Special Board Meeting - 6/2/2026 (7:00 p.m.)

001Mrs. Schae, are you ready? >> Good evening. It is 7:08. I am calling to order the special board meeting of Tuesday, June 2nd. Mrs. Sh, may we have a roll call, please? >> Yes. Carol Fox, >> here. >> Tom Henkins, >> here. >> Bill Johnson, >> here. >> Megan Miller, >> present. Joanne Rue, >> here. Dan Shu >> here >> and Tia Johnson >> here. >> All members are present. >> Thank you. May I get an approval of the agenda? >> Oh, sorry. Second. >> Motion by Carol Fox, seconded by Megan Miller. Any discussion? >> Hearing none. All in favor? >> I. Any oppose? Motion carries unanimously. Mrs. Schop, are there any public comments tonight? >> Yes, I have two in the room and an email. >> Thank you. Members of the public are welcome

002to attend all open meetings of the board of education. Individuals attending board meetings are expected to conduct themselves in a respectful and courteous manner that models appropriate behavior for our students. Individuals wishing to comment are expected to comply with the norms found on the back of your comment cards and in board policy 187 public participation at board meetings. We ask that each of you contribute to maintaining a respectful and orderly meeting and prevent discuss discuss discussing confidential matters in a public forum by following these norms for public comments during board meetings. Thank you for your participation and courtesy. Mrs. Schop, >> the first person I have is Lauren. Okay. Um, good evening everyone. I'm Lauren Burner and despite what you might think, I'm not here to talk about your overdue library books. I'm here once

003again to speak to you about the importance of our library staff. This past week, while collecting nearly 400 student Chromebooks in my building to meet a warranty deadline that I do believe all of our librarians have or will meet, I spent time with my fifth grade classes reading The One Thing You'd Save by Newberry Medalist Susan uh sorry, Linda Supark. Sorry, I'm nervous. I don't know why I'm nervous today. As we read, students eagerly engaged to share what they would save and why. At first, the answers were predictable. cell phones, Xboxes, favorite toys. But by the end of the book, the conversation had evolved into a much bigger question. What would be the one thing they would say from elementary school? Their answers were remarkable. They used library resources, the green screen, the iPads, iMovie,

004tripods. They were so inspired that they decided to create a video showcasing the things they would save. While I promised those easily embarrassed fifth graders that I would not share their video with anybody other than their teachers and their parents, I can share you some of their words. They said, "Mr. Cargle, he's our school counselor because he listens. The track me, even if it made me gross, 4K nap time, I agree." And once the student simply said, "The library, it's the best in the world. The library, it's the best in the world." >> [gasps] >> When we talk about reducing librarian staff to 0.5 per building, we're talking about giving up pieces of what makes the school meaningful for students. We're talking about losing the opportunity for collaboration, creativity, exploration. We're talking about limiting access

005to those resources. Technology and learning experiences that students value and remember. Most importantly, we're reducing access to the library itself. Um there's a very good possibility those class that the library will be closed if there's not a person in there. I would love to stand here and tell you that we can continue to provide this a level of service, instruction, and support with halftime staffing. Realistically, we cannot. There are only so many hours in a day. The reduction to appoint staff will likely mean the library spaces will be closed a significant portion of the week, limiting access to students and staff alike. I respectfully ask you to reconsider this reduction. keep librarians in our building full-time for the coming year so we continue to provide the support, instruction, and opportunities for our students that they

006deserve. Also for our teachers because we're at the elementary level, we're currently part of their prep time. If in the future this dis district changes require you to revisit staffing levels, a conversation can happen when broader decisions are made about building closures or district restructuring. But today, I ask you to preserve the services, relationships, and opportunities that our libraries are providing. Because when a fifth grader tells you that the library is the best place in the world, it's probably something we should listen to. Thanks. >> Thank you, Mrs. Shope. >> Next, I have James. >> Uh, good evening, Dr. Anderson and members of the board. On behalf of the boy Education Association, I would like to thank you for your work and time you have dedicated to addressing the district's budget challenges. We understand that

007these are difficult decisions with long-term impacts on our schools, staff, students, and community. At the same time, though, we strongly encourage the board to make budget decisions as soon as possible. Staff members need clarity about the direction of the budget so they can properly prepare for the next school year and make personal and professional decisions. Continued uncertainty creates stress and it makes difficult to plan effectively. No matter which budget option the board approves, we urge the board to maintain the dean positions at the elementary schools. These positions play a critical role in supporting student discipline, building positive school culture, and helping teachers maintain safe and productive learning environments. Elementary deans provide direct support to students, staff, and families, allowing classroom teachers to focus on instruction and student achievement. The BAA is also concerned about the

008reduction in media specialists. As we just heard, they provide one many wonderful opportunities for our students and we are concerned about the reduction in the services that will be offered to students and we wonder what the plan is to provide coverage for elementary teacher prep time because the media specialists do provide some of that coverage. We understand the concern with operating expenses at certain buildings and the desire to rearrange programs and possibly buildings. We agree that some changes are probably necessary and will absolutely need to take place. However, trying to make most of those changes for next year doesn't seem feasible. Here we are in June and many staff members are dealing with a lot of stress and uncertainty about their job for next year. Do they have a job? What will the job be

009and where will that job be located? Trying to incorporate major reconfigurations in such a short time span is only going to elevate the stress elevate the stress level of staff. Please come together as a board and make a budget decision soon so administration can move forward with staffing plans and principles can move forward with a plan to staff the voting for next year. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mrs. Sch. >> Okay, the email I have is from Emily. I want to take a moment to speak about the proposed changes to our district's health services, specifically the reduction to three nurses and the removal of the director of health without any discussion of a replacement coordinator role. I understand that difficult financial decisions must be made. But these changes raise serious concerns about safety, oversight, and

010the integrity of the entire health services system. First, reducing to three nurses across the district significantly limits our capacity to meet student needs. The medical complexity of our student population continues to grow. We are responsible for students with chronic conditions, emergency care plans, daily medications, and mental health concerns. With fewer nurses, coverage becomes thinner, response times increase, and opportunities for preventative care decrease. But that I'm sorry, but what is even more concerning is the removal of the director of health. The director is not just an administrative position. It is the role that holds the entire system together. This position provides essential oversight of both nurses and HRAs, ensuring that everyone is supported, properly supervised, and working within safe, consistent standards. The director also plays a critical role in ensuring that policies and procedures are in

011compliance with state and federal regulations. That includes maintaining up-to-date protocols, ensuring proper documentation, guiding staff training, and making sure the district is meeting legal and safety requirements. Without that leadership, without that leadership, we risk in inconsistency gaps in practice and potential compliance issues. In addition, HRAs rely on strong oversight to function safely and effectively. They are valuable members of the team, but are but they are not licensed nurses. They depend on clear direction, structured sorry, structured supervision, and access to clinical decisionmaking. When situations become complex, without a director or coordinator overseeing both nurses and HRAs, it becomes unclear who is responsible for that supervision and accountability. That lack of structure creates risk for students, for staff, and for the district. When a system like this loses leadership, it doesn't just become leaner, it becomes fragmented.

012Practices can vary from building to building. Staff are left without consistent guidance and critical responsibilities can fall through the cracks. Families trust that our district has a safe, coordinated health system in place. Removing both capacity and leadership undermines that trust. This is not just about reducing positions. It is about removing the structure that ensures those positions work safely and effectively. it change. If changes must be made, there must still be a clearly defined role responsibility for overseeing nurses and has ensuring compliance with policies and procedures. Without that, we are not maintaining a safe system. We are increasing risk. I urge you to reconsider this decision or to put a clear plan in place for maintaining the oversight and compliance that our students and staff depend on. Thank you. That's all I have. >> Thank you,

013Mrs. Sch. Our next item is the first board action discussion item. Revise school calendars 2026 2027 and 2027 2028. Tonight we've got Dr. Leam Gordon Malot and Jeff Stenrews. And the purpose of this is to request the board of education approve the revised calendars for these school years. Mr. Stenrews. [clears throat] >> Um so welcome. So we are uh presenting the 27 26 27 and 2728 calendars. I presented them previously um and was uh presented with two one one typographical omission and then one that I had um looked at the contract wrong in working with HR. They had alerted me to some things. So the first one that which was a typographical error. If you look at the 2627 calendar and it applies to that one only. Um my my presentation tab isn't working here.

014>> You want to put them up? Okay. Thank you. [clears throat] So what what happened was in March of uh we had March 19th as a um report card prep day and the term the quarter did not actually end until April 2nd. So we were preparing report cards the week before the quarter actually ended. So that and the two conference dates um or the three conference dates had to move back a week. So they moved um from the 9th and 11th and 18th of March which were in orange. They moved down a week to the 16th, 18th and 1st of April and March 19th as the report card uh day moved to April 2nd. So that was a typographical error um that 8 to 10 people including myself did not catch once we moved the

015quarter date. So that was first and that's only on that calendar. For both the 2627 and 2728 calendar, there was a date in August um the Friday of teacher inservice week and then the very last uh teacher day in June. They were both coded black. They were um put in as uh compensation days for evening conferences and events as uh teacher days. and via our contract, uh, the conferences do not fall underneath the 190 day two 192 day count. So, we put those back in as teacher work days in there. So, it was a color coding. It didn't affect the actual days that students were in session, but I wanted to make sure that we provided clarity that they are part of the 100 or the teachers needed the two additional days in the 190day

016two-day contract and they became teacher work days um, in those calendars and that was for both years. >> Dr. Anderson, >> I just want to clarify is that >> is that I was the one who directed Mr. Stenus to make that change. Um, it's something that I was used to in other districts that said if you did two nights of conferences, then you made up with a free day. I was unaware that our handbook had language to state the other. So, he followed my direction and we found out that the handbook stated otherwise. So, then we had to make the correction back. So, it's actually my error that Jeff incorporated. >> Thank you, Dr. Anderson. Is there a motion for approval of the revised 2026 27 and the 202728 school district calendars? >> So moved.

