Eatonville School Board of Directors Business Meeting 08/27/2025 at 7:00 PM

001All right, we're going to call this meeting to order at 702. Please rise. I pledge 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. >> All right. I would consider any changes or additions to the agenda. Hearing none, we'll move on to the consent agenda. Consider a motion to approve the consent agenda. So let has moved it. Second by Karen. It'll always be one of those two today. We'll have to excuse Travis. He's at work and Ashley is at another uh has a family obligation. All right. Um there is no one signed up for hearings of individuals and groups. So we're going to move on to record some presentations. Uh I'm going to turn the time

002over to Christync for items A, B, and C all together in one presentation. >> So jumping into budget status um for the month of July since we worked a month in a rears um the month of July. So, we process our budget extension and in the budget status report, you'll see that it's still showing that we're over spent by um 351,000, but we've got a lot of incumbrances um to to liquidate and such still. So, we're still on track. So, we're okay there um for the school year. Um cash flow projections. This has kind of been a little bit all over the board this year with um enrollment shifting to um a to a um and you will find that the cash flow projection sheet is that the right I'm looking at the cash flow

003sheet. Um sorry it's in a little bit different order than I was thinking. Um you're going to see here some months in the cash flow projection, some months that we have um negative cash flow, meaning that our expenditures exceed our revenues for that particular month. Um so we'll need to be mindful of that moving forward into the next year. Um because we may have to do a portion of advancements if we reach those those um those numbers um in especially in certain months like November. Well, we'll be okay in November, but in when we get into like May and June when the when the state cuts our aortionment a little bit chai. Um we may do we may need to do an aortionment advancement um next year during those months. So just something to be

004aware of um >> what is the tell me about what an enforcement advancement. >> So >> that when we request from the state for early >> Yeah. So, it's basically asking the state for a loan um so that we can cover all of our expenses until that following month or that month after that. Um so, it's just similar if you didn't have enough money in your bank account, you would ask to borrow, mom and dad, can I borrow money? >> But typically, this happens because they aren't giving us a full portion. They've reduced our aortionment. >> Yes. And our fund balance is no longer large enough to cover that um discrepancy in um unequal payment entireity. >> Entirey. Okay. >> Um and then something new that I see that forecast 5 added to their um

005projection was um number of days of cash on hand. Um I'm not really ready to speak to that quite yet tonight, but I just wanted to point it out so we could kind of have a preliminary look at it. Okay. And then I will jump forward. >> Can I ask you a quick question about the revenue? You said with our transfer to our revenue has changed because of our transfer to AL is are we receiving a reduced um portion for those students or does it cost us more? What how does that impact our budget students transfer? So, this one's kind of tricky tricky and I'll speak to this in the budget. Um, but it's you still receive the same amount of money per student if they're enrolled in basic ed versus AL, but your costs

006increase. So, and your staffing allocations go down across the district. So, it's just a lot of shifting towards more costly um to a more costly model under our current model. um fund balance projection. Um we've gone from 2.5 to 2.9 to 2.7. I elected 2.7 because it's been like somewhere in that range. Um we're trying really hard to end at 2.9. Um and that's where forecast 5 actually has a pitting. Um but you'll see in the budget um presentation, but I actually budgeted to start at 2.7 just in case this doesn't come to fruition. And you can see it's following a very similar trend to past years on a given. >> Okay. So um that is budget status for the month of July. Um I will cover ending enrollment in um the budget presentation. You

007kind of get a feel for where we ended compared to where we budgeted. Um and I will go to that now. So, on to the 2526 budget presentation. Um, and oh, Jim's right on. Okay. And then I'm just going to really skip past the first couple slides because this is just repeats from last year. It's just basically who creates the budget and what's in the budget just so we can have some contextual um information for our stakeholders. Um so then on to the 2425 enrollment um information. So this year's enrollment um we were you can see that our total enrollment was budgeted at 1934 and we ended at 1955. That sounds super duper exciting and it is really exciting. Um, but we really need to take a deeper look into this because when we have

008fluctuations within these categories, it impacts our expenditures. It may not impact our revenue so much, but it certainly impacts our expenditures. So, um, so you can see that we budgeted 1828 in basic ed um, and we ended at 1814. So, where did the where did they go? Well, at the next one, you can see alternative learning. That's likely where they went. um was strong from basic ed to alternative learning, a much more um costly program to run. Um and then running start, it's an in and out. Um but obviously we ended up higher there. Um sometimes that's a little bit harder to predict um because it's all based on individual student needs and then our grad alliance is pretty much paron with where we budgeted. So and then you add in the TK. So, and

009that's the NDTK number that we'll budget for next year that the state's allocating us funding for. >> So, 40 47.8. So, we just have to >> only allow one child for, you know, >> Yes. Maybe a child left an arm. >> Yeah. I was trying to not dismember children. >> Yeah. I just think it's interesting that that's how they find it. Okay. >> So, um the other thing to note is that um with the alternative learning model um we're still required to provide a lot of services to them um including an individualized learning plan, special education services. They still get evaluated um for those things, multilingual um etc etc. Um so there's still a lot of um requirements that go along with that program. um while your funding is reduced in other areas to provide

010those services. >> Okay. >> So, Scrat Alliance is different from our turn our alternative learning program, correct? And you're going to be talking about it later in the right I'll wait until then. >> Yeah, I'll make sure I include that in my explanation. Thank you. >> Okay, perfect. Um, so that's our 2425 ending enrollment barring any um revisions. I there shouldn't be any revisions, but so we'll just assume that's where we're ending. Um, the next slide. >> So, um, with that, let's look at where we're budgeted for next year. Um, we know that enrollment is down nationwide. We know that enrollment is down in Washington and we know that birth rates are going down. Um we are not immune to that and so we're very much feeling that pinch here. Um as you know our

011standard class sizes exit are lower our kindergarten classes incoming are much lower than what they've been in past years. So that's primarily why you're seeing the drop in enrollment. um since 22 23 you've got a little drop every year. Um and then now you have a shift to alternative learning um which is also pulling from your basic ed enrollment. Um so we have our total enrollment projected for 2526 um at a net loss for all programs. So $18.99 plus the T um that's going to have some pretty big impacts to us. And the next one we have our 2425 special ed enrollment. Um so we budgeted so our ending um budgeted um enrollment was really close to the ending enrollment was really close to what we budgeted. Thanks, Jim. Um, so not a lot of

012difference. >> Um, and you'll notice that there's tiers, ages three to five, tier one and other sphere. Um, that'll be shifting next year as the state changes their funding model um to a different more generalized categorical model um rather than one based on specific needs. So, is that going to be helpful or not? Um, it doesn't sound like that. No, >> not for districts. >> No, of course. Of course, >> we're not small enough. >> We're not large enough, right? >> So, I predict that our financial safety get squeezed. >> Okay. >> We have so 138 in that TK with that was elementary level. >> Yeah. the TK to 22 we had um we ended at 140 um and then the other tier um was 89. >> Yep. So those will now be combined and

013we'll receive an average um multiplier. >> And so that's um what 12%. We're at 12%. >> 13 and just and 15% is a threshold for us to get additional funding from the state. Okay. So, there's a little caveat to that. You can go over that percentage, but we'll be put on a plan of how we're going to stay under the percentage. >> So, there's two choices to make there. Do you go over and get the funding and be put on a plan of improvement to keep to improve your MTSS practices and keep yourself under that cap or do you take the money and not worry about being put on a plan? So, those are kind of the options that we're up against. So, it's not as great as it sounded that they're lifting that cap

014and you move over. >> So, yeah, just >> they're going to be monitored >> for doing that. And if it's consistently over, they're going to ask, "How are you going to fix this? How are your MTSS practices impacting so that you're not going over this a lotment?" >> I'm glad I another presentation, but I'm shaking my head. Like, how do you change the needs of your students who come to you as they are? You know what I mean? >> We have to look very closely at the evaluation process and are we putting interventions in place here too before they get to the special education >> and strong core instruction. Yes. So this sounded really great when it rolled out that you can go over and there's no cap anymore. But then at my special ed

015director's meeting we were all told very clearly that if you do do that because they do not want us over identifying for money, >> right? You're going to be put on a plan of how you'll fix this over. >> I know. >> In the meantime, they still under So, they were saying, "We're going to help you with funding because you're underfunded and they give you this much and then they're saying, "But now we're going to make it even harder." There'll be an indicator that's put in um our or your report end of year report and then the next school year you'll be asked of how are you going to stay under what >> okay so we have some flexibility we're not we've stayed pretty well under um and this year we've had students move and

016right now we haven't had as many kids move in with special ed needs than we've had had move out so we're about oh I think today we're 10 kids down. We do have some flex show over there. >> Thank you. >> Yes, >> that's okay. >> So, if we are down um students and we're budgeting for a higher amount, that's something that we'll have to watch out for because um when we're budgeting at a certain amount, we're going to be receiving that money. But if our if our student count is down, we're going to get all this money in up front during September through December, and then they will adjust the portionment the rest of the year. I did take a five-year average. So, we stay right around the same number. 281 is pretty pretty

017a normal number for us. And I think I budgeted 285. >> And we did a full evaluation. Um, so we looked at rollups and then who was in the queue for qualifying. And so it was a thorough evaluation that we did to try to hit the mark just right. >> And right now we we don't have a lot of students who have qualified through childfind. So we'll do a child find again in October. I'm sure we'll we'll get up to our to our our so um so there it shows our new formula. Um, so there's the old formula with showing the tiers and then here's the new formula um, showing just the um, general K322 category where it used to be K21 and now it's K22 budgeted for next year on >> which keeping those.

