: Thank you. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. After hearing all those testimonies and other things happening in the school I know my late friend
033and brother Alan Sugiyama would run again for Seattle Public Schools. We want to thank the Seattle Public School Board for considering renaming South Lake High School after my friend fellow activist and compadre Alan Sugiyama. This renaming is strongly supported by a whole lot of people. As you probably know he was the first Asian-American elected to the Seattle Public School Board of Directors. He also founded the Center for Career alternatives an agency that provided education employment training and career development services to more than 30,000 people in King and Snohomish Counties and also at no cost to them. Al strongly believed that education was the key in opening doors to livable wage jobs and a pathway to achieving the American dream. Al was also a realist that that that that pathway oftentimes was blocked by systemic racism.
034Consequence consequently was a community activist who was dedicated to and involved with the civil rights struggle. Please do the right thing by renaming the South Lake High School after Alan T. Sugiyama. I want to thank you all so very much for listening to me and to others and also to the parents of the Seattle Public Schools. Thank you very much. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: Next for public testimony is Raymond R. H. Chavor Chavor. Apologies for the pronunciation Raymond. >> SPEAKER 8: Good afternoon. Can you hear me. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: Yes. >> SPEAKER 8: How about now. [indistinct] okay. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: Yes we can hear. >> SPEAKER 8: You. Okay. Good afternoon. When home schooling began in March it became painfully obvious to us that our daughter was dyslexic. Homeschooling or
035online learning is difficult enough without the added problem of an unaddressed learning disability. We were informed by the school psychologist that nothing could be done until school was back to brick-and-mortar. It is our understanding that the sooner a child is diagnosed and intervention implemented the better. My husband and I each administered the same online dyslexia test to our daughter. The results were the same indicating serious dialect dyslexia. Her maternal grandfather was seriously dyslexic dyslexic as well. We sent the results to a Miss Amar the school psychologist stating that since the SPS contracts out for assessment we saw no reason why this could not be done during the homeschooling period. She never replied. Our school’s our child's counselor also contacted Miss Amar and got the same response. I also contacted the Ombudsman Naomi Rezene. She was
036supposed to get back to me but also has been ghosting me. So today I did get a carbon copy of an email request to Jen Anderson to put me in touch with the proper supervisor. During this time of online learning procedures need to be adjusted to accommodate the needs of the students. We are no closer to getting help for our daughter than we were in March. She is starting off the school year unnecessarily struggling. The SPS’s failure to address the situation in a timely manner is affecting her desire [chime] to learn. She needs immediate assessment and help [indistinct] adopted behaviors that dyslexics use to cope and or mask their disability. What is SPS [indistinct] to remedy students getting assessed for learning disabilities and receiving the services they need to succeed. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF:
037Please conclude your remarks. Thank you Raymond. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: That was the final speaker on the testimony list. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Miss Wilson-Jones. So that concludes our public testimony for the meeting. We will now move to the action items on today's agenda and as we move through these items today I will first call on committee chairs and then I’ll call on the remaining directors alphabetically for questions and comments. So we will now begin action. Item number 1: this is Approval of Name Change of South Lake High School to Alan T. Sugiyama high School at South Lake. This came to the Operations Committee on August 13th for approval. May I have a motion for this item please. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: This is Director Hampson I move for the approval apologies get to the right
038page. I move for the that the school board authorize the change of the name South Lake High School to Alan T. Sugiyama High School at Southlake. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Second the motion. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you directors. This has been moved by Director Hampson and seconded by Director Harris. We will now move to directors for any comments or questions for Chief Operations Officer Fred Podesta before we vote. I will begin with our Operations Committee Chairperson Director Mack. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Hi good evening. As stated in the agenda in the BAR this came through Operations Committee August 13th with the resounding recommendation to the committee for approval. Greatly appreciate all of those involved in providing additional information and support for the robust community engagement for this name change. And additionally in introduction we heard testimony and
039from state representative Sharon Tomiko Santos as well as others about the importance of this and appreciate the testimony that came before us today as well. And I have nothing further to add. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Mack. Next will be Director Hampson. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: No questions for me. Thank you to each and every member of Mr. Sugiyama’s family and extended community. It's been an excellent education for me on this particular individual and his accomplishments and the impact that he had on his community and I feel honored to have the opportunity to vote on this. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Hampson. Director Harris. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: I could not be in more favor of this for my friend and one of my personal heroes and I will restate my
040concern that we have not given South Lake High School the attention funds and robust assistance that it deserves. And again if we are going to put Uncle Al's name on it folks are watching. So I look forward to seeing what we do with this honor and will echo the comments from Ms. Burr as well. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Harris. Director Hersey. >> DIRECTOR HERSEY: Hey so no questions from me. I think that I would again echo the comments from Miss Burr. As we push forward I am just really excited that this is going to be a change that our community is 100 percent behind. With that said if we are going to honor Mr. Sugiyama we need to do it the entire way and make sure that we make good on
041our promises and really dig in to advocate for our children in the way that he did to advocate for his community in the way that he did and to continue and re-begin quite frankly our family engagement from the beginning so that we can really truly make this name change an actual honoring of this legend and not just a PR stunt. I'm so excited and I'm really happy to vote yes on this. Thank you very much. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Hersey. Director Rankin. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: Hi thanks. Mostly just echoing what's what's been said already. It's been really special to hear from family and friends and colleagues of Mr. Sugiyama around this item and the principal and assistant principal. So I really appreciate everyone taking the time to come in and share with us
042about Alan T. Sugiyama. And I want to also echo the sentiments expressed by Director Harris that this is an opportunity to not only honor Mr. Sugiyama with a name change but also to elevate the work that's been happening at South Lake High School and to hopefully help more students find their way there into a community that's that's right for them. If that's what they you know we have so many different things to offer in the high school experience in Seattle Public Schools and South Lake is one of those special places but I think more students need to know about. And and also just repeat what Director Hersey said that in honoring in the honor that comes with the name change to truly honor Mr. Sugiyama we need to make sure that it's not just a
043name change but it's that it's the whole that we honor it honor him with the whole focus and then we act as he did in and of and with community and not at or for community. So I’m gonna appreciate just everybody's comments again. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Rankin. Director Rivera-Smith. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: Thank you. I can't say it better than all my colleagues have already expressed the gratitude for this opportunity to honor Mr. Sugiyama and I hope that we can find ways to support South Lake in its ways it will honor him. And even [indistinct] from there because [indistinct] I know one of our community members mentioned Aki Kurose who was another Seattle teacher and social justice advocate who we honored with that name change at the school there and I
044we should keep our eye on schools and how we can keep honoring those leaders that we do this for. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Rivera-Smith. And my only final comment just I think not only want to express my gratitude for speakers today for voicing their support for this name change and also the speakers from our last meeting as well as Representative Tomiko Santos. But I wanted to read once one sentence here from the BAR in the equity analysis. I think it really speaks to Mr. Sugiyama and I think really particularly timely given the conversations we're all having right now in Seattle Public Schools. It says Mr. Sugiyama believed that all persons need and deserve a second and sometimes third opportunity and he promoted determination and compassion while standing up to institutional systems
045of racism. I can think of no other person to honor at this time. And so with that Miss Wilson-Jones please roll call vote. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: Director Mack [aye] Director Rankin [aye] Director Rivera-Smith [aye] Director Hampson [aye] Director Harris [aye] Director Hersey [aye] Director DeWolf [aye.] This motion has passed unanimously. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Okay we'll now move to Action Item Number 2: this is Approve the purchase of laptops for staff and pre-school and elementary school student computers to support teaching and learning in a remote learning model. May I have a motion for this item please. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: I move that the school board ratify the superintendent’s execution of the purchase orders through Dell Thornburg Hewlett-Packard Micron and Apple for a total not to exceed amount of 12 million 400 thousand dollars including
