SDB - Policy Committee Meeting - 7/2/2025 (4:00 p.m.)

001Good afternoon. Um, this is a call to order for the Wednesday, July the 2nd policy committee meeting at 4 PM. Mrs. Shopee, could you give us a roll call, please? Yes. Juan Romero, here. Tom Henkins, here. And Brian Nichols, here. All members are present. Okay. Uh for the agenda, I have a couple I actually have three uh m minor changes. Uh Mrs. Schop and and uh committee members. So 2 A, 2 C, no 2 A, 2 B, and 2 D should be second readings because they've already been through here and back. So it should be read us be show us second readings. So, could I get an approval of the agenda with the changes? So, moved. Second. Have a first and a second. Any discussion? Uh, yes, I do. So, by by changing that with

002Robert's rules and posting and stuff, are we still covered? We're still good by changing that. Okay. Thank you. Mhm. Any other discussion? You said that was uh 2 A, 2, 2 A, 2 B, and 2 D. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Any other discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. I. I. Motion carry 30. And could I get an approval of the minutes? So move. Second. Uh first and second. Uh any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. I. I. Motion carried 30. Okay, the first item on the U policy agenda is 2A185.4 policy committee proposed title policy and human resource committee for second reading. So I will open the floor for discussion. So, do we remember what it was brought back for? Well, um there were concerns uh that

003it shows on the uh on the agenda page. After going to the board of education, there were concerns brought forward regarding evaluating, recommending changes with the diversity, equity, and inclusion lens. Much discussion about having the human rituals as employment recommendations coming to the committee before the full board of education and the implications. Through discussion, it was clarified that any amendment denial with this justification would still be brought to the full board of education. Languages was added to clarify these two roles for the board as well as the public. Mr. Nichols, do you mind reading that top part again? Just the top portion that you just read. Sure, please. After going to the board of education, there were concerns brought forward regarding evaluating, recommending changes with the diversity, equity, and inclusion lens. much discussion about having

004the human resources employment recommendations coming to the committee before the full board of education and the implications. Through discussion, it was clarified that any amendment or denial with this justification would still be brought to the full board of education. Language is added was added to clarify these two roles for the board as well as the public. I guess from a question perspective, Mr. Nicholls, if you don't mind me asking, um the the top portion of the policy under where it says human resources and recommendations review, I think the board had like like it like it stated had questions about the recommendations from HR coming here and then you know like what does that actually looks like? I mean from the district administrator's perspective I would prefer if we're looking at the current policy the top

005portion where number one states the policy and human resources committee is responsible for reviewing and studying human resources recommendations submitted by the superintendent and just put period there. period. I mean, not not comma or period. I mean, we can start a new sentence, but I guess the goal could be to seek additional information or further further clarification on the human resources exhibits because I think there was a hold up with it stopping possibly, not necessarily stopping, but it being a threeperson decision whether or not it moves, not necessarily moves forward, but it being only on time, we can do it here. So, I think the human resources committee, this committee in essence, could look at our recommendations and seek clarification or further information. I'm just trying to figure out is that the goal or are

006we trying to do something completely different? Because when you get into number two, we roll into, you know, recommend approval, superintendent's recommendations, recommend amendments, and are we going to do that live or are we going I mean, it's just a it creates a lot of different functions when you start looking at exhibit A. Sure. Where were you reading from, Dr. G? I'm sorry. Turn. No problem. I was reading from the actual policy that was written um at the bottom where it says personnel and human resources recommendation. Um Oh, okay. Yeah. Yeah. You human you mean human resources recommendation review? Yes, sir. Okay. And so I would I was proposing just strike through the prior to full board consideration and saying something like and seeks additional information or further clarifications of the recommendations. I think I

007think we wanted to study how we do exhibit A's or how it we get to that point maybe as a clarification point. But may I'm just trying to figure out what is it that we're trying to get at by doing this at this point. Board member Romero. Um from my understanding this whole this whole exercise when looking back at how when they used to have this going um it was to they were looking at they weren't necessarily going to say no we're not going to hire these people. the hirings would come and they were generally just passed through. However, it did give an option to to put eyes on what's coming through to do a uh something that might flag something before it gets to the board's to the board's view of things. And there's

008been instances where um in the past, I don't remember the exact uh meetings that they had, but they there was a couple questionable hires that they were looking at, but in the end for the general, it ended up going through um is not really not really anything, you know, any hooks and stoppages. But the way that the way that it was because at first I I agree at first I felt like it was going to be a um like a a stall on hiring, you know, but when it comes out to it, it's when you adjust the timing, it falls right into sink the way the way things are kind of going now, but it's just gives an extra little space to be able to put eyes on something beforehand. So, for example, if we're

009having issues like the the schedule A like that we've had recently, they don't they used to not have these kind of issues where we were dealing with um we want to accept these but not these ones. They weren't doing that back then, but we have to do that now. This actually gives us the actual opportunity to handle that before it gets to the board's perspective. You we'd say, "Okay, schedule A comes through. These are the recommendations for hires. These are the um the extra things on there. These are the resignations and the terminations. Okay, we at this point we can say, you know what, let's go ahead and approve. We have we have issues what's going on with with the middle section of it. Let's go ahead and improve the hires. Let's go ahead and

010improve the terminations and departures and separations um and then move forward from there. So, it doesn't necessarily stall the hiring process and in its own, but it gives an extra an extra space to be able to to look at something before it gets to the board's view and then take more time on that specifically when we got more things to handle at the board's view. or here in the policy we're dealing with whatever is just policy and HR related versus you know finance policy uh legislations you know all these other different issues at the board level so that's that's where I was gathering just reading the past minutes from those the previous past years when it used to be implemented it it was more more along the lines of helping helping expedite the meetings at

011the board level as well and to come up with some more concerned questions if needed be and be able to handle it take out all the committees that they were doing, you know, the TLD committees, the the policy committees. They had a different committee back, I can't remember what it was, but they were doing like a lot of shouldering a lot of the the ironing out and hammering out the issues at the policy at the committee level. So, I think if I'm correct me if I'm wrong, um, Mr. Nichols, if if if that's not the spirit of what's going on with this, I mean, is that what's happening? So, to answer both your question, yes. and and I'm glad that you took the time to go back and look at some of the old old

012U minutes and and agendas and so forth. You're exactly right. Uh if you look back, it was um this committee met twice a month, not once a month. And sometimes they met more than that depending on what was needed. There was one meeting that was on a Monday before a Tuesday board meeting and they met for, I think, 11 or 13 minutes and they were done and approved and then it was on the board for the next night. So, uh, that's what I I believe I mentioned at the last meeting that we talked about this was that, um, you know, this this could very well require additional meetings, but it would it would still it would still be focused on getting getting the HR facilitated to move forward to the full board. Um, and yes,

013this was done for quite a while. Now, it wasn't just for a year or so. It was done for a new quite a bit number of years and it seemed to be it seemed to be very successful from everything that I've been a able to ascertain and and uh read from the read from the old minutes. So it's it's not to um yeah like possibly we could have you know foregone some of the uh some of the things that we've gone through in the last two or three weeks with with uh you know uh exhibit A. So, as you so pointed out, so um that's where we're coming from. Board member Henson. Yeah, if I just may weigh in. I I certainly understand where administration HR is coming from being hamstrung a little bit, but

014in the end, um these have to come through the board. And I think if we look on that lens that this has come through board and we are trying to streamline it a little bit and yes there are always going to be questions but if we start answering those questions a little step earlier in the process it may help uh to get the answers to those questions that some of us have as board members. And uh I in the end I it it may be a little bit clumsy at first but I think once we get the hang of how this will work. I think it will help admin and the board to to streamline some of this through. Uh so I understand the reluctance of giving up uh of of people or admin trying

015to say well this is redundant. Yes it is. But I think that uh it serves a necessary purpose and if it was done before successfully u I just think it's worth a look to go back and try to do it that way and that's how I feel. Thank you. Does any thank you board member Hankkins? Sure. Does any um Dr. Gerson does any board member have um any question any idea how many meetings we had this year? Just a general question. How many how many meetings have we had this year? Numerous numerous good over 132. Um and that's that's including you know ad hoc stuff and you know community feedback sessions and um just just 132 meetings. One of the things that our goal is to try to be efficient and more efficient and we

016did run into some bumps in the road on these last two, you know, one could argue on over these last few weeks with exhibit A. Um, but before that, I guess I think we're missing that space as well. We were moving along and if there's questions that the board has, I'm just, you know, want to be reflective here. If there's questions that the board has, my staff is here to answer those questions. And it doesn't have to be a meeting in order to do that. And I'm not. And again, we had 130 some odd meetings. This will add another x amount of meetings to the conversation. Naturally, if we do it twice a month, it'll add, you know, more to that conversation plus whatever we have to do this year. That was just from June

017July 1 to June 30th of this past year. Um, and again that's like all total meetings. Um, and I'm and I'm noting that because I think there is a level of expectations that we all carry to get the job done. The board carries a a weight to get the job done. I truly believe that. And the administration carries the weight to get the job done as well. I just believe that this is this could take us a step backwards because we could actually still do what we're seeking to do by not necessarily having another meeting. Um board members have every right to reach out to us, sit down with us, ask clarifying questions around how we're getting to X, and it does not have to be in another, you know, quote unquote setting of a