018>> Yeah. Yeah, it does impact the numbers. >> So, with that, um, we have we want to get into a few different things here. We have a four-year outlook. We have expenditures and revenues to cover, and then we have some of our other funds. Um, so I just wanted to take a look back at what was given out last year at this time. Um so in August 20, 2024 um you can look back at those meeting that that agenda and see the entire presentation. This was just a a snippet of um what was presented that night. Um, and this was just the four-year outlook that we presented um to the state to show that um we are at a declining balance um with declining enrollment which means our revenues are not growing but our expenditures

019are um and enrollment dropping as well. Now this model that was presented last year assumed a gradual decrease to enrollment um without any shifts towards ALE learning. We know that we have seen a fair amount decrease and we've had to shift to ALE learning which changes um which changes the next four-year outlook quite significantly. So onto the next four-year outlook. Um so our four-year outlook um that will be presented to the state um is assuming that we are not going to make any changes meaning that we will not make any reductions to staffing. We will not make any reductions to our supplies or services um department budgets anything. If we don't make any changes, um this is where we are headed over the next four years. Um the parentheses indicate negative. Um this model really

020aligns with the nationwide trend of decreasing birth rates, decrease in enrollment, um which impact our state revenues. Normally, if you look back, you can see our state revenue is growing every year. Um, if you take a deeper dive into this, it actually is more stagnant. Um, where your state revenues really aren't growing because your enrollment is dropping. Um, so um, while salaries continue to compound um, and inflation continues to impact um, all of the costs of goods and services that we that we have. So, um, so enrollment going down, um, revenues not really increasing a whole lot, um, but expenses continuing to go up. Um, if we go through and make no changes, we will we are on a deal track pretty quick. You may not be able to pull this number out of your

021hat and I can't I apologize that I don't remember. Um, last year the state was gracious enough to give us something like $20 per student or the increased inflationary cost $21. >> And this year they were very generous and gave us more, but it was still laughably low. You remember what it >> I think it was right in the 80 to 90,000 like one time funding. >> They gave us a onetime MSOC funding this this year, >> right? So that would be how much it was and it was it per student? Well, that was just a prime time. >> Yes, that was just one time. >> Whereas the prior what you discussed is $21 last year per student and then each year they they modify that. I'm going to look that up in a second.

022>> So, I mean I mean just for perspective, how many people's grocery bills have gone up more than $21 for their student for the whole year? It's just not adequate to even cover our lunch costs for that child, let alone fuel, electricity, insurance, which is outrage. It has increased exponentially. So there is definitely the state isn't aligning costs. >> Um, so I can provide a little bit more information on the increases. I think that we might want to take a little bit deeper dive into that. um at just general overall MSOC funding um because there are some areas that have significantly increased um and I will have an MSOC disclosure that we're required um to provide that shows um how much we spend versus how much we're allocated. >> Um and then with that new

023MSOC funding comes some new reporting of course. So, um, so they're no longer breaking out our MSAC funding by category like insurance, textbooks, technology. It's just lumped into one big bucket. Um, and we get to figure it out. Okay. So, the revenues summary. So you can see last year, this is where our revenues hit. We're projecting 35479. Now if you take the capacity out of the budget, which you really need to do, um you're looking at 34,971, which would actually be a reduction in revenues for next year. That's because our our supplemental funding pandemic relief funds are dried up. They're they're run out. There's no more supplemental funds coming in. So, our revenues um depending on what happens throughout the year. There's a lot of opportunities for additional revenues um that we'll be working on,

024but but um if nothing changes, we'll actually be behind in revenues compared to this last year overall. Okay. All righty. Um, and then we'll just skip over this. This just goes into more detail about what's in local revenues, what's in state revenues, what's in federal revenues. Um and and then just some notable changes that are impacting our revenues. Um continued enrollment decreases um a shift to um alternative learning models. First I don't know why that's there because it really doesn't impact your funding. It impacts your expenditures. Um the free meals in the elementarymentaries actually create a shifting of revenues. They don't really create so much of a decrease or increase but the the income shifts from local revenues to state revenues. So just to show you um and then expenditures by objects code you can

025see that salaries and benefits um make up 83% of our actual expenditures for the entire budget. um travel and capital outlay um are there, but they don't register on the pie chart because they're too small and they don't populate. Um we've had an increased number of employees that have qualified for benefits this year. Um that has driven an increase um in budgeted benefits by about 4% of an increase. um even if the employee declines um benefits and their spouse has benefits and they don't need it, even if they decline that, we still have to pay into that. Um and that's at least $15,000 per per year that we have to pay when they're not pulling benefits. And >> why do we have to do that? >> That the state requires it because they started a

026new um pooling system and if everybody doesn't pay in, then how are they going to be profitable? So, but we're also paying it on our substitute teachers if they hit certain numbers because the threshold to be considered full-time is really low. Yes. >> 630 hours. So, if you work 630 hours, you qualify. So, we have a lot more people that are qualifying. So, we have a lot of people, you know, traditionally when you set positions, you set them in a way that you know, you know, you're going to have part-time employees, you know, you're going to have full-time employees. But what happens is a lot of our part-time employees end up subbing in other positions. um and that that will trigger benefits. Um and it may not be till partway through the year, but then

027it creates a whole look back scenario and it's it's a lot. >> So is there there's no benefit to that employee rejecting? No. That should probably be mentioned to employees when it's offered because I mean on a personal note, I rejected because my husband had benefits and I thought I was helping the district. >> Yeah. I should just have >> So this was >> my coping. >> Yes. >> I don't know like you know. So yeah, just to know that because I I personally thought that helped >> and I'm not one thing though I think we have to be careful about that is I think if you have two state employees I don't know that it you don't get double coverage. It doesn't cover your co-pay. So be careful. I mean >> yeah if it's

028>> whoever is taking care of that but if they're both state >> employees just letting them know that >> yeah it's no benefit to the school. You're not helping out if you say no. Yes. And I think I think we've been asked that from employees who do do want to help. Yeah. Um and so we do we do let them know that you know when we still have to. So um it also creates other scenarios where um an employee doesn't want to take that because it impacts their retirement um and it creates all kinds of messes for we have a couple employees who it created a big mess for. So anyway, >> we we were legislators wasted those appointments. We didn't have a choice. It was just what >> benefits benefits are definitely increasing across

029the board. >> And if I might interject, so I did look that up. and our legislative reps or our Washington Association of School Administrators, uh, their calculation was that it would take about $400 per child to break even with materials, supplies, and operating costs. We call it Moxs for short. And we were allocated $35. >> So less than a 10% of what? In other words, we will be we will be negatively impacted by about um 300 >> per student that we will need to find a place for that line to come from >> and we are very frugal. Let me tell you, >> we're very frugal. Um okay so just to summarize the revenues and expenditures al together on the next slide. Um so beginning fund balance again we're trying really hard to meet 2.9.

030It's forecast 5 is telling us that's where it's going to end. Um, we always want to be conservative um because we don't know if a big leak might happen on August 31st that we need to pay for. So, um, so adding in our revenues um, deducting our expenditures leaves us with an ending fund balance next year of 667,000 um, under 2% of a um, fun. And what triggers the state? What's your percentage of when the state the state um starts looking at finding conditions? >> Well, they're already looking at us um in a lot of other districts. So, I would encourage um those who are concerned about this um maybe to go to the state auditor's website. Um and I can go into that at a later date if you'd like. Um if you go

031to the Washington state auditors website, they have what's called a FIT tool. um and fit um and it it shows all of the districts that have warning indicators and cautionary um indicators. Um and we are with all the other districts in the orange and the red um in our general fund. >> We're just on the tail end of it. >> The short answer is they're looking at your trajectory and they're looking at how you're modifying that. And then of course if you're upside down and so they play all those factors but they're also watching to see you know like once you realize what your tra trajectory is what are you doing accordingly and so they'll they'll consider that. I think it was interesting too this year when the state auditor's office came um they you

032know we have our projections that based on rollup numbers um and I asked them well what are you seeing and they said we are seeing that your enrollment is decreasing um and and your trajectory very much matches ours um so we had to draft a letter um to send them um stating what we were going to do to monitor and improve um so we're going to be looking at that really closely um throughout this whole entire next year and beyond. >> And just to be clear, the state is underfunding just our basic insurance, turn on the lights >> and food and fuel. >> $700,000 underfunded just for that. not including sped, not including all the transportation. So there's >> um there's declining enrollment and then there is just the fact that the state is not

033fulfilling its responsibility to meet the inflationary costs. >> It's just a perfect storm and we are not alone in this. >> Yeah. No, >> this is something that >> and bigger districts are going to get more traction because they have more weight legislatively and they get handouts when we we just don't. We always seem to be like just like Tracy said, uh not small enough and not big enough. >> Yeah. >> So, just like our benefit costs are rising, those are, you know, mainly as a result of policies that we have to implement um like paying for optional for insurance when an employee opts out. um insurance um you know it's gone up between 23 24 and 24 25 um 18% um significant amount. Um >> is that healthcare insurance or is that our >>

034that's our liability and property insurance. Um >> and it's already gone up an additional 30% over the last couple years. Yeah, it's gone up significantly um because of more um um liberal policies um and an increase in lawsuits um statewide. >> And I again I apologize for inter we knew we were going to play off each other. Um so currently there are six six school districts that are actually under binding conditions. Uh and there are 14 others who are in the financial warning headed toward binding conditions. And so the 20 districts um are it's called unprecedented. We've never had anything like that. >> Not even in 2008. >> Right. >> Yeah. >> Jim, if you want to skip ahead the two slides. Um, there's her MSO disclosure. Um, so like Rhonda was saying, when we

035look at the MSO disclosure, it it doesn't really give us a complete picture because it doesn't include transportation and food costs. Um, you're really only looking at your basic ed, your AL costs, um, and then your overhead um, administration costs. So, and and dropout re-engagement. you're not looking at all of the other costs that are impacting us. Um, so our most significant costs, if you were to run a detailed expenditure report and sort it by dollar amount, you would find these things are at the top of our list. Um, insurance, utilities, and building maintenance, um, running start tuition, um, alien dropout re-engagement services. Now, that list it's, you know, there's a lot more, but those are the the top um, things. So, we are underfunded by almost $1.3 million just in those areas, not to

