SLCSD Board Meeting, March 3, 2026 5:30 PM

001But you're right by grand. >> Yeah. And then you have a grand. So it's actually >> All right. Thank you board for being here this evening. Today is March 3rd, 2026. We're here for the purposes of Salt Lake City School District Board of Education business meeting. Uh but before we get started, the board does have a need to enter closed executive session and I'll entertain a motion at this time. >> I move that on March 3rd, 2026, the board enter close session to discuss the character, professional competence, or physical or mental health of an indiv individual and pending a reasonably imminent litigation. >> I second. >> Got a motion and a second. Is there any discussion to the motion? All right, seeing none, we'll do a roll call vote with board member Williams. >> Bryce

002Williams, yes. >> Ashley Anderson, yes. >> Nate Salazar, yes. >> Annie Rabano, yes. >> Brian Jensen, yes. >> Amanda Longwell, yes. >> All right, that motion passes. Uh, we'll be back at 5:30. Thank you. Okay. So I don't understand. And so then I try to open it just, you know, in another browser or something >> and I don't get all of this stuff. So, I want to be on the one because initially you set this up for me. >> Okay. >> Back in the day. So, here's Your phone might be $180,000 on the attendance system. >> This is on the consent agenda. >> It's Okay. Anyway, look at it. >> I know that I know that we had our Oh, that's our Oh, that's the time and attendance, >> right? The time and attendance thing.

003Hey. Oh, no. Come on. We've got Love it. >> Chris said we will have exact Hello. Hey, >> how are you? I'm just How are you all? We're good. >> Frozen. This is what I got. She's our shop right now. Thank you. >> That would not happen. >> Okay. Yeah. So whenever someone Oh, yes. >> Question. So most consent email. Just steal your voice. Crazy lucky to be here. Yeah. Yeah. Good Is that cool? Is that yours? favorite. Initial I'm going to be What's that? We're making some progress. All right, thank you everybody for joining us. Um, we are just getting out of our closed session. Thank you for the extra time. Um, today is March 3rd, 2026. We're here for the purposes of a Salt Lake City School District Board of Education business meeting.

004Um, I just want to make a couple of welcoming announcements. Um, certainly to our association presidents. Uh for the classified association groups, we have buildings and grounds Sam Gilchrist. Child and nutrition is represented by President Tanya Slaughter. Uh for SLEA, we have President Mike Harmon with us. I don't see Chelsea yet, but I'm sure she'll be she'll roll in anytime all the way from all of her cool adventures. Um for the Salt Lake Association of School Administrators, they're represented by Tom Luthie and uh Dr. Adriana Pinto is with us this evening. How's it going? Thank you for joining us. Um, and then other than that, we will move on to the pledge of allegiance. I'll go ahead and lead us in the pledge this evening. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the United

005States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you, board. Um before I move on to the consent agenda, I just want to make one announcement. Um we do have a time certain um public comment on the student fee schedule at 7:15. So regardless of where we're at in the agenda, um we'll make the time to to do that so that folks from the community can come in and weigh in on that fee schedule that's been published. And then also just a quick reminder that our next board meeting does not fall on a Tuesday. It falls on the Wednesday. um so that everybody in this room and in the community can get out and participate in their local caucus night

006for their respective parties. Um just a couple of quick announcements. I'll make those at the end as well for folks that may jump on later. Um we will now move into our consent agenda. Uh before I seek a motion, I do want to note that item number seven, safe schools case number 26-071, has been requested by the board to move to the action agenda, and we'll take that up um with individual discussion and a board vote um when we get to the action agenda. Otherwise, um I will entertain a motion regarding the consent agenda. I move that we accept items 1 through six on the consent agenda and place item seven, safe schools case number 26-071 on the action agenda. >> I second. >> Any discussion to the motion? >> All right. Oh, Brian, sorry.

007>> I do have one question and this would come up under the U of graduation ceremony. I have um heard from at least one school that and I mean I'm certainly going to support this. I mean, this year graduations are coming up, but they are wondering about having another venue um rather than the University of Utah because of some of the prohibitions that um the university is presenting with the graduations that occur there. >> Yeah. Call what it is, confetti. Um, we have looked at other venues, other options. Each one uh brings their own challenges. Sometimes it's price related as well. Um, but we each year we kind of analyze what's the best venue to use. So, we we just aren't by default using the same venue year after year. We analyze and look at

008what our options are and it ends up that that's usually the best option at the end of the day. >> Okay. Thank you, Brian. Ashley, >> I have two questions and one is also about graduation. There was a rumor circulating among some parents that West High's graduation was on a different date than the other high schools or something had happened and uh there was misinformation. Can you clarify that the whether or not I'm correct, the graduations are on a cycle. They rotate through the times of day that they are, but it's all coordinated through the district for all comprehensive high schools. >> Yes. So, the the graduations that are held at the Huntsman Center will all be at the on the same time. uh they do rotate they have a rotation worked out amongst them

009uh but held on the same day as well. So any rumors to the contrary are not true. >> Thank you. My second thing I just want to confirm is I know that on the consent agenda we're agreeing that there needs to be some removal of trees related to the west high construction and I anticipate you know that people become frustrated when trees are removed. So I wanted to clarify that I'm understanding correctly. We conserved as many trees as possible. The trees that had to be removed were non-negotiable, but they will be replaced with a net increase of trees and attempts for mature trees when we're rebuilding that facility. Is that correct? >> Right. That is correct. Uh at the end of the day, the plan shows an an increase of a few trees. Um clearly

010we can't plant absolutely mature trees, but you know, is the best to our ability. >> Okay, great. Thank you so much, Brad. Okay, I'll I'll just circle back quickly to this graduation because board member Anderson anyway it led me to another question that has come up and that is with the university are they giving directives on the amount of time that you know each school and I understand this is really challenging fitting in all of the schools and now they're working and I agree we need to streamline online graduations, but we also need to allow sufficient time to I mean, this is a big deal and I just want to make sure that they're able to have their celebrations or their time constrictions >> within the contract. It's anticipated the school gets and I don't

011know the exact number of minutes, but so many minutes uh hasn't really been an issue in the past. And so, we're running four high schools through the Huntsman Center in one day. Um, and if you go much beyond that time, then you know, someone's there at 10, 11 o'clock at night. >> Oh, no. I understand that. I just didn't know if there were prohibitions that were coming from the university on time constraints. >> I mean, the contract has times in there. I mean, because they they need to know when when's our start time, when's our end time, when's cleanup time, and so forth. >> Okay. Part of the challenge was that um some of the celebrations would happen within the building which would preclude the next high school coming in. >> Okay. >> So that's

012some of the um >> that's one of the things that that we're working out with with each high school in that. So >> that was maybe one of the constraints that you're thinking about in the time and the >> congregating around the doors particularly >> created trouble with the flow of people in and out. So we're trying to work with the university around those items. >> Great. I'm glad they're working with you. >> Yeah. Thank you. Seeing no other questions, uh we'll do a roll call vote starting with board member five Jefferson. >> F Jefferson. Yes. >> Ashley Anderson. Yes. >> Nate Salazar. Yes. >> Annie Romano. Yes. >> Brian Jensen. Yes. >> Amanda Long. Yes. >> Bryce Williams. Yes. >> Excellent. That board passes or that motion passes. Thank you, board. Um, moving on

013to our next agenda item, which is our request to speak portion. Um, I will go ahead and read a statement here. Uh, the board enjoys the opportunity to hear from the public during the comment portion of its meetings. Before we begin, I would like to take a moment to remind you of our board rules governing your comments. The total time reserved for public comment is not to exceed 15 minutes with all speakers or groups limited to three minutes. The board will not allow public comments during board meetings that are slanderous, obscene, or otherwise violate state or federal law. Employees andor their representatives may not use the public comment period to address issues that should be raised through existing formal communication channels or establish grievance or negotiation procedures. I'd also like to explain that unless the

014speaker's topic is already on the agenda, state law prohibits the board from taking action on items raised during the public comment period. However, if it seems appropriate to the circumstances, I may direct district staff to follow up with a speaker on the topic discussed. Our first speaker this evening is Charlie Beck. Charlie, are you with us? Come on up. and either of the podiums or the table, wherever you'd like to to make your your comments from. Thanks, Charlie. Okay. Um, I'm Charlie Beck. I am a senior at Innovations High School and today I'm here to speak representing the students of the animal science CTE pathway. Um, as you guys might know, the CTE pathway offers two classes. The animal the small animal companion science class and the guide dogs training class in which students have

015the opportunity to raise a guide dog for the blind. I personally have raised two. This is my friends who I brought today just to show her. She's pretty cute. Um, recently we received the email that the district has decided to shut down the program because it doesn't directly lead into a high demand career. So, I just want to voice sort of my club's remorse with this decision. Um, not only do I think that this decision implies that our classes and our experiences don't have value if they aren't jobreated, but I also think that it ignores the soft skills that we gain from this program, including things such as communication, problem solving, resilience, and much more. I think that these classes are unparalleled by any other class, regardless of industry recognized credentials. I think that it

016is more than just that these classes have taught me a lot or that they have been fun or important to me, but that my high school career would have been completely different without them. I can't imagine what would have motivated me if I didn't have the teacher and a blackman every day to encourage me and also the knowledge that I was volunteering and possibly changing somebody's life. Um, I think that other classes that give you a certificate definitely make you look good on paper. They're good for a resume and to get a job, but these classes give you the skills to tackle the real world. And any other person who has raised a guide dog in these classes would tell you the exact same thing. Um, and it is my group's regret that future students

017will be robbed of this community and the life lessons that they could have gained from being a part of this course. Um, and yeah, thanks. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you, Charlie, for joining us this evening. Our next speaker this evening is Rye Pickle. Esteemed Board, my name is Ry Pickle. I use they them pronouns and I'm a teacher at West High School. I'm speaking to you today in representation of some of my colleagues and students who are here with me today about some equity concerns in regards to our staffing process as a district and the need for district leadership in certain areas. At West High School, we were cut 10 and a half teachers this year with eight and a half FTE being cut and the rest coming from large budget cuts.

018We follow a similar formula to determine FTE cuts each year with 92 and a half FTE in the 2020 2122 school year and a projected 77.5 FTE in the 2627 school year. This is a 16% decrease in staff over just a few years. This year alone we are cutting 10% of our entire faculty in one school year. What I am mostly concerned about is the lack of foresight in what this will do for programs at the high school level. As at the elementary level, cutting FTE means larger class sizes and possible shifting of who teaches what grade. At the high school level, cutting FTE means larger class sizes, shifting of who teaches what sections and subjects, and a possible loss of entire programs that have taken years to build at our school. What makes West

019High great is our unique and diverse student body. And a diverse student body requests actually requires a diverse course catalog. We are not talking about a few programs that do all right in class sizes or participation in accolades. We are talking about a wellestablished and well-known IB program, a nationally renowned robotics program, languages taken for decades, treasured by students, families, and their cultural communities, and many more. When we cut FTE at this large of a scale, without spreading it over time of planning and prep preparation, we cut programs that make us West High School. When we as a district closed elementary schools, we were slow. We took feedback from families and staff affected, ran budgets and enrollment numbers over and over and were as transparent as possible with the entire process. We did not do

020this slowly at the high school level. It was done without seeing past the next year and we are not going to be able to build these programs again in future years as quickly as we will need them. Additionally, we do not understand how a westside school with some of the most vulnerable students in our district is being cut more than 200% more than the other two comprehensive high schools combined. That is greatly alarming and deeply inequitable. We have services we must offer at our school for our students to succeed and those services are going to be directly impacted by these cuts. I am asking for a process that sees each school as a holistic individual rather than a cog in a district machine. We cannot be measured against the other two comprehensive high schools when

021we offer two grades they do not. When our student populations are not the same, when our students do not live in the same places and we do not have the same needs. We also should not be following the same processes at the elementary schools or even middle schools. All of us need different things when it comes to staffing. Using the same process to determine FTE at each level is definitely equal, but it is not equitable. Please consider processes for staffing going forward. And please investigate the reasons why West High is being cut at a much higher percentage than the other high schools this year. Thank you. >> Thank you. EXCELLENT. Thank you, Ry, for sharing your thoughts and your feedback to us and for all of your students that are here with you today as

022well. Thank you for being here this evening and a lot of teachers as well. So, thank you. Uh we will now move on uh to our next portion of the agenda, which is our reports agenda. Um the first item we have there is a construction update. Um, BA Kley, I don't know if there's anything that you wanted to introduce uh before Isaac gets up here. So, >> n >> Thank you, Isaac. The the podium or the table is yours. Sorry about that. Good evening board members. Um just want to the um report provided to you guys. is I want to highlight a few items in there and if you have any questions or concerns be happy to answer those at this time. Uh West High School the initial bids came in two weeks ago. Uh

023the s the evaluation so far we won't have that finally scrubbed until uh middle of March but so far the the major components of the project were a little bit under budget of what we've projected. So some good news finally. Um along with that um we will be doing a groundbreaking uh for West High on March 19th at 1:15 PM. Uh we invite all of you, your families, students to come and participate on that in that. Um along with Highland High School, uh we're just a few weeks behind the process there as we are compared to West. Uh we will be presenting some times uh and getting your input to set a date for the groundbreaking for Highland High School. The bids uh actually went out last Wednesday. Um and we will receive those back

024at the end of the month and then we'll do the scrubbing which takes about four weeks to do and hopefully we'll have some more good news for you on there. Um just a couple items in there that we've seen on the bids is uh we've had se several of our contract several sections of the contractors were seeing very low bidding in it. Um, and it just uh shows the lack of uh workforce available to do some of the different skill sets that are required to do these projects. But the good news is the budget's still coming in where where we need it to. Glendel Track and Field. Uh well, first of all, before I talk about Glendel and Rosewood, uh I want to say practices have been going for nearly two weeks now. Um, students

025are getting the buses, the rides are working, our transportation's working. We have temporary bathrooms and a a area to get out of the rain and weather at Glendel. Uh, Rosewood is same thing but a little little different. Uh, the only thing that is outstanding uh at Glendel is we're waiting for the temperatures to get hot enough that we can finish the last coat on the track and then obviously the building. Um they're just about done with all of the masonry work on that and will be completed soon. Rosewood Park, uh we have to wait for weather to warm up and for the sod farms to open so we can actually do the sod work on the exterior of the field, but everything in the field is complete other than some leveling that needs to be

026done with a roller and it's too wet to do that right now. So we're working with the teams to work through that. Um, but we're grateful for everybody's understanding and efforts in that, especially the coaches and students that are participating with those locations. Um, Rosland Heights, um, we did some updates there and I've provided some feedback to the board about the lighting and some changes that happened there to, uh, address concerns that came from the community. Um the uh the use of that facility by the students is immense. Uh they're there every day from the end of school until the lights turn off no later than 9:00 p.m. But generally the coach texts and says, "Hey, I'm getting in my car and I'm turning the lights off remotely as quickly as possible. So they're not

027just staying on until 9:00 p.m. or 8:00 p.m., whatever the schedule says." Um across the district, we have quite a few other projects that are happening. Um, but I just want to say I'm grateful for the team that I have and the efforts that they're putting in to make sure all of these are we're staying on top of all of them and that things are happening in a timely manner. >> Any questions or concerns? >> Have Ashley and then Amanda. >> I have a couple of questions. Um, I've heard a little bit of feedback about the outfield at Rosewood that specifically there are some injury risks um with some divots that are out there. Can you clarify the plan for improving the outfield as we navigate those renovations? >> Yeah, the the first step in

028that is we we go out and uh set a layer of of material over the big deep areas and then we bring a roller through, but you have to pull that roller with a m with a UTV and it's too wet for both the machine and the roller right now. So, as soon as that as soon as we can get a day that's meets our criteria, we'll get out there and do that. In the meantime, we have been working with Ronnie, who's the head custodian at West, but also an avid baseball player, and he's out there every day working on things to make sure we're meeting the coach's needs. Um, the other thing with there is we've found that right field's a little short compared to what they had. Um, so we're going to be

029putting up some netting to protect the cars in the parking lot. >> Thank you in advance. Um, I think that's great. This also commences my formal petition that UHSA let everyone play fall ball when the weather is better. Um, regardless of your division, I do have a question. Um, some of us received an email about summer ball at Highland. And I just want to cons confirm if people have a question about field use, field availability in the summer, not in the summer. When it is, is it best they contact auxiliary services or they work with their athletic director to determine the exact dates of the program when they want to make sure the field's available? >> So, it's best to work if it's an athletics sport team that they should work with the athletic director.

