001Um and now we have everybody with us. Um the two main things that we wanted to focus on in this study session is um discussing um some board norms as a response to our board training that we had um just I guess it would have been last month. But nonetheless, there was some suggested board norms that came out of that discussion along with some board norms that have um kind of filtered their way to Brian and me over this last year um that we wanted to capture. And thank you Ashley for for reminding us about that. that. But nonetheless, we have a list of 12 kind of previously suggested board norms that we wanted to go over and I think folks could could, you know, kind of talk about the ones that they've suggested, why
002they think they're important, and then that can, of course, continue our conversation about how we do this. Um my goal is to um have the board policy and handbook committee review these um not necessarily to capture all of them in writing in our handbook or in our policies uh but just to make sure that they are um you know in line with our our current legal standards and and and current board policies. Um there might be things that we discuss or want to adopt that would require handbook or policy changes. So, we just want to make sure that we're doing that the right way. Um, and it also gives board legal counsel a chance to kind of have their eyes on this as well, or excuse me, district legal counsel have their eyes on these
003suggestions as well. And then there's also the opportunity for us to raise and bring up new board norms. Um, the second piece to the discussion is just a very quick um timeline for our board evaluation that I have typed up on little slips. Allan cut them for me. That's why they're so even. Uh but nonetheless um we do have that and I wanted to share that with you as well. So um let's dive into some norms. Um as you as you see you have a list of 12. Um and some of these obviously came from our last discussion like I mentioned. Um how do we does somebody who brought this particular number one up want to kind of speak to it first? I think that was me. Okay. Um, basically I mean what it says
004is if we have things go to action, we need to I would request that they are separate motions, not a bulk motion um to save time because where maybe we have times where we're going to approve them unanimously, but there like more often than not are um items that need to be addressed um on one particular at any given time. So a rushed motion that bulks sends them through kind of eliminates that ability to address things individually. So, like as I'm hearing you and as I've read this first piece that you brought to us, it's you would prefer if there's three items on say the action agenda that we've moved that we would go through them individually and not just say I motion to approve items one through three um in one motion is kind
005of what you're correct. And I was reviewing the handbook and it actually um says that that's how we're supposed to be functioning as well. Um, so I would say that we stay the course on that concept if we're going to um give each item the due attention that it should get. Perfect. Ashley, my concern is that that doesn't follow parliamentary procedure. If we get into a norm where we're telling people they can't follow parliamentary procedure, the procedure would be if you don't want to vote on it that way, you vote no on a person's motion. And once we get into telling people they can't make motions within procedure, we get into a confusing place because we've agreed to follow those procedures, it would be different to say, you know, someone has a preference for that
006or letting people know what their preference is. But ultimately, you get to vote no on that if you don't like it. And we would get into a confusing place if we choose to say we're going to follow Robert's rules of order except when we don't do that. And it makes it challenging to structure a meeting. um for the conversation to the board and to you and Amanda and Ashley. Um it seems like there might be an inongruence with Robert Jules's order of parliamentary procedure and what we have outlined in the handbook. That might be something that we want to iron out, you know, um because I think both points are valid. Um and so it just seems like there is a an inongruence there. process section if I remember right probably so 11 other than
007the consent agenda each motion should be limited to one idea or issue number three as a point of order it is one idea or issue to approve items on action that's not different like that once things are on the action agenda, they are an action item. We can take action on any and all items. It's it's two different things. It's it just means two different things. It could be, but I just think it's bad practice to do bulk motions for speed. So, if we're looking at board norms, like trying to figure out how to ensure that we are not rushing things to eliminate the ability to um properly address any particular topic because a lot of times we end up on the action agenda where the more in-depth discussion occurs. So, if motions are moving
008too fast for that to happen, we're not given that opportunity to pay heed to that. And yeah, it you can vote no, but if the majority of people I just think it's bad practice. So, you know, and Rob's rules of orders, like one of the things I pointed out before, is it's meant to be kind of a guideline, not stick strictly to it, um to help meetings function efficiently. So, you know, people can decide what they want. That's my preference because it it's frustrating to have that happen. made things a little messy with Jurassic Parliament, you know, as kind of our our guiding meeting structure. But nonetheless, I think this is another good topic that the policy and handbook committee can take on and see if we can't come up with a recommendation that settles