036mention um transportation and food, which we know is a big um hit to all of us >> or special education >> and special education. Yes, that is included in here as well. >> Yes. when legislation was going through all their wonderful decision-making process here a few months ago. I mean, they could see that there was 20 schools going into finding conditions like they they knew that. >> So, here's their solution. This is what they said. We recognize that you guys are drowning. So, what we're going to allow you to do is if you want, you can go out and ask for another levy. You can tax your community more. And we had four school districts that went out for that. Yeah. >> Yeah. I know one so far that actually the vote took place. >>

037Yeah. So, the bigger school districts are just going out to their community for more money. >> And if you live, >> it's not an option always for every school district, but that was the legislator's solution. >> Am I to go locally? >> Yeah. >> So, if you were in a very propertyrich school district, by that I mean businesses. So you can imagine Seattle, Belleview, um, and such. Then the the amount of the how much it would affect your average resident with your home is very little because so much of that revenue will come from business. So if you're in an area such as that and you went out to the public and said for a pittance, you can have we can have what we need for our students. versus if you were and I won't

038even use even though I'll just say some of one of the 295 school districts in eastern Washington that only has a you know station >> Morton would be a great example >> like Morton for instance with that has hardly anything if you were to go out for a levy and try to equate what was going on in Seattle you would tax your citizens at such a high rate that the chances of you passing that would be minuscule I mean it's such a >> poverty you know based community as it is. So yeah. >> Yeah. So that's that's something that you know that we can all let our legislators know and we as we meet with our personal legislators to discuss matters such as that um so that we can not be underfunded to the great

039degree that we are. The hard part is our legislators know it as the Seattle that don't care. >> Well, yeah. I mean, >> in my opinion, >> well, I think here's an interesting I I've sat down with um legislators from Seattle and had conversations and they've said, for instance, I was talking about, hey, we need some help with bond, you know, we haven't been able to pass a bond for our stadium. And they're like, well, just pass a levy. I'm like, you don't understand. We can't just pass a levy to build a new building. And she was from Seattle. She's like, "Well, we can." >> And I'm like, "Yes, you can get $80 million on a four-year when >> they walk in our shoes. They don't know." >> And and when I explained to her

040how it went, you know, the process and what it was like in a small school, she went, "I had no idea. I didn't realize that." And then she became an advocate for us. But until you can sit across from them and have those conversations and explain to them how it works and >> because we do the same thing, we don't understand if we haven't been in somebody else's c. So that's the importance of us being there and having relationships not just with our legislators but with all of them particularly those who have a lot more >> yeah a lot more opportunity >> yeah yeah we need to start sharing our story so >> yep with everybody that we come in contact it makes a difference really does >> yeah that is the answer in the

041end >> and there's uh there are more of us there are more small schools than big schools we just need to get together we need to be united >> in sharing our stories >> so I I think one of the things that has come up is um by condition, financial oversight, those kinds of things. And you know, it's it's certainly I think um something that a lot of districts have said, well, let's do this and then the state will have to come and bail us out. And the truth of the matter is it just leads to more financial oversight um at this point. Um and what I'm hearing is that um it could be a full 10 years before we really see significant changes um at a state level enough to make a difference. So

042um we're going to have to roll up our sleeves and um do the hard work and we know there's a lot of things we can do. Um but >> we're going to get through it. It's just it's going to be because our community pulls together and we do it together. we can't rely on the state but we'll get we'll we'll do it together >> right >> so I think um just to go back one um so we know that salaries are quickly surpassing our state funding um we know that we are experiencing continued inflation to everything everything supplies and services um our transportation costs have skyrocketed um including parts and fuel um special education costs are increasing. Um along with everything else, um we're thankful that we were able to hire um a couple staff

043um in house rather than contracting them out this last this next year, which is going to help tremendously. Um and then just general inflationary costs are exceeding state revenues. They just continue. Um and increased unfunded mandates. Um, >> there's actually a few. >> They're actually more. >> I keep adding to that list. >> I think one of our legislative priorities and one of our talking points should be if you're not going to give us more money, can you take things these things off of our plate that you're requiring us to pay more? >> We tried that last year, >> but we just need to >> We did lobby for that, didn't we? >> Keep beating the drum and saying these are the things that are costing us and we need to be really specific that

044we need refunds. like you can't give us more than you need to. >> So I think a really good example of one of those things is that um McKenna venture transportation. Um so we are we're kind of locked into providing transportation down to Olympia and up to is it >> Kent County >> at our expense um because the formula in um transportation is very very little and it's just not enough to cover it. So, we're looking at probablyund between 115 and $130,000 next year in extra added costs due to an unf this unfunded mandate. >> So, it's just another example. >> One example >> of of a mandate that's unfunded or >> federal mandate, correct? >> That's a federal mandate. >> Yes. And I've um we've received two Mckin Vento grants, but none of them

045allow us to use the grant for >> what do you use it for? >> Supplies, services, >> advertising. >> Yeah. We can't use >> it for that. >> For what you actually have to do for actually makes no sense grants for quite a a substantial amount of money, but nope. staffing counselors, but not for transportation. >> That's been for some time. >> Yeah. The logic is that it's already built into their transportation funding model. So, we get a we get there's a coefficient embedded in there for um homeless transportation. So, they don't we don't need therefore we don't need the grant funding for that because we're already funded for that. >> So, that is the rationale. Um and let's jump ahead two slides. Thank you, Jim. >> Um to our historical fund balance trend. Um

046we know that um with the onset of the pandemic, we got in a lot of those um uh not real fun. They weren't really, you know, true funds. >> What? >> They weren't sustainable. >> No, they weren't sustainable. So we received a lot of non-sustainable funds um over those that period of time um which grew the fund balance um and then as we resumed to normal operations um and regular staffing levels, regular operating levels um getting all of our kids to school um through having um an adequate number of drivers. Um we know that our fund balance history has taken a downward trend. Um and as our enrollment continues to fall, um state funding stays stagnant and um fund balance is um on a sharp decline. So, um, where we're at right now as far

047as next year goes, um, our ending fund, like I said, we'll have to do we'll likely have to do an aortionment advancement. Um, I would like to say that maybe we could figure out enough where we don't have to, but I don't know. Um, and we will not have enough to cover a month of payroll if the state falls drops the ball um on that. Do you happen to know for the 2018 19 year like what it was like? Was it >> decreased from the 2019 or >> Yeah, let me see Karen. I have that on. Take me just a moment. So it will take So we were at so let's see 1920 >> the 1819 I would have to look that up but I probably >> and the funds started in 1920 >> yeah

048because we went out yes we started artificial funds >> at the tail end of 20 >> that's when we started getting SR for one and we received um significant I think it was about 190,000 from Pierce County flow through COVID funds um so >> I just be curious to see what it looked like pre >> before that pre that yeah pre- pandemic >> well we had a board policy of 10% um 10% budget to our budget so and I'm pretty sure we were close to meeting that so we'd be around eight or nine eight between 8 and 10% % of our >> it's going to be a little less than that. >> Yeah. Let me see here. >> Um, okay. While I'm pulling that up, you see here we can talk a little bit about

049capital projects. Um, we are Let me get back to you on that, Karen. >> Yeah, that's fine. Um we can maybe add a few more columns there and see like overall this. Um so capital projects um so the beginning fund balance is going to come in high right now. It's not currently at 4.8. It's just below that. The um limited general obligation is set to close tomorrow. Um, so that's going to come in so that we're able to pay for the project um that's happening on the other side of this wall here. Um, so it's going to look like we have a large ending fund balance in capital um this year, but all of those funds are mostly encumbered to pay for this project. um the revenues and expenses that are built into here. Um

050there is some capacity built in for grants because we've been doing really good at that and we we think we're going to keep doing really well at that. So we want to make sure we build in enough capacity for that. Um so but added a new expense this next year which would be the non-voted principal. So, we have $300,000 that will be scheduled to come out of capital, which will be paid to debt service um next year in two different payments um totaling 300,000 total um to begin paying on that um limited general obligation bond. So, that's an variance from that's a little different from years past. So, y fund. This ties right into capital. Um, so we're still paying on our buildings um but now we've added the nonvoted debt um at a much

051less a smaller amount um for 4,530,000 um in non-voted debt that is scheduled to be paid off um before the end of the levy cycle. So, um this is just a simple in and out of what's required to pay off the um bonds and interest, but nothing more. Um and that's that service. And then transportation vehicle fund. Um there is some capacity built into this um just in case we get a um transportation co-op grant um and need to buy a bus or two. um we've applied for a grant. We don't know if it's something that we want to do yet because um we we would we're going to need to do a full evaluation on it to know what we're getting into. Um but the capacity is built in there in case we do

052that we're able to buy a bus or two um to help fund U McKenna Metro Transportation as a co-op with other districts. So >> we would do a bus for that or would we do white fleet? >> They will not allow a white fleet. >> Yeah. or McKenna Vento >> has to be buses. >> Yeah, that's why we're not quite sure if we're going to >> Holy moly. >> Grant we submitted it. We haven't heard anything back. >> What about the new legislation that's allowing more flexibility and white fleet because >> we actually called OSPI and and spoke to the person in charge of the grant and they said absolutely no white fleet buses only. shirt. >> Wait, what about what we're doing to the planet? And I mean, we submitted the grant, but we're

053not quite sure if we get it if we'll >> Yeah. Yeah. I'm still just flabbergasted about I didn't again something >> I think we need an electric bus for that that this should support us in. >> Yeah. So, that'll be interesting. So, there's a little there's some capacity in there. Um, I don't know that we're actually going to spend 1.29. Um, it'll we're only going to spend what we get depreciation for, >> but it's how many kids. So, if we have them go all different areas and then a bus, >> are they all on one bus? There's so we would the plan is to have two buses. One going more Olympia Twater area which we have a big bulk of students in that area and then one going more Tacoma where other bulk of students

054are. >> Are we hiring any private transport? Yes. >> Oh, that's all we use and it's very very expensive. >> Bonnie includes um students with regular routes whenever she can. >> What if we can't put them in a regular route? It's >> our transportation. And and so could we are you thinking co-op with Bethl or some of these other school or we going to their school district and they >> Well, the idea is Thirstston County >> and then Pierce Pierce County schools >> doing a co-op. Thirstston does a co-op and Okay. >> But now that we know more about it, it's something that we're really going to have to consider because they're really not giving us extra administrative costs. So they won't let us um add additional hours for administering um the program. So >>

055we had wrote written that all into the grant. We had to take it all out. >> Yeah. >> Because somebody's going to have to track that and bill with other districts and and if they're we're not funded for it, it may not be worth it. So for sure >> um we're trying we're trying to grants >> get us at every corner. So um next slide is um ASB um so ASB is very active um and they've got a lot of fun things planned for next year and it's important to note that ASB um can only spend their money on cars activities, cultural, athletic, recreational, and social. Um, and it's not intended to cover for other areas um across the district. It's just intended um to be student driven, student decision for things that they choose.