030if it's anyone else, they should be working with auxiliary services. Uh the reservations themselves are held in our department and we manage all of those in coordination with the athletic directors. We're trying to take some of that off of their plate. Um but to confirm that we are not removing anything from Highland until the new fields are done and those will be done this over this summer and be prepared for next spring. So those fields will be available through this year. >> That's great. I have one more question and I think it might be best directed to our business administrator, but you can answer. Um, some of the parents at West High are interested in fundraising to procure a scoreboard recognizing that we did not approve sufficient funding for scoreboards, but it's something they still

031want. Would there be anything that prohibits parents from working with their athletic director to write like fundraising letters in support of something like that that they want for temporary fields? >> No, there wouldn't be anything that would preclude them. So, in order to do that, would they work through the business office or auxiliary services? >> Yeah, they could work through business office and I might um defer them also to the foundation to help with those efforts. >> Okay, thank you so much. >> Thanks, Ashley. Amanda, >> um going off of what Ashley just um asked about, you had mentioned reach out to auxiliary services for clarity who an auxiliary services for the public's sake. It's our our main number, but we have several administrative assistants up there. Tai is our main contact. Okay. >> Um

032but >> number that they can find on the website. Y >> thank you. >> Um pointing out you you covered it in your presentation, but super exciting. West High School has our groundbreaking on March 19th. Um highland High School, we're getting close. Potential groundbreaking in April, which is super exciting. I know the students and the community are um getting excited and nervous um but excited. Um and then Roslin Heights um we are aware that there continues to be concerns coming out of that location. Um I don't I won't get into it in this conversation but my ask is um that we uh hear what is being expressed and do our uh best to um work on um compromise solutions to mitigate um some of the issues that are ongoing. So just wanted to put that

033out there. But aside from that, I know it's a huge endeavor that you're tackling. I don't envy you. Thank you for all of your work. >> Thanks. Thanks, Amanda. Any other questions for Isaac or for BA Kley? >> Oh, Brian, go ahead. This is a construction update and I'm not sure whether this is the um report that I should be asking this under, but when we had the construction bond, there was the West High rebuild, there was the Highland rebuild, but then there was also the East High Fieldhouse. And I am being asked questions about where we are on the East High Fieldhouse. Is that um out there? >> Yes. Um so obviously these are all large projects. Um >> the goal was to identify the ones that are the longest, get the biggest projects

034going. Once those are done or once they're moving forward, then we will reach out to the high school and the community. We'll talk about the needs, what they what would be needed in theirs just like we did with the new high school builds. >> Um, but that project really is less than a 24-month project. It's a lot of money and it is a big project and it's important, but the goal was to get these others moving so that we're completing all three of them within a couple years of each other so it's all seamless and everybody has the same facilities at the same time. I think it's nice to have that explanation and I think it's helpful for them to understand that it is on the radar and that this is it has not fallen

035off the to-do list. >> It it absolutely hasn't. >> It's about a 10 pound weight sitting about right here. >> Thanks, Brian. >> Seeing no other questions, Isaac, thank you for joining us and for all your work. Appreciate it. Isaac, you might want to stay up for the next report though. >> The second report agenda item is budget development capital projects. >> Right. So, uh, as noted, uh, on the attachment to the agenda, um, each year Isaac and his team go through each of our schools and they create, um, they create a a needs assessment along with the representatives from the school. And then we we plan that out and then we have to determine what of the projects we're going to prioritize with the limited resources that we have. Um and what you see

036attached to the agenda is those projects which have been identified for the 20627 um fiscal year. Uh as noted in the memo um there's there's a couple pieces that are built in there. We do have the sustainability projects that are built in there which are paid with bond funds and then the balances coming out of the regular uh capital levy of the district. Um and as noted in the memo when we had our 50-year plan presentation uh I believe back in January, you know, we showed a need of some $40 million worth of of projects. Uh however, we don't have $40 million available. So, um, Isaac and his team went through and prioritized those items which could be done within the resources we have. And that's the list that you have there attached to the

037agenda. It's a list by school of of what the projects will be for the next fiscal year. Uh, and with that, I'm open to any questions that Isaac can answer. >> Ashley, Amanda, and then Annie. Um, so I noticed that LED stage lights for elementary schools are really common in the list, but they don't have that sustainability marker. Is there a reason why so many elementary schools are having that specific upgrade? So uh the specific reason is I mean there is a sustainability effort in there and our sustainability and en energy sustainability manager tracks those reports through KW to uh Rocky Mountain Power and then we get rebates for those those projects. But the majority of those it's just based on age of trying to uh update from a a fluorescent or another type of

038bulb that uses a lot of energy and burns out on a regular basis to LEDs. >> That makes sense. And I I don't know again if this question is best directed to you or the superintendent, but recognizing that future elementary school closures were punted to the next academic year for consideration. I noticed that there tends to be a lot of speculation when these reports are shared about what they mean like who's getting what upgrade and who's not getting an upgrade or alternatively speculation about why we would do an upgrade when elementary school facilities may be likely to close and we've just spent you know whatever it costs $150,000 on LED lights. Is there any kind of logic to how we're doing this other than age or things we could clarify for the public about the

039relationship of capital improvements to future school closures? >> Do you want me to answer >> closure recommendations? >> Yes. Uh first of all, the the conversation we had in January, I told you I'm working on that. I told I told you it' take me 60 to 90 days to have that done. We're about twothirds of the way there. Um, so hopefully I mean we're a little behind this recommendation, but it is based off of that information of what the scoring value of the school was versus the overall needs. Uh, we we try to focus on the major components first and then if there's money left over for other things, that's when we try to do the things that the principal or teachers are asking for. Um, but it's all based off of that scoring need.

040So if a if you recall one building showed a score of 88 and another one was a score of 13. Obviously that score of 88 is going to get a preference out of a you know the decision of okay they both need boilers. Which one needs it the most? Obviously the one that's scored higher. Um but that's we used we use the information without providing you the one one sheets that I'm working on to provide to you guys. >> That makes sense. My last question um starts with depreciation. And I see there are was reef repairs on this and I know that's something the community's been asking for for a long time. I know that actually a lot of their current leaks and flooded classrooms have been from water fountains which I don't see on

041here. When other emergent things come up or do those don't appear on this walkthrough budget but they are being addressed. >> They are being addressed. If you look at the bottom of the list, there are a breakdown of certain components, whether it be um security, audio, visual, flooring, camera, mechanical, which is part of your plumbing and electrical. Um there are funds in there for us to do maintenance projects, and a big portion of that is there, but obvious we've had two floods in two years now because of the little sticky valve inside the drinking fountain popped and then leaked all weekend. Um, after the second one, our plumbers went through and replaced every one of them in the building. Just preventative. It's done. Uh, so we don't shouldn't have to worry about that. I I

042would like to say though that the the leak issues at Wasatch um though there are some roofing concerns. Um, the majority of those leaks come from the type of drainage system on the roof. It's all internal um rather than external uh like you used to on your house with a rain rain gutter. actually comes inside the building and then drains around and down. Um so that's part of what we're working on to ensure that we can um line that. Um but again, it's it's part of a roofing project, but it's not necessarily roofing that's causing the leaking. That makes sense. >> Yeah, that does make sense. That's really helpful. Thank you so much. >> Have Amanda and then Annie. Thanks, Ashley. >> Um mine are um you obviously commented on the rating piece. I am

043um one I guess I'm struggling to understand the 23k on the LED lights for the stage lights. So could you help me slash the public understand why each location it's 23k per location on replacing LED lights? >> We've for the most part we try to standardize components inside the buildings even though they're built a little differently. Um, and that is a rough estimate on each one. And like this last year, we I believe we did six of them this last year. Um, one of them ended up being like 28,000 and two more were 18,000. So it was, you know, in in the end it washed out. But we're just trying to take an average budget to show what it'll take to do each one of those. >> And what are the largest contributors to it

044being such a price tag? >> Um, it's the technology and the use of them. I mean there there are I mean lighting well in the discussion of building high schools the most expensive space in the building is your performing arts area and it's just part of the components that come with that. >> Thank you. Um additionally um I Highland Park it talked about removing the grass on the south side um where it's got a little bit of a can't remember the language you used and then replacing with concrete. Um I understand the why behind it. um given I've been there for a very long time. Um the other piece that I did not see was shade. Um so it's it's taking out a albeit a dysfunctional grassy area. Um changing it to concrete which increases

045the heat. Um it does not talk about a shade element which is direly needed on that south end of that um school building. So I guess my broad question is as we're looking at these projects and such um I obviously have pushed to become more water-wise but in that process that can include improving um tree canopy to provide shade that is helpful for various reasons to include um especially children's comfort. So, I guess you don't even have to answer it because I know it's quite lengthy, but I would just be another piece that I would say that we need to be looking at is if we're adding more hardscaping or increasing the heat for um our students when sometimes we have some very hot times, especially for students that have um summer programs, which Highland

046Park traditionally has summer programs that we do need shade um for comfort purposes. Um, could you explain to me why we need to restripe Hawthorne that is currently a closed building um that is coming with a $35,000 price tag? Sorry, let me go back to scroll down. Make sure I'm looking at the right one. So that um it's the major cost there is the seal coat. So the asphalt we're on a on our all of our asphalt projects we try to recote them every fifth year. That extends a product from 10 years to 25 years if you consistently do that. Is it something that that could potentially be held on given we're going through a process and determining whether or not we're going to retain or sell properties right now instead of adding this um

047to our um capital bonds projects. Um we have not completed the process to determine um where we stand on selling properties. Is this a prudent time to be investing $35,000 into this that we could hold off on until we complete um that analysis that's currently going on? >> I'm sure we could do that and if that's what you what uh you guys decide or advise us uh budget-wise, I'm fine with doing that. I will just say this re these recommendations are based on properties that we own now and we are responsible for and I'm trying to be responsible in ensuring that we have a safe operational facility until the day that it's decided that it either is sold, goes to someone else or something else, >> right? >> Um and that that lot is in

048bad shape. >> And I don't doubt there's a necessity for it. I presume we'll be able to know by the end of this calendar year whether or not we're going to retain that property or not. And so we could have it on the tentative capital projects uh plan. But until we actually complete our analysis and determine what we're doing with our properties we are not currently using um it does not seem responsible to be doing all of these things until we know what that next step is going to be. So that would just be my ask is having a little asterric of wait until we complete our G5 process for our closed buildings. >> I think on some of these things like asphalt may be one that it's worth pausing on. >> Some of the

049other ones where we're trying to keep have an upkeep >> um are a little different. So maybe we take that project by project. Yeah, >> that way to think about >> Yeah, that was um one thing that stood out to me was the Hawthorne and also the Riley. The Riley is only $4,000, but it says restripe all asphalt. Um and just wondering if that's really necessary um at this time um because of the the vacancies. Um, so I would kind of agree with Amanda that the those could be put on, you know, a a possibility to shelf for a little while. >> Absolutely. Um, and then I'm wondering, so potentially you explained a little bit about the grading system that we had talked about in the facilities report that you're developing, and it sounds like

050there's a way to, you know, uh, assign a score to a school or a specific part of that school that needs a amount of attention. And I'm wondering sometimes um projects projects end up being more expensive and these are current estimates, right? They're not contracted out. >> Yes. >> So because they're not um contracted out like do you have a li you know on this list if for example it ends up being more expensive or there are budget shortfalls given um whatever reason do you have um like the ones that you would take off this list? Yes. Yeah. We have a contingent. We we plan a contingency in all of this and make sure that as we evaluate what projects come in, if some come in high, we decide which ones are higher priority and

051remove whatever we need to to ensure we stay within the budget that you've provided. Um we never do anything that isn't on the list. That would wait until next year when we provide you a new list unless there's something that we bring to you and ask for consideration. >> Okay, great. Um, also I would just like to thank you for um, this whole process is very time inensive and I was actually happened to be at the Emerson Elementary School facilities meeting. Um, and I'm happy to see that they have the storm tech system on there because I know that parking lot flooding has been a big issue. Um, my last question just kind of is I do notice that West and Highland both have things on this list and I'm wondering um are these like

052really necessary just for the next couple of years for them to be able to run or why would they still have um especially West has like a 1.2 million basically um issue. I'm just wondering why that wouldn't really be that necessary at this point when we're rebuilding. I I'm happy to go through line by line if you'd like. Um, West High School, the bathrooms, we've had major issues with vandalism where we have to replace partitions and doors on a regular basis, but there's quite a few that are missing right now. And so, it's two of obviously it's $150,000 worth of work to get that up to date. And that's more of a safety and and uh sanitary reason. uh the $800,000 for the foot football field, that that one's unfortunate, but um the the fields

053are generally need to be re replaced about every 10 years. We actually extended west by two years. Um we did east two years ago, we did Highland last year. West is the last one that and it doesn't meet the fall rating now for safety for the students. Um, so it uh that estimate is just to pull up what's there and place a new field and uh with the foundation and the um cushioning. Um the curtain the staging curtain rigging is failing and it's another safety issue that we've uh identified working with them. Um the roof is in really bad shape. Um, what this is just an estimate of how can we go through and spot and fix things as we go, trying to not have to spend a million dollars on a roof of a

054building that's not going to be there forever. Um, the construction commissioning that's uh part of the uh safety or I'm sorry, part of the sustainability, but it ensures the best example I can give is this building. We built this building. We asked them to build it to a certain spec. Um, we took took that at that level of okay, it will be done and it's correct. Uh, we've we're having quite a few issues with the HVAC system of this building now. So, uh, with these new builds, we've hired KW Engineering to be our double check on things. So, as it's designed, uh, the other engineers are working with KW to ensure that the design and scope work. And then as the in installers install all of that equipment, KW will come through and inspect. And

055then at the end, they'll actually run systems for several months to make sure everything works appropriately. And that's what that that 150,000. It's actually for the new building, but it's in out of the bond money for the sustainability. >> And we're doing that for both there and Highland. >> Okay. Thank you. I think that answers my question. Just the last note I would have is once we spend 800,000 on that artificial turf for the football field, will we be able to use any of that or is that going to just go down the drain once we build new facilities? >> We'll end up being able to use it in other areas. Um, for example, the last time we did this, they took a bunch of it and put it in one of the weight rooms.