009the inongruence and kind of where we're at with the spirit of this. So, thank you for the conversation. Uh, number two. Um, okay. So, Nate, you're just saying that the policy committee is going to look at this and just um see if there's a way that we can accommodate both of these. Is that what you're saying? That's what I'd like like to a recommendation, right? Yeah. Make a recommendation that would accommodate both of these concerns. I think so. Yes. Okay. Um, item number two. If an item has zero intention or need for an action, put on the report agenda, not discussion. This could also play into Ashley's request that there is a minimum amount of discussion before actions are made. Um meaning maybe the outcome of the discussion from the report leads to a need
010for an action. So that would move the next meeting's discussion agenda for the next round of discussions and potential action. Um that was that was you again. Okay, dive into it, Amanda. I mean, it's it seems like it's pretty clear. um that some of the board meetings we've had stuff on at the discussion agenda that they're saying no actions needed which is confusing because why like if I'm looking at this and I'm getting the discussion agenda I'm expecting that we need to be ready to make a decision and then we're in this but we're not we we're not wanting seeking um emotion so that that's confusing in itself and then so just put it as a report. Um, and then it would kind of drive that dialogue a little clearer and cleaner because just simply
011by how it's being placed on the agenda, it clearly lays out that this is purely a discussion item through the report where when it's on the discussion agenda, it's meant to potentially have an action occur. Does that make sense? And so that placement um needs to represent what we're doing. I guess my question is for Alan or Liz. I just want to comment. So I think what happens sometimes is it's there's not a need to for the board to vote on it in that particular meeting, but if the board felt they had all information were comfortable, they could move it forward. And we probably need to be more clear in our cover memo. Basically stating that that there, you know, this doesn't need to be approved at this meeting. However, if the board feels they
012have all the information and and want to move it to action, they can. because if it's on report then we're not we can't move it to action but if it's on discussion just I mean there's probably been stuff that gets put on the the discussion agenda this that exact we don't anticipate the board approving it today but we're going to put it on on the on the discussion just in case they want to move forward with it and we would need to be very clear in our cover memo that that's the case. Yeah, I think I think that would definitely be helpful that um that is a possible outcome if the board is seeking it because I think part of the um uh thing that the board kind of gets stumped in these meetings is
013to what are we doing next? If we're not action, we're not expected to do a mo a motion on a discussion agenda item, then we're sitting here waiting for what are we doing then? So, if that messaging isn't clear that it's either chew on the information, ask the questions or make a motion if you're comfortable making a motion. When we've needed a motion, but I think on some like tonight is a good example. We have on there the um I was forgetting the name of the pathway, the focused graduation pathway discussion which is honors diploma. No, the other one, the focus discussion pathway, it's under discussion. Um, and it's the first reading of that. So, so it's the first reading and there doesn't need to be an approval tonight except there could be because what
014we're doing is just following state law and getting caught up the state law and so proposing to do something like that. So, that's a good example of one that could go either way. True. But like if we're going to do what Ashley's brought up in the past, which I think is valid, is um giving especially new topics uh opportunity for quality discussion before jumping to decisions, but um that's allowing a hastier a hasty decision for lack of better words. So if we're we're going to look at how often how much are we talking about it before we move it to an action then that would be a way to help ensure the conversation's happening before a roughly speaking a rush decision is made. So again going back to placing it where it makes more sense
015I guess from my perspective kind of have just to skip to number four. We'll get back to number three for sure, but that kind of outlines I think you and Ashley might be talking about is what's our structure for when items are brought to us. How often do we visit them before we actually make that decision? Ashley, did you want to weigh in on that? I just think there, you know, for many items there are typical schedules of first reading, second reading, final reading, and we have fallen out of that. This doesn't require, in my opinion, a long conversation. Every other board does this. We don't need to reinvent the wheel. We just need to reaffirm what that used to be, which is what items are read a given number of times and stating that
016in the meeting when it's being led. Are you proposing what that quantity is? I think that quantity for many committees and items exists like a policy is typically read three times. Different actions that follow our policy guidelines like G5 would be one, right? like we have norms for what that is. We just need to follow what those norms are and have been. So if I'm hearing Ashley, it's just kind of a reintroduction of the norms of the norm. Is that there's not one answer because over time as an institution there are existing answers and we just have fallen out of the habit of saying this is the first reading of this policy at the June whatever date meeting we will have the second reading of that policy and we anticipate action in July. Thank you