056Um, and that's that. And I think Erin, I found your answer on our F196 from school year 1819. Um Jim, will you go back maybe four or five slides to the fund balance trend? >> So let's see. So in 1920 we were at um 1920 we were at 4.5 random rounding 4.499 499 4.5 and in 1819 we were at 2.9%. >> Okay. >> It was 1920 >> or 4.5 but that's when we were getting all the funds and >> and we stopped driving the buses and we stopped food service. So we ceased so that money was budgeted and it was held right and then so >> so it was a false inflation of our >> yeah they were artificial fund. >> Um so we actually we we briefly stopped food service but then we implemented

057a a program which resulted in a higher participation with the same amount of laser >> um and a higher reimbursement rate. So we had higher participation with much higher reimbursement rates with the same level of expenditures with and granted some increase in food costs. So we were able to over the years actually come out positive in food services for the first time in the last I don't know decade or more. Um and so those are the kinds of things that artificially inflated our our fund balance and like you said the drivers um lack of drivers, lack of transportation, lack of activities, >> sports. Um we spent a lot of our co dollars on cleaning supplies that we would have normally had to pay out of our own pocket. Um so we mass stockpiled a lot

058of that stuff because a lot of this money had to be spent, you know, with deadlines. I remember Pierce County calling us and saying, "Hey, we'll give you an extra $90,000, but um we need you to spend it within the next I think it was like 30 days or 45 days." We're like, "Well, we can't spend all I mean with the shipping." Well, the problem is we had a lot of shipping challenges then. Yeah. >> And so we had a lot of shipping delays that were happening. So if we were we had to get things that were big chunks, which is where the tents came in, right? Um, so we had to um we had to act fast. So all artificial funds that artificially inflated that balance um that were never going to be there

059long term. So anyway, that is what I've got. Thank you. You're welcome. [Music] So I will that'll come later on as a resolution to approve budgets um for you later on. Thank you so much for the comprehensive um update and for your hard work and for answering your question and we're just going to throw it at you. >> Yeah, I look forward to providing you with more detailed information in the months ahead. Um whether you want those via email or maybe as a study session or just a general FYI in the board meeting. um we can put together some comprehensive information on departments on um just general operations um whether it's food service or maintenance or transportation or um programs or anything we can >> I think we've had I think it's been a curiosity

060for um people in general with all of the national narrative I think any of the programs that are impacted by federal funds whether I I understand those funds are coming but I think people need maybe a full understanding of what those programs look like and the impact. Yeah, I think it would be nice to know for us but also for our community. >> And I would like to know too like um as we do the graphs like if we >> as we keep going maybe go back >> two or three more years and kind of see what you know historically things were like you know in in the budgets or Yeah. >> when we had um we had similar um enrollment or whatever and um maybe with staffing. >> Yeah. um yeah was like when

061we had you know similar enrollment and everything how it was functioning so >> yeah yeah >> yeah okay that's great >> thank you >> I think we have the problem is like programs didn't exist yeah >> 18 19 like TK is something yeah there's there's 47 kids so there's a lot this has been a a whirlwind of the last what five years six years >> all right construction construction report Jay Yeah. So, um we're excited that since our last school board meeting, we did uh receive the final approval to proceed. Uh we got that on Monday, two Mondays ago. On Tuesday, we had heavy equipment here. And on Wednesday, our top soil was all rotated. And Thursday was a rest day. And on Friday, it was now started put into piles. And uh I took

062a video that you'll see on our social media page probably night or tomorrow that basically shows bulldozers going back and forth and just moving more and more soil out and creating larger and larger, you know, mounds. And uh so that is well underway. Uh we're just very near we're getting very near to the time when we'll be able to to level the stadium and then uh the again the stadium has been uh ordered and um it won't come right away. It takes a while to assemble. So by the time it gets basically put together um so it's moving really fast. Once we received the approval it's been moving then it really paid off pretty fast. exciting. >> Yes, >> thank you for all the hard work on that. U particularly Christa for the grants and

063for RCO, all of the stuff. It's a lot to juggle on top of budgets. So, thank you for your great work. >> And we did save some money in interest um on our limited general obligation bond since we last talked about that. >> How much did we save? >> Uh over $100,000. >> There we go. >> Yeah. Good job, Christa on um making the timing work perfectly. >> All right, this is something exciting. Our 25 26 board goals which are now posted here and I believe are they posted on at others other facilities. >> I I I would be great for all of at least in to be in the staff rooms or some place where the staff can see what our board goals are. What do you guys think about that? I think it

064would be great um because this should be the focus of all of the work that's going on in our district. Um so do either of you want I would love to turn some time over to my colleagues. Do you have do you want to share um a little bit about the process and how we came up with the goals or I'm happy to do it. I just want to make sure if you don't if you want to give any feedback. >> Um so we met together our board. >> Yeah, we had um a work study and we talked about where we we looked at our strategic plan, where we were, where we hope to be. Um and our vision is really about u making sure that all the schools will empower students to achieve excellence

065in education and in the future. And our mission is uh Eatenville will inspire lifelong learning by providing opportunities for growth and academic achievement in respectful and caring environment. Keeping those things in mind along with all the work that we did with our um strategic plan, our 20 by 26 board goals or district goals are academic excellence. We will clearly communicate expectations and recognize academic success through multiple measures of mastery. And I want to say all three of us were at the welcome back and I felt like uh Superintendent Brower did a great job of clearly stating what our expectations are for academic excellence coming up this year and I look forward in these meetings to seeing a presentation of multiple measures of mastery around those things. I think that's great. And our second goal which

066is really exciting is preparation for life. And this is really about making sure kids can um take whatever pathway that is whether it's college or heading into the trades being ready. Says we will create experiences that enable our students to turn interests into career exploration and develop skills that will prepare them for life beyond high school. And we know in Eatenville we have a rich history of really hardworking, smart um individuals who go out and create and do great things outside of the college pathway. So making sure that we continue with that knowing that the state's not funding this but our community is such a huge resource and create just finding mentors and opportunities for students I think is going to be a great goal and challenge. So I'm excited about it >> and to

067take it back but we didn't just decide on this in one day. We talked about it >> y >> pretty much over the last year and what our focus would be and um really >> academic >> after the first one this would have been our next natural focus yeah is to go in this direction. >> So we're looking forward to partnering with our administrators and our staff and our district office to achieve those goals and and hear about all the great news that you're doing and achieving them. All right, Sally. Eatenville professional learning plan. >> Yes. So, as part as part of the title two requirements, we need to create a plan um and and also survey staff. And so, I've shared with you a few minutes. I'm happy to go out. I shared with

068you plan based on staff survey. the title two required to survey staff to determine what how we will spend those dollars when we talk about planning fee. Um and some of the things mentioned here have been mentioned previously. So, in developing the plan, I looked at what were key words. Um, when we talked, if I were to outline key words as far as our values go, um, I would have to say that it really is focused in on students, which aligns to some of the things you just said about student needs. um looking at evidence-based practices um and utilizing current research as designed in the MTSS system that relates back to that and looking at creating positive holding upholding high standards and creating positive student outcomes. I said that in a summary. If you look

069at the survey data, um I included part of the survey data in here, not every question in the survey. Um not not surprising that the highest area for content focus from our teachers is math. And interesting though, a continued interest in ELA focus although we have been continuing that. Some of that also applied at the secondary level and not just the surveys from elementary. However, a majority of our surveys were or more of our surveys were from the elementary level versus secondary. Um, and then of course other interests to follow. Um when surveyed on the question about additional professional interests, what stood out was um their interest in wanting to learn more about MTSS and academic interventions as a high category and also social emotional learning which is also outlined as one of the different

070goals in the plan. Um, and I really thought whenever we surveyed about how they prefer professional learning, um, just at the at the amount of digital access and virtual meetings, I really thought that that would score higher, but our >> that was shocking. >> Our staff really want the face toface workshop kind of model is the highest rated and of course PLC's is the second. >> Good job. That means you're they like your training. >> Yeah, we're on track, right? So, in the next few pages, you'll see the eight different eight, right? I have eight goals. I'm sorry. Um, I'll go back to the top. Professional development goals. Um, I just listed the high areas under elementary and secondary as far as survey results. And of course, then wrote the goals around uh that information.