056Uh, we put it in a dance room. a lot of different uses we can use, but unfortunately it can't be pulled up and then put down on the new field that's going to be built in four years. >> Okay. >> So, >> thank you. >> We'll get about four 40% of the life out of it. >> Thank you, Annie. Are there any other questions in the first round? And Ashley, I did see it. We'll move to the second round, but first, Brian had his hand raised. >> You asked the one or you answered the one about turf. you know, that was on my list. But as I was looking through, um, I've had elementary schools that have had questions about fencing because of safety and things like that. How does that factor in? Are you

057thinking about that with some of these schools? And I realize that most schools, you know, are not completely fenced, but are we looking at it and ensuring that there is fencing where it's really important for safety? >> The short answer is yes. Um, we uh when the new uh security measures came out, we evaluated, we provided a budget. It's just over hund00 million to meet all of the requirements. >> Yeah. For that for that. >> Um I was actually at a security meeting on Friday last week talking about what the true requirements are now. And basically if it every school has to have some sort of security system on the front of the building with glazing or uh bulletproof glass and everything from the sides and back. Anywhere that students organize outside, we have to

058have fencing around. So that is in that estimate of the hund00 million of >> okay >> basically building a fence off both sides of every school and going the rest of the property except for the main entrance area and parking lot. Um those are not built into this right now. They are on a different estimate, but again we'll prioritize which those are and make sure that we meet the requirements the state said of 15 years now. >> Yeah, we have a separate timeline to get that right. >> Yep. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Any other thoughts or questions in the first round? >> Okay. Seeing now, move to the second round with Ashley. >> I wanted to respond a little bit about the concerns regarding West. I think maybe we don't recognize that a

059full cohort and a half of kids are going to go through West before it's rebuilt. And so, it's really important that a cohort and a half of young adults have a functioning building during the time they are there. I for comparison I have a sixth grader right now who will start going to West next year and they may see that building their senior year maybe right if things all go to plan that's a lot of time for a person to be in a building and we should expect I think regular repairs to that facility I want to express my confidence that I think auxiliary services considers what is absolutely essential given the budget constraints that office faces every year um in making these difficult decisions about what to cover and what not. With that in

060mind, I hear peers asking that the board consider limiting the actions taken in upcoming budget. Um, because this is a report and we can't act on reports and we typically avoid giving direction on reports because it's unclear to the public what we can and cannot act on in the public meeting. I would ask that if board members prefer that, you know, the full board review a limited number of projects that a list of proposed projects to review would be provided to board leadership. I'd be willing to second that request. I think especially for, you know, properties that are not operating as elementary schools, it's important to consider if something is a safety concern for members of the public who use that building or temporary uses or if it could be delayed. But if it was

061um a request was made with a list of projects and it was appropriately seconded, it would allow us to place on a discussion agenda so we could have real clear communication and also get feedback from the public. And I'm wondering if you um Allan as the business administrator think that that would be reasonable. Is this something that automatically goes into the budget cycle? How do you think is the most appropriate way for us to address the concerns people are raising? >> Now, you're talking the concerns that have been brought up by board members in this discussion, correct? >> Right. >> Yeah. So, again, this is a report part of, you know, it'll it's one puzzle piece of the big budget. Um, I think we could meet, you know, if if I'm just trying to wrap

062my head around what you're saying and I'm not sure I'm getting there. >> I think what I'm saying is, is it most useful if we prioritize placing this on a discussion agenda where we could talk about it or is it most prudent to place it on a discussion agenda or direct the finance committee to discuss it as part of the budget cycle recognizing that there's been some disagreement? what's the best way to address the concerns without offering direction on a report which we really typically don't do >> right clearly any discussion about we would like Isaac or members of his team there um because they they have the background of why this particular item was selected um whether that's finance committee or as a board discussion because the capital budget is still yet to come

063in a in a future board meeting we could address it then or could address it with board finance committee meetings separately. Um I either either one of those uh would work. >> Thank you, Ashley. Um board members, if you have that request in a second, please let Brian and me know and work to get it scheduled. >> Yeah. >> Oh, I was just going to say I think it would make sense to address when we go over the capital budget. Yeah. And just remember, so these are the projects that will be done in theory from July 2026 through June 2027. So some of them we can say, well, let's push those back to the end of that time frame. Um, and we can still have those discussions. Um, because we don't we don't get all

064these projects done in the first three months of of the fiscal year. So I think like Isaac said, we can >> really we're good, but we're not that good. So, we we can look at those and say instead of removing them from the list, maybe we prioritize them for the end of the fiscal year. Um, and we can continue to have discussions throughout the year and we'll have a better idea of maybe some of these other properties, what we uh what our long-term plan is with those. >> Any other questions for Isaac? Isaac, thank you. >> Thank you so much. >> Appreciate it. Um, our next agenda item this evening for the report section is a student advisory council proposal. Um, Dr. Ruiz and our own student board member Foss, I believe, are presenting to

065us this evening. So, we're looking forward to that. Thank you. >> Okay. Good evening. >> Good evening. I want to share how grateful I am for this opportunity. Um, Fos and I attended a student board member session from the USBA conference and we learn a lot about this model and although this is not exactly the way they're implementing it, we tailor it to our district. And so each of you have access to the proposal and I just want to summarize five tenants of this proposal. One, it will involve the two non- voting student board members that will be chosen for next year. Uh number two, they will meet on a monthly basis and we'll create a student advisory council that they will lead and all of the agenda items um will be led by students

066and then I will be supporting with all of the logistics. um they'll have direct interaction with board leadership um a board member that um may want to mentor and support our student board members that are leading this work. And then finally, this will give us a way to collect um feedback in any of the initiatives that they either surface or that we um find that we need um to learn more from them. So, I'm going to have uh Foss to add more details to that. >> Yeah. So, the way that we'll be selecting the members of this council um will be uh very fair, very equitable. >> False. >> Could you lean a little closer to the microphone? Sure. >> Can you hear me now? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um the way that we're going

067to be addressing the selection process of the students who are involved in this uh council will be for each comprehensive high school for East, Highland, and West, we'll be selecting three students, but for Horizonte and uh SLCSSE, we'll be selecting only two students. Um all those students um will be committing to one to two hours per month, but they will be committing um to bringing invaluable information. Um, and as a student board member right now, I know uh, for example, we had these students here today. They're from my school. I wasn't entirely aware, um, that they were going to be presenting. So, there's always things that, um, can very well be brought to the board through student involvement, and that'll be, uh, very valuable even with only that one to two hours. Um all these

068students that are being selected will of course um will make sure that they have a strong attendance record, no major uh discipline disciplinary issues, um a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher and continued progress towards graduation with no failing grades or incompletes during their term of service. Um then for the schoolbased selection process, it'll be led by the principles um and making sure that they'll meet those eligibility requirements. And also when they're selecting those students, they're going to make sure that they are representing a wide swath of the students that we have in every high school. Um again, in some of the commentaries that were being made, each of our high schools are different. Um but among all those different high schools, we're going to be making sure to find students that are not usually

069making commentaries. Even right now, if I were to go out and go um very diligently through every classroom, um there might be students that I don't talk to. And so part of the goal of this committee is going to be having representation from every student group, whether that be um students who are involved in athletics or students that are involved in nothing at all. Um other high schools have ensured that uh their or other districts have ensured that SPOS's and student government are doing their own program and they're trying to find students uh in other areas to represent their councils. Uh currently we're taking the approach that those students would still be welcome to participate in the interest of maintaining representation from all student groups. Um for roles represents and meeting structure um they will

070be adhering to any established meeting norms. It would be um representing to the extent possible their student perspectives and referring any requests for action through the appropriate administrative channels. Uh when a follow-up is required, like we said, there would be a representative from the board of education at every meeting ideally. Uh and that would help to facilitate the transmission of any information or um requests from the committee. >> Um do you want to go over agenda ownership and meeting flow? >> So um all of the agenda items will be brought up by the students. Um sometimes counselors will I think that's a great idea. Um, you should bring that to the student advisory council and have that conversation. So, it's very organic. Um, hoping that those agenda items um are are some of those issues

071that sometimes um don't even get the attention that they need sometimes. And so that direct that interaction between the students, board members, and district leadership will facilitate and in that conversation but also to the point that it will influence some of the decision making practices and policies when applicable. Um this proposal um does come with a small budget. Um we do hope that um and it's about $4,000. So we're looking about 2400 for lunches. So when we all come together once a month um at the hosting school, we'll provide transportation that will cost us about $1600 for the year for as a field trip for each of those months for each month. Um and the 2400 are for lunches so that we could discuss the items and learn from each other over lunch time. We've

072also secured um two small scholarships for the for the eligible student board members that meet all of their requirements for civic engagement and those will be $500 each. >> Um just to highlight some things that a similar council um has achieved in other school districts. We heard about um students commenting on the cell phone policies as they were introduced. Uh students bring up concerns about dance safety and immediately dealing with issues for upcoming dances within one cycle. Um they clarified CTE credits. I know that we're working on increasing CTE involvement in our schools. So I see um definitely a possibility of students bringing up uh clarifications as we begin to do that. Um and then also uh school talked about their validictorian formula. So there's a wide range of things that can be brought up

073and I think this would be invaluable. >> Great. Thank you, Foss. Thank you, >> Dr. Ruiz. We'll start with board member Williams. >> Yeah, I actually don't have questions. I just have some comments. Um, so I've been on the board for almost five years and every USBA or NSBA conference that I go to, I go to these sessions about the student board members and um I've been saying that this is something that we've we should look at and consider to do and I felt like it uh has fallen on deaf ears until so at the last USBA conference, I actually did not go to the presentation. I'm assuming you were all going to. So, I just wanted to say thank you for taking that up and exploring it and bringing it to the board. >>

074Thank you, Bryce. Ashley, >> I'm really glad the student advisory council is returning and I emphasize returning because we have had this underpassed superintendent before and I think that's important to remember. And one thing I'm not positive about is if it used to include transportation costs. And so I know we've heard a lot of concerns in the public comment on discussion items that we have issues sufficiently transporting students to all of our school sites. We've had to remove courtesy stops. We hear reports that field trips are canceled because there aren't available buses or available drivers if there is a bus. And so I'm a little concerned about prioritizing the transportation component of this as compared to other transportation services in what's kind of a strained, you know, system. And so I would just ask I

075think I'm very supportive of this, but before it comes to a discussion, I would really appreciate if we could look at whether the past iteration of a student council did use transportation or if it used other models to push into schools so that we were, you know, limiting the amount that students were going back and forth. I know we have our UTA passes. Could we encourage the use of those for this purpose and just really consider the feasibility of the transportation ask and maybe some alternatives that the board could consider so that we can make sure the advisory council is successful without adding to some of the transportation burdens that we hear about especially during the high school rebuilds where we have so many additional um routes running for students. But I think that this

076is a great way to get more feedback from a greater number of students. And I appreciate the effort to resume a student advisory council for sure. If I could add one. >> Yeah. Um and we will definitely explore all of those options. Um I did have a conversation with transportation and we um strategically placed the time and day and month that is outside of those blackout dates and times. And so from their perspective, this time and day for the month is going to work for them. But we will definitely bring other options to the table. That's great clarification, too, to know that we see that this is something that wouldn't conflict with what we hear about. So, I really appreciate that. I think transportations >> help us to make like the best decision >> knowing

077that that's a strained system, but that's really helpful clarification, too. Thank you so much. >> Thanks, Ashley. Annie. >> Yeah, thank you so much for doing this. I was in the same session as you at the USBA and um did notice that it seemed really beneficial for other schools districts to have um this advisory council that brings in multiple voices from different um communities. Uh just quick question on um the selection process. Uh it sounds like it would be selected at a school level. Um and maybe you're still flushing out exactly how that application process would work. Is that right? >> Yes. Correct. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Once we know the direction whether it's approved or not, then we'll finalize some of the details and >> Okay. Thanks. >> I'll go ahead and take my

078turn unless Charlotte you have anything. Go ahead. Well, I just want to say that I'm really glad that you Thank you for your input on this board member Foss. Um, and I do think that we should find a way to to do this. Um, yeah. Anyway, um, don't think I have any other questions as of yet. >> Thank you, Charlotte. Um, I just wanted to add similar like really excited. I've been to a number of these sessions over the years myself. Um, so I'm really excited and thank you board member Foss and Dr. Ruiz for bringing it to the table. Um, just like thinking about things that I've heard at NSBA and USBA, similar to Bryce, I'm really um, excited about this calendar of monthtomonth um, about like meeting hosts and you know all the

079pickup and drop off. Um, but I also know that in a couple of different I think it was Provo one year and another school I I heard about um at the NSBA conference in another state. I can't remember which one. I'm super sorry. But um but nonetheless, a lot of the meetings that the advisory council was having was um directly correlated with upcoming board agendas. So that the student advisory council could weigh in with the two sitting um board members at the table to bring in feedback from a broader student, you know, community, right? Um to help either influence their perspectives or help the board answer questions that they might have about, well, what are students thinking about this particular topic or issue? Have you um put any thought or um developed any kind of

080a coordinating document about how that might be considered uh for what the board hears next? >> I think that's a great idea. Not yet, but I will bring that back when we have the the discussion. >> Okay, perfect. Thank you. >> Um moving into Oh, well, round two, but Amanda first. >> Um kind of off of what Nate was talking about. um that more on the initial representation as we are also working on ensuring that we're getting a broader voice but um I my I guess my ask would be um ensuring we are having um more students than just the typical students that are able to access these type of opportunities. So you've got um you know your your students experiencing homeless youth youth from and poverty students in the essential elements classrooms academic support

081students with more complex disabilities that could be supported in these activities with a peer buddy or something so that we are truly getting a broad voice in this opportunity which um the concept as a whole I've also supported and I'm extremely excited and it was really fun reading through um how detailed the breakdown of this approach is as you're trying to like work through it. And I'm sure it'll be like any program. It's an evolving thing. We learn what we need to improve upon. Um so that was just one of my larger asks. Um, and then a another suggestion, I've served on advisory panels outside of the district, um, and prior work I've done in my advocacy, and one of the pieces that I found most effective on some of those panels was as you're

082working on these projects and these initiatives and these kids are coming together, um, implementing a process of developing a recommendation memo that comes to the board so that it's not lost in a conversation dialogue. Um it actually is broken down into uh you know you're developing your priorities um potentially for that year and then at each of those meetings you know what what was your focus and then what was the consensus and then the summary memo that might be fine too before it's brought to the board in that presentation. But that really in my past experience really brought um effectiveness to the work versus just feeling like you're just saying a lot. So I think that would be helpful and um having some good outcomes in that conversation and that partnership with students. student and

083also I think it's a good idea we should directly express that we're very open for all students >> and for some of those kids that um um may need support and even knowing that they can access it. Ensuring that this communications come home to the parents and explaining to the parents how they can help support their kiddos in accessing this opportunity. Um it becomes a community effort to ensure that these voices are um encompassed in this initiative. >> Yeah, I know previously when you were talking about the addition the way that we select student board members. We've talked about uh ensuring that all schools are spreading information about how to apply that everyone can apply. But yeah, we could also try and make sure that's true for this council as well. >> Thank you, Amanda.

084Um we have Brian in the first round and then I have Annie and Bryce for the second round. Get there. I too was really excited to see this and to me it kind of ties into what I am looking forward to in April and that is my community engagement um study session because I think that when we're talking about a student advisory council there would be a wonderful interplay between what the students were experiencing and feedback that could come from whatever we decide to do with like a community engagement piece going back and forth. I think that they would really be supportive of one another. Thank you. And I'm This is great. >> Awesome. Thank you, Brian. Um Annie and then Bryce on the second round. >> Yes. Some just one thing I forgot to

085say is in um the application process I I do think it'd be great to have students of all ages especially since the board members tend to be 12th grade students. Um, I think one thing would be even advertising or recruiting incoming ninth graders from middle school to be engaged as well so that we have a a variety of ages and experience and it could possibly be a feeder into their involvement in the on as a student board member in the future. So >> um this model only includes juniors and seniors and juniors in that it's they have a year to prepare to apply to be student board members the in their senior year. So it's kind of a preparation for that role if they choose to apply to but that's not something that we had

086considered. So we'll we'll look into that. >> Yeah. My uh comment was just super quick and um President Salazart, this is something that you said. >> Um the the state that you were thinking about was a school in Oregon and I was just going to offer to the two of you. I think I have notes on that so I'll try to find those and share them with you. >> Okay. Thanks, Bryce. Any other questions for Dr. Ruiz or Foss? All right, seeing none. Um Dr. Ruiz, Dr. Grant, I think you got some good feedback from the board. Yes. and we'll look forward to seeing this on an upcoming agenda soon. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. Our next report agenda item number four is the strategic plan pillar one midyear update.