017>> Second. >> Motion by Dan Shu, seconded by Carol Fox. Is there any discussion? [snorts] Hearing none. All in favor? >> I I >> I. >> Any oppose? Motion carries unanimously. >> Our next item tonight is the Skills USA national conference. This is Mr. Stenus again with Dr. Leah Gordon Malot. And the purpose is to request funding assistance from the board of education. Mr. Stenrose. >> Yes. So we um were fortunate enough this year our Skills USA group is in our second year of of organization and we uh placed second uh sorry we placed third in the state as a chapter of excellence. Um last year we were a gold winner. this year were a bronze winner, but we're the only public high school uh in the last two years to do that, which also

018qualified us to send students to the national competition and leadership conference in Atlanta, Georgia. We also had uh a state winner in masonry um Melissa Barka and uh she again we we had outstanding finish. We found out we instead of just the top three in masonry that we were given when they give the state results, we found out we finished first, second, third, fourth, fifth and seventh in masonry. Um so with that we were again state winner allows to go to nationals and so the students um uh have have gone on to nationals. They are currently in Atlanta, Georgia right now participating in the the skills uh USA competition and national leadership conference. So, with the cost of um four students going and two chaperones, um the the total cost is roughly about uh 10,600

019give or take. There are some ground transportation and some meal pieces that we can't put an exact dollar amount to until we come back, but we've sort of approximated, but it is flight, hotel, registration, some of the ground transportation that is provided for that. Um my request to um the the school board was to uh sponsor this with $8,000 with the remaining funds coming from uh my CTE funds that we have through act 59 uh that are certification ones that these students would earn. So that would be my request is for the full board to go ahead. Uh we presented this to the committee before and they had a recommendation that was different. I'm still going to come back and ask for a full $8,000. Um, not the full cost of the trip, but $8,000

020to support the students that are there uh currently. >> Thank you. Dr. Anderson, is there anything you want to add to this? >> Just I think it's exceptional that we have students that can represent the our school district at the national level. and that shows that we are doing a great job of preparing these students um to compete at such a high level. >> Thank you. Are there any board member questions or comments? Tom, >> yes. Jeeoff, you mentioned the masonry. How many other areas are we involved [clears throat] with this CTE? >> Um so we had we actually had a student placed third at state in culinary. Um uh we had students there is uh in leadership and resume um so we had five or six different areas where students competed um and we

021have potentially as we started started small but there are culinary there is uh uh medical nursing there is some other leadership pieces so there there's a wide array we only started with participants in five different competitions at this point in time >> but if you had the wherewithal you could have people involved in x amount of >> 70 80 participants from our from boy memorial high school participating at at the state competition. Yes, we may have a problem of having to send 10 12 15 kids to nationals yet you are right Mr. Henkins. >> Okay, thank you and congratulations. Uh I I don't take the honor that is that that is Joe Kugi um and lead who is the who is the student leader teacher leader of Skills USA and what they do with the

022it's a studentr run organization and they push themselves >> Carol Fox. >> Um we're we're very proud of these students and we're very grateful for the programs that you've put in place. Um and we can approve 8,000. We could approve 2,000. We could approve nothing. We don't have any budgets. [laughter] So, if we approve it, it's gonna have [clears throat] to come out of somebody else's budget, right? I mean, that that's the reality. Um there was apparently something that somebody said was a superintendent's budget that did some board things. Um if we had something like that, it's gone. So, we could say, "Okay, we'd be glad to do it." But, um then Dr. Anderson's going to have to go look and and it's going to have to go look in somebody else's budget and see

023if there's any leftover. And if there is, I'm all for it. If there's not, um, you know, I guess it's going to have to come out of your CTE budget. Um, what I would say, and it's nothing to do with you, is that as the board, we need to get out of the business of of having people come and asking us for funding for special events. Somehow that needs to be built in to somebody's budget, either the TLE budget or the high school budget or somebody's budget. There's a little money set aside for people who win contests or do special things. Um, but to have people come and continually request things when we would really we don't have any funds to give. Um, and then it looks like we're being mean to that group because

024we gave money to that group. And that's just that's just not really what we should be doing. We're here to support all of our groups and and and everybody. >> So, if Dr. Anderson thinks he can come up with somebody's budget somewhere that there's an extra $4,000, [clears throat] um, you know, so be it. Otherwise, you're probably going to have to take it out of your CT. [clears throat] and board member Fox, I I I'm I'm well aware that and I hear that and it's other organizations have been have asked and have been and so to support my group I I have to come forward and ask for that and I fully understand that. But that's also why our students are there competing now because I said it's that important and I did pay for

025out of my budget um which it takes away from something else and that is the reality of it. But but I did have to come forward and then request this from the board. So thank you. I I do appreciate that as well and I do not take it personally. >> No. We gota we've got to get out of we've got to you know we just can't be continuing to have people come and and um requests request money somehow especially for people who win contests or do special things like that. Um it needs to be built in and or planned ahead. I mean obviously you need to start planning now because [clears throat] you're likely to have a lot of people that are going to be going into that. I'm my personal take is the um

026the Ellington thing they need to start planning now because they've been going year after year. They're probably going to go again and you know we need to be getting out of the business of saying yeah we're just going to give you extra money. But um like I said, I think um procedurally and financially we need to come up with better systems for how we support um things like um people who win contests or need to go on unexpected kinds of um excursions. >> Any other board? Joanne Rue. >> Yes, thank you. I was just wanting to say I 100% agree with what Carol is saying. Um, congratulations again to the students. Fantastic. It's we we don't have any money and so we need to come up with a policy or have a budget line item

027somewhere in our budget that takes care of this so we don't keep having this happen because it's hard and I don't know. It seems like there should be another way. Megan Miller, >> thank you. Um, when this was discussed at committee, one of the things that was, and I I realize this doesn't satisfy like the full purpose of your request, but because we're having the discussion, one thing that was talked about was how do we make it easier for the community outside of the amazing and wonderful partnerships you already have, and I and I think to Mr. Sten's credit, uh, he did an outstanding job delineating the many, many, many ways that our our business community partners do so much for our kids and our district, and we are so grateful for that. Beyond that,

028there is a greater scope of the community who is not part of necessarily that group who would love to support our students. I'm sure many of them are here in this room. Um, so I guess my question would be I think we have something on the website if you look where you can like, hey, make a donation to the district. Is there something that in the spirit I know Mr. Shu has talked a few times now about like marketing and things like that can like how difficult would it be for us like in the meantime while we figure out our policy stuff to set something up where like if I'm a parent or I'm excited you know I can say hey family and friends go to this website and click here and that supports Mr.

029done the CTE budget and you can make like a donation directly too and I realize like with fund 10 and it's more complicated but I guess what I'm wondering and maybe it's more of a Stephanie question is like is that something that in the meantime we could set up >> I don't know Miss Elwood I don't mean to put you on the spot but like is >> it is getting a little off topic so it >> it is and so I >> I mean if if Mrs. Elwood wouldn't excuse me if executive director Elwood wouldn't mind responding in email or you guys could take it off um off off to the side that would be great. >> That's great. Thank you. >> A question. Are there any other board member qu um Bill Johnson? >>

030Yes. Thank you for all you do. Um, my cousins are teachers in California and they're involved and they sent people to this and I talked to him and there is a guy I don't remember his name but he said that the first year you win they'll they'll pay for the first place person to go to this training and I will get you the name of the guy and stuff. He's a involved with stuff like this because they did actually win the masonry there. >> That would be awesome. We we will take any any links or possibilities for resources that we can. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Dan, did you have any questions or comments? >> Okay. One that I have, Dr. Anderson, is so this request is for between 4 and 8,000. Um where do

031we stand right now? Is is this um something that we can do? Is there money somewhere? Is it a a challenge to go out and find something? >> Well, I would say the good news is that originally you would plan to go into fund equity um you know to help balance this year's budget and it looks like we should finish okay. So, but finishing okay means I don't know that you're going to have much leeway for just what we normally budgeted unless you go into um other funds. So, if you're asking, you know, if we don't dip into any um additional funds like the OPED or the fund equity, which you had already approved, I guess when you passed this budget, then I'm going to say I don't know that I think we're going to

032be really close. I don't know you have any. If you want to go and use some of the money that you had originally allocated when you passed the budget for the 2526 school year, then the answer is yes. Because right now it looks like we will not have to go into it to balance the 2526 budget. But in just a second we're going to talk about 2627 and that will be you know different conversation. So depending do you could we find something somewhere? The answer is probably something somewhere. Uh but we are going to be pretty close to finishing right even >> Tom Henkins. >> Thank you. Which leads me to a question. um the sale of McNeel in the 680 I think net or somewhere in that that just get absorbed into fund 10

033and I mean it wasn't unexpected income and I'm just wondering because people have asked me and I'm just asking Dr. Wayne how that how that happens. Yes, it does get absorbed into fund 10. And that's one of the reasons that you may not have to go into your OPED or fund equity to balance this year's budget because that was income that wasn't planned on when this when the 2526 budget was passed. Thank you. So, if if we didn't sell it, then we'd really be in a hole. >> Ask and answer. Thank you. Is there a motion for approval of the extended field trip to the Skills USA national conference with $4,000 support from the board of education? >> So moved. >> I'll second. >> Motion by Megan Miller, seconded by Joanne Rue. Any discussion? All

034in favor? >> I thank you. >> Any oppose? >> I I'm opposed. Motion carries 6 to one with Carol Fox in the negative. Thank you, Mr. Sten. And um Dr. Anderson, good luck. Our next item is the budget D option. And tonight we've got Dr. Anderson with um the cabinet present um helping to present. And the purpose of this is over the last couple of meetings board members have reviewed several reduction options, staffing plans, forecasts, etc. Attached is the latest option, option D. Dr. Anderson will review this option and ask board member for board member feedback. Dr. Anderson. This is a discussion we've had multiple times. I will tell you what the what I hope to accomplish tonight is I'm wasn't I'm not asking you to take action tonight. I do like I would like

035action at our regularly scheduled meeting on the 16th which is in two weeks. But what I would like to do tonight is I would like to be able to leave this meeting and know that I could either make additions or deletions to uh the latest proposal, proposal D, that will garner a majority of support for the board so that we can pass a budget and get on to um other issues we have to deal with. The budget's a complicated item. It's not just the dollars for next year. And I one of the things that I had mentioned and I want to mention it again tonight is I think it would be uh in the board's best interest if we could schedule a meeting this summer um June or July uh because I know that it's

036busy so that we could talk about facilities for the 2728 school year. We already know that with the expansion of the Lincoln Academy that we are going to lose students. Now, we're not going to lose as many the first year as we had originally anticipated because we had originally anticipated that the learning academy would would basically open up all of its grade levels at the same time. That is not going to be the case. They're going to do a phase in which means that we won't have I mean they're still going to take students from us. However, uh it's going to be incremental over a period of a few years. However, we still need to look at how we're going to use facilities because are we going to need all of our facilities if we

037lose another 700 students in the next several years? The answer is probably not. But how are we going to use the facilities? How will we repurpose them? What facilities do we want to use for um education purposes? what facilities do we want to sell? And I would encourage if we can have a discussion at the board level, then I already have right now 31 staff members signed up that would like to be parts of either the reorganization committee or the student enrollment committee. So, we have staff members that are interested in being part of those committees. Um, I want to thank Megan Miller for giving me a list of of uh community members. Um, she's the only board member who has I. So, thank you, Megan. um because I would like to get those committees

038operational to talk. But I think even before those committees or in those committees meet, I think it's important for the board to to have some discussion so we can have some plan on what is it that we would like to see going forward. That may be we keep all of our buildings open, but we repurpose them in different ways. It may mean that we close up different buildings and we uh move programs around. There are multitude of options, but I think if if we don't start having those discussions, we're not going to be able to inform the public and give us time to implement. As I'd mentioned in my board bulletin for the last couple weeks, what I would love to see is I would love to see the board have a um a plan