017so much and actually stating explicitly what it is but usually that is driven from committee work like that's why the committees do what they do. if that makes sense. Yeah, it does. I was just kind of thinking procedurally wise if it's if we've fallen out of it. Is there some is that need to be like guidance written in obviously not black and white it has to be done like the recommendation is so there's allows the leniency for um so that um it's less likely to fall out of practice. Yeah. I mean, I would say the standard is three times. But the reason why I don't want to put in ink that that's the standard is obviously the reason you don't write down a norm like that is because sometimes you have to take action on
018something before you've read it three times for an emergency or specific policies have different rules that require like a public comment that other things do not. But the the baseline is three and things go up or down from there based on the situation. and we just have fallen out of announcing where we are in the three like it's not it's not new that's just well and you guys know better than I do and that's where like if it were put in writing you put in stuff like recommended that a average of three readings and then it gives that f that flexibility but then that general guidance is there I was just like if you go by memory that's where the that's where we get in problems I think that's something that we can get back
019pretty easily too. From what I'm hearing, if an item isn't going to be read for the standard three times, that is a specific in the presentation because of reason X, Y, and Z, we are requesting that the board approve this on reading one. You know, in in the legislature, you often hear suspension of the rules. I don't think I don't know if we want to get like that, but but just so that the audience knows there's a reason why we're not going to do this three times. One of the challenges with reading at three rather than two is just that it adds to the board meeting agendas. So that each time you're taking things up three times with so amount of workload you're getting in those board meetings. It it seems to me that one
020of the purposes Oh, excuse me. Um, it seems to me that one of the purposes of this meeting was to just, you know, look at our norms. And it seems like uh to what Ashley was saying, we have the norm. It's just that we haven't um we haven't been consistent on it. So this conversation that we're having right now is just reminding everyone and on some of these, wouldn't it just be beneficial to say, "Oh yes, we understand this. This has been the established norm. We just need to remember it and make a note in the minutes or whatever that okay, yep, we're reaffirming what Ashley presented that okay, this is the first reading that or so that we don't have to create another norm, right? Um I the superintendent mentioned, you know, his three
021um like this the standard three greetings. Um it triggered a thought for me and it's something I've really appreciated that Allen has done um during all the budget stuff is we're looking at it multiple times, but Allan is not going through the whole presentation again. So I think it was just a reintroduction. Hey, we talked about this at the last meeting here at some key takeaways. Maybe that wouldn't add as much um to the content of the board meetings. I actually thought that the board did it twice actually. That's why it was on report then it was on discussion and then it action but I didn't realize there were three. Is that if that has been I don't know it could be report to study session to discussion potentially to or study session to report
022to discuss to discussion that would basically be three that's a reading but not yeah in theory too in let's say their second reading um the presenter can ask the board do you feel comfortable putting this on consent agenda for the next meeting then it it speeds things up Also, just as a counterpoint, I think we actually have to talk about things a lot longer when we don't take the time to talk about them diligently. When we do things three times, we get questions answered over the ser length of time that decision-m takes rather than trying to have a very long discussion in one or two meetings. I actually think it's uh counterintuitive to think talking about it less makes it happen faster because people don't have their questions answered. It makes it take a lot
023longer. Actually, in my experience, the things that end up going are consented to because they have gone through the steps and procedures and everyone has their feedback heard. Less consternation in the process. Excellent. Let's re I like all of that and um I know we're capturing this in the recording and in the minutes too. So um let's move to item number three. Actually I think this one was yours. Um yeah I think that the norm that was suggested by uh leadership from USBA was that different boards keep meetings from their leadership meetings. So meaning when the board president vice president meet with the superintendent and business administrator those notes are kept. I think there's many times in my um experience in this one term where I've been out of the loop on a topic until
024it appears in a meeting and then I find out people have actually been talking about it. Um I don't think that's a great feeling. So I think getting those email updates is a reciprocal courtesy. Like when we're on committees, we give an update for our committee work. If I ever have a meeting with any staff member or visit to the school, I give an update on that visit or a meeting with a staff member to everybody. And I think the reciprocal courtesy when leadership has a meeting to send those notes not just about these are the proposed agendas but about other topics that are discussed is is just reasonable. Been a minute since I've been on the committee and I have the last couple of meetings this year um being back on the the finance
025committee um because I don't know if I necessarily always the minutes from policy other than just the updates that we get in the meeting. And so Ashley, are you suggesting that we would want to adopt that similar standard for finance and policy as well? No, because they meet only quarterly and usually like if there is an item that needs to be emailed, you'll notice that I send an email that says by the next meeting we won't be able to talk about X and then I give an update from finance and talk about Y and Z. um leadership meets weekly so we can't wait between meetings to get it's not the same they're just you know and quarterly was probably the wrong word how often does a policy five so close to quarterly and so that
