Cuyahoga Falls City Schools BOE Regular Meeting 3/4/2026

001Good evening. It's 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4th, 2026. I'll call to order this regular meeting of the Ka Falls City School District Board of Education. Mr. Stoyco, will you please call the role? >> Mr. Gomez, >> here. >> Mr. Harris, here. >> Mrs. Schaefer >> here. >> Miss White >> here. >> Mrs. Zimmerman >> here. >> Thank you. Item B is approval of the agenda. Number one's a motion to approve the agenda. It's recommended that the board of education approves the agenda of the March 4th, 2026 board of education meeting. Action by the board of education adoption of a consent agenda means that all items are adopted by one singular motion unless a member of the board of education, treasur, superintendent requests that any such item be removed from the consent agenda and voted

002upon separately. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Please call the role. >> Mr. Gomez, >> I. >> Mr. Harris. >> Hi, >> Mrs. Schaefer. >> Hi, >> Miss White. >> Hi, >> Mrs. Z. >> Hi. >> Thank you. Item C is our opening ceremony. Number one is ourformational items. This meeting is a meeting of the Ka Falls Board of Education in public for the purpose of conducting the school district's business. It is not a public community meeting, although there are opportunities for public participation. If an individual wishes to address the board regarding a topic found on the meeting agenda, the individual must complete a registration form found inside the attendance notebook and present it to the treasurer. Following the introduction of the topic by the board president, followed by board discussion, the

003individual will be recognized. If an individual wishes to address the board regarding a topic not found on the meeting agenda, they must notify the superintendent and or board president of the topic no later than three business days in advance of the meeting. These individuals may share their comments during the board business portion of the agenda. In both cases, the individual will preface comments by announcement of their name and address and limit comments to three minutes. All statements should be directed to the board president. No person may address or question board members individually. An unabridged board agenda for this meeting can be found on your electronic device at the address shown on the screen. And for your convenience, hard copies of the board agenda may be found on the table by the signing book down by

004Mr. Harris. The next policy committee meeting is March 10th, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. at the Board of Education offices, 405 Calman Road. And the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Kaaga Falls Board of Education is March 18th, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. in the 612 Campus Performing Arts Center Blackbox Theater. Now for our pledge of allegiance and welcome Miss White. >> If you'll please stand if you're able and join me in the pledge. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Welcome. Our vision Ka Falls City School District, the hub of our community. Committed to a culture of caring. We innovate. We create. We personalize education for all. Our mission, every student, every

005day, every opportunity. >> Thank you, Miss White. Brings us to item D, presentations. We have one presentation this evening. It's a teaching and learning update. Invite up Mrs. Jodie Houseman. You should probably hold it from back there. of the community. Thank you for having me here today. Can you hear me if I get started? Okay. All right. So um we're doing a teacher learning update focusing on middle school team as well as teacher clarity work. So this is our third year of teacher clarity work. So um we go to the next slide. Thank you. These are our objectives through the strategic plan. So one is improving student learning outcomes through RTI and the process. The second one is about empowering our students. secondary and professional success through a variety of ways of supporting our learners,

006mathematical problem solving, teamwork, literacy, resulting in students being employed, enlisted or enrolled. And then the last one is our black tigers will experience a strong sense of belonging where every individual feels connected to our school community um specifically that they are contributing to their own growth and the growth of others. And so those are the three objectives that we're using to kind of guide our work now that that's been adopted. So the next slide is on our teacher clarity timeline. So we're in year three and so just pacing out the next couple years. So the first year was really very basic standards and understanding Bloom's taxonomy really diving into uh what we should be teaching and then the next introduced the data dashboard which provides uh many different types of supports where we can kind

007of look at uh students data just about the student. We could look at it more globally across the whole district. Uh today we were looking at our attendance rates by the month from last year to this month this year. So our data dashboard continues to grow in what it can provide us. Um we also talked about student success criteria. students know what they should be be able to know and be able to do as they learn. And then we introduced um MTSS last year and started to really deepen those practices and then also again this year. You'll see I didn't repeat it or keep things going. It's just please assume that year one stays with us. Year two stays with us. Year three is now is the year we're in. So we're looking at standards

008pacing, learning how to pace our standards over time. Uh we're learning student engagement techniques. It's working. Thank you so much. Good job. Good job, ladies. Yay. Um and that is uh focusing on what our DT asked us to do last year. So where we use the uh council of our teacher leaders and administrators on that. Uh teacher efficacy is something that we introduced this year and you'll learn a little bit about that. Uh readiness assessments is something we did that is a state level assessment but it's more formative. I'll share some data on that. Our early warning system which is part of MTSS but it's specific to catching kids early um before they fail. And we're also starting peer-to-peer observations where our teachers are going into other teachers classrooms and observing each other teach. So,

009it's pretty cool. So, next year you'll see that we'll um continue with pacing and mapping. We're going to introduce retrieval practices, um common assessments, and teameing. And then year five, we'll go into visible learning, scope and sequence, formative and summitive assessments, and then teameing expansion. So that's kind of like give you an idea of teacher clarity work. All right. At our DT we always have our strategic plan there to guide us that the district has put. We want all our students to be employed and listed and enrolled. And the three major overarching goals is a culture of caring, facilitating our financial future and steering to student achievement. We try to keep that up front and center. These are our norms that we use and everyone does an amazing job. Um we feel norms are really

010important when we're learning and doing professional learning and so we use that and then we also do on the next slide is hello huddle. We bring everybody together. We do a full circle and why we do that is to focus on ourselves as educators and how can we share um either happiness moments or other things and our mental wellness pieces that we can learn and share that with our teachers and share with our students. And so this one was about an article on practical optimism and what that looks like. And so we we talked and read about that a little bit. Then we're going to go into a little bit about what we've been focusing with teacher clarity. So this is uh a phrase from our objective continuously improve student learning outcomes. So this next

011slide is about grace and it's hard to read but basically there's so much data on our children that we have to figure out how can we use that data effectively and so we know that um every child has a data story and the data dashboard that we're using with teacher clarity is giving us that data story. So, for example, just this week, we added all the assessments a child has taken since they were in kindergarten all the way up. And so, now we can look at over many years how a child's been doing on their profile. And so, that's helping us to kind of see trends student by student. And then we also created a list where we can look at a class cohort, for example, and see how they're doing across the cohort. And

012so we're trying to find ways to make we're so data rich to make it accessible for educators and administrators. So um so that is part of the data story. >> Well, we include data that isn't student specific in that. >> Um we do >> like our SEAL screener is not >> tied to that specific students in any way. So would we tie that into what we're looking at? We talked about that today that we wanted to add panorama data because that is in our MTSS spreadsheets but we want to kind of bring it into the data dashboard as well. So uh we just had the conversation today with Miss Gashki who is our guru who helps us with this. So um on the next slide we look at that there's different types of data and

013so looking at grades this is the data that teachers are using every day then there's maybe something like an Iowa assessment right it's nationally normed and then you have state tests where you're looking at achievement too often we talk about the Ohio state test very often of course it's very important it's a it's a public uh information document but we're trying to show uh educators that there's other data points that kind of tells that data story and how can we use that data and so we do that at our data meetings, our MTSS meetings and at the DT this was so here's a point of data that we looked at and you might have seen this earlier in the year but this was showing us that we're growing in our achievement on specific standards. So

014we needed to show how can we show or short-term wins that maybe isn't conveying um in one area, but this is something that we can see that our we're strengthening in meeting our standards based on the data. And so we're excited to see if that grows again by next fall. And then the next one, this was uh shared with you also. This was value added data. You'll see like um previously we had like a negative 10.92 as an index and now our three years out is a negative 5.78 because those higher numbers are still part of it's a three-year uh number. So you don't get the uh the data that was uh measured for that school year. It's a three-year comprehensive. So, but then you can see two years out we were at a negative

0152.37 and then this past year a positive 1.14. So, you can see we're trending positive in our growth measures. So, we hope to see um that negative number will fall off. We hope in the in the fall and we'll have another positive and so we'll start to see that number um be more representative of what we're seeing in our classrooms. Can you take a brief moment just to talk about what value added is measuring? >> Yeah. So value added is measuring that a per a child is showing the expected one year's growth. So if they met one year's growth, so if they're standing in a bus line, that they're in the same place in line the following year that they were the previous year. If they move up in line, that means they grew more

016than one year. If they fall back in line, they grew less than one year. So it's just measuring their growth. It's not a specific achievement level. Then we looked at the data of readiness assessments. Um board of education, you have a few more slides. I just included a couple. Um these are what we see as formative assessments. So children are taking this at the beginning of third grade and these are third grade standards and a third grade assessment. So you can see they didn't do that well because it's the beginning of third grade, but it tells us we do have some children who were performing well. Um, and then in the middle of the year we took it again and you can see our growth from the beginning of the year. So this is more