039for its buildings that it could announce to the public in January of 27 so that we would then have eight months to implement how we're going to make those moves. So this might seem a little bit off off kilter but our facilities do have an impact on our budget and it also has an impact on the referendum. I don't want to structure a referendum question and ask for a new roof on McNeel or on um Mel if you're going to close Merryill that would not be very fiscally responsible. So, I think once we have an idea of what how we want to use our facilities and repurpose them, if they do need maintenance work, then I know that that would make sense to put in a referendum question whether we do that in November or

040whether we do that in April. But it would it would be foolish and I would the public would you know basically tell us how foolish the decision would be is if we decided to go to referendum to put a new onel and then we close. People say well that doesn't make a lot of sense. So these things are all uh interconnected. One of the things that I did after our last meeting was I sent out basically a letter to the board asking how you felt on various topics so that I could construct option D which you see in front of you. I wanted to know about the what was the feeling on the deans at the elementary school and it was overwhelmingly that I should put deans back into the budget. So in option D

041you will see the deans are added back into the budget. We talked about I take my glasses off. We talked about the secretarials. I have two secretaries that are assigned to me that was mixed. Basically was three three and one. Uh one said Wayne you make a determination. One of the things that I was able to do since our last meeting is to meet with our uh our legal attorneys and basically structure something um in pricing and use that should bring us down to $300,000. Now, that still is a lot of money, but it's a lot less than we're using right now. But one of the caveats is that they had trained one of my secretaries to do uh the open records request and that is what she does virtually for the majority of the

042day. So if we do eliminate one and her position was eliminated then the board would have then we'd have to train somebody else to do that um which seems redundant. So, one of the things that I am recommending is that we keep both of those positions. Um, Michelle, um, obviously the board secretary and my secretary continuing, we can take a look at how we can do note takingaking to make things more efficient that way. But we can take a look then at the other secretarial position. uh as I said her majority of her day is spent open records requests but um the teaching and learning have uh their secretary has been eliminated. So what I would recommend is that um if the other secretarial position uh can be transferred so that if there's any um

043any time that she has that she's not working on open record she can take up some of the secretary responsibilities that have been reduced. We talked about career and technical u education. it was overwhelming support that we should continue with the that director position. So I have added that back into the budget in option D. We asked about the director of school health that did not receive uh overwhelming support. Um so that has been eliminated. One of the things that we do have to talk about is do we want to make that reclassify that as a coordinator position because there are a list of duties that go with that position that are somehow going to have to be accomplished and we were cutting nursings also. So it's not that we just got one position. We

044actually cut nursing positions and the director that work has to be assimilated somehow. Um one option is looking at a coordinator position. Um, but that was eliminated from the budget because it did not have support. But I just want to remind people the work isn't going to go away. We have to figure out how are we going to still accomplish that work with fewer bodies. We talked about the steam coordinator. Steam works with um science and math. Um, we have are looking at how we can take that out of fund 10 and move that into a different funding source which would at least save our fund 10 because that's basically when I'm looking at the budget here. I'm presenting a budget uh that's fund 10 which means we're doing it with taxpayers dollars. So we

045are um exploring the option being able to keep that position but to move it out of fund 10. And then we asked about I asked about the elementary alternative school and there's overwhelming support for that. That really should be almost costneutral. We're going to use existing staff and move it around. So there may be some cost but it should be able to be absorbed. But we did hear tonight we heard about the librarians because we did reduce that. There was um you know um 1.0 we reduced it in half. If the board has a strong feeling wanting me to add that, then obviously I have to we have to come up with more money either that's coming up through using more OPED funds. Um then that's p primarily what it's going to be. So what

046I really would like the from the board tonight is option D represents what the results of the polling um that was done by for the seven board members. This is what option D represents. If there are other changes that you would like to see made uh in order for you to for me to get a majority vote, I would simply like to know what those changes are. If there are something that the majority of the board says, Wayne, we want you to do X, if I know what that is, then I will work with the executive team to make sure that that is either in or eliminated from the budget when I bring it forth in next Tuesday. But if we can have those discussions tonight so I know what additional changes need to be

047made, I will make the changes so I can bring that back on the 16th for approval. And like I had mentioned last week, I'm not looking for a 70 vote. Um I first I don't think there's any budget I can bring you would get 70, but I do need to get at least four votes to pass a budget. So if I know what at least the majority of the board would support, I will make those changes and bring it back so that we can do that, this is just one step in the multiprocess. And as Stephanie has reminded me, um it's not that I didn't know it, but it's always good to be reminded. This is a draft budget. Your formal budget doesn't get acted on until October when we know what our true third

048Friday count is and what in all of the other particulars, but our school year starts July 1st. So, we need some type of a plan to move forward on. It's not that we can't make some revisions later on, but let's face it, some revisions are much more difficult to make. [gasps] If you wanted me to move people from one building to another, doing that during the school year, nothing is impossible, but it would be extremely difficult. If we cut a position, you want it hired back, that adds a letter a level of difficulty. If you want something cut later on, it has a level of difficulty. So the as many of the things that we can plan for and put in the the draft budget that can be passed, the better off we are. And

049then what the October is the finetuning, as I said, once we get our third Friday count and we know what all of our true finances. So what I'm asking tonight is if there are things that you would like to see changed in this option D, please let me know. And if there are if the majority of the board wants that change, then we will work to implement that change. >> Joanne Rue. >> Yes. Thank you. All right. So, I got a couple of questions for you. Um, so some of the things are in blue. Are those things that are added into our budget then or new positions? Okay. So, um All right. So we we have the reduction of the executive director of TLE. We did not add in that we have an assistant superintendent

050though now is that why is that that we didn't add that part in >> because we already added that into this budget. So it's already in the 2526 budget when we made that change. So, it doesn't have to be added again cuz it's already in the budget as a position and it's already um we've already budgeted for that position. >> Okay. Thank you. And then um we uh the administrative assistant for curriculum and instruction. Was that previously listed as the two? So, because there's a admin assistant superintendent and then the admin assistant for curriculum instruction, right? Were those the two that were listed? No. >> No. So, there was a secretary that was designated for uh teaching and learning. That position is now vacant. So, it was cut from the budget. Then I have um

051the board and myself have two secretaries. That was on the question. What my recommendation is to take one of those and when the person has when she's not working on open records that she can take up some of the duties that the uh previous secretary for teaching and learning had. >> Okay. So, but at the current moment we have a lot of open records requests that she's filling right now. Correct. She does it virtually all day. That is virtually what she does. And now unfortunately for us is that since she's been trained and she's been doing it now for a while, she has she doesn't rely as much on the attorneys. So a lot of the answers she has. So, initially when she had that, there was a lot of attorney involvement, which meant we

052were paying the attorney fees. Now that she's been trained and has been doing it for a while, she can do a lot of it with She still has to check with attorneys on some, but it is a lot less. >> Okay. Um, and then something else. So, I see a lot of blue, blue, blue. And then down at the bottom there's a reclassification, but that one does isn't blue. Is there a reason why that one's not blue then since it's additional funding necessary? >> Can you tell me which one you're looking at? And then I can >> I'm sorry, I'm I'm still in uh KEK. So it says reclassify HR benefits coordinator to manager and it's an additional $17,000 >> because that was an additional person that we hired uh in the HR department. So

053we've we had hired that uh individual. We recently hired an individual in HR. So that's >> So if I if I if I may, >> I'm gonna give this to Stephanie. >> Okay. [cough] >> I believe the request is to take a current position that we have in HR and reclassify it to a a higher level because with the person that we have doing that position is doing more supervisory work. >> That's my understanding as well. and we eliminated the director position out of HR >> last fall. >> So, it's Yeah. Yeah. It's ultimately a cost savings to have that person pick up more of the managerial um responsibilities rather than backfilling in a a director position. Okay. So then my other question is um so James um did a nice job of uh speaking

054to what teachers are concerned about. I appreciate him talking about like changing facilities right now. It seems like a a a big ask of any staff members to do. Um I understand their apprehension and anxiety over um all of these decisions that are being made. Um he did ask specifically about uh prep time for elementary education uh teachers since if if which for me personally my librarian parah when I was at Royce Elementary was my favorite teacher every year. Um, so if we did cut um all of those positions to half time, how would we cover the prep time for the elementary education uh elementary educators? I mean, what's going to happen is that the principal is going to look at the schedule and find out how they're going to parcel and move people around.

055Um, so will people still get their prep time? I mean, we will figure out some way that that's going to happen because we're, you know, we are obligated to provide them. I'm not going to exactly tell you how that's going to work because I don't know that I have the answer to that because it might be look a little different in every building. >> Yeah, I I still don't understand how we can do that. um cuz um yeah that it'll be interesting to see how that that is resolved and I'm interested in looking at that. >> And just a reminder there are no cuts that we made that are not going to have a negative impact. I mean that I mean in would I like to return the positions that we'd cut back? The answer

056is yes. I would certainly do that. when I go into the various libraries, do I see the people working with the kids and the kids? The bottom line is yes. But the answer is is that we're trying to look at, you know, especially um where we have um where we can move staff members around and not fill some vacant positions to try to fill up the budget hole. That's what we're trying. We're not saying that we can provide all the things next year we provided this year when we have less staff. That's just not possible. But we all know that we do have to make we do have to make cuts. So um so we can't have everything we had before. >> I I understand that. I also understand that our elementary educators get a

057certain amount of prep time each day. Um and some of our buildings are almost at capacity or at capacity. We we have so it doesn't matter um like you only have so many hours in a day and so these these pareducators in our library are taking an entire class of students so that their teacher gets their prep time. And if we take them away half time, then we we're going to create another problem that then we have to solve. And we already have um teachers filling out blue sheets because there there isn't someone someone available to sub for a special or things like that happening. And so this is this is another thing that just in in in wanting to keep as many of our educators as possible. I'm just bringing this up as something

058that I think is going to cause more problems down the road. >> You know what I would I mean and that's part of the the purpose of tonight's meeting. If four board members tell me, Wayne, we need to go back, then I will make the adjustments to make those 1.0 rather than.5. But that also means either I have to find somewhere else to cut which has to be in personnel which is going to just create something somewhere else or you're going to have to tell me we'll let you use additional OPED funds which means the more you use this year the less you have in the future. But that's what this is for because if that is something the majority of the board wants then that is a change that I will make. Like you

059said, what I'm looking for tonight is if I need to make changes to this, I simply need to know what changes the majority of the board would like me to make so I can bring back something that that fulfills those requests at the next regular board meeting. >> Yeah, I understand. Thank you. Um and my last question is just um so uh some people have found out about moving to other buildings next year and so there are people that are saying that we've already moved forward with moving buildings or closing buildings. That's not true. Correct. >> No. The only the only programs that the only program that I know that is moving buildings for next year is I think what is it? Early childhood, early childhood special ed. There's two classrooms and they're going to

060be moved to Merryill because Merryill had the space. >> That's what I wanted to make sure. I I figured that was the reason, but yes. Thank you. Perfect. >> But that's the only one at this point that is moving. >> Okay. Thank you, >> Dan Shu. >> Uh, thank you, Madam Chair. Um, so Wayne, you talked about um the big picture at the start of your comments. Um, I came here tonight prepared to to vote and and move forward with um the recommendations that the administration is putting forward. So I want to say that I'm ready to go tonight if we if we want to. The the reason these next 60 days, June and July, are maybe the most consequential for the next decade for the district. we have this opportunity that you pointed out