026means that those things happen in such a space when usually an update can be given we don't meet as a board every single week so I can't get the leadership update every single week so the reciprocal courtesy is about getting an update not about the modality of the update Yeah, I just wanted to clarify. Um, so our policy committee should be sending out updates before, you know, before the board meeting. Is that right? Or how should we do that? Speaking said, uh, that's a great question. Um, I'm trying to think through it. I think maybe this is a little different than finance and correct me if I'm wrong, but we do have each policy on the consent. Um, so I don't know if it would be overkill to I'm happy to do it if that's
027what we want, some sort of written update, but I think it is already on the agenda. So maybe if it's um maybe a contentious or I don't know. I'm open big change or something like that. Okay. use our judgment then and then we would have to designate who is going to do that. Yeah. Or do do we have a committee chair? Oh no. Yeah. Bring in a staff person to take you. When policy committee does review items, we usually do have an email um from Jillian who what is I'm going to say her job title incorrectly. grandma. Grandma and compliance compliance officer. Okay. So, she does actually apologies that I can't remember exactly what that job title is, but I will get updates via email and that's kind of dropped off actually um like I
028used to get those where it would say what policies you were reviewing and that made it possible for me to say, "Oh, Charlotte, I actually have some feedback about the policy involving the dress code." D and I could tell you before your committee meeting. But all those things are on a normative calendar that we all have access to. And you are correct that finance is different because we have certain things that happen on a cycle, but it's also costs that come up, you know, that are unique. So you used to get those agendas ahead of so they went out to the whole board. I used talking I'm gonna look for the last one while we're talking because I thought it was on. Well, and that would be helpful too because with the stuff that was
029going on with G5 if obviously it's not a direct correlation because it was I barely came on in January but if I were here longer being able to give feedback in advance and not causing board members to feel like I pulled the rug out from underneath them then that might be more of a proactive way to do that versus a reactive way to handle things that we may not be 100% on the same page. And if I may chime in, you are correct. The rest of the board was not included on the last one, but in the past in the past. Yeah. Yeah. From finance. Okay. I know what you're talking about. I appreciate Ashley what you're saying about your meetings with like district personnel or teachers or what have you. Um I think that
030would be a benefit for all of the board members to participate in that too because I've also been caught in various conversations where it's like oh well so and so met with this principal or administrator and what do you think of that board president Salazar and it's like I had no idea that that happened you know and so I would um I'd hope that not only for board leadership meetings which I'm happy to do and Brian and Bryce being both recent and and past vice presidents current and past vice presidents would love your thoughts on that too. Um, but I think it just streamlines communication for all all realms from all realms. Brian, any thoughts? No, I think I think this has made really clarify. I think we've clarified things here. Perfect. that just come
031up then as a new board members and board leadership sends minutes it's not on here what did you just say there Nate and that board leadership sends um our minutes from our minutes yeah meetings okay um so when we're talking about minutes if we were just giving bullet points is that. What are your What are your thoughts, Ashley, on minutes? I think it just is a synonym for notes in this instance because it's not an open public meeting that you're having, but it's these are the topics that were discussed. And then if I I don't need to know more than what the topic was. If I know the topic was, who knows? also use dress code again that there was like a big controversy about the dress code then I would be able to say
032oh hey blah blah blah here's my feedback on that okay yeah so it's just it's more of like this is what this is what we talked about and it g it's giving you like a heads up so that if you had um additional insights or something like that correct I'm sorry I didn't hear you Ashley correct okay thank Thank you. Um, so do you also want us to make sure that the whole board is included on the email from Jillian when she says we are having a policy committee meeting. This is what we will be discussing. You know, the agenda for the policy committee meeting. I personally like getting that. I enjoyed getting it. We'll make sure that so that'll be another board norm. Perfect. Um, item number five. Um, this one's come up quite
033a bit over my time here as well. Determine the timing for when the board meeting agenda is shared with board members prior to public release. Currently, we're doing our best to operate under a Thursday um, presentation of the agenda, ideally with all of the exhibits. Um, we've talked in the past that if exhibits aren't ready that the superintendent and Allan have the authority to say, "Sorry, we're kicking this from the agenda." Um, but nonetheless, um, it seems like there's a desire to have more time before um, the Tuesday board meeting and it's just trying to determine what that time frame is and then also what's a realistic time frame from an administrative standpoint as well that we need to to weigh in on or at least consider. So, I know it's hard to get all