087Um Dr. Grant, I believe Dr. Taylor is to present on this this evening. >> That's right. Okay. >> Thank you, Dr. Taylor, for the memo and for presenting on this. Oh, with the team. >> Oh, cool. We got a team. >> Nice. We have a team coming up. That's perfect. >> Yeah. And then Dr. Taylor and Dr. Dillion, just to keep in mind, uh, we do have that time certain at 7:15. So if I cut you off, um, that's why. >> Well, we might be >> from your lip to go off here. >> Good evening everyone. >> Good evening. >> Can you hear me? You had a report before you that provides the update for pillar one as well as the supplemental materials. We want to know if you have any questions that you would

088like to highlight. >> Thank you, Dr. Taylor. Any questions from the board? >> Are we going to go through the report at all? >> We can if if we'd like. Um >> I just think it's attached. The public thinks we're talking about it. I would be curious to review the contents of the report before limiting our questions. >> Great. Thank you, Dr. Taylor. That's possible. That'd be awesome. >> You're looking at a summary that provides our progress up to date for one of the district strategic plan for student achievement. under goal one equitable access and inclusion. You see our focus has been on ensuring that students have meaningful access to academic programs and enrichment opportunities across the their K12 journey under goal two equity equitable treatment. The district has concentrated on fostering safe, supportive and

089dignified learning environments within the structure of the street plan. We we have reported on actions completed on our way to meeting the objectives and provided updates on progress where appropriate. Also, you see where we're developing things. The plan is ongoing and growing as time progresses. Looking ahead, we want to continue to monitor through annual review checkpoints between 20 at the end of each year 26, 27, 28, and then finally 29. And hopefully this plan will be completed. Ongoing reporting will include the creation of SEAL walkthrough summaries, enrichment and transition activity reports, unified insight behavior reports, mental health and health services reports, and the appropriate power school dashboards. We're looking to have dashboards at the board level, superintendent level, executive leadership level, as well as school level. We want to make sure that we have reports

090that provide us with clear, transparent insight into both implementation, fidelity, and measurable outcomes. It's important to note that the team continues to assess the resources needed for the work and will address both resource needs and related policy considerations and the pillar one update in terms of each the summary report that's provided at the end of each year. If there's anything you would like me to focus on or pull out, I'll be more than happy to Thank you. >> Amanda, >> I'm sure I'll have more questions, but I'll just go ahead and jump in. Um, I just thank you for this rendition. I um we obviously made some adjustments and paused um before we visited this and this was a very friendly document to go through and see where we were at with the goal and

091the sub goal. So thank you. Um there are a lot of notations that uh currently developing a process which you alluded to. Um this document um we're we're into this a bit like what I can't remember the year it was initially created but we're into it a year or two. So I'm curious when we expect to have um the measurement the data collection process and measurement plan for each of these sub goals um identified so that that tracking mechanism is in place to see how we're coming along and meeting the ultimate deadline so to speak. >> Most of these things we're in the process of developing now to have completed by the end of this academic year. >> Okay. by the end of June to have these measurements in terms of the way that we

092collected data to be fully implemented and created. >> Okay, so by June, >> so okay, we're thinking June. Okay. Um, and then secondly, and I'm skimming through here. I don't have my notes well written. I apologize. Um, but I just want to point I I want to just express gratitude that I see that you're trying to um isolate uh progress in subgroups that also I'm sure you're not surprised me stating this include students with disabilities but not only um because what I've always said is if we are not specifically talking about all of our atrisisk populations we aren't necessarily seeing how their progress and their gains are in relation to these goals. So, specifically breaking those down and seeing how those are aligning with these goals versus just a broad overview of 80% of our

093entire population um that inherently does miss some of our atrisisk populations. Um, so circling back, thank you for breaking that down so that there is concentrative effort to see what we need to do to bring all of our student populations within and align them with these goals and outcomes. >> Oh, there's one thing I do need to highlight that I did not do, so I apologize about that. If you look at the subgroup information, the black line is at 0% is where our major subgroup is. the dotted line that's to the north of that or to the top of that would be 10% above where that main group is that bottom the dotted line below that be 10% below that and so when you look at the bar graphs that's the distance we are currently

094from the goal itself >> thank you I do have one question I've kind of asked um and I'm escaping memory is escaping me but this one does talk about the attendance piece and I have spoken about how we need to uh wrap in um truency into this not just chronic absenteeism because both are very pertinent and relevant on um helping our kids with their outcomes. When are we revisiting or have we decided when are we re revisiting our uh goals to potentially look at adding truency to our absenteeism measurement? Yeah. Um I don't think that we've made a call on that quite yet, Amanda. Um I think if I'm understanding the request or at least what you'd sent to board leadership and the district admin, is is that something that needs to be wrapped into

095this goal or is it something that needs to be brought into a policy committee discussion for further review and bringing back to the board? Um so it might be good for us to kind of clarify what exactly it is because um that you might be looking for in the request. Um it seems like it might be both, right? That there should be something outlined in here is what I think you've suggested. Um but I also think that leads to some policy um around truency that we have right now. Um >> do you want me to initiate the request by email to start that conversational process? >> I think that would be helpful. I don't know if Dr. Grant if you've had a chance to to sit with that one yet. We haven't discussed it as

096a leadership team, but just um in thinking about that request initially, >> I'm not trying to get involved with my But I would recommend that you kind of wait for a second. There's current legislation that's working through approved will align the definition for chronic absism with the truency definition. >> Okay. >> And that might certainly need a change in policy or process. >> Yeah. Which the legislation session is ending on Friday and then we'll be seeing all of the outcomes. So at least scheduling it down a couple of months down the road makes sense for sure. >> Cool. And it's not lost on us, Amanda. Thank you. and your request isn't lost on us. Um, Ashley. >> Yeah. So, I admit that I'm a little bit confused because I thought we would have kind of

097the typical presentation we have, which I think is helpful for us to go through and hear a little more bit more detail, but also for the public to follow along. I know not everyone streams every meeting, although I know a few people who do. Um, but many people do refer to the content of the meeting. So, I'm thinking about this change of format and I'm trying to work through the way I wrote questions in the memo. Um, one thing from the outset is that when we were asked to share feedback with board leadership when the presentation was postponed, I shared that I thought it would be most helpful when we got feedback if we knew what resources were sufficient for these pillars and what resource areas were still insufficient. So, will we be addressing resource

098allocation at all? Like what areas need more resources? what we should be considering as board members in the budget cycle. >> The report, the memo was done with the assumption be operating with existing resource lines. So the plan itself has been made with that in mind. There will be additional requests coming forward in a comprehensive manner but we're planning right now with our existing resources knowing that we have some limitations that we're facing. >> Okay. As one individual member, I would just suggest that when we hear in these pillar updates, what resources are insufficient, that helps us know where we're not aligning things to meet the goals. So, if we see, you know, chronic absenteeism was not impacted by X, Y, and Z actions. It may imply we need to change the actions, but it

099may also imply that we need to allocate more resources to those activities to make them function. And I think the reason we get the pillar updates is not just to know how things are going, but how we can support how things are going. and if we don't know how to allocate them in the budget cycle, it's a little bit like, you know, not it's not giving us any action that could help the district to be more successful. Um, with that in mind, I had a couple of questions about specific items. >> Can I ask for a clarity point? >> So, you're saying during the updates, it would be preferable in terms of a resource request rather than a summation report that's done in June. >> I think so. As one individual person, I can't speak

100for everybody. I think it's helpful to know if I'm looking at a counseling item, you know, did we not meet this goal because the resources were insufficient and should we be preparing to allocate resources to meet that goal or did we not meet that goal because we simply need to take more steps within the existing fee structure. that that would help us to understand where we need to allocate resources in advance of getting that very large budget request in June that we may not draw a line from the counseling presentation we heard to this if that makes sense >> and again I'm just one person but that's my opinion which I shared um one thing I had a question about is it talks in the report about counselors pushing into six and eight classes and

101like we checked that box but the counseling of specifically our sixth grade students was incorrect in a lot instances specifically where students were counseledled out of AP human geography and advanced math when they attended Bryant Middle School as opposed to West ELP. So I'm curious what steps are being taken to address counseling errors in addition to making sure counseling occurs. >> We've done a twofold approach. One is a general approach in which we implemented with the department as a whole establishing expectations when it comes down to that. We're also developing scripts for counselors to follow as reference guides. That would be part of the counseling handbook in which we operating to update at this time. Also, we're looking at individuals when we have that information come forward to see how do we need to work

102in terms of coaching cycles with those individuals to help them improve their practice. >> That's really helpful to know how we're addressing that. Um, and that we're reaching more students with counseling services and making sure they're correct. Um, later in the memo, it talks about the district level attendance initiative and we've had some report since this, but I don't know if we've had a report on it specifically since Dr. Connelly took her role. I'm wondering if the district level attendance initiative includes more than the incentives, programs, and rewards we hear about. If it's about like the letters going home, is there somewhere that points to what is the district attendance initiative? >> Happy to talk to you about that. So, this is an ongoing developing in initiative that we're doing. And the first thing that

103we did was sign up for USB's attendance initiative, which is statewide. Uh part of that includes a ton of resources that USB has put together for all eleas to use. This is something that we have shared with all of our school administrators that they can access. Um it includes things like monthly nudges that principles can share out through social media. Uh parts of their newsletters that they can adapt to say this is how we're doing with attendance or this is the focus for the month. So just simple things that go a long way in communicating to our families this is how we're doing with attendance or this is the importance of attendance. That's one part of it. But then we keep coming back to it every month and share um examples of what schools are

104putting in place to support attendance uh increase in within their school communities. Um, we do highlight schools every single month for multiple categories, not just for best attendance because yes, we have that, but what we want to do is increase attendance. We want to decrease chronic absenteeism. So, we are rewarding or celebrating schools for decreasing their chronic absenteeism for the month. And we are also recognizing them for having low chronic absenteeism, which is what we want to maintain within our schools. Um and then through our district attendance team, we're continue continuing to develop the initiative further to ensure that we have a strong foundation and that it's sustainable and that we can continue to implement moving forward. >> And do we have attendance progress at the midway point of the year or we don't have

105a report on that progress yet? >> So our attendance as far as this year is concerned is very similar to last year. uh percent of attendance is about 92% as a district. And then on the memo in the attachments, I've attached what it looks like as far as chronic absenteeism is concerned. So when we submitted this, our chronic absenteeism was about 24%. Now it's back down to 23. So we're hoping to continue to decrease that before the end of the school year. >> That's great. And especially as we're hearing in the public comment concerns about staffing reductions, I'm wondering if our business administrator can confirm whether chronically absent students limit the funding that we receive as a district. >> I'm going to look to Sam to make sure I don't ill speak wrong, but we're

106not funded based on attendance. We're based on membership. So, so long as the student is a is enrolled in the school, that's what we're funded on. not so much of if they're actually at school. >> That helps. Thank you. Thank you, Ashley. We have Ann. >> Yeah. Um I've also had a little bit of a hard time wrapping my head around this report because there's so much in there kind of, but also so much not in there. But I appreciate the information that I do understand. And I just am wondering if you could maybe like walk through appendix one with me like the rise English language arts grade three um just as kind of an exercise so I'm understanding correctly um of like what that data means. >> Okay. When you look at that first

107graph, which is the rise English language arts grade three, like I said, that top dotted line is 10% above our Caucasian population, which is >> I'm sorry to interrupt you. Is there any way that we could connect your computer so that >> Oh, yeah. >> board members who might not have it on their laptops and also the public could see as well. Sorry to >> if I break it, Sam will fix it. Um, and while you're doing that, just um, part of my question, sorry, this is maybe multi-pronged, but first of all, understanding where we're at with this data, and secondly, what initiatives are being done to move us towards our goal? And thirdly, how often are those initiatives being evaluated at either a school level or a district level? Because often times I go

108to different schools and for example one school is using their land trust funds for reading interventionists but year after year the the scores aren't changing. So what isn't working there or you know is it some what what do we need to do to move those scores? So kind of wondering if there's a trend across districts or if that's very school specific etc. >> Okay. You've asked for an explanation that would take a lot more time than we have right now. One is understand the relationship between what we call leading indicators and lagging indicators. And the measurement for this is our end of the year assessments which is which are rise Aspire Plus and Acadians. >> Yeah. >> Our schools develop strategic plans. I mean sorry school improvement plans that outline their strategies their key goals

109that move this data but the measurement for it would be those end of the year assessments that take place. So you might have IBPAS which are incremental tests that take place during the year that measure our achievement which in turn should predict how our kids do on the end of the year assessment. So there should be a correlation and a relationship between the test they're taking during the year and the end of the year measurement which takes place. >> Yeah, I understand that. I'm just saying um I don't want whole years to be going using failed and failed um or ineffective tools. >> Yeah. >> You know what I'm saying? If we have this goal that's supposed to be achieved by 2029, for example, and every year we're doing the same thing or we spend

110a whole year doing one thing that's not effective, I don't think we're going to reach our goal is the point. That's why the evaluatory component that takes place as we go through the progress of looking at those land trust plans, those uh TSSA plans which are wrapped into their school improvement plans tells you what each individual school is doing in order to impact this information. So when you look at the measurement pieces that which take place which can be done quarterly can be done every 90 days might be done by terms is dictated by that individual plan. >> Yes. Okay. >> Yes I understand. >> Okay. >> So did I if not you know we can >> no I understand. I was just wondering if there's a broader initiative that maybe area directors or something

111are implementing to oversee and make sure not only land trust plans but general curriculum academically are actually moving the needle. >> Yeah, we we use the measurements that are embedded in our plans in terms of accountability pieces. So when you look at the district strategies, for example, the district has a strategy of using academic discourse to have an impact on academics. So yes, that's periodically measured, but that would be embedded in those school improvement plans, the measurement keys for that. >> I hate to keep I know I'm sounding redundant and I apologize about that, but really it's the individualized plan for the school is the school improvement plan. Yeah. >> And the district embeds its strategies in support of that plan. >> Okay. >> I'd like to add >> if I could just a minute.

112Um this is perhaps our most aspirational goal in our strategic plan. >> Yeah. >> M closing achievement gaps is the grand challenge across schools across the nation. Um these are hardened by social economic status and the way our communities and uh world is set up and uneven playing fields. Um, so this is the most aspirational goal and you can tell how far we are from it, the size of those gaps. Everything that schools do is in att is attending to student achievement. So each piece of what they're trying to accomplish is about student achievement. Um, and so that's always embedded in in what they're just doing daytoday. And I agree. Um it would be nice to have an answer to these. >> Um it is just the consistent hard work of doing the educating. Um,

113also just to think about, one of the challenges with this is each time it's a static measure. And what it's not showing is if we get a student in preK, what happens to the size of their gap if they're with us longer? It's one of the things that we're working with the assessment team to think about. How can we capture what our value ad is over time rather than a static shot of what it is currently so that we can say as we had some data a couple of years ago that showed that the longer students are with us the better they do on tests each year. So their science scores go up, their math scores go up, their English language art scores go up, which shows the increased value over time. So, I don't

114want to dismiss this because this is the whole game here to me for education, but it's also the most difficult metric to move in all of our strategic plan, I think. >> Yeah. So, I guess I I guess I should have uh worded my questions a little bit more clearly. I understand that this is embedded in all of the activities every day, all the curriculum, all of the student improvement plans. I um guess I was just wondering if you could point to any specific initiatives that are working towards this in terms of the gaps between uh the different groups or if that is there is no specific initiative because it's embedded into everything. >> It's individualized by school. Okay. There's not a district-wide initiative except for the science of reading and lit, you know, literacy

115and language arts. and we'll, you know, be focusing even more on literacy with the state effort that way. Um, some of those things that we're doing kind of districtwide to close those gaps, but a lot of this is dependent on each school. So, these are the averages of course across as you know, but >> um >> in those improvement plans is the closest we have to particular initiatives to address. And if I may, >> if I may add to that, one thing that we are starting to do is uh we just created an equity committee and we have equity audit. We've created an equity audit tool. So what we want to do for the rest of this school year is meet with this equity committee, ensure that the tool is appropriate and it's going to

116give us the information that we are looking for to then train our administrators to utilize the tool and then based on the gaps that come up that they can also address those gaps from their school improvement plan that they've created for the year and continue to add action step or revise their action steps if they needed to do that. >> Okay, that's very helpful. Thank you. >> Okay, I'm going to go. We're a minute away from our 7:15 time certainty. So before nice try. I know Dr. Tim. I'm sorry, but I'm going to go ahead and and just ask that we take a little bit of a break and once 7:15 hits um we'll go ahead and start with the time certain public comment for the student fee schedule. So if y'all want to like

117sit and hang out or if you want to move back to the audience, you're welcome. And Dr. Connley, I'm sorry I got your name wrong. >> That's okay. name for us. And you're All right. Um, we have hit our time certain um at 7:15 for the 2026 2027 school fees schedule. Again, this is a draft um with board policy S10 student fee and fee waivers and S10 administrative procedures, student fees and fee wavers. Uh there is a signup sheet on the table here. Um if anybody is here to speak, if you would please come forward to the table. Um sign your name with all the pertinent information that's asked there. Uh you will have three minutes um similarly to what we have in our regular public comment period. Um but we will we will sit

118for a few minutes to see who might be here to speak to um our time certain student feast schedule this evening. Talk amongst coffee talk, you know. And please note that with these time certain um public comment periods uh we will go as long as there are people to speak. So >> and please keep in mind uh that there will be another opportunity for public comment um similar to this topic at the next board meeting as well. People waiting outside. We'll give it just another few minutes. Just because All right, we'll just give this until 7:20 if nobody comes up to speak. Yeah. You can't You can track. All right, it is now 7:20. Um, saying that nobody uh was here to speak to the time certain public comment on student fee schedule. Uh, we

