SLCSD Board Meeting, June 3 2025 5:30 PM

001I'm going to go ahead and call our meeting to order. I want to welcome you. Today is June 3rd, 2025. Thank you for joining us. this evening for the purposes of a public school board meeting. Board President Nate Salazar has asked to be excused and I will be chairing this meeting as board vice president. First, I want to recognize the presence of our association representatives. From buildings and grounds we have President Aaliyah Ampo, child nutrition president Tanya Slaughter, transportation Audrey Benali. And then representing the Salt Lake Education Association, SLEA, we have Vice President Chelsea Aosta and the Salt Lake Association of School Administrators, SLAsa Ryan Hunt, the director of budgeting. There she is. Okay. She just slipped in. Okay. She could hear, I'm sure. Okay. Um, we'll now begin with the pledge of allegiance. And

002I've asked board member F Jefferson to lead us. Okay. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay. Next, we have some important recognitions. And let's pull those up. I have them right here. We have the Spanish dual language immersion secondary model teachers. Is there someone that's going to Yes. Monty Ike, our director of world languages? Yes. Will come and present the awards. Is this on? Yes. Okay. Good evening. Um, it's my honor to be with you tonight to celebrate two of our incredible Salt Lake City School District educators. The director of the Spanish dual language immersion program and state team members named Evelyn Miller and Paula Clemente Puo, both Spanish DLI

003secondary class model teachers. These two wonderful teachers have put a lot of effort into implementing Spanish the Spanish DI program. they are doing an excellent job having their students immersed in and experiencing learning in a positive environment. Um that environment encourages a sense of community and risk-taking. I have visited these two teachers a couple of times in the past few years with people coming from all over the state and country to uh watch their classrooms. I remember leaving there one of the classes one time and thinking I have a way now to look to know an easy way to know if I've witnessed good teaching and that was the answer to the question would I put my own children in this classroom and without a doubt in both classes I would have been thrilled to

004have my children attend their classes I would like to introduce you to these two incredible Spanish DI teachers when I say your name please come up and stand in front of the stairs to be recognized Paula Clemente Puo. And I did not see Evelyn Miller here yet. So Paula, could you come up? [Applause] Hi. Thank you. You're welcome. We have a certificate for you. Oh. [Music] Thank you. [Music] Do you guys want to stand up and come together? Maybe. Sure. We'll just stand here. Okay. Yeah, that works. [Music] Well, uh, Alan, will you switch spots with Charlotte? Thank you. It balances. Perfect. And scoot in. All right, that's perfect. Okay, one, two, three. And then I'm going to take one this way. One, two, three. Thanks. [Applause] self. Thank you. Okay, our next recognition is

005the Utah State Board of Education's Science of Reading Coach of the Year Award. And Chelsea, I believe you're introducing this. I am. And I apologize for bringing my water with me, but you will likely see why in just a minute. I've had a a month of this. Anyway, good evening um esteemed board members. It is my honor to be back with you to celebrate another incredible Salt Lake City School District educator. As you are aware, beginning in 2021, USB invested in professional learning for K3 general education teachers, special education teachers, coaches, principles, and LEA leaders in the science of reading in order to improve literacy instruction and student outcomes across the state. As educators began completing their initial professional learning of letters training, USB began observing schools and classrooms across the state to see how

006that learning was being implemented. In May, there we go. In May of 2023, USB created a rubric to determine the level of implementation and solicited nominations for science of reading awards. These awards are presented to individuals who have demonstrated excellence in aligning their instruction with the science of reading and in promoting reading outcomes for students. The recipients of this award are award are key to helping Utah reach its goal of 70% of third grade students reading on grade level or more. The most recent science of reading award was given to Katrina Stratford, a literacy coach assigned to Liberty Elementary. And I'd like Katrina to come up while I read some of the comments that USB received from teachers and administrators at Liberty. So these are comments from some of the teachers and administrators that were

007considered. Katrina provided practical resources that I was able to implement in the classroom which significantly enhanced my instructional practices. Katrina is excellent with data analysis and is able to help pinpoint what needs to be done for each and every student. Katrina possesses a profound understanding of literacy development and instructional strategies. Her ability to tailor support to meet individual teacher needs has resulted in significant improvements in student outcomes. Sorry. I have adopted a more structured approach to phenemic awareness activities incorporating daily practice that aligns with the recommendations provided. This has not only improved student engagement but has also allowed for more targeted instruction based on individual needs. And finally, Katrina has helped me in so many ways to become a more productive and effective literacy teacher. My students have benefited from what I have learned from

008her. Please join me in congratulating Katrina Stafford on this award and thanking her for her passion in supporting the educators and students in the Salt Lake City School District. [Applause] Thank you back there. Well, actually I think. Okay. Um Brian. Okay. Be where you're going to be because I might move Charlotte depending on where you're going to be. Okay. If you're there, this is perfect. Okay. One, two, three. And I'm going to go this way, too. One, two, three. Thanks. That's so cool. I just wanted to introduce also Evelyn Miller who won the Spanish DLI model teacher award. [Applause] Yeah. [Music] I'm a short. Don't go. Don't go. Don't go. Um, okay. Oh, great. Okay. One, two, three. Thank you. Congratulations. Thank you for staying around. Okay, thanks. Thank you again for all of your

009wonderful work for our district. Okay, we're now going to move on to the consent agenda. And there is a board member request to pull an item off of the consent agenda. specifically the Hand-O-AtoHeart Inc. purchase. I also understand there's a clarification requested to updated policies, specifically policy 16, school year and calendar. I think that was you board member Anderson. Would you like me to ask right now? The only clarification I wanted and anyone from the policy committee could answer is that when we're approving changes to the calendar in the policy, that's different than the schedule for the school day, right? The calendar means start date for the year, end date for the year, holidays, breaks, but it does not mean the schedule for the school day. Correct. We had a conversation specifically on this. Great.

010Thank you so much. What it does is it sets out the next three years of calendars for the district as a whole so parents can see that going forward and make plans around it. Okay. Given the request to pull um heart hand to heart um I'll entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda excluding item 1B1 JJ which will be moved to the action agenda where we can discuss it. So moved. Second. Okay. We have a motion and a second on the table. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, we'll move to a roll call vote. Board member Longwell. Amanda Longwell, yes. Bryce Williams, yes. Charlotte Fe Jefferson, yes. Ashley Anderson, yes. Brian Jensen, yes. Okay, we'll take that up on the action agenda. Now I think we'll go ahead and we'll move to the request

011to speak portion of our meeting. There are speaker guidelines for public comment that I would like to read. We do have one request. So I will go ahead and read those um directives. The board enjoys the opportunity to hear from the public during the p 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. First, the total time reserved for public comment is not to exceed 15 minutes with all speakers or groups limited to three minutes. Second, the board will not allow public comments during board meetings that are slanderous, obscene, or otherwise violate state or federal law. Third, employees and/or their representatives may not use the public comment period to address issues that should be raised through existing

012formal communication channels or established grievance or negotiation procedures. I'd also like to explain that unless the speaker'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. Okay, we do have Shia Wilkinson has signed up. Shay, I'm sorry. It's not here. I don't see Shay. Okay. There was also a Rosalie Christensen, but I think she's Oh, I'd like to speak. You would like to speak at the 7 o'clock. Okay. Time certain. Okay. Well, with that, um, before we move to our reports and, um, discussion portion, board members, superintendent, and public, we have a time certain at 700 p.m. for a

013public hearing on the 2025 2026 budget. Business Administrator Kursley, will you please notify us at 6:50 p.m. so we can begin preparing for the public hearing? Okay. And then that's when we'll move to to you and any others. Okay. As a reminder, as we're moving into our reports and discussion, let's be considerate of our time. We have a timekeeper. Bryce is going to be doing that for us uh this evening. The first round will be um three minutes and the second round will be two minutes. We can also rely on our parliamentarian general counsel Christina Kendall if there are any questions. And before we move to that um to the well as I guess I should say as we move to those reports I need to notify the board and the public that the report