046estimated Washington state sales tax with any minor additions deletions and modifications deemed necessary by the superintendent and to take any necessary actions to implement the purchase orders and supportive devices for Pre-k and staff. Immediate action is in the best interest of the district. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Second the motion. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you directors. This item has been moved by Director Hampson and seconded by Director Harris. This item did not go through committee and is on the agenda for introduction and action today. Chief Financial Officer JoLynn Berge I believe you will be briefing us and again I'll begin with Director Hampson as the Chair of Op A&F. Excuse me. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: Yes. Thank — >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Chief Financial Officer JoLynn Berge. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: No go ahead Chief Berge. >> JOLYNN BERGE: Oh
047okay. Thank you. Good afternoon. This is JoLynn Berge Chief Financial Officer. So this BAR is to ask for the board to ratify the critical purchases that were made this summer for 1:1 devices for our students and devices for our staff. As noted in the BAR we had two BAR’s that were previously approved for purchasing devices. But given the pandemic we had to rework those plans. The remaining authority for devices purchased from the June 2019 BAR was four and a half million dollars and the remaining authority from the March 2020 BAR was five million 753 thousand dollars and that is outlined in the finance section of this BAR. So approval of this BAR replaces those remaining amounts and those remaining amounts totaled 10 million 253 thousand dollars. This BAR is requesting the ratification of a new
048total of twelve point four million dollars. I would note that while we tried to use previous RFP’s that had been approved to purchase from because of the supply chain issues we brought we bought what we could from our RFP which was Thornburg and the Dell devices. And then we went to Hewlett-Packard for the other 5,000 laptops. It was the only way that we were going to get them in time for school to start. And then we had not purchased iPads before. And we did go to Apple and purchased those iPads. That would conclude my remarks and Director Hampson I believe you wanted to have comment. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: Yes thank you. Am I unmuted yes. Thank you for providing all that background information. So this is very much in the spirit of full transparency to
049the while the school board had an emergency spending authorization for staff in place that expired on the last day of school which I believe was June 19th. And whereas we do have and I will ask Director Chief Legal Counsel Greg Narver to speak to this as well whereas we do have some language within procurement for bidding that allows for emergency expenditures. There were parts of the expenditures that I didn't think fit under the emergency the full amount didn't fit under the the emergency purchase guidelines either in the resolution or in policy and felt that for transparency that we should bring it before the board and so Chief Berge was willing to do all that background work and I'll let Chief Narver Narver provide some sort of legal clarification as to why we felt that was
050necessary. And is Chief Legal Counsel Greg Narver on. >> GREG NARVER: I am on. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: Okay. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Yes he is. Do you want do you want to restate your question for him. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: Sure Chief Counsel Narver would you be willing to just speak briefly about why we needed to bring this forward to the full board for ratification. >> GREG NARVER: Apologies I didn't realize that was stated as a question before before the silence. Well the purchase of this size has to be approved by the board of course. And the timeline was is laid out in the background here why you know why it's coming at this point. You and I consulted about I won't go into the details of that consultation but did this really fit within an emergency
051purchase that the board would be ratifying under one particular provision or is this simply a ratification of under under the regular contract provision and we agreed that was that was the proper way to bring it before the board. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: Thank you. So yes I just wanted to provide that that background that this was something that was that I knew that we had discussed in our approvals for expectations around technology expenditures during this period and the timing of expenditures being different than what we might have imagined last year. And then there being some some carryover but for the sake of transparency I noted that there were some that I did that didn't fit into any particular box in terms of approvals and so asked that we bring it forward. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF:
052Thank you. Thank you Director. Hampson thanks for the background. We'll next move to Director Harris. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: I’ll pass for now but if you could loop me in at the end I'd be grateful. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Absolutely. Yep. Director Hersey. >> DIRECTOR HERSEY: No questions from me at this time. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Director Mack. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Yeah. I have one question and then I I understand that Director Rivera-Smith posed a number of questions that I'd like to have daylit and responded to. And I'll I'll allow her to go through those but my one question is just to get clarity on the BEX V levy does this amount of expenditure over-extend beyond what the commitment was in the BEX V levy. >> JOLYNN BERGE: No it doesn't Director
053Mack. We're close to spending all of the BEX V money. We have a little bit left to I think a few million dollars left for some other replacement devices but it did use that most of the authority. >> DIRECTOR MACK: And I also I apologize I didn't realize one other thing I did want to bring up that in the BAR it states some information about the technology plan and that I just want for clarity that the plan was never a board-approved document and was only presented kind of cursorily to the board. And just for clarity I think that needs to be stated. And that I would strongly advocate that our efforts to put a technology planning policy in place sooner than later start. And with that I'll I'll hold my comments until after others. Thank
054you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Director Rankin. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: Thanks. I just want to reiterate confirm that this is a purchase that has already been made and we are ratifying that action that has already happened. And just to respond to the Ms. Cherkin who gave public testimony. I have a lot of the same kind of pedagogical and developmental concerns about appropriateness of devices. However in a remote setting the thing that we have to have first and foremost is is a way to contact and let every single family have access. And so for me the device is a necessity for a connection between child and a child and teacher. And I personally make a distinction between looking at a screen in communication with a live person and a child being left to their own devices no pun
055intended with an app or other kind of passive passive or active kind of electronic entertainment. So I just wanted to sort of say I hear those concerns absolutely and and my hope and knowing that the educators that we that we have working with our learners learner working with our youngest learners that the devices really are about access and shouldn't be the the main source of interaction for a student with electronics but with a with a person with contact with a person. So that's all. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Rankin. Director Rivera-Smith. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: Thank you. Let me start with a easy question here. In the BAR under the description of the purchases. Can you explain the “Micro K-12 and Thornburg — iPod processing and delivery to school” that’s was that separate of I'm
056trying to understand what that was for exactly. >> JOLYNN BERGE: Yeah the thank you Director Rivera-Smith. So those are the two contractors that we have that picked up the devices from Alaska Airlines and they took them to their facilities and they have to break them down between 90 pallets worth of stuff and put them into shipments for each individual school and then they deliver them to the schools. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: Thank you. Okay. So I'm going to back way way up to some just will just to build on what Director Rankin brought up. I did send an email earlier today to the board. And just a couple of the chiefs and superintendent just to back up again looking at our June 3rd Budget Work Session where we I thought we had a really great conversation
057about the device purchasing and what we wanted to do for our students. A lot of focus was on the elementary 1:1 devices. And I feel like I I that was the last I kind of heard about anything until you purchase iPads and go in and laptops and now it's happening and I get I get the urgency. No fault on anybody for that because it was something we needed to do and needed to do fast. This has been a fast-moving situation. But you know I think there was just some lack of follow up that at least personally I wasn't in the loop for so I was lost for some things I didn't know about those. Some things I'm still not sure on. I and just to touch on some of that was at that meeting we
058heard how Chief DeBacker was working with 6 different digital learning work groups which sounded great. I never heard what came out of those. It was never shared with a full board. So how I'm going to guess that in there and then you say that we did consult with ITAC. Where in there did it turn from laptops to iPads because when we had that meeting on June 3rd you you specify how schools were were leaning towards laptops how even when they’d been offered iPads they were not taking you up on those and it sounded and I not that I'm sure if iPads I’m just or against them just wondering because where did the direction change at that point I just was not aware of it what turned it there. >> JOLYNN BERGE: Yeah. Thank you. I
059actually have your email in front of me and I'm happy to respond to the questions that you had. So we were one of the things. Do you want me to go over all the questions are do you just want me to answer the one you just asked. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: Why don’t you start with the one I just asked. Yeah. >> JOLYNN BERGE: Okay. So at the end of the day — >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: For clarification. >> JOLYNN BERGE: I was directed to go back to ITAC. I'm sorry Director DeWolf. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: No go ahead. >> JOLYNN BERGE: I was. Okay. I was directed to go back to the ITAC committee which is our Advisory Committee and both Director Hersey and Director Rankin had raised differences of opinion about iPads and reconsideration of those.