119will go ahead and resume our presentation and Q&A with Dr. Taylor, Dr. Alec Martin, and Dr. Brie Daily. Oh, Bri Cley. Almost did it again. Sorry. so many years of you know anyway thank you okay I think where we left off board member Romano did you get your questions answered or do you have any follow-ups >> yeah I I guess I just um this is very important to me and I'm just wondering if you know like districtwide would there are there more specific initiatives atives that address this head on. And it sounds like the equity committee could be one of those to at least recognize where people are and then um you know tailor their school improvement plans accordingly. Um but just generally knowing that this goal is so difficult because it's grounded in so

120socioeconomic status and other community factors. Um I think it's hard for us to just say there's one initiative per se. But that's why I'm wondering like if you could point to any specific initiatives um or any schools that you feel like have made progress in this regard. But >> we can come back at a future date and supply the board with aligned information that comes from the strategic plan, the school improvement plans and those key strategies and action steps that are taking place within schools to say, "Hey, we've noticed that several schools are doing this as a strategy and it's having a positive impact at that school. these following schools are doing this strategy and putting these things in place and so that would lend itself to I believe what you're asking what individual action

121steps are taking place and key things that are occurring within buildings to leverage and close gaps. >> Yes. Thank you. >> I have student board member Foss and then board member Ferson. >> Yes. Hold before we get started, the next questions. You didn't want any questions about the particular graph that we're being shown? >> No. >> Uh, no. I think it's fine. I was just wanting to discuss this as an example like for language arts third grade, is there something that's going on that's you've seen improvement or are you expecting, you know, for example, is there a subgroup like the MLL subgroup that you've seen particular gains or something like that? When you look across the bottom row chart, you see the names of the individual subgroups. When you look at our multi-racial group, you'll

122see for the first one, which is the example chart we're using, they're within the goal already. They're within 10%. So that that we want to make sure that we can isolate intentionally what we're doing with that group and to maintain those practices with that group in order to keep them within the project, the projected area of that 10% within the main group. So that's a common example. Like I said, the dotted line across the top is 10% above the main group. The solid line across at 0% is where the main group is. And the dotted line that's below that is the 10% away from the main group. And we want everybody all the bars in 2029 to be within that scope. And that isn't a what they call big hairy audacious goals. That's one of

123those goals. >> Yeah. Um, from a student perspective, um, I know that students don't always, um, put their best foot forward in testing. And so I was just wondering if when we're performing these tests and looking at the ways that we can collect the best data possible, are we looking at the differences between student intention, student ability, and student capacity? So like if it's an ability problem, then we can teach more, we can teach better. If it's a capacity problem, then maybe we wait longer to expect certain things of the students. And then if it's an intention problem, which is what I've often observed. Um, is there something we can do about class or home culture? For example, like uh emphasizing to parents and asking them to emphasize to their children about the importance of

124certain testing um why we're doing it or having them emphasize like you can do this. anything that um is addressing the intention side. Are we already focusing on it? Are we focusing on other things? Just interested to know what you're looking at. >> That's part well I would say we are addressing all three. >> And that's why you see strategic action steps in the plans that are embedded for all three not only just the literacy goals, the attendance goals, but also the school climate and culture goals >> because the school climate and culture >> should address those intents. How do we build engagement? How do we build value for these processes so students give their best? >> Could you give an example of something that would be addressing intention? >> Well, I would say where

125you have elementary schools that do progress steps toward testing where they celebrating or they're acknowledging that the test the test going to take place in April. >> So, they do rallies, they do things to build engagement for the assessment piece or preparation toward that process. I say that would be intent because what they're doing is they're building the value of the assessment for students to give their all on those assessments in those elementary populations. I think that's the easiest one to lean forward to. >> Okay. >> I would just add to that. Um we're doing a lot of work to improve our school climate and culture and when students are happy in buildings they tend to perform better on tests um and get better grades, attend more, all of those things. So the L initiatives

126that we have been implementing for the last several years um have had an impact on that and and we hope will continue to do so. Um it's really really hard to draw those direct correlations right between climate and per and academic performance. But what we do know is that as climate improves and as kids report that they feel safer and happier in their schools, um just coincidentally, academics also improve. >> Yeah. Uh that's wonderful to hear. Um and of course, you know, I'm a high school student. These sort of things, these programs are always evolving and it's going to take a while to reach. So, I'm just glad to hear that that's 100% being considered. >> Thank you, Fos. Um I just wanted to know if you could tell talk a little bit more Dr.

127Connley about the equity audits that are being created and that will be happening in the future. >> Yeah. So we started out with the tool and it's just to measure how our students belong in schools. How do they see themselves represented through the curriculum through in their classroom? all the different foundational pieces that we have at every school to ensure that every child belongs and that they know that they are important to being there and that their families are also recognized as well. So just multiple aspects of it >> and is that through a survey? Is that what the tool? >> So it's a kind of like a checklist where we go around the school and then we just look for things items. Oh >> okay. >> Y >> great. Any other questions in the

128first round, Brian? >> Okay, this would um go to the assessment piece and I mean Foss, I think that you were focused on that. I've heard others um refer to assessment and of course myself as a teacher. Assessments, there's a real balancing act. Um, if you ask me when it comes to assessments, I think you can run into assessment fatigue both on the part of the students and on the part of the teachers. So I don't know if this is a topic for further discussion but I think that it's a really critical piece in how you gather data and I mean I would just share my experience in the classroom where children are going another test and I have to tell tell you this teacher was going, "Yeah, another test." I mean, sometimes, and I

129think I've said this before, as a teacher, because yes, we want to make sure that um we're determining whether they are grasping what it is that we're teaching. But what we also have to balance is are we giving them enough instruction time that they can grasp it or are we taking a lot of instruction time assessing? Um I think those are important pieces in assessment discussions. >> Thank you Brian. Amanda, did I see your hand go up? Okay. I think um if there's nobody else in the first round, we can jump to the second with Amanda and then Ashley. >> Mine was just a quick comment in regard to the initiatives um regarding the um chronic absenteeism. Uh having a child that has her illnesses as well as a lot of doctor appointments, too many.

130Um, this is the first year that I've uh received an email as to what can we do to help um support you and your child in um improving attendance kind of thing. Um, and so they can go do the doctor's appointments for me. But regardless, uh, I could see that the effort is making it down into the buildings and there is an attempt even though situations like mine, it's not necessarily fixable. Um so just wanted to point that out that um it the efforts to try to remedy attendance where it's possible is is being seen and rolling out in the buildings. >> So that's Ashley. >> Yeah. I want to follow up to board member Romano and Jensen's comments. I too have a lot of curiosity about using standardized tests as our primary measure in

131an equity report and I would be more interested in seeing measures of climate. In past board meetings, I've shared an analogy where if you have a baby and they have a temperature of 105 degrees but no symptoms after you gave them Tylenol, they still had no symptoms and the thermometer again said 105, you would know you did not have a sick baby, you had a broken thermometer. And so I continue to believe we should acknowledge that our thermometer of standardized testing is broken and look to additional measures that could supplement these reports. We've heard a lot about too much standardized testing from members of the public comment period as well. I get concerned that our most highly impacted schools also limit their enrichment in favor of testing preparation to try to change these charts. So,

132I think it should occur to us that the most affluent students in the district have the most access to arts, athletics, and activities which make them most likely to succeed, not their standardized test score. And when we limit enrichment activities to intervene academically, I'm concerned we're spinning our wheels. And I'd like to hear from reports like this more about the experts in these departments where they feel we should put our resources. To go back to my original comment, where should we put the resources to make the most difference? Um, and I would value that in the next update because otherwise we're just looking at the same colored bar charts over and over and over. And I would also value that this report does talk about measuring enrichment access and it says you're working on a

133tool to measure enrichment access. I think sometimes when we analyze these, we look at academic intervention access but not other things like arts, athletics, and activities that actually help kids want to be at school and enjoy being there. How are we going to measure enrichment access at our schools to make sure it's equitable? >> Right now, the reason we're developing a separate tool is because we originally looked at having them submit reports and the reports would track attendance at those activities, number of kids engaged in those activities and we saw that that was labor intensive for the schools and we didn't want to create additional paperwork for that. So we're trying to work on how do we warehouse that how do we you utilize technology to accomplish that goal for us to where they can

134enter that data at the schools maybe through our well I don't want to go into detail as we're working on it so that's how we're trying to create it we're trying to use technology and our existing student management systems in order to create reporting mechanisms that then won't be labor intensive but we'll track attendance we'll track the number of parents we'll be able to be broken down by subgroups to provide that information for us >> I'd also be curious how master scheduling impacts that. If we get another report on this pillar, the reason why is I've worked for a long time as a specialist in district schools across Utah. And what's most common when I go as a guest specialist in any kind of role that I've had for 15 years, they say, "You'll work

135with this group, but half the kids will be in EL and you'll work with this group, but the half the kids will be in resource." So the kids in receiving ELD and receiving resource don't get to do dance, don't get to do art, don't get to do the activities that are most common because the master schedule requires so much intervention that we're not able to have the things that schools that don't require intervention get every single day with no difficulty. And so I would be curious as we conduct these equity audits and look at enrichment access, does master scheduling, is that a tool where we could allocate more resources that would help district staff create master schedules that are less prohibitive to students accessing enrichment? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Thank you, Ashley. >> Um, yeah.

136And so follow up with that. So it looks like you are going to be measuring extracurricular so outside of school hours access as well as enrichment during school hours. >> That's correct. >> Okay. Thank you. Um the other question I had um was it looks like here that it says um interviews were conducted with community leaders and stakeholders to understand barriers to regular attendance and I'm wondering what feedback you got and how you're implementing that. Yeah. So, I'm doing a series of focus groups with multiple parent groups of students who are at risk of not graduating on time. Um, and this can include anything from our multil- language learners to our sped students to our indigenous students to Pacific Islander students. So what has come out of that preliminary themes are a sense of belonging

137in schools, um a connection within their school, and then transportation can be a barrier to some students who might miss the wake up bell or their alarm. And so if they miss the bus, then they can't get to school that day and their parents won't send them to school walking because they're little ones and so they miss the opportunity to go to school for that day. And then the other part of that is sometimes we are under the impression that if we miss one or two days it's okay and then those days continue to add up and we don't understand the importance or the impact that that has on a student's um academic growth for the entire school year. So it's a lot about communicating clearly with our families that every single day does make

138a difference and that we want our students to be there and what impact it does have in their learning. Thank you. >> Any other remaining questions? >> Then Brian um I would just like to reflect the opinions shared about um testing fatigue and the necessity to also look at that. I've observed that in addition to um the other things that I mentioned. I appreciated board member Anderson's comments about those extracurricular programs and opportunities. Um, okay. I know that I'm back in assessments, but I mean I think that that's a critical piece because many of the reading tests that I was um providing to my students and these tests were required. the reading material was. I hope you're really looking at those assessments and seeing if they are equitable in what you're asking those students to

139read about. Um, in some schools I don't think that it's equitable for them to be reading about a ski trip or a day at the beach. Um, those students do not have enough background information to be able to navigate through that kind of reading. Um, so when you're talking about that, I hope that you're looking at it across the assessments as well. It's frustrating when you have a student who is a good reader and I know they're a good reader because I've read with them, but they are presented with material that is completely unfamiliar to them. >> Thank you, Brad. Um, seeing no other questions, I do want to um revisit board member Anderson's request about um budget alignment um with pillar updates and resources that are um directed to goals and initiatives to make

140an actual difference. Um I know that was her individual opinion, but we're also trying to make sure that if that is the direction or the will of the board that we give the superintendent and you, Dr. Taylor and your team um you know with at least that emphasis you know about what to prepare for for next. So just kind of looking at the board knowing that we're not giving specific direction but um is that kind of similar across the board members way of thinking about how we plan and and schedule upcoming presentations on this moving forward. Okay. I'm seeing some head nods, some thumbs up. Dr. Grant, do you have any questions relative to clarity or Dr. Taylor on on that request. >> Um only that even in talking with Allen recently um I think

141you're right. I mean there are many more resources that we could use to attack any number of these goals differently. Um given our current budget, our current size of the pie we have right now. um we would have to be thinking about removing it from other places to place it in this and and to get to the size we need or actually looking at later on thinking about this request to to increase taxes right that would give us a larger pie in a sense to to give more resources to some particular things I don't want to discount the idea that we need to think about rearranging our current resourc resources to fit needs, which is what Dr. Taylor was saying within the current budget. We've tried to think about these the strategic plan and how

142we're trying to meet these goals um to provide a great many more resources that would be needed to move the needle in some of these areas would just require a larger budget actually. So, some of those um conversations we're having, we can bring to you those ideas. I think they're difficult to fulfill even in this next budget cycle in some ways because the limitation the flexibility we have is limited because all of the programs we spend money on we have deemed of value and so then it's just rearranging those values so that we spend our money in different ways but thinking that through I think can be useful in moving forward. >> Okay. Thank you. Dr. BA Kley, do you have anything that you would follow up to on the superintendent's remarks? >> Let's see

143what board member Anderson says first. >> Okay. I would say we've had some conversations about the what the legislature has recommended all state agencies do, including higher ed, which is not to reduce their funding. It's to cut and reallocate funding to meet specific goals. And I think that one strategy we can use is look at what could be cut and reallocated. That what's helpful in these reports is not just hearing about our successes. It's hearing about where we are still falling down and also what things were just not successful. We tried da da da initiative you know and it didn't work and it costs $300,000 a year. We'd like to stop paying I mean we had this conversation when was a priority and it no longer became a priority. We did not want to spend

144more money on SEAL curriculum that was not being utilized effectively. That's a very good example of cut and reallocate something that the board already indicated they no longer supported as a goal. So I would suggest that of course if there was infinity money we would do a lot of things differently and there is not infinity money and is you know there's not. However, it's our job as a board to decide where the best ways to allocate the money are. And if we don't get regular recommendations on things like that, we end up doing our job in a haphazard way without having the best information and recommendations from everyone who works in the district office. So I would suggest it's less about creating new money to add to the burden of taxes, but it's more about

145reallocating the money that exists to where it is actually most effective in these reports. So these reports tell us what we're doing well, what we're not doing well, and it would be great if an additional component suggested, you know, the money being served on this virtual curriculum is not effective. we'd like to suggest that you reallocate it to counseling training or whatever it is where we identified that there was an issue. So, I think it's more about cut and reallocate than this idea that anyone believes there's infinity money, which of course there is sadly not. >> Ellen, >> yeah, I just I want to add another challenge as we get through the budget process. You'll probably hear me say multiple times 86%ish of our budget is personnel. So, um, reallocating sometimes means either reallocating people,

146refocusing what they're doing. I mean, so we're we're we're largely with every in our budget dealing with individuals and employees versus just uh I mean, there is still that other component of, hey, let's stop buying this particular software or supply and and instead do this with it. Um, but it's I just that's an additional challenge when we're talking the budget is so much of it is personnel. But that doesn't mean we don't keep working at it and keep focusing those dollars to where they need to go. >> I think we can end the discussion there. Thank you >> Dr. Taylor, Dr. Martin, Dr. Conley. Thank you board um for for all of your questions and for for digging deep into this uh strategic plan pillar one. Really appreciate it. Uh we'll move on in our

147agenda to the discussion agenda. Um, our first item there is the 2026 27 board calendar dates. Um, they are attached uh to the agenda. Um, they look pretty good to me. Um, I went through and looked through where there might be potential conflicts with elections and caucus nights. I don't I don't see any. Um, so if there's any discussion to it, um, please let us know and we can hear your thoughts on it before um, ideally we move this to the action agenda for approval. I move that we send the 202627 board calendar dates in exhibit 3F1 to the action agenda. >> Second. >> Okay, we got a motion and a second. Is there any discussion? >> All right, seeing none, we'll do a roll call vote starting with board member Romano. >> Annie Romano,

148yes. >> Brian Jensen, yes. >> Amanda Longqua, yes. Bryce Williams, yes. >> Charlotte Fe, Jefferson, yes. Ashley Anderson, yes. >> Salazar, yes. We will revisit that um on the action agenda. Our next item is final land trust plan reports. Dr. Grant. Um who is presenting this to us this evening? >> Well, Dr. Taylor has stepped out. >> Oh, Dr. Marriott's here. >> Hooray. >> Don't have anything for you if you have the reports. I'm here for any questions. Uh, yes, you have the reports and have had chance to review those. So, if you have any questions, I'm here for you. >> I just have a quick question. Um, kind of based on my previous question. Um, the school land trust reports indicate, you know, this was our goal. Hello. Okay. Sorry. Um, and it didn't