061to us or this room before I was part of this group way back when you talked about the tale of two budgets way back in February or whatever it was. Um we have this opportunity where we could be asking the question um what does what kind of district do we want here in Bo after all my colleagues here who've been here longer than me have really made the reforms change the leadership and and done these things but we have this chance here this summer to have our community be engaged in this and I think the the concept of you know which building closing coming first before we ask the question, what kind of district do we want and what would that cost? Um, you know, my vision is have six award-winning elementary schools and two

062award-winning uh middle schools and then, you know, the best high school in the state and and a BLA that's doing great things. I don't know what that costs. I've been asking, you know, what will that cost? What will that cost? I haven't heard that. And I'm ready for this process. We talked about, you know, meetings at every building. You know, is that happening? We talked about other things. We're, you know, we talked about multiple committees. I thought those committees were going to be talking about what kind of school district do we want. Sounds like we're kind of putting the cart before the horse talking about shuffling buildings and selling buildings before we find out. If to give my colleagues credit, you guys have done the hard work here at this table. People in this building

063have done the work. the building people in the building, the teachers and principles and everyone have done the hard work and because the fiscal cliff as Wayne has described it hasn't hit us yet. We have this opportunity now to uh craft a um a vision of what we want in a district now. We will not have this ability two years from now. we will not have this ability to craft this after the cliff hits us or we fall off the cliff or whatever metaphor you want to follow here. So, I'm anxious to um you know, the meeting isn't next week, it's in two weeks. It's not till the 16th. So, now we'll have six weeks left before August 1st. We really got to be done with our work by August 1st to pass something by

064August 20th. Um, so you know, I think the people to the right of me, all of these this group deserve the credit for doing this work. And we may now need to be crafting a district that stabilizes then grow. When I get quoted in various places, they skip the stabiliz. But I'm not saying just add more staff. I'm saying give us a district that we want and is award-winning. So again, I don't have a question for you. You can comment as much as you want on that. I'm ready to vote tonight so we can move on to these next 60 days of conversations about the kind of district that we want. Thank you, >> Carol Fox. >> Okay. Well, I'm not ready to vote tonight. Um, and I have a lot of concerns about some

065of the things that are on here and aren't that are not on here. Um, we've we've been in a fiscal cliff for the last three, four years. It's It's not We've been on this big downslide and we're going to hit a bigger cliff at the end. So, um, we've been doing this a lot and and we really have to to come to grips with the fact we're not going to be a district with six elementary schools. Um, we're we're we're just not. we're just not going to have the number of buildings that we have now. And I I I truly believe that we need to to start doing something about that sooner than later. Um we have um one, two, three, four, we have five buildings that are very under capacity in terms of how

066we're using them. And I I see no reason why we shouldn't do something to fix that in some way. Um, and my recommendation is that we we take BLA and we put them at the high school. And if you can't do that, then maybe you put them upstairs at Merrill. But we need to move BLA to another one of our underutilized buildings. And we need to do something different with Cunningham. That Cunningham is going to need a roof. Million dollars there. Um, you know, we can move even start goes to Mel, but somehow we need to be using our less of our facilities. We need to and not just because of the facilities because we're duplicating services and and we need to not be doing that. Um, and it, you know, we talk about all

067these things we want to add back in. Well, you're right. We need to cut more if we want to add some of those things back in. And I'm not prepared to use that amount of money of OPED money. I'm prepared to use some, but not that much. Um, and we need to save money for some other kinds of things like um needing to add in some of the classroom teachers that we've done some cutting with. I'm particularly concerned about the middle schools. Um, some of those grades um if those numbers hold are going to go up to 32 33. we need to maybe have a teacher to to cover that. So, so we need to to do some of those things. Um, I'm also concerned that 27 of the positions on here are are grant

068positions and we have not seen any program plan or any plan about how we are really planning to use the grant money um to do these things. And I look at some of this stuff and I I too [clears throat] can concerned about the media specialists, but we have in the grant that we're going to add early literacy paraprofessionals. Okay. Why are we cutting our media people in half and adding early learning early literacy paraprofessionals and we don't have a clue what these people are supposed to do. So not seen a job description, not seen anything about what's going on with that. And and if we think we can do that or think we want to do that, maybe we put um the early literary pair of professional and combine them with the media specialists.

069Can we do something like that? I I mean we need to um the reducing the family advocates to a.3. I don't understand how they're going to be used or what purpose that serves. And how is any of this um especially with um the grant money moving the steam coordinated AGR? AGR is K K3. How is that going to work? Um so we need the plans that go along with some of this as well as some of these other things. And it's a it's a great start. Um but it's not enough and and some of these things people do want to fix. I'm, you know, I'm I'm one that we tend to argue a little bit about deans. Um I I'm not saying they're not needed. I'm saying we put a cap on it. We have

070a hard time getting them. We were only able to get three out of the six to begin with. Um so is there what's the purpose? And we got to leave the cap on or we might as well just get assistant principles and then we're adding more cost. So, um I we need more information and we mean more cuts and I fully recommend that we u close one of those buildings and do some com combining because we need to do some of that and if we do some of that then we can maybe add some of these things back in and come up with your health coordinator and your full-time media specialists and and you know some of these other positions that you're talking about. But um you know it's a good start. It's not enough.

071Well, I will tell you that we did tour um Memorial today, so to see if it would be feasible to put PLA in there for next year. And the truthful statement is I don't know how we do it to make I don't know how we would we looked at where we could be a secure entrance to to put people in, how we could keep them separated. And the bottom line, without having architects come in and tell us what we're going to do in the money to do what I'll call interior, um, we could not find what I will call a cost-effective way to do that. But for me to say that, I mean, one of the things that I learned when I do this is that for me just to tell you that doesn't make

072as much impact is that if that truly is what the board would like to do, then I truly think we need to walk through the high school as a board. So you can see the same things that I see. So if there's an idea that you have that none of us could think of, I'd be more than happy to do it. But we did because just because a room a building has capacity and it says it can hold X but trying to move a program into that and keep them separate. That's more than just adding numbers together. And like I said, we went through and there was no way the group of us could figure out how we could do that if the board decided to be real honest. I don't know how if the

073board says Wayne, you're going to move BLA into the high school next year. The bottom line is if we do it, it's they're not going to be two separate institutions because there's no way to keep it separate at this point without putting in additional dollars into the building to make that. So, and I don't think anybody here wants to put additional dollars into the building to do that. So mine is is that for some of these when we say we should move a program from one building to another, we should probably as a board go through and look at that building and determine is that a realistic ask that could be done. What I've said is I truly believe whatever it is we want to do with our buildings, if we want to keep them

074all open and make changes, we need to have those discussions and we need to make that decision well in advance so that we have plenty of time to determine how things can be implemented imple trying to move somebody at this point. We're in June. You're going to pass the budget. At least my hope is um the middle of June. To have things programs moved is more than moving boxes. I just don't see that as something that is realistic. Not that I don't see that we're going to have to move a lot of buildings for 2728, but then I expect that we're going to have eight months to plan how that uh move is going to uh impact people and impact and if it's that we can grow it to keep it fine. Then what are

075we what are they going to still what are they going to look like inside? So I'm not opposed to look at the restructuring. I'm just telling you that we went over and just because capacity says it can hold those numbers doesn't mean we can make those two programs work the way the building currently sits. >> Tom Henkins. >> Thank you, board president. Um many many uh little notes I have. Uh, I'll just start out the first one with the librarians and and I know the young lady's in the back. You know, is there a way to selfch checkck out books anymore? You know, I don't know if that's feasible and I'll just leave that where it is because I don't know and uh I know they're all coded like they used to be when I

076was a kid. But anyways, um Wayne, how many open meetings requests are there in a regular day week? Open records, excuse me, open records. >> Say since they come across since I get to see all of them because they pop on mine, >> I would say we average three to four a day. >> Okay. >> And that involves I I I am really naive. What does that involve? I mean, >> it depends on I mean the various requests and they we have some that are expansive. So the first thing we have to do is determine how long is it going to take us to fill this request if it's going to take >> um well over two hours. >> Okay. >> Then we have to figure out and we have to send the person back

077an estimated cost so that they know that if we fulfill this >> then depending I mean a lot of costs go to Stephanie because they want to know >> right >> I I'll make one up. They'll want to we want to see all the purchase orders for these companies for the last 10 years. [snorts] >> Um, okay. I don't want to >> experience in this district and your other districts. Are we above normal? [laughter] >> You have more You have more open records requests in one week [laughter] than I had adding all of mine up in all of my other districts in total. Wow. >> You are I don't know if there's any district that I have heard of that compares with the number of open records requests. Literally, >> right, >> you have three

078or four a day. And I would say a normal district >> might have 20 or less a year. [laughter] And somebody who asks for an open records request, it cost them no money, right? >> Nope. I just submit something. >> Yep. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, you touched on legal in-house and you touched on and you and I have had conversation with uh or not in house. They're not in house but uh you know elim or reduction of 100,000 and you and I have had conversation that uh they just they asked if they could or they said they could trim money money money and uh my thought to you was back well where was that for the last three years they know we're in dire straits but anyways I still would like to as a

079board member one board member like to still pursue looking bringing legal in house and uh hiring someone. I think there's cost savings there. I know we have to have somebody else on retainer for special cases and uh things like that, but I don't want to put it aside and say, "Okay, fine. Uh we'll we'll uh just keep moving forward." Um, >> and that is at least one thing that we could I mean that's not so much a time constraint as much as the rest because >> let's say we're going let's say that you know cuz we track these expenses especially legal every month depending on what it is. we'll know whether or not we are staying within that threshold or whether it looks like we're going to be and if we think that we're not

080going to be able to maintain the threshold. We could go out and you know and post for a position and look at hiring and interviewing like we do for any other position >> at any time throughout the year. >> You know as well as I do how much we're spending on legal in this district every year. Um, be that as it may, I also suggested to you to bringing in a hiring a a grant writer. Um, I thought I know everybody's I thought that there was one person, but in conversation with you and other people that, you know, if Missy has somebody she wants, you know, she does it or whatever. I'm And I asked you about this and you said we, you know, a ballpark 7075,000 with your colleagues. you've talked about. To me,

081that money is money well spent to bring in an in-house grant writer for these uh all these things that are out there that maybe we're not going at. >> And you're correct. Is that one of the things when you and I talked is that there was um different schools in our conference listed various positions that they had and what they were paying them. And there were several school districts in our conference that do employ grant writer and the average salary fringe was around 70 to 80,000. >> Well, I just as one board member like you to investigate that and and uh you know I know it's another cost but I think that that would be well worth uh their their their salary. Um, getting back to BLA, if my memory surgery right, they were at