017of a formative assessment because many times you hear about the OST being um like a summitive is at the end of the year. What are we going to do with that data? Now that the state offers readiness assessments, we can kind of touch base with our students at in the fall and the middle of the year. And so, and then of course the end ofear test is the spring test. So, we'll see how we do. Here's an example of our algebra. Uh, so again, these are students who are taking algebra. We're just started. They just took the test in September. Okay? And then you can see by mid year our growth. So then we hope to see even more growth by the spring. So this is a way and then the data that comes from

018this is the actual um samples of student answers, how students did on specific standards or specific questions. it's very rich instructionally for our teachers to kind of understand um about the students sitting in the seats this year. So that's something we looked at at our DLT as well. And then um the next slide >> if you just look at um third grade ELA which is we know a critical one because the >> third grade guarantee and >> yes >> the provisions that start this year um if you look at the midyear one from the pre-instruction we had 79% of kids coming in not proficient which makes sense because they haven't been taught those standards yet. Yes. But then by mid year we've moved 35% of them that were not proficient to proficient or better >>

019and that's just by midyear instruction. >> Correct. And this is also we switched to online assessments at third grade. So this also gives them the technical side of test taking it online understanding drag and drop understanding what hot text is where it's highlighted. So there are a lot of technical test items in the state test and so we want to make sure that children are introduced to that so that the technical side of the test does not impact what they know. So that gives them a little bit of practice. This is what our um building leadership teams have been doing when they come to the district uh leadership team. They're talking about um what success criteria looks like. They're reviewing their pacing. They're looking at um if there is things are in sync and make

020sense and they bring students examples which are usually electronic like p pictures and then is there enough rigor and does it align to the standards and then what they do is they get with another building and they share their slide deck and about their work. So I gave you an example of Richardson's. So that's um this document. It's not going to be on the screen. So this was an example of Richardson sharing with another school in October about how things were going and this was for a kindergarten ELA standard. So it talks about what is the standard. So this is teacher clarity 101. And then do we know what our students are going to do? Um, and know be able to know. And so then they define that. And because this is kindergarten, you're going

021to see um more about a response and drawing because they're not necessarily writing at the beginning of kindergarten. Then on the next page, they share that 90% of their students met the success criteria. They then there's a link to um their pacing calendar. We asked them to share that. So every team has a pacing calendar now and then we'll start to vertically align that next year. Um we also they felt that they're pacing well according to where they need to be. So they ranked themselves a five out of five. They shared some samples which we think um shows the full picture of what we're doing. We're not just talking about it. they were showing student samples. Um, and then Richardson also shared a math example. And so again, they felt that the students met the

022criteria by 80%. They have a math pacing calendar that is hyperl there. And then if you look on the last page, you'll see some narrative that we asked them to write and share out. And so you'll see that um that they felt that their engagement was improving. So they said we have a very quiet student and this was an engagement technique of no opt out. We pair the strategy to use and when asked the question she did not have the answer. Then the rest of the class answered gave her feedback and when we circled back to her she gave a beautiful response. So the no opt out strategy is it's okay if you don't know the answer, someone else will help you, but we come back to you and you get to share it again.

023Get to build your confidence that you know the answer. It's another way to learn together. Um so that was one of our first strategies that we learned this year. If you look on the intentional use of the strategy, I often call in students who may be off task or struggling to stay engaged. I found this helps bring them back into the conversation. When a student doesn't know how to respond or isn't sure of the answer, they know they can call and appear for support and that will circle back to them. The approach allows them to hear correct information, build confidence, and still have the opportunity to share knowledge with their class. So that is um and then they do a rating of how often they're using the engagement strategy. So that's a sample when the

024team sit down together and talk about teacher clarity. It kind of is an outline and they prepare this before they come. So okay back to the presentation the next slide. Here's another example of I these are algebra teachers. So they ranked u themselves a little bit differently. So overall they felt that they were on track with their pacing. I recently attended this TBT. It was pretty amazing from last year to this year how they are pacing their standards together. Now they're pacing their assessments together. They're even collaborating about their assessments and we are having totally different conversations than last year. But had we not prepared them and taught the standards, gave them time to dive into it, the conversations wouldn't be where they are today. So sometimes you go slow to go fast. Um then

025the next one is this was feedback. So this was the high school was paired with Preston and so they shared out their uh feedback from their presentations. And so you'll see alignment assessment items, vertical alignment with strategy, um student engagement, um particularly across grade levels. And then the next one, this was price in the middle school. They shared um that again that they saw a totally vertical ELA standard was aligned across grade levels. They also talked about that both schools feel a large amount of buyin. This is key to teacher clarity work because if we don't have buyin then it doesn't stick in culture and so we're I'm really pleased that there has been buy in about that. Um and also that they also talk about buyin. Then the next one was Richardson and Dit

026and they they wrote a little bit more. They said the student work samples closely align with the standards. So part of the work samples is like a test to see is the sample and the product aligning with the standard because if it's out of alignment then that means we're not really um covering what needs to occur for that course or that um year. So that is on there and then they also talked about their engagement strategy. This was the no opt out and they felt there was 80% of teachers in both buildings using it regularly. And we've done about four or five strategies this year. So this is just an example for you. And then lastly was Lincoln and Silver Lake. I really like this one at the bottom. They said understanding the depth of

027the standard and aligning it to instruction and assessments and that our English learner students are benefiting from hearing new vocabulary when using it in their responses. So, um, there every building could kind of have their own response, your own experience, which is great, but we're you can tell we're all talking and learning the same things. So, you build kind of a commitment in the culture. So, then the next slide tells us in to our next area, high expectations to guide them toward a clear and purposeful future. So, this goes into teacher efficacy. This is a high impact strategy and this is where we're sharing at the district leadership team the power of teachers believing that they impact student learning outcomes and that the more that teachers feel a sense of excellence in what they do

028the peer-to-peer observations learning from one another strengthening their skill set and knowing that that impacts learning that in itself increases student achievement. So, I will not play the uh video for you, but there's a twominute video that I would encourage you um I'll send it to you electronically of what it is and what it isn't. It isn't about um celebrating um certain things that we do in the classroom. It's really about being um that we're analyzing ourselves as practitioners, that we're comfortable being collegial and not just congenial, right? that we care about each other, we like each other's people, but we really start to have those professional conversations as well. And so I think we're starting to move into that realm. Preston at their BLT shared their peer-to-peer observations um going into their classrooms. Um

029Dwit has done some of those and then our literacy coaches have been doing that through the year with second and third grade classrooms. So, um, so that's a that's a big, uh, change that we're starting and not everyone's doing it. Um, I do believe that it's okay for us to be on a continuum and that some are going to be comfortable or leading us. Others might be, you know, just dipping their toe in it, but eventually we all get there. Okay. So then the next, if we go into Ricker, you can go to the next one. This is an example of the challenge in teacher clarity work because every stakeholder defines things differently. So here's an example defining rigor. So parents might think about it as a volume of homework or the difficulty of earning

030an A. A teacher might see it as the cognitive workload. How hard are they cognitively working? um are they analyzing and applying a higher level of Bloom's taxonomy? Administrators will see it as is there an alignment to the state standards? Are they ensuring the curriculum is challenging? Are they seeing measurable growth? So part of teacher clarity among all of us is to say, do we agree on the definitions of what we're talking about? So we also work on that this year. And so here is what I think the one of the better images that define academic rigor. So productive struggle where we accept and well share with you a little bit about how we teach children to be comfortable with productive struggle. Um higher order thinking that we are um always looking at Bloom's taxonomy.

031Can we take it to the next level to a higher level of performance for our students? high expectations is one of the number one ways to increase student achievement is that we just expect a lot from our students. Autonomy that we get our children comfortable with feeling that they can learn independently. Um and we don't have to be with them by their side to learn the next step in the process. Um so how do we help them feel that comfort of support and some independence? Um and then of course classroom culture, right? that you you can feel it in a classroom when you know there's high expectations and there's uh deep learning occurring. And so what what's hard about this concept is it's like one of those you know it when you see it or

032you feel it, but can you really talk about it? Can you define it? So we're trying to break this down into pieces and parts so that maybe we can put it back together and help our teachers uh and administrators understand that more in depth. The next slide is called the learning pit. So, I don't know if you've heard I don't know if I shared this with you, James Noddingham's work. So, um, our seventh grade team at the middle school is, uh, using this, and I don't know if anyone else is, but it's this is a collaborative version, but it's teaching children that they begin learning something, um, they have a new idea, and then they begin to have productive struggle and they go into the learning pit and they feel the struggle and they feel

033the greyness of that. Don't know where I'm going. Again, this is the student success criteria. But then they climb out, they come out the other side and then they feel that internal motivation that they succeeded with their learning. So if we can teach children about productive struggle, then they won't be afraid to kind of dive into their learning instead of waiting for an adult to get them started. Does that make sense? >> Yeah. Good. Thank you. [laughter] >> Okay. >> I think Younger children are very good at that, too. >> Yes. They take more risks. >> Well, and they're good at having the conversation here or asking you a question that you said this and then it made me think of this, so now I'm going to ask tell you about this. Yes. >> And