149work or it did work or it kind of worked. Um, does is there uh like a long kind of more of a longterm like bird's eye view that SEC's can get saying like oh four years ago you tried that and it didn't did not work. So maybe don't try that exact same thing again or you know use the funds in a more effective way. Let's get some data or whatever. I'm just wondering because I've been to a lot of SEC meetings and a lot of times they're saying, "Oh, we'll do the same thing as last year or similar, but I'm thinking I wonder how effective that approaches." >> Yeah, that's a good question. And one of the requirements for SEC postings on school web pages is a direct link to the land trust plan where

150all patrons can take a look at multiple years of plans. And I think that's good due diligence for SEC members. um and other any other stakeholders to take a look. Um yes, if we've been doing the same thing for a long time. Um you could say if we're not meeting goals, maybe consider something different, but also just consider changing landscape and changing conditions in schools. Um some schools may provide kindergarten parapros out of those funds. Um, and you know whether you would say we're meeting the goals now, we don't need to do that or we've been doing it for a long time, we haven't hit a pinnacle, but the need is still there. So, um, it's pretty nuanced and that's one of the reasons land trust is so interesting is that it is up to

151individual school communities with parent input. So you're going to see a lot of different things and some schools feel really comfortable with the approach they're taking year after year and they may choose to do the same thing year after year. Um I hope they are all uh getting some good data from principles and using the results on the land trust platform to inform their discussions um and and any other help that they might need from the district. >> Yeah, thank you. From from my limited experience, it does seem that they a lot of the parents on those committees rely on the principal or district members in some options at least to consider. So, I'm just wondering um I guess that just happens if someone requests that information. there's not um just like a you know

152an endless treasure trove that they can just open a folder and see all the potential options for their land trust money. >> Yeah. I mean a lot of the data our principles are bringing to their SEC for discussion is from the data gateway and from the land trust platform and it is available to everyone. You know all people can access that same information. um principles I think often do a a really excellent job of bringing the pertinent data. There's a lot of data. It's not all the right information for making decisions. So, the principal is at the heart of running the school and they know best what the main challenges are. Um, I I do always hope that they're working with really open discussion and they're working towards consensus and they're a great source of

153information for the SEC and any other patrons, too. >> Thank you, Amanda. And then Ashley, >> um, thank you u Annie for your question. Like I I mean, I hear everything you're saying. It really is sight based. It's it's it depends on the makeup of the SEC's and how the principal drives it and how the participants what their knowledge level is in um joining in that conversation and if there isn't really a an educational piece to empower the participants to know how to navigate and advocate for it. That's a challenge. like my time on the when I served on the SEC. >> Um I actually got to the point where I was just like I'm just going to pull up a whole bunch of lands trust goals throughout the entire district so I could start

154seeing how other schools were tackling these different pieces and structuring it. And that actually brought light that where a school that I was on um just did one goal, others did potentially more um and broke down it into different segments and it was something that um the school that I was serving on hadn't thought about that and so it opened up a conversation and a different approach with the goals. So you don't know what you don't know. I think that uh um maybe another I went to that SEC training um was it last month or I can't time now >> um but uh sharing out that as a a potential tool and a resource and such would be beneficial for the SEC communities um and the parents that are trying to u make a difference

155but don't necessarily really know how to as they're navigating it. So, um it's almost selfinitiated a lot of times. So, just FYI as we're tackling those like how to support our SEC's and um achieving what we're trying to accomplish with this objective. >> Yeah. And we are already planning for a meeting similar to that, but at the beginning of this coming year >> and probably more than one next year, >> kind of linking that that piece in there as to go look at what other schools are doing, pull them up, >> explore it, see it, and letting them know they can do more than one goal and different ways on tackling that because um teacher, a few of the teachers were like, I didn't know that's a great approach. Let's do this. And then there

156was some discussion back and forth on um how to do the wording and stuff and it became quite um a great exercise and trying to um create a plan that served all of the students in our complex school. Anyway, >> thanks Amir. >> Ashley. >> Yeah, Dr. Marriott, you clarified something for me via email that I want to share with the public and make sure I understand which is about carry forward. So when I reviewed the reports, some of the LEA entered carry forward was over 10% even though the schools entered was not over 10%. Um and it's my understanding from you that this carry forward is because of school closure and different changes related to school closure and that all these plans are in your review compliant with all the requirements at this point

157even there's if there's a mathematical discrepancy. >> Yes, that's correct. and we did receive confirmation from the state kind of a congratulations all your plans came in compliance with the 10% carry forward requirement. So um and I'd be happy to explain that discrepancy again if you'd like. >> I think I understand as long as we know the discrepancies related to school closure just clarifying that for everyone. If you look at a plan you know and we approved it and you see the carry forward is greater that it's for this unique reason and it's acceptable. I think just clarifying that helps me feel great about moving the plans. Um, I also just want to take the rest of the time to reiterate what I have shared many times over three years, which is that our USPE

158training materials make it clear that school boards have a responsibility to consider when we have global requests that we include those in the district budget rather than let the same plans roll forward year-over-year. And it isn't a secret that I'm frustrated we've not done that. um over the last three years more than 95% of the plans I have reviewed are for academic intervention. So I would again suggest that we consider how to provide academic intervention without asking people to use their land trust for that purpose. And one suggestion would be looking at our coaching model to identify how and whether staff can work more directly with students to reduce the burnout that we hear reported from teachers that they want more support for students rather than more coaching support for them. And I'd like to

159consider as board member Romano stated that what happens when these plans roll forward but don't show academic gains. And we also know some of those academic measures are problematic as we talked about. I think one way to empower SEC members to come up with more creative solutions is taking this academic intervention burden off of their plate because so many of them are requesting it. It becomes our responsibility to find a way to provide it because their academic needs among school sites should be unique and the plans we received are perfectly valuable. They meet all the criteria. We signed them. We approved them. But almost all of them are the same. Almost none of them are unique to the school site. And what that means is it becomes our job to provide those things. So I'd

160really like us to consider how we can take academic intervention off the plate of schools before the next time we go through this cycle. I'd really like to see us make headway on that rather than repeat this process again in one year. >> Thank you. Ashley Ba Kersley, do you have any thoughts? I know um we've certainly talked about it over the years as Ashley mentions, but >> Well, we've talked about it. >> Yeah. And and I think what board member Anderson points out, you know, again, this is a repurposing um resources versus new resources, you know. So, in the event that, you know, every school has the same thing in their plan, that doesn't generate new resources for the board to say, "Here, here's new money, go do it." Um, those are always options,

161but I think you first look at where can we repurpose resources to address those needs. Um and then we look at do we expand the pie. >> Um just this is a little anecdotal but um I and maybe a little controversial but I do think there's um opportunity even from district staff to do some intervention with students. Uh when I worked at the Hillsboro Education Foundation, which is in Hillsboro County, Florida, that's one of the largest school districts in the country. Um my specific position was both an oversight position for all the mentors in the district, but also I myself mentored and students. And the reason why that was helpful was because then I was having hands-on experience that was um what is the word I'm looking for at the same time simultaneous um concurrent

162with all the other mentors and we were all in it together because that way I was able to be more effective in my role of training mentors and also I was a mentor myself and we were always short mentors so why not throw me in the ring. Right? So, I know this is just throwing it out there, but I think we can be creative in terms of um a lot of qualified district staff or other um administrators who are obviously maybe veteran educators and they're in the positions they are because they have additional training and are doing great things, but maybe they do need a little bit of time with students to supplement, which is also then beneficial for them in their leadership. So, that's just um my two cents, but we'll see what we

163can do. >> Any other Brian? Board member Anderson, I I think that that insight is um helpful that what I am grappling with there is that is a paradigm shift because what I have seen is the way that SEC's function is okay, we've got these academic challenges and they see that and I think there are always going to the academic challenges and so that's where their focus goes. So one of the things that I have tried to talk about is how critical I think SEC training is and SEC support because I mean board member Romano I think you referred to this um uh board member Anderson I thought when you were commenting about your experience I don't know if you were the SEC chair that you are looking at these other um SEC's and what

164they're doing. I don't think that happens a lot and I think that what we've anyway what I would suggest is that we decide is is this something that really is um a priority and I'm not saying okay make it you know a board priority but is this something that is really important and if it is Then we've got to invest in it and figure out how we do this. I'm again drawing on personal experience, but okay, in the school you have the school improvement plan and the SIP or whatever and that comes up every year. It's the same thing with the SEC and sometimes I think it turns into well here we go again. Okay, we got to get this done. Um, okay, how long is this going to take? Um, and it turns into

165just an exercise, but this is a really critical exercise because we're talking about how we're using our resources and we're looking at how we're going to make improvements. So I think that this um requires innovation. It requires um a commitment to looking at how we make this more than just okay one more thing that we got to get done. >> Thank you B. Any other comments? Um, let me see where I'm at. Amanda, and I'm sorry, Annie, I let you speak too soon. That was my bad. So, um, before I move it to Amanda, Bryce, or Charlotte, um, do you have anything that you'd like to add to this first round? >> Okay, Amanda, we'll start with you on the second. >> I'm not going to profess to be an expert in land trust in

166SEC, but I do want to point out that on the Land Trust website, it specifically states that the SEC is um they they determine the greatest academic needs. So, we're talking about um um pointing out how the land stress goals are uh determined by the SEC is talking about academic intervention, which is exactly what's supposed to be happening. Um whether it's the same thing over and over, I definitely get that piece. Like if if we have a continual issue that's the exact same, figuring out how to resolve that to improve those gains within the the um schools. I I definitely want to pay heed to that. That's def it's something we need to look at but um those lands trust monies are looking at the greatest academic needs. So it's inherent in the equation. So

167>> thank you Amanda Ashley. Yeah, I would just respond to what board member Jensen had and Longwell said, which is that nothing I indicated said we wouldn't consider academic needs, but the training videos we watch indicate that when the academic needs are global, every single school or almost every school reports the same academic need, it becomes the district board's responsibility to consider that need because the idea of land trust is that the academic needs of a school should be unique to their school site. It should not be that everyone has the same academic need. So to take that off the plate of people is not to say they would not still have an academic need. They still have to comply with state statute. It's that the range of academic needs is vast. And people can

168certainly say we don't provide the fine arts core, right? And that's an academic need because it's a core subject and it's not assessed. And land trust materials do prefer assessed subjects on some level. They encourage chairs to consider that, but it is not a requirement. They encourage them to consider it because it's easier to measure your success compared to providing, you know, a full-time BTS art specialist instead of a halftime and then measuring your literacy scores, which you can certainly do, but the idea is everyone's academic need is unique. Not that the needs would become unacademic if we took them off the table. That it it's our responsibility in the training we receive to look at global requests. That's the language the verbiage uses. When a request is global, it becomes our responsibility to consider

169and the request for academic intervention is global. There are sub questions about that. Is this academic intervention working? If year-over-year the scores are the same, you know, there's a lot of things to be asked in the budget cycle. And the suggestion I provide is only a suggestion because as you point out, it's a paradigm shift. We provide one kind of coaching model for educators. We don't provide an intervention model. Although every kind of coach and department works differently based on the feedback I receive sometimes from school sites but I think we're not in the position to necessarily make the recommendation but we are in the position to say as a board we want to fulfill the requirements of our training which is almost all of the requests are for intervention. So we would like staff

170to consider how to better fund intervention in the budget even if that means reallocating or shifting funds recognizing that there's no new money. It would not change what the SEC is statutoily required to do, which is look at the greatest academic need. It just takes one academic need off of their plate. Thank you, board member Anderson. I'm going to go ahead and take my time too and and more or less kind of direct some questions to VA Kersley, um Dr. Grant, and Dr. Mary and Dr. Taylor, too. Um, you know, previously in another agenda item with the pillar one midyear update, we talked about um you working on a plan or some kind of feedback in the next update about what it would take to look at alignment, budget alignment towards the strategic plan and

171the goals that we have there relative to reallocation and maybe some tax increases. Um would it be too much to ask that a similar exercise or process recommendation um be developed to be shared with the board at a future date about the all of the realities associated with tackling something like this being that it is a paradigm shift. Um knowing that it does have some emphasis and the training that we all get as board members across the state. Um just so that the board has a comprehensive understanding of what kind of undertaking this is. if it's pretty straightforward or if it's a huge undertaking um might be helpful for us to understand about how we we tackle this and move forward. >> Yeah, it's I mean I had a thought during this conversation. I think

172one thing we can maybe do better I know Dr. Taylor and his team are often meeting with the schools to say how are you using your resources? How are you, you know, working towards your goals? Maybe we as the budget people bring ourselves into some of those conversations. um for each school maybe at least once a year to review how are you using your funds and how because I think in the budget department we talk about how are you using your funds we don't maybe necessarily get to and how is it getting you towards your academic goals >> and so I'm thinking we we add that and then we can kind of bring that as a as a report I mean that is a large undertaking to meet with every school and go over their

173budgets and and not just their budget themselves but in correlation with their goals but I think might uh be a good undertaking and help I mean because what I want you know is as we say well we've been we're using all our trust lines for academic interventions well what are you using it for and you know what are you using your other resources for as well you know before we add new resources really get an analysis of what are you using it for and maybe we can repurpose some of those or redirect some of those resources um and help schools and department heads is focus on not just the the how much something cost but how effective it is and work on that. Um I would say we wouldn't be presenting that to the board

174in the next month or so but um I I think that's some maybe some cross efforts that um the budget department and finance department can work with uh school leadership to um kind of circle that around. >> That was my next question too. found was like a timeline, a realistic timeline. Um, and I know that you probably can't come back in a month with that suggestion um, kind of answered for us, but do you think that you could come back with a potential recommendation or multiple recommendations about how uh, we might consider um, that paradigm shift moving forward? >> Right. What I think would be probably effective is as we get to the end of this school year, um we start reviewing with the schools the previous the actuals from the previous year. Um you

175know, they've already kind of set their budgets, but that doesn't mean they can't can't readress, but really with a goal because we start doing the budgets again in January of hey, what can we what can we do different with the resources? Um, like board member Anderson said, we wish we had infinity money, but infinity money does not exist. So, knowing that here's our square box. Um, how can we work together as a team to maybe think a little bit outside of what you've always done? If it's working, then I think keep doing it, but maybe if it's not working, then what are some things we can help them see or work with to do something a little different with those resources? And that would be, you know, more of like a December, January kind of

176discussion with the board of here's what we found out last year with then we've had further discussions and here's kind of where we maybe redirecting some of these uh schools with their discretionary money. >> No, I hear that too. And if I'm hearing board member Anderson correctly, I think it's like a global type of ask or need that we're seeing in these reports and plans. Um, if that could also be incorporated like what is the fiscal dollar amount to take the district taking on something like that intervention and academic intervention work? Um, so that it is off of the plates of schools and those resources could be prioritized differently on those SEC and SIC teams. Um, if I'm hearing you correct, Ashley, is that >> Yeah. >> Can I clarify one thing about the timeline?