014that was scheduled Bryant program report will need to be moved to the June 17th board meeting. Uh Dr. ly some ta Taylor was going to be presenting that to us and he has been trying since yesterday to get back to Salt Lake City on a flight from New York and he's somehow now ended up in North Carolina and I hope he gets home. Um Oh wow. But um so we'll go ahead and we'll move to the next report, the high school rebuild. And does someone Isaac Ael will be presenting this today. Good evening. Thank you for some time to meet with you. And I have to apologize for not being here last time, but I had a family vacation planned. So that's why I wasn't at the last board meeting. Um, do we have your

015slides or you just plugged in? So it's just the letter that I I provided. Okay, just the letter. Yeah. Um, is this working? Okay. Uh, if I may, I'd just like to I' before we dive into the details about Highland Fields tonight, I want to provide some context and a reminder of the progress and direction that have led us to this point. On February 18th, I presented the benefits of accelerating construction at West High School by consolidating all educational spaces on the Capitol side of the campus. This approach allowed preservation efforts to the historic clock tower, allows for better budget predictability, and sets up a clear phasing strategy for construction. In that same presentation, we discussed Highland High School where I recommended against placing ground source heat pumps on non-distowned property. The board expressed support

016for that approach and directed us to investigate viable on-site alternatives. Following that direction, we returned on April 15th with a set of temporary field options. Most were received favorably except for Bachman Elementary as a baseball site. Since then, we have continued to study alternative locations and came back with recommendations for Dworth, Clayton, and Glendel, which Glendel uh has been approved from the previous board meeting. As questions continue to surface regarding the viability and value of ground source heat pumps, I want to emphasize that this is not a new or corrective concept. It was included in the original bond project list and is a core element of the district's sustainability action plan. It was publicly shared and aligned with broader community goals when the bond was approved. In the spirit of thoroughess and in response to

017recent concerns, we also reached out to other entities that have been suggested, including the Sugar House Park Authority. While we had initially avoided this option due due to strange circumstances stemming from previous agreements involving the park authority and the district, we have engaged in good faith. Their board leadership has been open to discussions, but it is important to note three things. Sugar Park, Sugar House Park does not currently have a softball field. The scope of work required on the Sugar House Park site would likely exceed the cost of preparing the Dillworth location. Most significantly, we would not have a commitment from the Sugar House Park Authority until August because they have one meeting next week and they don't meet in July and won't meet again until August. So, that would be the earliest we could

018present to them to consider. Um, I must stress that we need to stay aligned with the directions already approved in the bond and the construction plans. These initiatives were presented, discussed, and accepted. If we continue to halt progress of previously approved plans, we will be unable to complete these projects within our planned budget and schedule. So tonight, I'm here to strongly urge the board to reaffirm our course. Without approval to proceed with our current plans, we are dangerously close to delaying construction, escalating costs, and falling short of meeting our commitments to students and families. Specifically, I'm asking for your response or your support to approve investment in Clayton and Dworth to ensure we have prepped fields ready for next season and authorize the installation of ground source heat pumps under the Highland athletic fields as

019originally identified as one of the two options scoped in the bond and as part of our long-term sustainability goals. I also want to acknowledge that the need for resolution at West High School is important but not as urgent as Highland High currently. This is because we have been working in good faith with Salt Lake City for quite some time um with the mayor's office and uh public lands. We hope to bring a concrete update to you shortly after they complete their internal review and uh talk with their uh administration. We hope uh in the worst case scenario, if we are unable to secure a third site in time, we will still be in a position based on existing fields and those requested tonight to temporarily accommodate softball and baseball pro programs by sharing fields until

020full access can be restored for the third uh school. Finally, I want to emphasize that these recommendations are not coming from me personally, though I do take it personally and you guys have seen that so I apologize. They're the result of months of collaboration with district executive and construction leadership, high school principles, two separate architectural firms, uh engineering groups, and construction professionals who bring hundreds of years of combined experience to each of these pro projects. These groups meet weekly, sometimes more often, and have already invested hundreds of hours into ensuring that these projects are fiscally responsible and logistically achievable. This is not to diminish the voices in the community but to reflect on our hours dedicated to planning and digging into the project constraints and provide a doable project. Uh with that I want to

021thank you for your time. I the letter that I provided previously that is public to see talks about the savings of uh ground source heat pumps. some of the reasoning why we identified the lower field, the softball and baseball area rather than the the parking lot. Um there's some concern about um I may have been too vague in my description of additional con concept there, but it really could uh increase our projected cost by a couple million dollars to uh have to redesign or remove uh the planned ground. of the water retention areas and also would decrease the number of parking stalls in that in that parking lot in at the end of the project as well as it would significantly significantly impact the students and teachers trying to operate in the existing school while

022we're doing the project because that would tear up that whole area and we wouldn't have a place for about 200 cars uh during that project. So, with all of that, I respectfully uh turn to you guys for guidance, and I'm happy to entertain or provide any additional information that we have. Board member Longwell, I just want to say thank you for that thorough reiteration of like the past breakdown because I know like just for my sake um there's a lot of things that we've been working on over the last months and I'm sure the community appreciates it too. But that's a good like reminder of the approvals and actions that have occurred and also a really good understanding as to the lengths that you've gone through with embedding this out. So, thank you for taking

023the time to go through the detail of it. Thank you, board member Anderson. I'm not exactly sure. This question is probably a two-parter, but it's this is a report, so we can't move reports to the action agenda today. So, does that mean we will have a plan for West from the city by the next meeting so that we're actually approving plans for both high schools at the same time? Unfortunately, I can't guarantee that because it's in the city's court right now. They've been very immunable and they've been great to work with up to this point. Um they just need to vet a couple things before they they're comfortable with uh presenting and and it's their property so they need to have that time to do that. So I'm not sure what their timeline is on

024that. Um but again uh and I understand that you can't take action on this tonight. I just wanted to press the urgency that we need to know by we need to have some clear direction by next meeting or we're going to run into some significant challenges and uh constraints and the the reason I ask and understanding there are some constraints with the city is simply that it makes sense to approve plans when we know what the total cost is right and and also that west will be impacted sooner than highland in terms of construction is that true the they're actually uh highland the way the progress has been going. Highland will start, I'm sorry, West will begin first and it will impact their fields but within months of the other. Yes. Okay. So, pretty close

025together. Yes. Um and then my only other question for you about the cost modeling is we're looking at the savings and we know there's a risk of spending a couple of millions of dollars that um you said and the field also costs a couple million dollars and the past field reinvestment was like $2.5 million something like that. Yeah. So, do we have some place where we're keeping track of the costs we've already put into fields? Like, I guess my question is if we were to do nothing, you're saying doing nothing and using the existing field that they have now would result in increased construction costs over time. So, if if so, that makes sense. Yes. Um I'm trying to figure out the best way to say it. So the challenge is we we're look if

026you look at it individually yes that's true but when you look at in our bond we said that we were going to invest in sustainability action plan of of that ground those ground source heat pumps if we don't put them there we don't have an option at this point because that's where that additional $2 million would go potential costs by trying to move it up to the other side and I'm saying right now we don't think that's necessarily doable but that's even in that site because there's not enough square footage to do all of the water retention, the placement of all the amenities up there. And the ground source heat pumps and then also the ground source heat pumps, the way they work, they have to be vetted. They have to be ran out to

027those fields from a unit. And that unit where it's designed is basically the farthest distance away from that the parking lot area. So, it's it's on the far northwest corner of the property. And my last question about the ground source heat pumps is just that you think that's the best course of action to do because the resolution is like nonbinding in terms of like individual action steps, right? You brought like phase one to us to approve, phase two to us to approve. And so I'm do you think this is a wise investment rather than decline to do that? Yeah. And and I think as Isaac pointed out in in the bond presentation, so not necessarily the sustainability resolution presentations, in the bond presentation, we said we'd build Highland High School with ground source heat pumps.