071Um and then of course goal number one ended up being math because we have a need across all levels for that differentiated responsive math instruction and really tied it to essential questions that we need to answer in each of the goals and then some strategies to help us get there. These are broad strategies and there would be more things of course beyond just the professional learning right just like we did with ELA we have had a lot of professional learning we look at data we worked on strategies we added learning walks we have the um ELA core leaders group for elementary that is created action plans from learning walk data that we're working on going forward um so we're jumping off into goal two uh we know that MTSS infrastructure is a big piece of

072that building that out talking about the five or is it six depending on which uh tool you're looking at um areas that we have to develop in that infrastructure. We're going to start with a district team that really provides some oversight and guidance on where to go and within the infrastructure recommended by state office that includes building leadership um having some MTSS meetings and some structure to that. And then we're going to be adding uh looking at tier 2 to help do those interventions so we don't have those high numbers instead um and have that be part of the PLC conversations with looking at students who are not making both but looking at the needs of all kids who need intervention. So when we look at secondary and elementary, our resources like title app um

073are pretty limited and so we have definitely more need for u intervention or additional support retach than we have dollars of course and so um we have to look at how we will do that more of that in the core instruction to meet every kid's needs especially those who are struggling or falling behind. a lot of work in the area of MTSS as we build out those structures >> and will they be will we have a unified approach for all the elementaryaries across all the elementarymentaries and then the middle and so they'll all be in alignment so that they're not all doing something different. Is that the hope? >> That is the goal. Okay. Yes. To build a system that that is aligned. Yes. And so we're starting hopefully with Tracy already created a system

074last year around tier three and care teams that has worked well. Now we just need to do the intervention through that prevention work so we don't have so many kids coming to one. >> The part that was missing last year was the tier 2 piece in classroom interventions that would hopefully reduce your numbers wanting to reverse back. And then of course we have to look at our always look at our core instruction and that's what building teams would do really look at core instruction. Where are we where are we getting kids to standard? Where are we not? How can we what changes we might need to make uh to increase the numbers who are proficient to our own level. >> And if you don't mind me asking how often are they having those data conversations

075in in in the buildings? >> I think it varies. I can't say that it's systematized at this point. Um, I think principles are looking at data all the time, formally or informally. Um, it's just about systematizing it around what do we do next, right? We're looking at data, we're seeing that, but how might we systemize how we support kids when we're not there. >> Okay. >> And that's where the PLC is coming in. >> It's a problem of practice came. >> Great. Thank you. So um we know social emotional learning support has been a piece of that. We have to look at the whole child not just academics. That's a big shift from RTI to multi-tered systems of support. And so we have panorama which um that has been a need so that staff and

076we have some training on that where staff can look at whole child within the system. So they're not just looking at academic data. They look at their attendance. I think I want to say behavior. I was looking at it today. I think I have it memorized by just one. Thank you. So um so that's a tool that will help them get there when they look at um tier 2 groups and what they might need. And of course there's a want for more professional learning around social emotional and we did have some today. PBIS training with our PAR educators and reimagining recess um which is all about supporting students socially emotionally and strategies uh and how to respond to discipline. You want to speak that you were there? >> Yeah, it was probably one of the

077best trainings I've ever attended in all my years of education. So really hands-on activities and ideas to engage students in recess um to get students to form cohesive lines. uh just a really really strong >> and who led the training? >> Uh AWSP led one and then Puget Sound ESD came before a morning session and an afternoon session. But our PAR educators really loved the recess. So, >> it's awesome when you leave with tools to make things happen. >> And just simple things like different ways to think of lining students up or transitioning and fun things you could do that um some people might think would create more chaos, but um really is an effective tool and and getting their mindset changed. Like it's okay to do clapping and songs when you're lining students up.

078And um it was it was a really fantastic she did a fantastic job. >> That's great. Thank you for using outside resources and bringing them to our community. I appreciate that. >> Yeah, >> that's great. >> So, I already spoke a little bit to learning walks that is always of high interest from our teachers whether they get to just observe their colleague versus um a formal walk. Um both both models can be beneficial. And of course, we want to we want to meet teachers where they're at and what they think will help them best in growing their skills. Um so that is on here. mentoring. That is a big piece that uh Sheila Rididgeway does, the best mentoring program, TPEP training um and helping new staff develop effective teaching practices and fostering student success. And

079that is ongoing work that's done every year. We have grant money to support that. And they do a outstanding job of um preparing and sharing resources and assigning a mentor um from within Eatenville School District. And then goal seven ties mostly is um multil- language learners and Gracie had said since time memorial for title six Native American do you want to speak a little bit to that but that is that's only also an interest you to work with those students. >> So um the Indian parent coalition um determined to spend their funding uh from from our native ed grant on training for our teachers for STI. So nice and and finding ways to implement that AC cross across curricular. So >> nice excited for that. >> So um this buys into our different funding sources.

080However, I did this activity mostly uh because it's a grant requirement, but also it was great feedback when we planned state PD as well and how we spend our state PD fun buttons. And we appreciate today working having the technology experiences um with our teachers do with learning the interactive boards and school AI. And I thought we had them do an activity at the end of the training today. And um I gave them four activities to choose from and then they had to do a a checkout. Um and we had some great summaries and I would just like to read a couple if that's okay. Um one of the activities was reimagined uh learning through lesson planning and this group they wrote responses in group. We reimagined a place a place value lesson for for

081early in the fourth grade year using new line engaged tools. We demonstrated and allowed students to engage with base 10 blocks and place value charts on the board uh when we broadcast the engage tools to student Chromebooks and will allow them to graphically demonstrate understanding of place value challenges in pairs or trios on their Chromebooks. So, >> and so we're not printing these things out. It's coming from your board to your to their Chromebooks and they're interacting >> and they can go up and do it on the board as well and model for others. Um, a second one just really quickly. Um, see, uh, this is more English, but some of the apps on the board allowed them to adapt traditional lesson plans of the interactive experiences using the interactive board and new line engage

082cloud features. Um, we learned strategies that en enhanced engagement through tools like interactive sorting, annotation on on visuals, and quick formative assessments. Um, this goes on. And there's 44 different responses from different 44 different groups all very uh indepth. I'm happy to share those with you. >> That's awesome. >> And then funding sources is mentioned in the plan. You can see it. Um most of what we do from training into committee work is funded through most of that money is title two. We have some title four that always has to have more of a technology focus. And then title six is Tracy's funding for Thank you so much. Exciting work that you're doing. Appreciate it. It's a great way to start off your room. Um, all right. We're going to go to unfinished business. consider

083approval of updated policy 4130. And um this is we've had this policy brought before us and there was a line that Cathy um had failed to finish typing out and so it's coming back to us again with all everything appropriately completed. Is there anything you wanted to add, Sally, around this policy? It's um title one parent and family engagement. um know that they've updated it a little bit to um well we change we edited I should say taking out specific things for specific schools from previous and aligned it to the um wasa policy um and it really aligns nicely with the uh title one requirements and the work there that is expected when title one schools do their parent compact right >> so It's no longer just have to have a parent night. It really

084gives some great ideas of how we can um engage families in their student learning and relationship. I guess family engagement is more than just a a family night. >> One family night with some pizza and a cookie or something. >> I think you're part of our advisories and decision making. >> I would uh consider a motion for approval of policy 4130. >> So move second. >> Did you get that? Karen moved. Call it second. All right. All in favor? >> I and I will vote I. Motion carries. Consider approval of SIP plan for ESD new beginnings. Amy, thanks for waiting all this time to share. >> Um >> hopefully your child. >> Yeah, she's hungry. >> Yeah. Um so I sorry I have to stand up I don't want to tell you how many hours

085but so uh just kind of in general I wanted to just kind of clarify what you know thinking earlier about a compared to like the new beginnings type of a program. So an AL program is an alternative experience as you guys know and any student um at any stage is able to engage in AL programming. It's just a choice that that exists. So the difference between that and uh our new beginnings program is new beginnings is so and I'm going to talk about so new beginnings is the school like the bill high school right it's our school it's our entity but then we contract with grad alliance which is a nationwide um service I guess and actually the majority of schools in our state also partner with Grad Alliance because they are able because it

086is that nationwide nationwide thing they're able to meet the needs of students students in all content areas because it's secondary you have you have to have an English teacher teaching English math teacher teaching math can't just have a person who's teaching all these subject areas. So uh so I'm just like for definition purposes we're talking about new beginnings that's the program that we use grants. Um but the difference with like our new beginnings program is that is actually a category of program um that's called a open doors re-engagement program. And so they are a very specific category uh that were established in state law. And so what those programs um there's a lot of constraints. Every kid cannot go into those programs. It's very specific students that are eligible to enter those programs. Um and

087the criteria is that students have to be just first and foremost have to be 16 by September 1st of the school year that they enter. they're able to stay into that program until they're 21. So, it kind of extends their um education experience. Most kids can stay till they're 21, but they just don't. Um so, that's one of the criteria. They have to be 16. The other one is that they have to be significantly credit deficient. And so, the state defines that if they were to go in as a junior, they have to have they have to be at 75%, so 25% behind. And as a senior, they have to actually be 40% behind to go. So it's um they have to be significantly credit deficient to even enroll in the program. So the it's

088no surprise then that uh our our school our new beginnings and actually across our state uh are in improvement because we are not meeting the on-time graduation rate. So I seems a little bit counterintuitive to me that you create a program where you are requiring students to be significantly behind to even enroll but then somehow they're supposed to get caught up in two years. Um and the reality is our students that are significantly behind in credits uh there's a lot of layers of challenges that those students are facing um and which is why they've been unsuccessful in a traditional school setting. So, um, so it's very difficult for those kids to kind of get caught back up. So, anyway, so we're in improvement and, uh, actually most of the, uh, open doors programs in our

089state are also in improvement. And so, we're in tier three improvement, which, um, means well, one advantage of that is that we are eligible for some grant funding that we are going to try to going to try to capture some of that for that program. So, um, at the time when I did the school improvement plan, so it's due to the state, uh, August 31st, so in just a few days. And so, that's why it's important that we're kind of we're out of sync with the rest of the school improvement plans. But, um, we had 19 students enrolled in this program. We're up to 21 right now. We have six more that are kind of in, um, in process. So, those some of those are students that have been in Eatenville High School. Um, some