034of that together. I I really do understand that and appreciate the work that goes into it. I would and other board members have other thoughts. If we could even have it one more day, like Wednesday as opposed to Thursday, that would give me so much more time. I think you should set the standard of what you want and we have to meet it. So, I mean there there's always challenges with that just regardless of the day, right? depending on the day, but I I think we should try and meet what you need as a board. I mean, I I want to be reasonable. That's why I say the Wednesday as opposed to the Thursday because I think one example was um this last week for this meeting that we got the agenda and then uh
035the district office is closed both Friday and Monday and so that was kind of hard. Um it's similar because it goes right into weekend once we get them. Yeah. So, um, I'll just throw my thought out there, but the Wednesday before would be, I think, reasonable, but I'm open to discussion. I think from a leadership standpoint, too, it would be good for that extra day because trying to accommodate um, board member requests from Thursday to Friday is is very challenging. Yeah, takes a lot. I know. Now, I'd be grateful for one more day. Let's see how we do that. But yeah, just having a little bit more breathing room would be lovely. How has it been done in the past? We're shooting for the Thursday before the board meeting. I mean, like in the far
036past. Oh, in the far past. I think it's typically always been the Thursday. Thursday even. Sometimes it's been Friday. Yeah. Friday packet. Oh, I remember those days. I think I might have been the last one to get a handle that I remember my mom reading those. Yeah, I don't want to be a board member. Folks like the Wednesday. You give it a shot. Yeah. I agree. I think that's going to help a lot. I I just want to make sure I understood. It's sometimes it's a little bit hard to understand. So, you were saying that we're moving it up to Wednesday. Is that what we're thinking? Is especially in light of like when we're closed on Fridays and things like that. Is that what Yeah. And Ashley had another point. Well, I had a procedural
037question based on what you were asking, Brian, which is we are saying Wednesday is a good goal, but at the outset of the conversation, we said the handbook committee would take this up. Are you anticipating that before our next meeting? You know, the superintendent has to have items prepared in collaboration with others by Wednesday or is this just something that we've all said yes and the handbook committee will be discussing? Because that is actually a thing that is written down that we would have to change, right? And so I'm getting to that because we have to have clarity so that the handbook committee will know what they're tasked with doing. And I'm fine jumping the gun of the handbook committee and working on our July 15th meeting our nested. Um yeah. Okay. But these things
038that we are agreeing to there will be some that we have to take to the hand committee and handbook committee and um for updates. We we'll be looking at that when we meet. You know, we're not going to schedule a special meeting or Okay. Okay. Um, item number six, this is actually also a really good thing to be discussing too, using our study sessions for topics on upcoming board meetings where we have cabinet presentations and discussion to guide our decisions. Um, I know this is the practice of other boards too. Um, and superintendent, I think you shared with me just a minute ago about your experience with other superintendents and how they structure their board meetings um, at your USAA stuff this week. But um I know it's a topic that Amanda and I talked
039about this morning with Charlotte as well. You know, like what is our study session topic? What's the structure of our meeting? I think is what this one's getting to the heart of. Um and uh it could help with that first reading, second reading, third reading piece. Um and also allow for some more robust discussion that gets us the information that we need. So I'm not quite sure who put this one on. It might have been one that came from a few different board members if I remember correctly. Yeah, I think it was for me or Ashley. I think it's kind of been talked about in general by a lot of people. I think we all I mean, don't we all agree on that? Yeah. And I think it partly played out and if I remember
040right in that some of the discussions, study sessions were pretty far displaced from when we needed to get to action. And so then that kind of conversation is a little bit rusty in minds. So having that even closer to when we're digging into like getting closer to make needing the decisions versus a big long drawn out thing because there's I don't know if it's normal but there was a lot of things that's happened since January. I think it is normal I'm afraid. So like making sure we're not forgetting things because they're so far removed from each other. So my understanding of this is that um the advantages are that you can have the conversation ahead of time and your business meetings get shorter because you don't have the presentation and much of the questioning. It
041can go on in business meeting too the questioning but we wouldn't give presentations during business meeting. We would do those in study session. Um and still we're trying to limit those for you. So it's more of the written material but um so that's the advantage like one district does but then they increase the length of the study session because then you're adding more. So my understanding of the way our district has done it when I came in it was study session is for things that the board wants to learn about. So it was kind of a learning session that was, oh, I want to understand what the national absenteeism problem is or something like that. Then we'd come present information on that and then the board could then take up absenteeism later or something. But