034then it circles back to here >> and I think we kind of lose that as we go. >> I agree. So I think building the awareness of it is is again is how we can kind of keep deepening our understanding. This is again from our strategic plan. Um they will discover purpose by setting personal goals that contribute to their own growth and the growth of others. So then with teacher clarity we've been talking about student engagement. This is by Amy Barry Dr. Bar's work and it teaches us about engagement, the disengagement and the engagement side. Sometimes what we'll see as engagement is participating, doing work, paying attention, responding to questions. But when you look at that, you're pretty close to passive. It's not really active learning, but when you go into asking questions, valuing the

035learning, setting goals, seeking feedback, self assessment, that's when you're driving your own learning. So, this is just a chart that we're starting to introduce and we'll actually be talking more about this at the next DT. >> So, when they set goals, they'll be linked to the standards, >> the children. >> Yes. And we actually talked about um a teacher uh ele one of our principles shared today. A teacher went through the readiness assessments, had the children set their goals, went over what they did well, areas of growth to kind of help them understand. We also had um some math teachers at the high school use that strategy and their achievement grew by double digits. >> Good. >> So setting goals is a really impactful strategy. >> And then the self assessment, they can assess where

036they are. correct? >> If they've met their goals or not. And to me that is very important. Goes back to blooms for synthesizing, analyzing, and um evaluating. So yeah, I think that's >> that's good that we're going to do that more. >> Does everybody do that right now? No. But we are beginning that journey and so I'm excited. >> Works more and more people. >> That's right. We spread the good news. [laughter] >> Go ahead. >> The next one is just when we introduce a strategy um we share what it is, we provide a lesson plan. We show because the building leadership team goes back and teaches. So I teach, we teach at the district leadership team and then they go back to the building and teach because we only have two or three professional

037learning days in a year. I don't have a vehicle to go and teach at every building level. So I have to rely on our teacher leaders and our administrators to kind of bring that information back and bring it alive to others. Okay, the next one is STAR. This one really um is popular at the elementary school. It was not necessarily a fit for the high school. Uh some of the middle school teachers are using it, but it was teaching our students how to physically engage in learning, how to show up, um how to, you know, sit tall. When someone else is talking, another student is talking. You're looking at the student. You're not just looking when the teacher talks, right? Just some of it's just those soft skills that we want children to have. um

038showing that they're ready to learn, learning how to speak their turn, you know, how to um you know, just be a a good citizen within the classroom. The next one is no apologies. Um this is where sometimes in in the hopes of helping our students understand like, oh gosh, this is really going to be challenging. We're going to do this lesson on fractions. I'm really sorry. this is just so hard, but I know you can do it. But we're setting them up by apologizing already for the challenge. And we want to switch the language that um challenges are good. It's exciting. You know, get ready for this. This is going to be amazing. Hang in there. You might fall in the learning pit. We're going to get you out, right? And even administrators do it.

039We're at the staff meeting. I'm so sorry. Mrs. Hman told me I had to share this at the staff meeting. You know, we'll get through it. you know, everybody have another donut, right? So, even at Oh, listen to them laugh. They're like, "Oh, that really happens." >> Really, really [laughter] hit a nerve there. >> But it that no apologies is a mindset as an educator. We think we're kind of just doing the right thing, but um it might be putting the wrong mindset [snorts] into our students. So, that's a strategy >> and that also goes to the teachers. So if you're >> correct >> teaching something like I did in middle school, seventh grade, I was trying to teach them what a thesis statement was. Well, they've never known. Yes. I got frustrated. Yes. Because

040I couldn't get them there, >> but I had to rethink how I taught and reach them and they got it. So yeah, but that learning pit. >> That's [laughter] what I mean. The teachers can learn too. Yes. Different ways to approach and go >> and that we get comfortable learning together which is so important. Um the next one is this is our most recent one. Keep thinking questions. So it's very common when children are learning to ask their teacher, did I get this right? Or maybe ask you know a family member, a loved one at home, did I get it right? And so instead of stopping the learning and say, oh, yep, you got it. They shut down. Okay, I'm going to just wait. Right. You can ask a thinking question. keep them learning while

041they're doing that independent learning time. And so that keep thinking question again is going back to rigor. Questioning is one of the easiest ways to differentiate and personalize learning. It is so effective, right? That's why the Socratic seminar has been around for thousands of years because it works. And Whiten Wisdom does a Socratic seminar. Our teachers love it. The kids love it. But this is again most teachers research will tell us I would say the same for me. We stick to about three to five strategies that we know really well. We feel comfortable using in our classroom. So for us to try new things is pretty disruptive. And so we have to figure out how to help root these things in culture. So it comes back and it comes back and it comes back. Um

042I don't pick the flavor of the month. you know, maybe they get bored sometimes, but um I want it to stick. Then the next one is about high expectations. I love this term. Um are the students social loafing? Meaning, are they in um a team or they're working with a partner and someone or a couple people are working really hard? they're doing the answers and then maybe a couple people are like, I'm just gonna kind of hang out here quietly, right? They're not really engaged. And so, how can we change that? Because what happens at station teaching or cooperative learning is really not all children are learning. >> It looks they look busy, but that doesn't mean they're always learning to the depth that we need them to. So this is we're teaching teachers about

043if they're observing passive actions, how are they going to engage their learners? This might even happen in people's workplace, right? [laughter] >> You might you might have a term to take back to work. Um this was a recent survey. We had 108 responses which I think is really good. Um, and so you can see that we've had a really good buyin with our engagement strategies. And again, the teachers chose this topic. Uh, so I'm really pleased. So this was the no opt out. Do now is when a child comes in the classroom, they get started doing something right away. There's some type of learning that will occur right when they walk in. So the STAR strategy, which I shared with you, and again, we knew that this wasn't a high school one. Um and the

044no apologies is really um really getting a strong response which is great. And then this is interesting because I wish I would have asked this question at the beginning of the year because the reason why we focused on it is we felt there wasn't enough engagement but I was really pleased to see that they see that growing more. So, so that is teacher clarity in a nutshell. Any thoughts or questions before I go on to teaming? I >> think you speak to some of the like our um portrait of black tiger, critical thinking, resiliency, >> all of these things >> are showing up here as well. >> Yes. And you'll see that's going to come into teaming. So, you'll see it on some documents here. Um, so this is again one of our objectives. All

045Black Tigers will experience a strong sense of belonging where every individual feels connected to our school community. So then we go into the teaming model. Here's our timeline. So year one, um, there's a shared vision and we'll help our teams create their own core values. uh they will all be working on so all middle school teams will work on an operations academic goals and expectations and their pod culture. We'll train staff on the stages of team growth. So um forming, storming, norming and performing. So and that is the natural cycle of teaming and coming together when you collaborate. We'll launch student teaming with a group of early adopters. So, we're kind of running two parallel ideas, teacher teaming and student teams. They're they're similar but different. And then we'll continue our teacher based teams and

046teacher clarity work when we get together because our middle school they have a team time and then they have like their TV time, their planning time. So, you have enough time in the day where we can um work on all these things. Okay. Then year two, we will again ensure all our teacher teams reach the norming level of development. They may not all be at performing level. That's okay. It takes a little bit of time. Um regularly assess how effective um effectively each team is functioning. Provide teaming principal training for new teachers. This will be really important. So every year that a new teacher comes into the middle school culture, we'll need to give them like a 101 on teaming. Um expand the student team model. So, we want to see this the cooperative learning

047model for students to start to expand year two. That's going to be a heavier lift because it's a different way of teaching cooperatively and then strengthening teacher leadership and continue to refine instructional practices. And then year three, looking at a full integration of the teaming model. We hope to be at the performing level. um scale the student teaming model to include all the remaining teams, build student agency and collaborative habits in all school practices, teaming practices and products and lead ongoing school improvement to ensure the model remains sustainable. So we have to keep building models where it it's not reliant on a person for it to continue. We have to have teacher leaders and administrators within the culture that can keep things going. This was our vision statement that the teaming committee put together. So

048we worked on this over a couple um couple meetings and so they really are so excited about this work. We have teachers from all grade levels, different content areas, and they'll be they'll be part of those teacher leaders helping to roll out in August. And then the next one was their core pillars. So, intentionally designed structures drive. There you go, Miss White. Personalized learning and social growth. Shift from lecture to teaming where we build student soft skills. Portrait of a black tiger. They talked about that a lot. We had uh two people I think that are on the portrait of black tiger on our committee as well. So we have a nice crosswalk there with the portrait of black tiger committee. Um advocacy and whole child support for middle level learners and then academic successes