090of them are students that they come to us from like as an example, we had a student roll in this week to enroll uh for senior year has not attended school for two years. So, you know, it's like >> and so now that counts. >> Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Yes. That counts. Yes. That's Yep. Yep. >> That's going to count against our graduation rate. >> Yeah. But it's okay. I mean, like ultimately, yes. This is >> I mean, we need to care about the student. That's right. But it's still perspective. It's not it's not a statement about all of Eatenville education system. It's just that we are helping all >> students. Yeah. And I would say that is one of the barriers that a lot of our students that are in that program have faced

091is that they've had a lot of transiency in their education. And so it's very hard the our kids if they start in Eatenville and they stay in Eatenville, they do really well. They are very well supported here. But it's just and that's probably true in most districts, but it's just these kids that are moving and they've just got a lot of inconsistency and they, you know, they've taught this in the first semester in that school and then they roll into this other school and it's just not consistent. So there's a again just lots of challenges. So um but uh so we have so we probably really most years were around 30 students in that program. Um it's kind of the average. So uh there's some kind of data at the beginning. Uh, I worked with

092we had an opportunity last year to work with a consultant and Sally knows that I was just like because we did have one a couple years ago that like couldn't even understand the what the program was. Couldn't even understand that this is a re-engagement program. He just didn't get that. But this guy we were I mean he really couldn't he had no clue and we explained it explained it. He couldn't get there. But the gal we worked with last year was amazing. And what was really nice is that she was working with a lot of schools and they were all re-engagement programs. So she was learning a lot. She was reaching out to Groud Alliance, the organization, and saying, "Hey, help me understand this." And um she was really helpful in terms of uh asking

093thoughtful questions and so it was it was really helpful. Um the program's a little bit tough to write a school improvement plan for because the way that our system works is that those students are remote. So Grat Alliance supports, so they meet once a week in person with Grat Alliance staff. Um, Scrat Alliance provides the teachers for them. They provide the student learning plans. We get, you know, we're involved in terms of like monitoring and transcripting and, you know, helping with enrollment withdrawals and then support. But that is really where we focused our school improvement plan work is on how can we stay more engaged with those students um to just continue to support them kind of as they're working towards their diploma. So uh we identified two goals to that end and these are

094the same and and so last year's goals and then this coming year same goals the numbers have changed but they are um they're really uh focusing on the same two things and one is um as you know there's lots and lots of layers to this sorry it's a template from OSPI so you can imagine it's lots and lots of layers but uh goal number one is that students the the percentage of students earning a high school diploma from ES and senior beginnings or transferring to a technical high school because we do have students that are kind of doing a two-step process. They're trying to get enough credits that they're eligible to transfer to uh one of the technical high school programs to get their diploma and their associates degree simultaneously. But our goal is to

095increase that from 26.2% to 60%. Um that sounds like this huge lofty goal, but remember we're talking about 30 students. So, you know, if we can get one, two, three more students kind of across that bar, we can make a big um big impact. So, um we we recognize that that that's going to be a challenge because again there's all these extra layers that kids have. But some of our action steps u and we actually started doing this partway through the year last year and it was actually really helpful. uh very intentional contact with um the parent, the student. I thank goodness for the SNET, the text messaging option that we have with our school district phones is the only way most of these families will actually communicate with us. They just don't answer phones.

096Their voicemails boxes are full or not set up. It's very challenging. But the text messaging works great. And um so just encouraging students and checking in and how they're doing and hey, I noticed that you finished three classes last month instead of just the two that were required. good job or hey, I haven't seen any credits come in in a while. Just trying to stay connected with them. Um, so like contact logs and things like that. And then uh really doing a I mean the the Grad Alliance dashboard that they have has a lot of information for it. So just kind of continuing to monitor that. >> Who in your building is is that Kathy Kurt? Who's managing that? >> Uh so so all of the people that work at Eatenville High School are staffed

097out of Eatenville High School staffing. So, they're really supposed to be supporting Eatenville High School students, but Kathy takes that on, I take that on, and um it's primarily the two of us. So, I mean, Kathy's technically she's the graduation specialist to keep the Eagle High School kids like we want to prevent kids getting into this program. That's that's her work. Um but but there's So, that's just kind of the work that she and I take that on. So, that's actually one of the things that we're going to request is some support staffing wise um with the grant. We'll hope we'll see if they give it to us. But um but that that was actually just like that little shift psychologically for students to feel like that they that we're still reaching out. We're still

098connecting. We're still like, "Hey, you know, have you thought about uh one of the technical high school programs? Have you thought about Western Youth Academy? Have you thought about all the different options that they have?" So we're going to continue that work this year. And then the second thing is uh related to um sorry strange on this. Okay. The second goal is for students that reenroll because what we see is that students and like it just happened this summer we had um so students have to make progress every month have to meet a certain number of course completions and they will get dropped for nonparticipation and so then they're floating. So now they're not a dropout for Edenville High School, but they're a dropout for New Beginnings. And so we want to continue to re-engage

099those kids. So trying to get them to reenroll either in um either in New Beginnings or in one of the technical schools. And one of the interesting things is uh occasionally I get asked to sign a form for GED. And one of the there's you know they really when I'm signing that I'm having to say that there's no other way for the student to get their diploma than you know they just have to get the GED and very often the only way I can sign that is if they've already been in a dropout re-engagement program and have you know been dropped for nonparticipation. So some of those kids I like I would be happy if they got a GED if they got something. you know, if that's if you've already been all the way down

100this path, at least they have something. They're not just a dropout. But, um, really trying to track where those students go and where they end up is very hard. They just disappear. So, we had seven students that in the last year were dropped for nonparticipation. We already were able to get one re-engaged. So, when you're, again, we're talking about these tiny numbers. One kid's a large percentage. So, um, so we've got one re-engaged. And actually, I had a parent connect with me tonight at open house about another one. So, we'll see if they, you know, follow through. But, um, but we're trying. So, those are our two goals. And, um, lots of, uh, uh, trial and error, I guess, in terms of trying to find some different strategies. So, one of the things that we

101are going to actually the thing that we're going to ask for with the grant funding from the state is to ask for a point to uh counselor because what we recognize would be helpful for these students is the meeting those other needs, those social emotional needs, addiction, um you know, some serious financial need that some of them have. So, uh they meet once a week at the Inville Library for their weekly meetups and students are required to attend that. So, we'd like to have some additional staffing that they would um connect with them outside of school, but also then be able to attend there and kind of check in and make sure they've got what they need. >> And they have to provide their own transportation there. >> They do. Yeah, they do provide their

102own transportation. I I know that they do have a virtual option. So, there are some students >> if there's a transport issue, then that would be tricky. Yeah. Okay. >> A lot of Yeah, it's depends on this, but most of students again, they're 16 already. So, it's amazing how they can get wheels. they can get somewhere. So, uh yeah, so that's what we're going to we're going to hope that that grant funding comes through for that and that we're able to provide that support. But, um that's our work. So, any questions? Do you have any things you've heard that you wonder about? Then the counseling aspect, if you get is does a counselor have um is there ways for them to also reach out to the parents in the meantime and kind of a lot

103of times parents just are looking for tools. Yeah. >> They're looking for help to support the kids. >> Oh, for sure. Yeah. And we do I mean we don't lose the kids that have come from Meatville High School. We usually stay pretty well connected with because we already have relationships with the parents, with the students. we we call it's trickier sometimes when they've come from another dropout engagement program or they have just come from who knows where and so so so far behind. >> Yeah. >> So um I have a I guess a comment and the curiosity or question in the curiosity the question is this is a three-year plan when you're in tier three to get three years of support through your grant money >> in theory. >> All right. >> We don't know

104what this table really did but okay in theory. So Hopefully that would be great. >> Yeah, it'd be great. >> And then my curiosity is um will you be sharing um maybe your check in on this zip plan as well as the one you have for the high school? >> I sure can. >> Awesome. Love that. Thank you. >> Yep. >> Okay. Anybody else? No, I just really appreciate I know it's a lot of extra work and I really I do appreciate every we're giving every student every chance to do that and it's this is a way that was just never available before. Yeah. >> And when did this all start? Like >> um so there was a time this has kind of been managed differently. So this I don't remember when the law passed.

105It was before I was a high school principal. >> Yeah, I remember. But >> they passed the law that districts have to have this type of a program and there was a while that we were running like Billy Need was running it and Shelton >> Cruiser Success Center. >> This is back in the day when people had like the certificates that you could teach any subject. >> Yeah. >> The golden oldies. Is it the golden? And so you could have one teacher that could teach all those subjects, but they don't allow that anymore. So now that's really where kind of products like Grat Alliance have become more popular just because we don't have the capacity to provide, you know, and our teachers are already working full-time. So it's really grat Alliance isn't isn't cheap. Um,

106but it's less than the aortionment, so we're not, you know, we're not losing money on it. Um and it but it is you know >> very >> yeah one other thing that is just just for just for your for your reference in terms of like the the kind of supports of grad alliance. So when a student enrolls in the program they ship that student a laptop but they are um they're different than our Chromebooks. They actually have a a mobile hotspot embedded in the laptop. So they've already removed the barrier of spotty internet things like that. So that's been a really big benefit for some of our families because you guys know internet out here is >> you know it's not a it's not a utility everybody has. >> That's right. >> For sure. Um,

107another thought I'm just asking we and years ago when we kind of transitioned to Bad Alliance, they came and did a work study for us and told us a little bit about the work they did and and their process. If that's something that anybody is interested in, especially I know we're going to have at least a new board member. Maybe we could put that on our agenda to have gratit planned. Maybe that could be the check on the check in. Yeah, if you guys decide you want to do that, let me know because I can get Todd Dalstead, who's the the coordinator. He's amazing. He is amazing >> to come out and share with us about the work. And we for sure should do it after we have our new board members so that they

108can >> What do you think about that? That's something that would be >> Yeah. I this this is near and dear to my heart to follow. So, yeah. >> Could you leave a note for Cassie that we'd like to add um grant alliance to a work study? >> Yes. and maybe do it for the SIP checkin. >> Okay. >> And tell her to call me if she has questions. Tell >> her to call me if she has questions, too. I'll get it set up. >> Yeah. Perfect. So, >> call Amy. That's better. Way better. >> Okay. >> Thank you so much. Really approve. >> I'd consider a motion to approve the zipline for ESD New Beginnings program. >> Second. >> Um, it's been moved and seconded. All in favor? >> I. Motion carries. consider approval