082Wright before. >> That is correct. >> And Wright was set up for them. And I know it's a it was as a graded school. They were small this, small that. Um, you know, we we have well supposedly shuttered right, but not really because Hess is in there. Um, another option might be to move BLA to right back into right. That's just I'm throwing it out there. >> Yep. And to be real honest, um, and maybe there's people here that understand reason. I don't know why they were moved from Wright to Cunningham. Maybe maybe Betsy does. I don't I was looking to see if she was there. I mean, that was the decision that was made. My assumption is that there was some reason behind it. Correct. >> Because we were going to we're going to

083we put it up for sale. So they moved them out, which makes sense, but we haven't really shuttered the building because Hessa is in there and we're still paying heat and electricity and all this other stuff. So if if you're telling us that it's not uh a viable option to put them back in the high school, oh, let's just uh look explore putting them back at uh at right. That's Thank you. I'm done. >> Thank you, Megan Miller. Thank you. Um, thank you so much for option D and for the time that you and everybody put into it. It's I think a really good reflection uh that's helped move us all forward and thanks to my colleagues for their comments so far. So, um I like several of other folks who have spoken. I do

084have a couple of specific staffing questions, but I'll just overall um I really appreciate where like I'll just Carol specifically like where you're coming from like we need to do things sooner rather than later. I want to present an alternative perspective that's centered like yours is in like how do we preserve the best possible student experiences because we do seriously need to manage our budget and our budget is in service of providing the optimal student experience that we can right to kids in our community and as as a person who is working in schools I would say that I appreciate where Dr. Anderson is coming from about waiting to do to clarify what could facilities look like based on a facilities assessment based on a needs assessment of the enrollment and programming needs of the

085current students that we will have in our district and taking that time to be very planful because a that helps us make a better informed decision. Um I just I don't believe that good decisions are made in urgency. And two, it also allows for some transition time so that teachers can um you know teachers, teams of teachers, pairs, administrators uh can take this year to be thoughtful and plan and prepare and also help our families transition. So I just like overarching themes I suppose. Um, I'm in favor of going slow to go fast and centering things on like what will the lived experiences be for our students and the quality of education be for our students. Um, and of course the quality of the year for staff as well. So that's kind of like my

086main point of feedback. Um, for me a couple of non-negotiables um, if you're looking for consensus. I was very intrigued by I think it was Carol's uh suggestion about maybe rethinking how we could provide early literacy services by preserving the full um FTE aotments or allocation I should say for the library positions. I think when we look at we haven't even really talked about like behavior and discipline so much this evening but that is a huge need in our district and the more caring trained adults we have in buildings the better for our kids. So even if it isn't their specific like job to be dealing with like behaviors or or managing um anything relationship building that comes from from having like a friendly safe person at the library is is you can't put you

087can't put like a number value on that. And again, as somebody who is currently working in schools, a lot of kids find safe places and some the ability to regulate by being able to have those safe people that aren't always classroom teachers. So, I am not in favor of cutting uh the library specialists down to the 0.5. I do think that we've heard some creative ideas about maybe some ways to repurpose some roles. Um because you're right, like we're not going to get to a best case scenario that doesn't come at a cost. And I hear that. I for me I I think the more building folks we can have in buildings consistently for our kids the better. So that's one thing. Another thing would be um on that itemized list that you provided my

088gut instinct is to say that I'm against making cuts or reductions to the arts and music positions. I think specifically they were at the high school, but I also to Carol's point I would love to see like a plan for that and like what's the plan to accommodate like those classes and services. So, if there is a plan in place for that, like cool, but if not, like I'm not interested in cutting arts and music uh for similar reasons. Um there's definitely academic positions that we need to prioritize, but there's a lot of data out there that and just lived experience common sense that shows that uh kids who can stay engaged in school who aren't necessarily like your super like core academic students, they find that engagement and higher attendance rates and success because

089of what the arts and music does for them. like there's bodies and bodies of research behind that and that just seems like an easy win. So, if there's a plan for that, amazing. If not, I would say let's let's try to keep those. >> And I can actually give you an answer on that right away. >> Yes. >> And that those were cut because the enrollments in those classes were extremely low and you have enrollment numbers that say that if you have classes that are 15 or less. So when we looked at the various ones of what could be trimmed, those were classes that had very low enrollments, that's the reason they were made. >> And I totally appreciate that. I will say that when I taught at the high school, I taught AP European

090history and I absolutely had to I ran a class at 12 students because there's certain times where people make decisions like, yeah, we should follow the policy, but and so I would just say like that's something I would love a little bit more. press star six to unmute. >> If there's some wiggle room on that, that would be cool. Um, and I I know Miss Carpenter has sent in some some thoughts on that as well. Um, but just in the spirit of sharing where we are, that's where I'm at on that. Um, the school health plan piece, I'd like to hear a little more information on again with needs assessments. Um, to get a little personal, it is the anniversary of uh my best friend from high school's uh death. She died of an asthma

091attack at the age of 15. And I literally just like a month ago almost to the date just received a really comprehensive training from our school district nurse that included what are the protocols and emergencies for um kids who are having an asthma attack as there's some recent legislation around that and I have no doubt that our district is well on top of that because we have a health staff that's really committed and and fidious about that. So um I share a lot of concern around that but I also believe that a lot of thought has been put into this plan. So, you've already said that there's going to be future discussions about how to meet those needs. And I really really appreciate that you shared that. Yeah, we still have to meet the needs

092that are there. I would love to at that prior to or at that 16th meeting like hear a lot more detail about how we're handling that. >> I just want to be clear when we cut positions irregardless of where we cut them. We are not going to be able to absorb and provide the same service we did. So like for nursing and the director there is no plan that I can give you that says that we are going to be able to provide the same level of service this upcoming year that we did this past year. It's not feasible to do. So what it will be is there will be certain things that will have to be prioritized that these are the primary things that the role has to be done. These are things that

093we were doing that we now have to put aside or we maybe have to put into, you know, um, some things are not going to get done. Some things other people are going to have to do. I don't want anybody here to think that we're going to cut positions anywhere and still provide the same service. That is a fallacy. That is not going to happen. We can still provide services, but they're not going to be at the same level. And I don't want anybody confused thinking that we can cut irregardless in providing the same service because I don't believe that to be true. >> No. And I appreciate that. And just, you know, as a a parent of a my youngest child has asthma, um, and and that's certainly not the only thing, but I

094think we heard in public comment a couple weeks ago, too, and it's not really news to anybody. Um, Rock County and particularly Bo, we have uh some of like the worst air quality levels. I just got a notice in the mail a couple weeks, months, I don't know ago from the city about, hey, check, make sure your pipes aren't made out of lead because that's your homeowner's responsibility. I mean, we have issues here that disproportionately impact us in Bo, maybe in ways that other districts aren't impacted. And so, I just I would just urge us as a decision-making body as much as is possible to prioritize like the immediate health and well-being of our students, right? And and and that's not to get down to the dollar value of that, but I mean that's that's

095a huge enrollment issue. Like parents need to feel safe sending their kids to school. And I want to make sure that as we are communicating out here's here are the cuts and changes we're making. Here's how we are maintaining prioritizing student health and wellbeing [snorts] because I know that it is everybody's intention here to do so. So, I hear what you're saying and if it's a matter of like, you know, here's how we've tiered our support like response services to prioritize making sure we have like adequate health staff like these places at these times to hit like these needs, but here's where some other things are going to give that's like maybe like the band-aids didn't get refilled right away. I mean, like, you know what I'm saying? Like, I think that's a level I

096don't want to get too into the weeds, but I do think like when people hear we're cutting nurses and we have so many health problems that require so much attention. I think that has there has to be a little bit specific detail in terms of like the strategy that we're using to make sure that our our our kids are safe at school. So that's that's some feedback and again 100% we're not getting out of this like unharmed. I get that and I and I think you've done a really good job communicating that. So thank you. Um just needed to bring that up. And then lastly um as I'm look thinking about Mr. Shu's comments. Um, like my brain makes a T-chart and I think about what are the cuts that we we are making that

097we should make because we are reshaping our district to thrive in a new normal with like different enrollment numbers. And that's my goal here as a board member. Like I'm we are going through a transition time. Enrollment's going to fall. We can look at this like this is like the car is on fire and we're spiraling out of control in emergency. Or we can be calm and level-headed about it and say, "Hey, things are going to change. What what do we want them to look like when they change? And how do we make really good decisions about what to cut and reshape in order to create and grow a thriving district?" And so like I'm there. I think there are this side of things where yeah, we should be making these ultimately like these facility

098changes and things like that. I think in the spirit of not only visioning but preparing well for a future referendum, there's got to be that other side of the T-chart which are things that we are cutting this because we have to right now because of the fiscal metaphorical whatever, but we want to bring these back and here's what this will cost. So I think it would be really helpful to me and to probably like the staff and community members that'll be on the committees for us to sort of categorize those pieces because this is a lot for people to digest even in this room right now. And we have to be mindful of like how are we communicating that well right like to our stakeholders and inspiring confidence and trust uh in people's um people

099are sending us their kids so we don't get seven 500 you know whatever open records requests a month or whatever we're getting right now. So, um, that's kind of my large scale feedback. And so, I guess just to summarize, um, I'm I'm just hopeful that we are going to see a budget on the 16th that prioritizes like just the sustained well-being and quality of instruction as much as is possible and experience for students and staff. Something that's based in a needs assess, not a big long months process, right? But just an assessment of what are our needs and how do we best meet them now and what are we building toward? So like I I feel like it should be needs driven and I guess um and just thinking too about like how are we

100communicating clearly with our stakeholders that we're doing this kind of painful stuff and it is in service of providing the best quality you know care and experience for our kids. Um quick aside because I just saw a note that I wrote to myself. We have in the past contracted with a grant writer. So if that is something that we want to explore that I don't know if that's cost savings or not but anyway thank you very much. much. I know I had a lot to say, so I appreciate your time. >> Thank you, Bill Johnson. >> Yeah, I think pretty much everything is covered. I um I didn't see anything about some of the extra coaches we had that we had talked about reducing. >> We had now since we had run over the last

101couple years $100,000 approximately over budget, we kept. So we are taking a look at you know like where what coaches do we have that may be um in our lower number sports. So we are going to maintain our budget which was the 280 that we've been overspending to make sure that we spend that amount. So it's not that we cut it but you've spent overspent it by 100,000 each year. this next year we're taking the pro we're taking the steps so that it's not over spent. >> And the other thing is I I agree with Tom about uh BLA. I I think I used to deliver food there and you know if we could save money by being there because for some unknown reason they spent about $200,000 on the kitchen before you were here

102at Easter break and closed the school in June. Thank you, Bill. Um, before I cycle back through uh board members comments, I want to remind board members of our uh policy 610 fiscal management goals. Um, basically the development of a budget will be allocated for the greatest educational return. And some of the bullet points include maintain adequate fund balance reserves. Well, we blew that a while back. Maintain the level of expense needed for highquality education within the ability of the community to pay. Again, we haven't had a referendum passed in the in the last three years. Utilize long range budget forecasting in a conscious e conscious effort to maintain a balanced budget. maintain the present priority of PK-12 curricular and program articulation. Carol Fox. >> Okay. Well, um, and I I agree with a lot