028We indicated West High School doesn't have I mean it it does it won't work at West High School. So we spelled that out in in our bond stuff for the for the bond election. Um, so and I think for the long-term sustainability and the cost savings of being able to naturally heat half half the building through this renewable energy source that we, you know, we we pay for the equipment and then we're not paying for gas and so forth is yes, it's the best course of action. Thank you. Board me and five Jefferson, did you have any? No, I think the only thing I wanted to say is that um I just wanted to acknowledge all of the work that that goes in to all of this with your team. And um if we hear

029of something, it's only that maybe we're trying to save some money or do some, you know, um but I it's not to um undermine the work that your team has done. Um and um just making sure that like maybe some of the coaches or other people that will be using those fields and those buildings um in the future that their voices are heard too as well. So absolutely thank you. And I I don't want to again I don't want to diminish the voices and the input that has come forward during this conversation. I just want to everybody to understand that when you get any project, construction project, it's very difficult because on paper it looks real pretty and you can make it work. And then you sit down with the engineers and they're like, you

030can't do this. You've got a height here. You've got a variance here. You've got all these other challenges. So then that's when that pretty model starts moving like this and twisting a little bit. So it's we're trying to do the best we can with what we've presented, but in the end that there are always adjustments. Um but we are getting to a point that we need to um we need to have clear direction so we can proceed without delay. Um board member Williams, did you have any not at this time? Okay. Um board member Longwell, mine's less of a question again, but just more of a comment that our acknowledgement that the Highland High School space is really small, especially compared to West High School. So, the options that exist like I I'm I'm there

031regularly with my kids as I'm passing the different schools and I'm sitting there pondering like how tight that space is for the actual building, let alone everything else you're doing. So, I hear everything you're saying. Thank you. I just had one um question for you, Isaac. Uh it kind of references um board member five Jefferson Have you had an opportunity? I'm just wanting to ensure that voices were heard to um meet with those baseball families and the ones that are really impacted by this and explain to them because sometimes I don't think they hear what's going on in these public meetings. have they um so has there been an opportunity for them to hear? I know that we have your report on the agenda and those things, but I just think that it's valuable to

032have those interested parties know that they or that they find the information. One of the pieces we wanted to do is bring it first to you as a board. Oh, okay. and hoped that we could refer to this for communities that were interested. They could read the memo. Oh, okay. We could refer to the board questions that have been asked um to let them know. Okay. So, there is a plan to provide some followup with those. It sounds I've only seen one, I believe, email on that. I don't know if there are more that have come through to you as board members. concerns about the fields, but I think directing them to the memo that Isaac's prepared and then the next question is kind of the what to do next, the field question that I

033think we should work through. What I'm just thinking is that we could provide that information here in the public that might be useful for them so they Okay, that's what I want to hear. Yeah, that's what I want to hear that they'll be able to hear this. Okay. Well, without any further questions, I guess um given the issues and concerns that executive director Ael and business administrator Kersley have laid out, is the board comfortable giving direction to Mr. as still that he does not need to delay the highland high rebuild project and that he can move forward as originally approved by the board or do we feel that um we'd like to give direction to Mr. Ael on using specific fields to address Highland's baseball needs or does the board feel like it needs to

034vote on it next time? And really those are two separate things in that the first question is um can you affirm that we can move forward with the project as originally approved around the heat pump question so that it doesn't slow up the design and um construction plans that are being put together right now. And then the second question is then um would the board like to give direction on using specific fields or do you want to bring it to a vote on June 17th? So those two separate things. I think I think in both instances it's a little bit unclear to me how we've been told we can't act on items on reports. So thus it's unclear to the public to act on a report in the meeting when we've told people in the

035past we can't do that. I understand that it's distinct. Um, but it's probably confusing. I think as I indicated in my questions, it also makes sense to have as much information as possible about West and know the total costs of the items we're approving in some if that's possible before we direct items a piece at a time and end up, you know, not knowing the total cost of what we've agreed to without a formal decision in both cases. And just to follow up, does that mean about because there's not an additional cost with the heat pump part of things to continue with that plan. And I think I understand what you're saying. I'm sorry. Was it okay if I speak? Go ahead, please. Um, I I I hear what you're saying and um I don't

036know off the top of my head what the original support was as far as the geothermal, but I don't have a concern with if that was part of the agreement was the geothermal and that's part of that understanding is you're determining like the details or as night likes to say the the well I can't even remember the term um basically proceeding with that. I'm comfortable with that. And then we actually save the um determination as to what we're using for the alternative fields as a motion at the next meeting. May I offer a point of Okay. Can I just clarification? Go ahead. Oh, I want to hear her question. The clarity I would make is that we did say we were doing hydro um electric work in the bond and we also told families in

037the bond process that we weren't touching their baseball fields. So that's why I think a formalized action about this makes the most sense because we did say we would proceed with one thing but we also said we were not touching baseball fields as part of that. So I I would just add that clarification. Uh what I was going to say is I definitely hear the urgency. Um, but procedurally I I would feel more comfortable if we wait until the next board meeting to to take a vote on it. I will say for myself, you have my support, but I think procedurally I feel more comfortable um if we make the formal motion. Yeah. Board member F. Jefferson, did you have any thoughts on this or Well, I think if we are just I mean in

038the interest of transparency if we can wait until next time to do a formal I mean but no longer than that, right? Yeah. Yeah. And anything beyond that we're going to be looking at delays which cost money. Okay. Okay. Okay. So, what I have heard is the board feels that it's best to wait until our next board meeting to um take action on this and vote, but we also understand the urgency and that this is going to need to be addressed in the next board meeting or or we really will run into some significant problems. Okay. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Isaac. All right, we're now going to move to our next item and that is let's see. Yeah, we're moving to the discussion agenda and we will be moving

039to the budget and I let's move let's wait on the budget discussion till after the public hearing. So let's move to um F2, the joint eval joint educator evaluation committee. All right. Do we have someone that's presenting on Nathan Elkins from our HR department and Logan Hall will present on this one? that warms my heart. Good evening board. I am excited to be here along with Nathan because uh after having done this project more than 10 years ago now, Nathan has taken the charge and has done an awful lot of work this last year working with uh the boardapp appointed joint educator evaluation committee to um modify and create some new evaluation standards for uh several of our educator groups. So, I'll let him explain why we're here. So, uh, hopefully you've been able you've

040had a chance to be able to look at the attachments and the the requests that we're making that happened through the joint educator evaluation committee. So, just quickly as a recap because I think it's helpful just to have a a little summary of, you know, what the request was, why we made the request. So, uh, previously the Utah State Board of Education changed the this microphone to see like there's feedback or something. I'm gonna move that back a little bit. Um they they updated the Utah effect of teaching standards or the Us and with that they also changed some things within board rule just uh indicating that educator evaluations needed to be tied to particular standards. And so as a result of that um we can't just make unilateral changes to our evaluation system unless

041it goes through uh a joint educator evaluation committee or the GE as as we call it. And so I don't remember the exact date. I think it was in January, maybe December that we made the formal request to to create the GE which you all approved and then that GE committee then uh has been working over the last couple of months uh to put standards together to look at standards that needed to be updated uh to be in compliance with with state code and board rule. And um one of the the things just I I would really want to stress I think is really important this committee, the G committee was made up of an equal parts uh teachers, administrators, and parents. And I think that's just really important to point out in in terms

042of the way that we work with uh various groups that were impacted throughout this whole process. And so it was really for me it was it was a pleasure to be a part of that group and hear the different uh comments and feedback and and uh different ideas that people had about what we wanted to do in terms of making a recommendation to you all uh for standards that we would use to evaluate our educators. So throughout that the the course of the last couple months we've been able to um come up with those standards. We finalize them. That's what the attachment is when you look at uh the attachment to this request. There are several different indicators that we're asking you all to to look at and hopefully approve. And um I'm happy to

043answer any questions you have about those standards. You know, how we arrived at certain uh indicators and and the language that we've chosen for those standards. So, um I don't know if there's if there's anything specific I can answer for you, I'd be happy to do so. Board member F Jeff F Jefferson. Um uh I I didn't get to see the previous standards unless that it was that attached. They were not. Oh, okay. So, I don't really know what the difference is as a new board member, but I think what I did see was very thorough and very um of good quality. So, um Thank you. And and I don't I mean I'm happy to to send you the previous standards just as something you can have to compare as well. Um they're also public.