018meeting to do so. And I think that is the a space where we can all grow from as well because I can answer questions. You know, yeah, it it does take time to get the questions answered. We all know that. Um based off of what's happening in the school district. Um but for the majority, you know, I try to do my best to get questions answered as as expeditiously as I possibly can as I am receiving them, me and my team. So just food for thought again, you know, we in school for about 190 some odd days and 132 of them was in meetings. That's that's the reality for us based off of what we've had to deal with here in the school district with all of our different challenges, you know, and so it's

019not a that's not a shot at anybody. It's not a shot at anybody because that's not what I'm saying that for, but that is a lot of meetings. And so something to think about. We'll be we'll be adding more to that conversation. And if the goal is efficiency, Mr. Moromero, I hear you say that the goal is efficiency. We can still answer the questions, get questions answered, and still be efficient without having to add another meeting to the conversation. Now, if this was done twice twice a month and I think that's what Mr. Romero mentioned and you just mentioned um Mrs. Do you mind me asking Mrs. Sha a question Mr. Nichols? No. Do you recall it being two meetings or was it I didn't go back and look to see if it was two

020meetings per month. Um when we were back at excuse me in the old building, there would be a regular policy personnel committee meeting along with the other two committee meetings on the um second Tuesday of the month. And then right before the televised board meeting, there would be a short meeting um for just the personnel recommendations before the televised board meeting. So, similar to how we did it when we first when I first arrived that we had the HR committee right before the regular board meeting. That's what we did when I first got here. So, we had the HR committee of the full board right before the regular board meeting. This year we moved it to being in the regular board meeting because it's still a full board having a meeting and we can go

021into close session if needed and kind of go from there. That was the change that we had this year. Um so to try to be more efficient just food for thought, we did do that. We had it right before the regular board meeting. I know it seems like a long time ago, but that's what we did is if I could com if I remember correctly. Okay. Thank you, Dr. Garrison. U board member Romero, did you have your hand up or did you? Yeah. Um, also another reason for this, I mean, yeah, we can send you messages and and emails to answer questions and you know, you know, and and that's that's not to say, but we also we're also dealing with issues today that we didn't have to deal deal with back then either. We

022had we had to deal with more things that we're dealing with now that we didn't have to deal with back then either. This is pro this is kind of attributes to the product of all this other stuff that we got to handle now that we didn't have to deal with back then in the past too. And it's not saying in my opinion it's not saying that we can't drop it back you know eventually but for right now we have to get on top of things. There's lots coming down the pipe. There's things that we're navigating that we haven't had to navigate before. And this is it's it's new area for all of us. it can work, you know, in my opinion, it can work without hurting the streamlining of anything. It actually helps to streamline

023the big board process also. Um, so to that matter, yes, we all can, you know, send messages and unfortunately the realistic thing of everything is not everyone sends the messages. They'd rather do it at the board level or or when at at the meeting to be able to get that persontoerson answer, you know, and that that says a lot for some people. I mean, sometimes I'm that way, sometimes I'm not. So, it just it just really depends. But this actually gives the opportunity to be able to handle some things. There might be some things that we'll ask that could be answered before it gets to the board level, and instead of spinning our wheels at the board level, we could get it hashed out here. That's that's an that's an option, too. Um, it it

024does allow for for more focused and detailed examination of things also before it gets to the board level. we're examining it here versus examining it at the board level again when we're dealing with more issues at the board level than we are in the committee levels. So, it's just it's it's one half dozen or the other in some things, but I do feel it would expedite and stream on a lot of things at the board level. Thank you, board member Romero. I I tend to agree. Board member Hankkins, do you have anything else you'd like to add? Yeah, I just follow up something I've said before that discussion leads to discussion and and I'm not saying Dr. Garrison has always responded to my questions and as had administrative team, but there's a lot of things

025I don't think of until we get into a group setting and obviously we can't talk unless we're in a group setting, sanctioned group setting. Um, so I understand where Dr. Garrison's coming from. But I I say let's give it a shot. I'm uh I do think in the end we'll it will streamline and if it doesn't, we can always revisit it. Thank you, board member Henkins. I do have a couple of suggestions. Um if so um at the bottom of the page human resources recommendations review two after thorough review the committee may recommend approval of the superintendent's recommendation recommend amendments to the proposed proposal or um on C I have I've removed the word recommend and and just put denial of the proposal with justification. That's a key word with justification. This just not just

026not a dead-end u situation. And then the last paragraph, reporting and recommendation. I that to me that's redundant and I would recommend that we remove that. Of course, we're going to forward it to the regular board um and with documentation, etc. So I that's my that's my suggestion. So um if uh there's no other discussion, I would enter I would entertain a motion to approve this um this policy with with the pardon me. Can I ask a clarifying question? Absolutely. Okay. So I just want to understand the um what you guys are saying for the committee in terms of rotation of the personnel rerecks then. So you're saying that you'll meet on the second w or the first Wednesday. So, like just for instance, if you had personnel wrecks on here tonight, you would um

027let's just say to keep it easy, you looked at them, asked any questions you had, and you said, "Okay, they're great. Let's move them forward to the full board." Now, those wrecks are going to have to sit for two weeks until we have a regular board meeting in two weeks or if we need to meet for a short time to move them to the full board. Say that again. Oh, okay. No, I see I see what you're saying. Um, well, there's a couple of things. There's a couple ways we can go. Number one, as as we're here today, we've we've this committee now is meeting at 4:00. So, we can do that uh I'm assuming uh with the approval of the other two members, you know, we can do that if if and when we

028ever need to. So, we can meet at four o'clock. So if um if there was an urgent need, we could meet before the before the board meeting. We could meet on a Monday, which is what I recall seeing in some of the in some of the uh agendas from back in 2018, 19,1 17, whatever date years it was. So they would meet on a Monday and it would be go to the full board on Tuesday. So there's there's options that we we can't we can't look at. I mean, we've had special human resources meetings on a Thursday before to move something forward. So, there's no we're going to we're not going to just do it on Wednesday and forget about it for two weeks. Okay. I That's what I was trying to figure out was

029just like the flow of how it would correct come about. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. Okay. So, question. Can we propose this to be a standard something? Because we we have HRX as it stands twice every month and this seems to be a little bit more convoluted if we move it to just once on a Wednesday and then try to figure out when the next one's going to be. So, is there a way we can kind of if we're going to do this, we need to standardize the time frame in which we're doing it. I mean, if anything, I would propose this policy meeting, this policy committee meeting on a Tuesday so that if that's the case, we can look at it every Tuesday like we're doing right now and at 4:00. I guess our Tuesdays

030will start at 4 instead of 5:30. 5:00, correct? Yeah. And so then it's a way for us to at least capture the twice a month that we're seeking to to still aim for. Okay. As a recommendation. Okay. Thank you, Dr. Gearson. Board member Henkins. Yeah, I remember we had this conversation a little bit. Nothing formal. Um that we change the cadence of our policy meetings to fit that of the board meetings. And so if they're on Wednesdays, we do it every Wednesday prior to every board meeting. and and and if you want to shorten it down to the Monday before or the the I just think uh we've we've changed the cadence before under Dr. Garrison and we can change them again. I think it's duly noted that we need to be efficient in getting

031HR approval or disapproval on how we move forward and uh I'm fully prepared to meet prior to each meeting but I think a little space in between if we meet every Wednesday prior to every board meeting with HR and if we don't need to meet for HR then the regular policy meeting policy HR doesn't need to meet for that, but for this time period right now, uh I don't know if this falls under this or we change something differently, but I understand where where admin's coming from. And I think we need to bend both ways and uh if we need to change our policy meetings, so be it. Thank you. Board member Romero, did you want to weigh in on that? Yeah, I I agree with I was about to say the same thing that

032Mr. Henkins was saying because there's nothing saying that we can't come in. We're we're we're all for move forward movement of our hires in in HR. We definitely don't want to stop that. That's going to hinder progress for our district. So, I mean, I'm I for one am not opposed to having these if we have to have a special meeting to approve a an exhibit or to look at it. I mean that's that they've had that before too as well. So it's it's not out of practice I would say. So this is a question to the to the committee. Would you recommend would you rather meet on Tuesday before at 4 before we meet at five for committee meet reg other committee meetings and then the regular board meeting or would you prefer to meet

033on Monday afternoon and have it ready for for the regular board meeting on Tuesday? I'm open to suggestions and discussion. I would personally have Monday so we have another day to digest it prior to just one hour before we can look at some things. ask Dr. Garrison questions before we go to full board. So I think at least the day would give us some opportunity to do that. Yeah, I remember Monday also because um same thing and also too let's say we we have a question on Monday Monday night Dr. Garrison can research and stuff like that and bring it to the board on Tuesday with that correct information. So it gives a little space on top of that. Then okay on Tuesday we already have the other committee meetings and then the full board.