103what Megan was saying. We do want to do the optimal experiences and you're right. We can't provide the same level of services, which is why we need to talk about consolidation. Right? Because when we start consolidating things and and putting things together um then we can provide better service. I I mean you know I don't know how often BLA needs a nurse but if they're in a facility where a nurse might be more available then the nurse doesn't have to run over for that. Um you know we've been having discussions lately about cleaning services. one less building to clean. Maybe that might give them um more ability to do a better job in some of the other buildings. Um and and then there's the staff pieces that go along with it. Um so I I

104still don't understand how we can have a building that large and we we can't figure out anything. But there should be still some other options, right? We could uh uh Merryill is halfused. BLA could go upstairs, the little kids go downstairs. Figure See if you could figure that out. Um, how about moving them over here to Coll? Um, you know, it's just just the more we can figure out how to consolidate services, the better off we can oper off offer better opportunities for our kids. Um, running a building like that is also not very fiscally responsible to our community. Um she just read something about how, you know, we need to do it within the the balance the budget within what the community can afford. And we're looking at a $5.7 million deficit. We haven't

105passed referendums and the community can't afford to be running buildings that are hardly used. My final comment is I do think that if we want to pass a referendum, we do need to be doing some some more um braver things. Maybe that I don't know if that's the best term, but we need to be doing some things that get people's attention. Um because if if if we don't, they're going to continue to think that we don't really have the problems that we say we do. um and that you know we we can come up with the money somewhere because um we always have we always will. Well, we we aren't and we can't and so we need to be braver and we need to do some braver things. Um, and I guess I have one

106more. Um, and that was that, you know, we did talk about how we wanted to maintain the focus on the buildings and on the on the students and on the on the classrooms. Um, and so if we can work on figuring out ways to save money by not having to to do facilities that we shouldn't be using, then maybe we can put some things back in that we think we really need. and the media specialist is the one that comes to mind because that was the subject today. But um there are other things that we we want to make sure that we have for our kids in the buildings. >> The one thing about moving buildings though, I mean we're in June, we're talking about something would have to be done by in August. It's

107just that moving programs is more than moving desks and students. And I just I recognize our buildings could look different in the future. I'm just telling you that to try to make something work and work from now to August. I think that would be a rush decision that we're not talking. You mentioned Mel and mine is there's been no discussion. Do we want to mix elementary kids in BLA? I just think you need to have discussions on those things before you make those decisions because >> that's why we prefer to put them at the high school. But you keep insisting that there's no way that we can do that and there's no way that that can happen either. And and I would tell you that this district has moved people a lot. We've moved people

108often when things weren't even ready. the teachers moved into Cunningham when the building wasn't even finished. Um, so I I think that, you know, I know it would be a stretch and I know it would be hard and I know there'd be some things that maybe didn't get moved right away. Um, but I I think if we if we come to grips with it, we can do it. Thank you. So the board has received option A, option B, C and D. And I will point out to everyone that all of these are deficit budget options. There's none none of these are a zero balanced budget. Um, we would, um, if we go with any of these, we will have to dip into resource money, which I am not a proponent of. That's why when I

109first looked at this, I just went right down to the bottom line. Oh, option B. Option B is the one that's got the um, closest to a balanced budget for the 2627 school year. And I do think that we have to get creative this year with what we are doing and spending our money on because of the huge financial cliff that we will be facing next next year. I know moving programs isn't easy. It's not fun. But I think we have not um taken a a good look at why BLA was placed at Cunningham and whether or not that was a um wise fiscal choice. looking at um at a earlier board meeting I had compared the energy cost per student by building and questioned why Frzen was higher considering it's a newer building but

110per student at BLA we're spending over $900 a year for energy costs. Well, that got me thinking, well, if we took it a step further, what are our staffing costs per student? So, I did that calculation and lo and behold, we're we're spending um over $11,000 per student per year at BLA compared to our lowest um building, which would be Robinson at 5,286 per year. comparing putting these costs together per student BLA we're spending almost $13,000 12,747 per student. Our lowest again Robinson. We I I know Robinson is full and I know they're short staff, but when we look at how much we're investing per student, this is it's it's for as wonderful a program BLA is and for as long as we've had it, you know, I appreciate it. But we are at the

111point now we need to as board members ask ourselves do we want a program or do we want to ensure the viability of the school district of bo for three years from now 5 years 10 years from now because some of the decisions we're making now will have that carryover impact especially if we don't have confidence from our constituents when it comes time for the board to go to a referendum. If we are continuing to pass deficit budgets hoping and relying on some situation that might or may or may not present itself, um we won't have people have much confidence in us and in the decisions we're making. Um, I'm not I'm not in favor of option D. Not because of the necessarily the cuts or things in here. It's just not enough. I mean,

112we we are still 1.7 million away from a balanced budget with option D. And to me, that's I I can't in good um faith go to our constituents and ask them to support us in a referendum if we can't do better um balance coming up with a balanced budget. Megan Miller, thank you so much. So, in the spirit of um consensus building, um I want to well had raised my hand to respond to something Carol had said, but I'll I'll iterate something for you as well. So, I love the idea um Miss Fox like when you say consolidation can potentially provide better services. I fully agree and I think that that's exactly the right kind of mindset that we need to approach all of these things. Um, I had a couple of other thoughts when

113you mentioned acting, you know, with courage. And then Tia, just in response to what you were saying, I I am still I am still happy to vote for some form of option D. And I guess my question to the the board and and to the administration is we do we have two weeks between now and the 16th. I agree with the sentiments expressed by the BEA and by Dr. Anderson that we should be setting off to do a longer very thoughtful facility study and make recommendations. And I'm not saying we should. My question in listening to what Tia just said is, would it be worthwhile for us prior to the 16th to sit down and and find what possible potential facilities changes could look like? And I mean, for the record, I'm not in favor

114of moving BLA to the high school. I I don't think I have enough information to know where we are facilities wise and I don't know if it's right to explore that between now and then, but I definitely appreciate where both of your comments are coming from and I I do think of course consolidation has to be the the way forward at some point. So, thank you. >> Let me just um the mention about BLA and the cost per student. You have to remember the cost per student for the alternative the educational programming and the you know basically the number of students per staff at an alternative school and at an elementary school. It's that's not a comparable factor. I mean the programs are vastly different. If you compared Robinson to Todd, okay, it's the same

115type, but these programs are entirely different. >> Yeah, I I understand that. And I was just comparing the two outliers. So, let's compare BLA to BMHS. So, uh BLA 12,747, BMHs 7,369. you you know we we don't legally have to have a BLA. That's that's something that we the district years ago decided to provide us as as an option. Um I think we need to get the costs for if we are going to continue to have a BLA program, we need to get these costs um much more in line with something like the high school costs. I'm not saying they're go they're ever going to be the same. Obviously, we'll higher need students, higher needs costs, but this this doesn't make sense to me as a school district of white taxpayer. Dan Shu, >> thank

116you, Madam Chair. Um, a couple questions. So, um, as I read the agenda today, I don't know who as answers parliamentary questions and inquiry. Um, the agenda is listed as a board action and recommended action if needed. So, under um, this is a question for Mrs. Schop. Um, we could take action on this if we chose to tonight. It's been noticed appropriately under the open meetings law. Um, okay. So, I've said earlier that we really need the time to make the discussions to talk exactly what uh, Chairperson Johnson and Mrs. Fox are saying and all the other board members are saying about these important decisions we need to make. Just don't know how we make all these decisions in the time we have. Um, so Dr. Anderson, you gave us option C earlier as something

117that you were recommending. Is that correct? >> That is correct. I gave option C and then when we had the the questions about various other proposals, I you know, I crafted option D based on the board responses to those. >> Okay. And then you support you are recommending to us option D >> at this point. Yes. >> Okay. >> But I like I said is that if there are changes that need to be made the thing that I want the thing that I want to do is I want to make sure we get a budget passed so that I can move on. Once these decisions are made, then we can start making other decisions before these decisions are made, then I can't. If you're asking me, do I support option D and would I recommend

118that? The answer would be yes. Okay. Um so I'm going to make a a motion here um for tonight for us to to discuss. Um, I'm going to move option D with one monetary change, which is to keep the library media specialists at 1.0. As part of that motion, I'd like to also direct the administration to uh bring a plan back to um have Cunningham and Wright completely closed for next year. when I don't we can't do that until we act on the plan, but I'm direct we would part of this motion we would direct you to bring the plan back to do that as you heard from the the a consensus here on the um board. So, um I'll make that motion. >> I'll second. >> Would you accept an amend or I guess

119I can I'll wait for discussion. >> [snorts] >> Mrs. Shope, did you get that? >> So, I just want to clarify that I did receive it correctly. I have to move option D, approval of option D with keeping the media at the media positions at 1.0 No. And then to direct the administration to bring a plan back that would have um both Cunningham and Wright closed for next school year for like the start of this coming school year. >> That's correct. >> Okay. Then yes, I did get it and it was seconded by Joanne Rue. >> Can I add an amendment? I I think Megan first requested an amendment. Megan, >> yes, I did. But actually, before I request an amendment, I have I have a clarifying question for Dr. Anderson and then I'm going

120to decide whether or not I want to make an amendment. Is that is that okay with you, President Johnson? Dr. Anderson, I am wondering because what jumped in my mind right away is I guess I don't want to restrict um any kind of facility recommendation that you or the administration collectively might make. So, would you be comfortable with the language as presented in this motion or would you prefer if there were going to be an actionable like here's what we're bringing to the next meeting discussion about facilities to to have there to broaden the language to be facility recommendations for the upcoming school year uh where we could consolidate. You know what I'm saying? I'm not quite I haven't word smiththed that. But do you understand what I'm asking? >> Yeah, I know what you're

121asking. >> Okay, then I'll stop talking. I mean, I think what the what the issue is is that I believe moving programs, facilities details lots of discussions with lots of parties. You're now asking me to come back with a plan in two weeks on how we're going to close two buildings between now and the end of August. I no I don't think that's I think he means next school year. Mr. Shu, can you clarify? >> I was heard from Miss Fox that we wanted more details on how to um you know essentially remove Cunningham from our portfolio. And you know to do that we need more information from the administration. So I didn't put a I didn't put a deadline on it. I said to bring a plan back. It's not, you know, that plan

122would have to be approved by this board and you have to get four votes. So, the the budget would be done. You'd have budget guidance and you have one, you know, homework item to bring back to the board. Um, that's my that was my intent of the motion. Um, and it was specifically to Cunningham um, not to leave open this conversation about um, uh, Merryill and other places until we've had the broader community conversation that we need to have as part of the next few months. >> And I guess that would be my other is I do think all of our buildings have to be taken as a whole so that if I empty out Cunningham and we look at where we're going to move it, what is the plan for Cunning? I mean, I