044A lot of the UTS the previous UTS are public so you could see what those standards were. They vary a little bit because the way we take them and adjust them to the the district's evaluation um just is based off of those. But that's a good starting place, but I'd be happy to send you any information you need for that. Okay. That would be that would be great if you could. Sure. Board member Longwell. Um I don't have specific questions. When I was looking at it, um I was trying to look at through the lens of um like if you're trying to evaluate somebody, you want it to be in a measurable way and some of this is subjective. You know, I know you guys are HR, so at the same time, I get the

045reasoning behind the question. So um less qu a question more just an emphasis on a presumption that the questions are going to be based on like overall o overarching goals and objectives of the district because like one of the things obviously I speak a lot about a special education so if I'm looking at a general education teacher like evaluation um these indicators do give latitude um in determining if a teacher has various uh children of various needs, whether or not they're special education or not, and that that teacher is um teaching to all the students in the classroom. So that was what I was looking for in these indicators is that it gave that that um that scope um to encompass all the kids in the classroom and then holding um and like evaluating that

046teacher on how they're um working with all of the students, not just the ones that are, for lack of better words, easier to work with. So I I as I was kind of dissecting it, that's what I was looking for. And I did see that you were um encompassing that um I guess flexibility in the language to make sure those all kids are um considered as we're evaluating all the people that are supporting our kids. So just just to thank you for um making sure that wording helps support um and motivate that concept. I guess not very Yeah, thank you. That that's a really great observation. Um one of the things I I can share that um the committee discussed as we were putting these you know looking at the language. I mean obviously the

047language is very important because you change one word and that's going to you know kind of taking a different path right and they were very purposeful about thinking about um how inclusive these are when we're talking about including all students. Um so you'll see words like all you know throughout the standards. Um but they were also very intentional thinking about how you still have to differentiate your instruction for one kid out of you know a class of 25 or or what have you. Right. So, I appreciate that you you're you're observing that because I know that they were very intentional in putting that language together. Board member Williams, board member Anderson. I just had a couple of questions and Okay, so this is going to um well, first of all, the teachers. I was in

048the classroom for 11 years and um as I am looking at this we have effective teachers and that's how every standard starts. I mean you have standard one learners and learning and then you break it down into the personalizing learning and building relationships and I mean you certainly are giving um the descriptor in what an effective teacher does. Um how will this work? Because in the past you had highly effective, you had effective, then you had needs improvement, and then I'm trying to rem there. How how does this work in relationship to how it was in the past? Do you know what I'm saying? I think so. So, if I'm off if I go off on the wrong path here, just correct me. Um, so in in the and is this also sort of tied

049to the last page on the attachment talks about changing effective to meets expectations, right? Um, kind of to I'm going to piggyback a little bit off of what board member Longwell said, the idea of trying to create uh an evaluation system that is very really as objective as possible. Right? That's what we're trying to get to. And I I mean I don't know that you can truly ever make something 100% objective. There's probably always going to be a level of subjectivity uh when especially when you have humans evaluating other humans, right? And um one of the the shifts in in moving from effective to meets expectations or minimally emerging effective to partially meets expectations and then uh not effective to does not meet expectations. Um we were really trying to create a something that felt

050a little bit more objective as opposed to well what does it mean to be effective, right? And at this point, we're just looking at the standards themselves and saying, did you meet this expectation or not? And I I realize that there's still going to be a level of subjectivity there. Um, but it it felt a little bit more objective in that regard. That was one piece that we looked at. And then second piece was that it was just suggested in board rule as the language to use anyway. And so we felt like that was a step in the right direction to just take the suggestion of what was already listed in R277. Mhm. So, um, there's kind of just a quick background of where we were going with with coming up with that recommendation. I

051think in terms of and and I appreciate, you know, that you've been in the classroom, you were in the classroom for 11 years. You've you've had an ECAP before, right? You've done the evaluations, you've sat down with your your principal and they've gone over, you know, the various things that they thought you did great and maybe some areas where you can improve, right? um having been a principal also um and had that opportunity to to coach teachers and work with them and be able to give feedback but then also for them to say well here's what I'm seeing and we can have that dialogue right um I think for me as a as an evaluator having the language of meets expectations is a little bit more concrete I can say like I mean let's just

052take uh 1.1 right teacher eval on on learners and learning teacher designs learning that builds on background knowledge. I can say that I saw evidence of you building on background knowledge or not versus looking at something like do I think that it was effective the way that you built on someone's background knowledge. Does that I don't know if I'm if that's answering your question, but um hopefully that's we're we're getting to where maybe you were trying to go with that. Is that am I on the right track there? Yeah, you are on the right track. I mean because this is a this is really significant to a teacher when they're sitting down having this evaluation and I think there will be a mind shift or with this where people have to get used to this

053new rating system and I am not saying that the old system was you know the perfect system. But what I'm saying is people get a mindset and they then start to learn how to respond to that. And when you say to me, um, it seems more objective. I can see how it does because you're saying, "Okay, I observed this or whatever, but where is it built in that you just didn't see it that time, but it really is there? you just came and I mean you gave one specific instance but there may be others where you're in there and that one just does not come up because of what it was you were observing. Do you get what I'm saying? I do. Yeah. This is this is actually a really great question or or observation

054that you're making. Um obviously it's impossible for supervisors to be able to see every single thing that a teacher does, right? I mean, you're just you're just not going to uh the way that our evaluation system is set up and also the way that that board rule establishes is that you have to observe a teacher a certain number of times, right? In order to gain for you as a supervisor to have an understanding of like I feel pretty good like I can evaluate this particular standard because I've seen it or not, you know, I've been in this teacher's classroom, you know, three or four times. One of the things that I I think sometimes we maybe we don't do as much as we should is is the evaluation process should be also there's this coaching

055aspect that goes along with it and inherent in any coaching process is a dialogue that exists between the evaluator and the person being evaluated and I think sometimes just because we don't see something doesn't mean that we can't then engage in a in a dialogue that says, "I didn't see this. However, can you tell me how you do this? How do you implement this in your classroom?" And at that point, it the supervisor can start to evaluate whether or not they think that what the person is telling them back like that makes sense. You know, now that you mention it, I can see where that falls in place, right? Or if they tell them that and they you're still thinking, I I've never seen that. that's a good opportunity for the supervisor to say, you

056know what, I'd love to go into your classroom and let's find a time when maybe I could see that because I'd love to see that in action. Um, and so I I think what you're pointing out is really great because it does create a more authentic way for us to engage in dialogue with with the people that we're supervising and evaluating. I really appreciate that because I think that in order to have a successful evaluation there does need to be that discourse where okay this the supervisor okay this is what I'm seeing but then the individual that's being observed whether it's a teacher or I mean you have those other categories as well counselors and that that they have an opportunity to respond in a environment that's safe, I guess, like um where they don't

057feel, for lack of a better term, being called out or something like that. Because what I see an evaluation is doing is helping a person um become more effective, effective or and I guess one of the things that I think is a little bit um highly effective. You have some teachers. Okay, this is me speaking and if if my time's up, cut me off. 30 seconds. Okay. Um I think you have many teachers that are very effective but then I think you also have teachers who are highly effective that are really remarkable. And I think there there's something about that too. acknowledging, wow, this person, this individual really has a gift or whatever. And that's something that should be tapped to help other teachers. Do you do you get what I'm saying? For sure. Yeah.