049collective. That's that teacher advocacy piece. Okay. So that's some of the work we put together. And then I'm going to ask you to go to I gave you some separate doc documents. The first one says one voice operations checklist. So we went through in practice as a committee what conversations would look like for a team. And so when you look at this, it breaks down by team identity, grading and assignment waiting, which is a really hot topic when you're a teacher, operational policies, the student experience, assessment, academic planning, um social emotional learning, student advocacy, and parent and community communication. So they most of them have chosen their um their names of their pods. So their identity has kind of been chosen, but we also want to talk about their physical space. We talked about bulletin

050boards. How do we want to display student work? These these little pieces build into culture. Um grading and assignment waiting. You see that there's a different approach per grade level. Um the zero policy, what does that look like? So that would be a building or grade level decision. So not everything's a teaming decision. Some are department decisions, some are building level decisions, but going through like a decision-making process like this helps them define that. Then if you look at the back of that page, are they going to offer extra credit? If they do, what would that look like? Is that an effective use? gradebook transparency, making sure we're following board policy, making sure that we're updating it together as a team, that we communicate and use that as a communication tool. And then the student

051experience talks about the homework policy. So, we're going to talk together as a team how we're going to give out homework so that children don't have one night of ex extensive homework and then nothing on another night. Like, we're going to talk about how we're going to manage homework. They're going to have the same late work policy and the redo policy. So, they're going to bring that together as a team. Um, talking about co-eing and co-planning, hall pass procedures. Um, teams need to be on the same when it comes to a bathroom signout log, like how do they want to do that? These are little things, but they're really big when it comes to culture in a classroom. Technology norms. How are they going to use Google Classroom? I recently had a parent say, "My

052child has to log in to six different teachers for Google Classroom and it can be overwhelming sometimes. So, how do they want to use Google Classroom?" Uh, having a team calendar for assessments. So, again, not everyone's tested on a Friday. Um, what's their makeup protocol? Interdisciplinary connection. So, we talked about this interdisciplinary work is very robust and can be very challenging. And so, um, I've studied inter sessions where you do them across teams or, uh, grade level departments and you do them like the week of Thanksgiving or the week of spring break and you pick like three or four periods in a school year where we practice interdisciplinary and we kind of build an understanding of it before we just dive right in and start doing it um, at a local level. Now, we do

053have interdisciplinary work already happening, which is exciting. It's happening organically, which is the best kind. But for those that maybe are going to feel uncomfortable in that arena, we can begin to build experiences for them and teach them how to do that. We also talk about um social emotional like is there going to be a watch list so we know which children are going to need some support? Um do we have celebrations? How are we going to do celebrations as a team? Um, how are we going to communicate to parents? Like, do we want to send an email from every teacher? Probably not. Do we want to send a team email? Do we want to do a Friday newsletter? Like, how do we want to share what we're doing in our classrooms? This is a

054lot of conversation for teachers who typically have autonomy in their classroom. It's like parallel play, right? I'm going to go in my classroom. You're going to go in your classroom. We're going to do our thing. that teaming means you're going to come together and make these decisions holistically. Then the next one, and I won't go through all of these, is an academic commitment checklist. So, um, do we ensure that our lessons target the exemplary column of the OST rubric? Right? Are we using positive assetbased language? Um, do we use protocols that ensure every student, not just the hand raisers, engage in learning? Um, do we share learning intouch in intentions? Do we all communicate success criteria in the classrooms? Um, do we agree on academic vocabulary that goes across content area? So now we're getting

055into a lot of detail when it comes to teaching and learning. But again, these are the conversations you should be having on a team. So too often we stop at the operations, which this is hard, but the academic one, this gets much harder. So we'll keep building. Um, but again, the committee really really uh support this. They have felt so far it's been a positive experience. they appreciate that they're kind of practicing before we take it to the teachers in August. Um, and then the last one is just about motivating students, building a culture of celebration. Um, that intrinsic motivation, fun ways that maybe we can engage children with awards and things that um, don't cost a lot of money, don't take a lot of time, but hopefully are fun for kids. So, that's the

056last one on that. And then the next slide is this is the last slide. This is um about student teaming. So, what I've been researching and reading is, and you might even have this in a workplace where um you're on different teams and you might switch based on topic or based on the day, but there is some research that if you keep a team together for a whole quarter or a semester, the children are learning how to develop their roles. They're learning how to not do the social loafing because after a while, you're going to see the same person again. They're developing friendships, right? How to work together. So part of the student teaming model is to take what we're doing as adults and transfer it to the student level. That's why this part of

057it is definitely going to be much more challenging. But we do student teaming. It's just there would be a little bit more intentionality and how we set it up. Teach students their roles. what does their role do on the team and then how do they rely on each other rely on other teams and then the teacher is not the keeper of all knowledge they start to share it among themselves so that's kind of a a quick overview of kind of where we are with teaming um where we plan to go and then we'll push this uh out in August to we'll start working with all the teachers on it so it's just planning right now I had two questions. One is >> I like what we're doing with teaming, but one is like this three-year

058plan. >> Is there any way that we could be more >> ramped up with it? Because three years is a middle schooler's entire Yes. >> time. So, if we're saying that we can't get >> this model to where we want it to be, then we're going to have kids go through their whole middle school cycle. I feel confident it won't be and this is why when we rolled out Whitten Wisdom remember we did a first followers model and then many teachers said I really want to try this Whitten Wisdom then they started earlier than they were even projected to begin and so most of our teachers were using Whitten Wisdom long before um they had to. So I also think the the teacher teaming will all be pacing at the same pace. So that's going

059to happen all together. The student academic teaming um I'm going to need the first follower groups of teachers to teach the next group of teachers. I hope we'll be done in two years. I guess I'd rather um I don't want to if I I don't want to be wrong on that, but I think we could do it in less than um three years for sure, but um I know with teacher clarity it's taking three years to kind of see some of the growth that we're hoping to see too. So um >> but it's not like you are only giving this information to your first your sharing this with the entire staff to get >> Absolutely. Yes. >> And and ready to go >> and building and the teacher leaders will be on this journey teaching

060too. I won't be the only one sharing information. >> I know I get I get like that too. Can we do it now? I want it now. Yeah. But I realized that it's hard for some >> because we at the high school we worked at 9th 10th 11th 12th. It took me a year to get one outline that we could all share. A year just to get that to agree on their vocabulary, to agree on the content. >> One year. I was very frustrated, but we did it. [laughter] >> I don't even know if they still use it, but you know, and it took us a long time just to agree. And then we did ninth grade rubric rubrics, 10th grade, 11th and 12th. >> That took a year to get I don't know if

061it's English teachers, I don't know, but they're they like their way and their rubrics. And so to get them to come together, it was it was difficult. It it does take time. >> I do plan to dedicate a big part of my time at the middle school next year. So hopefully, >> you know, I can keep things going and things don't, you know, stop in our movement. So I hope I can kind of keep that moving forward. My other question was in terms of um commitments to utilizing spaces. So we designed spaces intentionally. Yes. >> For teaming and I didn't see anything in those documents about their team commitments to utilizing the spaces. How are we using collaborative spaces? How are we using these flexible spaces or other spaces throughout the building to maximize the

062teaming opportunities that we have? they're starting to use them in their core instruction already and they're starting to spill out into the collaborative space as well. Um, small groups or classes. Um, but yes, part of the operations will be how to use that space, how to design because the space is the third teacher, right? That's why you designed it that way. So, it supports teaming. Um, so right part of what we need to do is how do we intentionally use a collaborative space? >> Yeah, I think it should be in one of those documents about how they're planning their teaming around utilizing a space that was designed for team. Teaming isn't just having your four teachers assigned to you. It's about so much more than that as you're saying, which was also the space. >>

063A shout out to Miss Carile. No, she's here tonight. >> She um she was a teacher that started using the space and um used all of the space in the collaborative and her classroom and her children were all through the pod working on a and I just happened to walk in that day. It wasn't planned or anything and so it's starting to happen organically which is exciting but yeah we can make it more intentional for sure. >> I think that would be helpful. >> Yeah. And the the ELA standards are generic. They're not specific. So you can use reading the readings or especially the writing I think comes into play with any other subject >> you know. So that is something to look at. Not that the English teachers are going to love that because

064it might need more grading. So we have to have >> common rubrics for all the subject area that they can all use to grade you know because that it takes a lot of time to grade >> and the state of Ohio has established rubrics so they can work off of those too. Well, because I think ultimately the goal of this could be that science and writing, language arts are co-eing >> Yes. >> part of the day. I mean, when we went and visited North Ridgeville, that's what they talked to us about doing. U and we tooured their building. They're like, "We're using this space because we realize that I can teach them my writing standard while she teaches their science standard and then have them write a paper >> and we've covered both standards." >>