177I would clarify that when I'm talking about this, our we're approving these plans, but our SEC's have already met and put together new plans. >> Yeah. >> And the new plans, it is my best guess, I could be wrong, that again 95% of the ones I review will be the same academic intervention plan. So recognizing that this would not be something that we can include in this budget cycle necessarily because we're all they've already committed to kind of roll forward a lot of these plans. Maybe some people are doing different things, but it would be my best guess that they are rolling forward a lot of the same plans from attending SEC meetings. So in that universe, we have a full year of runway to compare these final reports with the plans we get and

178identify why this global request keeps coming up. What it's our obligation to do timelinewise is simply consider when in the timeline do we let school community councils know. We have seen this global request and we are responding to it in the following ways so they can address their plans appropriately. But there's a very long lead time that this takes which is in fact why we have not ever gotten it the plane off the ground in my opinion. So we would be I mean the discussion we're having now would really be looking to affect the 2728 budget year and plan year. >> That's my understanding. >> Um no one Oh, go ahead. >> I just had a clarifying question. Were you saying that if you had budget or finance department employees, staff go into schools to

179look at how to, you know, to look at smarter allocation of resources like or more effective towards their academic goals. Would that be just kind of an ad advisory, you know, like suggesting you wouldn't be, >> you know, they they they make those decisions, right? But you would be >> right. I mean, again, my finance people are accountants, not educators. So, that's why it's important to team up with Dr. Taylor's team to go in together. Um, so you have both the accountant view and the instructional view. Um, but you're right, you know, a lot of these are end up being sightbased decisions, but um, our principles want help. They they want us to help guide them. So I think kind of building that finance instructional team together. Okay. >> Um, I I think will be

180beneficial. >> Okay. Um, so just to wrap two things up, right? one is it the board's direction to be a Kersley to come back to us at the end of the school year with some proposals or recommendation about how we might discuss this and make some action towards it in the future. >> Um if that is then we can start that process. >> Yes. >> Is there enough thumbs up? Okay, seeing that and then the second one um really appreciate the discussion as well. Um but um I know that we do need to move these plans forward um to the action agenda for some final decisions on that as well. So um I would entertain a motion knowing that we've had a robust discussion as well. >> So moved. >> Is there a second? >>

181Second. >> Okay. Um any further discussion? >> Okay. Seeing none, uh we'll do a roll call vote starting with Vice President Jensen. >> Brian Jensen. Yes. >> And Longaway. Yes. >> Bryce Williams. Yes. >> Charlotte Fe Jefferson. Yes. >> Ashley Anderson. Yes. >> Nate Salazar. Yes. >> Annie Armano. Yes. >> All right. That motion passes. Uh we will now move on to item number three. Testing compliance assistant sped job reclassification. >> Mr. Logan Hall's going to come up to present this one. >> So I just want to note so this this position was discussed in our latest board finance committee. So Logan Hall is going to kind of go over what's in the memo and and some stuff and then we'd like to have the board finance committee speak to the discussion we had last

182week. >> Absolutely. Good evening board members and thank you for the opportunity uh to be here to present this reclassification of this position. Uh as a brief overview, what has happened to lead up to this uh request is that we had had four positions historically um that started out in an antiquated system where which allowed an hourly employee to receive uh contract benefits. Um and so through attrition which took 25 plus years uh that just recently uh we had uh our latest employees leave this this last December um which resulted in a need to evaluate this position and how we uh currently go about recruiting its replacement. Um, since we no longer do hourly contracts, I went in and wanted to do a a complete assessment of what the position does, what is needed, as

183well as uh working with our special education department to recognize the changes that have happened over the years and uh new requirements that require a higher level of sophistication and um a heightened requirement for um requisites that the uh individual who performs these assessments has to have in their background in order to perform them uh appropriately. So, uh we we had long-standing employees leave um and and now we have a whole new system that requires that the individual who performs these assessments has a bachelor's degree. Um we are making this proposal that we're moving toward a 201day contract and uh what that would do is the hope is that we would move from previously having four hourly employees to having two contract full-time employees would give us more flexibility in hours as well as their

184contract which would extend over the beginning and ending parts of the summer to provide uh timing for the completion of paperwork, meet with students before school starts to be able to complete assessments um for students that are new to the district. Um and be able to have more flexibility within the school year itself so that uh employees would be able to focus on testing while students are available whether that's during school time or in the evening hours as well. And so we would have greater flexibility there which would help us um decrease the amount of um turnover that we've seen in these positions previously. Um and at least in two of the four positions we had a great deal of of turnover over the years. Also um by having personnel in this role, what we

185would hope to do is improve the turnaround time it takes to uh for a special ed stu for a student to receive testing to in order to receive special ed services. We want to reduce that turnaround time so that it's more efficient in in the processing once students are identified in the and are uh recommended to receive the testing. We want that process to go much much smoother, much faster. Um, so it's for all of those reasons we want to um eliminate the we also want to eliminate the need for contracted services because currently we're having to pay an outside entity to be able to come in and perform these tests. And so we want to be able to eliminate that, have more control over that in-house, and be able to increase retention for individuals

186in these roles and increase the expertise uh of the individuals that hold these positions, which would really give us a better quality product and be able to retain employees by having greater job satisfaction and the ability to have longstanding training and just reduce that churn and burn of the daily grind of what happens more often with hourly employees. So with that, I would be happy to hear more of the discussion that took place without me and answer any questions I could. >> Thank you, Logan. Ashley. >> Yeah, I can go ahead. So, um, if you get in a little time machine and go back to our USBA training, we talked about having three readings as a norm for topics and we wanted to do that to ensure there's public input and appropriate deliberation. And in

187that discussion, some board members expressed some concern that requiring three readings could cause some constraint in instances where something that we expedite could really help the district and make us be more cost-effective and benefit our departments. And in the training, I suggested, and I don't recall opposition, but I'm happy to be corrected, that in some instances, we could have a committee like the finance or policy committee serve as the first or second reading on a subject to make sure our work is as timely as possible and our committees are effective. But we still ensure topics get discussed three times. So in this instance, we talked about this job. We reviewed what the board norms were and suggested that the finance committee had no concerns about this job and we appreciated the cost savings and we

188felt comfortable recommending it to the board. But we considered that that could be the first reading that we talked about it and discussed. Like in our USBA training, it was suggested could be helpful to expedite a process when a staff member wants that process to be expedited. This discussion could serve as the second reading. Um, and for the third reading, the board could either tonight opt to discuss it a third time if there were a lot of questions about it or direct it to be placed on consent agenda at the next meeting if there are not a lot of questions. The reason for doing that third reading in my individual perspective is that while we've discussed it as a committee um, and we've briefly discussed the job tonight or other people can ask their questions

189now, the public hasn't heard about this job change until tonight, including staff members who may have an opinion. And so we want to make sure we don't advance it without the chance for public input if such input exists. So that's sort of the logic we went through as a committee to review what our training is, decide how we want to make sure we talk about it three times while being really efficient because as a committee we had no issues advancing this job and would consider suggesting that you place it on consent. Um but of course it's open to questions that people have about the job. Amanda. >> Um I have to say I so I'm obviously on the finance committee. Um there I in my recollection we didn't go as indepth into this um review

190before it came to this board meeting. Um and so u I'm glad that we're at least having this discussion so we can kind of flush things out. And I definitely agree that um having another reading after this one is very responsible and prudent um and is what I was going to advocate for as well for various reasons. Um, I I do feel like this is honoring prior discussions about looking at how we're using our monies and ensuring we are u maximizing them and to to make sure that the positions or whatever we're doing is most beneficial for our students, teachers, etc. I I have very strong concerns about this going from four positions to two positions, knowing that um we have had um um I try to word this well to going from four to

191two ensuring that we are not um contributing to long turn time on original on the initial assessments. The transition from out of school into school um because that is a harm to our students and to the families. Um, I I get that, you know, having all of the criteria that you outline for full-time position, this position, how it can um resolve hopefully a large portion of that, but that's still four people down to I mean, that's half the number of bodies and a person can only accomplish so much. So, I do I I do need more information on that before I can support it. Um and I hope that the community is listening so that they can weigh in um and their own experiences and understandings around this this particular aspect. Um additionally um the

192other piece there was Bryce shared a USB sendout and in that it had news articles that it included and one uh specifically talked about how um So special education um is has a higher percentage in our population, not just specific to our districts, but just in general the diagnosis rate um and such are increasing. And then I I presume without knowing the data um that as vouchers are pulling more students out of it, inherently our percentage of our students are obviously more too. So between a higher diagnosis rate, um cutting back on an aspect of special education to ensure that kids are being identified in a um timely manner. Um we have to be very careful about it. Have to be very careful. So I mean Ashley worded it well. I 100% support this second

193reading. we come back for a third discussion um before any decisions are made. I I'm on the same page there and we we hopefully we can really flush out from the community and teachers and stakeholders. Um if they feel like this is great, no-brainer, great, we move forward. if there's a lot of concerns that maybe we need to rethink this. So, >> Brian, >> I hesitate to comment because when I do, that's when I forget to turn the time off when I speak and that's when it buzzes. But anyway, I'm going to be really brief and I'm going to turn the buzzer off when I'm done. Um, Ashley, thank you for giving that explanation. When I heard that it was being reviewed in policy or in the finance committee, I was anxious that we were

194observing those board norms that we talked about. And I think that it's important for the public because they were participants in that conversation to understand that we are um using that uh finance committee as I guess we're agreeing as a as a board that that was a first read. Do we feel okay with that? >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. I turned it off. >> Okay. Um, just a point of information for that third read, is that in written inboard policy or that's just a best practice norm that we've adopted? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yes. Um, then um I move to Oh, no. Never mind. >> I don't think uh Well, I mean, if you wanted to make a motion, you're welcome to, Board Member Romano. Um, but I think what you've heard from

195other board members is they wouldn't be supportive of a motion that I'm assuming you might have meant to move it to action or >> I was going to move it to consent agenda for next time, but maybe that's just your job. Sorry. >> I mean, if you'd like to make that motion, we'd have to move it to action first, which would end the discussion. >> Um, >> okay. I'll let someone else do it. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Um, >> I can one second. Dr. G, you had your hand up. I just wanted to clarify um Logan, the four positions, they weren't all full-time, right? >> No, none of none of those were full-time. >> Okay. So, it's not replacing, it's not two full-time replace. I don't know exactly. Can you clarify how many >>

196what that was? Just to share that information. >> Absolutely. And so, um, and I would hope that business administrator Kurszley could help here, too. Um, but the four positions were not full-time positions. And so, uh, having two full-time people would wouldn't be the the replacement of two for one. We would really be looking at a a smaller reduction in the number of hours. And I'd also like to point out that we've had great success in reducing um in other situations where we've had office personnel where we've reduced hourly positions in favor of contract positions where they've gone from three to one in certain situations, but have found that they've gotten greater efficiency and greater um results on on having a more qualified employee in the position over the long term where they were able to

197see greater results and have a a better work output and work product from one employee than they would one full-time person over three part-time employees. So, I feel confident that two full-time employees with an extended contract in this situation would would be able to make that balance from the the four part-time employees moving um to just the two contract full-time contract. Well, and I'll add, and correct me if I'm wrong, that rarely have those four positions actually been filled. Yeah. >> Over the last several years. Um, so it's hopefully to get two solid um positions that are are filled on a regular basis. So, it we're not replacing four with two, which has been said, but it's you'd be rare to find a case where we had actually four people staffed over the last several

198several years. That's correct. >> Great. Um Amanda, we've got some others. So Bryce or Charlotte, if you had anything you wanted to add. >> Okay. Um I I do want to just add that um I appreciate the board's flexibility. Um you know, as board leadership, I think Brian, I get a lot of feedback about how many readings are we going to be having for a particular topic. And so I appreciate that the board is in agreement about the flexibility that we had at the onset when we developed those norms. um hope that we can move things forward like this in the future. And um while I have hesitations about policy and finance being the first reading, um being that the board's in agreement about that, I'm okay. And um I think moving forward, I would

199also um at a future time like to see that grace extended to our agenda setting teams when they're um developing agendas as well if there isn't somewhat of an urgent need for positions or agenda items. um just knowing that we've set that present that that would be I think a beneficial uh practice um to adopt with that particular team uh which is board leadership and a alternating board member um every month. So um I also agree that I think we should sit with it for a little bit and have that third official reading um at a future time. Moving to the second round, Ashley. Yeah, I just wanted to add that it was my understanding. I know board member Mono said she would be comfortable moving it to consent, right? Recommending that that's the direction

200of the board. I would agree with that. It sounds like other people would prefer that it is a comprehensive discussion. So, I would suggest that people share their opinion with board leadership and they look for any kind of consensus and agenda appropriately. That would be fine with me. I know that this responds to the conversations we've had about the benefits of full-time work. Um, the other thing I would add is that we we did talk in our training about committees doing this work because committees get specific assignments. They're assigned jobs, they're assigned policies, and so they have a little bit of a different role. I would be uncomfortable with an agenda setting team making a decision about items um that they don't have as much of a prescribed role. So, it's something we talked about

201before. If we need to talk about it again in a study session, I'd be welcome to do that or revisit the training conversation we had. >> Thank you, Ashley. Amanda, >> and I guess twofold. One, just going off of what was just stated, um I've been doing some research on um how we can tackle these things as board meetings. So maybe just a future Yeah. study session where we kind of look at our um board agendas alternate in a different way because I've I've been in my spare time looking at how board meetings across our state do stuff to like glean from to see how we can uh resolve some of the hiccups we have. Um, so the contract hourly positions, the four versus the two full-time, your full-time, you got identified that you you're

202stating that it's supposed to be 40 hours per week, where we know that over 30 could be full-time, but this is saying 40. So, of the four positions that existed may not have been 100% filled. Um, what was the average hour expectation per a position for those four. So if it was on average they're working 25 and times four that would be 100 hours a week for four versus you know 40 for two that's 80 hours of output per week if both were fully staffed. So on average those those contract hourly that we're replacing what would the typical hourly output be for the ones that were staffed? I'd have to research to know more of what the average hours that were put in, but by the individuals that held those positions. They were, excuse me,

203not allowed anything over 29 hours a week. Uh, but I I I do know from personal experience and knowing some of those individuals that they often didn't work more than 20 hours a week, >> but I I would need to look more into the specific details. >> Yeah. And that would be helpful to um um flush out as we're looking at dropping it down to a max of 80 hours per week potentially. >> Thanks, Amanda. Um if there are no other comments, um I do appreciate board member Anderson's suggestion. Thank you, Chelsea, of that. If you have feedback about um the third reading, if it is indeed another discussion item or if it is a consent agenda item, um I'm going to go ahead and ask that if you could let board leadership know by

204Monday the 9th by close of business because we do have board agenda setting the following morning on Tuesday the 10th. Um so that would be appreciated if you could do that. >> Okay. Um >> can I ask a question >> please? We may have to ask parliamentarian but I believe there was a motion. Was the motion withdrawn? >> Withdrawn. >> Okay. Thank you Alan. Um as always appreciated. Um we will now move on to the action agenda. Item we have three items on the action agenda. Uh the first item being um the number seven from the consent agenda safe schools number uh 26-071. The second item is our board calendar and the third being our land trust plans. Um is there a motion um to start the conversation on item number seven from the consent

205agenda? Safe schools number uh 26-071. >> So moved. >> Can we get a little more >> second? >> Can we get a little more specific about the motion if you're motioning to um approve or not approve the recommendation? Oh, >> sorry. I thought you were asking us to move it to >> We've already moved it from Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. >> Would you like to withdraw the original motion? >> I withdraw. >> Thank you. Would you like to restate a motion? >> No. >> Commentarian, Miss Kindle. >> So, since the motion was seconded, she can't withdraw herself. It now belongs to the entire board. So, you need to ask the board. She needs to ask the board if there's any objection to her withdrawing the motion because now the motion belongs to the entire

206board. >> Is there any objection to me withdrawing that mistaken motion? >> None. Seeing none. Thank you, Parliamentarian. Um, is there another motion on the table uh regarding that safe schools case? I make a motion to approve the safe let me find the language sorry um the safe schools case number 26-071 >> is there a second to the motion there's no second I believe the motion fails if I'm correct. Parliamentarian. Okay, another call for a second. Okay, seeing none, that motion fails. Is there another motion on the table? All right, parliamentarian. Where might we jump off to next? There isn't a motion. It just >> That's fine. It's just not approved. So, >> okay. All right. That motion and agenda item is is not approved. Uh we'll move on to number two uh board calendar

207uh for the year 2627. Is there a motion on the table? >> I move that we accept the 20 2627 board calendar dates as posted in exhibit 3 F1. >> Second. >> Okay, we've got a motion in a second. Any further discussion? All right, seeing none, we'll do a roll call vote. Starting with board member Williams. >> Bryce Williams, yes. >> Charlotte Fe, Jefferson, yes. Ashley Anderson, yes. >> Nate Salazar, yes. >> Danny Romano, yes. >> Brian Jensen, yes. >> Amanda Longwell, yes. >> That motion passes. Thank you. Um, our third item is the school land trust plans. Is there a motion? >> Go ahead. I move that we approve the school land trust funds reports from 2024 to 2025. >> I second. >> Got a motion in a second. Any further discussion? >> All

208right, seeing none, we'll do a roll call vote with board member FJ Jefferson. >> Um, Charlotte Ferson, yes. >> Ashley Anderson, yes. >> Nate Salazar, yes. >> Annie Ramano, yes. >> Ryan Jensen, yes. >> Amanda Longwell, yes. >> Grace Williams, yes. All right, that motion passes. Um, thank you board. We will now move on to the superintendent report. Dr. Grant. >> Yep. Just a quick note here for the Highland High School Jazz Band, which under the direction of Curtis Black. Um, made it to state for the first time in 20 years. So, cheers to Jazz Bandon and Jazz. I'm impressed. um and they took the JV for the first time and the JV scored fifth um in that. So I I love seeing programs like this um develop and grow in strength and congratulations. I