042this then would be a change because we'd be substituting kind of a learning session more for an actual discussion section as I understand the difference. And correct me if you if you have other ideas on this, but that was my sense. So, one district goes study session 4 to six and then takes a quick break and then starts their business meeting later. Now, theirs, they don't have short business meetings, but other districts do have very short business meetings where they time them and things like that to to move things along. So, that could be the structure. And I think it might be useful for like you guys want more genuine um robust discussion and I I think the study session like this lends itself to that some more streamlines the actual process of discussing it
043and taking action like I think about like our city council they have a study session that starts in the morning sometimes you know they do that before every meeting that's the other question is whether You just do it. They call it a work session. Okay. So then whether you do it just once a month or twice a month like for each meeting you have a study session and sometimes they're long and sometimes they're short and sometimes they're not at all or don't know the best options for those. It's probably situational depending on what topics are going on. Right. So that's kind of an organic thing but figuring out the you know minimum of three readings like how big is it? Is it that's fairly new or there's a lot of working parts. So, we go
044into a lengthy study session before and then an update before we do. I don't know. It's like something that's I mean, if we took tonight's agenda for an example, um we have on there the honors diploma, which you'll probably want to talk about a couple times because that would be quite a change. Um the strategic plan would be quite a change. The focus graduation pathway again may be something you wouldn't put on study session because it's a pretty simple change. It's not a very complex change compared to maybe the others. So maybe you talk about some things that would be on the discussion items and board meeting but not others. An agenda setting would have to help us figure out where things go. And it could potentially be a and correct me if I wrong
045I'm wrong in this approach but this is upcoming topics. This is how we're going to lay it out on the agendas unless someone it's in the discussion for first round for action but another person's feeling like they need a lot more information. So we need to slow our role and go into more in-depth analysis kind of allowing a board a whole board opportunity to ascertain what if we're there and ready for the decision or if we need to actually slow down and have more opportunity to delve into it because I think that there's I presume there's an assump assumption that we only need so much information and then we find out that um an individual or individuals are seeking more information. So we are then during a meeting identifying that we have to slow down.
046Does that make sense? So kind of in advance we're we're we're talking and saying is the board ready for this? If they are let's move it to discussion. Is the board needing more information? If so do we do a study session or do we do it as a report? You know, you guys are identifying the agenda, but then figuring out advance if that agenda structure is the right way or if we need to rethink it based on the needs of any particular person and understanding those topics to be able to get to a point of action in the timeline that is hoped for. Does that make sense? I know actually you brought this up a lot just the structure of the meeting, right? And does having a study session every meeting help us with this
047process? I think you've advocated that yes, it would. I think it would. I don't think it's always necessary. I think we have had I'm trying to think how to say this. I think that I would be curious to know on average how many closed executive sessions are required as compared to how many we have held and be curious about how much of what a board's typical study session time has actually in our case been taken up by closed executive session because those two seem to at times trade off and I would just be curious to zoom out like I don't know the answer to that. I don't have a way to analyze that information and input that into my computer. But I think saying we would do it every time is probably very rigid, but
048it's not unreasonable to consider doing it more frequently. Advantage is that it would make the presentations public or the business meeting more of like these are the general updates that we talked about in the study session, you know? So you're suggesting because this would be important to figure out too. So we come in, we present these strategic plan changes to you in the study session and have a conversation about it. Then in board meeting, what would you like from staff in that one? Do you have a sense of that? That's where we would ask questions, right? And clarity seek that. So there's no you'd ask more questions because you would have had some discussion in in the study session, but the wouldn't be would there be another presentation or some sort of truncated presentation or
049would you just say here the things are attached on the agenda so if the public really wants to know they can pull them up what Bryce had mentioned what he appreciates about Allan when he's presenting the budget here are the highlights of what we previous previously discussed this is what we discussed in study session today so to try and summarize study session for the public or just I don't know if that's the right because I mean Brian were you trying to speak on this topic? I I've just been listening but again just in the interest of time I think we have a general idea of what we're talking about. I think enough for some brainstorming to take place in handbook because there's some important other things that we got to get to here. Do you