034So that's it gets a little rough too cuz I'm I'm on a for myself I'm on two committees. Same here. Well, administration would prefer to be on a Tuesday because again we're adding meeting dates. That's what we're doing. I know we're seeking clarification on on HR or HR information, but we're still adding meeting dates. And if we were to do it on the same day of a regular board meeting, you'll still be able to get your questions answered. And like you've just mentioned, if it's been in the past more clarification stuff, why would we need another day to do that? That's just, you know, food for thought. Thank you, Dr. Garrison. Board Board President Johnson, you had your hand up. Yeah. And I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier. I was having technical difficulties, but got

035most of it figured out now. Um, so I'm coming in at the tail end of this conversation. So for again for my apologies for that. Um, other districts have one board meeting a month. I'm not certain how they handle their HR recommendations. Um, and I understand we're not other districts, but I would really like for us to be moving to towards the direction of um stability and um perhaps more um thinking ahead and and planning ahead, being being prepared. And it's it just just seems like sometimes we're like, "Okay, this this this, you know, here and now, this has got to be done." Um, whatever we whatever this committee decides and whatever the board eventually decides, there's going to be transition and I'm I mean, we are I would like for all of us to

036be transitioning towards that mindset of stability. You know, I guess that's ultimately what I'm trying to say is, you know, we, you know, let's change our have a mindset shift towards, okay, everything doesn't always have to be rushed. And um board meetings, I I've attended other school districts board meetings. They're not as long as what ours have traditionally been. you know, we c we can do our processing differently and and I think that would be good for all of us in the transition time. What we could do is have the HR rex um if they have to come to the full board without going to the committee first, that can happen. you know, it's we're not we're not breaking laws if something goes to the full board. You know, we we we have that ability.

037And I just want, you know, as as board president, if there's, oh, oh, we have to do this now. I'm not going to say no, make it go to committee first. I mean, unless it's just really something ridiculous, but but you, you know, we're not we're not trying to obstruct progress. We're trying to streamline things and but I do understand what Dr. Garrison is saying about another meeting night because every time we're in a meeting and every time we're talking I'm looking at the cabinet thinking we are using the cabinet members time and Mrs. Schop's time, Dr. Garrison's time when they could be working on other thing things rather than just listening to board members talk. So there's my two cents. Thank you, board president Johnson. Board member Romero. Okay. So I mean noted. However,

038that's not the only purpose of the committee as well, the HR committee as well. It it was also it was also done to come up with procedures and in ways that we hire things. Are we re are we seeing how we're doing things correctly? How are we hiring? How are we terminating? How are how are things being done that we need to change? Different changes at all. It's not just about the exhibit A's. It's it's other issues along the way as well. Then that's what they were tackling back then too. Um so it's not necessarily I mean the exhibit A's were a big part of it. Absolutely. But it's not the end all of endall. And when it comes down to it, um, they would have it, you know, their meeting on, you know, for

039example, for us it would be the Wednesday. And for us, we have to have everything on the ready for agenda for Friday. Correct. So if we're approving everything or getting everything done on Wednesday for Friday, there's nothing saying that, okay, yeah, we can approve this this part of this here and have it ready for Friday. Come Friday, just if you can tighten everything up for then, then there you go. and we're still on on track for the next Tuesday. I mean, it's still the same process as as far as that goes. That's why eventually, like you said, once we get past that transition phase, I think once we get past that transitionary area, it will be it'll fit in as far as the timeline goes with things. That's why I was like, it can it

040can work. It's it's hard to picture, but it it can work. Put just for President Johnson. Thank you, Mr. Romero. Yes. And I agree that's that's um I I really think we need to have an HR um committee as part of the uh policy committee. Like years ago we it was policy and personnel. Um and I'm antiquated so I I'm understand now it's going to be policy and human resources. It sounds like the hangup is the processing of the exhibit A um recommendations and that's that's why I was talking about that all of that other stuff absolutely needs to get done. We need to look at, you know, long-term planning. What are our our needs now? What are our needs going to be five years from now? what what are other schools doing uh districts

041doing differently that we could emulate and do better or even try new things ourselves. Um but because the HR recommendation seems to be the hangup right now in in trying to move forward with getting HR as part of of the policy committee again. Have you guys discussed possibly just changing um your meeting date from the first Wednesday of the month to the second Wednesday of the month? So that way you have um Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday to ask questions to Dr. Garrison or to you know to have that and then it comes to the full board on Tuesday. That's that's another option. That's I think that's that's the intent behind the is, you know, we could we need to be flexible to whatever works for the district. Uh no, we don't want to we

042don't want to hold up anybody being hired. Absolutely. You know, we've if we do if we do, we may miss somebody. We may lose somebody that would be valuable to this district. So, yeah, that's that that's a great option. So, um, that's why I went back to the, you know, meeting maybe on a Monday to to move it to the board on Tuesday. Um, but that's that's a very good option. Yeah. So, so when you say meeting on Monday, so your meeting night would change from Wednesday night to to Monday night, but possibly twice a month. It depend it would depend on the it depend on the need as as today if we don't need a business ops finance committee meeting before a board meeting on the second we don't we or we do you

043know we we can work that in. So uh you know it's it's it is about being flexible. We're not trying to hold up anything. It's it's about looking at the details more closely uh and you know recommending things to the full board. So we can that's that's another option a very good option. What do you guys think about that? That's something I've I've said personally for a couple weeks here talking about this. Um the Monday ID I think is excellent. And as far as more meetings, so the Wednesday drops off and they move to Monday. And if we need the other Monday prior to the board meeting, we may add one more meeting to the month and that's up to admin HR which is a admin and the policy committee. So I don't see it

044really adding much more only when needed that uh meetings would change. My understanding was we change we get let go of Wednesdays and they go to Mondays prior to board meetings. [Music] board member Romero thoughts. Yeah, I was just kind of saying kind of the same thing. We're we're losing Wednesdays for Monday. It's it's the same thing where it comes to that. And of course, you know, yeah, we're we're looking at exhibit A specifically to as far as the big hang-ups, but is it a normal practice for because I know these are these are different different times than what before, right? And I wasn't here before. So, how was it before? Was it every policy every every board meeting there was an exhibit A or were there actually board meetings that they had regular board

045meetings that was no exhibit A's you know present because I know with everything going on all the cuts and all the hires with this recent past you know year it's we've had to have an exhibit A every meeting has it is that been the norm you know I I didn't take a look to see about that metric when I was looking at any pay attention I was so involved with everything else but is that how it's I think that question would be for Mrs. Shopee. Mrs. Shopee, I I don't recall. I mean, I again I was looking what I saw was there were like two meetings a month and occasionally there was an extra one thrown in on a Monday for whatever reason. Short meeting approved and done. So, could you answer board member Romero's

046question about was it always two meetings a month? No, I was I was asking at every every board meeting, was there always an exhibit A at every meeting or did they skip, you know, every other meeting there was an exhibit A that wasn't really presented? My best recollection is that at every meeting there has always been an exhibit A. The one that fluctuates is an exhibit B. Um, right. Years ago, we never had exhibit B. Um, those didn't come before the board. So, we only had exhibit A and every time um there was a a board business meeting, which is what we're calling regular board meetings now, but every time there was a board business meeting, those personnel recommendations were approved. So, um the process was slightly different back then. The personnel recommendations that went

047on. So when I first started eons ago, the personal recommendations went to the committee on the second Tuesday. They were moved forward to the full board. On the fourth Tuesday, they would be in the packet for the board to approve at the business televised meeting because that was the only meeting we televised back then. What would happen is between the twoe period HR would continue to hire people and offer people positions and those people would get added to those personnel recommendations. So if you had 15 people on the original list that went to the committee on the second Tuesday, by the fourth Tuesday you might have 20 people. So, as the board changed over time, a board member came on and they said, "Wait a minute. The committee never approved those five people that got

048added. I think we should have a short committee meeting right before the televised meeting so we can approve those new additions." So, those new additions would be bolded so that the committee could meet, look at them, and go, "Yep, we're good with those." and then they would go to the full board. So that's how the second meeting of the month got created. But people were being allowed to be hired and start based on board approval. So you're hired, however, your hiring is temporary until the board approves you. So, if it was a position that we needed somebody in ASAP, like a teaching position, the person could start as long as everything else was done, all the background checks and all that stuff was done, they could start in the position between the second Tuesday and

049the fourth Tuesday, they could start in the position as long, you know, and then if the board approved them on the fourth Tuesday, then they were a solid hire. If for some reason on that fourth Tuesday the board didn't hire them, then they'd have to figure out you know what to do with that, but that was so very rare back then. So that's how the two meetings came to be originally. Does that answer your question? I think so. So I think that's well I think that's sort of what some of the things that I observed but not not knowing exactly what the cadence was, you know, I was kind of trying to put two and two together. So, but I do remember seeing one one or two meet Monday meetings that were like 10 minutes,

05011 minutes, 13 minutes, whatever, and they were done and gone and you know then I think that and they would sometimes call special meetings especially like in August as they're trying to hire people or September as they're trying to hire people and get positions filled and things like that. As a matter of fact, I think one of those was a September date. So, yeah, that makes sense. Okay. So, having said all that, So, two two Mondays a week a month or one Monday and a potential Wednesday or just think I for one I'm for [Music] every Monday prior to a board meeting as needed. I mean we always can uh if one is the select one and then the second meeting of the month is for if needed kind of like what uh finance is.