058Absolutely. Um, I get that if we take away that highly effective rating, it it it doesn't naturally lend itself to be able to have that conversation as much as maybe as it currently could. Um, I think that's where it it behooves us, I think, and I guess when I say us, I'm talking about people that specifically are evaluators to be far more cognizant of the feedback that we're giving and and being very aware of the the amount of praise and the type of praise that we give. And that means that we just have to do a better job of training our evaluators to be able to give the right kind of feedback um so that those kinds of things aren't lost because I think it's really important to acknowledge a really well in a job

059that's really well done, right? And um and and who doesn't love to get some kind of positive praise from their supervisor? I mean, it just feels good. It fills you up. And and so I I I think you're right. I I don't want us to lose that aspect of of the evaluation process. Um and and I could see where these indicators might take some of that away, but I think that's where we can become a little bit more cognizant of the the training that we provide to our evaluators and how we can still have those kinds of conversations. Thank you. I'm doing a lot of talking here, Logan. You can you feel free to jump in. I think it's very well said. It's important to note too in the new board rule, we do have

060to make a change from a four-point system to a three-point system. So, it is required that that change does take place. But like Nathan's saying, uh it is becoming upon the administrator to acknowledge who are the top people, who would you want someone else to go and observe and learn from? Um be able to use that person as a resource as as appropriate. There there are currently ways to express, you know, accolades and recognition of exemplary practice and I think there will continue to be so. We just need to be very cognizant about making sure to do that. Did you have a comment or no? Okay. So, I don't think we need to move to a second round. Oh, wait. I was just going to move, if there were no additional comments, I would uh

061move that we send F2, Joint Education Evaluation Committee to approve the proposed evaluations recommended by the JEC for teachers, social workers, counselors, nurses, and academic coaches to the action agenda. There's a motion. Is there a second? I'll second. Okay. Is there any discussion? Okay. Then we'll move to a roll call vote. Um, Bryce member or board member Bryce Williams. Bryce Williams. Yes. Charlotte Fe Jefferson. Yes. Ashley Anderson. Yes. Brian Jensen. Yes. Amanda Longwell. Yes. Okay. That's now moved to the action agenda. Okay. We're now going to be looking at the administrative intern position. I'll start this a little bit if that's all right. That's great. So, you may or may not remember back in February when we presented the school allocations. One of the exhibits in that allocation is called a general education standard allocation.

062And on that we show how many um assistant principles are allocated to each of the comprehensive high schools with east being three, Highland being three, and west being 4.5. If you remember, and you may or may not because it was probably just a slight comment, the 4.5 is problematic because it ends up being an employee who has a position that's 0.5 administrator,.5 teacher. Well, those two concepts are they have different benefit packages, different work calendars, different, you know, agreements. So when you um we we affectionately call it the cat dog because you're you're you're taking two things and mushing them together and it just doesn't work. And I'd mentioned that we're trying to come up with a solution but at that point we didn't have one. Um well that position is currently vacant. So we

063have come up with a a proposal which is the goal here is trying to have administrative FTE to student ratio be similar across the three comprehensive high schools. Um and the trick when we looked at the 0.5 well if we moved it to a five then it gets out of then west gets out of whack. If we dropped it to a four then west gets out of whack. And that's why you end up with the 0.5. So what we're proposing is in a situation and in this case West um where a 0.5 gets them to where this the admin staff to student ratio is is equal that instead of going with a 0.5 we we put in there an administrative intern position. Um it would be paid on the comprehensive salary schedule but it's a

06412-month position. Um, so it's it's a little bit less of a salary than a a full assistant principal and it would be for a one-year it would be a one-year internship position. And some of the discussions we had, well then it it's constantly rotating. Well, the 0.5 has been constantly rotating anyway. So that's nothing new for for West High School. Um, so that's kind of the background of why we're we're bringing this the opportunity is there now because since there's not someone in the position, we can make some adjustments to it to hopefully in the future avoid this 0.5 um admin five teacher. Anything else to add, Lou? I think that was really well said. This has been a problematic position to administer over the past few years. And um like Allan also said, the

065the position has had five different employees in that position over the course of six years since its inception. So um this is an opportunity that not only can we correct the awkwardness of the split position, but also create a program in which we are uh hopefully developing our leadership pipeline as well. Are there any questions? Jefferson. Okay. I am just wondering if are so is this position will just be admin related, not teaching. So this full-time person will not be teaching. That's correct. And currently the the person in the position currently is doing mostly administrative role. So they are a half-time contract administrator and halftime contract teacher on special assignment. The special assignment duties the they're currently doing are um testing administration and other duties like that effectually on the day-to-day basis. I believe that

066they are are doing more administrative duties than not. It's also a complication in that you have you having to wear two hats of being an administrator and a teacher at the same time. How are you on one hand in an administrative role that's supervising teachers and then also in a teacher contract? Yeah. Who's supposed to be supervised by that same person? So, it makes it very difficult to to walk two different lines. Brian. Oh, board member Longwell, I just wanted to comment that I think it's a great um solution and it's a great like way to facilitate the grower own model. So, I guess, you know, very creative. Thanks. Board member Anderson. If there are no other questions, I would move that we send item F3, administrative intern position, to provide board approval for the

067reclassification of the originally approved halftime administrator, halftime teacher position to an administrative intern as posted to the action agenda. I second. Is there any discussion? Then we'll move to a roll call vote. Board member Anderson. Ashley Anderson, yes. Brian Jensen, yes. Amanda Longwell, yes. Bryce William, Jeff. Charlotte Fe Jefferson, yes. Thank you all. All right, that's now been moved to the action agenda and we will now move on to the next item on our discussion agenda and that is the board handbook update. And can I just note so it's currently 6:38. So in the event that this discussion ends prior to 7, we'll we'll take a pause until we hit our time certain seven because it is the last item that's on the agenda as far as the um discussion agenda. Right. General Counsel Christina

068Kindle. Are you you are I got the Okay. Um so the as you all know from um seeing the policies on the consent agenda. The board policy subcommittee met and that committee also serves as the board handbook committee. Um therefore the board handbook was on the policy subcommittee's agenda due to house bill 545. the school district governance agreements bill that affected shared governance. So, one of the things that the subcommittee talked about was removing the shared governance provision in the board handbook. Um the conversation was that um we would that the committee would still like to highlight collaboration in the board handbook because they felt um specifically board member Fif Jefferson um well and all the committee members felt that um they really wanted to stress the need for still having collaboration with all stakeholders.

069So while that paragraph was removed, um board member Fif Jefferson suggested um that we include in the characteristics of effective board members, which is on page seven under four, collaboration, um that we change B from seek for understanding through active listening to seek for understanding through collaboration with all stakeholders as a way to highlight board members should be still engaging in collaboration. Um other than those two um edits to the handbook, um the other edits were um just a correction of uh employee title, namely mine. And um also just some updating in the language regarding the conflicts of interest statement to align with um the state law requirements and h and how those annual disclosures are related or referenced in state law. Um, and uh, we also talked about, and I know uh, acting board

070president Jensen was going to discuss this, but the idea that your board handbook is a living document, and so there might need to be future changes to address board norms that I know that conversation is scheduled, but this was the last subcommittee meeting of the year. So, we just wanted to make sure that the edits for House Bill from resulting from House Bill 545 got into this handbook and we had that on the record and then um later if your board norms are finalized, we can bring the handbook back up for review. So, do you have any questions or comments? I appreciate your explanation there. Um, Christina, I think that it's important for us to understand that when we're looking at the handbook right now, we're looking at just those revisions because in our next

071board meeting, there's a study session scheduled. And in that study session, we would be looking at board norms and expectations and those sorts of things. And to me that will um drive the u discussion of the board handbook um for for future changes. But as we were meeting in that um board member policy handbook, we didn't want it to be that we had not brought this to you so that you could see what we had done and if you had any questions, you could ask those of us. Are there any questions? I don't see any questions. So, um, in that there aren't any further questions or discussions, I'll entertain a motion to move this to action. I move that we send item Oh, I'm sorry. You're free to move it. I move that we send