123truly believe we need to have lots of discussions and we need to start at the board. What do you want this to look like facilitywise for 2728? I think it's just makes it more difficult if you do it peacemeal. Um, will I will we do that? The answer is we will certainly if that's what the board decides, we will do that. But I think facilitywise we'd be much we'd be much better off if we took a look at all the facilities in our district and we said based on what we want the district to look like and what we think we can afford all of the factors what is it that we want how do we want our buildings to look like at the beginning of the 2728 school year and to have a plan

124and then to as I said earlier make a motion let everybody know by January so that we have eight months to implement it. I think that is a fruitful discussion. I would just say that if you try to peacemeal it, it makes it more difficult. >> So then thank you so much for clarifying. Then I suppose the the amendment that I would recommend. Um, I can I can support the first part of the motion. I would like to to suggest an amendment or move an amendment that we instead um ask the administration to bring back its recommendations about how best to move forward with consolidating facilities. And the reason that I say that is that it gets to the spirit of what we're hearing. It doesn't disenfranchise people who um in our community who might

125want to see Cunningham utilized in lie of um it still gets to the consolidation piece. >> Madam Chair, on the on the motion, >> go ahead. So, I've only been on the board for a short period of time, but even before I was even before I was on the board and we were invited into a conversation, I've been saying we need long-term modeling. I learned tonight it's in our policy. I've been asking asking asking for long-term financial modeling tied into what kind of district do we want? I think I I think it's the exact same thing almost every member here wants. So I do not want a discussion that puts the cart before the horse, which is facilities versus what the district wants. So my motion tonight brings in a I'm just asking the administration

126to bring a plan. You may bring a plan back that does not get the support of this board, but we need to put this budget behind us. We need to get on to the big question on the long-term financial modeling of the state of the of the district. That's our I think all of our goal here to we all can make tough decisions but we have to have the time to make them. So that's why I do not want to broaden this because that's not the intent. That's not my intent. Um we are going to have those conversations once we answer the question what kind of district we want. Then we'll ask a question of all of our board members if we support um a referendum that gets to that amount that we need and

127then if we agree to that then we have to ask our community to support that. There's a lot of effort be be that would take to do that. Um but from that we will be able to answer our questions you know what how many facilities we're going to need and going forward. I think the broader question is premature. >> Is there a second on the amendment? There's an amendment on the floor to have the admin come back with a plan to best utilize facilities. >> Sorry, consolidate. >> Consolidate. >> No second. So that amendment dies. Mrs. Fox, you recommended had a recommended amendment. >> Um, yeah. Um, and I don't maybe Dan can walk me through this and see if it's part of it. I'm I am concerned that we we we approve this without

128seeing the the grant plans. Um, and there's an awful lot of grant stuff on here. So, if we approve it, um like I said, there's like there's the uh um what was it? The the the coach, not the coach, the para educator for early literacy. We don't we've not seen anything about it. We have no um job description. We have nothing. So, I'm a a little concerned. So um you know my amendment would be that we also have a plan for the um how they are planning to utilize these grant positions. >> So um may I answer that madam chair? Is that okay? So um I think those are the the DPI literacy are they DPI literacy Stephanie? Are these the DPI grant that we got the the new grant from DPI? Is that what

129those positions are? >> Yeah. No, two of them are not the >> Paris brought forth at one point in time. The other is a grant that we received for additional literacy >> from DPI. >> Yeah. >> No. And um member Fox, is that the correct way? Madam >> whatever Carol will do. >> Carol. [laughter] Um, no. I'm that all makes sense to me as it, you know, um, uh, that makes sense to me to, um, have more information on this. I would like to put the budget to bed tonight, though, in terms of we're passing a draft budget. It's not the final final budget. That's not our process. But we can get on to having the the broader conversations, the fiscal modeling, all that. I'm supportive. I I consider your you know it's a friendly

130amendment to say you bring more information back about the grants and if we hate what we see we can change it. That goes also for for Megan's amendment. I don't want to take any action tonight that speeds up the process of closing Merryill. I don't want to take any action there tonight and doing that. So that's why that's why I no Merryill >> because a broader thing will quick will quickly turn into needing to close Merryill. that is part of a broader conversation. >> So, Mrs. Fox, do you have a an amendment or are you good with it as it is? Um, yeah, I would like to to amend it to to say that we need the plan for with the addition of a plan for um the grant um positions at at least. >>

131Yeah, I'll second that. Mrs. Schul, did you get that? >> Okay. So, that was seconded then by Dan Shu. Is there any discussion on the amendment? Megan Miller. >> Thank you so much. Um, may I ask a clarifying question of Mr. Shu? Thank you, Mr. Shu. I I just I think I might be missing something. So, I would appreciate an explanation. So, I am hearing you say that you would like to direct the administration to bring back a plan and I believe you said it included closing right and Cunningham. That's what I have down. Is that correct? >> Yeah. And then we would have to approve that plan. >> Got it. Okay. Thank you. May I clarify why those two specific buildings are in your motion in lie of a plan to consolidate which implies

132closing one or more buildings. And the reason that I ask is because Dr. Anderson just explained he would like to take the time to look at all of the all of the facilities prior to bringing forth a recommendation. >> So I can only speak for myself. I don't want to push um the cart before the horse. I think we have to answer the question, what kind of district do we want? I think we need to get to that tomorrow through it's only 60 days before now and August 1st. we um we really need to work through these questions and if we're going to do a referendum or not. I don't know if we are or not and I don't know if we'll agree on it, but it's that will drive whether we have massive consolidation

133of buildings or things like that. Um and so I'm trying to craft a motion today that puts the the budget to bed. I heard what my colleagues say. I didn't bring up the Cunningham thing. They heard what my colleagues an emerging consensus on the board. I was trying to react to that. So that's why I included them together. But I think they live together. And again, they it may be untenable. We're going to listen to the professionals. It may not work or it may make a lot more sense for the year after, but let's direct them to do the work that Carol's asking for. You know, they know I want the work of doing the financial modeling and you all want that. That will come as part of this 60-day sprint to August 1st. Thank

134you so much for clarifying because I think when I hear you say and this is what I just I I'm not it's not congruent in my mind right now when I say we don't want to put the cart before the horse but then you are naming specific buildings that the board has not discussed because I do have thoughts and opinions on facilities but since that wasn't the topic of discussion this evening since option D does not include those items and option D is the agenda item listed I as one of seven don't feel that we've had a satisfactory discussion to build consensus as a board about where we specifically want to go with facilities. So I otherwise wholly on the same page I love the idea of moving things forward so people can move forward

135in clarity and I 100% agree that a plan going forward will include a consolidation of one or more buildings. where I am uncomfortable is naming those specific buildings without I'm not ruling either of them out, >> but I'm I I I just I don't even I don't even have a sense of where we're going with that. >> Okay, so right is closed respond. >> It is 9:05. We are over our 2hour limit. I will entertain a motion to extend the meeting by half an hour. >> So moved. >> Motion by Carol Fox. Is there a second by Bill Johnson? All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Uh Mr. Schae, I'll let you respond. >> Um so uh to respond to uh member Miller's question, I'm try right is closed. we are

136essentially occupying it a little bit for insurance purposes which I totally get because I ran facilities at the college. I totally understand that. Um but um I heard a consensus on the board that they want to look a real meaty idea. I mean we heard it's not feasible um couple different options but we I heard also at the table from the leaders that have been on here longer than me that they want to see a plan on it. And so I'm I'm not saying I'm going to support the plan when it gets here because I don't know what it's going to look like. I haven't seen anything on it. So I I'm voting for it. Uh so I can see meaty uh detailed information on it. It may not be possible. >> So when you

137say it, you specifically mean Cunningham and not facilities in general. >> Okay. So Mrs. Chop, >> that's what the motion is. >> Would you please read back and we're talking about the amendment, not the motion, the amendment. Would you please read back the amendment? >> The amendment that Miss Fox made? >> Yes, that's the only one that had a second. >> Okay. So, that amendment I have says move to amend with the addition of a plan um for the grant positions. >> Is there any discussion on this amendment? We're going to take a vote only on the amendment, not on the original motion. So, we're only taking a vote to add that grant phrase into the original motion. All in favor? >> I I >> I Any oppose? I >> the amendment passes unanimously. Now,

138Mrs. Schop, would you please read the motion with the amendment added to it? >> Yes. So, the motion would be to move approval of option D with keeping media at 1.0 know FTE and [snorts] direct administration to bring back a plan for closing Cunningham and Wright for next school year and to bring back a plan for the grant positions. Thank you. Is there any questions or discussion on this? Mrs. Fox, I just want to say um the idea about Cunningham didn't come out of thin air. It came out of option B. Okay. So um it it's it's even only part of option B, but it seemed the most doable part to in my humble opinion. And we're not talking about selling Cunningham. We're not talking about changing it, you know, doing anything different with the

139facility except not using it next year so that we can continue to have a broader discussion about how we want to use all of our facilities. Um, doing doing this one thing is not going to change the dynamic about the broader discussion about our facilities. >> Dan Shu, >> I have my hand up by accident. Sorry. >> No problem. Joan Rue. >> Yes. Uh, so my thoughts in doing this, like bringing back the information about Cunningham will help it be more clear to the board and to the community why either it is a good idea or it's not a good idea. President Johnson, I I have heard lots of um positive responses from the community when you talked about maybe we need to reook at special ed and and how we're staffing it, how where

140in our buildings we're putting it. And BLA is our best example of that in action. And my own child was one of those super expensive children. um he was in a classroom where I think there were eight children and three adults all the time at least. And so um yes, we we do need some of these specialized classrooms and yes, they are very expensive and they do need enough space to to do it properly. So, I'm really interested in what um what the COLA staff comes back with as in response to this information that we're asking for about BLA because um I think it'll help highlight what good things you're doing over there. >> Megan Miller, >> thank you. Um I have two questions. One is a clarifying question for Dr. Anderson. Is that okay,

141Board President Johnson? Okay, so [clears throat] Dr. Anderson, since we've had more discussion now about the intent and clarifying what that motion is, are you still in a space where you would prefer to take more time before bringing something forward or has your position changed? >> As Carol mentioned, if I bring back a plan and the buildings are simply empty for a year, it doesn't change the larger concept. It's just we have two weeks to try to come up with a plan and we will if this motion passes we will do our best. >> Okay. So then yeah I just my my second was just if we could do a roll call vote please. >> Certainly. Tom Henkins. >> Yes. um listening to my colleagues and I've always been in favor of doing a facilities

142planning session. I've talked with Garrison. I've talked to Wayne. It needs to be done before uh we hamstring admin into saying the board chooses to close these two buildings without any reconsideration. I think I agree with Dr. Anderson. We put all the chess players on the board, all the P pounds on the board, and how do we reconfigure the district? Not hamstring them by saying, "Okay, we're going to close this, we're going to close that." Now, how do you do it? I I do not want to tie into building closings into this budget. Thank you. >> Thank you. And I I it's shuttering. So we wouldn't we would not sell or get rid of >> Cunningham because we don't know if we are going to need that because right now Cunningham um is capacitywise our