050mind if I move us along Dr. Grant? Okay. Um, item number seven, the three to agree. This would definitely require some changes to our handbook and our policy. Um, as I understood the three to agree is that it would take um a board member to raise a requested item for the agenda and they would need essentially two seconds for it to appear on the agenda. Um, unless I misread that from our training that we had with Terry and Richard and the other guy forgot his name. Sorry. But nonetheless, Mark. Um, but that's how I understood free to agree. I understood it a little bit differently. Um, I heard that Mark was suggesting it was before an item was brought to the superintendent. Okay. Or to discuss rather than it being about what goes on the
051agenda. With that in mind, I don't think it's necessarily unreasonable for the handbook committee to discuss if it's worth it to have two seconds. I mean, in any situation where I've requested something or been the second to someone, I find it hard to believe there would not be a third board member who would support the request of that person or, you know, or have their own request and understand they would like some mutual support for that. So, I don't I'm not opposed to it, but I heard him saying we needed three to agree to request like to discuss that with say the superintendent or whatever. Yeah, I think I I do remember hearing it that way and I think in a previous era of the board had heard the three to agree meaning the agenda
052piece. Um, do you want handbook committee to take up both of those instances? Okay. Um, you got to speak more into the mic. Sorry, Brian. We're gonna have Oh, we're gonna have handbook committee take on both three to agree for proposing agenda items and for requests to the superintendent. And I think we throw Allan into that mix as well. Um, okay. Items. So, these things are these things will come to the handbook committee. Correct. Um, in the interest of time, you can disagree, but I think item number eight we cover in item number five. Item number nine we cover in item number four. Cool. Um, number 10, board member absences from meetings. I can't remember who brought this one up. Idea was to create a norm for responding to this. Well, I think the tricky
053part I think it was a general concern. Um, and I think tricky part is uh what what can be done given we're elected positions and we can't unelect ourselves or each other. [Laughter] I unelect you. We could resign. So, you know, yes, there's an What is legal? What is legally allowed? Yeah. And yeah, and maybe because of time, maybe that's going to have to be a continued conversation. Um, but it goes back to that engagement and probably dealt with through the evaluation criteria. Well, let's can I say just one quick thing and I don't I don't want to have further conversation after I say what I say, but I think when we do um have this conversation on item 10, it's about a respect thing. not necessarily about number of times you miss or things
054of that nature. I think it's about a respect to each other and our constituents. That's fair. That's I think I think that that's key, but I think that also and we have and I know that we don't have time to talk about it um in its entirety. It's a respect, but it's also a responsibility that you have to the constituents who voted for you. And the way that I look at it, I don't know how the rest of you look at it, but um you're responsible for being at those board meetings to represent their concerns. And when you're not there, you're not fulfilling your duty to those constituents. So, it seems to me that there does need to be some sort of a conversation on how you uh encourage board members to um fulfill their
055duties because they are being paid. Yeah, Brian, I was just going to say that I agree with you. Cool. Um and I think having um districts legal counsel weigh in on those nuances is important as well. And I believe the handbook actually talks a little bit about what Brian was saying as well. Gives a little bit of guidance on that as well. Just FYI. Yeah. I mean, we're not being paid a lot, but certainly not paid a lot, but I mean, we are and we need to be respectful of that. Yeah, I agree. Um, item number 11, I feel Oh, this is a about the calendar and annual um agenda setting. Annual calendar and agenda setting. Um, Brian and I had heard this recommendation from Ashley earlier this year and I know that Dr. Grant
056and Allan have produced some kind of a calendar that I think is ready to share with the board. Um, in some way I was just thinking I'm not sure that cabinet has it as well as I want them to. Okay. couple things I'm seeing that are because sometimes we just copy old calendars to keep because some things are so you know some things are annual but so the idea on this one thing I want to ask about this if we have this working calendar is just who has editing rights because I'm a little worried about version control and um what gets on the calendar and I don't it would seem that the that maybe the board makes suggestions for things to put on the calendar to board leadership. Um, I don't even know if it
057was that grant just in the interest of time. I think it was more about things that were statutoily and annually. Is it more just like a staff meeting review and approval? Yeah. Things that we know we have to do so that then we don't discover. And this goes back to the other part of this request was just schedule out three meetings ahead because then what happens is when one meeting becomes too full you know you still have two additional you know what I mean things can get moved around and to go back to your point about editing I would never request to be able to edit the calendar or that every board member could edit the calendar. What I think used to be happen in the days of the paper delivery is also that when
058board leadership did make changes based on conversations of course with the whole board that then the calendar is revised. It is agreed upon that it's revised and it was printed. Do you know what I'm saying? And now there is no new printing that needs to take place. But it's not about being able to edit at will. It's about knowing the fixed items so that other movable items get effectively moved rather than ineffectively added. Oh, I see. All at once in what becomes emergent. We've been using the running table, you know, the one that we've captured things and when we have agenda settings, sometimes we'll print it out in that form. It's just a table. But you're thinking of something that's more static almost of these are the annual things we have to get done every