072this um board handbook update to the action agenda. Second. Is there any further discussion? We'll go ahead then with a roll call vote and I will begin that vote. Board member Jensen, yes. Amanda Lagwell, yes. Bryce Williams, yes. Charlotte F Jefferson, yes. Ashley Anderson, yes. May I ask procedural question? Yes. I know that our business administrator suggested we take a break for 15 minutes, but given the amount of time we have, is it prudent that we move to the action agenda for the items that have been sent there and then return to discussion or are time certain? Oh, I for efficiency parliamentarian says yes. Yes, we are being so efficient this evening. Okay, we will now then move to the action agenda. understanding that there will be something that will move to the action agenda

073later because we have not had the budget um right discussion. Okay. So we'll now move to the action agenda. Okay. The first item on the action agenda is the hand to heart that was pulled from the consent agenda at the request of board member Longwell. So would Yes. Would you like me to speak to why? Yes. Would you like a motion first? Oh, I guess we should have that. Yes. Um I move that we approve item JJ, handto-heart. um fiscal year 26 uh exhibit 1 B1 JJ as posted and I would like to make a amendment to that or we can change I don't know the format have to second it and then you could substitute I'll second that amendment okay we've got a a second but we've also got an amendment so I think

074okay how did you want to amend that um I would like the um basically a proposed additional language in that document that where it says um for nursing services at Dworth Elementary, Clayton Middle and East and Highland High Schools and then the addition of and any other school deemed necessary, but right now the language in there determines dictates that it's only for those four schools. Um, so I want I I'm requesting that additional language that it's not just for those four schools. Does that make sense? All right. Is there any discussion on that? Will that add um any extra cost the other? No, because it's really student focus, which students have the the need uh specifically in our IEP and um we have a program that's actually moving next year to a different school. So,

075we just want the document to reflect that flexibility that as the programs maybe move or the needs move that the services can can go with the programs and the the needed students. So, adding that language will just clarify that flexibility. Well, so that gives this more latitude and Okay, finer clarification. Second. Oh, yes. I second the amendment. Amendment. The amendment. Thank you. Okay, there's been an amendment and a second. Is there any further discussion? All right, we'll then move to a roll call vote. No, you need to vote on the amendment. Oh, you're right. We've got a vote on that amendment. Okay. Um, we'll start with board member FJ Jefferson. Charlotte Fe Jefferson. Yes. Ashley Anderson, yes. Brian Jensen, yes. Amanda Longwell, yes. Bryce Williams, yes. I move that we proceed as amended. All right.

076Is there a second? Second. Board member Longwell. Amanda Longwell, yes. Bryce Williams, yes. Charlotte Fe, Jefferson, yes. Ashley Anderson, yes. Brian Jensen, yes. Well, we can now move to the next item on the action agenda, and that one is the JEC. Yes. I move that we approve the proposed evaluations recommended by the JEEC for teachers, social workers, counselors, nurses, and academic coaches. I second that. Is there any further discussion? All right, we'll move to a roll call vote. Board member Williams. Bryce Williams, yes. Charlotte Fe. Jefferson, yes. Ashley Anderson, yes. Brian Jensen, yes. Amanda Longwell. Yes. That has now passed. We'll now move to the next item on the action agenda, and that is the administrative intern position. I move that the board approve the reclassification of the originally approved halftime administrator, halftime teacher position

077to that of an administrative intern. I second. Any discussion? We'll now move to a roll call vote. Board member Anderson. Ashley Anderson, yes. Board member Jensen, yes. Amanda Lungle, yes. Bryce Williams, yes. Charlotte Ferson, yes. We're in unanimous there. That is passed. We are now going to be looking at the board handbook update. I move that we approve the redlinined version of the board handbook as attached in exhibit 1 F4. [Laughter] So we do have a second. It was a contest between Rice and Okay. Second, third. All right. Um I I'm noting Bryce for the record. Okay. Beat me to it. We'll now move to a roll call vote. It's my turn. Um, Brian Jensen, yes. Amanda Longley, yes. Bryce Williams, yes. Charlotte Fe Jefferson, yes. Ashley Anderson, yes. That has unanimously passed. We have

078now taken care of all of the items that were on the action agenda. It's currently 6:50, so 10 minutes until our time certain 7. All right, we'll take a 10 minute take a 10-minute break to prepare for that time certain public hearing. Okie dokie. Oh, do we have to move? Wow. You have to I mean we don't have to have to say How are you? a charger. So, it's like my husband Oh, and do you remember he brought it to our study sessions? Was it you that brought it in? I don't think it was. Okay. I don't brought it in to me when I needed a charge. And now he says, "Okay. Oh my god. Yes. And I have amazing. What about you? Hello. What's your I really I know it's 7 o'clock. I'll sell

079that, too. Kind of fun. I think that's really fun. Does it have on the back of it or any indication? Oh, I don't think so. Is that with that helps? He's live. All right. Is it seven? It's seven. It is now 7 o'clock. So we'll move to our time certain public hearing on the proposed budget. At this point we have one person who had signed up to speak. We will move to you but you didn't have to sign up for this. So after you have spoken, I'll open it up to any others. Thank you. This is my first time. Please state your name. You have three minutes as well. Good evening, Vice President Jensen, members of the board, and Superintendent Dr. Grant. My name is Rosalie Christensen, and I'm here to speak on behalf of

080our community's adult learners, immigrants, refugees, and working adults who are striving for a better future through education. Horizonte's class A adult education program has been a lifeline for these individuals. Every evening they come after long days of work, child care, or other responsibilities determined to learn English or earn their high school diploma. This program provides not only literacy and academic instruction, but also hope, stability, and the tools needed for full participation in our society and economy. Tonight I am asking the board to allocate 340,000 in f dollars in funding um to continue operating this critical night program for the two 2025 to 2026 school year and an additional $20,000 to run a summer session that allows students to continue progressing during a critical time of year when many fall behind without access. Without this funding,

081our doors will close to hundreds of motivated adults who rely on these services. This is not a long-term request. After this next school year, we will be eligible to apply for a three-year federal grant that includes the necessary funds to sustainably support the program moving forward. We just need a bridge to get there. Investing in adult education means investing in families, in workforce readiness, and safer communities, and in generational change. Our students are parents who read bedtime stories to their children for the first time. They are employees who qualify for promotions. They are new Americans who want to contribute, not just survive. I know you face difficult decisions. I don't know if I could read this anymore, but I urge you to see this request as an opportunity to make a lasting impact for less

082than 1% of the district's overall budget. Please help us keep the lights on, the doors open, and the hope alive. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Are there any other individuals that would like to speak at this public hearing? There aren't very many individuals here. So, I think that I've been able to look at every single one of you in the eye, and none of you have indicated that you'd like to speak. So, we'll now close that public hearing and we will move back to the discussion portion of our agenda. And that brings us to our budget reports. So, throughout the last several months, we've been, you know, doing little chunks of the budget, school allocations, different funds. uh last board meeting uh we presented the full budget book uh as a draft form and

083it is now it was presented in the document as a link um to the full budget book uh I believe that budget books well over 100 pages so the link was there and um I'm here to entertain any questions on the budget prior to final approval by the board member Anderson I have a question about um the public comment we received, but also to make it more general. If there is an item that is not funded in this budget, such as what the commenter mentioned, is that something that could be directed as necessary to the finance committee for future discussion? Yeah, as as you all know, we set the original or proposed budget and then the budget gets revised throughout the year as we get new grants, uh new new things coming. So, that is