143second largest building. And in terms of there not being enough space at Blo Memorial for another 118 or 110 students and considering our enrollments continue to go down again from the presentation the functional capacity based on desired class size at BMHS is 2,472. Enrollment as of May 1st was 1,131. Don't tell me that there's not room for another 100 students there. that to to me um that math just doesn't math because doing the running the numbers on this right now we could at point memorial put memorial bla fringen Aldridge Merrill and heck we could put all of Kolak staff there too based off of these numbers now would it be comfortable no would people be on top of each other is what I'm suggesting no but what I'm saying is this is why we keep

144having financial crisis year after year after year. We're not pulling our ourselves out of this situation saying let's kick the can down the road. I'm I cannot support um option D. I can't support option C. I can't support option A. Again, right now, the only option that comes close to a balanced budget is option B. Um, if there's no further discussion, Mrs. Schul, there's a request for a roll call, please. Okay. Carol Fox. I >> Bill Johnson. >> Nay. >> Joanne Rue. >> I >> Tom Henkins. >> Nay. >> Megan Miller. >> Nay. >> Dan Shu. >> I >> Tia Johnson. >> Nay. >> The motion failed. Three to four. Madam Chair, may I make a motion? >> Certainly. >> I'll move option D um with restoring media specialist to 1.0. >> Second. >> There

145is a motion and a second. Any discussion? >> Could we have a roll call vote, please? >> Certainly. Mr. Schop, when you're ready. clarification. What's the second? Uh Joan R. >> No. >> Who made the second? >> Megan. >> Thank you, Megan. >> Dan Shu. >> I >> Megan Miller. >> I Tom Henkins. >> Nay. Carol Fox, >> nay. >> Bill Johnson, >> nay. >> Joanne Rue, >> I >> And Tia Johnson. >> Nay. >> Motion failed. Three to four. >> Dr. Anderson, do you have any questions of the board? We're in the same spot we were when I started two hours ago. And that my goal for is I don't know what to do to get a majority board vote. That's the conundrum. I don't know what to do to get a majority board

146vote. If that's what I'm hoping that's what I was hoping for tonight's meeting to me to bring back another option is pointless. It is. We are you are you have different opinions and I respect that and I'm glad you're doing the opinions. But for me to come up to get a majority I am no closer now than I was two and a half hours ago. So when if the task is what do you want me to bring back in the 16th the bottom line is I don't know and it's not because I can't be creative I can't be brave I can't be all those things the bottom line is I don't know what the majority of the board wants to support that's what I need direction if I know what the majority of the board

147will support I will make the changes necessary to bring something back. But if you want me to try to guess where it's going to be to get the magic fourth vote, that's not my skill set. So if someone can give some direction on what changes you would like for me to make to bring back, I would be happy to do so. But right now, I am no closer than I was 2 and a half hours ago. So I do not have an answer. >> Madam Chair, point of clarification. Yes, >> I have a parliamentary question. So, my understanding of the Robert rules of order book that we were given is if you vote in the affirmative, you can move reconsideration. Do any parliamentarians agree with me on that? >> So, we So, let me just

148let me make a point of order or a point of personal privilege briefly. I know we are up against time. So, um uh Mr. Henkins. >> Yes. Um the second motion was an attempting to get you and Mr. Johnson's vote um for to vote for option D which the superintendent is recommending. That was the goal of the the taking the Cunningham out. Um it would get us moving on the big picture which you all have been working on longer than I have. So that's why I'm moving reconsideration because I really would like to have Mr. Johnson, Mr. Henkins consider um supporting the motion option D and giving the administration option D with the um media specialist added in at 1.0 and we can get on to the bigger question of the planning for the district

149which includes everything all the members on this dis have agreed on we we have to work on all the issues mentioned tonight. So, I move reconsideration. >> Is there a second? >> I'll second that. >> Motion for reconsideration by Dan Shu, seconded by Joanne Rue. Any discussion, Tom? >> Yes. I mean, there's many Mr. issu uh I'm not going to vote for a uh unbalanced budget and uh the ones presented are not balanced and I'm not going to go forward with it and uh Mr. Dr. Wayne is talking about how how does he get consensus? Well, I think a good start would be to bring a balanced budget forward and uh it has nothing to do with your what your uh amendments were to me. Um there are good things about ABC and D. Um

150I I I don't whitewash them all. I just again none of them get to where we want to be at the end of the day. And as you everyone's brought up on this dis forward, our optics are very visible to everyone out there. It's kind of redundant. And uh so I I I just can't be a party to a deficit budget at this time without and I understand OPED and I understand fund balance and all that, but I just think that there's more we could do. There's got to be um that's just my opinion and that's why I voted in the negative and I will vote again in the negative. Thank you, >> Madam Chair. >> Thank you, Tom. Um would the board members mind if we just went down and each board member in

151two or three statements explain to Dr. Anderson why you why you didn't support it or what changes you want to see. So, Mr. Shu, I will start with you. >> Yes. So, I'll be quick. I know the time is um the discussion of a quote balanced budget where we would be spending some of the dollars returned to us by the state means we have to make $1.7 million more of cuts. I don't even want to know how many teachers that means. I don't even want to hear the number. I mean, we just You guys have been doing the work of cutting. you have been doing this work and that that would be a scary number. So Joanne Rue All right. So I've been clear um keep staff because or keep the staff that we have

152here, pay them a a livable wage, make sure that we're protecting um prep times, all of that stuff. I don't want to slash and burn us into a balanced budget because it's only going to cause bigger problems for us down the road. That's what I'm I'm fully in favor of what we came up with tonight with adding the media specialists back in. And I am I as a parent, if we were desperate for taking care of the children in my home, I would use my credit card if I had to. We don't even have to do that. OPED isn't a a loan. It's money we have. And so I am fully in favor of what you brought tonight, adding in the media specialists and using OPED to balance the budget. >> Carol Fox. >> Um

153I think we need to think of OPED like fund balance. It's it's because our fund balance is so low that we shouldn't be using the OPED money um just because it's there. Um, I'm not opposed to using some of it, but I think, um, 1.7 is pretty high. Um, so I'm leaning more towards option B. Um, and I know we can't do all of that, but we can still do some of that. And I think we can get us much closer to where we need to be. And I, like I said before, I think we need to be braver about what we're doing [cough] and [clears throat] and make a statement. Tom Henkins. >> I'm good. Thank you. >> Tom, can you just give um Dr. Anderson a quick explanation of why you either strongly

154supported or strongly opposed option D and what what ultimately you'd like to see happen? >> Well, not getting into specifics, and I know that's probably what he wants, but uh to me, A, B, C, and D, all of their high points and low points. And I know uh you know putting him into one option you know to get a hybrid of all four or five or six whatever you know I I understand where you're where the position you're at Dr. Anderson you want to get a four votes and I I understand that but I think >> I'd love to get seven but I'm being a realist. >> Exactly. That'd be wonderful. But, uh, I think bringing a balanced budget forward would be a a step in the right direction to me and I understand, but

155I'm just saying that's my preference. Um, and not that I wouldn't look at anything else. That's not it. But, uh, I think there's, uh, and I understand. I just want to I just want to make sure people are aware when you say a balanced budget that means that somehow we go back and cut 1.5 million or more which means there are no other places to cut other than staff. So realistically, you're looking trying to do math in my head 20 25 staff that we are going to have to have less than we have now. And I understand I'm empathetic empathetic with where you're at and what you're trying to do. But as a a a citizen of the district and a taxpayer, they're looking at what we're doing and saying, "Well, you know, you're already

156going to lose 700 kids." Um, I mean, that's the other side of that coin. And I'm not I'm not I'm not a big proponent of that. I'm just saying it's realistic. And I don't want to touch I don't want to touch any staff that is FaceTime with our students. And I know you're saying that that's where the B that's where the meat is. that's left. I do understand that. Um I guess just as one board member, I want to be fiscally responsible. I want to be able to go to the public and say we've done every thing we can. And when we do decide to go to referendum, I can stand up earnestly and ring my cowbell and say, "Please vote for this because you know what? We don't have any more money." Megan Miller.

157>> Thank you. So, I would first like to echo everything that Joanne said. I'm entirely the same page. I'm going to add two additional comments. One, I just want to commend the administration because I think you brought us a budget that was very responsive to the feedback that staff had had provided and they're the ones who have to execute the vision and budget that we set forth. So that is one additional reason that I support um option D. And the second comment I'd like to make is for us as a board to exercise some some flexibility in thinking about the vocabulary that we're using when we talk about what the community can or cannot afford. I, as a member of this community, wholeheartedly believe that we cannot afford to make $1.7 million worth of cuts

158to the investment in our children. And I will cite one of many um studies on this subject, which goes back to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, that for every dollar you invest, particularly in early childhood education, it yields another $8 in uh the gross domestic product and all this kind of stuff. You know, it's particularly to local communities. There's a Kalamazoo study. There's all these different examples we can look around and see. So, uh, to me, I find it to be extremely fiscally irresponsible for us to make unsustainable and frankly untenable cuts that are not necessary at this particular moment to our district budget. So, that is why I will continue to fully support option D with the addition of maintaining our library media specialists at 1.0 FTE. Bill Johnson, >> thank you for

159all your work. Um, I don't want to spend any more, [clears throat] excuse me, oped money than we have to. I know that it's a hard decision, but these are all hard decisions and I just don't want to see, you know, a deficit budget. I I know you're you're doing the best you can. It's just I just can't support it. Dr. Anderson, any other questions? >> No. >> Okay. >> I just have to make the decision to be real honest that I will I don't know that I can lead your district. I'll be wrong. I don't know that I can get you to consensus. I don't know at this point if I'm going to be the right person going forward. So, and since I don't have a contract for next year, you may have other

160options. We I'm just going to have to think about that so we can if I can't lead you, it makes no sense for me to be here. It's just something I have to think about because you need somebody who's going to be able to lead and direct and right now I don't know that I can do that. >> Thank you for your honesty, Dr. Anderson. Michelle Schul, would you read the motion on the floor right now? >> I withdraw I withdraw my motion for reconsideration. >> Okay. Thank you. Our next agenda item is executive session. A motion may be made and a vote taken to convene the board of education in close session pursuant to section 19.85 parent one parent F of the Wisconsin state statutes for the purpose of reviewing the expulsion orders of

161the independent hearing office officer pursuant to section 120.13 parent one parent E4.H H dot of the Wisconsin state statutes. The board of education shall upon review shall upon review approve reverse or modify orders. Is there a motion? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion by Joanne Rue, seconded by Carol Fox. Mrs. Schop, >> Dan Chu, >> I. Megan Miller. >> I >> Joan Rule >> I >> Bill Johnson >> I >> Carol Fox >> I >> Tom Henkins >> I >> and Tia Johnson >> I. >> Motion carried unanimously. >> Thank you. The board of education may reconvene to public session in order to take any action if necessary on items discussed in close session. We are going into close session to review the independent hearing officer's expulsion orders. Thank you. Have a good night.

162Everyone else has left the call.