065We are starting to do that. So, the people on our committee are already beginning those examples and that's why they're there. So, um so they'll be able to share their examples and and what's working. So, >> that's that's the goal. common themes will come into play more as well when you have some common themes >> so they can um do those units as well. So >> yeah, >> thank you for your time tonight. I appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> Good stuff. >> That brings us to item E. Treasure CFO's business consent agenda. Miss Stocoy. >> Thank you. I'd like to recommend the board of education approve all items listed in the treasur's consent agenda. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Discussion. Morgo. >> Yes. Real quick. Um the minutes donations. Um I always like

066to point out there Ben Curtis and then um another one for the Black Tiger Family Center. Um so um I know we see the Ben Curtis Family Foundation on here quite often. So um appreciate all that they do. Um and then the amended appropriations. I had um sent you an email. Um we've got our final ex auxiliary amounts in um February. So those needed updated a little bit an increase. Um and when we changed some of the um building projects before the O4 and the 010, I forgot to think about for interest in the future. it was just accounting for what we had at the time. But as we're because we still have balances and we're accumulating even though it's not that much anymore between the local and there's none in the state share um

067to have the ability to spend that because we can use that towards you know whatever we're using all of it right now actually towards the project from the local and state. So, um, just to be able to do that, um, so we guesstimated a little bit about what we would get through the end of the year, um, on that, but so we could use it once once we got it each month. >> Any questions or comments? Please call the role. >> Mr. Harris, >> hi. >> Mrs. Schaefer, >> I. >> Miss White, >> I. >> Mrs. Zimmerman, >> I. >> Mr. Gomez, >> I. >> Thank you. That brings us to item F, treasure, CFO's business. Miss Stocoy, any comments? >> Um, we are in the middle of budget season, looking forward to next year

068already. Um, so there are a few changes again um this school year as uh some of you know we've decided over the past year some are state changes which with accounting codes again and how they want us to do it. So trying to get everything in line. So, we expect to have those out to all the departments and buildings sometime next week to get going um on for the next year. Those are usually due sometime early May and then we can go through them before those u some of those individuals leave for summer break. So, >> you want us to adopt that and >> the official permanent appropriations that are based off those budgets. Will it be in the first that meeting in July? >> July. >> Yep. Yep. >> That's it. [snorts] >> Brings

069us to item G, superintendent CEO's business consent agenda. Dr. Salica. >> Thank you. Uh, Mr. Gomez, I'd like to recommend that the board approve all items as listed in the consent agenda. >> So move discussion. Dr. Sala. >> Thank you. Well, my computer timed out on me, but luckily I brought some notes and I'll try to refer to what's behind me. Um, we have some personnel um, items for your consideration. A couple of uh, retirements that I'd like to point out. Um, Arthur, we call him Art over at the custodian at Price. So, notice that he will be retiring and appreciative of his service to us. And Deborah Hammond, the food service assistant um, at our 6th through 12th grade campus. So, thank you to both of them. We have um, some resignations, some classified

070appointments. Uh we have our spring coaches and some other uh coaches there listed for your consideration. Some uh number of leads with absences. We have our um volunteer baseball coach and we have a substitute transportation monitor. Um along with personnel, we have some contracts. Templeton is a transportation service uh used for the transportation of students whose needs cannot be met through traditional bus routes. This is a new company um that we will be using. Uh we also have threeus for our CCP courses. Uh that's University of Akran, Lakeland Community College, and Kyhoga Community College. So, we're asking for your approval of those. Those are minor um revisions to those contracts. Pretty much just updates to them regarding dates, etc. We have an overnight field trip. Um good news. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Okay. I just

071kept going on my notes. I didn't look up. I'll hold off on that one. Thank you then. That's it. >> Thank you. Questions or comments from the board? Thank Mrs. Zean. She answered my many questions about the Templeton transportation service agreement. Um it's hard to find transportation uh bus drivers as we know and it's hard to find private transportation providers as well. This is the only company that returned her phone call and had any capacity to provide transportation to the student. Um, but in order to be fiscally responsible, we're only transporting with this private company half the day. We're able to provide it through our district transportation half the day. we're using this company the other half the day because their rates are expensive. Um so they worked it out through Margie in the bus

072garage and with Mrs. Zean um that we were able to do it through district transportation half the day and to swing that. So our appreciation to Mrs. Zean and to Margie and the transportation department as well. >> Please call the role. >> Mrs. Schaefer. >> Hi. >> Miss White. >> Hi. >> Mrs. Zimmerman. I >> Mr. Mr. Gomez. >> Hi, >> Mr. Harris. >> Hi. >> Brings us to item H. Superintendent Co's business. Your comments, Dr. >> Thank you, Mr. Gomez. Just a couple, we had a meeting last week, so I covered a lot of areas. Um, but I just want to give a couple reminders of our CF idol is tomorrow night uh here in the auditorium. We have our all city percussion concert on March 11th. And then I know we'll have a

073meeting before this, but I just want to give a couple um reminders for our vendor fair. Um, I spoke with Miss Keller, uh, who oversees that and does an amazing job and she said they're close to a hundred vendors and that's on March 21st. So, I will definitely make it a point to get some more goodies this year. That's all. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. SA. Brings us to item I, board business. Number one is request to address the board. We have seven people signed up to address the board tonight. Uh, and we're grateful for all of you for doing so. I'm going to call people up in the order. They're they're listed on the agenda. Oh, you can't see it. So, if you have a copy of the agenda, I'll call people up

074in the order. They're listed on the agenda because that's the order in which we receive them in. You have three minutes to speak. You don't have to state your address um because we do have it on file. If it's part of your speech and it's going to mess you up, cannot state your address. Just go ahead and do it. I'm not trying to mess anybody up by any means. Um there will be a timer on the board. It makes the audible noise when your three minutes are up. It's our tradition that we don't like cut you off at 3 minutes if you're mid-sentence or anything. That's not what we do here. Um we ask that you'd finish your thought if you go on for some time after the 3 minutes. At that point, I will

075interject and just ask you to complete your thought. Um and with that, I will call up the first person um to the microphone. And the first speaker tonight is Kyle Wentz. >> [applause] >> Good evening. I'm here representing the students and families affected by the ending of the interd district open enrollment. students who have spent years building their lives in this district. My family moved to the falls in 2013 on a small home on Fourth Street by the old high school. And from that moment, our son, a first grader, and our daughter, a kindergarten a couple years later, were embraced by the school system and community. Alex graduated last year as a two sport athlete, band president, Eagle Scout. Amelia, now a sophomore, is an honor student, and a two sport varsity athlete. When we

076moved just2 miles outside the district, but still in Kyogre Falls, we were assured open enrollment would keep our children here. That meant everything. Now it may be ending. A decision made without a vote and affecting 254 students. Last night, my daughter said, "I just want to go to online school. Starting over is too much." My heart broke because it isn't just about policy. It's about prom, senior night, high schoolers normal right of passage. This is just one of the examples of many, many, many students and families, identities, friendships, and futures that are rooted in the district. These students have not been temporary participants. They have been fully invested members of the community, leading clubs, being top tigers, competing athletics, performing in band, and representing the district with pride. Many of these families stood with this

077district during challenging times, and they chose to stay. This is why this decision is so painful. It's not just a policy change. It's a message to students who have spent most of their lives here. One of your board's stated priorities is a culture of caring. A culture of caring means supporting students when things are hard, not just when it's easy. For students have spent nearly their entire education here being forced to leave before graduation not only disrupts their academics, but their sense of belonging, their extracurricular commitments, and their emotional well-being. There are reasonable compromises that would prot pro protect students who have invested so much. For example, allowing currently enrolled high school students to finish their education here would provide stability while allowing the district to implement changes. Another option, allow students to pay to

078attend and let families decide if it's worth it. Why not survey the 254 affected families to see who would be willing to pay? Whether that number is small or large, you'd finally understand the true financial impact. Further, how many of these 254 are high schoolers? I'm told it's 100. 100 kids. That doesn't have to be all or nothing, but it feels like a line has been drawn out of convenience. We're just looking for any avenue to allow these kids to finish instead of uprooting their lives. I have one final thought. Were these 254 students included in the projections used to secure funding for the new school? Were these students counted to obtain funding and now only be asked now being asked to leave? Have we truly examined the finances with the outside experts to identify

079other savings such as re-evaluating our $1.2 million per year administrative building lease? I listened to the last board meeting and heard the superintendent push this plan on you. You can choose to do something different. The administrator answer administration answers to you, not the other way around. Please tell us that you've not boiled our children down in their hard work over the last decade to a line on a spreadsheet. It's not about honoring the relationship between the district and the families. Then what it is is it live up to your motto every student every day, every opportunity. [applause] Thank you for sharing. Our next speaker is Ava Meyers. [applause] Good evening. My name is Ava Myers and I'm a junior here at CFHS. Every student, every day, every opportunity. [snorts] These words are known as the