084uh definitely something that could be entertained. I just I mean to address the public comments specifically, uh the adult education program is both a state and federal funded program. Um there are no local funds in that program, nor historically have they ever been as we're kind of, you know, our focus is K12. Um so I just want to kind of lay the land of where the funding comes from for that adult education program. Board member Longwell, kind of follow up to Ashley's broad question, your pointed thing. Um, we we've got community learning centers that expand beyond just K12 education. Um, and then horizont supporting this group. Even though our main focus is K12 and that's kind of a bridge ask, it's not something that can't be considered. Right. Right. I mean, with board direction, we

085could allocate or we could discuss with the foundation if there's resources available there to um help address this bridge. Um some of the issues I haven't had a conversation with the principal at Horizonte. Um I mean, I know which which grant she's talking about. Um so I'm fully aware of that situation. Um but I haven't had a discussion with um the principal at Horizonte about this particular issue. So how would we go about um giving directive to um have like followup discussions about this like make a motion to have it be take brought to the finance committee not necessarily a motion but be it directed to go to the finance committee for further discussion. Yeah. our next finance committee scheduled for the end of August. Um I just want to clarify the program isn't going

086away. Um it's just that there's there's additional grant funding that we'll you know we'll have an opportunity to apply for um that we have not had over the last couple of years to further expand but the program is not going away any I mean the the state and federal funding is still there. So they still will be able to maintain what they have been providing the community. Again, don't know all the details um speaking with the principal, but the the the basic program, the funding for the program is still there from the state. Continue with an adult education program. Um we've not received the federal dollars yet for that program and there's some concern about when we will receive those. We just don't know. Typically, we've received them by now. Um but the plan is

087to continue providing the services. It may be in a different kind of service delivery model, meaning different payment, different teachers, that sort of thing. Okay. Are there other questions from the board members? I don't have a question, but I did have a comment if that's okay. Yes. Um, so in our recent finance committee meeting that we had last week, we had a good discussion about how this budget comes to pass and why some board members, including myself, have recently advocated for using what's called a zerobased budgeting process where you look at how you're allocating every single dollar to zero. Um, and we discussed, you know, why that's challenging on a district level to do, you know, each and every year. and that it raises problems like coming from the public comment where if we if

088everything's at risk every year, it becomes very challenging. But we talked about our current board policy where board members can request financial audits of specific departments or programs. And it was suggested that using that policy, it may be something the finance committee takes up in the future to look at a rotating cycle of programs or departments who could undergo a zerobased process to ensure efficient spending and look at topics like those that emerge um in the comment period because we can take a deeper dive into programs without relying on an individual board member requesting an audit. So that was something that you know as this moves forward I think that's important to raise. But there are other strategies we have to consider how we look at this on a more um you know micro scale

089in the next budget cycle. Thank you. Um I guess mine is just a comment as well and it's a followup to board member Longwell, board member Anderson. I mean, when we're listening to that public input, of course, we're anxious to I appreciate you're explaining that the program is not going away that um you don't know the specifics, but this is something that can be addressed or if if it was deemed, you know, we only have so much money, so we start at top priority and and work our way down. Um the budget funds all, you know, the K through 12, our our school allocations, our class size allocations for FTE, it funds those programs. Um and then looking at, okay, what else might we want to address or fund? Um those conversations can continue to

090be had. Okay. Is there any further discussion? if Oh, board member five Jeff. Okay. Just about the about the budget in general. Yeah. I don't know if this is appropriate to ask now, but I'm wondering if we could if the board is interested in looking at I maybe we look at it in the future, but um having more teacher incentive um or like ma the matching grant the matching funds for the the state um teachers um effective teachers in high poverty schools. Yeah. Effective teachers in high poverty schools. So that program because we've never utilized that. Right. Right. That requires a significant match which is why the districts never really participated in it. Um, again, not to say it's uh it's I believe when we looked at it last be several hundred,000 um to to

091put the district's match in. Um so those are always conversations we can have as we look at priorities. Um, and if those are the things that rise to the top of the priorities, we um we look at ways, can we fund it with our current funding system or do we need to have the board look at to look to um potential tax increases to fund those programs? Board member Log. Um mine a comment and kind of along with what Charlotte was asking, but the budget I'm fine with. It's mostly, we've talked about this in the finance committee, um, but we have a fund balance. Um, and we've gotten the triple bond, triple A rating for the bond, um, which, you know, acknowledges our financial stability and such. Um but uh this is just kind of

092an ask as we gear up for um upcoming year board meeting discussions is let's yeah have and I'll go through the formality formal formal process um but really dissect um monies that we do have available that we can reinvest into our kids, our teachers via whether it's um turning part-time positions into full-time positions, coaches, whatever they are. um really um looking at how we can invest in the education if we've got enough extra funds to be able to do so versus it just continuing to sit in the fund balance. Obviously, we need to keep a healthy savings account, so to speak, in case bad things happen, but if we've got some more to work with, then let's do more. Board member Anderson, I was just preparing to make a motion if there were no other

093questions, so I can wait. I just wanted to interject that I really appreciated the time that you had taken to um support those small groups so that we could come in and specifically go through the budget with you and in my meeting with you Alan there were areas that I had focused on and I imagine that other board members had other areas and I appreciate the um information and the explanation that you provided to me and I would imagine it was helpful to the other board members. So, thank you for your time in supporting that. Um, I'll entertain your motion. Um, I move that we send budget item A, the 2425 revised budget, item B, the 2526 proposed budget, item C, the 2526 proposed tax rate, and also potential direction for the finance committee regarding

094um programs to the action agenda. Is there a second? I'll second. Is there further discussion? And we'll move to a roll call vote. Board member F Jefferson. Charlotte Fe Jefferson, yes. Ashley Anderson, yes. Brian Jensen, yes. Amanda Longwell, yes. Bryce Williams, yes. Okay, that has passed unanimously. So, we can now move to our action agenda. Do we need to have further discussion? on I will enterain I I will I'm going to entertain a motion. I move that the board approve the revised budget for the fiscal year 2425 as presented. Also approving the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2526 as it has been presented. Additionally approving the adoption of the certified tax rate for the 2025 tax year. um and authorize the business administrator to make any budget adjustments necessary to reflect funds received from

095that final approved tax rate and also to direct the finance committee to discuss both teacher incentive programs and adult education in their august meeting as discussed. Second. Any discussion? Thank you for including those additions Anderson. Okay. Let's have a roll call vote. Um, board member Longwell. Amanda Longwell, yes. Bryce Williams, yes. Charlotte Fe, Jefferson, yes. Ashley Anderson, yes. Ryan Jensen, yes. That was unanimously approved as well. We can now move to the superintendent report on our agenda. Just had one item to talk about today. um just want you to know the work didn't stop on Friday with the graduations. Well, first to say thank you for coming to the graduations and um your fine speeches for those of you who spoke at the at the graduations. That was a fun time. I must say it's

096a lot of graduations in one day but it's still um a terrific event and hearing particularly the students stories uh of their lives is quite remarkable. Um but the work continues. Today we had within this room 175 um did we have the wall and back removed Tiffany or all the way through 175 elementary school teachers here for two days of training yesterday and today? In fact yesterday they filled up the parking lot so that we were spilling into the streets and we had to incentivize car pooling today in order to make it possible to park. Um, I just am really appreciative of the elementary teachers for being here for that. It was a training, a leadership training how to lead um, professional learning communities. One of the ways that we're working to improve instruction and

097student achievement is by requesting that schools do professional learning communities in all their grades um, across subject areas and and things. and our team has been working hard for over a year with um teachers and leaders on their facility with creating these communities of teachers together that can look at data and support kids and we're doing it again this year. We're continuing with that effort in this next year. So, this was another opportunity for them. There was great energy in the room and just a shout out to our teaching and learning folks including Dr. Tiffany Hall um who led the session today, much of the session leadership performance and school leadership and performance who um helped with that as well because their collaboration is making such a difference in our district um and getting that