051Uh I think that solves some of that the Wednesdays drop off altogether and always special meetings you know that can happen. board member Romero. So could it be something like we have one meeting where we do everything that all the HR issues and not just the schedule ex or exhibit A's and all that the second meeting be specifically for exhibit A's you know this way it doesn't take up a whole lot of time when it comes to that um you know or as that could be the as needed thing also as well like Mr. Henkins was saying, I mean, it's just a thought, but I mean, I'm okay with every Monday's as well if we need, you know, however that cadence would work out. And we have to remember we still have to do policy

052issues other than related to HR. Correct. Yeah. So, correct. We keep talking about exhibit A's, but we have to weave everything into it. And so, it's that's a big bite. And I think again going back to let's figure it out. The transition is going to be a little rough, a little uh cobbly, but I think we have enough intelligent brains here to figure it out. I would I would tend to agree that yeah the the two Mondays uh you know first and first and third Mondays and uh of course that could that could depend on you know if it's if if if Tuesday is the first then we're going to meet on the last day of the previous month on Monday but I think the intent yeah the intent would be to meet every the

053the Monday before a board meeting on Tuesday. Everybody good with that? And then we could and then if need be, as you pointed out, board member Romero, that we we can always call a a quick meeting to if we need to approve something or uh whatever, not not to hold anything up. So, okay. So, now we're to work this in here. Um actually this this proposal doesn't really address meeting dates, meeting days. Um, you might you might you can you may can just add it to the the purpose at the top or we can add it to the I mean I mean at the where we crossed out the diversity equity spaces at the bottom. We can just put it there and call it another category. No, no, it doesn't. what you're looking at. No,

054there's there's no meeting times on the on the on the uh on the So, we can see the the policy. Just put meeting times at the bottom after the reporting and recommendations portion and then just we can write it out there. Yeah, I don't I don't think the reporting and recommendations um needs to be I think that's redundant and and we don't really need that, but that would be a good place to put uh meeting. What did what was that? I believe policy 185 is where it delineates the committees and when they meet and things like that, the days they meet. Thank you. Thank you. We will we will revise that policy 185 to put the put the dates days. Why can't we just put it in this one too? Well, I mean we can

055do that. We can do that. I mean, I'm okay. Trying to streamline this. I'm trying to right now it's not on the agenda. We'll have to come back and do it all over again. Okay. Can we Michelle, can we work with this just back and forth till we get it right? So um policy and human resource human resources committees committee will meet every Monday prior to a Tuesday board meeting. I think that should cover it. I would recommend adding the word regular board meeting. Regular board meeting. Yes. Board member Henkins. What did you or as needed? Is that what you're saying? Um that might be problematic. Just leave it at the way it is. Leave it the way it is. Okay. at the at the bottom. Um, okay. First of all, on on 2C, remove

056the word recommend. So, be denial of the proposal with justification. Three and four and then remove reporting and recommendations because those are redundant. And of course, it goes without saying that it's going to go to the full board. So, there would put meeting you can just I don't would be a headline meeting dates. meeting days and put that in there. [Applause] So, do you have that? Okay. Okay. So, could I get an approval of 185.4 with the aforementioned adjustments and um additions and deletions? So moved. Any more discussion? You do. Romero. Uh, one more thing. Uh, getting back to what it's saying about making recommending changes to the um to these lenses here, the diversity, equity, and inclusion lenses. Mhm. Just the uh I know that was I I do remember that now there was

057a a big issue with four uh the policy review process 4B uh where we're scratching out the promote equity and access. I propose that we change that to say fair and inclusive practices um that promote equitable access to support the needs of the district's diverse body and staff because in essence that's what we're trying to do is create you know create the the access for everybody to have equally all the all the students have equally. So equitable access to me would be a good a good fit there. It sounds a little bit better. It comes, it forms off the tongue better also and it still includes everything that we need to include. But that that's my opinion. I've been proposed to amend that part. Are you talking about did you say 4B? Four four B's

058in Bravo. Okay. Well, if you look at 4D, it says all policies using a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens. Right. So, fair and inclusive practices to support the needs of the diver the district's diverse student body and staff. Doesn't that cover that, too? Yeah. I mean, you guys just That's fine. Yeah. I mean, either way, it's going to work. So, they're both in there. Are Are you good with that? Okay. So, any other discussion? All those in favor say it. So, am I adding or not adding what Mr. No. Okay. All those in favor say I. I. I. I motion carried 330 three. Okay. Next item is 2B, board development, board policy development and um the re the recommended um changes are are attached or were attached to the to the policy. Uh I will

059open it up for discussion. I just have a just have a question here for this says within two business days of receiving such a proposal. Um should we put the number two in parenthesis next to that? It kind of follows suit with the next uh sentence out where it says honor before 14. It's a numeral number. It's just like a grammatical thing kind of kind of keeps it uniform. Yeah, that's I I agree. Did you get that, Michelle? Okay. Anything else? Board member Henkins. I'm good. Thank you. Okay. Does it say policy and HR committee meeting? if that makes any you know difference there since we are moving forward with the other policy to keep yes good good point did you get that change so where it says policy the second the second paragraph first

060sentence policy committee and policy and human resources committee [Music] Uh, yes. And on the third paragraph, first, is that what you said? Yep. Okay. We're going to vote on that, Miss Miss Martekch. We're going to vote on it this way with the amendments and then goes back to the board with the amendments that we created. Correct. And then they'll vote on it up there as it changes. Correct. Right. Okay. Any additional discussion? Could I get a motion to approve? So move. Second. Any discussion? Hearing? None. All those in favor say I. I. I. I. Motion carried 30. Okay. Okay, the next item up is uh 345.6 or 2C 3456 rule 4. And um Mrs. Mortch, you're welcome to add anything. Uh I think you've I think what you've submitted is is in good, you know,

061is good, but it's certainly open for discussion after you after you share with us. Okay, great. And I know um you were also at that other committee meeting so heard a lot. So I won't start all the way from the beginning but I did um take into consideration some of the feedback uh specifically from Mr. Romero. So just wanted to call attention to that because it's different than the first draft that I had at the TLE committee. Um there was a question around um noting on the transcript that students would receive credit but it would not change or affect their GPA which is typical. So I added that um when you go underneath the table where it says additional provisions I added that sentence there. So it says credits earned based on the proficiency placement

062will appear on the transcript towards graduation requirements with a note of credits earned for elected without grade towards GPA. So I added that there um to to note that and I appreciated that feedback because that would be something that would have come up in question later and now we have it in the policy. Um the other piece that I wanted us to add um is our EL students. We used to call them ELLL students. We still do. It's like a potato patado thing, but more currently we call e our students EL, which is English learners. Even more progressive is multilingual learners, right? That's kind of where that whole um place, that kind of area of education is evolving. And so, um, our main service, uh, delivery model for our students that are by law identified

063as English language learners or EL or multilingual learners is through our DI program. And so, uh, when Mr. Bosow and I wrote this, it was sort of, I think, between the two of us that assumption. However, all students have the opportunity to participate or choose not to participate in our DI programming whether or not they're EL. And so I would like to add to the policy where it says up at the top um for either our students and m Miss Schul this is for you. Um, so see where it says the purpose and it starts with this policy supports students enrolled in dual language immersion program and newcomer students. We also need to add a third student which is our English learner parentheses e students because in most cases our newcomers and our DI students

064encompass EL learners but they could also be outside of that. And so we just wanted to note that because that would give them the ability to also take in a placement examination if they don't qualify for those other two things. Um which was I thought was also really good feedback. Um other than that I do not have any additional things to add at this time. Um there was some other um thoughtful questions that came from Mr. Romero. I reached out to the department chair because I need to um just gain a little more background knowledge um in this area. Um, but I don't think those answers would change necessarily the content of the policy. It's more just us from an administrative board perspective of interpretation and how to do things. Um, but uh, Mr. Romero,

065I'm I'm I I'm not exactly sure because we just recently uh shared that information with one another. So, I didn't know if you had any thoughts to add. Um, the only thing I could really think of is like let's let's wait for the chair to come by and do this. Um, if we do decide to pass it through, I would like to know. It's just in the context of there could be some changes that and realizing that we'll have to come back and do this again to get whatever tweaks and changes should they come up. You know, it's like a just in case kind of thing. Yeah. um because there might be feedback that the chair would be able to give us as well that you know could lend some new information that we want

066to include in the policy, right? So, as long as I'm okay with letting go through as long as we're aware that we still have to contact and finish that up and and pass it to the at the board level. Okay. Um I'd be okay with that should should the uh the rest of the committee hear approved too. Okay. And I know that this Mr. Nichols is the first reading. So, also by the time we have the second policy meeting, um we'll hopefully make contact and then kind of get some more nuanced answers to some of those questions. Right. Okay. Yep. I can also reach out to the uh folks that we worked with that are kind of the the DOI experts of the world for our um audit and they might be able to answer

067some of those questions too. Thank you, Mrs. Morttech. Yes. What was the change that you had made? I want to make sure I note that on Sure. So, in the um policy, we added um to specifically call out our English learners as well. Um it was sort of implied in our thoughts, but it needs to be pulled out. Um it's just kind of sometimes when you're in teacher speak or education speak, you assume things and and it needs to be called out. So, I appreciated that's where I added that in the second sentence. Um I think Miss Shopee caught it. Could you could you just read that back to me real quick? That sentence will say um this policy supports students enrolled in the dual language immersion DLI program and English learner parenthesy eel and