080Chicago Falls School District's mission. I suppose the wording should be changed. To say that this district is for all is unfortunately not a statement I can agree with. There [snorts] is a reason that these kids are here. That reason is the great environment you all have created for them. They feel safe, cared for, loved, educated, supported, and special. These feelings are other schools they will lack. Why would you force them to a place that is the exact opposite of ours? They chose you. You all have built an organization of growth and development. They have chosen this district for that same support you all offered. However, now they're going to lose each and every bit of that. Tonight, most of us sit in comfortable chairs as [snorts] this decision does not affect many of us. The

081board will still have a seat at the table. [snorts] I myself will still have a desk in my classroom. But what about the families who fought for the last few days to have desperately been trying to conjure a plan to keep their children in a safe educational environment? >> [snorts] >> What about the seats in the classroom that will now lack those flourishing young minds? [snorts] What about the seats in a band that will lose those passionate musicians? What about the bench that will lose those tenacious athletes? What about our CTE program when our cosmetology students look to see an empty chair that was once filled with a flourishing colorist who won her well-earned spot? [snorts] These will change the morale of the school that has been on the rise, that has a new building,

082that has wins in both state tests and swim meets. These are students that have sat with us in our kindergarten circles, have taken our stages with us, and have helped raise our state report card. They deserve to finish as a black tiger. I recognize finances of change, and I [snorts] recognize that this is a lesson and how important it is to vote and support our schools. But I ask that this lesson is not taken at the expense of our students. These kids deserve to finish. They deserve everything you have allotted to them. Why is [snorts] it fair that they no longer get to have their friends, their teachers, and their personal choice of education? Due to a few number crunches, our students and community are paying the prices with their accomplishments and proficiency. [snorts] That

083is unfair and not at all what the Black Tiger family stands for. Our students should not be at risk for consequences to actions they did not commit. I hope you all entered this beautiful auditorium this evening with an open mind because [snorts] this very stage will soon be filled with some of the school's best performers who may be taking their last bow as a black tiger. This is a decision you all have the opportunity to make. There is still time. [snorts] Save these kids. Save this district. And save these halls. Money will come. Memories will not. Kyoga Falls is about more than money. It's about creating a great tomorrow and educating the figures of the future. Please let what I've said sit with you tonight and allow you all to see how horrible this situation

084is in another light. Thank you for your time. [applause] Thank you for sharing that, Ava. Our next speaker is Dexter Sunderland. >> [applause] >> Hello, my name is Stexer Sunderland. I'm a senior and I'm an open enrolled student of two years at Ka Falls High School. I've been living in Falls most of my life with my grandma when in my junior year I moved to Akran where I am permanently living. I have been going to Ka Falls High School since I was in kindergarten at Dwit Elementary School where I then went to Bulock Middle School and finally uh Kaga Falls High School and I am in the fourth generation of graduating Ka Falls uh Ka Falls High School students with my mom, grandma and great grandma all coming from the district. I'm coming to speak

085at this meeting not for the safety of my future but rather the safety of a whole community of people. I care for this community deeply and have made connections that I don't think could have been replicated anywhere else. I participate in several after school activities including theater, choir, and the spring musical. I am a A and B student with a current 4.0 GPA for the quarter. In the time I participated in extra extracurricular activities and time in class, I have seen many incredible people make contributions to the school with a large portion of those people being open enrolled. The interd district open enrollment program in my personal experience has done nothing but benefit myself and many others in the community of Kyoga Falls by giving the opportunities and resources students or resources the the district

086has to offer to exceptional students in the surrounding districts. While I may be somewhat uneducated on severity of the issues at hand regarding f funding, I do have a deep understanding of the abilities that each openen enrolled student has as I have personally experienced it. I also know that removing a large portion of the students who participate in the extracurriculars the school provides would be extremely detrimental to all of the school's programs. I would like to propose a possible solution to mend the issues at hand. I propose that we instate a tuition fee for those who are open enrolled. This would allow us to remediate the issues of money by giving each student a larger role in contributing to the school's funds. This would also give higher priority to students who truly make an impact

087on school. However, I understand the difficulty of such a situation and understand how difficult it can be to make a compromise such as this. All that I ask of the people here that you all take into consideration my thoughts on the matter at hand. Thank you very much for your time. [applause] [applause] Thank you for sharing, Dexter. Our next speaker is Aaliyah Hadad Williams. Not here. Okay. Our next speaker is Alexandra Conan. [applause] I first want to say how thankful I am for every single memory I've made with every single first news open world since the boot here in seventh >> [snorts] >> I want to bring attention to the dangers that students may face if they do have to choose to move to Akran schools because families who live who live in Akran choose

088not to send their children to Akran public schools for a reason. Safety is a serious and ongoing concern. In 2021 alone, there were more than 3,000 recorded fights across the district. That immersive amount doesn't even compare to Kyra Falls. Even a 2023 police report detailed just one of many incidents. In early December in Akran police police officer was assigned to Elllet High School to intervene in a sixperson fight in the cafeteria. According to a report in Doug Livingston of Akran Beacon Journal, he even saw a student with a bloody lip not engaging in the fight while in the bathroom while another student attempted to continue the attack. This is the only one documented account of thousands of incidents. With open enrollment is shutdown, families lose the ability to choose a safer environment for their children.

089Parents have the right to priorit prioritize their child's safety and well-being. Limiting a school's choice forces students into situations where violence and disruption are real concerns. Before restriction before restricting open enrollments, the district should address the underlining safety issues that are driving families away in the first place. I do not want any of my friends to be in any type of danger. You also need to consider how this how this decision will impact all of our amazing educators. Teaching requires immense mental and psychological strength. According to the National Library of Medicine, teaching is a highly demanding profession which requires both excellent knowledge of the subject and at the same time requires unlimited psychological resources for coping with everyday emotional challenge. The website also goes on to state the teachers need to process both cognitive and

090emotional components in the classroom. Think of all the teachers who are going to see all their students and the new middle school. They get to see their students grow up. They get to see all the changes that they're going to be making in their lives as people and as students. Now, we are taking the opportunity away from them with getting rid of open enrollment. When I walked into school on February 25th, whenever you guys were sending out the letters, I was greeted by so many students being held crying about all the friends that they would miss. I encourage you to look through all of the stories, including parental stories from all of our amazing people in Kyhoga Falls. I I just want to say again, I'm so thankful for all of you guys. Moving here

091was genuinely one of the best things that ever happened to me, and I can't imagine Kyoga Falls without you. [applause] >> [applause] >> Thank you for sharing, Alexander. And I can guarantee you we will all look for what you share. >> Our next speaker is Cadence Prey. [applause] Good evening. I would like to thank you all for allowing me to speak today. My name is Cadence Pelffrey. I am not an open enrollment student, but my best friends of my best friend of 11 years is. She is a straight A student who is an executive committee national honor society and involved in many other things. She is an open enrollment student because of the mere fact that she does not have the opportunity to move her house location. She is the sweetest person I have ever

092met and everyone I know can advocate for that. Considering this, I do not believe that you guys completely thought this decision through when it was made. Given the fact this decision was made from a financial perspective, it still affects so many lives in ways that are detrimental. There are students in our school district that have been going here since kindergarten. them as well as their families have built entire lives based on the school district. When it comes to open enrollment, some families enroll their students here because they believe that it is the safest option. There are so many schools in our state that are not fit to provide the proper education and environment that students need. There are also students that are here from open enrollment that are 4.0 students in the National Honor Society

093in clubs, sports, and many other things. Students cannot control the way they are living. It is not their choice of the location nor the districts near them. Getting rid of open enrollment will not solve any of the problems in our district. It will only create more. Students come to school every day and want to feel safe and comforted by their friends and the support systems that they have built here. Students having to simply move away because of their housing situation will cause mental instability and more educational problems. Coming from the standpoint of a student, it is hard to learn when you are stressed about having to sit at lunch by yourself or have a group project with no friends to work with. Not everyone is extroverted and able to make support systems wherever they go.