098together. Tomorrow we bring in the secondary school teachers for two days of training that way around professional learning communities. So good instructional pieces happening in the district and I'm pleased with where we're headed that way. So, thank you for that work. Okay, we'll now move to our board member reports. We have a bond update from our finance committee cuz I didn't put it in mine. I thought you wanted to. No, no, I do the rest. Oh, well, it sounds like you have been encouraged to give us a finance committee report. I don't know. We took it off the agenda because he requested it if I remember right. So if we need to wait then you can wait. Well, so we did meet as a board finance committee last week and I don't have the agenda

099in front of me so I'm going by memory so I'll probably miss stuff. Um we did we had a in internal audit update. Uh we didn't have a report from our internal auditors. They they're working on finalizing their latest audit um which should be finalized in the next week or so. Um we did complete our RFP for our external auditors. So we have two sets of auditors internal external. When we present the financial statements those are audited by our external independent auditors and that's Squire and Company. We recently held an RFP process and and they were the winners of that. So they will continue to be our auditors for the next while. Uh we also have ID Bailey is our internal auditors and they look more at you know they're not really looking our financial

100statements but they're looking at operations and efficiencies and and you know compliance issues as well. Um we did have a good robust conversation about fund balance. Um the the bond rating trips kind of emphasized how important it is to have a healthy fund balance but you also don't want to hoard more money than you need. So, it's finding that that happy place of what your fund balance is. Um, there's one district in the state that has a fund balance policy, but others do not. They just emphasize the importance of a healthy fund balance. Um, so those are kind of the discussions we had on that. And I actually wrote a lot of that down, but I thought you were going to update about the bond sale process. Yes. So, okay. I So, crossed a lot

101of my list. So, we did we did uh have our bond sale uh two weeks ago. Um we had a successful bond sale. We had um eight um biders on our bonds. We ended up with um a 3.99% interest rate, which is, you know, based on the market is it's with our AAA bond rating, the best interest rate we could have gotten. And I'm is that Bank of America was the winning bidder. Um we close on that tomorrow. So we'll we'll have our closing process. The funds will be deposited into our account and as Isaac was talking, we're moving forward with these rebuild projects. Um money will be in the bank. Is that what you wanted? Yes. Perfect. The finance committee is tag teaming it, I guess. All right. Um, board member reports. Um, board

102member Frank Jefferson. Okay. Um, I I just wanted to say that it was a real pleasure to um, accept the graduates at Horizonte. Um and uh I enjoyed that seeing all the graduates, you know. Um and I have another graduation that I'll be going to um with Sky View Academy at the Utah State Prison and that's I'm really looking forward to that. So that's great. Yeah. So, it's not not quite over for me, but um I want to congratulate all the graduates and all the hard work that we did to that all the teachers did and everybody did to make sure they were um met all the qualifications and and um I hope the teachers have a really great summer. You know, educators have need a break. So, thank you, board member Longwell. Don't have

103a lot to report. It was a joy to be at the graduation and just really see the outcome of all of the hard work for everybody involved in helping these children succeed and the joy on their faces as they're getting ready to head on to their next chapter. It was just it's funny decades later after we've all like graduated and then kind of seeing that excitement through their eyes. It's a priceless moment. So, it just a pleasure. Board member Williams. Yeah. Uh also echo the appreciation and excitement around graduations. Um honored to have accepted Slicky's graduating class as well as West High. Um a quick very funny um kind of story. Um, as folks may know, I work at the University of Utah and new student orientations that are happening at the U and I

104was doing a a presentation on student leadership and engagement uh this morning and there was a group of about uh five students uh from West in the audience and they were talking before the session started about uh you know different people what school you come from yada yada and uh five of them you know like oh we went to West High School. Um and I was like oh you went to West High and they looked at me like you accepted our class we recognize you from our graduation. So that was kind of funny, but that's fun. Board member Anderson. So there are still a few items to tag team. I really was I was not as versed in the bonds language, but you did get almost everything from our agenda from memory, which is impressive.

105Um, a couple of things left are that we discussed the cash receiping system. So, like when you buy a ticket at a school, when you have to um contribute at an event, that the new cash receiping system changes will be delayed until potentially second quarter next year. And I know schools have been looking forward to that change. But also know that the finance director Christy Hart is working very hard to make sure that a new receiving system does not roll out until it is ready so that has the best utility for everybody, which is important. Um, and in addition to what was assigned on our action agenda tonight, the the committee also needs to discuss charter school financial reports and endofear discretionary balances on our August agenda. We also discussed that if the administrative intern

106role was approved tonight, which it was, it was a good opportunity to remember the board could use education about how internships are currently used at our high schools, if at all, and especially if they're used informally, so we can codify some of those practices in terms of building our leadership structure. Um, graduations have been noted by many, and I specifically wanted to congratulate Kyle Beavenon and his family who did work tirelessly to support him making it to graduation with many medical complexities. It was a very moving part of Slick's graduation to see them rally around their peer. Um, I also wanted to mention happy pride. It is more important now than ever to acknowledge the contributions of our LGBTQ students, staff, and families. And I want to applaud the actions of our mayor and city

107council in adopting affirming and inclusive ordained city flags. And I hope to see some of those city flags in our district as well. Okay, it's now turn for or my turn for a report. And um first of all, I kind of feel an obligation as a past USBA board member to remind you of some upcoming events and you should have received a memo from Jennifer Partridge on this um yesterday, but what that was reminding you is there is the pre-delegate and delegate assembly that are coming up this Friday and Saturday, June 6th. That's the pre-delegate assembly from 6 to 8:00 p.m. And then the delegate assembly is on the 7th from 8 to 12. In um a previous email you should have received from Julie Llewellyn who is also with USBA. She provided attachments that

108reviewed with you the USBA JLC priorities and all of those things. And I would encourage you to go back and look at those. I mean, they are out there advocating for our school districts. And I think even though we do not have a board member seat as we have had for I don't know the last 80 years or whatever that it's important that we're engaged. Um along that line, I just want to remind you that um Ashley Anderson, you're one of our delegates. Okay. And Nate and Bryce, you're the alternates. So between you three, we'll be represented well. And that doesn't mean that the rest of us can't participate. And it's I think it's really valuable. You know, I've attended those the last few years in my assignment and I would encourage you to if

109you have that time in your schedule to to participate. Um, next I did want to just um say to my constituents and teachers, I have received your emails about start and end times and early outs and I'm working to respond to those. There are lots of them. I have expressed to the superintendent my concern as a teacher about planning time and how with these changes we need to make sure that we're providing those opportunities and that and I recognize also families and your concerns about Fridays and opportunities for your children's on Fridays. So, I have not forgotten those. If you have not received one, and if you don't, I'm sorry. Maybe I didn't see it in all of the ones that I've gotten, but I'm I'm working through those. Finally, I um would just echo

110about graduation. It was graduation. That's the really good stuff. I mean, everyone's succeeded on that graduation day that's there, and it's wonderful to celebrate with them. And it was really an honor for me to accept the class at Highland High. Amanda's over there smiling. She was there. I That's my alma mater. I Yeah, I was singing the songs and Oh, Bryce, you were there. And I heard it too, right? Oh yeah. Yeah. Okay. But I was also there at East supporting them. No, I I'm there for East as well. But anyway, it was really fun to see those graduates and Amanda, you were talking about reflecting on your experience. Well, I'm old. I was reflecting on my experience because this is my 50-year reunion. So, that was fun to speak at that particular graduation. Thank

111you. We do have need for an executive closed session. So, I will entertain a motion for that. I move that on June 3rd, 2025, the board go into closed executive session to discuss the character or professional competence of an individual and immediately adjourn at the conclusion of the closed session. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? We'll move to the roll call vote. Um, are we at board member Anderson? Ashley Anderson, yes. Brian Jensen, yes. Amanda, yes. Bryce Williams, yes. Charlotte Fe Jefferson, yes. All right, we'll move to close session and it will adjourn from there. Thank you. Okay, I'll put this down. I do this. No, I