068newcomer students in in accessing high school graduation credits and potentially advanced placement in college coursework. Okay. Yes. But I do have another question. So farther down, um, like the policy statement, the last sentence says, "This includes credit for courses in the DLI sequence and for eligible newcomer students." Do I need to add? Yes. So, it'll be a a group of three instead of a pairing each time we list the two. Yes. In the Okay. Yes. Thank you. Thank you for that clarification. Good. I just question also would that that would also fall into the um or I just saw it the eligibility criteria as well. Would that fall into that too? Yes. Yeah. Okay. Any additional discussion? Could I get a motion to approve policy 345 rules 66 rule 4 as as amended? I uh

069I would like to say thank you for the hard work. That's that's really good. I appreciate that. You're welcome. Move it. My pleasure. So moved. Second. any more discussion? Well, I I would add to that too, Tricesa, thank you and the and your group for for the hard work, but there's a lot of lot of lot of work here. So, thank you everybody. You're welcome. Um, and if there's no additional discussion, um, all those in favor say I. I. I. I. I. Motion carry 30. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. The next item is um 2D policy 860 visitors of the school for second reading. So um what you see is um the policy as it's been rewritten with u uh discussions and in consultations with our legal uh legal department and this is the this

070is the u this is the end result of um what we've written. So I will open it up for discussion or questions. um as needed. Board member Romero. Uh yes. So um I do want to start by saying I I do like the way the direction that um the policyy's going as far as being more more safety oriented as as a priority and I I I like that alignment a lot. Um it's just uh there when it comes down to it, I know this is specifically speaking about um the the sexual offender issue or the the statute that we have going on there. Also, have we thought about um the when it comes to uh the uh the fel like violent felony accounts, you know, people that have been charged with vi violent felonies? Um

071has, you know, that been consideration? I mean, we should have something to the effect that we need to develop like protocols for implementation. Say something happens. If for example a a sex offender is goes through the processes and does what they need to do with notification, proper notification, what are our protocols that we would have going, you know, say they go to attend the the function and what are the protocols it comes up to, you know, when when are we to notify an SRO or when are we, you know, what happens if a public member of the public, you know, says, "Hey, I know this person. He's so and so this and that." and their their safety now is at is at risk as well. This is it. It also goes to look at safety

072from from all sides. It keeps everybody, you know, more safe. So, we should probably look at some kind of um procedures, you know, proactive procedures to handle something like that. So, something that says we can, you know, if you if you're doing this, this is what has to happen. This is how you're expected to conduct. this is what you can expect from us as a district to have there as well so everybody's on the same page and that also makes it uh to where you can train everybody consistently so there's a consistent training um just from what I've noticed also like for example issues at one school someone's trained differently than the other one or to not not to the same direct extent as the other as the other school would be in some cases

073what I what I've seen so there's not really consistency there too just to keep everything consistent to where everybody can be trained consistently and there's a expected um procedure to keep everybody safe. Um things like how do you how do we document to the response to the violations without expecting without escalating the situations. There should be a procedure to kind of do something like that. So um we should we should probably look into doing that implementing that something like that into this policy. Uh this way it's already noted there. It's it's it's there existing. It protects the the protects the public, protects our kids, protects everybody around, and it keeps the district out of legal issues. Everything's in pol in policy there. We need to follow the policy as long as everything's followed and trained

074properly. That's that's just an opinion that I have. Dr. Garrison, would you like to address that? Yeah. So our raptor system does flag and again I think we want to just note that too does flag major things that a person may be you know had maybe had in their past. Let's just say like that sensitive crimes. Thank you. No just sensitive crimes. Sex offenders. So our rap our raptor send our raptor the technologies does flag sex offenders. Um, how would we I guess my question to you, how would we know that if the raptor does sex offenders? That's what that's what it looks for. So, that's what that we might need to get with legal as far as that goes to see that that sounds more like I'm sorry, let me let me finish the

075thought. I would I would caution us in thinking that how that actually looks when a person comes in to I don't know. I just don't know how that the the ID system that we currently have looks at the sex offender space. And I can turn over to Mr. um to Mr. Turner if that's okay. Yes, Mr. That's what I was going to suggest with Mr. Turner. Thank you for being here and we'll appreciate yours. Well, I saw the agenda item and I thought I'd come down and see if I could be of assistance. So, I'm Ryan Turner. I'm the district safety and security coordinator. Uh Raptor and all those things are my world. Um, so I can confirm that yes, Raptor only looks at um all 50 states and territories for convictions of crimes, but

076put somebody on the registry. So only looks at the registry. It doesn't look at like individual court jurisdiction stuff like that. If you're on the registry, which is obviously very public information, that's what it's looking for. It will not pick up. we, you know, to kind of ease in on the conversations with parents. You know, we're not looking for if you got a uh underage drinking ticket in college. It's not looking for stuff like that. And it's not also not looking for felonies that are not related to sex offenses. So, yeah, I I'm not aware of a system that would screen for felony convictions. There have been many instances where um an individual was in our building whether it was for a play, a sing you know whatever scenario and another parent goes that's so

077and so and I know they have an active warrant. Well we have you know processes for that. Notify the SRO if there's one in the building. Um if there's not we call the n emergency number principles are trained on how to deal with those types of situations. But as of, you know, up to today, we've, you know, just to, and I'm not, I know we're not saying we want to, you know, ban parents that are have felony convictions, but if the this policy does appear to say that, you know, if somebody just being in the building, if they're a violent offender and they're acting out or whatever, or maybe they have a current case ongoing related to some very serious situations, if the principal feels feels like, hey, them being here puts us in a

078very, you know, uncomfortable situation, they 100% are empowered to make decisions for for their building. If we have, and this is a very common tool, and Dr. Garrison can vouch for this because he's on those emails as well. If we have a parent come in and um I have a zero toler tolerance for this, any parent who comes in and causes a disruption, whether it's just cursing at the principal or whatever it is, zero tolerance. If you have if you have an issue with a principal or a staff member, you come here. You come here, you fill out the complaint, you don't get to go into the school and raise a commotion and get your way. That's not how we don't tolerate that. So, we have what we call a um stayaway letter. Currently, it's

079it's listed as 15 school days. So, you get a 3-w week cooling off period. And but it doesn't stop parents from participating in uh drop off and pickup because a lot of parents it's maybe it's a single parent home or one works earlier than the other stuff like that. So we still work with them. We just say hey you conducted yourself in a manner that is not kosher with us. You can't come into the building. You can't come into the plays and the singalongs and visits the classroom or take your kid to class. You have to remain out of the building for at least 3 weeks. So we do have that as a tool. Um, but that's just kind of a brief overview of what we have in place and what uh principles are empowered

080to do. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, board member Romero. Yeah, just a kind of a quick uh or not quick, but um just a question when it comes to Raptor. I was speaking to the actually today I was speaking to um the uh the parole office and asking about this this topic. I mean technically and they've I've I've also looked it up on the internet and just wanted to verify with them technically in in Wisconsin the school district can decide who can go in and who who who doesn't when it comes to that. Um you know that's where technically we can do that. So, when it comes to the rapper system, does that indicate uh does that tell you the stipulations for because I I've never used it. I've never seen it. Does that does

081that tell you the stipulations for each individual? Let's say let's say I scan in and I'm on the registry. Is that going to tell you the stipulations that the judge ordered? Because they're not they're not um from what the pole officer was telling me, they're they're tailored to the individual. So the individual, one individual might have these set of stipulations and they might look different that for another one they're not and I'd be more than happy to sit down and show you exactly what it looks like. Um it only so let's say John Doe this date of birth is a registered sex offender and when they scan the ID or they tell them what their name is, it pops up bright red. You can't mistake it for anything else but a hit. you can click

082on the it'll tell you what state it was the record was found. You can click on that link and it'll take you to that state's um registry and so whatever that state put on that registry record is what we can see. So there could be some details that are left off of that. Um so it's really kind of we're at the mercy of whatever state put on the registry. So, and they usually put things on there, and I'm not an expert in sex offender registry, you know, what the how it transfers from a court order or conviction to the actual registry. Um, but they normally would put things on there that the public needs to know like the age of the victim, was there force, you know, and this can get really, right, sensitive, but

083they put details on there that we we do use it. So, you know, if you have a person that comes in and, you know, their victim was 8 years old and it was a violent type of Okay. Well, that's way different than maybe um um a situation where it was an age thing like a 17 and 15y old, something like that, right? Vastly different situation. So, we do use that information to try to gauge of how we're going to uh address this person being in the building. um whether it's you know strict strict escorts only allowed in the main office conference rooms you know stuff like that so we do have a a procedure policy for things of that nature a policy and or not I say probably just the maps you know scope of

084procedures yeah there is a uh we call it the raptor procedure guide it talks about who you should be scanning and yada yada yada and um it's more I'll be honest it's more like trial by fire you know once we put Raptor in. We got our first one. Okay, this is what we're doing. If they're just here for a conference, you don't need to have the conference in the teacher's room. Just have it in a conference room in the main office. Make sure there's always a staff member with them 24/7. And um most of our current administrators have been here longer than I have. And so I've worked with each and every one of them on this. And so we just we just have a a system. May not be written down to the tea,

085but we have a system. It could be possibly maybe a good idea to to maybe get it written down so it's followed like consistently for everybody, be able to be trained properly, everybody. Yeah. And I know we're looking at bringing on some new administrators in the next month, month and a half. And so that would be a perfect opportunity to make sure that it's written down and they always have a a reference. Yeah. Know the trial by fire thing kind of makes me a little shaky. Nope. I understand. And it's and it's there's not many great places to put it because it's not policy, which is what what we're here for. Family handbook is very kind of specific. So, it's where do you put it that it is enforcable and you can hold people accountable