094As a district, it is often preached that we are not just a district. We are family. It is stated a lot that it is every student, every day, every opportunity. If this was the truth, it should actually be every student without any exceptions. Thank you. [applause] [applause] Thank you for sharing that, Cadence. Our next speaker is Bailey Sparks. [applause] >> Good evening. I just wanted to start by saying thank you to every single person who showed up today for me and for every single open world student in Cal Falls. My name is Bailey Sparks and I am a current sophomore at the 6th through 12 high school campus. My little brother Jack Sparks is a sixth grader at the 6th through 12 campus. We are both open enrolled. I [snorts] am a member of the

0952028 class committee as well as theater, marching band, track, and swim and dive. The closing of open enrollment has completely got rid of these opportunities for me. [snorts] This is my whole future. I was ready to walk the stage with the people I grew up with. I was kicked out of fall my fifth grade year after going to Silverlake Elementary for 5 years. I went to Finley CLC in Akan. It was miserable. I was a 10-year-old in a completely new and random space. I didn't know my way around. I was bullied and I was alone. [snorts] I asked my family so many times to let me come back to Falls and we did everything. My sixth grade year, I came back to Falls and I was finally reunited with all of my people. Except after

096I left Akran, I got multiple threats, hate comments, and so much hate for leaving Akran. I was called a traitor, slurs, and many things a 10-year-old should not be called. To this day, I still get calls and random text messages like do not come back to Akan and you don't want to know what happened will happen and you can't just come and go. Leaving Koga Falls isn't just me not going to the school anymore. It's me leaving my friends, my family, the sports I enjoy, the people I grew up with, and my entire childhood. >> [snorts] >> If I would have known this, if I would have known at the beginning of the school year that it would be my last fall play, my last one act festival, my last marching band season, and my

097last semester here at Kyoga Falls, things would have been so much different. Kyoga Falls is my home. If I was dropped somewhere random in Akran, I would not know where to go. But now that I'm in Kyoga Falls, I would know. When someone asks me, "Hey, where are you from? What school do you go to?" I've never said a Ka Falls. These kids and families have put thousands into the city. This $500 jacket I'm wearing, I will not be able to wear next year. [snorts] All of these people, all of these people today know there isn't anything we can do, but there's no way that we can just sit here and be quiet. And I [snorts] just have a question. Why do you think that the enrollment kids come to FOS? I wish, same as

098everybody else in this room, things could go so much differently. Thank [snorts] you so much for letting me speak. Thank you for your time. [applause] [applause] >> Thank you so much for sharing your story, Bailey. And thank you to everyone who took the time to speak with us tonight. On behalf of the board, we genuinely appreciate you coming out and speaking to us. We appreciate hearing from all of you. At this time, we're going to move on with the rest of our agenda items. Um, and so number two is policy adoption. It's recommended the board of education adopts the following policies. Um, section D, fiscal management, DID inventories, DLC expense reimbursements, CR expense reimbursement. Section E support services. EBDE procurement and administration of overdose reversal drugs. Section G person P personnel GBK no tobacco use

099on district property by staff members. Section I instruction Ike acceleration. Section J student JB entrance age JFC G tobacco use by students. Section K, school community relations. KJ, KGC, no tobacco use on district property. KMA, relations with support organizations. KMA-R, relations with support organizations. And KNA, appointments of the Ka Falls Parks and Recreation Board and Ka Falls Library Board. >> So moved. >> Is there any discussion? No. >> Please call the RO. >> Miss White. >> Hi. >> Mrs. Zimmerman. >> Hi. >> Mr. Gomez. >> I. >> Mr. Harris. >> Hi. >> Mrs. Schaer. >> Patty and Carrie. Patty and Adrian. >> Okay. That's what I was like. >> Number three is the overnight field trip for wrestling teams. It's recommended the board of education approves the overnight field trips for the boys and girls

100wrestling teams to compete in a tournament. >> Second. >> Dr. Sa. Now it's time. Um, yes, we were actually able to get this in um for your consideration. Um, it just so happened that we had a board meeting. Sometimes these trips happen, it's last minute and I have to, you know, um, approve it and then notify you later, but in this instance, um, this um, past Saturday, both of our girls and boys wrestling teams competed in the sexual tournament. Six boys and three girls have advanced to this weekend's district tournament, which is great. Our boys team will travel to Parisburg on Friday morning and compete Friday and Saturday. And the girls team will depart on Saturday and stay Saturday night in Finley, Ohio, competing um early Sunday morning. >> So, congratulations to those students. >>

101We have a number of winter athletes who did exceptionally well and um once the season ends, we will invite them off to the meeting. >> Any questions or comments from the board? >> Um did I read the the parents are going them. >> Um, some parents I think >> are okay. >> Parents are providing the transportation. >> Yeah. >> Providing. Okay. Parents are providing the transportation. Okay. >> Sometimes we don't know in advance because these happen so quickly that I just sometimes am able to give approval um and then notify the board because it happens, you know, um the events happen and kids qualify in times that don't happen. So um in this instance um we're able to to get the approval. >> Okay. Now, I did read this, but just um so they stay

102in a hotel. >> They have chaperones. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> And I can't get to my notes because >> computer I don't know why it's not doing it. >> Any other questions or comments? >> Please call the role. >> Mr. Zimmerman. >> Hi. >> Mr. Gomez. >> Hi. >> Mr. Harris. Hi. >> Mrs. Schaefer. >> Hi. >> Miss White. Hi. Thank you. Item four, future agenda items. You have any additional future agenda items at this time? >> Okay. Number five, committee reports. We'll start with Mrs. Scher. >> I have a team. >> We just go by person. >> Oh, okay. Sorry. >> None. Okay. I'll go next. We uh board policies meeting on March 10th and then community engagement empowerment team. We met last evening to plan our event for the stu the elementary

103students um that are going to new buildings next year. So, we're working on that event. We decided to break it up into two evenings um because of the resources that um are needed like transportation, social work teams, etc. We thought that would be better to break it up into two evenings. I don't have those dates for you yet, but we're working with um the parent support organizations as well as like inviting the library and e resources like Asia, Inc. So, we talked about fifth graders. Um, ident trying to identify fifth graders in each building to actually do the tours and lead the tours so that there'd be a student led opportunity and then highlighting the consistency across our elementary buildings as trying to find ways um to make parents and students feel more comfortable. So

104like the consistency of the educational program is the same. Um the difference is really the building and the that you're seeing, but the education, the expectations, the Black Tiger Pride, um the offerings, you know, we have art, music, gym in all of our buildings and trying to help help families find comfort in what is the same as well and trying to make sure we emphasize the similarities for students as well. So, it's coming along well. And when we have firmed updates, I'll make sure that everyone is aware of those as well, so you get those on your calendars. Miss White, >> um the construction core team met. Um we're getting close to um the end. Um we're just waiting for the work on the bleachers for the stadium and that they will start doing soon.

105Um there are 19 items open on the punch list and they're working to close out the majority over this month. Um so there are about 105 furniture punch lists and but they want to close those over spring break. Um we do need additional lockers. We're working on those. Um there are a couple wardrobes in the music um rooms that are needed. And then bookshelves, they are coming. We hope to have an estimated ship time of 3:27. So that is coming as well. Um the additional fire and eress signage. We're looking to see if we need to revise that by which rooms actually need to have that posted. Um the projector location, the pricing was sent, it was approved, and it will be done during the spring break. Um the black box and um auditorium railing

106extension, we are going going to go ahead with that um as well. all the pricing was submitted and so [clears throat] we will be doing that. the stadium patio light pole replacement. Um we are looking to um get that done by next I think August was the date for that if I'm not mistaken there. >> Black box railing. >> Yes. >> the railings up there. So if you look >> Oh, not black box. >> Both of them. >> The black box and this have the similar situation where >> just that safety I talked to you about this before, right? that it is really low um up there and if you stand up it's it >> though it's up it's code it meets code requirements I I would >> I didn't realize in the black >>

107yeah black box is the same thing it's just not as high but >> so both right >> yes >> okay and then um the bulic abatement and demo the gas shut off date is 39 electric shut off 313 water shut off not yet um the fiber line will be cut back to the street and in the class rock. Um Hammond will move um March, April. Um so they are going to move that into a specific location. The abatement started on January 19th. We're removing Abestus. Um so we're still within budget, which was good news to me um and I'm sure the rest of the board. And this demolition of Bolic will start on 316. So we're a little bit ahead. Now the bricks will start piling up on the week of the 16th. So for

108anybody that wants the bricks um from Bowling can um get those. They'll be placed outside of our fencing, our driveway so people can get there. Um let's see. I think that I think that was really about everything that I had. So pretty much. >> And did we move that the Mrs. Great House's bench before the demo? >> I believe so. I haven't seen it. Um >> can you check on that? Yes, I can. I'm looking for Mr. Batti, but >> Ryan, you're gonna check on that. I saw him sign. >> I just looked at Bolic. >> Next time I see Mrs. Alio, she'll ask me. >> Yeah, I just looked closely at it. I only saw a couple old benches there. I don't think it's that. >> So, I'm guessing it was removed. >> Well,

109it's a it's a very good shape. So, >> yeah, these were not nice ones that I saw. was in good shape. So, >> I'm sorry. >> I was just saying Mio and Miss Schllocks are both my past teammates and you're both retiring >> as was Mrs. >> Do you have anything from any other committ? >> No, I do not. >> Mrs. Zimmerman, any committee updates? >> No, haven't met. >> Mr. Harris, anything? >> Uh, yeah, just a couple legislative things here. Few pieces of newly uh legislation, House Bill 71, which teacher salary schedule. [snorts] I'll go over this other second, House Bill 715. And then they also introduce House Joint Resolution 7, which would amend the state constitution to get rid of property taxes. So, um, a couple other things I'm following here is House