060And that's all that happened is that we reconsidered. We did some research with ITAC and ITAC came back with a recommendation for iPads for grades K-2. We do have teacher librarians and teachers sitting on the ITAC committee. So that was the process that I was directed to use and that's what we did. I did write really probably maybe one of my better emails to you in late June but apparently I didn't send it to the right email address. Director Hampson brought that to my attention later as we were discussing it. So I'm happy to resend that. It really lays out how what research ITAC used in the process that we use to make the decision for that iPads. So all that was laid out in email and I thought everyone had gotten it. So I
061apologize for that. I will say that too that touch screens for k-3 were purchased so the laptops that were purchased do include touch screens. We did go to ITAC. You some of the board members really asked us to reconsider that decision and we did that. We did that honest work and we reconsidered where we were at and the decision came out differently and that's why we ended up with iPads. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: Okay. No. And I appreciate that that work was done. Definitely. Again there was a break in the loop there because I guess the email — >> JOLYNN BERGE: Well. Sorry. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: —Making its way and I know. Yeah I mean these things happen. I guess again I was just trying to follow up. I know it's really late to be doing
062that but on that in the just look back and let’s see what is really applicable right now. I just again like that was just part of that transparency because when suddenly buying these iPads and I’m like when did we approve that purchase and how do I explain this to people why we chose that because you know there's a lot of chatter amongst families about how it's not working for everybody but that's laptops too not like either one was going to be the magic bullet we’re having a lot of difficulties right now. I guess I wanted to just see how that happened how we came that decision and I'm [indistinct] oh so I also did get a question from families who are getting iPads would if they would prefer a laptop can they request and get
063an SPS laptop instead. Because for some students it just doesn't jive with their use of the device to be on the touch screen iPad. Yeah as I understand it we are asking everyone to be consolidated on the same platform. Otherwise the teaching environment for the teacher becomes super difficult. So part of the purchase was that we bought iPads for the teacher as well as for the students so that they could be on the same device together at the same time. And we did buy key keyboards for second graders as well to ease them into that transition to laptops. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: If a family wants to do a bring-your-own-device for a K-2nd can they use a laptop still would that work or will it — >> JOLYNN BERGE: They could they could. We are recommending
064that they use an iPad for even bring-your-own-device just because of the way some of the applications functions on an iPod may look and feel different. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: Okay. And then I think last question here was some of the purchasing do we I hear somewhere got earbuds or headphones of some sort. Had those been. I’ve only seen this amongst parents talking I had not seen our district announce this. Do we have those for families. >> JOLYNN BERGE: Yeah Amazon donated 5,000 earbuds to us and so we were been distributing those the last couple of days and in fact superintendent and I went to 6 schools in West Seattle yesterday and dropped off dropped off a bunch of earbuds. So they are for families who don't have them. And that's part of the checklist that we're
065asking teachers to do as far as you know make sure they have a device make sure that they're connected and you've seen them connect and if they need like earbuds or other things hot spots let us know. So it's all part of making sure kids have what they need. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: Thank you so much. No further questions. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Rivera-Smith. Director Harris. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Thank you for looping me around. I appreciate the transparency initiative here. And I am very pleased that that we did this. One of the concerns that I have with respect to the rollout here we just heard about 25,000 log-ins. That’s that's a darn sight less than 53. Do we have an idea how many of our students still do not have connectivity either because of
066lack of hardware or because of hotspot or internet access. >> JOLYNN BERGE: Hi Director Harris. We don't have any more firm numbers. So we know that at least 10,000 of those students are kids without iPads yet. Right. Because those have been rolling out they're due to roll out tomorrow was the day that we were rolling out the iPads to everyone. So we think it could be a combination of just maybe people don't think school starts until the 14th and we need to give them a reminder. So we haven't heard anything. There hasn't been anything coming back from principals who are keeping in touch with us and they do have a way to route request to us. So I know that we still you know are working through all of our tech tickets that we have
067if there's some connection issues. But that's all we know for now. I just think it's a new environment and we're going to continue to ask our schools to report out to us have a connected with each student. What does that look like. I think that will firm up some of that information hopefully by Monday. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: And how will you report back to the board and the community at large on that. >> JOLYNN BERGE: We can do it in a Friday Memo. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: [indistinct] thank you. >> JOLYNN BERGE: Thank you. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: I'm done. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you okay. I don't have a question but I do have a request for the Friday Memo. Can you Chief Berge or Superintendent Juneau just share what the McKinney-Vento team the plan is
068to provide education and educational service to our students experiencing homelessness. Just a request for the Friday Memo would be great. >> SUPERINTENDENT JUNEAU: Yes and I remember you requested that. So thanks for the reminder. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Okay. Director Mack you have one final question please. >> DIRECTOR MACK: What. Yes and they're connected or they're there. Yes they're connected. So the question was asked about headphones and providing those for students and I understand there's been some donations. And I'm curious about first the whether or not we're allocating any additional dollars in our budget to support that effort as having headphones I think is actually really important and helpful for students especially if they're an environment where they have to sit next to their sibling and having access to those is you know it's
069an expensive additional cost that many families could not afford so I'm warning if we actually have any budget left over. And the other question is about my concern around the infrastructure issues — >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: The topic on the BAR is about the purchase of the laptops and devices. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: Right. So the question is about the allocation of the BEX V dollars towards technology which this BAR is and has done that and whether or not there are dollars left over for infrastructure improvements that may be necessary given that our traffic has gone from six thousand to 50 thousand overnight in terms of our VPN and the infrastructure of servers. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: And again I think those are technically not laptop purchase BAR questions so if folks are not prepared Friday memo might
070be an opportunity as well. >> JOLYNN BERGE: Yeah I'm happy to answer that really quickly. Do we have extra money for those things. No but do we have to find money for those things yes. So we continue to work with our community partners like Amazon towards donations and we'll buy what we have to make sure our kids have what we need. There are some smaller purchases that we're making. You know 80 thousand dollars. Things like that to shore up some of our tech issues and we did just get approval from the state to expand our pipeline 4 times past what it is now which is long overdue and we've had that request into them for a few months. >> DIRECTOR MACK: And from a financial perspective is that does that have a dollar attached to
071it or do we do we know what that is at this point or have an estimation. >> JOLYNN BERGE: I think when I recall. Yeah it's a couple hundred thousand dollars so we'll be able to cover it and the state gives us some. Funding. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Okay thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Alright Miss Wilson-Jones roll call please. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: Director Rankin [aye] Director Rivera-Smith [aye] Director Hampson [aye] Director Harris aye [director] Director Hersey [aye] Director Mack Director Mack. [Apologies. Still debating. Abstain. Thank you.] Director DeWolf [aye.] This motion has passed by a vote of 6 yes to zero no to 1 abstention. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. We will now move to Action Item Number 3: Approval for Contract Amendment with School Data Solutions for School-Based Implementation Of MTSS Student Data
072Portal. This also known as RFP 09615. This came to the Audit and Finance Committee on August 17th for consideration. So may I have a motion for this item please. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: This is Director Hampson. I move the school board authorize the superintendent to execute a contract amendment with School Data Solutions in the amount of $300,765 dollars for the student data portal Homeroom in the form of the Contract Amendment dated July 15th 2020 and attached to the school board action report with any minor additions deletions and modifications deemed necessary by the superintendent and to take any necessary actions to implement the contract amendment. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Second the motion. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you directors. This item has been moved by Director Hampson and seconded by Director Harris. So we'll now move to directors for
073any comments or questions for Chief of Schools and Continuous Improvement Wyeth Jessee before we vote. Will begin with our Audit and Finance Committee chairperson Director Hampson. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: Yes. Thank you. So we had quite a bit of discussion about this in terms of the extent to which it's utilized to track student performance and status comprehensively and I think and how deep that goes in terms of utilization as well as how it's going to look and be utilized during remote learning environments. And so that was kind of where a lot of the questions were we're focused and I'll turn it over to Chief Jessee to kind of give the quick summary on those and anything else he deems relevant. >> WYETH JESSEE: Thank you Director Hampson. Yeah. So the conversation has really been around how
074we utilize this tool. We are now in our 3rd year of full implementation of Homeroom. This product is usually referred to as Homeroom. And so we've just been really building not only utilizing the tool but also the practices. A lot of that conversation also was around the pivot in remote learning what are we utilizing it for. And so those are the things where we are centering ourselves around attendance and engagement as well as the priority standards. And so already the teams are mobilizing really looking getting ready to help schools set up groups so they can support those students who need further assistance. And then also just around our opportunities. Multiple data points in helping drive decisions on the student’s stories strengths and needs. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Okay. Director Hampson any more questions. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON:
075No. We had good discussion in committee as well as last week because we had put it forth for consideration. So if there we did get some follow-up information that was was much more detailed and so I think I'll leave it to other directors to ask any questions they feel have yet to be answered. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Director Harris. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: This is I think an exceptional tool that has been under-utilized to date. This is no surprise to Chief Jessee and others and certainly members of the Audit and Finance Committee. Given the fact that we are doing check-ins now with each of our families it's my hope that we exponentiate by a factor of a thousand or two the utilization of this tool. That the staff or excuse me the data that has
076come forth before is not that impressive and I hope this is the year that we really make it work for our families. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Harris. Director Hersey. >> DIRECTOR HERSEY: No additional questions from me. Excited to have this tool ready to go. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Director Mack. >> DIRECTOR MACK: No questions at this time. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Director Rankin. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: I I don't have questions but I have a request that Chief Jessee will probably nod his head of course she wants to do that. I would like to request one-on-one just to get a better sense of how this tool works and what type of data is in it and how how are you using it for MTSS and how it aligns
077with our values and everything else that's going on. I would just really appreciate the opportunity to see that in a little more detail. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thanks Director Rankin. >> WYETH JESSEE: Our team will do that Director Rankin. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Director Rivera-Smith. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: Thank you. We have had lots of conversations on this so far and I can't think of any outstanding questions I have. But I I do feel and not just for this one but for all of our investments that we do like it’s just you know 300 thousand dollars we purchase tools like this I would just love for somehow we can share this with families how we are using this and how this is improving their child's experience in schools because in this let’s bring