086to it. I can put it in there right now. Um, also, um, another thing too, we have a lot of people that come in and out of the of the district, you know. Um, do we have a a MMP for when we come in situations where they're not compliant and they don't register? Are they going to be flagged somehow? Is there is there a way to check for that or do we have anything in place for, you know, situations like that that may occur? You're talking like if a registered sex offender doesn't follow the Wisconsin statute of what they're supposed to do to be in the building, right? And then also we find out what happens. Um it's more we've had this with um the one that comes to mind is one of our food

087pantries. We had an individual that you know we figured out you know wasn't following the rules and we said you're not coming back. So documentation like a list a running list no only because it's few and I can only think of one example where one was found to not be going with um how things were supposed to go and that person was told you have no other business with us and so you can't follow the state law you can't follow our rules then you don't get to use the service anymore. Right. and and with with especially with things like this nature from my point of view it only takes one time you know so um something to be maybe proactive just something to think about constructively um also as far as getting to the topic

088about the um the non-sex offender felonies um there's one I just looked up here guest says the system allows schools to screen visitors against registered sex offender list and various criminal databases is the Renaptor is only specifically only for sex offenders. Correct. Maybe it's something that we can look into. Or maybe another one that does uh um Centric Visitor Management is another one that screens visitors against the natural sex offender database and custom ban person list that can flag the custody issues. I mean, things like that. Maybe we can look into something different. Absolutely. The Cintic one was one I was looking for. They also do wearable panic buttons and that's something that I feel very very strongly about. Um and so I think Raptor was I don't know this to be 100% accurate but

089I think Raptor was kind of like the first one to come out and of course okay they have their product and now people are going oh well they got this we're going to do that and this then and this. So absolutely if there's other if that's a direction you know we'd like to go by all means cuz I do think that you had mentioned kind of a running list of people that have not followed the rules and you know they need to be their names monitored. Having a custom ban list that would flag somebody trying to check in would serve many purposes including including that one. And also one more thing when uh talking to the uh probation offs they uh once they're off of their probationary period they're off the list then they according

090to them as far as they're concerned they get all their civil rights back and you know life goes on. Is there how can I say this? Sometimes there's places or people that this it's just a title, but the the sentiments or the intentions still might linger. Is there anything in process or have we looked at putting into any kind of procedures for those cases where okay this this person say person was flagged before now they're not. Is there some kind of is there anything that we look at for as far as that goes or anything any MPs for that? So we since we only currently screen for sex offenders through Raptor, right? We don't maintain a list of um paroleies, individuals on probation. Um so there wouldn't be a way to we wouldn't since we

091don't know if they're on that list, we don't know if they're off of that list. The closest thing that I can come to to offer is the um our stayaway letters. We certainly keep a record of who has been issued a stayway letter and there are parents that have consecutive, you know, they've been they've been given many of them. So, that's the closest thing I can offer you. But we have no, I guess routine contact with with um probation parole regarding adults, not students. We're talking about adults, you know, non- studentents. We don't have any regular contact with them letting us know who in our community is on probation or parole or anything like that. We do um uh during the school year we have we call them safe school meetings. So we meet with

092the Rock County um district attorney like not the district attorney but like you know somebody under him um and then different um like youth justice stuff like that. So they keep us very in tuned on what's going on in our community mostly related to the students being the juvenile realm, but they absolutely use those opportunities and those meetings to let us know of adults that we may need to be, you know, hey, we're they're looking for this person for that. This is the parent of so and so. the student has done nothing wrong, but you should know that the mom or the dad is involved in, you know, this type of criminal um whatever and they're on our radar, that kind of thing. And then we take that information and we disseminate that out to

093whatever building principle it's it's relevant to. Okay. Um, would it be possible that maybe we consult about legal for the the felony portion of things just to to see if there's anything that we need to put in here before we send it to board? Well, um, I have a couple Well, I have a couple questions before I before I can respond to that. First of all on in this policy at at the at the bottom it says the superintendent is authorized to establish guidelines and suggestions to visitors to the schools and then at the very almost the very end the superintendent this was added to the policy superintendent designate are authorized to prohibit any individual from entering district opport property or remaining there if there is reason to believe their presence will be detrimental to

094the operation of the school. So there's there's that. As far as any additional the question I have for for you, Mr. Turner, is do we have access to that information via the SRO's via the Boy Police Department? Is that is that is that available to us to you? Probably. But could you give me an example of what? Well, I I just some of the things that board member Romero is mentioning, you know, raptor SC scans for for sex offenders, but they probably have a database. Yes. A huge database. Yeah. And they obviously have to be very very very careful of what information they give us and they and we do have some agreements in place like through our uh SROU, which is obviously very important for our school safety. Um so they use they can

095leverage that to get us some information. Um and just you know even outside that if they have situations there's we it's not like a in place deal but there's a thing called handle with care. I don't know if anybody's familiar with that. It's at least a for us it's a concept. there are like programs, but you know, if if overnight the police responded to, let's say, a domestic situation or whatever situation and one of our students was involved in that. They can simply just say, "Hey, student so- and so, handle with care. We don't need to know the details. We don't need to know what happened. We just need to know, hey, give that student a little extra love today or a little extra, you know, leeway as as the day goes on." But they

096are very good about um you know if there is something that has gone in the community an adult that may come into contact with our with our staff or students is someone we should be aware of they absolutely reach out we have I don't know that we could have a better relationship with the blight police department as it relates to sharing information and collaborating. Okay. Thank you Mr. Turner. Uh Dr. Dr. Gerson, do you have Oh, no. Board member Hankkins, I think you had your you had your hand up about 15 minutes ago. So, uh, that's fine. U, Mr. Turner, I it's just more of an a comment, an opinion. I empathize with this part of your job. It's huge. It's It's very fluid. it changes. Uh these we're talking about sex offenders, but there's

097so much that goes on that uh it's not sex offenders, you know, it's no contacts. Parents that don't have no there's, you know, it's by law that they've had arrests that they can't have contact with who try to come to a graded school and pick up their kids. It's it's a big world for that and it changes all the time. So, I do empathize with what you're trying to do here. But I do think going back to Mr. Romero, we do have to have some things in in place that the building administrators and their staff know the proper way to go. And obviously the superintendent carries the weight. He can say yay or nay. You know, they shouldn't be in here. But I think that the having the um the avenue in place that the

098building secretary can say, "Hey, wait a minute. I know because everybody this is a small town and everybody knows each other especially when you get to these things. uh these this parent should not be trying to pick up this student and so they can blow the whistle and uh I'm just saying it's I know the calibration or admin academy is coming up in the fall which I've been happy to attend and that uh this is a would be a great time and I know you've addressed the the building people before to if we're going to put some things in place so there is a clear path you know when this arises is so there's no ambiguity that someone does have to make a judgment call that let the big guy make it. Thank you. May

099I just add one thing? Yes, Mrs. Beaver. I just I just wanted to add um do not pick or this person doesn't have the ability to pick up student X at school. If there is anything in court order, we have that and there's an alert box on the student information system. So any teacher that logs on that alert comes up right away. But they have to log on. Well, you have to daily for your job. Yeah. So I just want to add that. And to piggy back off that I mentioned um the stayaway orders. There have been many instances where parents were not approved any longer to pick up. The other half, you know, that could still pick up would provide they provide us court paperwork. We go into well not the right people go

100into Skyward to make that and we've had parents that don't have come they get pinged like hey this person's not on Skyward anymore they raise a ruckus they get removed they get the tres you know the stayaway order and that's how we you know it kind of comes kind of like a full picture of how things go. Thank you. I just know it's a big thing and going back to what Mrs. Beaver says, "True, the sometimes there's a disconnect between a teacher and the the uh secretary and the in the building admin and say, well, come on in and pick them up then or whatever, you know, and it's there's never a real clear I mean, we're not in a police state yet, but and I can I can appreciate I I know where you're

101what you're asking for just a clear written down. Hey, if I'm teacher A in room 213 and you know, what should I do?" if it helps at all. We've had plenty of staff reach out and say, "Hey, I heard through the grapevine that this happened and you know, little Joey's mom and dad are on the fritz and Joey's dad said these things." It may not be in Skyward yet. It may not be, you know, a thing that's been vetted out through court, but we can at least pause. And I always tell principles, if you have any doubts, first off, trust your gut and just don't release a kid until we can call the police over there. they can look and we can make determinations in the moment. So, I say all that to say I

102I believe that our staff do feel empowered that hey, if I have a concern, it's going to be heard. Um, but I also understand if it's not written down, it didn't happen kind of thing. So, I can appreciate that. Yeah, I'm not trying to, you know, throw shade on anyone, but we know in this district there's been a lot of turnover everywhere from teachers to building admin to staff. So sometimes the message gets lost, but I do appreciate the job you're doing. Thanks, Ryan. Yeah, I second that. Uh, board member Romero. Um, I'll third that also because it's not my uncle was in security also before he passed, but he was what goes into security people a lot of people don't realize. So trust me when I'm asking this stuff. is not because you know