059year and this is when we typically do them. Okay. And then when something happens in a meeting, you say, "In this meeting, the board said this, this, this, and this." And you would put that little post-it on that part of the like they said they would discuss this again in two months. Okay, there it is. And it's kind of I feel like also plays into what we were talking about this morning at the agenda setting meeting is when we are and I think it's kind of what you were talking about just then is we have a board meeting we have a topic we need to circle back to it if now if you've got a working planner you are identify which month it needs to fall in and put that in there as a placeholder
060to make sure that we are following up to that important topic getting lost right for good for follow through make sure and make sure we're meeting the deadlines that we need. Agreed. Okay. Um, correct me if I'm wrong, too, but I think structural board meeting efficiencies was kind of covered in number six, unless there was something else that we wanted to really capture there. I think the the only suggestions that I've made in the past are things that would make our that other boards do, which is when we all share positive news, that's like fine and lovely to share positive news. Um, but other boards typically have that section as like committee reports or committee updates and they alternate who shares their positive news because I am able to say I was so happy to
061go to the raptor ride with Bryce because it wasn't rained out. Just kidding. Every time I've tried to do it, it's been rained out. Um, and it doesn't really matter if I say that in May or June. It just matters that I share that that occurred. And when we rotate, it's more efficient. Um, I also think the state board does a lot of things that are in the history of this district board. It's kind of oscillated between starting with a great celebration that takes a long time or like we're not celebrating because this takes too long and we're getting down to business. And there's actually an in between place where, you know, two people used to go take a picture under the logo while everybody else was starting to vote on the consent agenda or
062begin the discussion or the pictures happened before the meeting started. Silly things like that don't really they're not of great consequence, but they end up taking about, you know, 30 to 40 minutes if we don't manage them. efficiently. Um, well, this has been helpful. We are out of time. The last thing I wanted to pass out and thank you for this. We'll follow up in um in board handbook, but Amanda, I'm sorry I didn't quite make it to you, but if you would take one and pass it down. Um, so this is just a um he doesn't yet, but I'll make sure that he gets one. Okay. Um, so Brian, listen carefully. Um but this is our board evaluation timeline. Um tonight we will have um our first review of the USBA criteria. Um on
063July 5th um based on the conversation tonight I know uh folks want to make some suggestions to that uh we'll have our final and ideally adopt our evaluation criteria. Um depending on how many changes uh we feel like we need to make and are are comfortable with as a board. Um, it depends on it kind of increases or decreases the time for Richard to enter it into the evaluation tool and get it to us. Um, so he's pretty confident that regardless of how many changes we make, he's like, "Nate, if you just re redeveloped a whole new list of criteria, it's probably going to take me like five days. But if it's just a couple of different changes, it's really easy." Um, so that's why I kind of have a 1920 um that will receive
064the evaluation tool to fill out independently um due by July 29th. He said that date can also be moved back if we need to. Um but nonetheless um he is also prepared to come join us on August 2nd to present those results. Okay. Could you So, he's ready to come on or he's willing to come on August the 2nd, but we're looking at it tonight and then the 15th and then what did you say? The 20th. Yeah. So, either July 19th or 20th, we should receive the evaluation tool from Richard to complete it by July 29th. Okay. Yeah. Okay, cool. I think that ends our study session. Um, let's go get ready for close session. I think there should be food ready for us um in the kitchen area. Oh, and we do need a
065a motion to go into close session. I I move that we go into before you do that, Charlotte. We need to have very specific Yeah. Yeah. language. So, it would be character competence and negot contract negotiations updates. Legal updates is at the end. Well, I believe it's on the typically on the agenda, right? Just uh contract negotiations and um character and competence. Yeah. I move that we move into closed session to discuss um character of an individual or yeah competence character oh character and competency of an individual or and contract oh and contracts negotiations I Okay. I just want to say I'm not sure that we did that correctly. So I'd offer a substitute that the board would enter a close session for any of the permissible purposes outlined in Utah code 524205. Second. All
066right. We have a motion and a second. Um let's do any discussion. Seeing none, we'll start with Amanda and just work our way around the table. Amanda Longwell, yes. Ashley Anderson, yes. Nate Salazar, yes. Bryce Williams, yes. Charlotte Ferson, yes. Brian Brian Jensen. Yes. All right. We are in close session and uh we'll return it for 6 PM public meeting. Do we have to vote on an underlying motion and just all in favor? Yes or no? Because there was another motion and second on the table. Thank you. Um um I I retract my motion. Yeah. I mean, I like that approach.