078this down to it’s you know that the level that it's understandable for families because we should be able to let them know that we are investing in their students. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thanks Director Rivera-Smith. Chief Jessee I don't have any questions for you at this time. I will. I'll probably email you separately offline. I had an LGBTQ community meeting last night and had just some just some offline questions but I have no more questions on this. Thank you. So Miss Wilson-Jones roll call please. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: Director Rivera-Smith [aye] was that an ‘aye’ sorry [that was an aye] Director Hampson [aye] Director Harris [aye] Director Hersey [aye] Director Mack [aye] Director Rankin [aye] Director DeWolf [aye] This motion has passed unanimously. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you directors. Next we'll move to Item Action
079Item Number 4: this is Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Beginning Educators Support Team otherwise known as (BEST) Grant Approval. This came to the Audit and Finance Committee on August 17th for consideration. So I may I have a motion for this item please. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: I move that the board authorize the superintendent to accept the 2020-21 BEST Grant in the amount of $300,000 dollars and to implement the provisions of the. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Grant Second the motion. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you directors. This item has been moved by Director Hampson and seconded by Director Harris. So we'll now move to directors for any final comments or questions before we before the vote for Chief Human Resources Officer Dr. Clover Codd and we'll begin with our Audit and Finance Committee Chairperson Director Hampson. >>
080DIRECTOR HAMPSON: I don't have a whole lot to add to this. Obviously this is something that comes to us through OSPI and to support beginning teachers. And I think I'll just leave it to Director Chief Codd to introduce it here from here you any remaining questions from directors. >> CLOVER CODD: Thank you Director Hampson. This is Clover Codd Chief Human Resource Officer. So we introduced this at the last board meeting I haven't received any new questions from directors between then and now. So if you do have additional questions directors go ahead. I'm here to answer. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Dr. Codd. We'll start first well not first we'll start with Director Harris. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: No questions for me. I’m in favor. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Director Hersey. >> DIRECTOR HERSEY:
081None for me. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Director Mack. >> DIRECTOR MACK: No questions. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Director Rankin. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: Not for me. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Director Rivera-Smith. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: No questions. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. And no questions for me Doctor Codd. Thank you for the work on this and excited for this. So we'll move to Miss Wilson-Jones for the roll call vote. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: Director Hampson [aye] Director Harris [aye] Director Hersey [aye] Director Mack [aye] Director Rankin [aye] Director Rivera-Smith [aye] Director DeWolf [aye] This motion has passed unanimously. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Miss Wilson-Jones. We will now move to Action Item Number 5: It is amend Board Policy Number Maintaining Professional Staff/Student Boundaries. This came to the Audit
082and Finance Committee on August 17th for consideration. May I have a motion for this item please. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: This is Director Hampson. I move that the school board authorize the superintendent to execute a contract with Seattle Central College for in total not to exceed amount of 5. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Wrong motion. I move that the school board amend Board Policy 5253 Maintaining Professional Staff/Student Boundaries as attached to the Board Action Report. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Second the motion. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you directors this item has been moved by Director Hampson and seconded by Director Harris. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: President DeWolf [indistinct] amendment. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Yes that is correct. Do any directors have an amendment on the floor or [indistinct]. >> DIRECTOR MACK: This is the this is Director Mack. I would like
083to propose an amendment. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Okay. Director Mack. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Mr. Narver can you help me with the should I do a motion language or should I just say I move to amend the attached policy revisions on page 2 of 3 of the policy to read as is attached and presented on the screen as Ms. Wilson-jones had just flashed up and I think she'll flash up in a second. >> GREG NARVER: Yes. Oh yes. What you what you want to do is say ‘I move that the’ and then you would sorry is that is it gonna go up on the screen here. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: I think Tina is working on it right. >> MARTINA LOEFFELMANN: Yeah it’s coming one second. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Thank you guys. >> GREG NARVER: Okay. So the
084motion you're offering isn't to change anything in the BAR it's to make a further revision to the policy that is being amended through this BAR. So you would say that you move to further amend the policy with this language. You should read verbatim the language that you want added to the policy and make clear in your motion where in the policy that that new language would. Go. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Okay great. So I move — sorry. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: [Indistinct]. So I move to further amend Policy Number 5253 Maintaining Professional Staff/Student Boundaries to include the following language on page 2 of 3 following the sentence “…employees whose conduct violates this policy may face disciplinary action up to and including termination consistent with the district's policies acceptable use agreement and collective bargaining agreements as applicable.” This
085new language is “…all district staff shall report any boundary violation that constitutes abuse neglect or exploitation under Seattle School Board Policy Number 3421 to their supervisor or appropriate school administrator. In addition all professional school personnel shall report any boundary violation that constitutes abuse neglect or exploitation under School Board Policy Number 3421 to law enforcement or child protective services within 48 hours.’. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: I second the amendment. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Okay so Greg just to clarify we will go through the amendment discussion first and then back to the underlying motion as amended. >> GREG NARVER: Correct. You'll have debate on the amendment at this point and then a roll-call vote as to whether or not to adopt this amendment. Okay so we'll start with Director Mack quickly here on just any final background or anything
086you want to raise here before I move to other directors. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Yes I appreciate that this language is new to some on the board that it was just developed and put forward this afternoon. So apologies for the late notice I did attempt to have a meeting with staff to get clarity on some of the questions that were raised in intro and it's been a busy couple of weeks. So that meeting didn't take place until this afternoon just before this board meeting. And a special thanks to Mr. Cerqui for discussing the questions that I had around this policy and concerns around clarifying in this policy as well mandatory reporting of issues. And that that it's it it for my opinion important to have this also referenced in this policy to be explicit when we're
087talking about student safety. And I think this goes very much in line with our recent work session around student safety and this amendment resolves the concerns I had and was raising previously. So with that I'm happy to entertain any questions about the amendment from directors. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Sure. Thank you Director Mack. Okay first we'll begin with Director Hampson. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: Hi. Yes I I I understand the concern and the reference and and I actually had received communication from a constituent about it and I think what I have stated is my concern about why I wasn't didn't feel the need to bring in the mandatory reporting is that this is about in wanting to encompass the remote environment we’re in importantly about boundaries between students and staff and which includes volunteers and wanting to
088provide clarity about about how that is managed and it's delicate and in the best cases. And one of the fears that I have the unintended consequences that as much as I understand the logic of this amendment is that it would encourage would go beyond what that relationship is between teachers and students and would potentially encourage over-encourage staff to report to CPS and to police on matters that they're witnessing remotely in children's homes. And I have really grave concerns about that where where good intention goes awry. And so that's you know it's we need to remind folks that there are mandatory reporters. I'm just nervous about the concept of overemphasizing it in this particular context which is meant to specifically discuss that staff-student relationship. So those are those are my my comments. Thanks. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF:
089Thank you Director Hampson. Director Harris. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Appreciate comments thus far from both [indistinct] colleagues. I would suggest that it is not a given that at least in the past some of our educators have not fulfilled their mandatory reporting statutory role. I I see this as an appropriate amendment. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Director Hersey. To me this seems pretty straightforward. I don't have any questions. I'm still thinking through. I worry about unintended consequences here a little bit but I'm still I'm still thinking through so I will let you know if I need you to move back to me or not. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Hersey. Director Rankin. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: Yeah I I have some concerns about this actually conflating a couple different policies. I know when this was intro’d Director
090Mack and I both had some questions about making sure that language language and kind of what's the word I'm looking for any anything kind of relational with students that you know we look at this with make sure that it's consistent with the other set of policies that we're looking at under the safety and security. And I actually feel pretty strongly that this amendment muddies this a little bit because this policy is really about keeping appropriate relationships between students and staff and and not crossing boundaries that are outside of the bounds of an appropriate and I know appropriate is up for interpretation but or could be. But that this is really about relational boundaries and a boundary violation that constitutes abuse neglect or exploitation is not a boundary violation. It is simply abuse neglect or exploitation
091and that moves it into something different than this policy is addressing. And so for that reason I will not be supporting this amendment. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Director Rivera-Smith. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: Thank you. I did too. I appreciate everybody’s perspective on this. I I don't know that it’ll have the harm some were worried about. And this is I haven't thought much more about them being issues here so I'm trying to think fully about that. Everything's going to have unintended consequences so we use that excuse to not do something but the same time. Just judging what the magnitude of those may be I think it's never a bad idea to remind our educators of their mandatory reporting responsibilities. But yeah. I'm also still thinking still thinking about it so no further questions. Thank you. >>
092DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Okay. I have no questions on the amendment. Thanks for the clarification and background Director Mack so with — >> DIRECTOR MACK: Mr. DeWolf can I respond to the concerns. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Quickly quickly please yes. >> DIRECTOR MACK: So I appreciate that the folks are thinking about unintended consequences but one of the unintended consequences of not actually explicitly clarifying the responsibilities of our staff to ensure that other staff or volunteers are not harming our students and to bring those to the attention of appropriate folks and not just shove it under the rug. The concern that I have with not being explicit about it is that the language that was previously in this policy around with respect to sexual harassment and other potential issues of grooming and things like that it has
093been removed and this policy is actually does go beyond just you know how they communicate with each other it is literally talking about catching and clarifying and making sure that harm is not coming to our students in these ways. So I would I would I would put that to you that that our greatest responsibility is keeping our students safe. And if they don't have a safe place in which to report an issue or they know that it will be actually managed if something is inappropriate they won't and they won't be protected. So. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: I think that's a bold statement that I I'm not sure I fully support that kind of broad statement but we do need to move to vote for this. So Miss Wilson-Jones — >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: Can. Sorry can I.