103it's just some things that we're thinking about um when it comes to uh Mr. Nickel what you had said about you know that the add in where you know the district property remaining that there's a reason to believe their presence will be detrimental to the operation of the school. Let me ask you something. So, and this is this is why I'm saying, you know, maybe look into a a better system if possible or if there's something that we can do towards this. So, let's playing just here's an example. So, I come up, I'm walking up, you can't really just by looking at me tell what I'm accused of or convicted of or whatnot. And I might just be normal, plain plain Jane. And there you go. I might have a mental issue going on that

104you can't really tell and something. There he goes. What happens? For example, let's say I have a PTSD, okay? And I'm sitting there watching the scene, the the spring scene. Someone comes along and the trigger that triggers my PTSD. Now I'm flailing around and just knocking people out. And this one, you can't tell, but my medical records or, you know, had said, you know, something happens or not even medical records. I've been arrested for, you know, violence because of XYZ in nature, things like that. You can't really tell by looking at somebody. So, there's there's times that you can and then and that's not what I'm talking about cuz yeah, you can tell sometimes when, you know, and that would totally fit. You know, I can I can tell this this is going to be

105a detriment to the safety of our of our kids and our staff and our and the people here at the at the school. But for the times that that you really can't, there should be something that we can look into um to help prevent that. It's not going to prevent it. Maybe help. What is it called? Uh make it uh uh not as easy for it to happen. So there's I'm I'm tongue tied right now for the word. But yeah, it's something like a like a proactive preventative. um just just to look at it in that light only because it only takes one time for something to happen and when they realize that a lot of the time when they after the event happens it just took that one time. it's after the event happens,

106they can say, "Oh, you know what? There was there was telltale signs that we didn't pick up on or there's, you know, if they would have looked here, they could have seen, oh, this would have been a flag." Just something like that would be um would be good to have in some kind of policy here or some kind of MMP to maybe we could think about coming up with something like that. And I know it's it's easy to say, you know, just hey, just make it happen. But if we haven't already started thinking about it, maybe there's a way that we can come up with some ideas to have something like that. And just just for the safety of all our all our staff and our students and the community, too. Hold don't forget that

107thought. I just I was just going to to you and and and based on what board member Romero is saying, you know, can you look into I know we've got Raptor, but can you look into potential, you know, more more detailed systems that maybe school districts somewhere else are using? Um you're you're part of a you're part of a state school board. Um are you are you are you a member of a you know something within the state schools? So we follow uh the office of school safety and all of their recommendations. Um some of it's by law. So is that a DPI or is that the state government state? It's the office of the attorney general. They have like subdivisions. Good place to start. Okay. Um we can I can absolutely look. I you

108know I won't know until obviously I get out there. The only thing I know you mentioned a couple times is vetting anything through legal which I appreciate that very much because some of it I worry about getting into privacy, you know, and so it's a then it and it's all for good intention, right? Like yes, if there are red flags out there, red flag laws, stuff like that, I can 100% see the value in that. Um it just becomes the the waters can get muddy right about who you know not allowing certain parents like I just but that's where the lawyers come right that's why they make the big bucks but yeah we can look and see if there are other systems being leveraged for this that expand outside of sex offender registry. I haven't

109heard of any. It doesn't mean that it doesn't exist and it can't hurt to look. So, well, yeah, just, you know, in your spare time, but um u we do know how busy you are and and appreciate again what you do, but yeah, you know, maybe you start with the, you know, BPD or Rock County Sheriff's Department or you know, maybe I don't know. I that's out of that's out of my purview so or my barrier of expertise but uh you know we can't I agree with board member Romero and board member Hankas and probably everybody in this district that you cannot be too careful you know we just and and we're doing a great job don't get me wrong just but we just can't be we can't be too careful so yeah the complacent

110correct that we can't be complacent yep yep that's that's the That's the That's the word that leads to not good things. So So can I throw a motion out there? Um motion to um table this to the next meeting so we can get some of this information back and maybe determine if there's something that we can put in here or if we need to put in here additionally for the second or is that is My recommendation would be it's a recommendation. Um I mean I can I can read the motion and we can you know we we can always change a policy. Um but if we don't have a policy, we can't change it. So I will leave I'll just leave you I'll leave you with that. Um I I can't tell you what any

111either of you what to do. So yeah. Anyway, board member Henkins, you have a Yes. And with that in mind, Mr. Romero, and we can work with uh Mr. Turner perhaps with some of these suggestions and maybe get something back. I mean, we'll we'll do this what we need to do today tonight, but then perhaps I think it would be in a timely fashion if we could do something if we're going to change anything, we do it before the uh administration academy in the fall for the fall semester. So, if we do get these guidelines and change them a little bit, we could do it together and everybody hears the same thing. So, it's not to put a rush job on you, but it kind of is just for the next maybe what are we

112in July? So yeah, it's not that far away. But yeah, uh and it does have to be for that, but you know, I mean, obviously some of these things are easy, some significantly more challenging, but some of the easier ones about establishing a written protocol for staff of, hey, if you become aware of concerning information about a parent, whether it's, you know, timely or not, you know, this is what we want you to do. That's fairly easy. Obviously, some of the bigger stuff is not a 30-day turnaround kind of thing. So, we are at um well, I'll just ask the question. Um could I get a recommendation uh to move this to the board of education approval of the revisions of policy 860 visitors to schools for the first reading move to the regular board.

113So moved. You said it's for the second reading, correct? First. Okay. So, second. No, wait, wait a minute. No, I thought Yeah, you're right. Second. It is second. Yes. Second. Yeah, I'll I'll second it for the second reading. Yes. Okay. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. I. I. Motion carried. 30. Thank you, Mr. Turner. So, the last item on the agenda is student use of mobile phones for discussion. Um and uh the policy is was attached the current policy for mobile phones. Um the reason this is on here because the state I understand is already looking at a mobile phone cell phone policy for the state. Uh it's not passed. Several states have passed uh mobile phone policies. Uh aside from that, schools, you know, school districts have done

114that. Um uh so I think we need to get ahead of the game. Um, you know, there's there's all kind of I mean, I could I could probably fill this table with articles and videos of policies that have gone into place throughout the country on on the use of cell phones and and its effect on education and the effect typically is not good. It's it's it's a detriment to education. And so that's why uh we have a policy. Uh, I think it needs to be updated and uh we can uh we can go over that. Um, Mr. Romero, I have a question for you before we start this though. Do you need to be next door? Are you okay? Um, I could be here like another five minutes or something like that. This Okay. Well,

115we can we can limit. This is not this is not a this is not an end of the end of the subject and we we we pass something. It's it's for discussion. There's no moving it forward. So, I promise I I will I'll let you go first. Okay. Thank you. Yeah, I was just like I just say real quick. I was looking at it and um in my opinion, the the cell phone cell phone use is is a big problem. You know, it it is very distractive and my son, you know, my son's been, you know, guilty of it, too. So, it's not, you know, when we're all human. However, I do agree that it shouldn't they shouldn't be in the schools, per se. And if they are, they need to be in the lockers

116or somewhere, you know, that's not on them. There's language in here where it comes down to um at the high school, they can use them before and after during their lunch break or in between classes as long as they don't create you're on the phone, you're you're doing this, you know, you're you're losing track of time, you're not making it to class on time, you know, that that happens a lot. Um even at the high school level where there's more more things going on. So honestly that that also opens up to some some gray area of of translation there. I I would probably suggest leaving that out. It's not permissible, you know, unless you know, in case of emergency situation. Um other than that, then you got to determine what's an emergency situation, but you

117can go down those lines later. um you know it's you know that like for example at no time is it permissible for students to have their mobile phones during class unless teachers given permission to students to use it for an educational purpose. So, you're going to let them have them on them and Okay. So, you you It's like you're putting the the cookies, you know, a a cookie plate here in front of the the kid who is a sugar fiend and saying, "Don't touch these. What's going to happen?" So, that leaves a lot to interpretation as well. So, maybe and again, it's just a discussion. I could probably think of some different wording to make it a little bit more stronger too at times. But I agree that, you know, we do have to get

118on this and be ahead of the time. I don't like to be retroactive on things, too. Um, but the proactiveness of this I do like. Um, just just for right now, just that's just a brief thing as far as that goes. But, you know, looking at it, I can put more detail into it, you know, later. But, as far as that goes, just just to have it not be as broad and open, you know, to a potential situation that can occur. Because I'm not only thinking about the high school students, I'm thinking about junior high school and then even now the elementaryaries, a lot of kids have these kids these things too. So there's things that we really got to make it. We should be making a uniform. So when the elementary kids, they're getting

119used to how everything works. So that's where they're learning. By the time you're 8 years old, they say that you've learned 80% of your habits. So you get into that habit before elementary comes in, then they're they're they're primed up for junior high school. Oh, this you know the same same policy carries same thing nothing changes. So just to remain a consistent thing I think would be a good thing. So, okay, real quick, let me ask you a question and then so would you be an advocate of would you be an advocate of like a total cell phone ban for the day during the day from before school till after school or not even bring them to school or have them at at lunchtime but not you know before school at lunchtime and after school

120or you know what what what area would you be thinking I'm thinking usage before school and after school. Okay. Um because you do have the the kids that do need to get a hold of their parents. You know, I don't want to cut off communication cuz I'm one of those parents too. I need to hear from my kid as soon as they're out of class to be able to share. If there's things that I got to go pick him up, I need to make sure that he's he's going to be aware. So, you know, when the when the the last bell rings, you know, then you can grab your phone and do what you got to do. But from the first time the first bell rings should be in my opinion in a locker, you