109of resolution 753 of our budget which um Christa has done such a great job of presenting. Is there anything additional you wanted to add before we move on the resolution? >> Okay. >> Um I would consider a motion to approve resolution 753. >> Second and moved and seconded. Any further discussions or questions? Okay. Um hearing none. All in favor? >> I motion carries. Consider approval of interlocal agreement with ESD113 for network support. Is that you Sally? Is that partner? >> It's basically a service that we've needed to provide. Jim can attest to the fact that last year we actually had one little piece >> that did not allow things through and it was about this big and whatnot. So we are preisolated out here and we need some support. >> So there are technology support

110and we hire them parttime. So great support internet. >> Yeah. All all the network pieces are all supported by the by this group >> EST13. Thank you. All right. I consider approval of interlocal agreement with ESD13. >> Motion. >> Second. >> It's been moved and seconded. Any further discussion? All in favor? I >> I motion carries. Consider approval of special services um >> so you have um bids for services for um a point 8 school psychologist and a physical therapy um as needed. Um, we've gotten bids from other agencies that most will only do virtual services or not even contacting us back to give us a bid. So, um, both of these bids that that I'm asking you to approve are um outside services who've worked with us for years. So, we would just like

111to stay with them for consistency for our students. Uh, we know their work and they will actually come on campus. So >> I can't imagine physical therapy virtually. >> No, it's not easy. >> Or testing kits or evaluations virtually. So the one company would only come on campus to write an to do an FBA functional behavior assess assessment and that is it. That's that's the best we could get for a school site. >> Wow. Okay. So I would consider approval of special services um item D1 and two. We're going to do both of these at the same time. So move >> and seconded. Any further discussion? >> All in favor? >> I and if I could add, we are not having to contract with the ESD for speech and language pathologists. We've hired our own

112as well as an OT Dakota this year. So that'll be a big savings for for the district. So I'm very excited for that. >> And it will be, you know, and I think we'll serve our children better, too. Yes. So saving money and serving kids better. That's >> Thank you, Gracie, for making that happen. consider approval of donation from American Heart Association in the amount of $25,000. Super exciting. >> Yeah, I mean it's uh over the top on this one. So, uh we're last now going on three years, we worked real closely with American Heart Association um to make sure that our students are are compression only trained, if you will, that that they also um are healthy in their habits and such. So, we put a lot of emphasis on that and we um

113recently received the award of being the first school district in Washington state to have all of our schools, Thank you, Amy, and >> and all all down the line for participating in so many different ways, >> uh to make sure that we basically are our our goal was to try to have buildings. All our buildings are full of first responders >> and then our community is full of first responders and then as they move out into other pathways of life that they continue that pathway. And so we were recognized by the American Heart Association I you know in part because of of what we were able to accomplish. And so then they went to to um Mary Bridge and said, "Hey, we got this district that really is on the ball and really they're really

114eating this up and doing really well and and such." And so in partnership with American with Mary Bridged, then we received $5,000 per stu school. Um uh and so it's a total of $25,000 and the investment will help us replace our AEDs and provide that certifications to utilize AEDs and CPR is needed. 10 CPR kits, 100 mannequins. >> That's awesome. and um for hands only cigar training and then um uh help us as we create the our cardiac emergency response plan as part of our safety committee >> which is new legislation correct I think it is and so as such um that's a a great thing for us that we can get a leg up on that and get some funding to help out >> um so again Julian Dornney has been a great she

115was at welcome back day and she's has been a great great advocate for us uh through the years. And so I just wanted to report that uh and seek your approval for the acceptance of this 20,000 $25,000 donation. >> I consider a motion to approve approve some free money and recognition from our association. >> So second moved and second. Any additional discussion? Can >> I just thank you? >> Yes. huge. Thank you >> to I know it's one more thing. So, thank you for taking that on. We sure appreciate it. >> All right. All in favor? >> I motion carries. All right, we're on to superintendent comments. >> All right. Um, do you ever have a situation in life where it's really late, but you have a lot of things that you're so excited about,

116you don't even know where to start? >> Every night. >> Yeah. >> So, that's the case tonight. um uh we know that budgets are tight and we know that we're going to get through that, but that it's a significant challenge with the lack of funding that we are receiving. But more importantly, what I want to do is highlight um I don't even know where to begin. So many positive things that are happening in the school district. Recently, we're receiving recent hearing from real estate agents and from other parents. I heard one today uh state that when she was that that that real estate agents are saying you'll want to come to go because the school district here supports kids, the community support kids. Look, they're passing their levies. Um you know, they they they have

117foundations are startup and just over and over again, we're hearing um just the reputation that that that you're building that we're building. Uh, and so one of the things that um I'm I'm excited about is the fact that um we had 1500 people as you know um participate in the formation of our strategic plan and we see it all the way around us all the way around this room and out in the buildings um that it's a very functional you know plan. So last year we set the goal of uh and you'll hear more about this with your principles that with our principles coming in in October actually is what it'll be to talk about looking back at how they did on the SBA the smart balance assessment but also other measures and then about

118what their school improvement plan will continue to be because there's no such thing as there you're always in you're always improving but what I wanted to do is just kind of give you a thumb sketch of the fact that uh it's working. We have had so many um you know positive things happen in the area of science for instance. So with science um when we did our testing uh and we just did get this results and thank you Sally for compiling this um with our fifth graders for instance uh this is the percentage of kids who are on or above grade level went from 48% to 67%. Yeah in one year >> that's great. >> Uh our eighth grade 31 to 37%. >> All right. And our 11th grade 20 points from 34 to 54%.

119>> Wow. >> That's just in the subject of science. >> Uh our our English language arts programs uh the same sort of thing. Uh we are we are all moving up that almost every district almost every uh grade level has moved up uh a market amount. And um and then as Sally mentioned, math is an area that we're still working with. So, I want to just reiterate that the goals that you set as a school board, we we believe our our goals need to be from from uh board to building and beyond. So, there's the word for this is the the new alliteration board, building and beyond. So, that will go all the way to the students and so they'll be able to know what the goals are as well as the community. So that

120that fits well with the first goal of the school board u is to make sure that we communicate all the things that are going on. So with that our our goals will be this year to continue with academic success and when we sit here next year our goal will probably be to continue with academic success and two years after that and and uh throughout the life of our of our strategic plan. But um we're going to be putting some add emphasis as Sally said on on math. We're considering perhaps even an adoption. We'll see how that works. But we're we're um working very very hard to make sure that we support students with what they're already doing well and then also make sure that we are honest with the fact that we got some work

121to do in math and we know that and we're ready to take it on. So we'll be doing that. The preparation for life is the second piece which is where we will um make sure that our students are successful and and we really do really well if you look at um some of the um students who have gone on and just how well they've excelled. So we're excited about that. But just wanted to be clear that that's where we're going. That happens when people attend. So the first year we focused on making sure we got our buses uh on the roads with drivers and the kids got here on time. So they don't walk in halfway through a lesson and be they're lost and don't know what's going on and that happens. So now we're

122at 18 months of no cancel routes for school or for any other activities >> and that's a great thing. And then the second was last year we we reached out to our parents and said please make sure that kids here we have buses if you want to send them on a bus or walking but however they get here let's make sure we get our kids here. And this year, our our our quest is to make sure that all of our staff members are here when they can be. Um that they're all in. And that doesn't just mean physically being here, but making sure that we're, you know, that we are giving the kids the very best, just what they deserve. And uh so um we're excited to watch our uh strategic plan continue to unfold.

123Um, as part of that, our summer tutoring program, we had uh 52 students participate and just some of the stories were were just um, you know, just unbelievable things like kids who began this. Okay, so they were nine days receiving tutoring and this is money from outside money from our Johared student support program. And you had younger kids, for instance, uh reading from 22 words a minute to 54 words a minute. >> Wow. In nine days of support. That's awesome. >> Shows you if you have the support, >> you will really excel. >> Uh another student recognized uh came in recognizing 15 letter names and he ended up uh going all the way to the end. 60 to 29 actually because they use they actually do more than that alphabet. >> Um another student 24

12423 words per minute to 94. >> Wow. >> And even in math which is again what we're working on um uh youngest students went from uh addition problems of 20 29 addition problems up to 61 26 addition problems up to 81. Uh these are students that are really really really doing well. So, I just wanted to highlight the fact that we are we're hoping to be able to continue that, you know, as uh for year after year because it really pays great dividends and we maybe we can consider this as a pilot program um that we did this year that know we maybe we try to figure out how we can expand that. Maybe we can figure out some of the tools that they use to implement in our um tutoring time because I mean

125if that's nine days I >> think what you could do >> just to figure out what they're what they did to >> Excellent suggestion um personal invites or were these choices >> there were there was there were students who could could use the extra support that were invited >> they were special invites >> yeah but it doesn't mean that we can't have everybody >> and we always say the biggest dream in the world is a room for improvement. >> So we have we we can always we can always do better wherever we are on the spectrum side like here. >> And a wonderful thank you um to the TEDI. >> Yeah. Yeah. to Heidi and >> and to Morgan >> Morgan who did the program and then to our funer the grant >> Holland and

126and that's >> who coordinated those efforts and then also those who actually with the teachers and so yeah I visited that program and the other thing I think is not only is the academics which again we want we that's how that's why we exist but in order for that to happen you also have to have you know social emotional learning and as Sally mentioned And there are people who really want you know training in that area. So that the more the day I was down there um there was a little boy and they were playing a board game and you think why are they playing a board game? Well there's obvious reasons you are do there are a lot of academics and things with that and so one little one little boy he rolls the