094Oh sorry. The thing I was looking at just went away. Is there a way to bring that back up. The amendment. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: Tina can you put the amendment back on the screen please. >> MARTINA LOEFFELMANN: One moment please. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: I do take some issue with the idea that there is a lack of concern for student safety by not supporting this amendment and I don't think that's the case at all. But I'm wondering if there's maybe a different way to phrase it that would sit better with people just as a reminder that there is a policy that protects students or that governs our response to abuse and what not. I think that the kind of relational interactions that this policy is addressing are important enough that they are a distinct policy from
095abuse harassment neglect and I don't want it muddied by having people be able to say ‘well it's not really abuse it's just inappropriate so I won't do anything about it.’ So that is I don't know how to. I'm just I'm just putting that out there. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Rankin. We do need to move to the vote on this. So Miss Wilson-Jones roll call please. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: Calling the vote on the amendment. Director Rivera-Smith [aye] Director Hampson [nay] Director Harris [aye] Director Hersey [abstain] Director Mack [aye] Director Rankin [nay] Director DeWolf [abstain] apologies I'm just trying to get back to the right screen to count the. The vote has this motion has passed by a vote of 3 to 2 to 2. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Okay we'll move to the underlying motion.
096Greg do we need to do any wording on the record for coming back to the underlying motion as amended. >> GREG NARVER: Well we want to clarify for the record that the vote on the underlying motion is now going to be sorry calling the language back up here. It would be moving that the school board amend Policy Number 5253 Maintaining Professional Staff/Student Boundaries as attached to the Board Action Report and as amended so that the motion language now should explicitly note that the policy changes that are going to be voted on by the board are affected by the amendment that just passed. >> SHERRI KOKX: Chief Narver this is Chief Kokx. I am a bit confused by the 3 to 2 to 2. Wouldn't that mean the amendment failed. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: Our abstentions do
097not count in the they count toward quorum but not in the vote total. >> GREG NARVER: Correct. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: So sorry. This is Director Rankin. So just to clarify abstentions. Wait so we don't actually need a majority of the board to vote on something to approve it. Just a majority of the yeses and no’s. >> GREG NARVER: Abstentions count towards a quorum. As Ms. Wilson-Jones said. But the the yeah — >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: There were 2 abstentions essentially the vote is out of 5. >> GREG NARVER: Correct. That's why abstention is different than a no vote. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: So we need a new motion for this item as attached and as amended. >> GREG NARVER: Correct. I think that the record should reflect that. Yes. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON:
098So this is Director Hampson. I will move to amend Board Policy Number Maintaining Professional Staff/Student Boundaries as amended. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Second. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: This item has been moved by Director Hampson and seconded by Director Harris. We’ll now move to directors for final questions and comments on the underlying motion as attached and as amended. We'll start first with Director Hampson Audit and Finance Committee Chairperson. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: Thank you. So this week the discussion around this in Audit and Finance primarily had to do with not having accompanying procedure and I think you know there is depending on on the policy but that we definitely have philosophical variability in terms of whether we need to have a procedure coming forthcoming with the Board Action itself and I want to remind board members that and staff
099that procedure Superintendent Procedure does need to come to to the the board for review not not as an action but but needs to be sent to us when it's developed and that if board feels that that procedure is not consistent with policy that we do have the option to to amend Superintendent Procedure. That being said I do think I support this particular amendment set of amendments because I do feel that it significantly clarifies some important aspects of again student and staff boundaries and relationships and at a time when we do need to be particularly thoughtful. We are not I don't believe in an environment where we can write policy to answer all questions and policies are living documents and need to be and again this is a philosophical approach that the policies are living documents
100and they need to reflect the growth of the organization and the learning that the organization encounters. And we are at a time of extreme exponential growth and in learning about how we do certain things and how we maintain boundaries in a virtual space. And for that reason I think it's important that we provide guidance as a board knowing full well that we will learn quite a bit over this year that will influence how we might see this going forward and will inform procedure which I know Chief Codd will speak to in terms of how that will be forthcoming. And I think that this is an important way for us as a board to indicate that we need to do this work. Again I do want to state that I I have concerns about completing this
101with the mandatory reporting factor. It's relevant but I think that we do also already state it in here. But I still support having guidance from the board as to what expectations are. And board members are also mandatory report reporters. And so for those of us that are heavily involved in our communities and with students or or volunteer it forces us to even think about those relationships when we have student representation. And I think it creates a level of thoughtfulness that we need to encourage and have people thinking about and being really clear about and transparent about. So with that I'll turn it over to Chief Codd to talk about some of the specifics. >> CLOVER CODD: Good afternoon everybody. I learn I learn every time we talk about this policy I learn a little bit
102more so I appreciate the amendment that you all approved and I do think that it does just reinforce reinforce Policy 3241. I am deeply concerned whether the amendment was in here or not I am deeply concerned about the potential for over-reporting and the impact that it may have on communities in this remote model. I'm not quite sure what to do about that but I do think we need to address that with some training head-on. I am passionate about this policy. I think that while policy 3241 and 5253 are distinct and important in their own right they also there are some the training that needs to happen that encompasses both. The I believe we have answered director’s questions with respect to this policy between Audit and Finance Committee introduction and now. If there are any other
103questions please let me know. The procedures. As soon as this policy if approved we will start not only drafting the procedures to closely follow the WSSDA model procedures but we will also get input from the same people we got input from on the policy as we were going through this. We also need to work with our labor partners to make sure that we're not changing working conditions. If you look at the WSSDA model procedure the assumptions are that we're in an in-person school model and all of the examples are really kind of about that. And we need to really think through what could be some examples be in this remote instructional model that we're in now. Because we're not just talking about what happens on Facebook or you know sort of private chats and we're
104talking about we're in a world where the teaching and the instruction between the student and the teacher is happening virtually. And might there be boundary violations that occur and what would that look like. So there is a lot more work to do on just to be able to operationalize and implement this policy. I would appreciate your vote today. This is important. We've got to get going. You've got to be able to start to communicate out to staff that we have policy changes and we've got to get going on the procedures and then the new training that goes along with it. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Dr. Codd. Director Hampson any more questions or comments before I move to Director Harris. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: No thank you so much. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Director Harris.
105>> DIRECTOR HARRIS: As stated earlier this morning in an email to my colleagues and a question to senior staff and Chief Codd I I'm distressed that we keep talking about building Superintendent Procedures at the same time as policy and and I think this is important enough to bring the Superintendent Procedures together for all the reasons that have been mentioned already. I am in favor of more protection for our students. We've all seen students harmed. It's devastating to see and this is something that we've been talking about for well over a year. And I'm not quite sure why that we know some form of this will be put forth probably passed that it can't come together. I will be voting no. And we did pose questions about what other districts of like size nationally we looked
106at for this policy for best practices. It seems as though we've had less benchmarking with other districts in the past year or so and I'm curious about that as well. Thank you. >> CLOVER CODD: Director Harris this is Clover Codd again. So a couple of ways I'd like to respond to that. So when we did our benchmarking we really benchmarked Policy 5253 against the WSSDA model policy for the State of Washington. That's really the benchmarking on how we write policies. Kind of the that's typically what we follow. When we do benchmarking with other districts across the country what we do is we look to the Council of Great City Schools and we look at kind of types of reporting that's going on number of incidents per thousand employees. Seattle is actually we have more reporting
107than most districts. The median reporting would be 15 incidents per 1000 employees. We are at 30 which is on the very high end. So you could look at that a couple of different ways. People are reporting things that they see or more incidents are happening or more reporting is going on and in other places maybe less reporting is going on we don't really know the answer to that. With respect to best practices I want to take that under advisement and think about as we do our training and as we write these procedures what are some of the best practices that we need to be thinking about to truly engage our our staff around understanding these policies and not just reading them but understanding them and being able to make sure that they're able to follow.