110Bill 25, which would support our students in foster care. It's a bipartisan bill that would provide resour guidance for Ohio students in the foster care system. Um, House Bill 523, I think I mentioned this one before, it's the future educator support act, which would provide financial supports optional for districts for their student teachers. And then House Bill 415, Senate Bill 73, which is the Crown Act, I think this one for a little bill that would discrimination against natural protective hairstyles in Ohio schools. And then that House Bill 75 lab here is a voucher bill that gives us hope. House bill 715 bill that would provide Ohio parents information they need to make an informed decision about where to send their school. Among other improvements, the bill would require the Ohio Department of Education workforce to

111create a system that lets Ohioans compare the performance of students charter schools nearby schools. >> Is that one that rep Manning is um >> [snorts] >> I'm not exactly sure. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> So, that has a good chance of passing. >> Yes. >> But yeah, that's all I have. >> Thank you, Mr. Harris. That brings us to number six comments. Mrs. Zimmerman, you are up first. >> All right. Well, I I do want to thank our students and parents who have come here tonight to speak to us and share your thoughts and your feelings uh and also by email. It's really important. I'm very proud of our students for speaking up and for having the courage to to um speak to your elected officials. Um and you have every right to be sad

112and angry. Um I I'm sad and angry, too. So, um I encourage you to learn more about school funding and to speak out to your state legislators. Um the state of Ohio could prioritize supporting local school districts with funding and they choose not to year after year putting us in situations where we have to make decisions that we really would rather not. And it's not at all a reflection on how we value our open enrolled students um at all. So, um, again, we needed to hear what you had to say and, um, I thank you for that. I'm up next. I just want to report on Friday last I attended the Ohio School Board Association special education law workshop. It was very um informative and interesting and in partic they talked a lot about um

113504 compliance um with new mandates as well as um behavior improvement plans which I find very interesting. Um so I really enjoyed that workshop. And then on Saturday, I went down to Columbus um for my state committee, the Black Caucus um and we talked about the work we're going to be doing this year as well as um got a legislative update um from Nicole Piscatani with OSBA um and a lot of the work we're going to be doing in our committee is going to be with the diversity equity committee of OSBA which Mrs. Schaefer is on. So, I called her on my way home and said, "Even even when you get on a state committee, we're still going to be meeting together." Um, we're going to be they're talking about u disagregating um data for

114um students that get in trouble to see if there's any disparities. And it's something that OSBA is interested in looking at this year through the DEC and the Black Caucus. So, we're going to have joint meetings looking into that this year. Um, and then last Friday I was also able to go to the middle school family fun night here at the 612 campus. It was a very well put on event by the middle school PTO. They did a great job. They had a very good turnout. Um, nice to have conversations with our families. Mr. Harris, you're up next. >> Oh, yeah. Um, just I don't have much. Just want to reiterate what Zimmerman said. Just thank you to everyone who came spoke this evening. reading all the emails. We listening. I just want to again

115second what you said as well is please please please contact your state legislators. Please contact me, email me, call me. I will give you their contact information because we are being backed into a corner uh and having to make these decisions when we don't want to do that. Um so please please reach out to us. We will put you in touch with the state house so that you can get in touch with the folks who are pushing this and making us have to make these decisions. >> Mr. Scher. Um and not to say much more than what they've also said. It's not a it's not a Kyhoga Falls problem. This is a state problem. um in speaking with our pole parts on other school boards, they're having these same issues, same problems and um and

116having to be creative and doing things that they don't want to have to do. Also, um it's very emotional listening to all of everyone speak. Um I know that was not easy to do. Um adults and for students alike. It's very difficult to speak in front of people and I have to say it's very impressive and thank you for for what you said and um it was very impressive. Um on a lighter note though uh the Friday family event at the middle school it was very well attended. I was very anxious to attend the event because it was right after we made the open enrollment announcement. Um I had a lot of very respectful conversations with families um and we were able to have some of those conversations about why we had to make those

117um decisions. Um but um to credit the the PTO it was a very wellrun event was very well attended um and They had a raffle with Milani in it and people were very excited to win that >> energy. Energy drink and they were very excited to win that. Um and there's some candy basket. >> I would dare say they were more excited over the Alani and the candy than the Starbucks >> gift card. >> Oh, they were >> the McDonald's gift card. >> Yes, >> the candy. But definitely Gani was number one. >> I'm pretty out of touch with middle school. >> So, but it was a very nice event. >> We kept asking the kids what they were going to put their tickets at >> to learn. Yeah. >> Yeah. I forbid Alani in

118my house, which meant they had to drink it in secret. So, [laughter] >> thank you, Miss White. Yes, I have an article and it's not an educational one. For those that follow the board meetings, I usually bring in a article about education um doing something or whatever. Tonight, it's where funds fall and it's about the Ohio Lottery and it really struck me because we've been talking about this for a couple weeks now of where the money goes and how much we actually get per student when it's not enough. It just isn't. and they're relying on property taxes more and more and more. Listen to some of these facts. 25 cents. That's the amount every from every dollar spent on lottery games that goes to education. 25 cents. 1.4 billion lottery profits transferred to education last

119year. But when you divide that by how many districts? 6 >> 63 something 12%age of Ohio's total state funding that comes from lottery profits this budget cycle that's 12% 900 per student what the annual transfer would amount to if split evenly across 1.6 6 million public school students. 12,759. That is the average per student spending in Ohio schools. 66.3 million yearover-year decrease in lottery profits sent to education. You want to know why you're paying more property taxes? Your state's not picking up. Okay, we'll go on. We found that some, but not all, of the gambling revenue takes a winding route from the lottery commission to local school district budgets, obscuring how much each district receives and whether state lawmakers are using the lottery to replace funds previously designated for schools. We found that charter schools,

120unlike traditional public school districts, do receive direct lottery profit payments with some annual payments equaling millions of dollars. Lottery profits will make up only 12% of the total state funding. The rest of the state funding comes primarily from state taxes. Local school districts also must rely on federal funding and local taxes such as property levies or income taxes for their expenses, not covered by the state's allocation. We have not asked for a city tax because we know that hits the families that are the poorest in our neighborhood. So we have not done that. And um after voters in 1987 approved the constitutional amendment that required lottery profits to be dedicated to education, state law makers created the lottery profits education fund to keep the lottery profits separate from the state's other revenue dedicated to education.

121But for decades, the state has transferred a majority of the money in the lottery profits education fund to its primary operating fund. Anyway, during the last budget, the state took 1.3 billion from the lottery profits education fund and mixed it with other state revenue. Um, lottery profits education fund, the online checkbook checkbook site shows um that the money it disperses, it just doesn't all get there to where it wants. The state also made $193 million worth of direct payments again to mostly charter schools. The direct payments are in addition to the funding the charter schools receive through the overall school funding formula. So, not only do they charter schools get that um lottery money, they also get state funds. >> So, what you're saying, charter schools get their state funding plus the supplanted by the

122casino funding, but public schools, >> it's a roundabout way. >> But in public schools, they mix it in and we don't get any extra money for the lottery funding, even though that's what everybody thinks happened. >> Yes. So, if there were direct funding, which they just give us the money instead of doing it roundabout ways, we would know better how much was being generated by the lottery. With it running through the state budget, we don't really see how much it benefits our districts directly. He and other public education advocates believe direct fundings would prevent state officials from using lottery profits to replace other funding that had been previously designated for education and then using the freed up non funds for other state priorities. So again, as Miss Zimmerman pointed out, as I pointed out last

123week, that's not even talking about vouchers, folks, and how much those cost. So, um, again, when you go to vote, I'm not going to tell you who to vote for, but please consider voting for those folks that support public education because we're hurting. And it isn't just Ka Falls, it's Norton, it's Townage, it's every almost every public school in this district. We can do better. Vote. It means something. >> If we actually that $900 per student in addition to our state funding. That would be help ease property tax burden. You should take that to the state legislative conference if Rep. Romer shows up and >> and try to talk to him about that because that would actually help. That's a way that the state could try to help actually ease our property tax burden. >>

124I will prepare for that conversation. >> So, just saying >> and that's not even counting vouchers. and how much that costs. So, you know, again, and I you know what, I'm an I'm a well, I was an English teacher. Once you are, you always are. I guess funding is not my [laughter] thing. I mean, money is not. But this is irritating. It really makes me angry. And I don't get angry very often, but this makes me sick because I think they're trying to destroy public education. >> I'm done. Well, that lottery money was supposed to supplement. >> Oh, yeah. And they just take away state funds. Now it's replacing. >> Yes. Yes. Exactly. [snorts] >> Well, thank you, Miss White. Brings us to item J, executive session. Pursuant to Ohio revised code, section 121.22 G1

125is hereby moved that the board adjourn to executive session, consider the employment and compensation of a public employer official. >> So moved. >> I moved. >> I'm sorry. Second. >> Thank [laughter] you. I do not. >> Please call the role. >> Mr. Gomez, >> I. >> Mr. Harris, >> hi. >> Mrs. Schaefer, >> hi. >> Miss White, >> hi. >> Mrs. Zimmerman. >> Hi. >> Thank you. We're in executive session at 7:19 p.m. We know action.