127dice and he doesn't get the number once. So grabs the dice and he rolls it again. And so the other kid he protests and says hey we don't play fair here. You know we got you know you you rolled a one not a five. you need to move one, not five, you know. And so the boys like didn't I don't like what I rolled the first time. And and so just those troubleshooting, you know, so so I watched Miss Holland, you know, go over it. How did you feel? How did you feel like that? And what would you say now if the he didn't want how would you feel about that? And so it was all those skills that will help you, you know, get along, you know, in all aspects of your life, but

128ultimately toward being successful and academics and and and you know, life beyond. So very very pleased with that program. We had one driver who is now a driver instructor. She went through a scholarship and that's Amanda Lily. >> That's awesome. And uh so she's we now have another driver instructor uh which is again our our our transportation you know we continue to move forward on that. And now uh as as some of you might have known, we have these shirts on. And uh these are these are shirts that are kind of our our appreciation our theme of the year is just the fact that when we have strong roots that we actually have stronger communities that you know when you have strong roots you get more growth on the top. when you have those underlying

129things taken place and and worked on, then it yields. And that's the sorts of things we've been talking about. And so I wanted to um take a minute and just do a little bit of a slideshow to just show you some of the things that our staff are doing to get ready. So this is up at Columbia Crest and some of you may recognize Rachel Rachel Height. And uh I would say that this year adventure awaits us as we as we move forward. The next slide. And so um many of our groups came together and I was able to visit you know the secretaries and the special education department and the food services department and the transportation department and just try to get to as many. And so our staff have been busy in August

130coming back together to make sure that they are well equipped for the first day of school for those kids to give them the very very best. Next slide. This was that was the secretaries obviously. And then um on Monday uh we had a pat each of the buildings that got together and um had their first building day back uh learning uh all sorts of of of the sorts of things was you know got these interactive boards, how do they work or to what is how are we going to move in MTSS? How are we going to do that and such and then on a break then we went out and took this picture. I guess it's a pretty big tradition. So, I got to be a photographer there and and and get a picture. And

131you might notice the really the young lady on your left >> there and uh so so all that beat me there and I was there pretty early and >> I was only five minutes away. >> Oh, okay. But anyway, yeah. So, anyway, so so that was nice to see uh Amy's um building and all the others. I got to go around and and they're really jazzed. They're really excited. The one thing I asked uh individuals was like, "What what are you looking forward to this year? What are you most looking forward to for our adults?" And every answer was about kids. I'm looking forward to to um food that's going to be most nutritious. And I get to see those kids come through the line every day. That's what brings me back every year, you

132know, all the way to, oh, with this with these new interactive boards, I can't wait for kids to basically it's like a big computer with a touch screen that you can utilize. And so it all it was always about kids. So here are some of the learning that was taking place and keep going. Yeah, >> looks like warehouser. >> That is >> Y. And then um and then that leads us to our welcome back day with all of our with all of our staff that was there and in the in the morning we all met and had a a meal that that was provided. Twinstar Credit Union gave us $4,000 this year to make sure that we have these t-shirts to keep us all united and also, you know, for the food and all of

133the things that they did. They also provided some gift cards for the new teachers. We did service awards. Um, and this was just before we went into the auditorium. And then when we got into the auditorium um then we um had an opportunity to go through all sorts of academic uh you know preparation for the year and also honor uh those who have gone before. And again, I just want to note that um this year we part of it is award of distinction uh by Rich Williams and that last year we kind of got that round back up and this young lady again was one of the first two recipients last year and then four more were honored this year and um so that was a pretty thing >> and they'll be back in the

134royal light. We'll have our um honories in the royal light again in I think October. >> So we'll keep that going. Um, we had a young teacher of the year this year that was selected by by the >> Was it his first year teaching? >> Yeah, he won it for his first year. >> Ryan um and then um after that we if you'll keep going >> then we went outside and did our traditional. This is the third year in a row that all of our staff have been united to uh consider the theme that we're looking on. And this is Amy's beautiful school um right across the street right here for us. And and this year is is that was a tree and went really really smoothly. >> And yeah, and then go back one

135more right there. So, if you'll also look, we also this this photo was taken by Eric um Smart Out and also uh Nick is the one who Nick you know Berkeley he's the one that designed the tree >> and then we asked if they would also consider one that showed the the >> this is going to be a historical thing where the the build is torn up there and uh and that here we are um in you know in a traditional sort of way come together. So that was a neat thing >> at Christmas time. I want to see that tree with sparkling light on it. >> Okay. >> As our Christmas letter email. >> That's a great idea. I like it. Okay. You got it. Next one. And then uh today we had training

136and and Sally I don't know if there's anything Sally and Tracy that you wanted to I kind of asked you tonight if there's anything that you wanted to highlight in this meeting uh in terms of the sorts of things that were provided in last well whether it's going back a day or two or today and you you talked about the the recess and I was also there a minute and I loved the fact that it said the one first slide up that said instead of saying to kids like what were you doing you know it became like I'm curious you know why didn't you make that choice you know so it becomes one of like you're not a bad kid but rather you shift judgment to curiosity so it's like the first so the whole

137day I'm glad to hear the whole day went like that yeah s anything that you want to add >> um I our teachers are really excited I think about the boards and a little overwhelmed at the same time >> um definitely a lot to learn but excited to have boards that will involve kids in the learning and give them more options for engagement and they're excited to do that. >> Yep. So, school AI and uh to know how to responsibly use artificial intelligence and then also interactive boards which leads us to our next one. And here we are the just a couple of hours ago. Well, by now it's three hours ago. And u this is uh down at the middle school. Uh it was happening also at the high school. We had our open

138house and Amy was in the north hall and she was in the south hall. And the first thing that I noticed when I went in there was I've never seen this many people at open house. Uh and maybe it always was, but I was just >> Did you communication? What do you think made the >> It was that it was because we haven't had an orientation day yet. So it was the first time first So the past several years we've had well we've had a student orientation day. It's always the Thursday before school starts. So students come, they get their schedules, they get their picture taken, they get tours at the school, things like that. And so then some of them don't come back for open house because they've already they've already done that. Yeah.

139>> Um, so I'm curious to see what our participation is tomorrow because we had open house tonight, but they have pictures tomorrow, but I don't know. >> Yeah. >> So, we'll see. >> Yeah, we'll see. But the point is is that it was extremely well attended. Yeah. >> So, then I went down to the middle school after that and uh captured this photo and as you can see, the active boards are being used right away. >> Like you get training and three hours later you're you have them up and and you're utilizing those. And I I went to several u classrooms and it was pretty much the same thing. But obviously somebody's excited to welcome somebody. >> Oh, that was it, right? Yeah. So, um yeah. So, I would say we are we're excited for

140uh September 3rd, the our welcome or to welcome our students back. Um, and um, I think that's pretty much it uh, for our communication. Thank you. >> Great. Thank you. We're going to go to board comments. Eric, >> um, I I think the thing that stuck with me the most tonight is you mentioned there's a student that re-engaging after two years of being out of school, even if he wasn't originally here or here or she. Um, and I just kudos to that family and the child for having the courage to step back in and to finish it out. So that I love that. Um, thank you for all the in-depth reporting to all you guys and just being here so late and uh sticking with us. So we we we appreciate it. We need it.

141So thank you. Um, we passed tonight in our agenda. Um there was reassignments, there was layoffs, there was I just, you know, the staff that um goes through and has to um bear with us through our budgeting and everything. I just want to recognize that, you know, they're in our hearts and just thank them for uh sticking with us and supporting us as we go through um tough times. Um, and uh, we're missing some of our friends here tonight. So, I'm just, you know, want to mention the meeting that we miss them and they I hope they're okay. That's it. >> Thank you, Paul. Um, just a couple things. I I enjoyed the welcome back, too. It was just to see um the the camaraderie between the people, the staff themselves, you know, as I

142walked around and watched and observed and listened just to see them reaching out to each other, welcoming each other back and and u you know and something else too and I don't remember who asked the question. I don't know if it was UK, but um when we were in the auditorium of how many um of the staff who had gone to Eatenville schools maybe one year or whatever and then were now back on staff and it was quite a large number. >> It was significant. I was really surprised. I was very surprised and very it was it was just it really touched my heart to see that they came back, you know, to be here to be a part of of moving our kids from our community forward. And so that was it. And then

143I just wanted to um note and make a special thank you to Jim for, you know, when you talk about those boards. I just want to recognize him for all of the work that went into getting those ready. I mean, it was huge. Huge. So, thank you. >> That's awesome. Um, I just want to acknowledge and recognize everything you said and I agree with that. Um, I will be meeting with Commissioner Up the Grove as a small schools representative for Wazda this coming Friday. We'll be talking about um the pause on timber sales and trying to be strategic and thoughtful around how he can help us um replace those funds, what the plan is for that. So, I'll report back what we hear. Um the found Greater Enville Community Foundation has been hard at work

144raising money for our stadium. They have at this point raised $101,000 from seat sponsorship sales, which I think is outstanding. um as well as uh helped us with uh finding sponsorship for the stadium naming rights and possibly for the scoreboard. So, they have exceeded their commitment of $250,000 of support for the stadium. Um I'm super grateful to them and seats are still available. So, if you know anybody, if they're asking, if you're like me and you haven't gotten your seat yet because I know so, >> we all have them. We need to get them done. Um, and we will continue to keep that open. So, uh, the there's information at the front desk if anybody needs it or you can always ask me if any if you need to pass my name on. And then

145I want to recognize the hard work of this district office in these hard times. There's there's hard decisions and hard conversations. Um, you guys are being really thoughtful keeping kids at the center of this hard work. Um, we are a team >> in in not just in this building, but throughout all of our district. We're a community and we're eating bill strong and I know that no matter how hard it gets, our community steps up for kids. Our staff steps up for kids and I'm so so grateful and that's why so many kids come back here because they know people care. So I'm just grateful to be a part of that kind of community. >> All right, if there is nothing else, we're going to call this meeting to close at 9:05. It's all good

146news. That's why it took so long, right?