108So I thank you for bringing that up. But that's all the benchmarking that we've done today. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Director Hersey. >> DIRECTOR HERSEY: No additional questions from me at this time. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Director Rankin. Excuse me Director Mack. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Yes thank you. I appreciate the conversation around the Superintendent Procedures and want to point out that in the BAR there are the WSSDA model procedures. And the procedures actually go even further in depth mentioning what we've just amended the policy to clarify. Mentioning the policy 3421 as well as it very specifically clarifies what a boundary invasion is that it's an act or pattern of behavior by a staff member or volunteer that does not have bona fide health safety and educational purpose for
109a student. It goes on to say that inappropriate physical or sexual conduct is inappropriate and needs to be reported. It's the procedure that attack that is it was written alongside this by WSSDA is pretty comprehensive. It talks about how it's required that violations need to be reported. It gives clarification around what kind of behaviors are inappropriate. And it's really focused on staff and volunteers and their adult appropriate behavior. It's not focused on students. It's focused to protect students from potentially adverse behaviors. The procedure also does go into clarifying investigations and documentations and it has a section on reminder about reporting sexual abuse. And disciplinary act disciplinary action and training. So while I'm typically not comfortable adopting policies without the drafted procedures attached there is already if we follow the WSSDA model procedure it's pretty comprehensive
110and as long as our procedures follow this model to the extent that they’re as clear as they are then I have more confidence in voting yes on this with the amendment as it's been presently approved. So I appreciate the clarification that the procedures will be written and that there's a WSSDA model procedure already there that clarifies a lot of our questions. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Director Rankin. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: I wanted to respond to Dr. Codd I guess and just appreciate and reemphasize what she said about the importance of training connected to this and particularly addressing boundaries in a remote setting. That as she said a lot of the WSSDA policies and other things were all were all come from a time other than now which is remote. And that we're seeing with with
111students and ourselves I think too just our sense of different boundaries are different because we're literally in our homes. We're in our homes. Which is is for some of us more comfortable some some people might be less comfortable in their homes but there's a change in dynamic in relationships in that we're remote. Also being online if kids or or educators are people who are really comfortable with social media just the act of being on a laptop. Your sense of boundaries and kind of what's what's appropriate what's not appropriate could change just by the very fact of being on a laptop which are used to be could be used to being on in a more kind of casual social media kind of setting. So I think that is super critical. And I look forward to that
112happening. And just just the continuing conversation about safety boundaries all kinds of things and how they're very different they're very different now in a remote setting. And they're also in terms of cultural competency and kind of family values and cultural values and whatever we may see that we are no longer in a situation where students are in our classrooms. We are now all guests in student’s homes and so I'm particularly interested in and concerned about our responses as individuals across the system to that setting of being in students homes and how they respond to it. So I guess just to reiterate that that the the focus that this is on is about boundaries and relationships and interaction not necessarily in a way that talks about physical harm. And physical harm is something of course students
113need to be protected from. But this is a type of boundary that we're talking about is really critical to address and identify and know how to respond to it. And so I just yeah I appreciate that and look forward to knowing more about the procedures around this. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Rankin. Director Rivera-Smith. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: No questions or comments. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: No questions or comments for me. So we can move to roll call vote please Miss Wilson-Jones. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: Director Hampson [aye] Director Harris [no] Director Hersey [aye] Director Mack [aye] Director Rankin [aye] Director Rivera-Smith [aye] Director DeWolf [aye] This motion is passed by a vote of 6 yes to 1 no. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Miss Wilson-Jones. Next we’ll move to Action Item Number 6: Approval
114of contract to support the Open Doors Youth Reengagement Program for the 2020-21 school year. This came through Curriculum Instruction Committee on August 18th for approval. May I have a motion for this item please. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: This is Director Hampson. I move that the school board authorize the superintendent to execute a contract with Seattle Central College for a not to exceed amount of $516,000 dollars over fiscal years 2020-21 in the form of the draft agreement attached to School Board Action Report with any minor additions deletions and modifications deemed necessary by the superintendent and to take any necessary actions to implement the contract. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Second the motion. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you directors. This item has been moved by Director Hampson and seconded by Director Harris. We’ll now move to directors for any final
115comments or questions for Chief Academic Officer Dr. Diane DeBacker before we vote. And we will begin today on this item with Director Rankin who is the chair of curriculum and instruction policy committee. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: Thank you. This is Director Rankin. I don't have anything really to add. We've had this come through Curriculum Instruction Policy Committee and discussed it in the last board meeting as an intro item. I think it would be good if Dr. DeBacker could just kind of briefly summarize for folks who may be listening and wondering what this is. But generally we moved it along pretty easily with support and not a lot of questions. Though of course if anyone has any please ask. >> DIANE DEBACKER: Director Rankin this is Diane DeBacker Chief Academic Officer. There were only two questions asked
116for the introduction. Director Rivera-Smith asked if we knew the racial equity or ethnic makeup of the staff of the Open Doors Program. We do not have that information. That's not information that was available to us. We do know that they have about 10 and a half staff members. Some of those are full-time some of them part-time. The second question that was asked was asked by Director Harris about how we could make this more visible on the website. Director Harris is correct that it takes it takes more than one click to find this on our website. Right now you have to go to ‘academics’ and then you have to go to ‘high school programs’ and then ‘option programs.’ I think those are the 3 steps. That's way too many. As our website is redesigned overall for
117SPS each division and department has been asked to give feedback as to how we can get to our information quickly so Director Harris we will take that into account and try to get something that's more easily available online. And we also know the best way that students find out about this program are through their individual schools through teachers that have relationships and connections with students and through our counselors. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Okay Dr. DeBacker. We Director Rankin any final comments or questions or can I move to Director Hampson. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: Go. Go ahead move on. Thanks. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Hampson. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: No questions. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Director Harris. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: No questions. Just a comment that we are incredibly blessed to have this program
118in our midst and many other collaborations with the Seattle Colleges and I thank them. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Director Hersey. >> DIRECTOR HERSEY: No additional questions from me. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Director Mack. >> DIRECTOR MACK: No questions I am fully in support excited about this — >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: [indistinct] thank you Director Rivera-Smith. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: No questions. Yes I definitely support. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. And Dr. DeBacker I have no questions for you at this time. Thank you for bringing this forward. Looking forward to supporting it. Miss Wilson-Jones roll call please. >> DIRECTOR HERSEY: Director Hersey [aye] Director Mack [aye] Director Rankin [aye] Director Rivera-Smith [aye] Director Hampson [aye] Director Harris [aye] DeWolf [aye] This motion has passed unanimously. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you and now
119move to Action Item Number 7: this is BEX V Resolution is to 2020/21-5 Racial Imbalance Analysis for Kimball Elementary School Replacement project. This came to the Operations Committee on August 13th for approval. May I have a motion for this item please. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: This is Director Hampson I move that the school board approve resolution 2020/21-5 certifying that the proposed Kimball Elementary School replacement project will not create or aggravate racial imbalance as defined by WAC 392-342-025. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Second the motion. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you directors. This item has been moved by Director Hampson and seconded by Director Harris. We will now move to directors for any final comments or questions for Chief Podesta before we vote. And we'll begin with our Operations Committee Chairperson Director Mack. >> DIRECTOR MACK: I want to recognize
120the questions about the analysis and that this analysis came through Ops. We had a conversation around it and agree that given current state and known information it's not expected to create a racial imbalance and that I'm looking to approve this. There were questions that came through on the overarching project however around the community engagement with the community and the building height that I just want to elevate and I'm not sure that we need to have that conversation here but the community has raised questions about whether or not the community surrounding the school has been adequately engaged around the plans for construction. And Mr. Podesta and do you want to just respond to that in another time Friday Memo or something. >> FRED PODESTA: I think we can give a more comprehensive answer in a Friday
121Memo. We have heard concerns about the building height from community. There is a fairly steep grade in the site that kind of limits the developable area but we are have reached out to community members are reassessing the design to see if there's any ways to mitigate this. And I think once the product of some of that analysis and conversation is complete we could inform the board in a Friday Memo you know who we've talked to and what options we've looked at. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Thank you. That's all I have. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Rivera-Smith excuse me Director Rankin. I mean Director Rivera-Smith. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: No. No I don't. I don't have any questions or comments about this. I appreciate that Chief Podesta can look into that and the engagement process
122so we can just share that and then some there were places where they could have been more engagement done. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Apologies Director Rankin I did skip you. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: That's okay. No I had no it’s on email about building height and so I'll just look forward to the Friday Memo. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. And I have no questions for you at this time. Thank you to Director Mack for your your background there. Miss Wilson-Jones roll call vote please. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: Director Rankin apologies I went out of order. Director Mack [aye] Director Rankin [aye] Director Rivera-Smith [aye] Director Hampson [aye] Director Harris [aye] Director Hersey [aye] Director DeWolf [aye] Motion has passed unanimously. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Miss Wilson-Jones. All right we'll now move to Action Item Number
1238: this is Distressed Schools Grant Award Construction Contract P5121 for Bid Number B062087 to Western Ventures Construction for the Coe Elementary School Addition project. This came through the Operations Committee on August 13th for approval. So may I have a motion for this item please. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: This is Director Hampson. I move that the school board authorize the superintendent to execute construction contract P5121 with Western Ventures Construction in the amount of $5,043,001 including base bid plus Alternate Number 1A plus Washington State sales tax with any minor additions deletions and modifications deemed necessary by the superintendent and to take any necessary actions to implement the contract. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Do I have a second. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Second. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. This item has been moved by Director Hampson and seconded by Director Harris.