121know, they don't need to have it on them, you know, and at the end of the day, you know, pick it up from your locker. Last bell rings, go to your locker, grab your stuff, and there you go. You know, turn it on or whatever it is, and okay, go from there. That that's that's how I see it, though. Okay. Well, thank you for your your uh your information and and your opinion. So we will um if you need if you need to go please don't I understand we understand. So board member Henkins. Thank you. Uh yes um my recollection serves me correct. We brought we the policy committee brought this to the board last November I believe of last year and as it sat admin was going to get back with us was with

122their recommendations and um it just kind of fell off. I don't we didn't pursue it and admin didn't pursue it and at that time we might have been a little bit in front of the curve. Now we're behind it. There are many states last time I heard was 34 states that have banded. So, as far as making policy on this, I don't think we have to reinvent the wheel. I think there is many uh places we could look to where it's been successful. And in none of my readings have I seen anything that has said it's been detrimental to its student achievement. um it causes, you know, the kids don't like it at first, but in the end, I've read nothing that says everything I've read has said it has been nothing but a godsend

123for student achievement in the classroom. So, um as far as getting specifics into this policy, I think we would do ourselves a favor by looking at some successful ones, some ones that make sense for our district, and we go from there. I don't think we need to sit here and hammer out every little nuance of it because it's already been thought of by other districts, but I am a firm believer that we needed to do this a year ago and I'd like to see this enacted ASAP. Thank you. And are you an advocate of from before school to after school or something different? I'm an advocate of during school times they do not have access to their phones um before and after school fine. I mean how that happens I'm not sure how it looks

124like but again we're not the first district to even look at this. So I think there's a way that we can do this with less problematic for admin building admin staff. Uh it's kind of the rules and that's I think we when we start getting into the leeways and you can do it for this and you can do it with that like Juan was saying it opens up the Pandora's box and um I just think once they get in on the school grounds or the school bell rings I don't know where they go but they don't come into the school. Thank you board member uh Henkins. Dr. Garrison would you like to give your thoughts please? You know, the great thing about like cell phones is number one, you know, I tell people, we have

125a cell phone, not a great thing, we have a cell phone policy right now. And if you look at our cell phone policy right now and read it word for word, it is probably one of the more straightforward policies that you can find in our area. Again, if you read it word for word, I think it does lay out you can't have their cell phone in class. Now, we can be more strict naturally. Everyone can always say that we can be more of anything. Um, and I and I and I just want to make sure I just put that out there to to note, Mr. Henkins is 28 states. 28 states have have um um enacted some form of cell phone ban or cell phone policy. Okay. 28. Just say I know you said 30.

126No big deal. I just want to make sure I just note that. And then on the second part of that, there are some states that are nationwide. I mean they have said period no cell phones at all. And those are those are four state or statewide restrictions. Statewide restrictions. So 28 states have something. Four states have a statewide restriction, right? Okay. And those four states are Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, Utah. And I knew we was going to be talking about this today. So I want to just bring some general information. And it's not a, you know, a left or right in that space. We're just having a general conversation. And so there's four states statewide restriction and that's Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, and um Utah. Florida, Louis, South Carolina. So all their districts statewide uniform

127there's a statewide restriction. So no matter what the there's a some form of statewide restriction to cell phones. Again the 28 states overall have some form of something but the most one could say the most restrictive restrictive space thank you will probably be in those four states. I have not read all of 28 states and because you got to remember it's 28 states but it's like hundreds of thousands of districts that may have different levels of whatever and so let me let me let me let me let me let me so because I know you're going to have some thoughts there. So no no no I was just going to say but the trend is moving. Yeah. Correct. So, so I think the the best conversation that we can have is well again what does

128Boy need, right? What does the Boy, what does Boy like you just mentioned, what does Boy need? What are we trying to accomplish in our technology usage conversation? Because whether they have a cell phone or they have a laptop or they have a watch there's or nowadays to be honest with you, I can put them put my cell phone in my glasses. Okay. Um there's a lot of different I'm being honest with you. There's Yeah, there's a lot of different um ways of communicating and this is about technology usage. And so I just want to just put that out there because just as general information, I want the board to know again if we look at our policy, it is real straightforward. I think Mr. Romero did say it very specifically. Um, in that sentence

129that he pointed out on the policy, um, one could argue third paragraph under number one, it says, "At no time is it permissible for a student to have their their mobile phones out during class unless the teacher has given permission to students for educational purpose." And that is probably where we see the variance happening. That is probably one of our major concerns or concerns that we have in the schools because certain teachers will say, "Oh, I'm letting them use it for X, so now they have it out and they're using it for X." That's what we say. But then you also have the other set of teachers who are, you know, we don't want it out, but I just came from a class that had it out. And so that brings to that that that

130level of con um consistency concerns. And so I know without a shadow of a doubt that'll be something that we'll probably have to address because as we already brought up, but I had also kind of had some um thoughts about that space as well. Um I won't let you all know as that we do know that cell phones can be disruptives in schools. I'm not going to shade that space as a district administrator. We also know that the improper use of technology u could lead to other opportunities as well where it can throw off the educational environment. And I say throw off the educational environment, disrupt the educational environment. Um, but again, if you look at our policy and read it line for line, it really does lay out some again, it's pretty it's pretty

131pretty strong policy as it as it stands. Could it be more? Of course it can. But I think we will need to sit down and look at what we want to do for our district. Now to let to piggyback on your thought around this administration was supposed to come back and bring it back to the you know policy for a conversation like a lot of things do happen in the school year. a lot of different policies we had to tackle. This one didn't get back, but we did do something in the schools as the board asked us to um um to to look at this policy. And I can tell you now, and I'll be ready to do this and the next policy meeting, both of our schools have really moved high schools cuz we

132really don't have I shouldn't say we don't have any major issues in middle schools with the cell phones, but it's really a more geared toward the high school space. Um, middle schools come in, put the phones in lockers, and that's that's just the way it is. Phones in the lockers, and they go throughout the day. Now, yes, you're going to have occasional a kid keeps it in their pocket and leaves it in their pocket all day, and no one ever knows it cuz we're not checking pockets for we're not doing pat downs here. So, there's a space where some some students in middle schools will probably keep it in their pocket, then that leads to me taking it out of my pocket. But then there are there are guidelines in which we use for those

133students to follow if that does happen. Um I can tell you even at the BLA space we've already started communicating some things because internally it's our job to enforce the policy and do it the best way we know how to. And so um both of our high schools have had conversations with staff and send staff surveys out. So I don't want people to think nothing happened. Oh no. Okay. Um so sit staff surveys out communicated back with some thoughts and we are definitely in a place where we can definitely probably have a deeper conversation at the next um policy meeting as pertains to what we have done and I my principles will be here um to to do that and and really let you all know kind of what our next steps would be even

134if there wasn't any policy changes um because we don't want the cell phones to be a discretion in our buildings at all technology technology usage to be a distraction in our schools at all. So, I wanted to make sure I just note that. Start off with some data moved into more of the internal space and I'll turn it back over to you. Um, board chair Nichols. Thank you, Dr. Gerson. I appreciate the info. Yeah, and and you mentioned the surveys. So that's where I've I've seen it is, you know, on, you know, the not the the feedback on the staff surveys both, you know, back in December and then well, last year then December and then most recently some too. And then I've had I've had just conversations where, you know, people come up to

135me and they mention, you know, teachers, administrators, you know, we need to we need to we need to do something about cell phones. I'll give you a p couple personal examples that has nothing to do with education, but it kind of does. Last night, right after this meeting, board meeting on the way home on White Avenue at a stoplight, here comes a car in the coming the other way. No lights on. It's dark. I started flashing my head, my lights. Can't The individual came to the stop sign. I'm still flashing my lights. When I go through the intersection, I'm flashing my lights and I look over and that individual is on their cell phone. At where I turn into my subdivision a few months ago, a lady was on her cell phone and went around

136the person turning right from the other direction and was heading right toward me. And I hit my horn and she dropped her phone and got into and probably missed me by 30, 40 feet. I mean, it wasn't really close, but I mean, she wasn't going 60 miles an hour either. But anyway, so those are just a couple examples. So, yes, the whole world the whole world is overcome with their cell phones. And so, but but at the end of the day, it's it's it's about the effect that it has on the education of our kids. And that's that's that's that's priority one. So, board member Henkins. Yeah, I'm just glad we got it introduced again. And, uh, the discussion, this discussion has a long way to go. It's going to take many turns and twists

137and what it looks like at the end of the day. Who knows? But, uh, I just think it's it's good that we're talking about it. Um, I've read where, you know, there's blocks that the building administrator could put and say, "Okay, no cell phones are being used because they're being blocked by something technology says." At the end of the day, she turns it back or he turns it back on. I mean, there's many different ways technology can be used for and against you. But anyways, uh, again, we're not going to decide anything tonight. We're not here to do that. So, but it's going to be a robust discussion, I'm sure. Thank you. Well, I appreciate everybody's input. Um, uh, that that'll be the end of the discussion on that for the night. And I would,

138um, the next meeting date is Wednesday, August 6th, 2025 at 4 p.m. And I would entertain a motion to adjurnn. So moved. And I will second. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. I. adjourned at 6:01 p.m. And thank you everybody.