209know a lot of work went into making that happen. So thank you to Curtis Black and thank you to the students who were part of that jazz band there at Highland High School. >> Thank you. BA Ksley, any reports tonight? >> Uh, this is the last week of legislature. That's my report. >> All right. All right. Um, we will now move on to board member reports. We'll start on this end of the table. Amanda, if you don't mind starting us. >> Um, sure. I attended the Salt Lake City Transportation Advisory Board um yesterday. Um they were discussing the Temple Road closure for their um the downtown Temple Road closure for uh their open house March uh 27th through October of 2027. Um I believe it was stated um that Ashley and I don't remember who

210else um were going to um work with the church around that. Um, and a thought would be I'm sure there going to be a lot of logistical challenges, but maybe a compromise with the that the church may be open to hopefully would be um um trying to do lighter shuttling. Um, I guess they're talking about finite number tickets. I know how they're um going to handle the flow of um traffic and just people in and out of the grounds as much as possible. But if they can decrease the shuttle um amounts of shuttling they're doing during our prime transportation times for start of school and end of school um that might be a way to work with them through that time that's impacting our students and families as they're going back and forth from school

211and bus and our bus our transportation department and stuff. Um additionally they started uh I don't know if they just started but they were talking about the 2034 Olympics as well. Um, but that's going to be another thing that's going to hit us pretty hard, probably significantly more so than the Temple open house. So, that um so it was interesting to hear that. And um so that then the CT open house was moved to tomorrow. So, round two on FYI if people want to attend. >> Thank you for mentioning. >> Yes, you're welcome. Um, and Allan stole my my little like celebration of the last day of the legislative session Friday. And then hopefully the governor will veto as many as possible. Um, and that's it. >> Yeah. A couple of things. Um, I was

212also going to mention the legislative session ending on Friday. Um just wanted to extend a thanks to um all board members and cabinet members who have uh participated in the JLC meetings. I really appreciate uh you all being there throughout that. Um while not um in my precinct, I got the opportunity to attend uh Emerson's Stemerson night last week uh with uh board member Romano. Um it was really cool to see all the uh community partners and experiences that were brought into the school for that evening. And I think that's one of the um highlights of this academic year for me was attending that. It was fantastic. Um I wanted to commend uh both uh the boys and girls basketball teams from West High School. Um I got to attend the uh state championship game

213last weekend. Although it didn't end uh the way that we wanted it to, I'm still very proud of those ladies for the work that they've put in this year. And then I also wanted to just remind folks that the >> three hours >> that's just our three hours. I figured as much. Um, I also wanted to remind uh board members uh the superintendent and BIS business administrator Kursley um that the USBA regional meeting is scheduled for next Wednesday, March 11th from 6:00 to 8 at the USBA office. Um I mentioned in my uh board member report two weeks ago that I'm not able to attend that particular night. So I am planning to attend the next night up in Ogden. Um, I would love if we could have a 100% attendance from those of us

214sitting here at the table. >> Thank you, Ashley. I got to find a makeup meeting now. I can't go to ours either. Um, I want to congratulate all of our winter sports that are wrapping up, the teams that made playoffs or that had students who found themselves on podiums. That includes West girls and boys basketball, wrestling, and swimming among other sports, I'm sure. But I specifically want to recognize the eight West High students who were awarded UHSAA winter academic all-state honors based on their athletic achievements, but also their GPA and cumulative ACT and SAT scores. And they are, I hope I pronounced their names correctly, Abraham Toronto, Clare Beck, Ivy Demick, Jason Guo, Oliver Lynn, Robert Razner, Sienna Repertton, and Andre Tavigan. Um, I also understand there are a number of victories that were at

215the Inter Mountain Healthcare Academy where West High students received scholarships and DECA's state event where students were very successful. I'm looking forward to art night season at our elementary schools which will kick off any time now. And I appreciate the work of the parent teacher organizations who are running all the book fairs that I've been enjoying where I'm spending all of my money. Um, it's also the last call if you want to visit the Springville High School Art Show which has art from students at Highland and West. Um, it will wrap up at the end of this month, but it is the start of the IB art showcase which is at the Marmalade Library if you would like to check that out. I never name all the student achievements in precinct 3 because there are

216just too many amazing students and teachers. So, please always feel free to tell me if there's something I missed. I do want to take the rest of my time to respond a little bit to the concerns raised in the public comment period by some West High community members. Um, I've expressed concerns that the district leadership's willingness to operate elementary schools under capacity has caused some difficulty for our elementary schools that are absorbing these large cuts we heard about tonight. As I shared in our last board meeting, um, and as the public commenter alluded, West is being asked to do the equivalent of closing a small elementary school without any kind of study or support. And that's a really difficult undertaking. But at the same time, I want to balance that conversation by responding to my

217understanding of why West is seeing a larger percentage of staffing cuts than other high schools. The current year's projections left West High overstaffed by six FTE. You can correct me if I'm wrong. >> I think it I told you six, but >> five FTE. So, some FTE were overstaffed in the projections because they were inaccurate. And rather than take those five FTE on October 1st of this year, as many of our neighboring districts would do, district leadership did permit West to retain those additional FTE despite not having the population to fund that quantity of staff members. Um, using the limited funding we have available from the minimum school program and supplemented by tax levies. One reason that West's cuts appear larger to the community is in part because district leadership did choose to support West

218in retaining those positions all year rather than reducing them, which again would have happened in most other neighboring districts. And so I understand as a representative for West that math tends to be equal but unpopular. And the legislaturator's funding combined with property tax allows us to fund a ratio of students to adults, but so many factors do impact the human costs of that ratio. So, I want to encourage our leadership to reflect on that situation, the presence that we had from West tonight and encourage if we can offer some support to help West step down their staffing based on that error rather than go off of the staffing cliff. Um, I say that because it was not the fault of the school's leadership that the projections were inaccurate. Projections are sometimes inaccurate. But the school

219leadership, faculty, families ultimately bear the cost of these unpopular reductions. And if we can support ways to incrementally step secondary schools into appropriate staffing levels, that would help us while also offering logistic support in assisting secondary administrators in identifying staffing models that work better in schools with declining enrollment so we can work to limit programs rather than eliminate programs. And it would support all of the students as they navigate what started with a projection error. Um, I think it would also behoove our board to remember our decisions about elementary schools do impact our secondary programs for thousands of students, but also that it is something we could consider to revise the ratio and admit that our schools as with declining enrollment need to be funded at a different ratio unless we do want to see

220the elimination of languages of specialty programs and of things that our community really appreciates and values that if we lose will only contribute to our decline. So, we're in kind of a very complicated situation. I want to acknowledge that. Um I do want to say I appreciate um board members following up on a TIFF policy recommended by Representative Ward that would have been positive for TIFF transparency. It continues to languish in rules. So it is effectively dead. Um but I think with the board agreement that TIFF is a priority, perhaps um our ad hoc committee can work in the interim on that topic and continue to share advocacy ideas for the coming year. Um, I'm also concerned about a tremendous amount of lastminute legislation, but HB315 is at the top of my list as a

221former member of our human sexuality committee. Um, if HB315 by Representative Pek passes, it would require our district to show an inaccurate, medically inaccurate, and misleading video about human development. Um, this bypasses the existing statute for human sexuality where a committee of board members, parents, teachers, and administrators work together to come up with the best decisions meeting all of these state criteria. Um, if you are concerned by HB315 and showing medically inaccurate videos to students, I would consider you reach out to the Senate Judiciary tomorrow who is hearing this um, in a kind of an outside of education committee. Senator Wiler, who is some of our representatives, he is chairing that committee. If you'd like to reach out to Senator Wiler and let him and other committee members know the HB315 bypasses the important committee

222work we do that makes a big difference and allows parent input, which is appropriate. That's it. >> Thank you, Ashley. Boss, >> um I'd like to second that recognition of some of the statements that were made earlier, specifically relating to um uh staff policies. Um in specific I would like to highlight the accomplishments of West High students, many of whom are uh my peers in the IB program which is uh existent based on some of our staffing. Uh we have eight of our 11 which is the first time uh for the Sterling Scholar competition. We have eight of our 11 nominees going to the finals on the 10th. Um, this is the first time in West High history that we've had all students, all 11 of our nominees be accepted to the semi-finals. Um, and

223we have three students from Highland also going to the finals as well as two from East, which is fantastic. Um, we also have 12 National Merit finalists that I'd like to announce. And we have scholarships going to 10 students who were involved with our Inter Mountain Healthcare Academy uh, recently. We also have, although I don't know whether this was um acknowledged while I was gone last time we met, uh six of the 23 participants who were at the state DECA conference from West High School were awarded first place and qualified for the DECA International Conference next month in Atlanta. And the science olympiad also competed at Snow College recently, resulting in a first place finish in the middle school division and a second place finish for the high school division. So congratulations to all those

224groups. Thank you, Foss. Brian, >> well, I've had the opportunity to participate in a another career fair. It was a wonderful experience at East High. I think board member Romano, you were there as well. Um, I know that we have referenced High School Musical in the past, but okay. It occurred last week and it was really a lot of one a lot of fun to see the community engagement in that musical. I mean I think it's kind of remarkable for a high school auditorium to sell out and I think they did it >> pretty >> a couple of times. Four nights. >> Four times. Okay. >> Um the other thing that I want to acknowledge there is the work that goes into something like that. Not just the school, I mean the director. He's done

225this. I think this is his second time of doing High School Musical. I think he did it at the 10th anniversary. Um I want to thank um I want to thank the director Kevin Mlen for doing that. Um, I also want to thank um members of High School Musical that came and supported it. I thought that it was remarkable that those actors would come and that they would spend time engaging with the students. And at one of those performances that I was at, I waited through a big long line to speak to Coach Bolton because I wanted to thank him for I mean it was incredible, you know. Will you hold my baby? Will you? It was amazing. >> Did you get a signature? >> I did get a signature on the um >> original

226high school musical floor, basketball court floor. >> Wow, man. So, I have a real momento. But anyway, um >> I think that those are the sorts of things that really create um excitement and enthusiasm. And I think sometimes it's really, you know, how on, you know, national news they'll have like their last news story, the positive things. What a positive thing. The career fair. What a positive thing. I want to thank the East High PTA for all that they did with that and for all that they're doing with lots of other things. And it's the same with Highland High PTA and their SEC's. I was at East High's SEC meeting and our parents work really hard and thank you. I also want to say that I will um Oh, one more thing that I think

227is exciting and I appreciate the district administration working on this and the school administration at East that they were able to figure out that soccer team um and make that a viable um opportunity for those freshmen. I mean, don't you think there were probably 10 that spoke to us at that meeting? And I think it's important for them to recognize that they are heard and that people work to respond to their concerns. Um, I'm going to I'm going to try and attend the USBA policy webinar tomorrow um at a.m. That's mine. >> Thank you, Brian. Uh yeah. Um we're all in this together and go team. To my children's dismay, we all went together as a family and I was dressed in leopard pants and a red shirt and a OG High School Musical fan.

228Um and told the story many times about how I refused uh Zack Efron's invitation to be in the movie. Anyway, um there was a it was super fun. There were the cast and crew and everyone did hard work and like you said the PTA it was great. They had a dance party afterwards and I met people who would come in from out of state to attend the musical and take pictures all around the school and do the tour and everything. >> Came from Europe. >> Yep. >> People came from all over. So that was awesome. Thank you East for doing that. It was such a fun inclusive event. Um the cast included people from all backgrounds and abilities and it was so fun to watch. Um thank you West students for having your voices heard

229and also the east students from the um who wanted the soccer team. Uh I heard many um West High people reach out about the ASL program um and that was able to be resolved. I know Ashley mentioned there some really tricky balancing act um of school funding and correct ratios and I think we're all trying to work together to make that happen. um as a parent of a student with hearing loss and with me many um people that I love in the deaf community, I um think it's really important to have those types of programs to um ensure that that population is included and served appropriately. Um I also was able to go to STEM as Bryce mentioned. Um that was also fun for my kids and the um the school administrators and PTO and

230all of the organizations who came and contributed. Um it's a a really great event. Um and they're doing a lot of fun things at Emerson. Um thanks to this uh to SLF for doing um National Reading Day yesterday at Rose Park and for all of their efforts um to try to recognize the teachers and the good things happening in the district. Um I was also able to go to East Career Day and bore many students to death in my presentation. Um but it was fun and um grateful to see all of the good work that's happening across the district. Oh, I will be attending the Clayton musical and Clayton SEC and planning on going to the uh CTE open house. Um, and I have a meeting upcoming with some Slickixie teachers. Um, and uh I

231will be part of board agenda setting and transportation meetings in the future as well. Thanks. Sure. >> Um I I had an opportunity to um visit with some admin an admin uh assistant principal at Edison Elementary. I went for an SEC meeting, but it was cancelled. So I ended up just speaking with um admin and also um the counselor, school counselor there. And as I was there, I witnessed how welcoming and loving they are with their families and their and their students. And I also saw and heard that there were there's so many um social needs and um families are really struggling with even putting having adequate amount of food or like diapers and things to take care of their families. So and some of their grants have run out. um uh and with illnesses

232um well they're trying to um address attendance and if someone's a little bit sick but they're not sure if they should go home. They were saying that it would really be great to have full-time nurses. So I know we're talking about academic intervention, but there's also a lot of other needs that we need to be mindful of. Um and also family support specialists. Those are dire direly needed in our title one schools. Um so I just wanted to mention that. Um, I am planning to go to a mag the magnet gifted and talented open house on March 24th at Edison. And I understand that they're um having a sixth grade next year um sixth grade or proposing to have a sixth grade ELP class or magnet gifted class to so that those students can won't

233have to go to other transfer out of their school, right? They can stay in the program anyway. Um, but I wanted to find out more about that. And um, but I encourage any other board members to attend if they want to want to find um, you know, come to the magnet gifted and talented open house on March 24th. I have to figure out the time. Uh, I'll let you know the time. Um, I I will be out of town on March 11th. Right. Is that when the meeting is the JLC, our regional meeting? So, I can't attend. And there's also a college and career day at Edison that I'm missing. So, but our own representative S Sandra Hollands will be giving the keynote address there. So, um all right, that's about it. >> Thank you,

234Charlotte. Um I just have a few quick updates and they're just you know most of them are reiterations from what I said at the beginning. Um please know community um that our meeting for the next meeting that we're having um is not on a Tuesday. It's on Wednesday. Um it'll be March 18th instead of the 17th again so that everybody can go attend caucus night um within your respective parties. Um the next uh thing along with that is um just an announcement to the board um about what we decided regarding feedback um with the special education job reclassification. If you could let Brian and me know your thoughts about moving that to consent or having another discussion um on the discussion agenda um by the 9th um by next Monday, that would be much appreciated.

235Um the other piece and actually I'm really glad that you brought up um TIFF and the ad hoc committee. Um it's come to Brian's and mine's attention that Charlotte stepped away from that ad hoc committee and we would like to find another board member to join you and learn from you and Allen um about all the upcoming future tiffs and other acronyms that are in the works right now regarding >> sign me up. >> Okay. So um if there is another board member that's interested in that, if you could let Brian and me know, that would also be uh very much appreciated as well. Um the next thing is uh we will have another public comment on the 18th for um the student fee schedule. Again, a time certain at 7:15. Um and then lastly,

236uh we do have a need for uh to reenter our closed session. Um you do have a a proposed motion in front of you, but if you could add um that we will adjourn at the end of the meeting, that would be appreciated. Thank you. >> And there's a CTE open house tomorrow as well. >> That's right. I move that the board re-enter closed session to discuss the character, professional competence or physical or mental health of an individual and pending or reasonably imminent litigation and that we adjourn immediately following the close session. >> Second motion a second. Um, thank you board. Any discussion? Okay, seeing none, we'll do a roll call vote starting with board member Anderson. >> Ashley Anderson, yes. >> St. Salazer, yes. >> Annie Armano, yes. >> Oh, Brian Jensen, yes. Anna

237Long. Yes. >> Price Williams. Yes. >> Charlotte Fe Jefferson. Yes. >> That motion passes. Thank you and thank you for joining us this evening. All right.