124We’ll now move to directors for any final comments or questions for Mr. excuse me for Chief Podesta before the vote. And we’ll begin again with our Operations Committee Chairperson Director Mack. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Yes this came through operations for when we recommended moving forward for approval. Looking forward to continuing to move on this project because we expect the need for capacity when we reopen our buildings. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Mack. All right. We'll begin with Director Hampson. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: No questions for me. Thank you very much. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Director Harris. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: No questions but a comment and a huge thanks to our legislators and our staff and our board ledge reps that go to Olympia and help us snag some of the funding that we
125desperately need. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Director Hersey. >> DIRECTOR HERSEY: None from me. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Director Rankin. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: No questions. Echoing Director Harris's thanks. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Director Rivera-Smith. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: No questions or comments. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. No comments or questions from me just just to sharing gratitude as Director Harris has done. So Miss Wilson-Jones roll call vote please. >> ELLIE WILSON-JONES: Director Rankin [aye] Director Rivera-Smith [aye] Director Hampson [aye] Director Harris [aye] Director Hersey [aye] Director Mack [aye] Director DeWolf [aye] This motion has passed unanimously. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Okay. We will now move to our final section: board comments. And before we do board comments this now evening before we do move to those individual director comments
126I also want to note that the superintendent Superintendent Juneau’s evaluation document is posted to the board meeting agenda online. What today we’ll because we've been doing alphabetical order for comments or questions we're going I want to start backwards. So we'll start with Director Rivera-Smith first for any final board comments before before we adjourn. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: Thank you. I'm no I appreciate today's meeting conversations. I think I speak for a lot of parents when I say it's been a it's been a hard week. Getting going with the school year definitely not happening as we had hoped months ago. That we sort of knew that the inevitable was that it was going to look different than it has [indistinct] in a remote setting. Doing our best to reach students and engage with them. And I I
127just want to give a big shout out to all of our educators who are rolling with it because life as they knew it is different is just nobody signed up to be a remote teacher and they're doing their best. And I just want to say so so much gratitude to that because you know we think we have a [indistinct] a lot of them are teaching with students at home. Family they're caring for. So it's it's the biggest lift ever and I don't want that to go unrecognized. Amongst our central staff too who are also the people behind the curtain trying to get everything going making things work. We are testing our DOTS department like never before and it's not just the people we hear from it's the people down at the IT it's the people
128answering phones responding to e-mails who we just need to really recognize because this this is not I don't think anyone's patting themselves on the back for it's [indistinct] I know there's a lot of corrections to make a lot of updates a lot of training a lot of communications and this is a process. It’s definitely it's not going to be solved this week and next month. I just hope that we can show some grace and I know that some people are doing that and it's hard and our students are in tears or in frustration. It is the hardest thing. A lot of us on the board are parents too so we can [indistinct] for that. And I want to note want we want everybody to know that we're here for you to just even to listen
129to do what we can to support you. We communications with the district are only going to grow I believe with our staff and with the superintendent because we know that we need to improve that if we want to really serve our families. So thank you for encouraging us and supporting us through that. I am I don't know that there's I don't know what next week will look like but we are working on everything. Please know that we are doing our best here. And thank you everybody for your patience grace and strength. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Rivera-Smith. Director Rankin. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: Sorry you said you're going backwards didn't you. And I just totally let that go right past me. Wasn/t ready. Yeah I would love to see or know if we
130can. I'm thinking about that 25,000 26,000 log-in number and how that's only about half of our students. And presumably this is something that's happening but if it's not I just wanted to say that I would like to request or support looking. I know all the log-ins I'm assuming assuming that we're counting those log-ins through Teams and Schoology and the student ID numbers. I would love to know if there's a pattern in terms of demographic information economic status and school what school kids are in if there's any kind of patterns emerge that we can address. If it's a communication gap if it's a device gap if it's whatever it is I would just be super interested to see you know the breakdown of numbers there and kind of where where all that plays out to so
131we know who's who's connected and who's not. And let's see from oh I also just in hearing you know talking with parents and teachers and hearing about what's going what's going on out there. I just want to sort of give and give big a big shout out to kind of everybody involved. I overheard a Eckstein PE teacher who I'm sure in person is just like the most enthusiastic and warm and welcoming you know. She was working so hard to be excited and engaged and and very physical and to you know a bunch of grids of students all sitting at their at their desks. So I just I really appreciate the extra effort that everybody's putting into working so hard to connect with our students and knowing that that personal connection is is really tough right
132now but it really is critical to any success that we're gonna have in a remote setting. That I would I feel pretty comfortable saying that it's it's a rare student although I'm sure they exist a rare student who can just take the information and do their work without feeling like they're part of a community that they're being supported that they're interacting with their peers and their teachers. And so just like huge shout out to to the ways in which teachers are trying to make that happen and connected to that also. It came up in public testimony so I'm just going to bring up again the critical importance especially before it starts to get really rainy of us pushing and working as much as we can to find creative ways for students to get together and
133connect in small groups outside our own community spaces. And so I'm really looking forward to continuing on pushing and working on that. And I know that there are a lot of people who can't wait to support to support that and participate in that and that's really exciting. A final kind of request that I think would be helpful from what I'm hearing from the community is in addition to the training that's been provided to educators on different platforms and I know I've asked about this before but I'm not sure where it has settled if it's possible. And I would assume librarians would be a good resource for this and in fact probably have already done this. And if we could just connect and try to find a good template if we could get a basic 1-page
134flowchart for families for students for teachers who are still struggling with Teams and other applications of just a very basic floor of here's where your email is going to be. If a teacher is going to use email or if they're going to use the messenger in Schoology. If they're going to email a parent. There's just there's so much information coming at everybody right now. I think it would be really really really helpful if we could have some 1-pagers. Just basic basic step-by-step is like where to go. And I know there's videos and other things but a visual 1-pager would be I think a huge help. Based on what I'm hearing from particularly parents who are supporting younger students trying to figure out where they should go where they should direct their student to go. So
135just putting that out there. Ditto what Director Rivera-Smith said. Nobody expected this. And I still even though I know there are a lot of things that are challenges. I am still looking at the opportunities and trying to find the wins in this situation and things we can learn from and continue to do to do better and carry forward. So that’s it thanks. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Rankin. Director Mack. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Yes. Hi. Thank you. I just wanted to ask a question of the president of in executive committee going forward on future agendas for our meetings even in this remote setting. We've dropped our committee reports. So I'm wondering if those are going to come back and I don't need an answer right now. But I just wanted to raise that question because
136that communication around what's going on in committee I think it's helpful to have at the board meetings as well. I appreciate the comments around how challenging it's been in this first week and having three kiddos myself I share that experience. Learning new technology dealing with technology. Passwords are the bane of my existence it drives me crazy. And the complicated network challenge that we are dealing with on an individual basis of learning these new systems and how to get connected. It's just magnified by you know a district of 54,000 students and 6,000 educators. And it's this is just a massive huge technological rollout and ramp up that I don't I don't think any corporation has ever taken this on in this magnitude. And so you know I recognize and completely recognize how challenging the entire situation
137is and appreciate how hard everybody is working to find solutions for students. And in particular the focus on social and emotional learning in this first week while the you know lack of clarity around a full schedule etc. is you know we're getting complaints from people about that I personally have really appreciated how the educators that I've interfaced with are really focusing on connection helping students to regulate and to manage this new environment. I mean doing all of this remotely doing our meetings remotely it's taxing in a whole different way. And I've personally had to focus on trying not to become disregulated because it's it's it is it's just individually very challenging to deal with all this new technology. And so a massive thank you to everyone who is keeping cool and and just trying to
138continue solving the problems and support each other. And particularly a massive shout out to principals and educators who have taken on the distribution of all these materials and the devices and all of this. It's just it's just really massive and in such a short timeframe. You know I just massive kudos and thank you to everyone for doing the best that we can. And I look forward to continuing to work on ensuring that we have sufficient infrastructure. And I appreciate Director Rankin's suggestion around 1-pagers around best practices. I do think that it could be helpful also to have some you know simple best practices of you know here's how to run a remote meeting effectively. And I know maybe some of that stuff has already been floating around but that might be helpful as well and
139I appreciate the suggestion. I also want to highlight that I appreciate that we are continuing to work on student safety and the board resolution that was previously passed a bit ago and that we had a work session on a few weeks ago and we've been discussing which policies and which through which committees etc. so that work is continuing. And I just wanted to to thank you for the support of the amendment there today on Policy 5253 because I do feel it's it's it's important to remind staff that we must inform this is already in WAC but they must inform supervisor administration about any violations rise to the level of abuse neglect or exploitation and as future policies come forward to us that we talk about I'll be seeking to maintain or add policy language to
140additionally support cross-reporting allegations of harassment intimidation bullying and discrimination and retaliation. The goal that I have for this is that cross-reporting will help systemically to decrease complaint investigation times potentially and ensure the appropriate policies procedures and personnel or educational files are reviewed by multiple staff when investigating and evaluating the allegations. I think that systemically we have some gaps in our accountability and that this is one of the ways in which we can shore that up a bit further for the safety of our students. So I appreciate the work that we did today. I also wanted to share that the WSSDA General Assembly is coming up on the 25th and that's where the entire state votes on the WSSDA positions and I wanted to bring to your attention that as I sit on the Legislative Committee
141and work on helping to develop and recommend position statements to move forward one of the ones that will be coming that I supported and helped craft is one on comprehensive student safety. And just briefly it states losses shall initiate or support legislation to increase and ensure student experience of physical social and emotional safety. Legislation should include requirements for student voice and policy development parent notification increased scope and frequency of staff training enforcement of student safety requirements and creation of accountability for all staff and volunteers and provide needed funding. And so I'm I'm proud to support the development of that it’s coming in front of the full body on the 25th. And I still need to I think we still need to assign a delegate for the voting of that from the Seattle School District but
142I'll circle back on that. And I think that is all the notes that I had put down of the things I wanted to talk about and deep gratitude to everyone and sending out all of my patience and support to all of you as I'm trying to instill it in myself as well. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Director Hersey. >> DIRECTOR HERSEY: Hey thank you so much for everyone who has put in the work on all of these various pieces. It is greatly appreciated. Many of you know we started school today down in Federal Way with fully virtual learning and I got to say all things considered it went off without too many grumbles. But what I will say is that as an educator being back in my classroom and seeing my students faces and sitting
143there with their parents and helping them navigate through Zoom and Padlet and so many other resources it is just a solid reminder that we need to do everything in our power that we possibly can not only to support our families that are logging on but even more so to support our families who still do not have a device who do not speak the language in which all of our materials are written who do not have access to internet. There are so many various obstacles that our families are facing right now. And as they continue to try and show up to do what's right for their students the very least we can do is do our part to do the same. So as we are heading into what will be an unprecedented school year across this
144state I am really very excited and very very I don't even know the word frankly. I am hoping that we as a system can really step up to the plate and continue to do everything that we can to get our students the resources the technology and everything else that they need in order to continue to make this a decent and wonderful educational experience. Because if we do not our students have everything to lose. So thank you for all the work that has been going into this so far. We can't stop now. Let's keep pushing forward and I will cede the rest of my time. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Hersey. Director Harris. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Let me echo the deep gratitude. Let me echo my excitement about Alan T. Sugiyama High School at South
145Lake. And let me echo the frustration of parents and communities with respect to simple easy-to-use instructions. Whether that’s how to log on Teams whether that’s who I call when I have a problem. I think some of the website redo will help with that. Been working with Chief Jessee in terms of some of that for escalating issues and hope to see that. I think he and I are looking at 9:15 October 1st. And then the community engagement piece. Now more than ever incredibly important for us to be responsive to our community because they can't see our smiling faces. We can't meet in person. And we've we've truly got to step up our game. I am terrified about losing students from our district not so much because we lose the money but because we've lost the trust.
146And I know everybody's working hard. I just hope we can work smarter and more collaboratively. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Sure Director Hampson. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: Thank you. We've been going for a while so I'll try to keep my remarks short. I did want to say as part of Audit and Finance we've actually completed our review our external review of internal audit and that will be presented Monday morning at 7:30 with Moss Adams providing that that presentation. I'm really grateful to so many staff people and board members who contributed to that. I'm really proud of the work that went into that and the collaboration that created that report I think it's going to be incredibly useful tool and set of next steps to strengthen the role and the collaborative nature of internal audit towards better
147risk management and performative audits throughout the organization. And so I know Andrew Medina and I worked very hard on that with Moss Adams to make to to bring that to its conclusion and it's probably not exciting to a lot of folks but I do think that it's an important piece of work that brings to into light some work that that has actually been kind of just sitting for a while and and it represents a new era of of how we operate with our internal audit function our other our other staff person. So anyone who wants to tune in please do. I know it's early. It's a good way to get going on a Monday morning. I don't want to go into too much detail about you know first week of school in terms of what
148that's been like. I feel like it's really too early to tell. I know that the one comment that I've heard is kind of a sense of of loss. Happy to see each other but a sense of loss in terms of oh you know we're not really going to have any of that physical interaction with one another and for that reason I just want to re-highlight and underline the really hard work that this entire board did to along with many many many community members to put together a resolution on reopening schools with the prospects of having community and outdoor pilots in our schools and the importance of getting that message out and that we should have before the board next board meeting our Board Action Report on the Outdoor Learning Community and Outdoor Learning Task Force.
149And so that work does continue. And I hear folks in community who want to see us invest in that good work and I know that we're all committed to doing that because we are seeing already and will continue to see very clearly that our students need more than just a computer in order to connect to the development of their intellectual health and to connect to their teachers. There are things that our teachers do for children that we as parents just simply can't do. I think that was for me in connecting with my student’s teacher just that reminder was made me really grateful to have her back in our lives. But I know that she's very much desperate and concerned about what that's going to look like in a month when when kids particularly younger kids
150tire of that remote opportunity and haven't developed any other chances. So we really need to work hard at seeing at the not just trying to rebuild that brick-and-mortar but to be creative and to support our staff in our buildings are our admins and our teaching staff to do things creatively. That's really where I hope that we're all ready to move collaboratively and roll up our sleeves and do that work because it was hard to get to this reopening. So onward and upward and pįnagigi to everyone for their work in in getting to this meeting today. I know putting these BAR’s together is hard hard work and I want staff to know that that I do recognize that. And we have so much more to do. So we'll see you all tomorrow and the next day.
151Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. I just wanted to highlight our resolution in June our commitment to our Black students as well as work over the Summer the Director Mack mentioned. Directors Mack and Director Rankin and myself met I believe last week to go over policies that were elevated and identified and highlighted from both that resolution and our work session. And so those policies will move out to the appropriate committees. And so thank you Director Mack and Director Rankin for the work last week. Wanted to also just elevate that last night I had my LGBT an LGBT community Zoom meeting. This was our second attempt at this meeting. The first meeting we had we were Zoom-bombed with really harassing homophobic transphobic racist remarks. And so we had to we had to build in a
152lot more safety and security measures to ensure that we had a safe and inclusive and welcoming Zoom call yesterday. So I think if anything I want to elevate the lengths by which we have to take to keep some of our students safe in our district. And I you know I call out the parents and the families that don't that aren't raising their children to be more respectful and kind to others that are different than them. I have a list of of items that were raised by both students and families on last night's call and I'll compile those and send those to Superintendent Juneau and the appropriate staff for just some follow up questions as a as a commitment I made to the folks in that call yesterday. So thank you to them. Thank you to
153the families that help organize that the [indistinct] from my district as well as the Seattle Council PTSA for helping to organize that as well. And I look forward to future opportunities to connect with community. I wanted to give one final reminder about tomorrow. Our reopening update work session for this week is focused on attendance and schedules and so we will be discussing those topics tomorrow at 3:00 and you can find information where to dial in and listen to the conversation on our website. Thank you everybody for joining us. Thank you the staff for all your hard work. I know you're working hard as we reopen and so grateful to all of you. There being no further business to come before the board tonight the regular board meeting is now adjourned at 5:31 p.m. Thank you
154all and I will see you tomorrow at our work session. >> DIRECTOR HERSEY: Thank you.